Ouch! Baptism by fire..... now I need a MTB >:)

[ChrisEyles]

I know the budget is rather low, but so is my disposable income at the moment. If it's only going to be an occasional thing I can't justify much more unfortunately, especially not when it's bike number five!

I will probably hire a modern bike again next time, and have a go also on my friend's 1990s Marin hardtail to see what I like the feel of the most. Have to say though, looks-wise pretty much any 90s bike is streets ahead of anything modern I've seen (especially if it's yellow ). My thinking at the moment is that I can always sell it on and upgrade if I really get the bug.

@meta lon - yes, I thought I was getting the knack of the attack position a little... nice soft knees and elbows to take the bumps and pushing my weight well back behind the saddle for sharp braking and the steeper downs. Next time I'm going to ride a *lot* less agressively though - that crash was a lesson I'd be stupid not to listen to, and I think it's going to keep me off the bike for a while yet (still can't walk more than a few hundred metres and not confident to drive yet either).

 

[Levo-Lon]

You will still crash from time to time...you will just crash better and faster..and look better on film..
I cracked my ribs last year in a daft off...

 

[ChrisEyles]

yowch! something to look forward to, I guess!

 

[dan_bo]

I had a go of a pump truck the other day- right laugh speeding along. Got a bit ahead of myself when i tried to bunnyhop a speed bump and ended up almost impaled on the drop lever.

Saving up for a pump truck now.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Haha, I like it! Even comes in yellow

Just seen a Marin Hawk Hill come up (1997 I think) locally for £40. A quick google reveals it was towards the bottom of Marin's lineup at the time, but I have very little experience with mountain bikes and don't really know if that's coded message for "use only on canal towpaths" or if it means perfectly trail-happy bike just with lower end components.

Chain stays look a bit rusty - not something I'd worry about on a road bike but not sure if is a no-no when it's going to be abused on the trails?

Then there is another '98 hardtail GT tequesta in driving distance which I must say I prefer the look of (actually I am full-on lusting after it), but the asking price of £125 seems a bit steep (or at least I've seen others go for quit a bit less).

What do you guys reckon, snap up the Marin while it's aroudn, or play the waiting game and see if the GT can be had for a little less than the asking price?

 

[dan_bo]

Either will serve you well. Just make sure the brakes work and the drivetrain isn't shoot.

 

[I like Skol]

View attachment 104855
Got a bit ahead of myself when i tried to bunnyhop a speed bump and ended up almost impaled on the drop lever.

I've got to ask, how's the pump truck?

I reckon your chain's too slack. Sort this and you will be able to adjust the ride height to something more suitable and will then be able to clear those speed bumps like a pro!

If you are looking for something that isn't brand new then even the retro pump trucks can be quite pricey. I suggest going for something with rubber tyres at the front and nylon at the back. This allows you to flick the back end around much easier when making turns. Nylon steering tyres are a recipe for disaster and the front end just washes out when the trail gets twisty (DAMHIKT! )

Back to the OP. The old GT's are great bikes and should serve you well. Not all bike development has been a good thing and a bike that was good back in the 90's and early 00's will still be good now even if different to the current crop. If you buy a bike that was duff when it was new it almost certainly won't have transformed into a better bike with the passage of time so do your homework and buy carefully.
I have a GT from 1994 and apart from a full disc brake/geartrain upgrade in the last year or two it is still a very old school bike geometry wise. But, it is still a capable machine and can compete with the best of todays bikes. On the forum MTB rides I have been on I have yet to be beaten on the downhill bits despite riding a hardtail with only 70-80mm front fork travel. This bike just takes all I can throw at it and comes back asking for more!

Don't feel that you need disc brakes. A quality set of V-brakes will be more than adequate for the occasional use you are describing and certainly more reliable in the long run.

 

[dan_bo]

I've got to ask, how's the pump truck?

I reckon your chain's too slack. Sort this and you will be able to adjust the ride height to something more suitable and will then be able to clear those speed bumps like a pro!

If you are looking for something that isn't brand new then even the retro pump trucks can be quite pricey. I suggest going for something with rubber tyres at the front and nylon at the back. This allows you to flick the back end around much easier when making turns. Nylon steering tyres are a recipe for disaster and the front end just washes out when the trail gets twisty (DAMHIKT! )

There speaks a pump truck pro.

