Skippys bikes and ramblings..

[Skippy]

Hello to all those who drop into this post, as this is my first post here I hope you going to enjoy the build.

Just discovered this forum and would like to share one of my current ‘retro‘ mountain bikes that I own, the opportunity arouse a little while ago to add another ritchey P20 into my fleet , the plan is to just see how light I can actually go whilst maintaining that vintage look.



so I’ll kick it off with this little teaser and once I’ve finished eating the mince pies and I’ve put the Christmas tree back up in the loft I’ll post some more content that I hope you’ll enjoy.

SI

 

[ingola]

@Captain Awesome @MattiThundrrr @Otto (Spelled Backwards) @One-eyed Sailor
Check that out should start it on the first and join the off road build off

 

[ingola]

https://ratrodbikes.com/threads/orbo-swbo-rules.119269/

 

[Captain Awesome]

Hello to all those who drop into this post, as this is my first post here I hope you going to enjoy the build.

Just discovered this forum and would like to share one of my current ‘retro‘ mountain bikes that I own, the opportunity arouse a little while ago to add another ritchey P20 into my fleet , the plan is to just see how light I can actually go whilst maintaining that vintage look.



so I’ll kick it off with this little teaser and once I’ve finished eating the mince pies and I’ve put the Christmas tree back up in the loft I’ll post some more content that I hope you’ll enjoy.

SI

View attachment 254814

 

[Skippy]

Well the new year is fast upon us and it’s time to choose a weapon.

I think it’s time to get Funk out for a dust off…

This one is circa1992, built from frame up using NOS or near new period components , more to follow..

 

[Skippy]

just for you @Captain Awesome .. Merry Christmas ..

 

[Otto (Spelled Backwards)]

Well the new year is fast upon us and it’s time to choose a weapon.

I think it’s time to get Funk out for a dust off…

This one is circa1992, built from frame up using NOS or near new period components , more to follow..

View attachment 254829

View attachment 254831

 

[Pauliemon]

I wanted one of these so bad! I had a mail order biz and ended up selling Alpine Stars. They were a similar elevated chainstay. But they weren't as cool as a FUNK!

 

[Pauliemon]

The AS didn't ride as nice as the Funk.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

View attachment 254925
The AS didn't ride as nice as the Funk.

That's Ti-Mega. There was also Cro-Mega and Al-Mega versions of that classic. Such an experimental era for mountain bikes. Look at how short those stays are, the chainring overlaps the back tire!

 

[Skippy]

I wanted one of these so bad! I had a mail order biz and ended up selling Alpine Stars. They were a similar elevated chainstay. But they weren't as cool as a FUNK!

I‘ve never owned any of the Alpinestar bikes ,but now I’m thinking about it , maybe I ought to seek out one , must admit whenever the Funk does make an appearance people freak out

 

[Skippy]

That's Ti-Mega. There was also Cro-Mega and Al-Mega versions of that classic. Such an experimental era for mountain bikes. Look at how short those stays are, the chainring overlaps the back tire!

I remember those models too , I liked the colour schemes and design , however they at the time just didn’t connect with me as much the Funk did

I have a couple of other e stay bikes in the stable but none as beautiful and nice ridding as the Funk, the riding position and fit just seems to be more dialled for me.

From memory , the Elevated design came about because of a need for shorter back ends for climbing and added mud clearance ?

 

[Skippy]

Hi everyone, hope Santa was good you all , just a little update,, I’m currently in the process of cleaning and doing a few little tweaks to the build so I thought in the meantime I’d add a few pictures of this beautiful machine I took this last year, hope you enjoy.

Full compliment of Funk’ness with the bouncy’non’ness of the Funk fork..

Ready to go play..

Shimano’s top end M900 rear derailleur (RD-M900), kitted out with SRP 3dv (Purple) bolts throughout, pulley wheels had to obviously be included..

Custom made , Fibrelyte Carbon fibre inner rear derailleur plate, weight saving I don’t even care about it was more for the look.

The handlebar stem is a ITM Titanium unit, this piece alone is to me one of the key parts to the interface for me, Titanium absorbs so much what I’d class as low frequency trail buzz.

The Mavic headset is temporary until I can source a nice Chris King , but still can’t decide if I should (once I’ve found one) go for silver or 3dv (purple) ?

Zero components seat post binder and matching wheel skewers.

lovely colour matched (to fork) Selle Italia leather saddle, sat temporarily on a ritchey classic seatpost, this is going to be replaced with titanium for the same reasons as the stem.

Suntour‘s XC Pro thumbshifters mixed up with Dia Comp SS5 brake levers for that ultimate lightweight option, complimented by a smattering of 3DV’ness

A surviving Ringle radially built front wheel, matched to Ringle rear wheel, however these are being changed out for the new year.

DT Swiss spokes have always been my no.1 go to spoke.

Shimano’s XTR top end front derailleur fitted to match rear along with SRP bolts, Sampson Chainset , with SRP bolts everywhere , spinning on a iirc a Titanium Action tec Bottom bracket.

and with a rigid fork option..

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Holy smokes that's something special isn't it? You didn't miss a trick, even the stuff you have on there temporarily is quality.

the Elevated design came about because of a need for shorter back ends for climbing and added mud clearance ?

