Bontrager Race '91 - Build Thread

[pw_pw_la]

One of the things with an early Bontrager build is that you have a blank canvass. They were sold as frames....and people did SO many different things with them. It’s not a question of chasing the catalogue parts to reproduce a set of decisions made on price points and bulk buying - they could, at the time, be ‘what I have in the workshop’ builds, or eclectic mixes of performance items, or full groupset (XTR mainly) builds. This is a Good Thing in my book...allows for a lot of creativity and nice surprises....

Like I needed another reason to one day own an early Bontrager!

 

[Carge]

Things are still progressing in the background - steerer has been fettled - elastomers on their way.....
I'm going to lace a set of wheels tomorrow - if I don't get distracted by the Giro.

 

[slackboy]

Go on then. Give us a progress update...
Did you ever get a paint code for the frame?

 

[Magpiegifts]

Go on then. Give us a progress update...
Did you ever get a paint code for the frame?

+2 any updates?

 

[Carge]

Hmmmmm - what's to tell
No luck on the paint code

Wheels are built - could probably use an m900 cassette on them - but an M950 will do
Fork options are on the increase.
Two options on Manitous - and a couple of others - but they are still work in progress.

Once the forks are back - I can probably crack on with the build proper.

 

[2manyoranges]

The paint code is hovering back in the Mists of Time - I tried contacting bike paint shops in Santa Cruz but no luck, even though I found some very grey-bearded frame builders who knew KB and have worked on gen1 and gen2 (Cannery) frames. It’s a gorgeous tone...Deep Purple....(sounds of guitar being tuned...)

 

[Carge]

So, the Bonty is now wearing a rather nice Titec titanium bottom bracket - out goes the Hope
Syncros stem has been swapped for a Bontrager stem - given the frame tubing is so slim - I just wasn't convinced with how chunky the Syncros looked.
XTR cranks are polishing up nicely....
Need to get some tyres fitted to the wheels... do I bung in the minty AirB tubes?

 

[Carge]

Here's a bit of a mock up build I did earlier.....



I'm preferring the Bontrager stem over the chunkier Syncros one I had on there.
I'm liking the yellow SRP rear mech bolts and have matching ones for the cranks that I'll try too.
IRC Geoclaw and Mythos rubber on the Wolber AT400 rims - likening those too.
Won't be using those forks - have summit else in mind

 

[2manyoranges]

Looking good .. and I like the thought going into the selections
Thanks for retaining the yellow mint sauce script - it’s ‘I ride therefore I am’ if I recall?
Placed there in 1995 if I recall correctly...
Best
Tim

 

[Carge]

A little bit more faffing this afternoon.....




Really loving the Chill-Pills on it - not convinced about the SRP bolts on the cranks.....

Also found an American Classic front QR - it's a lovely almost purpley-black - would love to find a matching rear.