Stringerfabrication
Dirt Disciple
I bought this unnamed bike because of the parts on it. It’s had a fairly poor repaint, but It came with ‘94 rc35 Kevlar, and a full 93/94 lx groupset including hubs, in mint condition.
It’s got specialized x23 rims and specialised bars, a no name cromoly quill stem, and a XT headset and seatpost. Saddle is a recovered selle San Marco.
I have a suspicion the frame is a little earlier and it’s been built up with all the gear off a specialised, plus the forks.
I’m trying to ID the frame, and thought I’d struck gold when I found the distinctive rivetted on cable guides are the same as a ‘90 alpinestars, before the E-stay models. The canti yoke and brake bosses are also the same profile, and the dropouts.
The geometry also seems to more or less match the catalogue to within a mm or two.
The issue is it’s 1-1/8” head tube. As far as I can tell all alpinestars branded bikes were 1-1/4”, and the earlier MS racing branded bikes were 1”.
Seatpost is 27.0.
This so the alpinestars catalogue that provides a close up of the detail parts.
Frame number, an odd format?
So is it an oddball alpinestars, or were other brands made in the same factory with the same detail parts, or is it something else entirely and the similarities are a massive coincidence?
![0F064FD5-CB7F-444C-8BDA-1206A38D442D.jpeg 0F064FD5-CB7F-444C-8BDA-1206A38D442D.jpeg](https://www.retrobike.co.uk/data/attachments/437/437329-98ff00dc29cb9ca37b7344b10d6b0e84.jpg)
![69B03E7B-5769-4CEB-9ADA-36F1827DC222.jpeg 69B03E7B-5769-4CEB-9ADA-36F1827DC222.jpeg](https://www.retrobike.co.uk/data/attachments/437/437342-00d6137320d68dcbff6535f136db56c9.jpg)
![1A8003B8-BF26-4505-A99B-5EB309CF41DF.jpeg 1A8003B8-BF26-4505-A99B-5EB309CF41DF.jpeg](https://www.retrobike.co.uk/data/attachments/437/437343-10478622a44593109dbc5b3ed2f38735.jpg)
![EC3E4661-3A3A-42B5-AD3C-F23EC85A24B5.jpeg EC3E4661-3A3A-42B5-AD3C-F23EC85A24B5.jpeg](https://www.retrobike.co.uk/data/attachments/437/437344-2a18b36f6b7df810b78ce927c3ff5358.jpg)
It’s got specialized x23 rims and specialised bars, a no name cromoly quill stem, and a XT headset and seatpost. Saddle is a recovered selle San Marco.
I have a suspicion the frame is a little earlier and it’s been built up with all the gear off a specialised, plus the forks.
I’m trying to ID the frame, and thought I’d struck gold when I found the distinctive rivetted on cable guides are the same as a ‘90 alpinestars, before the E-stay models. The canti yoke and brake bosses are also the same profile, and the dropouts.
The geometry also seems to more or less match the catalogue to within a mm or two.
The issue is it’s 1-1/8” head tube. As far as I can tell all alpinestars branded bikes were 1-1/4”, and the earlier MS racing branded bikes were 1”.
Seatpost is 27.0.
![F0480CEC-E641-4745-B7F9-A952A6656E28.jpeg F0480CEC-E641-4745-B7F9-A952A6656E28.jpeg](https://www.retrobike.co.uk/data/attachments/437/437331-94a8de165135b8785def331a121400c4.jpg)
![1BA7EF49-46D3-4D53-B29C-241B536116CB.jpeg 1BA7EF49-46D3-4D53-B29C-241B536116CB.jpeg](https://www.retrobike.co.uk/data/attachments/437/437339-e17cdbbcba321dfea2d48c114e38b2d9.jpg)
![C55DB915-1C3C-49C5-B4DE-7D858A9B0187.jpeg C55DB915-1C3C-49C5-B4DE-7D858A9B0187.jpeg](https://www.retrobike.co.uk/data/attachments/437/437340-26737daf623e19d075c77e044e38a00d.jpg)
This so the alpinestars catalogue that provides a close up of the detail parts.
![02304F86-CF92-47C7-BE8E-4E10A891A1F0.jpeg 02304F86-CF92-47C7-BE8E-4E10A891A1F0.jpeg](https://www.retrobike.co.uk/data/attachments/437/437341-71621675457f3510ef3311babe6f7b1f.jpg)
Frame number, an odd format?
![1F35E08E-6DD8-42A7-9CBF-44F450D5FEB0.jpeg 1F35E08E-6DD8-42A7-9CBF-44F450D5FEB0.jpeg](https://www.retrobike.co.uk/data/attachments/437/437345-be84d9f83a7dcbae26930dab2e817683.jpg)
So is it an oddball alpinestars, or were other brands made in the same factory with the same detail parts, or is it something else entirely and the similarities are a massive coincidence?