MS Racing - New Project / Childhood Dream Bike

[goshow]

In 1989 I was 14 years old and had just upgraded from a 23" Peugeot Laser 15 SIS to a Mongoose Iboc Comp. MBUK was the obvious go to read, in between finding discarded copies of Fiesta, Escort and Razzle in hedgerows!! I turned the pages to see and advert of the MS Racing fleet and immediately the CR2 was the dream bike. The pictures were pinned to my bedroom wall with blu-tac. Also a Cindy Crawford poster or two!
33 years later and after years of searching and near misses on other sales I have managed to locate and purchase this project. I cannot wait to get stuck into it and return it to it's former glory. It's going to take some time though as I'm aiming to build it back to factory fresh standard condition.

 

[gtturbo]

Nice. It was also a bike I lusted after in my younger days and I was lucky enough to get a 100% original example earlier this year although the tyres are beyond knackered really. The brownish colour XT chainrings are unusual. I've not seen them on anything else but they are original to these. Interested to see what you do paint wise as mine has faded like yours. I did speak to Gil about decals but he doesn't have them. However he seemed open to me sending him the frame to copy.

 

[goshow]

Nice. It was also a bike I lusted after in my younger days and I was lucky enough to get a 100% original example earlier this year although the tyres are beyond knackered really. The brownish colour XT chainrings are unusual. I've not seen them on anything else but they are original to these. Interested to see what you do paint wise as mine has faded like yours. I did speak to Gil about decals but he doesn't have them. However he seemed open to me sending him the frame to copy.

View attachment 651377

Fantastic. I still think they look like a mountain bike should. None of this E-bike malarkey for me!!

Am I right in saying Gil is at Dolby? If so it’s not a million miles from me and I’d be more than happy to get the frame up to him.

I’ll obviously document the full resto as it happens.

 

[27motorhead]

Love these MS Racing bikes. You can really see the design influence they had on the first generation alpinestars.

I have a CR1 which I bought a while back and have yet to do anything with it. It's lost it's original saddle, seatpost, tyres, brake blocks and grips and as no doubt in the early 90s some monkey chopped the bars down too! The paint on mine has seem to have fared a little better than yours, but it's black vs. yellow - crazy to see how the yellow turns mustardy?!

I remember looking at these bikes in MBUK and watching Mike Kloser win the Aviemore Round of the Grundig World Cup on his CR2 which I think was broadcast on Grandstand? Also remember going on holiday down Cornwall way and there was a bike shop with a few MS Racing bikes in the window which I remember gawping at as we went past. I wonder what shop that was?

I'm assuming you've seen this:

The MS Racing/alpinestars story.

Taken from my notes for the OWMTBC presentation, here is the MS Racing/alpinestars story so far. Ultimately, I'd still like to get in contact with Bernie Schreiber, Bill Stevenson or Roger Malinowski to get the full story, if I do get in contact with them I'll update the thread. Many items...

www.retrobike.co.uk

Looking forward to seeing how you progress!

 

[goshow]

Love these MS Racing bikes. You can really see the design influence they had on the first generation alpinestars.

I have a CR1 which I bought a while back and have yet to do anything with it. It's lost it's original saddle, seatpost, tyres, brake blocks and grips and as no doubt in the early 90s some monkey chopped the bars down too! The paint on mine has seem to have fared a little better than yours, but it's black vs. yellow - crazy to see how the yellow turns mustardy?!

I remember looking at these bikes in MBUK and watching Mike Kloser win the Aviemore Round of the Grundig World Cup on his CR2 which I think was broadcast on Grandstand? Also remember going on holiday down Cornwall way and there was a bike shop with a few MS Racing bikes in the window which I remember gawping at as we went past. I wonder what shop that was?

I'm assuming you've seen this:

The MS Racing/alpinestars story.

Taken from my notes for the OWMTBC presentation, here is the MS Racing/alpinestars story so far. Ultimately, I'd still like to get in contact with Bernie Schreiber, Bill Stevenson or Roger Malinowski to get the full story, if I do get in contact with them I'll update the thread. Many items...

www.retrobike.co.uk

Looking forward to seeing how you progress!

I have indeed, it's a fascinating read and a credit to the OP.
It's bizarre how the yellow ones fade but lets face it, it is 33 years old!
I think it's going to take a long time and a lot of searching to source the original parts but i'm up for the challenge.

 

[27motorhead]

I have indeed, it's a fascinating read and a credit to the OP.
It's bizarre how the yellow ones fade but lets face it, it is 33 years old!
I think it's going to take a long time and a lot of searching to source the original parts but i'm up for the challenge.

@gtturbo bike is amazing to be fully original! You might be better off looking for another bike as a donor, as parts like the stem, Strong branded seatpost and MS Racing saddle will be difficult to come across, plus buying things in bits is usually more than buying a complete something. Do you have the forks, or do you just have a frame? Let's hope another more complete CR2 turns up, then you can decide which one to do the resto work on! . It can be a long waiting game building these bikes... Mind you, you've waited 33 years to get one!!!

 

[goshow]

@gtturbo bike is amazing to be fully original! You might be better off looking for another bike as a donor, as parts like the stem, Strong branded seatpost and MS Racing saddle will be difficult to come across, plus buying things in bits is usually more than buying a complete something. Do you have the forks, or do you just have a frame? Let's hope another more complete CR2 turns up, then you can decide which one to do the resto work on! . It can be a long waiting game building these bikes... Mind you, you've waited 33 years to get one!!!

Nope, what you see is what i've got of the original bike. Forks are going to be a bugger to find. However, they are extremely similar to the Alpine stars Cro-Mo blades. Just need to find out if they're 1 1/8" Like the MSR or 1 1/4" like most stuff.
It'll be near on impossible to source the original bits but i'll get as close as possible. A complete bike would have been lots easier but i've never found one, or I've just missed out on one. You were very luck to come across that complete one. It's a beauty.

 

[gtturbo]

Got a feeling the forks are 1" which is going to be even more of a bugger. I will try and remember to check at the weekend and report back on this thread. Looks wise perhaps forks from an 89 Diamond back or Mongoose might work. Seems to recall those were straight bladed and 1"

 

[Mickeyspinn]

In 1989 I was 14 years old and had just upgraded from a 23" Peugeot Laser 15 SIS to a Mongoose Iboc Comp. MBUK was the obvious go to read, in between finding discarded copies of Fiesta, Escort and Razzle in hedgerows!! I turned the pages to see and advert of the MS Racing fleet and immediately the CR2 was the dream bike. The pictures were pinned to my bedroom wall with blu-tac. Also a Cindy Crawford poster or two!
33 years later and after years of searching and near misses on other sales I have managed to locate and purchase this project. I cannot wait to get stuck into it and return it to it's former glory. It's going to take some time though as I'm aiming to build it back to factory fresh standard condition.

Whats the frame construction on this? Bonded aluminium and steel rear end? Rather neat never seen one in the flesh!
I don't know if it helps sourcing bits for the build but this is only about 15 miles from me...
Happy to help !

https://m.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1280614482472259/

 

[goshow]

Got a feeling the forks are 1" which is going to be even more of a bugger. I will try and remember to check at the weekend and report back on this thread. Looks wise perhaps forks from an 89 Diamond back or Mongoose might work. Seems to recall those were straight bladed and 1"

The DB and Mongoose forks are almost identical. I’ve had both in the past.

That’s interesting about the 1”.

I’ve measure the inside of the headstock and it measures 1.17” or 29.8mm

Is that not 1 1/8”?