Well, I'm older than the bike by at least 22 years, so I don't actually remember what year I got it anymore - either 1989 or 1990 (I think). It's been ridden hard and put away wet over the years and was still in use as a 69er conversion until last fall. Since then it's sat in the shed and I can honestly say I don't ever see me using it again (my aged body has thoroughly adapted to full squishy suspension), so it needs to go off to a new and deserving home.
Almost legible stamps on the BB shell say 'MADE IN U.S.A.' and although hard to decipher, I believe 'B1901C' (the C may be another 0) - this may be enough for some of you to tell me more about it.......
From what I recall (and I'll stand corrected if someone can do so with documentation) these were built by Lavoie in Bellingham, WA at the time I got it on pro deal. I never amounted to anything special as a racer, but I've ridden this all over North America. That includes hitting a 7/16" galvanized cable across the head tube in 1993 (again, year may be off by 1 or 2) in Canmore, AB that resulted in bent saddle rails and two tacoed wheels - frame was still true, but there are cable gauges on the head tube to this day!
Twelve years or so ago I cut off the seized on original P2 fork (horribly regretting that maneuver ever since), mounted a Manitou 2 up front and grabbed a Brake Therapy adapter for the rear when I converted it to half suspended and disc braked. Donated the junk Manitou to a poor(er) buddy about five years back and ran it with a Fox for a few years before finally throwing a 29er P2 fork on a couple seasons ago and running it as a 69er for a couple seasons - this never did feel quite right to me, but it got lots of positive feedback locally.
I always thought it was a 17", but I just measured centre BB to centre top tube as 16", to top of seat tube is 19". Top tube is +/- 22"......
Decals are almost all MIA. There's a couple vintage Powerbar stickers, a Kona head tube sticker (wrong year for the frame, if I recall correctly) and a couple 'TOPSOG' decals (these were from my buddy Jose who headed up the informal group(s) = Team Of Pint Swilling Old Guys/Pot Smoking Old Guys - depending on your preference), nothing else.
It'll ship with the Brake Therapy adapter, the original canti bosses and the seat tube macaroni noodle that I still have in a box - if you know this era of bike you'll know the macaroni noodle reference. Will also come with a set of bar ends that (for once) I actually won at an event on Mt. Seymour in about 1997. I'll also include the original Deore seatpost that I built it with AND a new Thompson post I got when I bastardized it to a 69er.
I'll ship anywhere at buyers expense. Paypal payments only. Price is NOT negotiable - it's $850 CDN, a bit less than half what I paid for it over 20 years ago. If you're looking for a pristine example (ie. never ridden and great for wall art), then this is not the frame for you. I tried attaching a couple images (both too large), so if you want pics, send me a PM with email address and specific image requests and I'll fire them off to you.
Thanks for reading through to here! Hopefully the next owner gets another quarter century of fun out of her!
Almost legible stamps on the BB shell say 'MADE IN U.S.A.' and although hard to decipher, I believe 'B1901C' (the C may be another 0) - this may be enough for some of you to tell me more about it.......
From what I recall (and I'll stand corrected if someone can do so with documentation) these were built by Lavoie in Bellingham, WA at the time I got it on pro deal. I never amounted to anything special as a racer, but I've ridden this all over North America. That includes hitting a 7/16" galvanized cable across the head tube in 1993 (again, year may be off by 1 or 2) in Canmore, AB that resulted in bent saddle rails and two tacoed wheels - frame was still true, but there are cable gauges on the head tube to this day!
Twelve years or so ago I cut off the seized on original P2 fork (horribly regretting that maneuver ever since), mounted a Manitou 2 up front and grabbed a Brake Therapy adapter for the rear when I converted it to half suspended and disc braked. Donated the junk Manitou to a poor(er) buddy about five years back and ran it with a Fox for a few years before finally throwing a 29er P2 fork on a couple seasons ago and running it as a 69er for a couple seasons - this never did feel quite right to me, but it got lots of positive feedback locally.
I always thought it was a 17", but I just measured centre BB to centre top tube as 16", to top of seat tube is 19". Top tube is +/- 22"......
Decals are almost all MIA. There's a couple vintage Powerbar stickers, a Kona head tube sticker (wrong year for the frame, if I recall correctly) and a couple 'TOPSOG' decals (these were from my buddy Jose who headed up the informal group(s) = Team Of Pint Swilling Old Guys/Pot Smoking Old Guys - depending on your preference), nothing else.
It'll ship with the Brake Therapy adapter, the original canti bosses and the seat tube macaroni noodle that I still have in a box - if you know this era of bike you'll know the macaroni noodle reference. Will also come with a set of bar ends that (for once) I actually won at an event on Mt. Seymour in about 1997. I'll also include the original Deore seatpost that I built it with AND a new Thompson post I got when I bastardized it to a 69er.
I'll ship anywhere at buyers expense. Paypal payments only. Price is NOT negotiable - it's $850 CDN, a bit less than half what I paid for it over 20 years ago. If you're looking for a pristine example (ie. never ridden and great for wall art), then this is not the frame for you. I tried attaching a couple images (both too large), so if you want pics, send me a PM with email address and specific image requests and I'll fire them off to you.
Thanks for reading through to here! Hopefully the next owner gets another quarter century of fun out of her!
