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1996 Specialized Stumpjumper
I got this 20 inch frame a few weeks ago from Rampage for the princely sum of just £20. Cosmetically it certainly has patina, but it's structurally fine and free of any rust.
So after establishing it's a 96 indigo blue Stumpjumper I set about deciding how to go about building it up. As usual with my builds I tend to go for a period correct approach where possible and practical.
I also had it in mind that this bike was being built up as one of my potential choices for my solo ride at Mountain Mayhem this year. That meant that I would lean towards reliability and a comfortable riding position.
This justified the inclusion of a few modern parts.
The groupset is mostly made up of Shimano Deore LX in it's M565 incarnation. The fork is a Spinner rigid fork which was lying around in my workshop. In the future I would like to find some Rock Shox Judy XC or SL forks if possible.
Notably I went for a 1x8 gearing set up. I've ridden a 1x9 on my main 'modern' bike for the past couple of years and have really got used to the simplicity of such a configuration.
It's hilly where I live so I use a 34-34 (1:1) low gear and for this bike I've initially gone for a 32-32 low end.
I've also fabricated a chain guide from an old damaged Superstar Components XCR guide and some plastic light mounts.
I first test on a few very rocky and bumpy descents suggest that it's doing the job it's supposed to do in keeping the chain on.
Anyway, here are some nice big pictures:
Patina on the decals
Specialized bar ends - essential for 24 hour comfort
Shimano LX M565 8 speed shifter - I had a spare NOS one of these in the spare parts storage facility
I had this M563 brake lever already. A previous owner had done a very nice job of removing the shifter mount
LX M563 cranks and a single 32t TA chainring. A 107mm BB gives a perfect chainline
LX M565 rear mech
LX M565 canti brakes
LX M565 rear hub built up with Mavic XM317 rim
LX M564 front hub built up with Mavic XM317 rim - technically a suspension specific front hub
X-Lite Clikon seatpost - I found this NOS post at a cycle jumble for a few quid. It's a 27.2mm post so there's also a shim to fit into the 30.2mm seat-tube
Charge Spoon - a cheap but very comfortable and stylish saddle
Charge Splashback 2.1 dual compound folding tyres - I had to give these a try out at just £24 a pair. They are a bit scary in the mud though...
Every bike should have carefully selected colour matched valve caps - these red/orange come with Planet X tubes
Page from the 1996 Specialized Dealer Handbook for reference
![96Stumpjumper01.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper01.jpg&hash=294e35e128b4f293963c9cb12b2c900c)
I got this 20 inch frame a few weeks ago from Rampage for the princely sum of just £20. Cosmetically it certainly has patina, but it's structurally fine and free of any rust.
So after establishing it's a 96 indigo blue Stumpjumper I set about deciding how to go about building it up. As usual with my builds I tend to go for a period correct approach where possible and practical.
I also had it in mind that this bike was being built up as one of my potential choices for my solo ride at Mountain Mayhem this year. That meant that I would lean towards reliability and a comfortable riding position.
This justified the inclusion of a few modern parts.
The groupset is mostly made up of Shimano Deore LX in it's M565 incarnation. The fork is a Spinner rigid fork which was lying around in my workshop. In the future I would like to find some Rock Shox Judy XC or SL forks if possible.
Notably I went for a 1x8 gearing set up. I've ridden a 1x9 on my main 'modern' bike for the past couple of years and have really got used to the simplicity of such a configuration.
It's hilly where I live so I use a 34-34 (1:1) low gear and for this bike I've initially gone for a 32-32 low end.
I've also fabricated a chain guide from an old damaged Superstar Components XCR guide and some plastic light mounts.
I first test on a few very rocky and bumpy descents suggest that it's doing the job it's supposed to do in keeping the chain on.
Anyway, here are some nice big pictures:
![96Stumpjumper02.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper02.jpg&hash=0779064749a5dfbc57adb713abfe51a4)
![96Stumpjumper03.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper03.jpg&hash=097621ec1abab52fd37291f54f9659ff)
![96Stumpjumper04.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper04.jpg&hash=594d83732010a1923df924f73ab303e3)
Patina on the decals
![96Stumpjumper05.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper05.jpg&hash=1ef37914b3d24ad14019780f8ecf8111)
![96Stumpjumper06.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper06.jpg&hash=d833633db1656c3114ad9e4cc22d77b4)
![96Stumpjumper07.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper07.jpg&hash=3a9690a1fcd22bdb2039d2fd6f884674)
Specialized bar ends - essential for 24 hour comfort
![96Stumpjumper08.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper08.jpg&hash=d8eabeb8f34cfabff42ad781b469571a)
![96Stumpjumper09.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper09.jpg&hash=214c16b84bb6d00de17bc80bc5e6e928)
Shimano LX M565 8 speed shifter - I had a spare NOS one of these in the spare parts storage facility
![96Stumpjumper10.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper10.jpg&hash=b68f0140c4931c81380636dec309b5f2)
I had this M563 brake lever already. A previous owner had done a very nice job of removing the shifter mount
![96Stumpjumper11.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper11.jpg&hash=5fd80ad8db3cd2b7f305dd14ac58c8f9)
LX M563 cranks and a single 32t TA chainring. A 107mm BB gives a perfect chainline
![96Stumpjumper12.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper12.jpg&hash=fc9baf7f7c62c6ccad2c625ac65170fe)
LX M565 rear mech
![96Stumpjumper13.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper13.jpg&hash=8603fa62d06f707777c93e4fb5d27e17)
LX M565 canti brakes
![96Stumpjumper14.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper14.jpg&hash=6695e7883b2533666ce0c512b3314567)
LX M565 rear hub built up with Mavic XM317 rim
![96Stumpjumper15.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper15.jpg&hash=ff0285bb979891878b70e31fad3e7fe0)
LX M564 front hub built up with Mavic XM317 rim - technically a suspension specific front hub
![96Stumpjumper16.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper16.jpg&hash=0e36114ba5877c8d3c5fcec0d268471d)
X-Lite Clikon seatpost - I found this NOS post at a cycle jumble for a few quid. It's a 27.2mm post so there's also a shim to fit into the 30.2mm seat-tube
![96Stumpjumper17.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper17.jpg&hash=21bdfecd3cc6c77bed5064d3e4229066)
![96Stumpjumper18.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper18.jpg&hash=60a884d6aed334ba9d92a9d37ecd1285)
Charge Spoon - a cheap but very comfortable and stylish saddle
![96Stumpjumper19.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper19.jpg&hash=35eb702e0beaa4d7b3dff0d70a133d18)
Charge Splashback 2.1 dual compound folding tyres - I had to give these a try out at just £24 a pair. They are a bit scary in the mud though...
![96Stumpjumper20.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper20.jpg&hash=c4b88ef584016de07c46ae11ed05cf02)
![96Stumpjumper21.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper21.jpg&hash=8ae2d6b7b9574a4e1c12750b84c90cf2)
Every bike should have carefully selected colour matched valve caps - these red/orange come with Planet X tubes
![96Stumpjumper22.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper22.jpg&hash=fbfbbc60e13ffe5ffdfd89991237534a)
![96Stumpjumper_cat.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drystonepaul.com%2FRetrobike%2F96Stumpjumper%2F96Stumpjumper_cat.jpg&hash=0e06b78a7cab3d4dfd73b49fd1d4a5b4)
Page from the 1996 Specialized Dealer Handbook for reference