'92 Mountain Cycle San Andreas resurrection

[foxb13]

I thus asked @gil_m to create '92 repro decals using the dimensions I've recorded before and with a particular character font, as the one Gil had on files for the "SAN ANDREAS" text below the Mountain Cycle logo didn't matched enough the original one.



Well, I had to buy Gil a second set in fact (without the clear base, this time) as I was dumb enough damaging the first one while removing some glue residual with acetone. This and the dishwasher fiasco .

In the end, I chose not to apply the "TEAM ELITE" decals as there was no evidence of such prior decals on my subframe. Plus I didn't found that much pictures of bikes with these decals applied, besides the one in the '92 ad and a couple late '92 models with different graphics (red/black color) and Suspenders System 3-style fork crown. I may change my mind one day.

 

[foxb13]

I meant if it’s mirror finish then a greasy finger could mess up the look of it.

Microfiber over then it’s fine.

The disc brakes on this look mahoosive.

No problem: white spirit and the greasy fingerprint is gone. Did this numerous times during the rebuild process.
About the brakes, motorcycle engineering by Robert Reisinger: 9" front rotor, 8" rear.

 

[foxb13]

Locating a 2nd gen. 1 1/4" Syncros Cattleprod stem like on the above ads wasn't too difficult. I also had lying around a (way too long, in the end) 31.6 x 425mm Syncros Propost seatpost. Incorrect 3rd generation, but at least a Syncros Propost seatpost, like on @Baulz San Andreas.



Also seen on this other picture of what appears being the same bike as the one in the '91 ad:



In the meantime, the missing rubber O-rings were ordered. I no more have the exact measurements handy, but for the O-ring inner diameter, I simply measured the outer diameter on the frame, something in the 28mm:

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Not the sort of bike I would own, but I really enjoyed reading and looking at the results, awesome.

 

[foxb13]

As you may remember, the bushings of the shock top mount were gone. As a preventive cure, the bushings of both mounts were replaced. I determined the bushings inner diameter by measuring the shock axle's outer diameter, and the bushings outer diameter and thickness by measuring directly on the shock mount. Sorry, I no more have them handy. In the process, the original two-piece plastic (Teflon?) bushings were advantageously replaced by one-piece oiled bronze bushings.

Update Nov. 29, 2023: Thanks to the hard detective work by @coyut in History of Mountain Cycle Parts - Upto 1996, original bushings were part JSI-0608-06 (imperial size 1/2 x 3/8 x 3/8") by igus.







And should you need some side caps for the swingarm hollow axle, just PM me as I have plenty of those .

 

[foxb13]

Not the sort of bike I would own, but I really enjoyed reading and looking at the results, awesome.

Thanks @Guinessisgoodforyou. I think we all like rebuild threads .

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Thanks @Guinessisgoodforyou. I think we all like rebuild threads .

Indeed, all saved bikes are great and this is both rare and unusual

 

[foxb13]

A talented buddy (cheers Pascal!) was able to help with the brake calipers. From the original broken cable stops, he carved an aluminum bar with a lathe to create replacement units, increasing the thickness to prevent them from cracking again. Awesome job Pascal, thanks!







Upon reassembly, the original pins were also replaced by more convenient circlips.




BTW, should you need some, PM me as I didn't noticed when ordering that packing unit was tens! So rather than 5, I'm now the happy owner of 50 (minus 2) circlips, way beyond the needs of my whole life .

 

[foxb13]

Overhaul of the Suspenders System II fork revealed nothing wrong, with the inside wall of the fork tubes still in great condition.



The elastomers weren't dry either and properly greased but some of them were slightly distorted, thus leading to a difference in travel between the left and right legs. The fork tended to compress in a bent way on rough impacts, somewhat locking the smooth sliding of the stanchions in the tubes, hence the noticeable friction I was talking about earlier and failure to achieve full travel. Replacement elastomers in medium firmness were ordered to fix the issue [1].

 

[foxb13]

It took me quite some time to identify all the components of the Team and Team Elite bikes in the aforementioned '92 ad. Namely, the saddle, seatpost, seatpost clamp, handlebar, grips and rims were either unknown to me, hard to depict or simply hidden. I eventually found this webpage [1] of what turned out being a review of the Team model. Thanks to this and spotting the differences between the Team and Team Elite pictures, I was able to put a name on all the components, but the seatpost clamp. One question also remained unanswered: since the Suntour XC Pro-equipped Team flavor was fitted with a Syncros bottom bracket, what about the Shimano XTR-equipped Team Elite bike? Though an earlier model than my San Andreas, @Baulz bike gave us the answer: Syncros bottom bracket [2].