Restoring an early-90s Rocky Mountain Altitude

[vanstak]

I am looking to restore/rebuild my early-90's Rocky Mountain Altitude (see attached photo) and looking for any words of wisdom or advice on the process.

Finally pulled it out of storage after an embarrassing number of years and it is still in decent shape. A few things are gonna need replacing though:

The old front suspension fork is a RockShox Mag 20 (yes the one that was recalled in the mid-90s due to crown failures....hmm, wonder if they will still fix/replace them?). I believe is has a threaded 1" steer tube. I am leaning towards a rigid front fork as most of my planned riding will be commuting and road based, any recommendations on a good, light-weight rigid fork that would fit and maintain the bike's geometry?

The rest of the bike I think I will keep the same, love the old school XT derailleurs and shifters, the Wolber AT20 rims, the Syncros seatpost and handlebar. The steer stem is a 6" ControlStem (pretty low angle) that I might replace for one that doesn't have me stretched out so far.

Thanks in advance for any comments or recommendations.

 

[gump]

Lovely bike, well worth keeping.

I have the same frame as this that needs a bit more of an extensive resto than yours though :?
I think you will find a 1-1/8" hset, as Rocky switched early - yours looks like a 91 or 92 model, which I think still came with rigid Syncros forks - but not 100%.

Enjoy!

 

[cce]

i'd put p2's on it but then i'd put p2's on almost anything.

 

[vanstak]

Thanks for the info gump, actually thought the steer tube was 1" diameter, will double check it.

I bought my Altitude in the mid-90s from a shop here in Vancouver and have loved it ever since.

Not sure of the exact year of this one, thought 91 or 92? I should contact Rocky Mountain here in town with the Serial No. and see what they say.

I have picked up a couple of rigid forks to try, one a Bontrager with a 1" threaded steer tube (see picture) although it does not have fork legs and would have to chase those down; the other appears to be a Tange Switchblade (see pic) and it has a 1-1/8" steer tube.

Would love to find a Syncros fork, but those are even rare here in Vancouver. Plus they had that recall issue.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[cdngrimpeur]

Hmmm, we just about have enough Wet Coasters to form a Retrobike branch office...

The stem thing - I have a friend who switched out the one on his 91 Blizzard for a shorter, more upright one - his back pains were solved.

Rocky might have destroyed those records, seems to me Jeroen on this board found that out back in the winter.

The odd rigid fork will come up on eBay - slim pickings in summer there, though.

Did you get the bike at West Point?

 

[vanstak]

Thanks for info cdngrimpeur.

Have it going in for a tune up and it will become my commuter bike after sitting in storage for several years.

Bought it used in the mid-90s, don't think it was from West Point but I cannot recall the shop name. It was on Robson (north side) on the hill going down towards Denman.

Spoke with Rocky today and a rep asked me to email him the pic and serial no., will see what materializes.

I will ride it with the Mag 20 (holds air well and seems fine) for now until I find the right rigid (not sure the ones I picked up will fit).

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Spikes]

Agree on the diameter: it should be 1 1/8". I think it came with Syncros blades. Try to find them in Germany. Those guys bought everything in the early nineties. Bonty forks look nice and are probably better quality, but hey: we're talking restoring here, right?
Stem should be Syncros too. I could make a catalogue scan for you after the weekend. Still have that '91 brochure with a large picture of how it was sold those days.
Great bike by the way!

 

[vanstak]

Thanks Spikes,

Yes, steer tube diameter does appear to be 1-1/8", also confirmed from my call to Rocky Mountain today.

I would really appreciate a scan of that old (1991) Altitude brochure/catalogue, thanks very much in advance.

I will be using this bike as my commuter while I hunt down the components to bring it as close to stock as possible.

That Bonty crown & steer tube I picked up is 1", so will likely resell it. But it is sooo pretty.

The other one (looks like a Tange Switchblade or a clone) is 1-1/8" but whoever trimmed the steer tube did not leave much of the threads, in fact they might have been running it as a threadless. Anyways only paid a few bucks for it and it also came with a decent looking front hub.

Oh well, my fun is only beginning.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Lid]

Mmmmumble mumble Denman Bikes? Mummble mumble Cookson Cycles?? Mmumbel.

 

[jez-4-bikes-max]

My current fork project is a pair of black Syncros legs mated to that exact Bontrager crown. It all fits together well but legs need respraying really.

Just need one of those crown shim things so I can seat the headset crown race.