SFP
Old School Hero
Some bikes we just dream of owning....
Back in 1992 for myself that was the steel 1992 Rocky Mountain Vertex. I ended up with a RM Experience instead.
Working in a shop that sold RM's, I eyed the two in the store I worked in, but even with a pro deal I couldn't afford one at the time.
We only ever sold two of said magical beasts that year, one a fully factory 19" the other just a frame and fork set that was 17".
Rocky only ever made the steel version for one year and to my knowledge Chris Dekerf handbuilt them all. All were built/welded in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
After 252 km round trip involving two ferries and a bunch of city driving, 3/4 a tank of fuel (at $1.68/L), and $190.xx CDN in ferry costs, this past weekend I finally got to purchase one for myself and bring her home.
She's a well loved and not much matches the catalogue so I suspect either was OG sold as a frameset or the OG owner changed/upgraded a ton on her.
She's a 17" frame with OG Rocky fork.
Hubs, mechs, crankset shifters/brake leavers are all period correct XT.
Rims are Ritchey Vantage Comp (that is four sets I now own), a Ritchey Stem, Litespeed (branded Kalloy) handlebar, Thompson Elite seatpost, well used Vetta saddle, Continetal Touring Plus slicks (basically brand new), and Avid Shorty 6 cantis front & rear and a pair of Yeti branded grips.
The Ritchey stem is a tad short for me, so it will be swapped out - I dropped on a silver Syncros 140mm but I believe it be just a tad too long - thinking I need a 130-135mm. I'll post of photo with the 140mm Syncros mounted later.
The shortcage XT rear mech I'll be keeping. The XT brifters (already moved to the Team Chance) will be replaced by above bar XT thumbies and Logic levers. I'll throw on a set of Deore DX pedals for now and figure things out later.
Avid Shorty 6's will be swapped out for black Dia Compe 987s.
I suspect the Thompson seatpost will be swapped out as well (no idea yet what I wanna replace it with).
As she sits she is light - 25.49 lbs.
I'll be keeping the OG fork initially, but I am thinking of a period correct Manitiou for her.
Debating do I switch over threadless or stick with threaded for the headset??? Do I keep her period correct or build her up how I want?
I do believe I will eventually do a repaint (was it Imron paint used, anyone know???) and fresh decals.
I have a pair of XT hubs laced up to Mavic rims I am thinking of putting on her, but they are the next generation of XT, so perhaps I lace in some new rims to keep the period correct XT hubs.
Tire wise I picked up a pair of Ritchey Z-Max tires in really good condition while in Vancouver. Now I just need to get my hands on a era correct Panaracer Smoke Lite (1.9 kevlar) for the rear.
But yeah I be one happy happy camper.
The name Verdi is from a childrens story - if you have not read it's a cute story about a snake who thinks and lives outside the box.
Back in 1992 for myself that was the steel 1992 Rocky Mountain Vertex. I ended up with a RM Experience instead.
Working in a shop that sold RM's, I eyed the two in the store I worked in, but even with a pro deal I couldn't afford one at the time.
We only ever sold two of said magical beasts that year, one a fully factory 19" the other just a frame and fork set that was 17".
Rocky only ever made the steel version for one year and to my knowledge Chris Dekerf handbuilt them all. All were built/welded in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
After 252 km round trip involving two ferries and a bunch of city driving, 3/4 a tank of fuel (at $1.68/L), and $190.xx CDN in ferry costs, this past weekend I finally got to purchase one for myself and bring her home.
She's a well loved and not much matches the catalogue so I suspect either was OG sold as a frameset or the OG owner changed/upgraded a ton on her.
She's a 17" frame with OG Rocky fork.
Hubs, mechs, crankset shifters/brake leavers are all period correct XT.
Rims are Ritchey Vantage Comp (that is four sets I now own), a Ritchey Stem, Litespeed (branded Kalloy) handlebar, Thompson Elite seatpost, well used Vetta saddle, Continetal Touring Plus slicks (basically brand new), and Avid Shorty 6 cantis front & rear and a pair of Yeti branded grips.
The Ritchey stem is a tad short for me, so it will be swapped out - I dropped on a silver Syncros 140mm but I believe it be just a tad too long - thinking I need a 130-135mm. I'll post of photo with the 140mm Syncros mounted later.
The shortcage XT rear mech I'll be keeping. The XT brifters (already moved to the Team Chance) will be replaced by above bar XT thumbies and Logic levers. I'll throw on a set of Deore DX pedals for now and figure things out later.
Avid Shorty 6's will be swapped out for black Dia Compe 987s.
I suspect the Thompson seatpost will be swapped out as well (no idea yet what I wanna replace it with).
As she sits she is light - 25.49 lbs.
I'll be keeping the OG fork initially, but I am thinking of a period correct Manitiou for her.
Debating do I switch over threadless or stick with threaded for the headset??? Do I keep her period correct or build her up how I want?
I do believe I will eventually do a repaint (was it Imron paint used, anyone know???) and fresh decals.
I have a pair of XT hubs laced up to Mavic rims I am thinking of putting on her, but they are the next generation of XT, so perhaps I lace in some new rims to keep the period correct XT hubs.
Tire wise I picked up a pair of Ritchey Z-Max tires in really good condition while in Vancouver. Now I just need to get my hands on a era correct Panaracer Smoke Lite (1.9 kevlar) for the rear.
But yeah I be one happy happy camper.
The name Verdi is from a childrens story - if you have not read it's a cute story about a snake who thinks and lives outside the box.
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