My mate’s new bike

Well, it’s sorta new. He found and restored all the bits to recreate his childhood bike. He says;

I bought a bike, but like most examples, it was cracked to hell. I thought it could be ally welded but nobody would touch it. It became a donor bike which, despite living in a shed, was still on its original tyres. I eventually found a frame and forks, had them professionally painted etc and then meticulously restored all the components from the donor bike under a magnifying glass. The only thing non-standard/replaced is the bottom bracket, the bar ends and cables. It still has the original grips! I’m a nerd…

Not sure his wife approved of the improvised work stand…

You’re never going to be able to open that microwave so close the drainer.

Nice paint job. 👍

I mean it looks very clean I’ll give it that. But cantis were the worst thing ever

Is this another blue or gold dress thing? Is this the same paint job in the two photos?

I absolutely loved those as a young teenager in the 90’s, back when you could write to the manufacturers and get catalogues.

Is this another blue or gold dress thing? Is this the same paint job in the two photos?

Same. Outside pic is finished bike, inside is during build.

But cantis were the worst thing ever

Best there was when this was new.

I used to love the look of Alpinestars E-stays were cool, they just looked different and interesting.

And then you really think about it and realise that life is too short to meticulously restore a bike that is, by modern standards, probably shite…

Plus the angle those bar-ends are pitched up at just offends me deeply.

Cantis were a massive improvement over the brakes that came before, properly set up they were excellent!

Wow I lusted after those! Very cool 👍

Cantis were a massive improvement over the brakes that came before, properly set up they were excellent!

Anyone else riding far enough back to experience the U brake? Didn’t really play too well in the UK on reflection.

Nice bike – I really liked them and the MS Racing bikes that came before. Just did a google and found this great article on Retrobike. https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/the-ms-racing-alpinestars-story.116406/

And yes I had a U brake on my first Saracen, and some friends had Saracen Trekkers with U brakes front and rear.

Never owned E stays first time round, but did make some for my first 29er in 2010 – surprisingly stiff and durable 🙂

I worry that the cable will rub on the dropper.

Great example. So many cracked.

i can fully appreciate the labour of love that went into it.

I’m “only” 42 but remember by brother having a Saracen trekker with a u brake.

I like the effort he’s gone to to put it in a period kitchen. That’s dedication.

42 here, never had a U brake. Remember the first time I put some Avid vees on my Bear Valley SE to replace the cantis though. Blew my mind. Then I got some of the snowman ones with the parallel link (lx) and remember being Even more impressed.

I like the way that the cockpit is set up to minimise the distance travelled when he inevitably goes OTB.

MBUK 1992. Look at the chainstay length! At least wheelies would be fun.

i always lusted after alpinestars bikes after a neighbour had the version before the e stay al mega xt (it had that paint job very similar to your friends).

dreamed about getting a ti mega but no way in hell could i afford one of those as a teen back in the early 90’s.

i did have a 92 marin eldridge grade though so it wasn’t all bad.

Always had a soft spot for MS racing & Alpinestars and that is a great job.

I just dug out a photo of a 1989 MS Racing Comp XT that I owned a long time ago, I think I got it in the early 90’s. It wasn’t very period correct in this photo as it had a mid 90’s overhaul. This poor photo was from 2011 when I was playing with setting it up as a single speed bike. It had sat in my parents shed for at least ten years before this.

Can’t beat cantis for that “will I stop, or will I die” momentary terror. Ah, the good ‘ole days…

Nice restoration. 👍

It’s a lovely re-build, just right. As it’s the version without the head tube gusset I wouldn’t dare ride it though!

Canti’s are fine if set up properly but are very sensitive. U-brakes are worse for sure.

Cantilever brakes were better in mud than v brakes in terms of the wheels still be able to go round. I can’t ever recall them being clogged with mud in the way I do with v brakes.

by modern standards, probably shite…

They weren’t that amazing when they were new!

Anyone else riding far enough back to experience the U brake? Didn’t really play too well in the UK on reflection.

A mate had a bike with U’s on both ends IIRC, i had some rollercam brakes on one bike i had, but my first actual new bike was ordered from the 1987 (?) catalogue with bottom bracket mounted U-Brake and turned up in the next years version with DX cantis both ends…

My brother had an Alpine Stars bike, back in the day. It was an amazing bike.

Love the flouro colour scheme

I had one of those bitd, a red CroMega DX, which did break on the dropout just below the chainstay! Bought it second hand but the local bike shop got me a new frame on warranty from Alpinestars. Wasn’t an eleveted stay frame though.

properly set up they were excellent!

They bloody well weren’t. I spent countless hours fettling them, I bought different models (yes, even Dia Compe ones), I analysed the force vectors to optimise saddle wire position, I measured brake boss positions, I tried many different expensive pads, nothing worked; they were always crap and that was before I had anything else to compare them with.  As soon as V brakes came out – bosh.  Fit and forget, great breaking.

I have spent a fair bit of time messing around with cantis and yes V Brakes definitely worked better in a lot of ways but they are more on/off than cantis but at least when they are on they stop you.

Trying to resist buying a 1996 MTB right now that will have V Brakes and I am fine with that over disc for the areas I ride in as don’t really use brakes that much.   Not loving the idea of a triple but would like to keep it original.