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What bike is this? (solved)

4K views 22 replies 13 participants last post by  Uncle Grumpy 
#1 ·

Got this from a family friend cleaning out their basement. It was their son's circa 1999-2000. Also got a Santa Cruz Super 8 in bad condition.


This one has no markings other than the forks. Looks close to a Specialized Stumpjumper, but what year and exact model? I'm leaning a 98 Stumpjumper or an old Trek at this point, but can't really tell.

I made a list of its parts:

Marzocchi Bomber Z3 Forks
Specialized Comp Team Control 26x2.0 tires
Raceface 94 44T 9 speed crankset 3x
Shimano Deore front derailleur
Shimano XTR rear derailleur
Ringle front hub
DT Hugi rear hub
Shimano XTR front/rear brakes
Thomson Elite seatpost
Selle Flight seat
Raceface Icon stem
Easton EA50 Monkeybar handlebars
 

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#2 ·
I don't think it's a specialized, although the cable routing looks close. I don't remember any specialized with that 2 piece seattube unless that was a repair or something. They also use a full collar clamp on their seatposts since something like 1989.
 
#11 ·
Look at the drop outs. Marin ab. Do a Marin serial # search.
With sloping top tube, Kona was my first guess too, but the details are wrong,

But Marin looks right.

This Pine Mountain is close. Seat tube isn't quite right, but the rest looks right.

@MikeA0589: Maybe you can take off the rear wheel and check if "Marin" is stamped into the dropout?

1998 Marin Pine Mountain | Retrobike

Bicycle frame Bicycle accessory Bicycle part Bicycle Iron


Bicycle part Bicycle drivetrain part Bicycle accessory Metal Iron
 
#7 ·
If it's late 90s, was it common to have such a sloping top tube? That makes it look like a Kona to me. However, from various searches, the only frames I've seen on the internet with that two piece seat tube were Rocky Mountains. But most of the Rocky Mountain frames seem to have the seat stays joining the seat tube above the top tube.
 
#12 ·
For Marin: Help with Marin frame numbers please! | Retrobike
Kind of the right format, but the decoding doesn't lead to this frame. Also, that seat tube feature...
Fantastic! Looks like I have a 1998 Marin Palisades Trail! Based on your link to the serial numbers...

F78BAB02
The F is the factory.

M is Marvel, F is Fairly and T is Ti sports

7 is the model number.

1 Team Issue
2 Team Marin
3 Pine Mountain
4 Eldridge grade
5 Bear Valley
6 Muirwoods
7 Palisades Trail
8 Bobcat Trail

8 is the year ending number. That would be 1998.

BA is month and date, but you will need the Enigma machine to decode these. Not really relevant either!

B is the size centre to centre.

A is 14 inches
B is 15.5 inches ( this makes it 17 centre to top)
C is 17 inches
D is 19 inches
E is 20 inches

02 are production numbers that are factory use only, and again require the Enigma machine.

And to @J_Westy who suggested I take the rear wheel off to see if Marin is stamped on the drop out... there it was right there!

Great detective work!
 

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#16 ·
Hi everyone. I've repainted the bike, cleaned and de-rusted all of the components and put it all back together. Very happy with how it turned out for my first ever rebuild. The drivetrain is definitely very worn and I need to adjust the brakes from squealing even though I changed the brake shoes.

My ultimate plan for this is to make into a gravel bike. I'm planning out gear swaps but I'm concerned I might not be able to fit a 1x11 on this for a couple of reasons.

I've been looking at SRAM Apex 1. Can I use the existing Shimano XTR v-brakes with a SRAM dropbar lever?

Would the front crankset be compatible with the square-tapered BB-UN91?

Can I fit an 11 spd cassette in the back? Not sure about the width of the rear dropouts. The wheels are Mavic 217 SUP rims with a rear DT Hugi hub.

 

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#18 ·
Hi everyone. I've repainted the bike, cleaned and de-rusted all of the components and put it all back together. Very happy with how it turned out for my first ever rebuild. The drivetrain is definitely very worn and I need to adjust the brakes from squealing even though I changed the brake shoes.

My ultimate plan for this is to make into a gravel bike. I'm planning out gear swaps but I'm concerned I might not be able to fit a 1x11 on this for a couple of reasons.

I've been looking at SRAM Apex 1. Can I use the existing Shimano XTR v-brakes with a SRAM dropbar lever?

Would the front crankset be compatible with the square-tapered BB-UN91?

Can I fit an 11 spd cassette in the back? Not sure about the width of the rear dropouts. The wheels are Mavic 217 SUP rims with a rear DT Hugi hub.
If you really want a 1x11 gravel bike with drop bars, it would be better to just buy one.
There's a lot of gymnastics you have to go through to convert to drop bars for a bike of this vintage. If you still want to do it, go to old forum posts for drop bar mountain bike conversions. Instead of going that route, I think you could turn this bike into a pretty fun "flat bar gravel bike" if that appeals to you. Looks as if the rear hub/cassette is 9 speed, right? If so, then you should be able to go to 11 speed Shimano, e.g. 11-46 cassette on that hub. I am not up on my SRAM details but you won't be able to fit any cassettes with 10 tooth cogs on that hub, at least without changing the freehub body, which I would guess is not possible with that hub.

