As a late 70s Kid, MTB was so much pure in the late 80s 90s compare to what the sport has gone these days... Back in the Day the sport was about exploring and having a blast with friends...... Today, the sport has gone "sour" and became a race of Who has the most expensive equipment posible... Ohhh how I miss the 80s and 90s MTB era!
I must agree that a lot of the ultra-expensive technology today leaves me cold. I just don't find electronic shifting or super-complex damping particularly desirable. I definitely do more adventure riding than trail riding, which means my carbon full-sussers tend to get left hanging while I ride steel or ti hardtails.
To me it's still the same as when I sold my BMX and harassed my parents to help me get a GT Tequesta (immensely expensive to me as a kid in 1992) I mostly ride alone and I don't give any Fks about other people's bike I'm just enjoying the modern full squish and lack of chainslap... I still have & maintain all my old bikes (except the Tequesta and one other) but when I ride them the nostalgia last about 20 minutes 😂 Anyway what I wanted to say is that it was already a game of newest and greatest back in the 1990's it was always like that to me.
@@red_dread hahah was it getting rid of the dork disc?! or laying out the bolts on kitchen paper? anyways great video as always, love the shifter fix and keep slamming down those stems !!!
you shoed try to find and restore a Apollo trax tr1 hall fords bike their prity raire and expensive thies days it whos buget bike Halfords uset to sell back in the 2010s
Thanks, nice idea! It's been featured in a few but never had its own story - and it's been part of my bike history since '99 when I built it from a brand new frame. I'll have a think about a video for it. By the way, it's an S-Works M4 not a Stumpjumper - they trickled down the M4 tubeset to Stumpjumpers a year or two later when M5 came out. I had the S-Works M5 too but killed it - that's another long story... Stay tuned and thanks for watching.
Your comment at the end of the video about the more entry-level bikes having greater nostalgic value resonates with me. I've lately bought a 99 or 2000 era GT Arrowhead (£40 - Result!). There's nothing on it higher spec than Acera, but I had one as a 14 or 15 yr old and at the time it was the first 'proper' mountain bike I'd ever had, a quantum leap ahead of my handmedown from my brother Raleigh Activator 18, with the 'synchro shock' which never moved an inch (indeed an inch was probably all it theoretically could have moved), and a steel frame that nearly crippled me carrying it over ladder stiles in the Lake District as a kid. I loved that GT, rode it loads, upgraded it as much as my pocket money/parental generosity/my abysmal mechanicking skills of the time would allow (No youtube how-to videos then for people who weren't naturally of a mechanical bent). Going out and buying a 2000 GT Zaskar now I've got at least a bit of disposable income would be fun, but it wouldn't resonate in the same way. Lovely work with the Marin (we all pronounced it incorrectly too as kids), and that was superb work with the malfunctioning shifter.
I still get more excited by Exage than XTR! Glad you liked the shifter fix. I'm sure there's bins full of those broken shifters, hope this technique will be used to bring them back to life. The secret ingredient is an Ikea picture-hanging nail.
Did all that in the last video, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. The limiting factor with this type of fixed cup is the tiny engagement surface for the tool. Even if your tool or vice has clean, razor sharp jaws, it'll still slip before the thread gives, if the thing is seized. But I've come to the conclusion that sometimes these fixed cups can just stay fixed.
@@red_dreadI still think careful welding of a lever directly onto the surface of the cup should work (and I have done this successfully myself). However just leaving the cup on is also a great idea especially for such a low mileage bike, because there's nothing wrong with it.
As I often say, “there’s always a way”… it’s just that sometimes the way is unnecessarily tiresome. Yes, in this case the fixed cup was gleaming - so let’s just leave it fixed.
Fantastic video, thank you. In 1990 I had a Kona Fire Mountain, which was built up from a brand new frame and parts. Mavic ceramic rims, etc great times.
Those Mavic ceramic rims were so cool, I never had any back in the day so I don't know whether or not they had any actual functional benefits but as far as jewellery goes, you couldn't get much more desirable.
I believe Mountain LX was only available in 1989 and replaced with Deore LX in 1990, so maybe a 1989 model? Also it looks like grey gloss paint rather than light grey Zolatone.
