Santa Cruz Tazmon

[phill77]

Bought this off the bay a couple of months back, hoping to rob the shock and rear disc mount off of it, and ride it whilst I refurbished my own Tazmon.

The poor thing is such a wreck, so that plan went straight out the window. Now I am hoping to tart it up a bit into a useable 94-98 period state, ride it while I modernise my Tazmon, then flog it on if I can't persuade the missus to let me keep both.

When I've rebuilt both my Tazmons it will be interesting to compare modern vs old kit back to back on the same frame design, but thats for a much later thread...

So far it has gone from this sorry state:

To this collection of parts:

I've another rear wheel to replace the broken ti-glide hub, and a rim to replace the ghastly cosmic finished thing on the front.
Half the kit I should be able to reuse, and i'll take some bits from my other Taz as it gets some new bits. Need to buy spares for a couple of risse shocks, and source a new pivot bolt for the frame.

The big dilema for now is how to refinish the frame. A polished rear triangle is a given, but do I respray in yellow, another more fashionable colour, or polish the lot?

Phill

 

[Barneyballbags]

That's lovely

Personally - I'd strip the front end and polish the whole lot like a mirror - then apply new decals and clear lacquer over the top...


Mmmmmmm

 

[Drencrom]

Polish the lot!

 

[Dr S]

You'd be better off selling it. To me!

Always fancied one of those. A real icon.

 

[phill77]

You'd be better off selling it. To me!

Always fancied one of those. A real icon.

Tell me what colour you want it, and in 6 months time I'll give you first refusal!

Looks like I'll try polishing it though. There's some hefty corrosion around the under downtube bottle cage bolts, so depending how well that comes up will decide if I have to paint it.

Am I best to get it soda blasted first before I start polishing, or just attack it with nitromors?

Going by some of the paint, a cheap jet wash would probably do the trick.

 

[MikeD]

Rear disc mount looks interesting

 

[Drencrom]

Rear disc mount looks interesting

Looks like a standard official Hope retro-fit. I think they pre-date the torsion arm mounting. The hub axle is offset to allow for the drop-out adaptor. Got a very similar one on a '97 GT LTS with (surprisingly) 'LTS' machined on it

Forgot to add, is that Syncros seatpost long enough?

 

[phill77]

Rear disc mount looks interesting

Looks like a standard official Hope retro-fit. I think they pre-date the torsion arm mounting. The hub axle is offset to allow for the drop-out adaptor. Got a very similar one on a '97 GT LTS with (surprisingly) 'LTS' machined on it

Forgot to add, is that Syncros seatpost long enough?

The rear disc mount is definitely home made, but has been done with some thought, and the post is 20mm shorter than on my other Taz, what are you moaning about!

For those people interested, the build as bought was:

1996 16" Santa Cruz Tazmon frame
Risse Terminator Rear Shock (looks like an Astro5 to me though. can't believe it still works, massive gouge in the shaft!))
Pace RC36 Forks
Deore XT Headset, BB, Chainset, Shifters & Mechs
Control Tech Stem
Coda Riser Bars
Syncros Seat Post
Flite Gel Saddle
Hope Ti Suspension Hub / Mavic 317 (Cosmic finish?) / Michelin Wildgripper
Hope Ti-Glide Rear Hub / Mavic 317 / Forgot what tyre (Hub absolutely buggered though)
Hope Discs with home made rear disc mount
Salsa Flip Off Skewers
Unknown SPD copies

It was obviously well loved when new, everything had been greased properly before assembly, and with the exception of the pivot bolt it all come to pieces really easily.

It has been neglected for the last few years though!

 

[Drencrom]

The rear disc mount is definitely home made, but has been done with some thought...

Fair enough. The similar 'proper' Hope one I've got looks home-made incidentally, if it wasn't for the fact that I sourced it direct from them in '97 I'd have been sure it was a bodge.

Works though!

 

[coomber]

Super cool and iconic bike