1993 gary fisher procaliber (pre) trek or (post) trek?

[DACO]

Hi,

I know that Trek acquires the Gary Fisher in 1993 but does any of you know for sure if the 1993 Gary Fisher Procaliber model was made before Gary Fisher was taken over by Trek? Same frame like in the pics attached with 1 1/4 hedatube...

Thank you.

 

[joglo]

good question,
the period from 1991, sell to Anlen, till 1993, official takeover by Trek, was a dark period for GF and this is also not documented well (also not in his book, at least not in a way that one could trace also the financial and legal status).

End of 1992 at the IFMA bike show in Germany, Gary Fisher doesn't had a real stand, but was on an empty both with just 3 bikes and a small desk and a chair.
I would be surprised if at that time, when 1993 line up was presented, there was already a solid involvement on Trek in the background.

I think that 93 Gary Fisher models had been rather legacy series like RS-1 in new colors and some bikes which had been sold from Anlen slightly different but with pretty similar design and same parts like Gary Fisher labeled stems or tires to other brands like Redline or under their own brand too.
Sure, the Procaliber was top of line (no full suspension, non-carbon) bike and standing out also with used groupset and components like XTR and Control Tech stem and seat post etc.

 

[Elfman]

I had the same model, albeit with a unique paint job that faded from red to black instead of the yellow/red/black. My recollection is that this was a pre-trek frame, and the 94 signified the trek influences. Could be wrong, but that's what I remember.

 

[Prodigal Son]

I may be wrong but w the Trek buy Fisher bikes became Gary Fisher bikes.

 

[DACO]

good question,
the period from 1991, sell to Anlen, till 1993, official takeover by Trek, was a dark period for GF and this is also not documented well (also not in his book, at least not in a way that one could trace also the financial and legal status).

End of 1992 at the IFMA bike show in Germany, Gary Fisher doesn't had a real stand, but was on an empty both with just 3 bikes and a small desk and a chair.
I would be surprised if at that time, when 1993 line up was presented, there was already a solid involvement on Trek in the background.

I think that 93 Gary Fisher models had been rather legacy series like RS-1 in new colors and some bikes which had been sold from Anlen slightly different but with pretty similar design and same parts like Gary Fisher labeled stems or tires to other brands like Redline or under their own brand too.
Sure, the Procaliber was top of line (no full suspension, non-carbon) bike and standing out also with used groupset and components like XTR and Control Tech stem and seat post etc.

Thanks for the reply. In other words, the last Gary Fisher models of own production were made in 1991, and then for two years they were produced by Anlen?

 

[DACO]

I may be wrong but w the Trek buy Fisher bikes became Gary Fisher bikes.

This make sense. But as "joglo" said, they were first taken over by Anlen and then already change from "fisher" to "gary fisher"...

 

[joglo]

I may be wrong but w the Trek buy Fisher bikes became Gary Fisher bikes.

This make sense. But as "joglo" said, they were first taken over by Anlen and then already change from "fisher" to "gary fisher"...

actually, Fisher became Gary Fisher independent from the buy out to Anlen.
This was due to an lawsuit because of the similar name with the European (Austrian) sports (skiing) brand Fischer.

For season 1991, presented End of 1990, they changed from Fisher to Gary Fisher, and at this chance they also changed to logo with the moutains to an more universal picture as they wanted to introduce also non-MTBs.

 

[DACO]

Thanks for all this informations.

 

[joglo]

Thanks for the reply. In other words, the last Gary Fisher models of own production were made in 1991, and then for two years they were produced by Anlen?

sorry, I think I also have to add some more comments to this.
There was never something one could call a Gary Fisher own production.
Early Fisher / Kelly "MountainBikes" had been produced by Tom Ritchey.
But with help of Ritchey they have started to use external companies in Japan very early.
1982 Kelly left and "Fisher MountainBikes" but also production overseas was started. The Montare saison 1983 was the first model from Japan, the production for other models had been successively moved to Japan. Just some small volumes top-of-line bikes had been produced by domestic frame builders like Tom Teesdale or Brent Steelman.
End of 80ties with the Yen-crisis (exchange rate USD to JPY roughly doubled within 3 years) costs for producing goods in Japan increased quite heavily. Not sure if Anlen has produced something for Fisher already before buying them, but timing-wise Gary Fisher had anyhow a need to move production to Taiwan or another APAC non-Japan manufacturers with lower costs.

 

[joglo]

BTW the 1 1/4" oversized headset was introduced by Fisher 1989