An Unusual Ride - mostly USE

[-L-]

I picked up a rather unusual bike and have decided that it needs to go to someone with more time than myself. I'm writing this without the bike in front of me, as I find myself with a rare few minutes to type this up! I'll correct/update any info when I'm back with the bike.

The bike is basically an "prototype", dating from the early-mid 2000's. It was stored in a slightly damp warehouse and has, as far as I can tell, been hardly ridden (if at all), and so other than surface rust/corrosion on some parts, everything is wear-free. Whilst its history is a bit unclear, it is clear that this was a no-expense spare experiment with some top of the range kit. I've talked it through with a bike mechanic who thinks it may have been a predecessor to the modern 29ers, but I think we'll never really know.

The frame is basically a nondescript hybrid of some sort - c. 17" in size, alloy but nothing overly special.
Forks: USE Anti Sub forks
Stem: USE Carbon Fibre
Seatpost: USE Carbon Fibre
Seat: USE
Handlebars: USE Carbon Fibre
Brakes: Avid Juicy 3 (Hydraulic)
Crankset: Truvativ GXP
Gears: SRAM X0 (10 speed)
Wheels: decent hubs (can't remember make) on 28" rims (can't remember make) and hybrid tyres.

I picked the bike up but was never sure what I was going to do with it - either restore it or nick the bits off it. Having serviced it, I discovered the forks are great but only have 80mm of travel. The clearance between the wheel and the fork is also 80mm, so it really needs to go back to the 26" wheel the fork was designed for.

I can't attach pics at the moment, but if you're interested, PM me and I'll send some across. I'd like as much as possible for the bike really - I'm thinking £400 ono, but happy to be shot down in flames if you think this is over the top.

I travel around a bit, so may be able to deliver or at least arrange a meet-up, otherwise, the bike is in north Oxon.

 

[johnalpi]

I'd like to see some pictures of this!

 

[birdnestboy]

Re:

Dibs pending pics...

 

[-L-]

Re:

Quite an it of interest in this so can I just ask everyone who has pad to make sure their emails are included. No 'dibs' count... At least until I get the photos out !

 

[splitty21]

Second in line please....

Cheers

Rob

 

[splitty21]

Still awaiting pics.....

 

[robdeanhove]

I don't want to burst your bubble, but I am afraid I have and still own, the original UK pre-cursor to the modern 29er. However, the USE S.U.B. for was the first fork, not supplied on the first Gary Fisher stateside 29er, to be 29er compatible. I suspect you have an early production model on your hands.

When the first Fisher broke cover in 2002 I happened to get talking to Brant Richards and we got onto our belief in the future of the newly mentioned 29er wheel size. Brant commented I was "just the sort of oversized freak" he had been looking for and offered to make a proto frame to fit me, I just had to fix the res of the bits. While the frame was being made I was out riding with the equally tall and 29er curious Rory Hitchens (then of USE, and a retro legend himself), and he was very curious, being a tall loke himself. He asked what I was going to do about a fork, and I commented I would simply get an upside down fork, which would have no crown arch to limit the fitted wheel size, and modify it to reduce the travel to then stop the bigger wheel hitting the crown. Rory suggested the USE S.U.B., but went one better and suggested that USE could modify it, including a custom linkage, for a 29er rake and travel.

I got the frame finally built up with wheels and the first S.U.B. 29er fork in the spring of 2003, and it was the only one in existence that whole year while the final details were tweaked, it went to production in 2004 I believe. To finish the build, USE called in a favour and got two proto WTB 29er rims, that were due for production the following year, which replaced the Mavic touring rims I originally built it up with

You can see an article on this bike on the on-one site to verify my story, as well as an entry on my blog and an article on BikeMagic if you choose to look. Here is the BikeMagic article (by Brant to verify the above), complete with a photo of my proto fork in the USE workshop: http://bikemagic.com/features/month-of- ... e4w7ukr.97

So yes, while you almost certainly have an early 29er, I am afraid it cannot claim to be the precursor to the modern 29er..... I have that, but while it was the first 29er in/from the UK, even this followed the first Fisher I am afraid to say.

 

[birdnestboy]

Re:

Still very interested.... Still waiting for pics......

 

[-L-]

Please be patient with me as I'm out of the country at the moment. Back soon so will post some pics later this week.

For the record, I'm not claiming this is an original 29er "prototype", but it definitely has the hallmarks of someone playing with some good quality kit and trying something a bit different!

Didn't geoff apps play around with big wheeled bikes in the early 80's?

 

[pete_mcc]

Didn't geoff apps play around with big wheeled bikes in the early 80's?

He certainly did, and it's generally accepted that Wes Willits was the creator of the modern 29er, Gary Fisher was very late to the party but stole credit regardless and Brant came trailing in much later to capitalise on the trend, not create it.