1983 Specialized Stumpjumper

[the_undecider]

I love vintage mountain bikes and how they can trace their lineage to the bikes we all love and discuss here. What an incredible application of technology and ingenuity that created an entirely new way to enjoy cycling. As I am writing this, I am watching Klunkerz, the prices documentary about the early days of mountain biking.

As a little perspective, I am a young guy, not even born when a bunch of hippies started blasting down Mount Tam is Marin County. I have an eye for beautifully designed machinery and the early mountain bikes caught my eye as soon as I learned about them. For a long time, I have admired the early mountain bikes. I wanted to pick up one of the early Breezer, Ritchey, WTB, etc bikes, but they were too expensive even 5-10 years ago. I set my eyes on the Stumpjumper as it is iconic in that it can be credited (and it is despite some controversy) for bringing mountain biking into the mainstream. Even early Stumpjumpers were bringing decent money, so I I never had the chance to buy one until two days ago.

This popped up on CL and I recognized the ad being from a particular bike flipper I know. He was asking a very reasonable price, so I jumped on it. When I went to look at the bike, I asked where he got it, already knowing he probably found it at Goodwill. He did and paid something less than $60 for it. Its in really good shape, just a few scratches, and all the polished alloy parts look brand new. It is very low mileage and original except the tires. I'll be looking for some suitable, somewhat period-correct skin-wall tires to make it really look right.

 

[Wildcat]

Very nice, it looks barely ridden.

 

[old_skool]

:shock: that's one heck of a clean looking survivor! Congrats on such a great find

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Nice find, my daily ride is this vintage 80's Diamondback and I LOVE it. Has many of the same components as your Specialized. Honestly though I like the smooth tread 2.125 tires better than my original 1.95 knobby gum walls. Much smoother ride.

 

[oldcruiser26]

For me the best fresh find I've seen in awhile A nice piece of MTB history in great shape Congrats on your most excellent score

 

[the_undecider]

Nice find, my daily ride is this vintage 80's Diamondback and I LOVE it. Has many of the same components as your Specialized. Honestly though I like the smooth tread 2.125 tires better than my original 1.95 knobby gum walls. Much smoother ride.

This Stumpy isn't going to be ridden much, so I am interested in retaining it's original look. I bought it as a collectible. I have 3 other road-going bikes that I can drag out for a ride.

I had a 1988 Diamondback Apex my uncle gave to me, same creamsickle orange like yours. Man, I loved that bike. It was the first "real" bike I had and the reason I started spending good money on bikes. I outgrew it as you can see by the ridiculous seatpost extension in the photo below. I put some high-riser bars and made it into a comfort bike for my dad to ride. Once he got a more comfortable bike, I sold it to my neighbor.

Speaking of Diamondbacks, here is a 1984 Ridge Runner II. This was a bike I picked up a couple years ago because a friend was selling it cheap and it looked a lot like a Stumpjumper, just cheaper:

I must have a thing for bi-plane fork crowns:

This is still my favorite bull moose handlebar I have come across:

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Nice! I got mine for $50 at a yard sale and another bike for $100 that I flipped for $175 so I decided to keep the Diamondback because it rode so well and fit me perfect (I'm short). I do plan on upgrading it to a 7 speed rear cluster instead of the stock 6 and I am putting dual trigger shifters on it. (one shifts up one shifts down on each side) Actually with the rack on it is just a touch too tall but I manage.

 

[klunkerbill]

Nice Stumpy. It's the second year. They weren't really commercially available until '82. Yours has some first year parts (Tommeselli levers?). The earliest Stumpjumpers had almost all the exact same spec parts as my 1980 Ritchey, T/A cranks, Mafac canti brakes, Tommeselli levers etc. Sinyard just took some of Gary and Charlie's bikes and ... well... you saw the movie. Nice score. If any RRB members want a copy of the film, just let me know, via the Klunkersz site, that you're RRB friendly and I'll hook you up with the RRB discount, plus poster and postcard, etc. Enjoy your new steed. Ride on!

 

[Rat Rod]

Bill is the man! :wink:

BTW...is it just me or were the only people who bought early production model MTBs back in the early 80s all 7 foot tall? :lol:

Every time I see an early Stumpy, Mongoose, Fisher, Ross, Diamond Back, etc. for sale they are the LARGE sized frame.

 

[user 135]

Nice find. I have seen many bikes lately with Sugino Cranks, Suntour Powershifters with Mountech derailers and Dia Compe brakes. Must of been the components to have in the mid-80's.

I too share your appreciation for beautifully designed machinery. Suntour Powershifters are some of the best designed and well working friction shifters. Now if I could only find a bike with a byplane fork.

 

[ilikebikes]

I wish my vintage MTB was lugged! :x :wink: Here's a pic of the EXACT SAME bike I own, mine needs resto but nothing major as its all there and in great shape, just a bit of cleaning and polishing will make her sexy again.


This is my actual bike.

 

[Bill in Houston]

Every time I see an early Stumpy, Mongoose, Fisher, Ross, Diamond Back, etc. for sale they are the LARGE sized frame.

that stumpy frame is ginormous!

 

[tuga]

Nice Stumpy. It's the second year. They weren't really commercially available until '82. Yours has some first year parts (Tommeselli levers?). The earliest Stumpjumpers had almost all the exact same spec parts as my 1980 Ritchey, T/A cranks, Mafac canti brakes, Tommeselli levers etc. Sinyard just took some of Gary and Charlie's bikes and ... well... you saw the movie. Nice score. If any RRB members want a copy of the film, just let me know, via the Klunkersz site, that you're RRB friendly and I'll hook you up with the RRB discount, plus poster and postcard, etc. Enjoy your new steed. Ride on!

Got a couple of those, but if I remember correcty one of them has an "81" serial on it J1XXXX and the other one I believe is an 82

 

[the_undecider]

Looks like I lost track of this thread. I hate to admit in the past few months the bike has basically just sat in my garage untouched. I was able to track down a NOS set of Specialized skin wall tires and put those on. I finally got around to doing some cleaning on the drivetrain and other parts. I had the bike with me at the monthly bike swap and took the opportunity of lots of idle time to work on it. Lots of people were really digging on the bike. Then, I toom it by the local Specialized dealer to show it to them. They really liked it, took a bunch of photos.

I'll snap some updated pics and post them.

 

[Machine Age Victim]

What a great find! Love the downtube shifter mounted on the handlebar, kinda like the early touring bar end shifters, they were just bosses to remount shifters.

 

[Hsean]

Pretty sweet bike. I love vintage mountain bikes very much. I might be getting a proflex soon. its not as old but looks weird. lol. I had a minelli about the same age and all the parts where the same kinds, only issue was it was a 17' frame it was way to small. I miss it.

 

[Beachside]

I'm getting this Black Diamond on the road again. It's a pre 85 Japanese import with Deore Components

 

[the_undecider]

I'm getting this Black Diamond on the road again. It's a pre 85 Japanese import with Deore Components

I like any bike with a portage strap. Nice!

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I'm getting this Black Diamond on the road again. It's a pre 85 Japanese import with Deore Components

I like any bike with a portage strap. Nice!

Had to google that one . Very cool.

 

[the_undecider]

Alright, finally took some more photos. Bike still isn't finished. I need to polished the frame and replace the shifter cables and housing. The housing from the shifters to the downtube is too short. It forces the shifters too far inward away from the grips. I did track down some more age appropriate skinwall tires and a pair of Specialized bottle cages.