You’re right that Mountain LX was indeed discontinued after only that one model year, I’m prepared to bet because they were embarrassed that every single thumbshifter failed in exactly the same way! I didn’t reference the catalogue or the frame number to confirm the exact date of this bike but it could have been either 89 or 90. Its new owner will easily be able to find out if they’re interested. When you get to 15:31 on this video you’ll see the explanation of the difference between this gloss paint and the matt textured Zolatone.
This was my first mountain bike bought in 1989. I also looked at the Kona Cindercone but this was one bought from a shop I think near Elephant & Castle. I remember how easily the paint chipped though
What a choice to have to make! I vividly remember the Cinder Cone from that year, in white with the splatter paint. The sloping top tube was such a stand-out feature at the time, it looked so cool. Was your Marin one of the Zolatone ones then? I have heard that those chipped quite easily, yes.
So that MARIN came from Ben Hayward's in Trumpington St. / Kings Parade Cambridge. I was frequent in that lovely little family run shop. Pitty they no longer exist. I have a PINE MOUNTAIN Deore xt
I love to hear the history of the bikes that pass through my workshop. There are decades on this bike that are un-accounted-for, but the end result was that it was still in good, low-mileage condition under all the cobwebs. Is your Pine Mountain the Zolatone one? I hope you've seen my Team Marin video - that's a very similar bike.
Hi, I have the same bike which is part restored and wondered if you would want to take it on to completion for the channel and donate to the Chorlton bike shop for charity? If so please can you get in contact. Ps. Love the channel! 👍🏻
Good job. Any idea how the parts that got the dremmel and autosol treatment hold up after a few months in British weather. Do they corrode or stay looking good?
I can confirm that Autosol does protect. Those dulled and corroded canti brakes for example, now they have a shiny finish, will be less permeable to water and contaminants so they'd last longer even in vile weather.
I have the Mountain LX groupset on my 2x 1989 Giant Sierra's (with U Brake Rear) thumb shifters failed on mine also, currently have Suntour Pro shifters and some lovely old DiaCompe brake levers on the one bike, the rest of the Mountain LX kit was brilliant and over the past few years i've done a few 40k-50k rides and not missed a beat. I've never seen Mountain LX hubs, always seem to be Exage, both mine have Araya Rims too. This is without a doubt my fave era of cycles. Also had a bike with that Exage Country groupset (MBK Aventure) was a joy to use and now I think they look better than ever.
Yet another tale of Mountain LX shifters failing in exactly the same way! No wonder the name was discontinued so rapidly, Shimano must have been embarrassed. Well now you know how easy it is to fix, unless yours have already gone in the bin? Anyway, yes the rest of the groupset is solid and still very desirable. Did you see the MBK Aventure I did a while ago with Exage Country on it? For some reason it had an alloy Exage Mountain U-brake which was an unexpected bonus.
@@red_dread I didn't see the MBK video 😳 but will be now, loving your work sir. Mine had the same U brake. I remember it being a very heavy bike as a kid with the noisiest chunky tyres ever, altho I wish I'd kept it now for the fantastic colour scheme
Thanks, same here. Can't believe it's taken me this long to feature one. Would still love to get my hands on a Zolatone one, although restoring that paint finish would be well beyond my capabilities.
Thanks, yes I'm delighted to have solved the Mountain LX problem. There are thousands of those shifters, all with exactly the same fault, languishing in bins all over the world. I hope now they can be resurrected with their new improved cyborg body parts.
Very nice. This bike makes me emotional too -- I worked for three weeks washing dishes in 1990 to buy this exact bike, on a Saturday. Started sixth form on the Monday, and on Wednesday some bastard nicked it. Cut through two locks and moved away three mates' bikes to get to it. I'd never cried so much in my life.
Was given a 1989 Diamondback Ascent EX with the same spec as this about 15 years ago. It got ragged as a commuter then gave it a similar treatment to this in lockdown. Kept mostly original except the bar and tyres (previous guy fitted a bull bar which was not the one)(tyres were shot so fitted schwalbe Billy Bonkers tan walls). Both Mountain LX shifters had sheared but bodged it with super glue, will defo try this technique when they eventually go again.
