boy"O"boy's 1989 Ridgeback 604 SIS

[boy"O"boy]

I saw that frame ! I have the 89 freewheel catalog as well. My bible back then, I ended up with an 89 602lx. And I’ve got one! Recently sold a 603 frame

Looking forward to this ! Almost as much as the Proflex !

Such fine taste sir

Thanks Cristian.
Yeah.... it's fair to say we have the same tastes in our collections. Ridgeback, Pro-flex. I did have the '89 Stumpjumper Comp - the model below your desirable Team until I sold it last year.
Keep following the Pro flex thread - it hasn't stalled, just waiting for a slot in the paint shop.
This Ridgeback was one I definitely couldn't pass up on.

boy"O"boy

 

[MR OX]

Avocet R20 saddle (in the earlier colours)
Is this with white writing & badge?

 

[boy"O"boy]

Glad it ended up on here and with a real Ridgeback fan

Wouldn't have seen it without your head's up thread so thank you!

Nice to see a childhood wish come true. Following.

With the Pro flex - that's 2 in quick succession now! Still always keeping an eye out for a sensible size fillet brazed 605 SIS or any Ridgeback Merlin Titanium (unicorn stuff) for the full top end set of Ridgeback 89/90

boy"O"boy

 

[boy"O"boy]

Avocet R20 saddle (in the earlier colours)
Is this with white writing & badge?

Thanks David.
The earlier version looks like this.


I've got one on my RC100 - inspiration came from the same '89 Freewheel Catalogue.


The later version looks like this. Essentially it's exactly the same Gel-Flex saddle with a different graphic. This one is destined for the Pro-flex build.



I have a leather Avocet Racing I could use but I'm going Catalogue build on the Ridgeback.

Cheers
boy"O"boy

 

[MR OX]

Ah, no mines later than that

 

[27motorhead]

Ah that well thumbed Freewheel catalogue!

Should have bought a 602LX, but got a MBK instead as my best mate who got me into mountain biking influenced me to use the same bike shop where he got his Diamond Back Ascent from and the tri-fluro colours won me over!

Another cracking build well under way! So far it all looks to be in amazing condition!

 

[brocklanders023]

Loved the freewheel mag, and the Ridgebacks. Mine were 90 and 91 though.

 

[raidan73]

Just looking at those images from Freewheel. What a feeling!

 

[boy"O"boy]

Just looking at those images from Freewheel. What a feeling!

The Freewheel Catalogue are the images that most of us remember, Ridgeback also had a catalogue in '89 for retailers other than the Madison owned Freewheel chain.
Must be fate but.....the Catalogue appeared on eBay at the weekend and I bought it straight away.
I'm guessing that the Freewheel Catalogue images were the early prototypes/1st bikes available as the publishers would have had to get the content together well in advance hence the pre-production Pace RC-100 pic, Ridgeback specs etc....

The keen eyed will notice that some of the Ridgeback specs have changed by the time the catalogue is available.

1989 Ridgeback Catalogue scan















Cover and pages 1 - 5

 

[boy"O"boy]

Pages 6 -10 and back cover specs














Note the rim change from Mavic M6CD (604) and M7CD (605) to Ambrosio Hard anodised rims.
Cheaper seatpost on 604 but 605 gets a proper M730XT one. Saddle specced now is a colour coded M20 Avocet in the pics. No Blackburn cage on the 604.

Having the colour matched bars included in the sale - I'm sticking with these for the build.
However, both the Freewheel pic and the Catalogue pic show a teal coloured bar.
I thought that this could be due to the 'moody' studio lighting.... But the '89 catalogue also appears to have them. Maybe this was another change of spec post publish?

Enjoy. More to come soon..... there's a lovely wheelset en route!

Cheers
boy"O"boy