1998 Rockhopper resurrection

[karloff70]

Hi chaps,

Neewb alert. Just got the bug badly and found this site and I guess I'll be getting to know you lot from now on.....

Found myself a terribly neglected Nitanium Rockhopper on Gumtree for an absolutely ridiculous price so game on. He's got plenty little bits of surface rust, but not worrying stuff. But full new glory dictates a sandblast and powdercoating. He's silver and rust brown at the mo but will turn dark gunmetal grey metallic me thinks. And then see if I get Gil's help with some white stickers.

As I'm going to use him as a runaround he's going to have single 44t in front and 11-34 9 gear X9 in the back. Minimal, simple, tidy.

Not really keeping much of the original parts, but will probably go with the wheels for now and seatpost, stem and handlebar. See if a shorter stem is required after testing.....

Now if I could only manage to upload the pics this could be a good before and after.....lol

....aaaand back to the wirewool.....

 

[karloff70]

So here goes with the maltreated pictures:

 

[karloff70]

Ok, so slowly, slowly goes progress......

Unfortunately Gil has not got Rockhopper 98 decals, but i have done some work on Illustrator today and with the help of a graphics buddy will be able to sort the decals. So there shall be a nice dark gunmetal frame sporting white decals with yellow trim soon.

The frame will hopefully go to the powdercoaters on friday.

And it seems I have found a lovely chainset on here from a pleasant man called Jeff

The rest of the bits list is changing all the time, based on ultra low budget and "make rideable first and then upgrade" or "go for broke until it's complete" concerns......been wirewooling the original Dia-Compe levers today, which were nasty looking, but do indeed come up nice in naked aluminium look, so I think they're staying. Same for the brakes, so they're staying for now too...new salmon coolstops shies though me thinks to go with brown Charge Spoon....oh the new obsession ...

Updates to follow..

 

[karloff70]

Slowly, slowly the skint man progresses......STX RC shifters and a lovely Sugino chainset on way to join the party from friendly people on this forum. Unfortunately the frame is not at the powdershop yet and they reckon 2 weeks turnaround. However they charge £45 for frame and forks sandblasted and powdered metallic gunmetal.

I'm in Twickenham TW1 and this shop is in Berkhamsted (P&R Finishers). Anyone know any closer (or similar distance) shop that has similar prices (and might be a bit faster..)? Could only find Willow and they want £80.....no thanks.

Also, this Hopper has 42 cm axle to crown on the original rigid fork. What type of sus fork would I get away with? Thinking Pace RC36 should fit nicely. Keeping the rigid though and trying it first, just I do like a bit of give. Maybe the rigid will surprise me and that'll be that...... Any knowledgeable views very welcomed....

 

[cyfa2809]

i like that orginally
wonder what it will turn outlike
i think youd be looking at 80mm travel forks or there abouts
what was the orginal sum paid? if you dont mind

 

[karloff70]

Hmmm, yes, originally and sweet is mutually exclusive here thanks to the surface rust everywhere. But neither do I fancy mostrous modern sus forks.....thereof the liking for Pace RC36's.....similar time, nice looking, light.....still trying the rigid first though. Might stop there.

The sum is embarrasing.......£20 on gumtree. He'd broken the left crank off and reckoned he wasn't "mechanically minded" and it just stood in his garden rusting away....to the rescue, to the rescue....

 

[coomber]

Ah this is a great find. These frames are superb, my bro has one and I keep nagging him to rebuild with it.

Not knowing your riding/age etc but I would stick rigid as it'll be a great ride with them. At least you are going to give that a try and see how it goes, that's sensible.

£45 is reasonable price, should look good all new and spangly.

Book me in for updates, keen as mustard on this.

 

[karloff70]

Yep, FIND is what screamed into my mind when I saw the ad. There where no pics and 20 odd people had viewed the ad already, but no one had grabbed it Was stunned how light the frame is!

I'm a bit of a bike virgin really, 40 years old and got my first "bike again" since childhood/teenage only a few months ago, a Kona Blast 2008. It's ok, but pretty quickly it seems a little unwieldly and more to the point a wee bit loveless, but the lust for riding every day has definitely won. So enter the new obsession of "stylish bike built to my spec" which quickly led to this beautiful place!
My riding consists of riverpaths between Richmond and Sunbury really and as a general runaround, so no mad dirtfest or downhilling. Rigid fork should work well really. There is one part of my favourite run which at speed gets pretty bumpy though and front shocks do have a general appeal to me when 'swallowing' across bumpy stuff, a bit of park at speed, etc....let's see......the rigids and steel frame might just surprise me.....

Was going to go modern 9 speed on the drivetrain with SRAM x9, but now thinking **** that, the old STX RC derailleur came out shiny and pretty after wool and autosol and feels solid as new, so 8 in the back with the matching STX RC shifter and one ring in the front it is.....I get the impression this Hopper has not had a lot of love OR use, just leaving in the rainy garden. Those tyres look original to me and the tread is virtually new. Look decent too, now that they're cleaned up. But I feel the need to get DMR Supermotos

 

[coomber]

STX RC is really good quality stuff. Will go well with it.

Take plenty of photos of before and after if you are restoring stuff

 

[Reluctant]

Looks like a bargain for that money.
Fork wise, 80mm with a shortish axle to crown would be ideal.
I've got a Manitou SXR from year 2000 for sale which would suit very well, £30 posted.

Manitou 002 by Bracknell Cycles, on Flickr
Search for my for sale thread for more pics and details if you're interested