What is it ? Stainless steel frame !

[messiah]

Pretty sure Alpinestars (as mentioned above) did a cromo frame with this plated finish in the early nineties - that would be my guess.

Columbus did METAX tubing which was stainless - it was a bit lardy for it's price and notoriously difficult to weld and get fittings for.

 

[Easy_Rider]

Looks like the same finish as my Parkpre and Marin team, both Tange Ultimate tubing

 

[pete_mcc]

Looks like the same finish as my Parkpre and Marin team, both Tange Ultimate tubing


Nothing like either of them! They were much higher end than this. Look at the parts: stx and alivio, the drop outs are wrong, the routings wrong, this thing has rack mounts - that's hardly a high end attribute!

What I have noticed is the Gary Fisher saddle which means it could be something like a Tassajara or similar and the parts kit looks generic/Trek to me

 

[zedman]

I wouldn't think the parts mix is original, x-lite stem and seat clamp, stx hubs, ritchey rims, something odd seatpost, stx mechs, alicio shifters, suggests a homebuild on a frame imho

 

[pete_mcc]

It's not an xlite stem or seat clamp on that bike -they are very standard parts, probably kalloy like the seatpost. STX and Alivio was a common stock mix of parts in 1995/96. Gary Fisher used stx/alivio mix, as did GT, marin and other. Ritchey rims were a common choice on lower/mid range bikes. Doesn't look very home made/built, especially with a shimano chain and cable set, looks all stock except those tyres

 

[one-eyed_jim]

I was going to say Merlin as well.

Just to add a little on real stainless mountain bikes, Rhygin used to make frames in Columbus Metax in the late nineties:

http://media.photobucket.com/image/rhyg ... n3a800.jpg

 

[pete_mcc]

And here's a very similar frame (ie identical):

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3553

a fuji-stoutlite cromo steel frame, as used by a large number of companies, and sold by all manner of shops as a frame only. What suggests that this is a stock factory bike rather than a built up frame is the fact that this one has nickel forks as well which weren't available aftermarket with these frames

 

[zedman]

looks very similar, it'll probably end up on fleabay as I usually do old road bikes, couldn't resist picking this one up locally as it was a bit of intrigue and has served quite nicely as a commuter for a few weeks.

 

[Easy_Rider]

And here's a very similar frame (ie identical):

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3553

a fuji-stoutlite cromo steel frame, as used by a large number of companies, and sold by all manner of shops as a frame only. What suggests that this is a stock factory bike rather than a built up frame is the fact that this one has nickel forks as well which weren't available aftermarket with these frames

Nearly the same. though this has no rack mounts and the guides are on top rather than side.

Although nothing special, it's still a decent enough frame imo.

 

[porkypaw]

Lots of grades of stainless are magnetic, if it's stainless non magnetic it's likely to be austenitic stainless, don't check it near a weld because the welds become magnetic on all grades. :?