The Late, Great Bontrager Race Lite

[Oldskool26er]

Once again all race lites and race models in the trek era we're still made in Keith's Santa Cruz shop by his employees. They are every bit true bontrager frames in every sense of the word and if Keith had access to tapered tubing in the begining that's what he would of used that what he would have used for the seat stays. So sick of direct or indirect comments about these two models being built after 95/96 being anything less than a true bontrager frame

 

[pw_pw_la]

Once again all race lites and race models in the trek era we're still made in Keith's Santa Cruz shop by his employees. They are every bit true bontrager frames in every sense of the word and if Keith had access to tapered tubing in the begining that's what he would of used that what he would have used for the seat stays. So sick of direct or indirect comments about these two models being built after 95/96 being anything less than a true bontrager frame

Who said they were less than?

I’m pretty sure nobody here.

I think all, or most Bontrager fans, regardless of personally preference in certain details, pretty much agree that anything made by Keith and his guys directly is to be admired and cherished, regardless of year, or company ownership status!

Weird to suddenly get so upset about that!

Anyway, I’m not sure if that little rant was directed at me, but as it followed my last comment I suppose it’s best to clarify: I was simply recounting a story I’ve heard multiple times, about frames being made in random configurations that don’t adhere to the traditional dating rules, and being built using a mix of leftover stock (tubing, hangers, bosses Etc) lying around during the takeover, or maybe right before all frame building operations ceased.

Then again, if you’re referring to my comment about it being nice that it turns out he has an older one, that’s just because I’m personally drawn to earlier examples of most bikes! I like the earlier, rougher around the edges stuff; I like seeing things in developmental stages, before all the kinks have been ironed out.

If I could only ride prototypes I probably would!

Or maybe your comment wasn’t directed at me at all?

Anyway and either way, there’s nothing but early and later period Bontrager fans in here, I don’t think!

 

[Oldskool26er]

Your right...my apologies. I feel honored to be a part of this group that recognizes the pedigree that these bikes, all of them not just bontrager, represent in mtb history.

 

[br0qn]

My purple one has two piece stays and no pulley, I'd alwaysv thought there was a bit of mix and matching going on, do interesting to hear about the warranty repair on yours.

That makes sense and puts your purple right at a '94/'95 I believe. As discussed at length though it seems there were no hard, fast changeovers for any of the details that evolved with time.

Yeah, very interesting that it's a repair.

I've heard multiple stories of Franken Bonty's from right before the Trek takeover, or maybe it was right before they shut the Cannery down? Anyway, apparently there are multiple bikes out there made of whatever bits they had left floating around the place, that don't adhere to all the usual rules of what details are where from which year.

Nice to know yours is an earlier one tho!

Do you think you'd be fine to put a composite fork on it, if you wanted, and just run the legs on the longer side to account for any potential sus. correctedness?

I measured this green Race Lite against a same size, similar year Race and they matched. The TT measurement being a mere 0.2" difference between sus / non sus makes it hard to determine which you've got as that is a small enough difference for margin of error with measuring, at least to me.

I've got to get someone to measure a late medium for me that came with a Judy, in a way that I can compare, then I should know what I've got.

@Oldskool26er How about you? Will you measure the top tube for me on your red one and let me know how you measured it. @benjabbi your Ti should certainly be sus corrected and your measurement would help me

meanwhile, here is a photo from the PO as he collected the bike from the original owner.



Well looked after, that's nice to know. Remember it came to me as frame only.

And here she currently sits, awaiting a few components and component decisions




As @pw_pw_la knows, I've been agonizing over a few of the finer points.

I have been wanting to run a full XC Pro group but as I was sourcing each piece the CK headset came up at a fair price so it was subbed in however I've since found the cups are 1 1/8" though the threaded gripnut is 1" so a mixup at some point I'd have to guess. I of course found a cherry xcpro headset shortly after for a good price so I picked it up as well.

I've had my sights set on the later, warm silver/champagne/gold finish brake set. Found a used but nice set of the calipers for a good price and picked them up and as they were in transit I came upon the NOS levers/caliper set that I couldn't pass up. I posted those up earlier in the thread.

Also to make life harder I wanted the full 8 speed MD kit. The 7spd parts are all far easier to come by I realized and all of the 8spd stuff commands a premium. I found a nice hub set though the freehub was for 7spd MD but I did manage to find a cheap xc comp rear hub with the proper 8 spd MD freehub, score. I just need to figure out how to swap them!

8spd thumbies also harder to find but snagged a set too. That said, @Tootyred has a sweet guide on rebuilding XC pro thumb shifters and modifying them to accommodate 8spd.

All of the 8 speed MD cassettes I was finding were either trashed or stupid expensive which had me wavering on my decision to the point of almost abandoning it. Then I found a stash of NOS 8spd MD cassettes in Japan. Working off of the translator I wasn't sure if I was buying the right cassette or if the listing was for 1 unit or more but for the price I bought 2 and waited for them to arrive...I ended up with 10 nos 8spd cassettes! Should tide me over ;D but it means every bike that comes into my hands will need the rest of the 8 spd MD kit If anyone else is hunting this cassette hit me with a pm.



That leaves BB & cranks now. Found the proper BB which is easy enough to get wrong, the XC Pro microdrive BB is actually a Microlite. The spindles differ in length as you'd imagine. Interesting bit here on bikepro on the matter.




I wanted to take some liberties on the crank given the prices for a nice crankset, be it xc pro md / one of the XT compacts / or something boutique, are all comparable in todays market so I set out to find one of the Cook Bros compact sets.


Cranks secured but only to find out after that they need an ISO square taper BB rather the the JIS on the MD...doh. Found an alternate BB that (I hope) will work and it's en route. Still hunting a nice Real 94BCD 32t ring. These rings have a real slight warm tone that is right on with the XC pro stuff.



