1994 Empella Team MTB - updated 2/2/2013 - p2

[stumpjumper1990]

Thanks!

I really like my bikes to look clean. The saddle was too much in the end. I think the frame stands out better with the black flite. The colored one has been sold a few months ago!

 

[Martinkruit]

Hello Bart,

Do you know more about Empella?
I am surching for information about my latest win

 

[stumpjumper1990]

Hi Martin,

I saw this frame on marktplaats and was tempted to buy it too.... I donated my Empella frame to the MTB-museum. Did not hear anything from Empella. So I know nothing about the frame or Empella.

Yours has the same colours, so I think it's from the same years...

 

[PietvS]

Re:

Anyone still reading this ?

 

[stumpjumper1990]

Now I am....

 

[PietvS]

Re:

Stumbled upon this thread by accident.
I worked as a mechanic at Empella and built both these bicycles

 

[stumpjumper1990]

Re:

Can you tell us anything about the seattube?

 

[PietvS]

Re:

We were designing new MTB frames for the empella MTB team and we always eyeballed the Ritchey mountainbike geometry as that was the standard those days. In 1993 Tom Ritchey displayed a prototype P-20 with an integrated seat post to save weight and offer some more ride comfort. That frame never made it to market but was used by Frischknecht and Djernis I believe. We decided to go with the integrated seat post for our frame too and hand built all frames to rider specs for the team members. The frames were built with Tange Ultimate Ultralight tubing and performed really well. The bikes were built with XTR components and Tange Struts suspension forks. To improve front end stiffness we changed the frame the next year to a “Cannondale killer V” design. We then also switched to RockShox forks which created a better overall bike. Still on XTR but with gripshift that year. We had vredestein tires sponsored, but the pro’s also ran tubular wheels with Dugast or Wolber tubular tires. I believe Gretienus Gommers was the rider of that frame and became Dutch national MTB champion that year.
We only made those frames for team members.

 

[stumpjumper1990]

Lovely to hear the history of this bike. I will forward it to Jeroen at the Mountainbike Museum. I donated this frame to him some years ago.

 

[Toompie]

Re:

Found this thread because I was looking at a Empella Pro Team mountainbike at marktplaats.
Went to pick it up today and with great sadness I found that it had died.

While trying out the forks the handlebar broke off. Not that big of a deal I thought. But it did make me check the bike more thoroughly. Found cracks on the top and bottom of the headtube :cry: . Managed to get the it for €10. Mainly because I just wanted it but also because I was afraid he was just going to put a new bar on it and try to sell it again or throw it away.

I will selvedge all the parts I can and give the frame a thorough clean and probably hang it somewhere. Give it the love it deserves.
I've got a custom made RIH frame that was made for fixed gear races. I'd like to imagine this bike was build for someone just like my RIH, and it would brake my heart if it would go to waist at a junkyard.