vintage stumpjumper - worth fussing with?

[clerkkent]

I got this in a pile of bikes. I put a tire on the rear wheels, and the drivetrain works. The front wheel looks too skinny for jumping a curb, let alone stumps. I poked around online, and the thing is far from original. The front fork still absorbs some shock, and has an adjustment dial on top of each blade. The frame is lugged, so I think it is early 80s.

Should I just get a appropriate wheel and tire for the front, and call it a beater bike?

 

[old_skool]

If that frame is early to mid 80's it's probably worth some money to vintage MTB guys

Some of the other old parts (like that crankset) might be valuable, too

You should find out exactly what you have there

The VRC section at mtbr.com is a good place to look into that

http://forums.mtbr.com/vintage-retro-classic/

 

[Toeslider]

I wouldn't dismiss any Stumpjumper without looking into it a little bit first, regardless of condition. They are always popular bikes with a following.

I'n the unlikely event noone in your area is interested in it, I'd probably give you $50 to disassemble it all, throw it in a box and ship it to me... :mrgreen:

 

[clerkkent]

how can I confirm or deny that the fork is a rock shock? Someone exfoliated the stickers and removed the rubber protective sleeve.

 

[clerkkent]

The serial number is ES645127 .

 

[Toeslider]

Is there anything else identifiable on it, like the derailleurs or cranks? 90's entry level Stumpjumpers were $800 bikes new, FS versions with suspension forks were $1000 plus.

 

[clerkkent]

the shifters and derailleurs are Shimano Deorext. The crank is a Shimano biopace. The rear brake caliper is dia-compe. Everything is else is scratched and dented beyond recognition.

 

[old_skool]

Biopace cranks and under chainstay mounted rear u-brakes are features found on mid to late 80's MTB's, I think

That suspension fork is probably not original - it seems to me those started showing up on 90's MTB's

The lugged steel frame geometry looks like 80's MTB to me - they were all rigid front fork bikes back then

 

[Toeslider]

That narrows it down a little bit...Biopace means its earlier than 1993 if original, and if the rear is an 8 speed it would be a 93, earlier if it has less speeds.

If you can find an Mxxx number on the derailleur you could narrow it down more:

M700 = 1983
M730 = 1987
M735 = 1990

At any rate, it was once a nice bike. Deore XT on a mountain bike was top of the line. I believe it was the highest level group set you could get on a mountain bike back then.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

Those frames are popular among commuters too. With a rigid fork of course.

 

[alistairSH]

I'd strip the derailleurs/shifters (unless they're original) and replace the fork with a rigid one. Run it single-speed, rigid as an around town bike.

The original batch of Stumpjumpers was welded ('81/'82).

Then, they were lugged from '82 through the late-80s, then they were welded. It's hard to nail down exact year, as Specialized started experimenting with lugged carbon frames in the late-80s - so there are pictures of Stumpjumper Epics that are lugged, even though the main production was welded.

They were produced in Japan through the early-90s.

I had a '92 Stumpjumper for a while in the early '00s. It was a fun bike for local trails and general cruising around. Rode well, fit well, people liked it.

 

[clerkkent]

Well, I took the easy way out, and traded it to a mountain bike nut I met from a separate Craig's list deal. I took this and this one:

(kept araya wheels and yellow neck/bars for myself), and traded for this:

I'm fairly happy now.

 

[alistairSH]

Ha! Not bad.