1992 Rockhopper Comp , finished and first ride!

[Mike Muz]

Evening all,

While I've been waiting for my current project to come back from the paint shop, I have felt a need to keep myself busy with something else. Naturally, I thought I'd build a bike!
This time, a stealth build so far, hence the bad pictures taken in the loft. Safe from inquisitive eyes



Bought from someone on this very forum, I'm not sure what year it is from, the paint is not original, red underneath the lovely deep blue. On the canti bosses, the red paint was too thick to allow the cantis to fit, so that left me more confused :? Easily done !



If the red was original, surely the cantis would go on easily.
The serial number (under the bb shell?), is under the paint, and don't want to scrape it off just to find out what year it is from.
The stickers are not original, I took the Rockhopper ones off as I think they should be where the Specialized ones are. Thought I'd leave those in place, just to get people guessing
Came with an STX headset with cartridge bearings



But it won't be staying there

Also has mech hanger issues :facepalm:



In the process of tidying this up, before spraying up , back to the lovely deep blue the rest of the frame is sporting.

Stay tooned, folks !

Mike

 

[mikee]

Re: Early '90s Rockhopper

Pity it's not a 98 Mike

Lol

Mike

 

[Mike Muz]

Re: Early '90s Rockhopper

Pity it's not a 98 Mike

Lol

Mike

I already have 1 1/2 '98 bikes Mike !


The age of this one is a mystery to me. Around '94 ish maybe

Mike

 

[masha]

Re:

Looks good and early 90s is always better than late '90s on this forum

I've just revamped my red Hopper from around '93 - it must be later than yours as it doesn't have the same rear canti hanger.

I've been ridging it over the holidays and I love it, its so simple and feels so good. Early 90s stumpjumper for me after that (once I've finished the S-works M2 Team I'm working on next)

 

[coomber]

Re: Early '90s Rockhopper

What's up with the mech hanger Mike? Looks like it was chopped off and welded back on? Probably for some awful fixie :facepalm:

Looks really smart though fella.

 

[masha]

Re:

my guess was it was either repaired, welded back on and then the weld 'tidied' with a grinder, just needed some red oxide /undercoat and dark paint to blend it back in again and it should be nearly good as new and won't be noticed.

M

 

[Mike Muz]

Re:

Thanks for not taking the pi.s chaps.
The blue paint really does come up nicely with t-cut followed by polish.
Interesting about the canti hanger :? Maybe mine's earlier than yours then.
The hanger was welded on and left. The shiny marks are from my filing work trying to tidy it up before paint. The hanger is thinner than the dropout so i hope it will be strong enough for a mech. Other option would be singlespeed with a tensioner in the hanger . There is a local framebuilder I could take it to, who could maybe beef it up.

Thoughts ?

Mike

 

[drcarlos]

Re:

Cut another mech hanger off a scrap frame and weld it on? This could be mig or arc welded as material is thick on the dropout. That could be a 1990 frame like my old comp was. I'm sure they move to vertical dropouts around 91 (quite a way behind most others).

Carl

 

[Mike Muz]

Re:

A small update for those interested souls,

The gear hanger is now looking a lot better after a tidy up and some paint. Unfortunately it's at work, and I forgot to take the camera in on Friday :facepalm:
Paint dried nicely with the lorry heater on it !
The forks are at a local frame builders, getting some braze put on for the Deore headset

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=315178

Now laced the wheels up , with unbranded hubs and Ritchey rims,



Also gathering some more parts for it ,





Along with a pristine pair of KARMA :shock: Ritchey bars courtesy of a very generous Scotsman



Thanks Rob, I owe you one mate

Also have a Stumpy OE stem on it's way to me to hold them on the bike.

Also got some Deore thumbies and cantis to go on , forgot to take photos of these :facepalm: and it's dark now :roll:

That's all for now folks, 'til I get the forks back.

Hope you're all having a good weekend

Mike

 

[Mike Muz]

Re:

Hi folks, small update for you,

Well, just over a month later, I have the forks back from the local frame builder.



Lots of nice braze where it's needed, and some expected paint damage. What I wasn't expecting was this,



:shock: :facepalm:

He apologized for breaking the race whilst putting it on and he did the forks for free as he owed me a favour. Now he owes me another one! :roll:

Anyway, quiet at work today, not driving the truck, so I could start repainting the bare metal.

Sanded the smeg off the crown, ready for paint,



Did a couple of coats in the cold wet warehouse, but I had a plan to help the paint stick,



Leave the fork lift running, and warm air comes out of the back, CHAMPION!

Here's how they're looking now.



I will let them dry over the weekend, before the blue goes on , on Monday .

I also have a new DX headset on order :roll:

The rear end is now looking better too I think,



It's a bit dark in the picture, but looks a closer match in reality

Mike