I have never owned a Diamondback but the Ascent EX is the one I had circled on a page of MBUK as my target for saving up. I endorse the Billy Bonkers, great upgrade for restoring MTBs of this vintage, makes them faster too. As for those shifters, I'm loving hearing all the stories of everyone's Mountain LX shifters having broken in exactly the same way. Still yet to hear of a single one that is still intact! Shimano were hoping we'd forgotten...
I spent plenty of time on them, I just thought the only thing noteworthy for this film was the cassette. If you like watching hubs being done one bearing at a time, check out my Dawes, Muddy Fox and Saracen videos.
I've shared your video to my fellow volunteers and staff at the Cheltenham CFC. If ever you'r down our way please pop in and say hello. I liked your reference to Chateau Yquem by the way, classy!
Thanks, I would love that! I'm a big fan of the Chorlton shop, was in there only yesterday and I've more builds coming their way. Would love to get to know your shop too, if I'm ever down that way. As for the white wine vinegar, one has to use what one has to hand. The Aile d'Argent has run out, so we make do.
I love coincidences. I was born at our home 32a Manchester Road which is just a few yards away from the Chorlton shop. We moved away from Manchester when I was very young blah blah and I ended up in Cheltenham 40 years ago. I found CFC and started giving them bikes and parts then became a volunteer in summer 2022 and love it, working on bikes and the great people. I wish we had more donors like you who fix the bikes first but I think I've found my raison d'être. As it happens I've a French friend who lives just next to Chateau Yquem, his dad was one of the viniculteurs! The only Rothschild wine I've had was Lafite which was sublime@@red_dread
i've fixed so many frozen indexed shifters I just have to chime in. when your 20 year old shifter shrts, but doesnt stay in the new gear....the pall that holds the new gear in place has rusted to the pin it rides on. Just like Grandpas old diagonal cutters you found in the bottom of the toolbox that are rusted nearly solid, all you have to do is drip oil into the joint and let the oil soak in. Or drop the whole assembly into a cup filled with oil. Let it soak overnight if you have to. Remove the pliers and muscle the arms apart! . Then the oil will have broken through some of the rust. Then muscle the arms the other way. re-oil the joint and continue to move the arms back and forth. Do the same with the pall in the shifter and after 20 or 30 reps of pushing the pin back and forth the pall will liven back up right quick! Then your back in the race!
I love fixing things like shifters. These particular ones index with a sprung plate with a "dial" of holes in and out of which a tiny ball bearing pops. But the early STI ones you're talking about with the pawls and ratchets do indeed respond well to a good old soak in a light lube. I have an M900 XTR one right now that's in need of such a treatment. I think the previous owner used a lube or grease that was too thick and it's gummed up the mechanism. Dare I just blast it with a hairdryer? That would be the lazy but risky option!
I was like a freshman in high school in 1988. I had never heard of mountain biking back then living in hick town, USA I had a 24" tired BMX bike that I rode on trails that we made in the woods on our farm a long with jumps and holes to ride in. I had to fill in the holes and level everything out when I graduated from high school.
Weirdly I have not, despite the early Zaskars having always been one of my all-time bucket list bikes. If I ever find one in the right spec I'll snap it up, or maybe even a Xizang if I'm feeling fruity.
@@red_dread yes the zaskar has been one of my bucket list bikes too, I’m a trials rider, so a hans rey replica would be awesome, I brought a 90s GT outpost last year and I’m currently restoring it with a few modern bits to use a commuter, I’ve ridden 24 inch wheel bikes for quite a few years now, so riding a 26 is going to be fun lol.
My first proper Mtb was a Marin Palisades it was about 1993 i think and it was a lovely matt black with white lettering STX brakes, and gears ,Araya rims and a Marin finishing kit . It cost £550 and was money well spent . I did manage to crack the headtube during a crash and Marin replaced it under warranty only for it to be stolen during a house break in . I did find it about 6 months later at a car boot sale but she was in a sorry state with scratched paint and rusty chain.bent bars ripped seat and a big grind mark on the bb shell where the frame number used to be . I could not convince the seller it was my bike and he told me to clear off . I hope she went to a good home .
I have learned a few things from this video, the repair to the shifters was a really good idea. I have been using citric acid granules diluted to remove rust with really good results. The purchase of a sonic bath from Lidl is another good tool for fine cleaning some components. Look forward to seeing further episodes, I hope the bike sells well for this worthy charity.