It was an experimental time, everything was new. They wanted shorter stays for climbing traction and quick handling. An added bonus was being able to take off the chain without a tool, no stay in the way. In the end, the additional weight wasn't deemed worth it. The style went away in a few short years, with only a few holdouts creating novelty versions over the years. Devinci made one as recently as 2017, but it was just a promotion to celebrate their 30th anniversary, think they only made one.

 

[Skippy]

Holy smokes that's something special isn't it? You didn't miss a trick, even the stuff you have on there temporarily is quality.

It was an experimental time, everything was new. They wanted shorter stays for climbing traction and quick handling. An added bonus was being able to take off the chain without a tool, no stay in the way. In the end, the additional weight wasn't deemed worth it. The style went away in a few short years, with only a few holdouts creating novelty versions over the years. Devinci made one as recently as 2017, but it was just a promotion to celebrate their 30th anniversary, think they only made one.

Thanks very much for the nice comment , appreciate that.

.. yes , I must say that this bike was the ’One’ I really lusted after bitd , only ever seeing a picture in ‘Mountain bike action‘ , that was back in 92 , fast forward around 10 years ago , I finally managed to pick up a frame and fork, so now that dream was a reality

So after sorting out all the issues with the fork , polishing the frame back to its former glory and replacing the decals , I built it with a compliment of Shimano’s XT components , and whilst excellent it just didn’t tick the ‘bling’ or ‘wow’ box for such a frame so I went down the slippery slope of finding NOS parts that were worthy..

so I’m really pleased you like the selection of parts that adorn her currently , took a lot of finding the parts in the condition you see , and I don’t want to even think how much financially has been put into the bike

But like a lot like of my other builds, they never seem to be 100% perfect , either aesthetically or functionally , unless I’m just picky !

I’ve also got this tucked away which has very strong links to the Funk,.. but more on this in another thread

as regard the ‘other‘ bike you posted … sorry but that hurts my eyes…

… cool bike.. but I’ll deny I ever said such a thing…

 

[Captain Awesome]

I need an e stay bike

 

[ingola]

I need an e stay bike

I need to put one together

 

[Skippy]

A new year nearly upon us and I thought I’d share some pictures of my 1992 Carbon composite Kestrel that I took for a spin out after building and sourcing parts from the frame up.

The pictures show a couple of slight tweaks to the build , originally when new would have come with a rigid fork , maybe a spinner or tange , which sadly was missing when I purchased the frame , so not having a spare one of those to hand , I decided to start off with a Ritchey Logic fork , but as you can see in the pictures I’ve also run a 63mm tuned Rockshox Judy SL., I think the Judy looks fantastic and the colour matches perfectly with the ‘Kestrel’ decal’s but adds a little more weigh over the Ritchey. the Judy does however feel much better suited to the frames ride characteristics.

smooth lines on this one .. hope you enjoy ..

Non period correct Crank Brothers egg beater triple titanium pedals which hopefully don’t upset the purists too much mated to Shimano’s FC-M900 Chainset, and gold SRP bolts to shave those extra grams,

Saddle choice was a road I don’t want to travel too often as these things are getting ludicrously expensive, however after much waiting and searching I managed to source a lovely almost colour matched to the decals again San Marco and a beautiful yellow Selle Italia SLT Turbo , decided to use the turbo for now, and reserve the San Marco for something else in the works

box fresh,,

Box fresh turbo is the choice for now..

To hold the saddle in place I’m using a Shimano alloy Easton made XTR seatpost until I can source a Kingsbury or American classic in titanium.

These spare control tech stems in yellow that were in my parts bin called out to me , luckily I have a couple of length‘s to try out

The yellow highlights on the bikes decal’s continue with the addition of period correct Elite ciussi bottle cage’s.

1992 was the release date for Shimano’s top end XTR M900 group set, so I had to raid the parts bins and I found a front and rear derailleur, chainset and matching bottom bracket, the brakes are currently Shimano’s XT’s which will be swapped out for either XTR’s when I can source some at a reasonable cost and in the condition I want, or something a little more trick

rebuilt and tuned Judy SL’s nicely match the stem and Jagwire sl outer cables , sometimes builds just come together

The shifting duties over the 8 cogs on the rear Shimano XTR cassette are down to SRAM super-light X Ray grip shifters ,a lot of people don’t like them as they complain of mid-shifts and the overall operation of them, personally I’ve never had any issue‘s with them, I think they look super neat and stealth , brake levers are Ritchey logic units , selected for there low weight and feel and shape , however I’m thinking these will get swapped out for something to match the brake callipers

The straight aluminium bars have now been replaced with some nice carbon riser’s

Onza “chill’ pill cantilever hangers were a bonus with the extra yellow detailing

Ritchey Logic straight fork option.. weighing in at a shade under 21lb

and as she stands for now.. to be continued…

Si

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Non period correct Crank Brothers egg beater triple titanium pedals which hopefully don’t upset the purists too much

Haha the purists don't have too much sway here. We're more about artistic expression and functional riders than following catalog spec. This is the place where you find a girvin on a prewar Elgin with mag rims.
Your Kestrel is an incredible machine, as soon as I saw the title, I knew we'd be in for a show, and you haven't disappointed. Your parts selection is sublime.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Tasty