1992 Wheeler 3900 Pro Line Black & Pink Splatter

[james1985]

Where is the wheeler love?? I was trying to sell mine but decided to keep it for now, they always seem well equiped and they certainly ride better than some popular bikes with 'the brand of choice on'. Nice to see another one on here, and looks very nice too.

The yellow selle italia in the background, what is it from or if race for which rider????

 

[juice]

Thanks for the kind words guys.
@james1985: The yellow Flite is from my Marin Eldridge Grade. Check out the link in my signature.

 

[juice]

Major update is coming. Stay tuned.

 

[juice]

Since this bike will see some serious use in the future i started cleaning the few parts that will stay.

 

[juice]

Have to wait for some extra expensive tools to arrive to remove the old bottom bracket. That means even less money for cool parts. Park Tool is the devil.

 

[concordino]

Wheelers are Indeed nice bikes. Owned the same 7700 that's in the catalog pic you posted and I regret selling it.

They weren't common bikes in the US, bought mine from a German lady who raced it in So Cal. Well built oversize Aluminum Frame with full Deore DX and a nice sloping geometry.

It was a comfortable ride and handled nicely.

Good luck with the restoration and hope to see it cleaned up and shiny in all her glory

 

[juice]

@concordino: Thx for your nice comment. You are right the handling of this frames is agile and comfortable.
The fact that over here in Germany there isn't any real interest in these beauties opens up chances for some bargains but i guess shipping would kill that thought.

Today i had a go at the old bottom bracket shell with the new tools. It took me a while but in the end i won that fight.
So the way for some updates is paved. Park tools are made in heaven.

 

[juice]

The wheels are complete now...after doing everything twice.
At least i can say i learned something. First thing i learned is the hole of the rime tape has to be exactly in the right position. Not 1mm to the left not 1mm to the right. The combination of my laxity, a Schrader rim hole and a Presta valve will result in something a seven year old could do better.
So the rim tape is now exactly where it is supposed to be and i bought some plastic valve hole adapters from Mavic and you guessed it..the first time of course i installed them the wrong way around.
There is really only one way these little bastards allow you to get some air in the tube.
So from that point on no wonder that everything else was quickly done. I could remember easily how to do the rest because i've been there 10 minutes before.
So this wheelset now got some new Schwalbe inner tubes and some Charge Splashback tyres and some purple Shogun skewers.

Wrong.

Right.

Wrong.

Right.

 

[juice]

When i look at the pics from 2011 when i got this bike there is not that much left of the original part list.
The pedals are now with Radoslaw. The brakes were sold to our Karma Queen. The XT mechs, shifters and brake levers are also doing their job on different bikes now.
The cranks were still nice but i think they wouldn't fit well with the other updates.

The stem and bars will stay because the look cool. The seapost looks a little bit sorry but as long as no Control Tech post crosses my way that one will stay, too.

So now i robbed my Marin Muirwoods of its XT-M095 STI's, bought some Ritchey WCS grips and also attached some old Control Stix bar ends. The Ghost grips that came with the Wheeler should do good on my Full suspension Hai Bike in the future.
Mechs and cranks are now all XTR M900. Plus i got a 107mm bottom bracket for these cranks but i might try a 113mm one for more clearance on the non drive side crank. After a long search i found some original Specialized dust caps which were missing on my pedals. So they will see some mountains in the near future again.
Finally i bought some new Dia Compe 987 brakes and got some matching Chill Pills for free from the very nice owner of a local bike shop.
Now it's all there and just needs to be set up right.

 

[juice]

Found some time today to put it all together. Brakes and gears will have to be set correctly but after that this thing will rock the alps again.
I have a XTR headset for it too but got no tools to do the switch.

Anyway here is the new part list:

Frame: Still 1992 Wheeler 3900 Pro Line Aluminium O.S. Tubing

Fork: Oversize 1 1/8" Blade
Headset: Y.S.T.
Stem: Tioga Avenger T-Bone
Handlebar: Crmo Wheeler
Grips: Ritchey W.C.S. True Grips
Barends: Control Stix

Brakes: Dia Compe 987
Brake Pads: Dia Compe grey
Brake Cables: Shimano + Hüdz Cable Donuts
Cantilever cable hangers: Onza Chill Pills
Brake Levers: Shimano XT ST-M095

Shifters: Shimano XT ST-M095
Front Derailleur: Shimano XTR FD-M900
Rear Derailleur: Shimano XTR RD-M900
Derailleur Cables: Shimano
Cassette: Shimano HG 12-28T/7 Speed
Chain: Shimano HG
Cranks: Shimano XTR FC-M900, 170mm
Crank Bolts: XTR M900
Chainrings: Shimano XTR 46/36/26 SG F rings
Chainring bolts: Shimano XTR 900
Bottom Bracket: Shimano BB-UN55, 113mm
Pedals: Specialized S-Works, Specialized cages

Hub Skewers: Shogun
Rims: Black Alesa 36
Hubs: Shimano HB-RM50
Nipples: Stainless
Spokes: Stainless
Tyres: Charge Splashback Skinwalls 26x2.1
Tubes: Schwalbe

Saddle: 1993 Selle Italia Flite black, perforated
Seatpost: Sakae SR TCO
Seatpost Binder: Avenir
Bottlecage: Elite
Bottle: Tune


More pics to follow...