So if you decide to go to 1x11 Shimano for flat bars, that would be simple. New 11 speed cassette (will have to figure out spacers, maybe), SLX or XT 11 speed clutch derailleur, 11 speed chain (e.g. KMC), 11 speed SLX or XT shifter. I would try to keep the current XT 9 speed crankset. The middle ring doesn't look very worn to me from the photos, and it will work with an 11 speed chain. So to start just remove the outer and inner rings, the front derailleur, and the left shifter. Keep the middle ring. With a clutch derailleur you will very likely not have any issues with dropping the chain, even without adding a narrow-wide chainring. The gearing might be too low for riding roads, but if the drivetrain works otherwise, then you could buy a new larger chainring, e.g. 42 or 44, and maybe mount it in the middle position. Look up old posts on doing 3x to 1x conversions. If you need a new BB, I would look up what the requirement is for that current XT 9 speed crankset (read the part number from the crank: FC-Mxxx) and then just find a new Shimano square taper with the same spindle length. BB-UN91 might be the right one, I don't know, but any "symmetrical" Shimano sealed square taper BB with the right spindle length should work (just different quality levels).

Keeping it flat bar removes all of the issues with getting the shifter/brake levers/brake calipers to work with each other. You can add short bar ends for an additional hand position if you want.

I can't tell if those XTR shift/brake levers allow you to remove the shift pods. If not, then you could replace these with something like the Avid Speed Dial levers for linear pull brakes.

Maybe dump the bomber fork and get a rigid fork of appropriate axle-to-crown length. Some people like carbon forks for these things.

Good luck!
 
#19 ·
+1 to the great response by paramount3.

Couldn't have said it better, actually couldn't have said it as well. The drop bars will probably mean getting rid of the XT/XTR brakes. I don't know of anybody who makes drop bar brakes levers that are long pull. Doesn't mean they don't exist, but I'm not aware of them. If you want to go that route, however, you could replace the XT/XTR brakes with TRP canti's or mini V's, both requiring short pull levers.

As far as a 1x drive train, I have found a 1x10 works well for me, but that's just me. I fine the gaps between certain gears can be annoying, but overall it's a good setup. And you can find them fairly cheap on line.

Just my $0.02. Anyway good luck you have a great start. BTW I couldn't tell from your images if you replaced the headset or not or if you pulled the RaceFace headset and reused it. If you reused the RaceFace headset I hope you put the cups back in so the RaceFace lettering is right side up. For some reason that offended my since of order. ;^)
 
#20 ·
+1 to the great response by paramount3.

Couldn't have said it better, actually couldn't have said it as well. The drop bars will probably mean getting rid of the XT/XTR brakes. I don't know of anybody who makes drop bar brakes levers that are long pull. Doesn't mean they don't exist, but I'm not aware of them. If you want to go that route, however, you could replace the XT/XTR brakes with TRP canti's or mini V's, both requiring short pull levers.

As far as a 1x drive train, I have found a 1x10 works well for me, but that's just me. I fine the gaps between certain gears can be annoying, but overall it's a good setup. And you can find them fairly cheap on line.

Just my $0.02. Anyway good luck you have a great start. BTW I couldn't tell from your images if you replaced the headset or not or if you pulled the RaceFace headset and reused it. If you reused the RaceFace headset I hope you put the cups back in so the RaceFace lettering is right side up. For some reason that offended my since of order. ;^)
Yes, you could have a drop bar w/ levers for V brakes. Cane creek and maybe Tektro. You could also have travel agents. Shift gears w/ bar ends.
I don´t know what is a "gravel bike". I suppose the wheels define it, right? You could have 700c wheels (w/ slim tires) through Paul brakes but the BB will be higher.
 
#21 ·
'98 is past the cutoff for "vintage" effective 5y ago, but maybe we are allowing pre-2000. so add these parts to your list:

XT front derailleur
Salsa Flip-Offs

This frame has a heck of a lot of rust. Does your buddy live in salty area? salt lake city maybe? or somewhere by the ocean? looks like it's been stored underwater.
 
#23 ·
Bit late to the party on this but I just wanted to LOL at the Race Face headset being in upside down. Well, not that it matters, the cups and bearings are the same, but it reminded me of my local shop when one of the shop guys built up a Surly 1x1 and when he went to lunch, the mechanic knocked out his King headset and reinstalled it with the cups swapped. About 2 weeks later the owner realised and thinking he had "missed that details" proceeded to swap it back.

And the next day, the mechanic knocked out his King headset and reinstalled it with the cups swapped. About 1 week later the owner realised and thinking he had "somehow mixed it up again" proceeded to swap it back.

And the next day, the mechanic knocked out his King headset and reinstalled it with the cups swapped. That afternoon the owner, finally realising he was the victim of an ongoing prank, proceeded to swap it back and let everyone know in no uncertain terms that he was really pissed off about this and something about headset cups failing after being installed umpteen times.

And the next day, the mechanic knocked out his King headset and reinstalled it with the cups swapped. So the owner left it, finally realising the irony was kinda cool.

Grumps
 
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