Back from The Edge

[highlandsflyer]

Great
I'll put the links up here obvs.
I wonder what proportion of xtr and lightweight 90s mtb componentry are also rb members.

Potential customers? At least a few!

 

[bikeworkshop]

The post and saddle have been swapped by someone - off another bike.
The rear gear adjuster on the toptube is interesting - the original paint looks intact, it's black with a subtle green metal flake, impossible to touch in.
The front braze-on is double plus the boss the rear is a triple.

I'll get a closer look with some dismantling.
The rear mech is xt m735, the front wheel is a 105 hub on 231
(The rear is xtr 231 with ceramic brake track)
I think the front wheel is a replacement because the rear spokes are bb, whereas the fronts are pg.
Road hubs were popular on custom race mtb wheels in the mid 90s as they offered similar lightness but lower friction.
Front pads are fibrax, which leads me to believe the bike had enough use to wear out the front pads but not the rears. There's not much sign of heavy use, several hundred miles mtb imo.
Rear cassette is lx?
Mks carbon 260 pedals

Accessories are Onza bar ends and Porcs grips, venhill ti bolts in the ritchey stem, ti canti bolts, ti zero skewers seatpost clamp and rear wheel.

Everything else is catalogue spec to the Edge Extra 1993

 

[Takingabreak]

You mentioned on a previous post that on the top tube there were some numbers indicating it might be some kind of special edition

 

[bikeworkshop]

Tube sticker:
No number on bb shell:

Number on toptube - looks lightly applied but it's solid:

 

[Takingabreak]

There was a special edition dawes mountain bike made from 501 and painted in a crazy green and purple spotted paint scheme with stx kit on it at some point in time that I don't think was ever in the catalogues. They had numbers in a similar position. Could you have a non catalogue limited edition bike there? Or even a team race bike?

EDIT - link to example of special edition numbering https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/stx-special-edition-cantis-£13-posted.204841/

 

[bikeworkshop]

That's my suspicion.
it's basically the 653 edge frame but the numbering and the gear cable boss is unusual.
100 is a big number for team bikes, so its more likely to have been a special edition, perhaps offered to dealers if they placed a large order at a trade show. Dawes were quite big in '93, and offering a full-xtr bike was pretty unusual. I've yet to think of another one!

I'll ask tandem group if there's anyone who remembers those days.
Our old dawes rep used to work there then, I'll see if I can find her email.

 

[uphilldowndale]

What're the wheels? I'd be interested if you did shift them on...

 

[Takingabreak]

That's my suspicion.
it's basically the 653 edge frame but the numbering and the gear cable boss is unusual.
100 is a big number for team bikes, so its more likely to have been a special edition, perhaps offered to dealers if they placed a large order at a trade show. Dawes were quite big in '93, and offering a full-xtr bike was pretty unusual. I've yet to think of another one!

I'll ask tandem group if there's anyone who remembers those days.
Our old dawes rep used to work there then, I'll see if I can find her email.

Also the decals don't match 93 catalogue spec, not to mention the lack of union jack, filet brazed and british standard decals that were slapped all over Dawes bikes of that time

 

[bikeworkshop]

The toptube gear boss is brazed on under the dawes-looking greenyblue flecked paint.

The double cable stop is exactly that, but matching the style of the rear triple, which is as per catalogue.

 

[bikeworkshop]

What're the wheels? I'd be interested if you did shift them on...

Wheels are:
Rear xtr dt bb mavic 231 ceramic breaking surface, nice condition without xtr qr
Front 105 unbranded pg mavic 231 std rim, some rim wear, with correct qr.

Visually they're very similar.