Thank you. I'm sure it'll sell for a decent sum, especially now it's RU-vid-famous! I'm still toying with the idea of an ultrasonic bath, they look great. Yes, I'm really pleased with the fix to the shifter - I hope others will be able to do the same and save a whole generation of Shimano thumbies from the bin.
Love these videos, keep em coming. Always a joy watching the restoration. I own a 1992 Marin team issue and I love it but these early nineties mid range models are just that bit better. Your video has now inspired me to look for a ratty old palisades to restore, cheers.
It's weird isn't it - now I have more XT and XTR-level bikes in my collection than I could count, yet I'm still magnetically drawn to those mid-range components like Exage, because that's what we coveted as kids!
I am not sure if I commented on the last one, but I will this time. I see you have a little vise. Get it locked down somewhere good and clamp the bottom bracket cup lip into the vise. Turn the bike frame, it creates plenty of leverage, works quite well.
The vice question has come up a lot since that last project. It's true that a bench vice can often be the ultimate solution, but only if its jaws have good sharp, scrupulously clean edges - because the engagement faces on these BB cups are very shallow so if the thing is seized then whatever tool you're using will usually pop off before the threads give way. In the case of the Raleigh, a proper solid bench vice probably would have worked eventually, but the little yellow one you've seen me using is far too lightweight and flexy (it's for precision work). On the Marin I probably could have got the cup out with more ease, but thankfully the bearing surface and seal were immaculate so I didn't need to.
I was gifted a 1991 Pine Mountain a good 15-20 years ago. I never rode it until around 2012 when it became mu commuting bike. It's not got much left on it that's original. The frame, forks, handlebars, crank arms, pedals, brakes and shifters are all original. I've still got the old rear mech, and the old wheels. The rims are worn beyond use, but the hubs are ok. I just don't have the patience to lace some wheels. Unfortunately before I got it, the Marin stickers were removed and it had a bit of black paint wafted over it. The orange bits are still orange, although heavily faded from the sun. I retired it from commuting in 2021, and it stands in the shed waiting for me to do something with it. But I don't know what! The cheap replacement wheels on it have packed up, and I have some more to go on it, but I'd like to see it more like it was originally, complete with zolatone paint.
Sounds like there's still a lot there worth saving! The job of restoring the Zolatone paint and decals would be beyond me, but I bet there's someone out there that could do a perfect job. And it would be well worth it.
Haha knew when I saw those shifters, you were going to to have that issue. Wanted to do that exact fix like you did on some I had a while back, but didn’t have the tool bit to do the job. They ended up in shimano heaven. RIP
It's amazing isn't it - I've been finding out in the past few weeks that this fail really was completely across the board! I wonder if there's a single right hand shifter from that generation anywhere that has survived? No wonder Shimano were embarrassed and discontinued the entire Mountain LX brand so fast.
Just want to say how much I enjoy your videos. A good mix of detail and humour. I have a nice (not as nice as yours) stable of retro MTBs and so your content is mega relatable. Thank you!!
I was lucky enough to have bought an 'Eldridge' with the weird textured paint job as an upgrade from my aged and chunky Muddy Fox Courier in the early 1990's. My Saturday job wages were put to good use there. In my area, the Yorkshire dales, there were loads of Marin palisades and bear valleys. Popular bikes at the time. I had hoped to get a 'pine mountain' which I think was next up in the range? but a bit too expensive at the time :).
I loved that textured Zolatone so much. Good use of wages indeed. The model range was packed at the time, they seemed to have a bike at every price point in about £50 increments! Muirwoods, Palisades, Eldridge, Bear Valley, Pine Mountain, plus more "Team" and ti models above that, plus I think there may have been an entry level one too. Will have to dig out the catalogue. Every one of them was so cool.
I remember in 92 in Alf Jones deliberating over one of these or an alpinestars Cro mega, which I still have, I think the colours had changed then to black and a loud green. Good video 👍
I'd definitely have gone for the Alpinestars! That's a whole other level of exotica. Alf Jones sold some amazing stuff back in the day - that's where at least one of my Cartel got his first Dyna Tech.
