Back in ‘95 I was provided with a Cadex frame & Rockshox fork by Giant UK, and once I’d stripped parts from my other bikes and raided my parts bin in order to build it up I used it for whatever race format I could. However it was with this frame that I thought I’d try my hand at downhill racing! By good fortune I won my very first (local) race, and that was it, I was hooked on DH.
I spent the rest of ‘95 competing in DH races on the Cadex, with Rockshox Quadra 10’s - which, if the weather was warm enough would give me up to 43mm travel! Enough to take the edge off I suppose!
The highlight of that season has to be using the bike at the ‘95 Worlds Championship in Kirchzarten, Germany. One of the muddiest and root laden race courses I’ve ever known! If you made it down without crashing when it was wet, you deserved a prize! Sadly I was no where near the prizes, but did have a spectacular crash into the (rather comfy) airbags after the finish line - as I simply had no brakes left! Great fun
I sold the frameset on in order to fund the next years racing/parts etc. but I thought I’ll track one down for my collection.
Exactly which year or variant I had I can’t remember - if anyone recognises it from the muddy pic below, please let me know.
*Edit* I have since identified the frame I had was a CFM-1 either '94 or '95, so the hunt is on to find one!
I’m pretty sure I had a CFM-3, but frame only orders sometimes had different colours to full bikes, and I can’t see this colour in the ‘93/‘94 brochures at least.
Whilst not exactly what I had, a NOS or perhaps ex-Demo 1993 frameset came up for sale on Gumtree and I couldn’t resist buying it.
I had the majority of parts in my parts bin, so the build has been quite simple. Although the parts used are a couple of years newer than the frame, as the frame has barely been used I figured they’d be ok, and I sourced new missing parts where possible.
Here's the finished spec and a few pics of the journey. Hope you like it
Frame: 18” Giant Carbon Fibre (Tubes & Stays) CFM-3 - NOS / ex-demo?
Fork: Cr-Mo 4130P Tubing
Headset: Pro-Tech LP-2
Stem: Zoom Original - NOS
Stem Cap: N/A
Handlebar: Answer Taperlite
Grips: ODI Attack - NOS
Barends: N/A
Brakes: Shimano Deore XT M739 V-Brake - *Edit* now BR-M737 Cantilevers
Brake Pads: Kool-Stop / Tri-Stop - *Edit* now Deore XT M737
Brake Cables: Shimano
Cantilever cable hangers: N/A
Brake Levers: Shimano Deore XT M739 - *Edit* now ST-M737 brifters
Shifters:
Rear = Shimano Deore XT M740 - *Edit* now ST-M737 brifters
Front = Shimano Deore XT M739 - *Edit* now ST-M737 brifters
Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT M738
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT M737
Derailleur Cables: Shimano
Cassette: Shimano Deore XT M737 - NOS
Chain: Shimano HG-50
Cranks: Shimano Deore XT M737
Crank Bolts: Shimano Deore XT M737
Chainrings: Shimano Deore XT M737
Chainring bolts: Shimano Deore XT M737
Bottom Bracket: Shimano Deore XT
Pedals: N/A
Hub Skewers: Shimano Deore XT M737
Rims: Mavic 217 Sunset
Hubs: Shimano Deore XT M737
Nipples: ?
Spokes: Sapim
Tyres: Michelin Hi-Country 26 x 1.95
Tubes: ?
Saddle: Vetta Tri-Shock - NOS
Seatpost: Kalloy
Seatpost Binder: Joytech
Weight: 11.07kg / 24.4lbs
‘95 Worlds. What bike is this?
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Frameset as received, Exage parts still with tags.
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The re-build
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