Opinion/info on Giant ATX 990

[WOY]

OK I know it is old stuff but GF wants a cheap MTB to ride on. While she used to ride my Enduro but it is too big for her and she wants her own bike (she is sick of me yelling at her telling her not to cross-chain.....). Not wanting to spend a lot of $$$ and wanting her to have a dualie I was thinking NRS, FSR-XC. However I came across this used Giant ATX 990 frame with CU92 tubing. There ain't a lot of info about them around but I am hoping someone here can give me a few opinions/info on this frame.

Firstly I think they came out in 97 right? How are the bushing on the rear suspension, are they plain bushings or bearings? Do they have issues with excessive wear? Are they easy to obtain? What shock size do they use (i2i and stoke) for the non team issue frame? How about BB, seatpost and front derailluer size?

Perhaps more inportantly how do they ride? From the little that I have read they are fairly active but don't bob excessively. Am I right here?

Are there any weak parts structurally?

Again I know this is old news but I do like the look of the frame and any input on the matter would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Cheers
Wayne

[frank4]

Parts are not easy to obtain. I live in Taiwan, had an ATX and Giant does not carry/make parts for frames no longer in production. My suggestion - do not buy it. Durability? Had less than 100 hours on the frame. Bent the seat tube. Giant refused to honor the warranty. Said I obviously was missusing the bike. WTF? Six month battle with their main office in Taiwan. Finally gave up. Never returned my ATX 990 frame either - isn't that called stealing?

Go with the NRS.

[upNdown]

OK I know it is old stuff but GF wants a cheap MTB to ride on. While she used to ride my Enduro but it is too big for her and she wants her own bike (she is sick of me yelling at her telling her not to cross-chain.....). Not wanting to spend a lot of $$$ and wanting her to have a dualie I was thinking NRS, FSR-XC. However I came across this used Giant ATX 990 frame with CU92 tubing. There ain't a lot of info about them around but I am hoping someone here can give me a few opinions/info on this frame.

Firstly I think they came out in 97 right? How are the bushing on the rear suspension, are they plain bushings or bearings? Do they have issues with excessive wear? Are they easy to obtain? What shock size do they use (i2i and stoke) for the non team issue frame? How about BB, seatpost and front derailluer size?

Perhaps more inportantly how do they ride? From the little that I have read they are fairly active but don't bob excessively. Am I right here?

Are there any weak parts structurally?

Again I know this is old news but I do like the look of the frame and any input on the matter would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Cheers
Wayne

If it's CU92, then I believe it is the Team 990. Me and my buddy each bought one as NOS in 1999, I believe. They were yellow with a blue rear triangle I think, and some sort of Tomac cowboy hat decal on the top tube. I cracked mine on a weld on the BB shell. Giant said they'd warrranty it, but it took a while to get the replacement frame. In the meantime my buddy had broken his wrist, so I borrowed his 990 for a while. Broke it in the same place. To Giant's credit, they replaced both frames with new NRS frames, so we were both estatic. But we were sad to see those 990 frames go, cause they were a lot of fun.

I'd say your assesment of the ride was accurate, they were fairly active with little bob. Its a 4 bar design with pivots on the seatstays, as opposed to chainstays. But I don't think they had much travel; maybe 3 inches or less. As far as bushings and bearings go, I don't remember, nor do I remember any of the other specifics of the frame. I don't have any parts left over from that frame except the crankset, so i couldn't begin to help you in terms of part sizes either.

I'd say that if it come with the shock (I think it was a noleen coil with some sort of reservoir), and the price is right, then I say go for it. Unless your girlfriend is pushing 200 lbs, I doubt she'll crack the shell like I did (twice). Just keep all the bushings and bearings clean and keep an eye out for spare parts on Ebay.

[rideit]

It was as the other posters described, but in two different incarnations. I had one rear triangle that had c-stay pivots, and one with Seat-stay pivots. It also had a three position"teardrop" rocker arms, but damned if I could tell a difference between positions, really. It also had standard 1-1/8 headset. It had a SID at this point. Crack developed at the lower rocker arm mount on the seatstay, but a friend is riding that frame to this day. I would get it if it is CHEAP, but don't expect warranty consideration. Good Luck!

[WOY]

Not sure if I will get the frame. It maybe a little too big anyway and the guy at the other end is not answering email regarding questions of the frame either, oh well.

I have also noticed that the UK spec NRS2 and below now have a generic Giant air shock for the rear and they are quit cheap!

Cheers
Wayne