A 1996 Specialized Stumpjumper (or perhaps two)

[CassidyAce]

Well, isn't life strange sometimes? On Friday last week, I was commenting on what a lovely StumpJumper Prezza had acquired, and now, six days later, I have it. In fact, this one has appeared a number of times on Retrobike: it was Heavy's previously.

As Prezza indicated, it needs a bit of TLC and my plans for it are not far removed from what his were:

1) Ride it - lots! It's a good, nimble ride - not sure how it compares with the '98 RockHopper yet, though.
2) New tyres: the tan wall Table Tops look good so perhaps a set of them.
3) New cassette, chain and bottom bracket
4) New saddle - probably Madison Flux
5) Strip down, clean and re-grease.
6) Probably convert to V brakes
7) Gripshift is fine by me but perhaps SRT-600 instead of the X-Rays (I know the X-Rays are supposed to be higher up the range but I think the clear plastic was a gimmick.) New, comfy grips and some bar ends.

But the paint and decals are the trickiest problem - see Prezza's more detailed photos here: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... p;t=409044. I especially like the colour and I'm not sure that I could get it powdercoated in quite the same colour, so I'm thinking of touching up the paint with a close match and, if possible, removing the damaged decals and replacing them with new ones. It's not something I've ever tried before and I'd be worried about damaging the paint further but there's not much to lose: if I make a mess of it, I could still get it powdercoated.


And here's another, and yes, that is another 1996 StumpJumper frame, same size, but in red. That one can be powdercoated: close matches to the red are easily available. I was going to retromod that one and might still do, or just keep it as a spare frame, or who knows. (My cat was not impressed.)

 

[prezza]

Re:

Glad to see it arrived so quickly.

Yeah, I thought the table tops really suited it and will the red one too imo.

I recon I’d be tempted to have the red one PC. Gil M has the exact decals on file for this model.
You could always then use the blue one as a donor for it whilst U decided what to do with the blue ones paint...

Whichever way you go you’ll have a couple of cracking bikes there.

Looking forward to your thread, whichever way the build goes...

 

[Paul R]

Very nice ill be watching this one

 

[CassidyAce]

Re:

Thank you. One of the things I would like to do is compare how the two frames ride: in one of the earliest threads I was involved in on here, someone said that they had had two supposedly identical frames - same model, same year - but they had very different ride qualities. That interests me. Anyway, I decided to take the indigo Stumpy out for a spin last Friday: two-and-a-half miles along, I had a flat tyre and no 26" presta valve inner tubes in my bag of tricks to get me going again quickly. :facepalm: So, this is receiving some TLC before it gets any further riding. Progress:

Chain: gone. (Stretched and replacement due 'soon' according to my measurement tool. Replacement chain already in stash.)
Bottom bracket: out. (Very easily too: five minute job!) 73mm shell, 110.5 spindle: BB UN55 is the only easily available replacement.
Inner tubes: on order.
Paint: indigo touch-up paint on order. (Well, nail varnish actually: L'Oreal, no less, 'because it's worth it!' :roll: )
Cranks: one cleaned up, one to go.

BB: out easily but it's a wee bit rusty in there:

 

[CassidyAce]

In praise of L'Oreal 609

L'Oreal nail varnish, number 609 - splendid stuff! It's an excellent colour match for the '96 StumpJumper in indigo:

 

[prezza]

Awesome job!

A colour you used on your toe nails at a party a few years back?

Haha...

Looking great buddy

 

[CassidyAce]

Re:

Well, there were some wild times But no amount of nail polish is going to pretty up my plates of meat these days.

Anyway, indigo Stumpy is a rideable bicycle again (give or take a bit of dodgy work on the chain). We have: one cleaned up crankset; more paint touch ups; interior of bottom bracket shell cleaned out (bottom bracket cleaned up but still smooth and no play, so back in); wheels cleaned and hubs serviced; new cassette; new chain; new saddle; USE seatpost (needs some more cleaning up) and shim; 110mm instead of 130mm stem (Specialized stem now); bar ends (because I do actually use them when riding); replacement grips (the only lock on, Gripshift sized ones I could find - hated them on the RockHopper and quickly replaced but don't mind them on the Stumpy for some reason :? ; new inner tubes and, fresh from Deutschland, brand new Schwalbe Billy Bonkers tan wall tyres (the replacement for Table Tops, apparently).


The bike is starting to ride nicely. Even the canti brakes are not entirely loathsome - and, although it might be a burning at the stake offence around these parts, canti brakes are usually the first thing that I'll strip off and send to the darkest corners of purgatory (well, the garage, anyway).

Still to do: more paint touch ups, replace knackered decals, replace the X-Rays with SRT-600, probably fit V brakes but not sure which ones: new XT are getting hard to find, new Deore are easily available and reliable. Are new Deore as good as secondhand XT? I'm not sure but I like the idea of 'new'.

 

[prezza]

Re:

You’ve done a great job there....

How wide are these tyres? The table tops are sometimes just a tad wide for some retro frames so would be interesting to know what these versions are like...

Think if I had gone V brake on this I would have fitted XT with LX levers (and have a set that I was gonna fit on this)...And normal shifters too but I’m admiring the way you’re sticking with the twisties.....

The issue you will have fitting V’s is that theres no rear brake cable guide but you can buy aftermarket alloy guides that clamp around the top tube to rectify this.

It’s turned into a great looking useable bike...

Good job.

 

[G60MAT]

Looks so much better on the new tyres...

 

[CassidyAce]

Re:

Thank you. The tyres really help to freshen up the look. They're 26 x 2.1, by the way.

The clear plastic on the X-rays is cracking near the bolt and work-related injury to my right thumb led me to using Gripshift (and I haven't looked back) so sticking with Gripshift is really a matter of practicality. I'm going to think about the brakes for a bit and see what comes up for sale in the usual places. I have a set of Avid SD7s to fall back on if need be.