Need info: Wheeler 5500 ProLine

[AirMonk]

Hi all!
I'm from Italy and I'm new in the forum. First of all I'd like to thank you so much for this great forum full of useful infuse!

I had this Wheeler MTB in attach.... could you please give me some info about this model? I just know it was about '90 years but nothing else.
I've made some basic services, cleaned up, put new tubes, tyres and seat and now don't know if it would be better to keep all original parts or paint it up with new color and add some modern stuffs.
Do you think it's better to keep as much original as possible to keep same value in the future? I

 

[troje]

Nice very early Wheeler you have there. It is difficult to judge from the non drive side, but it looks all original. Lugged frame and u brakes are cool and rare. What frame tubes are used? I guess it’s 1988 or 1989 or so. Retrobike does not have Wheeler brochures in its archive but I believe there are German sites that have them.

 

[stevemar]

Hi. i Have several Wheeler catalogues(1991-1994?)that show 5500 comp lines, but no pro lines like yours, a higher class. Also your bike is lugged which makes it earlier than what I have in archives, as troje pointed out. As far as frame tubing, Tange OS DB is mentioned. Again, nice bike. I have a 3800 that I enjoy.

 

[AirMonk]

Thank you very much guys!
I suppose it would be better for me to keep it all as is without changing or painting anything correct?
Where can I find some more info?

Just for curiosity... how much could it be worth my bike?

Last thing.... I'd like to remove some very old stickers (ONEAL....) keeping only the original ones but how to do it? It seems they are very stick and hard to remove after about 30 years

 

[failure]

Hi to Italy from Bavaria, nice bike, leave it as is. U-brake rules!
It should be the 89 model and it should have a Shimano "Mountain LX" groupset. This is a midclass groupset, but rare.
There is a Tange Sticker on the seat tube, it should be Tange 5, this means not butted.
I know this model also in black green, also i have seen the higher class Pro Line 6600 (Deore II) and 8800 (Top Line with XT).

 

[F1dla]

Hi. i Have several Wheeler catalogues(1991-1994?)that show 5500 comp lines, but no pro lines like yours, a higher class. Also your bike is lugged which makes it earlier than what I have in archives, as troje pointed out. As far as frame tubing, Tange OS DB is mentioned. Again, nice bike. I have a 3800 that I enjoy.

Hi, please Can you kindly scan these worthy catalogues for us. I have 1992 and 1994 Wheeler catalogues and I am looking for at least 1993 for ages. I have two 5500 Comp Line in purple (1993?) and green (1991?).

 

[joglo]

Hi all!
I'm from Italy and I'm new in the forum. First of all I'd like to thank you so much for this great forum full of useful infuse!

I had this Wheeler MTB in attach.... could you please give me some info about this model? I just know it was about '90 years but nothing else.
I've made some basic services, cleaned up, put new tubes, tyres and seat and now don't know if it would be better to keep all original parts or paint it up with new color and add some modern stuffs.
Do you think it's better to keep as much original as possible to keep same value in the future? I

hi, this looks like the 1989 5500, just in different color scheme (later years had different numbering conventions, or the 5500 was then just a mid-tier model any longer).


BTW: the 1989 8800 top-of-line wheeler I've collected this morning looks pretty similar like your 5500.
https://www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/wheeler-galerie.644058/post-18041507

 

[joglo]

Hi, please Can you kindly scan these worthy catalogues for us. I have 1992 and 1994 Wheeler catalogues and I am looking for at least 1993 for ages. I have two 5500 Comp Line in purple (1993?) and green (1991?).

there are now several Wheeler catalogs in one thread in the catalogue scan section
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/wheeler-what-you-got.429780/