Full Stroker circa 1987
This is an IRD Full Stroker that I built up while living in Vt. years ago. I had seen their blurb somewhere and had to try one out, probably the first one in NE? Only? Got it as a frame, fork, brakes, cranks, seatpost and macaroni stem package. I can't remember exactly what I paid for it but I don't think it was over a grand.
Anyway the bike was a ***** to build up as I remember it, what with the Bullseye cranks being finicky to fit and ended up with about a mm of clearance from the granny gear to the chainstay and the rear rotary brake connection was so tight to the bb shell that I had to make a special wire to hook it up. Used a piece of brake cable with a housing end cap soldered to it finally.
Once it was good to go it definately was fun to ride. Climbed really well and cleared obstacles with it's towering 13" bb. It actually worked pretty well in the woods and I adapted quite easily to the long cranks (however I use 170's now).
Took it out to the worlds in Mammoth that year and it really wasn't much fun in the pumice there as I remember or maybe it was just the altitude? However on the way home we stopped in Moab and rode Slickrock and that is where the bike really came alive. The RQR option operated by the red Suntour shifter on the bars in concert with the Hite-Rite was used on every drop in and once I got into the rythum I had a memorable time. The first inkling was on the road up from town when I got it in a big gear and windmilled up the hill past the dump like nobodies business. My buddy on his Cannondale could not keep me in site although we were of about equal abilities.
I had a steel legged fork at first and then got the Ti legs afterwards that fit the same crown. I also had a sus fork. I never got a chance to meet Rod and Ray in person but they were great on the phone and to deal with in general.
At one point I had a Sachs 2x7 hub on it which yielded some ridicuously low gear and I stripped the original paint to put on our team holstein paint scheme. I never rode it much here in CB after we moved here as I was more into my SlingShot at that time anyway.
The bike now resides in a collection nestled in the shadows of the Continental Divide.