Component recommendations for old-school bike

[flipwils11]

Hi there, new member, just discovered the site. Also a new transplant to the area from Chicago.

My nephew took me to Lebanon Hills in Eagan Monday and after probably at least 6+ years since I've mountain biked, I had a blast (just out of shape though!). I used to bike a ton when I lived out east in highschool and college but kind of stopped when other life priorities took over.

Apparently my bike needs some work. It's a pretty modified '94 Specialized Stumpjumper FS (steel frame). I still like the bike and would rather not buy a new one. I have some upgrades I did 10 years ago including Race Face cranks, Sun/Ringle wheels and hubs with titanium spokes, a mix of Shimano LX/XT components, and titanium Ritchey pedals. I ditched the original front shock the bike came with years ago and it has a Rock Shox Judy XC on there, which apparently is no longer up to the task. It was sagging a lot on my ride Monday and bottoming out.

I had a friend of a friend who knows bikes very well take a look and there is play in my bottom bracket and my headset so those need replacing as well. I haven't kept up on all the stuff like I did when I rode a lot, so I have no idea what a "good" front fork would be. Can someone recommend something? I also did some google searches and apparently a Chris King headset is the gold standard and not too much from what I saw (about $130)?

Problem is also that the Rock Shox Judy XC has some kind of older mount on it for my cantilever brakes so I was told that V-brakes are the right way to go as long as I'm replacing the fork. I don't want to change my wheel sets since they still are in good shape and I have a lot of $$ into them so disc brakes are out.

Hopefully I'm making a rational decision here. I don't like full suspension bikes much and prefer the hardtail design. I also like the steel frame of my old Specialized SJ but I recognize that not much of my original '94 Stumpjumper is still there aside from the frame and stem.

Advice? Opinions please?

Thanks!
Adam

[Paul Swenson]

Welcome Adam,


There's bike people on this site with much more experience than me but here's my advice. If you like what you have by all means upgrading is the way to go.

1.replace headset but consider something less expensive then the CK.
2. I assume the BB is cartridge so that should be easy to replace.
3. V brake upgrade is cheap and worth it.
4. You should be able to find a used or discontinued fork for not too much money.
5. From what I understand you may need to prepare yourself for a wheel upgrade. I never had titanium spokes but I'm under the impression that it's not the best spoke material. Titanium is brittle.


Ride what you got.

[Slimpee]

Welcome. Old bikes ROCK!

If it were me i'd try to go period and get parts from that era. If that's not your bag then i'd keep the cost as low as possible. Put functional stuff on but a CK headset is overkill.

One this to consider is whether your headset is threaded or threadless. From BikePedia (http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=1994&Brand=Specialized&Model=Stumpjumper+FS&Type=bike) it looks like you have a threadless headset which makes finding a fork easier. You can either get your Judy rebuilt at Shockspital (http://www.shockspital.com) or try to find something newer. Keep in mind that many forks today have 100mm+ of travel and if you put a fork that tall on your '94 you'll throw off the geometry as your Judy has something like 63 mm of travel. Perhaps 80mm of travel would work better.

As for the other components yeah, replace the headset w/ something newer and get a cartridge BB (they're not expensive). Replace the rest of the components as they break but adapting new stuff to old bikes can be a pain sometimes so going w/ older parts might be easier for you (plus new stuff on old bikes looks really odd to me).

check out the Vintage, Classic, and Retro section of www.mtbr.com (http://www.mtbr.com). Lots of info there.

Good luck and have fun! Old bikes rule!

[Tomg]

Steel is real!

I'd put new bearings in the headset and BB, either cartridge or loose ball, and then re-adjust play. Upgrade to V-brakes.

Put your money in a new fork. Suspension has come a loooooong way since the mid nineties. Remember that your frame geometry was probably built around 50-60mm travel. I would not go over 80-100mm on the new fork. Last confirm that you have an 1-1/8 headset. If you have an old skool 1" headset your pretty much screwed as far as a modern fork goes.

Regarding the wheels. Titanium was tried as a spoke material in the 90's and it just didn't work out. Titanium is soft and it is hard to build a wheel with sufficent spoke tension. Ride it until you start to break spokes then replace with a good double butted SS spoke, or Sampin X-rays if you made of money ;-)

[jenbenmueller]

Upgrading to V-brakes is well worth the $$$. My suggestion is Avid SD7 levers adn brakes :) HUGE upgrade!

[tedsti]

For headsets, just get a Cane Creek S3. Best value out there.

By the time you do headset, BB, brakes, and a newer fork, you may be better off buying a new bike. Plus is sounds like the wheels are probably suspect. Keep the old bike as a loaner or a winter beater.

[soupboy]

I also did some google searches and apparently a Chris King headset is the gold standard and not too much from what I saw (about $130)?

Do what Ted suggested...get a new(er) bike.

I always recommend starting with a high(er) end used bike than something brand new...much more value without the insta-depreciation hit. The classifieds here or on MTBR.com are your friend.

