Gary Fisher Montare XT 1991

[Harald]

I would like to share this superclean Gary Fisher Montare 1991 with you guys.
Shimano Deore XT cantilever brakes
Shimano Deore XT thumbshifters with SIS
Shimano Deore XT front- and rear derailleaur.
Shimano Deore DX hub
Shimano Deore DX crankset
Gary Fisher saddle
Gary Fisher handlebar

This bike looked like a mess when I bought it one year ago. I polished everything from ball bearings to spokes, rims and chain. Unfortunately the pedals was not a penny worth so I put some standard city pedals on, just to get it ready for summer. Offcourse I an looking on ebay for a pair of Shimano.

 

[merckx]

looks great! i like it a lot. not a fan personally of coloured cable housing..but thats just my opinion. hows it ride?

 

[mechagouki]

It's very nice, I much prefer the paint on yours to my '87, but not a 1991 bike I think. Based on shifters and cantilevers that is 6 speed M730 XT I (although the rear der. appears to be M732) which was replaced in 1989 by 7 speed M732 XT II. The frame and the rest of the spec on the bike is near identical to my late 1987 Montare, so I would guess yours is a late 1988. I am basing this just on the pictures though, so forgive me if you have other reasons to believe it's a '91. I am a little puzzled by no U-brake though, maybe someone knows what year Fisher stopped using those?

 

[Harald]

Coloured cabels? Yeah, I am agree with you but in some cases I really like it. This one is one of them. I think it gives some a contrast to the black frame while matching the graphics. In my opinion it would coloured cabels often kills the design if the cabels itself is in a new colour or if the frame is coloured instead of neutral as black or white.

I ride it with pleassure. It is an old bike and so is the experience but in a lovely and nostalgian way as we like it. But Crazy Bob tyres should be replaced with real MTB-tyres.

You know your Shimano-history! The bike has originally Shimano Deore DX group. When I bought the bike I had to change the derailleur and the front cantilever so the resultat was an all over customized upgrade DX to XT. That is maybe a reason why it could look older than it is. It was not I bike when I bought it. It was a wreck. The man I bought it from said it was a 91'er, but I do trust more in specialists on this site.

Think the rims are Alex but it is hard to see. Here is a picture of the steel alloy. Maybe that helps dating the bike correctly?

 

[mechagouki]

Mine came minus the original wheels so I can't help there. Are the thumbshifters original to the bike? How many rear cogs? If the front derailleur is original what colour is the "Deore XT" printing on it?

If you pull the stem out is it Nitto branded? My 87 bike has the Fisher Bulge bar and a Nitto stem, which I believe were also present on 88/89 bikes, but the higher end '89 bikes were definitely 7 speed.

 

[Harald]

Forgot the picture, here it is. Thumbshifters, brakes and brakelevers are not original. The crank, rims, hubs and flatbar are original. The stem is Nitto branded so then it is from late 80's?

 

[stumpjumper1990]

Nice bike!

It's not from 1991 because they had different decals which stated the full name of Gary Fisher. It's not 1988 as they still had the U-brake. So it is either 1989 or 1990...
If it originaly came with DX it has to be 1990, because DX came out in 1990. In 1989 it was called Deore II....
So my guess is it is from 1990!

 

[mechagouki]

I concur - frame was Tange DB until 1989. And (no offense meant - just an observation) much better welded. Still a great bike though - same geometry as Mt.Tam.

 

[stumpjumper1990]

Still think it's from 1990. According to MOMBAT and the 1989 brochure, there was no Montare model in 1989. In 1990 there was a black Montare with DX groupset!

http://mombat.org/Fisher.htm

 

[Chris]

Hi Harald,

Lovely fisher you have there.

can you do me a favour?

What is the serial number under the downtube and seatpost size?

And some photos of the decals would be great too, frame fork and headbadge.

Cheers Chris.