1989 Rockhopper first ride

[gbmoto]

A rider and taken for a little spin around the block!

Still a bit to do, replace all the QR's, do the stickers, sort cable ends all the odds and sods.

May not keep the XCpro canti's, I don't think they really look right, if I do I need to sort the straddle cable.

Riding position is good and the Rollercam is amazing, but not nice to set up!

A Rollercam fork would be good!

It rides so nicely I'm thinking of going Shimano 8 speed (still with thumb shifters) and use it more as it should be. We will see, need to finish it like this first.

 

[walleater]

OK, to add some more confusion, is it a 15" frame? The '89 Rockhopper Comp had a U brake on the small size as per the link below:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/M ... ewsIndex=1

I was nerdy enough to look as I had an '89 Rockhopper Comp (my first proper mountain bike), and the original paint / decals on your bike perfectly matched my bike. The '88 one is darker, so yeah, if it did fade in the sun it's a big coincidence that it faded to the exact 1989 colour

Just thought I'd throw that in there!

 

[gbmoto]

Aha, yes it is a 15" so that explains the colour.

Thought it was weird being an 88 as the brochure said 24" wheels for that.

Ta for the detective work.

Looking at Trebz piccies I need to change my cable runs under the BB too.

And change the thread title again!!

 

[gbmoto]

Well it's finished ish now.

But changes are planned, have some XT front canti's that are more correct for the period coming and I want a set of beartrap pedals, I usually ride spd but that wouldn't fit in with this bike or the type of riding I will do with it.

Also wider rims and tyres would suit better, but very pleased considering how cheap the frame and most of the components were.

Probably could shorten the cables now I have them running under the BB correctly too, oh and a bit more stylish seatpost maybe...............

I have always wanted a bike with chainstay brakes, it looks so clean.

But I wonder whether I should have gone for one of the single colour options, the powdercoat is lovely but I worry about the paint on the front bit of frame.

Need to take it for a ride for final setup but a bit poorly at the mo, hence the piccy's taken outside the garage, i'll do some better ones soon.

 

[stumpjumper1990]

Very nice, but you have to change the saddle for a more period correct one!

 

[gbmoto]

I know I should..........but I probably won't

That one is really comfy, I still have saddles from that era and despite riding centuries with them I would never regard them as comfy.

We shall see, the bike will evolve over the next few months.

 

[euphras_1]

Very nice Bike! Where did you get the frame stickers? As a replacement for the saddle i´d go for a worn-out TURBO and glue some new leather onto it.


edit: Here´s a how-to on preparing the saddle:

http://www.lfgss.com/thread26852.html

 

[gbmoto]

Many thanks

This is where the stickers came from.

http://www.graphicshack.co.uk/category/ ... zed,l.html

Interesting link about the saddles, maybe I will go period correct.

 

[gbmoto]

A few more updates, I have gone period correct with a Rolls, and very nice it is too.

Have also swopped the Ceramic D521's over from the Sunn.

Too new but seem to look a bit more like the brochure pics, wider rim too so the Ritcheys look a bit meatier.

This means an 8 speed cassette which works very well with the shifter in friction mode.

Although I do have some Shimano thumby's so I could go index.......hmmmm.

A pair of XT canti's look much better on the front now.

Gradually getting a set of Silver Biopace rings together, are Biopace rings OK with an eight speed chain? It's a 7 on there at the mo which seems OK with the cassette but there's more choice of 8 speed chains.

I would quiet like a different seatpost too, maybe a USE.

Still cannot make my mind up about pedals, should be clips and straps but it's a long time since I have ridden with those, mostly SPD now.

Still haven't shortened the cables :-(

 

[gbmoto]

And another that shows off the Rolls