 

[I like Skol]

There speaks a pump truck pro.

May I point you to my strapline
<<<<<<<

 

[ChrisEyles]

Well, I went to have a look at the Marin......... and it is now predictably sitting in my shed

Seemed in pretty good order, just rather scruffy with a lot of chips in the paintwork, but that's OK by me. Will need a new middle chainring later down the line but otherwise the transmission is in good shape - there's even plenty of wear left on the chain, which is a good sign. V-brakes are top notch - wouldn't mind a pair on my road bike!

I gave it a good old clean last night, trued up the wheels (which weren't too bad) and re-greased the hubs (again, I probably didn't need to, though the bearings were too tight on the rear). The suspension fork seems to work OK, but I'm very curious to see how it works, so planning on taking it apart to see what's inside (I guess it will be elastomer cylinders, possibly with a spring too?) and give it a good clean/re-grease. I'm impressed how light it is for a "low-end" bike.

Jobs to do...

Indexing is a tiny bit off and the grip-shifters are a bit stiff feeling (will have to see if I have some cable inners/outers in the box-of-bits)
Headset has a bit of play in it, and possibly not enough spacers
I'm planning on touching up the chips in the paintwork, and re-painting the offensively grey forks

...and I need to wait 'til my knee gets better...

But can't wait to take it out on some trails >

 

[ChrisEyles]

I made a start on the suspension forks - they do indeed contain boingy elastomers as well as a spring! I don't seem to be able to seperate the lowers from the stanchions, despite having taken out the bolts underneath the dropouts... I guess the bushing must be a bit too tight to let the stanchion out? Unless I'm missing something obvious I'm leaving them as one piece (might drip in a bit of oil through the bolt-holes under the dropouts), since I don't want to damage a bushing and have to replace it.

The fork lowers look better all ready for a bit of bright red paint - grey and yellow just wasn't working for me!

Headset seemed OK, just needs some fresh grease on re-assembly and it'll be good to go.

That middle chain ring does need replacing though, on closer inspection there are a couple of rips/tears in between the teeth, which I've never seen before. I'm used to dealing with cottered cranksets - is there any safe way to remove the modern kind without a specialised crank puller tool?

I found some great big bar ends in my box-of-bits so they are going on the bike for the true 90s look

 

[Jody]

Who made the forks? They look like RST as they have similar adjustment dials to a pair I had. If yes, you can remove the bottom two bolts and they release the lowers off the stanchion. Pace RC7 grease used to be recommended for the lowers and thats what I had always used. I'd be a touch worried if they had oil in the lowers. You might still be able to source metal springs to replace the elastomers which were a massive improvement, even more so when the temps drop.

is there any safe way to remove the modern kind without a specialised crank puller tool?
]

It might not be the accepted method but I used to wind the bolt out by half a turn and ride it until popped off. But if you keep riding with it loose you will round the taper and end up with squeaky cranks.

 

[ChrisEyles]

They are indeed RST 161 forks with, from the look of it, a mighty 5cm or so of travel I've removed the bottom bolts but the lowers are firmly stuck on the stanchions - they move to the end of the fork's travel and then stick fast requiring a fair bit of force to send them back the other way. It feels like they might come apart if I really gave it some welly, but like I said I don't want to risk breaking a bushing seal in the process. I have some silicone grease (which should be safe on the elastomers and seals) so I'll pop some of that in instead of some oil... since I can't seem to remove the lowers I'll squeeze some in through the bottom bolt holes and poke it in with a stick.

I've ordered a crank puller for the princely sum of £3 (I thought they would be a lot more expensive than that - at least the ones in my LBS were), so just need to find a suitable middle chainring and I'll be good to go.

 

[Ciar]

once you have the bug it's hard to shake, enjoy

 

[ChrisEyles]

Hmmm... a bit of googling and I've found out that the crankset on the bike is an old shimano STX, with a very odd chainring set up - looks like the granny is bolted onto the middle chainring rather than to the spider. Guess this means I need an identical NOS middle chainring if I want to keep the granny ring (which I sure do). Can't find any online at the moment, will have to have a phone around my LBSs to see if they have any lurking in the parts bin.

A rather unexpected complication!