Now looking at the bike in her current state the only polished silver on the bike are the hubs (though the finish on the Ti Syncros seatpost is close) which is shaking me up a bit. Probably still I should just get the wheels built with these hubs/ rims and get on with riding. Black nipples and silver spokes? What do you guys think?

That's all for now

 

[Elfman]

That makes sense and puts your purple right at a '94/'95 I believe. As discussed at length though it seems there were no hard, fast changeovers for any of the details that evolved with time.



I measured this green Race Lite against a same size, similar year Race and they matched. The TT measurement being a mere 0.2" difference between sus / non sus makes it hard to determine which you've got as that is a small enough difference for margin of error with measuring, at least to me.

I've got to get someone to measure a late medium for me that came with a Judy, in a way that I can compare, then I should know what I've got.

@Oldskool26er How about you? Will you measure the top tube for me on your red one and let me know how you measured it. @benjabbi your Ti should certainly be sus corrected and your measurement would help me

meanwhile, here is a photo from the PO as he collected the bike from the original owner.

View attachment 664360

Well looked after, that's nice to know. Remember it came to me as frame only.

And here she currently sits, awaiting a few components and component decisions

View attachment 664361


As @pw_pw_la knows, I've been agonizing over a few of the finer points.

I have been wanting to run a full XC Pro group but as I was sourcing each piece the CK headset came up at a fair price so it was subbed in however I've since found the cups are 1 1/8" though the threaded gripnut is 1" so a mixup at some point I'd have to guess. I of course found a cherry xcpro headset shortly after for a good price so I picked it up as well.

I've had my sights set on the later, warm silver/champagne/gold finish brake set. Found a used but nice set of the calipers for a good price and picked them up and as they were in transit I came upon the NOS levers/caliper set that I couldn't pass up. I posted those up earlier in the thread.

Also to make life harder I wanted the full 8 speed MD kit. The 7spd parts are all far easier to come by I realized and all of the 8spd stuff commands a premium. I found a nice hub set though the freehub was for 7spd MD but I did manage to find a cheap xc comp rear hub with the proper 8 spd MD freehub, score. I just need to figure out how to swap them!

8spd thumbies also harder to find but snagged a set too. That said, @Tootyred has a sweet guide on rebuilding XC pro thumb shifters and modifying them to accommodate 8spd.

All of the 8 speed MD cassettes I was finding were either trashed or stupid expensive which had me wavering on my decision to the point of almost abandoning it. Then I found a stash of NOS 8spd MD cassettes in Japan. Working off of the translator I wasn't sure if I was buying the right cassette or if the listing was for 1 unit or more but for the price I bought 2 and waited for them to arrive...I ended up with 10 nos 8spd cassettes! Should tide me over ;D but it means every bike that comes into my hands will need the rest of the 8 spd MD kit If anyone else is hunting this cassette hit me with a pm.

View attachment 664411

That leaves BB & cranks now. Found the proper BB which is easy enough to get wrong, the XC Pro microdrive BB is actually a Microlite. The spindles differ in length as you'd imagine. Interesting bit here on bikepro on the matter.

View attachment 664384


I wanted to take some liberties on the crank given the prices for a nice crankset, be it xc pro md / one of the XT compacts / or something boutique, are all comparable in todays market so I set out to find one of the Cook Bros compact sets.


Cranks secured but only to find out after that they need an ISO square taper BB rather the the JIS on the MD...doh. Found an alternate BB that (I hope) will work and it's en route. Still hunting a nice Real 94BCD 32t ring. These rings have a real slight warm tone that is right on with the XC pro stuff.

View attachment 664410

Now looking at the bike in her current state the only polished silver on the bike are the hubs (though the finish on the Ti Syncros seatpost is close) which is shaking me up a bit. Probably still I should just get the wheels built with these hubs/ rims and get on with riding. Black nipples and silver spokes? What do you guys think?

That's all for now

I'm amazed at how fast you're able to source and pull together the right parts! Bravo!

 

[benjabbi]

That's coming together beautifully!
I'll measure the top tubes on all of them in the morning and let you know

 

[Elfman]

I can measure mine, too, as I know mine is a late cannery production frankenframe from 96 or 97, so should be suspension-corrected. I also think it is the same size frame you have, @br0qn .

 

[Oldskool26er]

Here's my race frame.....along with my race lite bought locally courtesy of a member.

 

[benjabbi]

@br0qn measured the top tubes, all measured horizontally from centre of head tube to centre of seatpost.
Race and Privateer - 565mm or 22.25"
Ti Lite - 560mm or 22.05"
The Ti has a 10mm taller head tube than the others.
I was as accurate as possible with a tape measure but they could be a couple of mm either way.

 

[br0qn]

I'm amazed at how fast you're able to source and pull together the right parts! Bravo!

too much time in front of a computer is all!

Here's my race frame.....along with my race lite bought locally courtesy of a member.

Time for you to start a thread! We all want to see more of those.

@br0qn measured the top tubes, all measured horizontally from centre of head tube to centre of seatpost.
Race and Privateer - 565mm or 22.25"
Ti Lite - 560mm or 22.05"
The Ti has a 10mm taller head tube than the others.
I was as accurate as possible with a tape measure but they could be a couple of mm either way.

Thanks man! That is interesting the Privateer (only offered with suspension unless I'm mistaken) measuring the same as your earlier race though it could have been suspension corrected too. More peculiar is the Ti Lite measuring like that. Different (larger) tube sizes maybe account for the difference? Though all measurements in the catalog are identical across all mtb models for the couple of years the Ti Lite was offered.