The number 2 bike on my all-time favourite retro bike list has just arrived............
Ever since reading the test of a green DeKerf in MTB Pro back in 1994, its been a must buy for me.
I've been casually searching for a couple of years and responded to a Retrobike ad for a Solitaire back in February. That had sadly sold, but the buyer, Ackers, got in touch to say that this one which he had bought a few weeks earlier was now for sale.
All I've done so far is give it a loving polish. The plan will be to build it up with the parts from the Saracen Kili Ultra Ti singlespeed to give it a bit of a ride this week and take it from there.
There is a chance its going to be slightly too small. Its an 18.5" centre to top which is normally my size but the head tube is only 95mm long so there is going to be quite a lot of spacers under the stem even to fill the 200mm steerer on the Pace RC30 forks (and ideally I'd like the stem a bit higher still).
Once I've determined the riding position is correct, I'll then get around to buying the right looking bits. So far I'm undecided on the forks, cranks, brakes and stem. The RC30's may be fine and they certainly look better than some Kona P2's I have lying around. The v-brakes will then have to go because you can't have a back brake cable hanger without it holding something! WTB Speedmasters seem like the right way to go if I can get hold of some. I've also got some really nice M900 XTR cranks but I may try and make it a Shimano free zone. Middleburns will look nice but its a bit of an obvious choice and they're over-priced. The stem is another thing I'm unsure about. I have a 110mm alu Ritchey job which will give the right sort of position but look all wrong. I've also got a NOS steel Ritchey Forcelite which will look right but is too long and low................ Looking for some advice on these items please. I think its a '95 or '96 model so looking for ideas from that era.
As you can see from the photos, the condition is fantastically original. There are enough minor marks to show its been used, but not enough to make it look like its been re-sprayed.
Ever since reading the test of a green DeKerf in MTB Pro back in 1994, its been a must buy for me.
I've been casually searching for a couple of years and responded to a Retrobike ad for a Solitaire back in February. That had sadly sold, but the buyer, Ackers, got in touch to say that this one which he had bought a few weeks earlier was now for sale.
All I've done so far is give it a loving polish. The plan will be to build it up with the parts from the Saracen Kili Ultra Ti singlespeed to give it a bit of a ride this week and take it from there.
There is a chance its going to be slightly too small. Its an 18.5" centre to top which is normally my size but the head tube is only 95mm long so there is going to be quite a lot of spacers under the stem even to fill the 200mm steerer on the Pace RC30 forks (and ideally I'd like the stem a bit higher still).
Once I've determined the riding position is correct, I'll then get around to buying the right looking bits. So far I'm undecided on the forks, cranks, brakes and stem. The RC30's may be fine and they certainly look better than some Kona P2's I have lying around. The v-brakes will then have to go because you can't have a back brake cable hanger without it holding something! WTB Speedmasters seem like the right way to go if I can get hold of some. I've also got some really nice M900 XTR cranks but I may try and make it a Shimano free zone. Middleburns will look nice but its a bit of an obvious choice and they're over-priced. The stem is another thing I'm unsure about. I have a 110mm alu Ritchey job which will give the right sort of position but look all wrong. I've also got a NOS steel Ritchey Forcelite which will look right but is too long and low................ Looking for some advice on these items please. I think its a '95 or '96 model so looking for ideas from that era.
As you can see from the photos, the condition is fantastically original. There are enough minor marks to show its been used, but not enough to make it look like its been re-sprayed.