Hopefully this technique will save an entire generation of trashed Mountain LX shifters! I personally know multiple people with broken ones in their parts bins. Spread the word…
Nice job on the restoration and well done for donating the bike to a very worthy cause. I have a Team MARIN Titanium MTB from the same era, 89-91 I believe, it's been stored in my lock up for 20 years. Initially it was stored as a favour for a friend who moved to a small flat in London, I was eventually gifted the bike around 12 years ago. I'm not a collector as such, I just love riding quality bikes and the Marin MTB's were a cut above most MTB's if not all MTB's of that era. After watching your vlog, I'll definitely be dusting it off and using it on a mini weekend adventure very soon. ATB from Scotland. Subbed 👽
Imagine getting a vintage titanium Marin as a gift! That's a result. Glad to hear you'll be giving it some good use, and even more glad to hear you've subbed. Plenty more to come.
I must say as been around 10 years old when that was out. My big brothers best mate had the exact bike and a was so envoys of it. Top build. I must say your correct when you say their better not been repainted. 100% agree with you on that 👏 👍
I always prefer to preserve originality rather than upgrade or “restomod”, but a lot of us on RU-vid have different styles. Monkeyshred repainted a 1990 Marin on his channel about a year ago and he did an incredible job.
I'm glad you're still uploading new projects! I only found the channel recently and really enjoyed your other projects. This bike is a real beauty, the neon fork is amazing in my opinion. My favourite bike I had was the first one I had with gears (10 speed Shimano SIS) which was neon orange.
Thanks. Yes, that was the word I was looking for - the Zolatone finish really was like sandpaper, how I coveted one of those bikes. I haven't seen one recently to see what the durability was like though.
Bike came out looking fantastic. This time period is probably my favourite for MTBs. The very early 90s when everything was evolving so quickly. Beautiful colours on these Marins. Fantastic stuff!
Ahhhh, a bank holiday bonanza release. I tried watching in the background earlier but this level of nerdyness deserves undivided attention. Let me cancel my plans with the in-laws tomorrow and I’ll sit down to watch this properly. Top notch as always, sir.
Thanks - there are loads of channels on here that do restorations without commentary, but there's no way I could stop talking for any such length of time.
Just scored myself a merida alta from the late 80s, full mountain lx spec, and the double butted tange mtb tubes. Going to gi e the same treatment! edit: was just 25€
A hell of a result! I will be fascinated to hear if the thumbshifter has failed in exactly the same way - if not, it could be the only known survivor in existence. If so, at least now we know the way to fix it.
@@red_dread picked up the bike yesterday, not unlike the one in the video. Black bicycle with pink forks and rear triangle. The shifters work absolutely lovely, havent taken them apart so i cant comment on how many pins are still in place, the levers feel absolutely solid though. The whole bike is in rather nice shape with little wear on the drive train and the araya rims, came with caged and strapped tioga pedals, dual bottle cages and some rather unusal, strapped battery lights. Could'nt be more happy with the purchase, the bike is a true survivor!
@@red_dread Actually I bet shark fin protectors did some good if only you had a mini cam to see. You only recall the times they didnt do the job they were to do. Cant believe Im talking about it. Ha All good.
I turned 50 this year and my earliest memory of a mountain bike was the Raleigh Bomber, was that classed as a mtb and were they even called mtbs then? 🤔 I tinker myself and do all my own maintenance so nice to watch other people like yourself tinkering! 😎👍
You're about the same age as several of my riding buddies - I would have been a few years below at primary school so while I remember the Bomber, I was too tiny to ride one. The little kids had Grifters and then moved onto BMX, then back onto 26" wheels by which time Raleigh had replaced the Bomber with things like Mustangs, Marauders and the like. Glad to hear you're enjoying a bit of workshop time.
@red_dread Yeah I had 2 grifters a chopper and then bmx's, I remember the bomber coming out earlier 80's, never had one myself, at the time my thinking was they looked big and cumbersome compared to the bmx 🤔 Defo enjoying the tinkering and a trip back to the 80's and 90's, 😎👌
Nice work red. Do you (or anyone else reading this) happen to know whether shorter cranks are available for the old Shimano Biopace 5-hole ones? Direct swap-in ones, I mean? They all seem to be 170mm. Thanks
Very good question - in all the time that Biopaces were on the market I never gave a second thought to crank length. Can't remember it ever being mentioned or considered by anyone! The science of crank length is still unresolved I think - there's still opposing opinions on what's "correct".
