1995 Specialized Rockhopper parts bin build

[Minifreak]

Hey guys,

Been a while since I posted a build but I picked this bike up for £25, didn’t need it but could see its potential.

Initial plans were to just restore as was, pretty much catalogue spec, and flip but, decided the A1 Comp Aluminium frame (shared with the Stumpjumpet of the same year I think?) deserved a few upgrades from my parts bin.

Since buying, I have stripped and cleaned it, rebuilt the RockShox Quadra 21’s (my first suspension forks as a teenager) with the one-peice elastomer and spring from a later set of Indy’s, and selected the bits I’m using.

Hope you like it, more pics to come later today as I rebuild the bike

(Evan managed to sell the black 7 speed cassette for a tenner plus post making it a £15 bargain - minus replacement parts of course )

 

[Minifreak]

Bit of a mix of years from early DX rear mech through to XTR Dyna-SyS front mech with FSA, X-Lite, RaceFace parts thrown in but, hoping it’ll be a hoot to ride.

 

[Minifreak]

Progress

 

[Minifreak]

More bits on

 

[vtwinvince]

I have this exact bike, same colour, same year. Had it for 25 years and thousands of miles. A high quality frame. I just finished restoring mine with M950 parts.

 

[Minifreak]

I have this exact bike, same colour, same year. Had it for 25 years and thousands of miles. A high quality frame. I just finished restoring mine with M950 parts.

Lovely, got any pics of yours buddy? It’s certainly a great frame, not got the budget for XTR all round, in fact I can’t get the XTR front mech to shift to the big ring (either I need a 107BB axel rather than 110 or, the Dyna-Sys mech doesn’t like my mixed up setup).

 

[vtwinvince]

Here it is, funny thing is I haven't ridden this bike since December 1, 2016, when I hit black ice on the morning commute and wound up with multiple injuries. Anyway, it's all M950 except for the front mech, which is XT. The fork is the original SL which I've rebuilt with a SRP spring kit. Other goodies include the original King no-logo headset, extra-long Syncros post and M747 pedals.

 

[Minifreak]

Well, try as I might I cannot get the front mech to raise the chain to the big ring and it drags the chain when on the grannie ring.

I’ve put this down to a couple of issues:

It’s currently got a 110mm axel BB with a 68mm shell when the frame is 73mm. Thus the chain line is already out of optimum.

The front mech is just too new and compact for the triple setup and 12-28 tooth cassette.

My parts build is now becoming a less spare parts build and more money spent type project

Bought a lovely 107x73 Specialized BB off of eBay, now in and things are certainly better in the chain line department, now waiting for another eBay purchase to arrive - 34.9 XT M761 front mech to arrive.

As the (canti) brake levers are useless with the V’s, the lovely Dia-Compe PC-800’s are going, to be replaced with AVID SD1.9L brake levers, again from eBay and…….

given the new levers are not GripShift specific, I thought what the hell, I have a lonely Deore DX 7 speed shifter kicking about so might as well find a left hand one, thank you eBay again.

Oh, and again, that means new full length grips and I’ve just sold my only spare set

More updates when the bits arrive.

 

[Minifreak]

Replaced the front mech with the XT, now have all 21 gears!

Just awaiting the Deore DX thumbies and AVID V brake shifters now.

 

[Minifreak]

Last bits of the puzzle have arrived , need a bit of a tidy up paint wise to the lever bodies and shifter clamp: