Rocky Mountain Element LTD 1999

[zonoskar]

I bought this bike new in 1999, it was a special frame color of the Element TO that was blue and white that year. Only 25 bikes were made in this color and I only ever saw one other like it 'in the wild' (Houffalize World Cup race weekend in 2004 I think) and a few months ago I found one for sale in Germany. I traded my Zaskar for this frame. Initially I ordered a 16" frame, but when I went to pick it up at the importer, it was way too small. Lucky for me an 18" model was not reserved yet, so I got that. I built the bike with parts from the Zaskar. I had Syncros Revolution cranks, titanium Syncros seatpost, a Votec GS4 dual crown fork and Magura HS22 brakes. When Fox came out with their fork, I got one of those. I still ride that frame and fork sometimes. Today I have built it with parts from the bin. I also got a new rear end from a 2001 Element Race (blue and red), since the top pivot was worn into the seatstays on the original stays. I also used the chainstays from this rear end as I thought it looked nicer. I still have the old stays, I might get them repaired at some point.

One of the early incarnations:

Here is one of the later iterations of the bike before I retired the bike and got a Titus RacerX in 2007 (sold that one to get the 29er Element in 2012). I fitted Hope disc brakes, Chris King wheels and Raceface Next LP cranks (still have those).

This one is with Magura disc brakes (I think they were Louise?) they were very light. But rubbish in every other aspect.

This is the new rear end. The color is slightly more orange than the front.

With some Manitou Black forks I had while my old Fox Forx did duty in my wife's bike. I have some old Hope Mini brakes on it now.

I really should get some nice shots of the current incarnation. The above shots still have the Manitou fork.

Some details of the frame:

 

[Imlach]

So many fantastic iterations. A bike can never truly be finished.

 

[georges1]

very nice and interesting bike thanks for sharing

 

[zonoskar]

The sun was out today.

 

[Marty McFly]

Hi!

I like the Hope Disc Brakes in the 2nd picture. Those aren’t exactly period-correct brakes, are they? Which ones did you use? The rotors themselves look quite “elegant,” which really suits the bike. Do you have any general info on them? I’d love to consider the same ones for my 1999 Rocky Mountain Element Ltd. Thanks!

BR
Philipp

 

[zonoskar]

Those brakes are 1st gen (2004) Hope Mono M4. The rotors are really low profile and are just about as high as the brake pad, which on these 4 pot brakes are not very high. Later they came out with the sawtooth rotors, but they all cracked at the teeth. Brake wise, i went from Magura HS22 to Hope Enduro 4 (weirdly enough, the Hope support page mentions this brake, but links to the XC4/DH4 instructions: https://www.hopetech.com/dut/product-documents/brakes The Enduro 4 was a lighter caliper than the DH4 and used the open pro lever design, the XC4 had en even lighter 4-pot caliper design and used the closed pro lever. I wished I had never sold these brakes, I doubt I'll even find them for sale now) to Magura Louise to these Hope Mono M4's And Currently I have specced 1st gen (2002) Hope Mini brakes.

/edit: BTW, you must show your '99 Element

 

[Marty McFly]

Thanks for the info!

 

[madjh]

1999? I had the Element TO of that year and the frame as no discbrake adaptor, that was the main reason to change for a Element 70 and the geometry and bearings. Mine has no 3d link logos. 9.8kg of fast amazing bicycle.

 

[zonoskar]

Weird, your bike looks to have the newer style font for the decals (not Helvetica Neue). Are you sure it's a 1999? Maybe you bought it in 1999 but it was actually the 2000 model? The color and decals match with a 2000 model. The 1998 frame was a different color, red in stead of blue (in case you updated the decals).

I found a 1999 TO for sale in Germany and their photo's do show disc brake tabs on it (https://www.kleinanzeigen.de/s-anze...ox-vanilla-float-daempfer/2991435388-217-4894 ). And mine also came with the tabs, see the photo's with the grey rear end. I added the red 3D link rear end because the grey seat stays were worn. It didn't come like that as standard. I never got mine under 10kg, I think the lightest it was around 10.5kg with a SID fork and the magura Julie brakes. However that fork was so flexible I lost my nerve on the downhills, I couldnt keep up anymore with my friends. Once I swapped the SID for the Fox fork I regained my trust, that was a big relief.

 

[madjh]

I don´t have the bicycle anymore to check the year in serial number. But no, mine has no disc brakes. And was bought there in Germany like the Element 70, both brand new one in late 00´s the other in early 10´s I like the bicycle so much that has to be new the frame, like my 2006 ETSX70.

This was the first built. Them a light weight wheel set comes (ZTR355+Tune prince princes, tune seat post and a SLR seat) As you can see there is no disc brake mount in the frame. And no 3D Link logos.




A bit different from my baby, I love it