This will be a slow burn but figured I’d throw up a forum post in hopes of it motivating me to get my ass in gear over the winter.
This bike popped up on marketplace in BC and was priced pretty darn low, making it look a little suspect to some. Which given that there’s some shifty people about the forums, was somewhat understandable. But I was lucky to have had a chat with the fellow and could tell that it was just a “get it in the hands of someone who cares kind of deal.” He was originally from Idaho and built the bike at 19. He’s 51 now, so I imagine that this dates U440 at around ‘89 or ‘90? He enjoyed riding picturesque XC in and around Idaho and fell into many other adventurous sports/hobbies including skiing, search and rescue and surfing. Pretty cool dude! He had lived in Slocan, BC for a number of years and the Ultimate had been sitting in a barn (literally) for the last 20 years.
We made a plan at 9:00pm and I was on my way at 10:00am to make the 8 hour drive from Vancouver to Slocan, which is somewhat close to Alberta. It’s a small town of 300, mostly draft dodgers and hippies and the town is fairly busy as it’s a gateway to some pretty spectacular places to visit. As a result, all the hotels were fully booked on the short notice. Luckily, the seller was close pals with the owner of a great hotel and managed to snag me a special room and even had a pizza in the oven upon my arrival. We chatted for about 30 minutes and then my adventure put me fast asleep only to return back to Vancouver upon awakening. Pretty incredible weather which also made the drive particularly beautiful this time of year. Also somewhat notable to say that not yet having children and having a cool wife made this bike adventure possible, haha. Excited to breath life back into this wicked ride.
As retrieved:
Paperwork on the hotel room floor:
Marketplace photos:
Kind of wish I took some better before photos but I was to damn excited to get in the stand. Parts have been ordered, plans have been made… Minimal restoration, letting this beauty in its near-perfect state, packed with almost every special bit one could want, shine.
Stay tuned!
This bike popped up on marketplace in BC and was priced pretty darn low, making it look a little suspect to some. Which given that there’s some shifty people about the forums, was somewhat understandable. But I was lucky to have had a chat with the fellow and could tell that it was just a “get it in the hands of someone who cares kind of deal.” He was originally from Idaho and built the bike at 19. He’s 51 now, so I imagine that this dates U440 at around ‘89 or ‘90? He enjoyed riding picturesque XC in and around Idaho and fell into many other adventurous sports/hobbies including skiing, search and rescue and surfing. Pretty cool dude! He had lived in Slocan, BC for a number of years and the Ultimate had been sitting in a barn (literally) for the last 20 years.
We made a plan at 9:00pm and I was on my way at 10:00am to make the 8 hour drive from Vancouver to Slocan, which is somewhat close to Alberta. It’s a small town of 300, mostly draft dodgers and hippies and the town is fairly busy as it’s a gateway to some pretty spectacular places to visit. As a result, all the hotels were fully booked on the short notice. Luckily, the seller was close pals with the owner of a great hotel and managed to snag me a special room and even had a pizza in the oven upon my arrival. We chatted for about 30 minutes and then my adventure put me fast asleep only to return back to Vancouver upon awakening. Pretty incredible weather which also made the drive particularly beautiful this time of year. Also somewhat notable to say that not yet having children and having a cool wife made this bike adventure possible, haha. Excited to breath life back into this wicked ride.
As retrieved:
Paperwork on the hotel room floor:
Marketplace photos:
Kind of wish I took some better before photos but I was to damn excited to get in the stand. Parts have been ordered, plans have been made… Minimal restoration, letting this beauty in its near-perfect state, packed with almost every special bit one could want, shine.
Stay tuned!
