early 90's Specialized Rockhopper (wip)

[Jazzper]

Got myself another Specialized Rockhopper today (as I said in the other RH topic).

Curious about the original specs. Can't find them on bikepedia (too early)

big: http://www.flickr.com/photos/leunkstar/3860159040/

big: http://www.flickr.com/photos/leunkstar/3860159480/


some quick cleaning and writing down of parts:

big: http://www.flickr.com/photos/leunkstar/3860158634/


frame is 54cm (21.5") steel Specialized Rockhopper
sticker: "conforms to B.S> 6102/1F.C.I"
serial: GW165537
also in the BB is a 3 and an A
any clues?

Bottom bracket is a Shimano, yearcode PH (1991), 73mm BC 1.37x24

headset is a steel YST

crankset is a Shimano Exage 400 LX FC-M400 "Biopace-SG"
got to love Biopace
48-38-28
175mm
yearcode PC (1991)

pedals: HTL-P48
never heard of

reflector: Cateye RR-180-BT

---

plans?
I had this nice RockShox Mag21 fork to fit but the headtube of the frame is way to long. The Mag 21 only has 14cm top tube

I have a 1990 1" Shimano Deore XT HP-M735 headset and a 1995 Shimano Deore XT RD-M737 rear derailer for a start. Oh and a Syncros seat post if it fits.

Any comments on it?

btw, the paint is in nice condition but very dirty. Elbow grease will restore it!

 

[Augustus]

think it's a 92, possibly a 93.

Lovely.

 

[one-eyed_jim]

That's a '92 model year:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/mai ... emId=15578

I have a 1990 1" Shimano Deore XT HP-M735 headset

I say this all the time, but be aware that the original headset is (95% certain) JIS standard:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ha-i.html#headset

You can replace like with like, or have the frame and fork milled to ISO standard.

plans?

Keep it rigid!

If the dropouts are semi-horizontal (hard to see from your pictures, and there was often variation within a given year) it would make a decent singlespeed.

I'd lean toward a cheaper OEM build. A Rockhopper doesn't want flashy kit.

 

[raymondluxuryyacht]

Are you sure that's a 73mm bottom bracket and not a 68mm? 73mm is a more modern standard and would be very unusual on an early 90s bike.

 

[one-eyed_jim]

My '92 Stumpjumper is 73mm ...

 

[raymondluxuryyacht]

Re: iso vs jis standard headset, I thought it was just the inside diameter of the headsets that is different between the two. Is that right ? If so, the frame wouldn't need milling - just the fork ?

Interested why you say this Rockhopper is probably JIS. I 've just got a specialized hardrock cruz frame 1991 and I'm really hoping it isn't JIS otherwise I'll probably have to find a new fork.

 

[raymondluxuryyacht]

blimey - 73mm bottom bracket shell. what size axle does that have ?

 

[one-eyed_jim]

Re: iso vs jis standard headset, I thought it was just the inside diameter of the headsets that is different between the two. Is that right ? If so, the frame wouldn't need milling - just the fork ?

The crown race seat and press fit dimensions differ. It's sometimes possible to use brute force to cram an ISO cup into a JIS frame, but it's not nice.

All the dimensions are in here:

http://www.sutherlandsbicycle.com/Chapter12.pdf

Interested why you say this Rockhopper is probably JIS. I 've just got a specialized hardrock cruz frame 1991 and I'm really hoping it isn't JIS otherwise I'll probably have to find a new fork.

All the old Japanese and Taiwanese Specializeds I've had my hands on have been JIS, so I'd be surprised if yours wasn't. Still, there's only one way to be sure: measure it.

 

[one-eyed_jim]

blimey - 73mm bottom bracket shell. what size axle does that have ?

103mm at the moment. The axle it came with is quite a bit longer, but it's buried deep in a box in the cellar. 122.5mm perhaps?

 

[raymondluxuryyacht]

Sorry for hijacking the thread. Do I measure the width of the bottom bracket shell across the frame rather than the outside dimensions of the bottom bracket unit ? If so, it measures 68mm spot on. I was especially surprised that the rockhopper would be 73mm because the '3a' code was mentioned which, according to sheldon brown, relates to 68mm bottom bracket shells.

That is really bad news if headset is jis as I've got a tange levin in the post which is iso and I've no idea where to get a jis one. Having trouble measuring at the mo as I've not been able to free the locknut yet !