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Tag Archives: RidgeRunner Team

The Weapon of Weep

14 Monday Apr 2014

Posted by Stonehog in Cycling

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Brooks Pro, canti, compass, CX70, diamond bar wrap, dirt drop, harlequin wrap, Miyata, RidgeRunner Team, scrambler, thumbie, u-brake, v-brake


I plan to become a stronger rider.  That much is for sure.  One way to do it is stop eating big fat lunches with the workmates, and go out on my bus/carpool/motorcycle days to ride intervals.  I don’t really have a great bike for that, however.  Wait…  Maybe I do?  The old Miyata RidgeRunner Team that was my Bosco’d lazy bike might fit?  I’ve always sort of loved this mutt – it has a great fast, low feel to it.  Awesome Compass tires that feel like 26″ Hetres!

But, there is that high bottom bracket which was made to fly over fallen logs and various obstacles on the ’88 downhill circuit.  That’s the achilles heel for this bike, I fear.  Then there is the obnoxious U-Brake.  Hmmm – I guess this may still work for a 1-hour lunch ride slash torture session.  Better than sitting barless and sad in the basement bike heap.  OK – first things first.  Put on an old dirt drop cockpit setup I have laying around.  I hope the reach isn’t too short.

BH-10.jpg

Nice!  Even has the diamond tape!  Not really a match, but I’ll add a little blue to the drops.  There.  Much better…  Now about shifters.  Hmmm – I could do the stem setup like I had on the clown bike?

B&M Lumos B

Nope.  Too much hand movement – can’t deal with that while I’m cranking up a hill at top speed, right?  How about something more ergo – perhaps thumbie style?

BH-16.jpg

Awww yeah – that’s more like it…  Now is this a scramblin’ interval machine or what?

BH-8.jpg

This sucker looks fast just standing there.  Like it’s going to jump the start and kill the field.  Those lugs!  Those fenders!  That raked cockpit!  Damnnnnn.  Better put some clipless pedals on this beast.  Need maximum torque.  Let’s put a Ti Brooks Pro on there, too.  Keep the weight and comfort down – no sense getting complacent and sitting down on the ride…

BH-3.jpg

Hmmm – that old V-Brake’s gotta go.  No problem solver rig this time.  This bike was built in the golden era of cantis.  Hey – I just got a pair of CX70s for the rando bike that I didn’t need (had centerpulls).  How about we try one out on the front?  Crap – gotta put a cable hanger on there somewhere…  Hmmm… I know I have one lying around somewhere.  There we go.  Got it.  OK – now comes the fun part!  Get it to work.  It’s raining tomorrow – perfect day for a transport stage.  There’s life in this old steed yet!

BH-5.jpg

RidgeRunner Porteur

14 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by Stonehog in Cycling

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

bike cockpits, commute, fog, Miyata, nitto, RidgeRunner Team, Seattle, Soma Grand Randonneur, Technomics


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BH-7.jpgBH-8.jpgBH-9.jpgBH-10.jpgBH-11.jpgBH-12.jpg
BH-13.jpg

RidgeRunner Porteur, a set on Flickr.

I promised some photos of the re-cockpitted Miyata, and it was light out when I rode in today. It was a nice misty day by the time I got downtown.  The fog started as I neared the Sound, and I was covered in wet mist by the time I got to work. Another beautiful Seattle commute!

Comments on the setup:

  • I love the way this bike rides, but it’s time to disassemble in anticipation of the forthcoming Soma Grand Randonneur.
  • I may keep the frame, but I have a feeling it won’t get ridden much.
  • The bottom bracket is too high, which pushes the seat too high – too much seatpost showing.
  • I would also put a longer stem on this beast – probably a Nitto Technomics 110.
  • The reach is a bit too short this way.
  • I also won’t do 175mm cranks again. After 170/171s it feels like I’m really moving the legs a lot!

Resurrected MTBs

25 Friday Mar 2011

Posted by Stonehog in Cycling, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

80s, commuter, Grant Peterson, Jamis, lugs, Miyata, MTB, resurrect, RidgeRunner Team, rivendell, schwalbe, steel, Stumpjumper


I saw an article in one of Grant Peterson’s Rivendell Readers last year talking about the great old steel lugged mountain bikes of the 80s. I have a ’91 Stumpjumper Pro, and a ’96 Kona AA (aluminum), and always liked the Stumpy better – it’s on my restoration project list. It just felt more right for me than the Kona, and I think it was mainly due to a combination of its steel construction, good components (SunTour XC Pro), and it being my first MTB. The Kona always felt stiff, dead, and a bit unwieldy.

I have a friend who wanted to get back into biking.  He was planning on picking up a new bike and indicated he had an older mountain bike from his school days.  I took a look at it, and fell in love with the bike – it was an ’80s Jamis lugged bike, and I was inspired to try to resurrect it.  After he picked up some new parts for the bike, I built it up for him in a few days.  It turned out to be a good commuter for him.  Originally his bars were too low for his back, but we got him a “dirt drop” stem and boosted them up quite a bit.  He’s nice and comfy with the high bars, and is now even eyeing changing them to the Albatross bars to get even more upright.

Rebuilt for commuting

After enjoying this build, I decided to find a nice lugged MTB that I could resurrect for myself – I figured it would be a great winter commuter.  I ended up looking at a number of Bridgestones, an ’84 Stumpy, and an ’88 Miyata.  The last one really worked for me based on price, condition, and parts.  It was all XT, and the frame pump mount and clean, beautiful brake-less seat stays (u-brakes) made it a no-brainer.  It was very similar to my friend’s Jamis, but had a bit of extra clearance so I could easily fit Schwalbe Big Apples.  Wow – comfy!

80s lugs in the snow

 

Flickr Photos

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