The Late, Great Bontrager Race Lite

[markoc]

Checking into this thread. Always a fan of steel and Bontrager has been on the list for a good while - though it may be the dream that never materialises for me as I'm at the point where N+1 really doesn't work.

Have learned a lot from your posts, and no doubt will learn more as the thread progresses!

 

[Dr Dremel]

Yes, they would. From about 95 onward I think. There was a period when frames were offered rigid and corrected but I'm not aware of any obvious was to identify them (apart from getting a protractor out)

So then @br0qn was really lucky to have a matching frame attached to his Bonty fork

 

[pw_pw_la]

Ditch the green.

Keep the black.

But you know how I feel about this already!

The black one is everything anyone could ever want in a Bontrager, already has the only forks anyone ever really needs to put on a Bontrager, and is furnished with rare, interesting uncommon details, the likes of which I've only ever seen on a handful of others out there on the ol' interwebs.

And riding bikes too big for you is the new riding bikes too small for you anyway!

So you'll be bang on trend.

It's not even really too big, I don't think from the photos you've sent me. It's not like you're having to really slam that seatpost, and you have the stem set up super high right now anyway (Riv-style!) so it's not like you need the front end to come down at all.

Keep it!

 

[pw_pw_la]

Checking into this thread. Always a fan of steel and Bontrager has been on the list for a good while - though it may be the dream that never materialises for me as I'm at the point where N+1 really doesn't work.

Have learned a lot from your posts, and no doubt will learn more as the thread progresses!

If you need a large, I'm about to have a very nice early frame for sale...

See the early posts in my build thread, if of any interest!

 

[Prodigal Son]

Yes, they would. From about 95 onward I think. There was a period when frames were offered rigid and corrected but I'm not aware of any obvious was to identify them (apart from getting a protractor out)

The rigid non susp corrected had slightly longer top tubes.

 

[br0qn]

Have learned a lot from your posts, and no doubt will learn more as the thread progresses!

Cool thanks for following along. I'm just happy to share what I've learned these past several weeks of deep diving.

Ditch the green.

What are you nuts?!

I think you're right though, the black bike is something very hard to come by and it's not that big in practice. If I had all of the options before me I would almost certainly choose a size or two down but it's very rideable.

The rigid non susp corrected had slightly longer top tubes.

That's right ! Non suspension corrected bikes had a longer top tube by .2"
I'm also remember reading there was like a 1° difference in angle... I'll try to find that document.

 

[br0qn]

Now that escalated quickly!

Very!

With the black bike now in the picture with it's matching fork that I no longer care to harvest I'm forced to find another fork along with everything else for the bike. Another comp fork isn't easy to find and the budget is now not quite what it was I'm left to consider other options. Also as you guys have mentioned, this is most likely a suspension corrected frame.

'97 would mean a RockShox Judy would have been available with a Bontrager offset crown. Keith Bontrager having co-invented the first Rock Shox (RS1) and holding the patent for the triple-clamp crown design you can see why he would have his own special crown. They're easily ID'd because they're black but also they've less of an offset than standard.

I have a kind of affinity for the early Rock Shox, I think they look just great before the tube volume increased, and having never ridden a shock of any kind myself I don't think I'll be missing much if anything going for an earlier Mag21 which is what I've opted for



Nice clean functioning example though it's labeled an SL it clearly had a crown/steerer swap at some point. SL's were the lighter Mag21 variant with an alloy steerer, this one is not.

 

[br0qn]

That's right ! Non suspension corrected bikes had a longer top tube by .2"
I'm also remember reading there was like a 1° difference in angle... I'll try to find that document.

I can't find the exact document but you can hear it from the man himself (timestamped)

shorter top tube and seat tube angle slightly steeper both in an effort to keep more weight on the front end to improve cornering.


**edit** found it

 

[br0qn]

I had some fun with the camera today . . . you can see where this is going.

 

[Prodigal Son]

I had some fun with the camera today . . . you can see where this is going.


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Bontragers always were shimano bikes... but i appreciate diversity.