[flipwils11]

Thanks for the advice guys, this has been a big help especially about the length of travel for forks in relation to my bike. I guess I'm not ready to get a new bike because I still like the frame I have and from what I've read, it's expensive to find well made steel frames today?

The wheel set I have are Sun CR17 with some kind of TCC coating on the brake surfaces, Ringle Superduper bubba (I think that is the name) front and rear hubs, and the titanium spokes. I'll definitely be cautious about the titanium spokes and try to keep my spending under control on the headset. :)

[soupboy]

I guess I'm not ready to get a new bike because I still like the frame I have and from what I've read, it's expensive to find well made steel frames today?

Is it a 1.125" HS or is it a 1"? If the latter, just replace with the cheapest possible option. Also, there's a plethora of good buys in the steel hardtail category, particularly with the growth of 29ers (had to!).

[mike.klecker]

keep the frame, do upgrade the suspension to something new with a travel that fits the design of the frame, but DO NOT rebuild the XC. the only really reason not to upgrade the fork in my humble option is because you can't find a fork to fit i.e. a 1 inch steer-tube! but yours is not so you have a ton of options. era specific is awesome, but if you are getting back into the sport go new school and make the ride as enjoyable as possible. ditch the wheels as ti spokes are a ton of ouch if they go, or rebuild the wheels with different spokes if the hoops and hubs are good to go.



Welcome. Old bikes ROCK!

If it were me i'd try to go period and get parts from that era. If that's not your bag then i'd keep the cost as low as possible. Put functional stuff on but a CK headset is overkill.

One this to consider is whether your headset is threaded or threadless. From BikePedia (http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=1994&Brand=Specialized&Model=Stumpjumper+FS&Type=bike) it looks like you have a threadless headset which makes finding a fork easier. You can either get your Judy rebuilt at Shockspital (http://www.shockspital.com) or try to find something newer. Keep in mind that many forks today have 100mm+ of travel and if you put a fork that tall on your '94 you'll throw off the geometry as your Judy has something like 63 mm of travel. Perhaps 80mm of travel would work better.

As for the other components yeah, replace the headset w/ something newer and get a cartridge BB (they're not expensive). Replace the rest of the components as they break but adapting new stuff to old bikes can be a pain sometimes so going w/ older parts might be easier for you (plus new stuff on old bikes looks really odd to me).

check out the Vintage, Classic, and Retro section of www.mtbr.com (http://www.mtbr.com). Lots of info there.

Good luck and have fun! Old bikes rule!

[steef]

Welcome. Old bikes ROCK!
I have an S-works version of that bike and it's still plenty serviceable for the trails around here.

I can't add anything that hasn't been said here already, so just replace the parts that absolutely need replacing and keep it on the dirt.

[Paul Swenson]

If you don't want to do the work yourself I would recommend taking it to either Hollywood Cycles (http://www.hwoodcycles.com/) or One (http://www.oneononebike.com/) on One. Jay at Hollywood and Gene at One on One would know and respect your bike.

[flipwils11]

If you don't want to do the work yourself I would recommend taking it to either Hollywood Cycles (http://www.hwoodcycles.com/) or One (http://www.oneononebike.com/) on One. Jay at Hollywood and Gene at One on One would know and respect your bike.

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll certainly keep them in mind.

Now I'm a bit worried about this titanium spokes. Never had one break but they are 10 years old now. Oh, and I did some google searches and I think I confirmed that my frame should be 1 1/8" for the front headset tube diameter.

[Paul Swenson]

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll certainly keep them in mind.

Now I'm a bit worried about this titanium spokes. Never had one break but they are 10 years old now. Oh, and I did some google searches and I think I confirmed that my frame should be 1 1/8" for the front headset tube diameter.


Both Jay and Gene lived through the era from which your bike is from. They'll both be able to give you insight into such issues as ti spokes.

Also, are your Ringle hubs anodized and if so what color. Rep points if they're purple.

[Tomg]

Ride the wheels as they are. When you finally break a spoke have them re-laced with a good double butted stainless spoke.

[flipwils11]

Also, are your Ringle hubs anodized and if so what color. Rep points if they're purple.

Yep, anodized blue (sorry, no purple hubs). They're pretty crazy looking wheels (custom built back when I threw lots of money at the bike). The Sun wheels are anodized blue as well and the spokes go from purple to blue where they meet the wheels. So they're definitely wild looking (I should post a picture).

[Slimpee]

Ride the wheels as they are. When you finally break a spoke have them re-laced with a good double butted stainless spoke.

How much do shops typically charge for re-lacing rims?

[Paul Swenson]

Yep, anodized blue (sorry, no purple hubs). They're pretty crazy looking wheels (custom built back when I threw lots of money at the bike). The Sun wheels are anodized blue as well and the spokes go from purple to blue where they meet the wheels. So they're definitely wild looking (I should post a picture).

would love to see pics.

[kikinik]

How much do shops typically charge for re-lacing rims?

Labor is around 30-40 per wheel depending on complexity.
Its similar to a fresh build.

Hardware (spokes, nipples) varies.