what year is my Karpiel Disco volante?

[87xjmike]

I picked it up for 600 have beaten the snot out of it. Now i need to fix a few things (stripped a crank, need to rebuild the mr gizmo chain guide and tune some things.

Anyways Its clearly not what karpiel is currently making, does anybody know what year they made this frame style?

Its definately an older set up w/ stainless steel brakelines, an older boxxer, and i think the original fox coilover, but they both don't leak and work great so...

[kidwoo]

That looks like one that I had which would put it around 2000-2002.

[87xjmike]

damn, i was hoping it'd be newer but i had a feeling it was around that era.

[Freerydejunky]

pick up a shorter stem, lower bars, better brakes, and a smaller chain guide and you'll have a bad ass bike!

[87xjmike]

pick up a shorter stem, lower bars, better brakes, and a smaller chain guide and you'll have a bad ass bike!

i kinda like the stem length for my height. Brakes, yes they suck, i've rebuilt the rear caliper w/ a piston once and now the front needs re-done as well. I think their gen 1. And yes this gizmo chain guide is a pain, it requires a lot of maintenance, but has taken a lot of abuse and i neglect it more than i should.

What do you mean by lower bars?

[Pau11y]

Nope, it's like a '98. I had one of his very first Discos back in the day and swapped a guy for a De Rosa roadie. That plate by the seat cantilever is just a piece of Al stock/plate. 2000-2001's plate is actually a machined piece of Al.
Does this frame have a little nub off the BB shell so you can mount a FD on it? Mine did, but it had to be JB Welded as it would spin on the bolt

Edit: can't really tell from the fuzzy pic, but is that rear triangle a 135mm or 150mm? If 150, you may have an updated rear triangle, along w/ the link plates, from the 2000-2001 model.

[87xjmike]

Nope, it's like a '98. I had one of his very first Discos back in the day and swapped a guy for a De Rosa roadie. That plate by the seat cantilever is just a piece of Al stock/plate. 2000-2001's plate is actually a machined piece of Al.
Does this frame have a little nub off the BB shell so you can mount a FD on it? Mine did, but it had to be JB Welded as it would spin on the bolt

Edit: can't really tell from the fuzzy pic, but is that rear triangle a 135mm or 150mm? If 150, you may have an updated rear triangle, along w/ the link plates, from the 2000-2001 model.

Getting a little over my head there w/ the acronyms fella. I just like to ride, i'm not going to claim to know much about dh lingo but i can fix whatever breaks and have no fear dropping off and bombing down whatever. I am hooked thats for sure. Being this close to downiville, northstar, rockville park and all the other cool stuff in norcal i'd be a fool not to take advantage.

Whats the BB shell and FD? And by rear triangle are you talking about the whole swinarm set up and how much travel it has? My buddy who also has a disco told me it has 8 or 9" of rear travel.

[ccspecialized]

BB shell=Bottom bracket shell=the thingy on your frame that the bottom bracket and cranks go through

FD=front derailleur= the thingy that shifts your front gear, if you have one, but you dont.

135-150mm=the rear hub spacing=the distance between the ends of your swing arm, where you put the wheel into=the distance from one end of your hub to the other

[87xjmike]

BB shell=Bottom bracket shell=the thingy on your frame that the bottom bracket and cranks go through

FD=front derailleur= the thingy that shifts your front gear, if you have one, but you dont.

135-150mm=the rear hub spacing=the distance between the ends of your swing arm, where you put the wheel into=the distance from one end of your hub to the other

great thanks for that, newb patience is always appreciated. I can tell i'll be spending more time here.

[Pau11y]

great thanks for that, newb patience is always appreciated. I can tell i'll be spending more time here.

Sorry Mike. Just made some silly assumptions.

[ccspecialized]

great thanks for that, newb patience is always appreciated. I can tell i'll be spending more time here.

Naw...your bike is way to old for you to be hangin' round these parts

[kidwoo]

That plate by the seat cantilever is just a piece of Al stock/plate. 2000-2001's plate is actually a machined piece of Al.

That didn't happen till 03.

[Brian HCM#1]

That didn't happen till 03.

The machined plates came out late 2000 early 2001.

[Brian HCM#1]

Nope, it's like a '98. I had one of his very first Discos back in the day and swapped a guy for a De Rosa roadie. That plate by the seat cantilever is just a piece of Al stock/plate. 2000-2001's plate is actually a machined piece of Al.
Does this frame have a little nub off the BB shell so you can mount a FD on it? Mine did, but it had to be JB Welded as it would spin on the bolt

Edit: can't really tell from the fuzzy pic, but is that rear triangle a 135mm or 150mm? If 150, you may have an updated rear triangle, along w/ the link plates, from the 2000-2001 model.

Yep, it looks like a 98-99 frame. They had about 7-8" of travel.

[kidwoo]

The machined plates came out late 2000 early 2001.

Shlt I'm older than I thought.


I didn't start downhilling until 2002. Those machined plates came out after that because my first dh bike was like the one pictured........because the Karp team guy I got it from got the 'new' design.

Anyway.......that frame is old as shlt.

[Brian HCM#1]

Anyway.......that frame is old as shlt.

Indeed.

[87xjmike]

thanks for the help guys. Sold it a year ago and am looking at getting another dh,


Giant faith or iron horse 7.7?

[karpiel666]

Giant.