Kastle XC-F 900...Help!

[sam_white]

The frame number will be this one: WC0312R
I'm going to gamble that the first '0' indicates a Year 2000 bike. The components also fit with that date.

 

[joglo]

I was also guessing year 2000

Up: XCF . 16
Bi - 0902
Down: WC0312R

just think that also the both upper numbers are there for a good reason.

XCF obviously the model name, maybe 16 was a number for the variant
and Bi or maybe Bj could stand for the date? Bj is very often used in German speaking countries for "Baujahr" = model year.
That would be than hint to September 2002?
Sure the SID fork than doesn't fit date-wise well any longer.

@Obi-Juan you've said earlier it was used from a racing team. Any success googling for pictures of this racing team or form the pro racers of that team? Typcially there are still rankings or lists of leader boards from some earlier races available.
Just to help dating the period this racing team was existing and also using Kästle bikes...

 

[sam_white]

The 16 could be the frame size?

 

[Obi-Juan]

The 16 could be the frame size?

Well, what you say about the frame number is interesting.
As for the size, I honestly haven't measured it. I know it sounds strange, but I like restoring bikes just for the pleasure of entertaining myself with the work. If I like a bike, or it was a youthful dream, or if I simply see it as "abandoned" (yes, I recently acquired a neglected Apex) and it becomes part of history, then I add it to the collection.
In principle, I have one premise with sizes: nothing tiny and nothing huge like a horse. It's very difficult for the material to look good on those bikes, especially the smaller sizes (13 to 15 inches). It's true that I have a 13" Giant from '98, and it looks great on me, but I already told that story in "Show us your Giants."

The ones I usually use are my size (the Look KG 292 road bike, and since last year my favorite MTB is a 2002 Rocky Mountain Element SC, which works superbly).
I'm currently using the Team Titanium, which I also want to use, and that's why it took me a while to find the right size.

 

[Obi-Juan]

I was also guessing year 2000

just think that also the both upper numbers are there for a good reason.

XCF obviously the model name, maybe 16 was a number for the variant
and Bi or maybe Bj could stand for the date? Bj is very often used in German speaking countries for "Baujahr" = model year.
That would be than hint to September 2002?
Sure the SID fork than doesn't fit date-wise well any longer.

@Obi-Juan you've said earlier it was used from a racing team. Any success googling for pictures of this racing team or form the pro racers of that team? Typcially there are still rankings or lists of leader boards from some earlier races available.
Just to help dating the period this racing team was existing and also using Kästle bikes...

Wow, your mention of the "BJ" acronym is very interesting; I would never have thought of it myself.
I think, based on what you've been saying, that it's probably more from 2000 than 2002, mainly because of the fork. The ones I've seen for sale these days all have that SID, or so it seems to me.

On the other hand, I really like the idea: I could put a first-generation X0 on it! I also have some Avid Tis lying around that should maintain some historical consistency, although I think the fork is a bit older. Well, deciding what to mount on the bike is quite fun, so the first thing I do is strip them all down. This one in particular would have definitely made anyone happy with the 9-speed XT ready to go, but then it's not a restoration, just cleaning and lubrication.
Furthermore, in the footos everything always seems wonderful and then when you take them apart you find the drama: bearings in bad condition, cracked connecting rods, etc. etc.


The Coronas team was legendary in the Spanish MTB scene. If I remember correctly, they started with Marin, although the most well-known bikes they rode were the Spanish BH bikes, and most of the photos found online are of them.
I remember reading about a rider who was signed to ride the Tour de France MTB with the team, I think in '97, and they rode Kastle bikes, but there weren't any for him.
The bikes aren't very visible, and I haven't found any of this model, although I know they were used. Some photos are so bad that I can't even confirm they're Kastle... anyway, I'll upload them anyway