The story of Clanky or How to ruin a MTB on a budget
- Thread starter Verrt
- Start date
Someone else on RRB got one a few years ago
ratrodbikes.com
John Tomac Giant ATX 890
Picked up this 1996 John Tomac model last weekend for pocket change, completely went through it cleaning, adjusting and replacing where needed, brake pads and such. Bike is awesome and cleaned up really nice, bought it from a guy who was a Giant Sales Rep back during the time Tomac raced this...
I doubt he left this one "factory"It crossed my mind that you might volunteer to research factory photos
This one might be closer
Had cantis on the back originally. The V's on the front are not stock. I think they replaced cantis, but it's all gone fuzzy now.
I think I was about 14 when the Vs went on and there may or may have not have been a lot of self prescribed medication between then and the lucid fellow who stands before you today.
Headset is original 1 1/8 threadless, fork and stem are not.
I'm pretty sure shimano stx (maybe stx rc, depending on the year) was the stock trim for those giants. That's my favorite, not quite as exotic as xtr, a little bit tougher.
I saw that second pic in my search, but I'm 97% sure mine never had twist grip shifters on it, despite what bikepedia says.
I have a distinct memory of pushing the indexed thumb shifter then high tailing it to get away from some older kids on bmxs. That's right, I was the one weird kid with a mountain bike in the era when everyone between age 8 and 19 had a bmx.
Here's some of my favorite stickers, in case I end up removing them. So, I can come back here and reminisce, likea bike nerd photo album.
CTD. Chicago TailDraggers
Just don't
This was a great ride
Particularly poignant right now...
Get a grip. Also timely advice.
D&D
More less nerdy than the last one?
HTML5/CSS3
Best place in Chicago to get your haircut. Ask for Devin.
Don't leave Iowa without visiting this place!
CTD. Chicago TailDraggers
Just don't
This was a great ride
Particularly poignant right now...
Get a grip. Also timely advice.
D&D
More less nerdy than the last one?
HTML5/CSS3
Best place in Chicago to get your haircut. Ask for Devin.
Don't leave Iowa without visiting this place!
Either of these jog your memory?
The RC was a later version, a little bit higher quality
Second set was what I replaced the originals with. You can just make them out in the first photo in the thread
More like this.
I doubt thumbies (friction shifters) were original to that bike, but if that's what you want, they actually work better than the ratchet stuff, especially twenty something years later. You'll probably want the Deore stuff. It's what I want for RockRat
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It would seem that your specific bike doesn't exist in factory form. Can't find a single unmolested version anywhere. Giant's alphabet soup naming format doesn't help either, I think first digit is frame number, the last two digits are trim levels, so an 830 would be similar to an 860, just different parts. Since I can't find stock pics, you'll just have to build it to john's specs.
There's also the added element that it was bought in Australia and may have had a different level of parts for that market.
In reality, it won't ever really be too authentic as I can't ride flat bars. I need something with a decent amount of rise in it otherwise my rat rod wrist complains at me.
So I'll probably end up with bmx bars again or something else decently moto looking.
Yup. Low speed, low side, shoulder was the first thing to hit the pavement. Almost no damage to the bike, cuz I took it all. Motorcycle injuries, recreational pharmacology, retro rat MTBs, this thread is the Venn diagram of Matti and Verrt. Got any punk records or comic books? Ever been to design school?
I took extra curricular pottery in high school too