Race Face Turbine Cranks NSMB AndrewM (1).JPG
EDITORIAL

Plain Parts - Compelling Sentiments

Photos Andrew Major
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Not The Collectors Editions

I've run into all kinds of interesting bicycle components from days long gone. Original Sweet Wings cranks, a complete '92 or '93 Campy mountain bike groupset, a White Industries LMDS derailleur and shifter, Machine Tech clutch hubs, plenty of drool-worthy stuff for a bike nerd. But in all the above cases, the parts in question were acquisitions removed from any trail side tales. Without provenance, as tech-nerd-cool as an item may be, it's really just old stuff. Personally, I'm significantly more interested in your boring collection of bland bits with great stories.

Riding some very old school trails this weekend, I came across a few logs still showing the signs of big chainrings chewing their way across them. I could only imagine today's crops of long, low, and slack bikes sporting a big ring bash guard designed to protect a 42t or 44t ring. Who still has one of those bash guards? Heck, who still has their last 110 BCD 5-bolt, 94 BCD 5-bolt, or heck, 104 BCD 4-bolt bash-guard hanging around? How punched in is it? Does the price of a replacement for your current SRAM Eagle chainring not make you want to drill it out so you can attach that old bash ring to the outside?

I have a few friends who used to hang on to parts they had really broken on the trail. The catastrophic failures. Junk better off recycled maybe, but always good for a smile and a laugh checking them out. Personally, I've moved on from anything that is no longer functional - or worse, potentially dangerous. Handlebars come to mind - so my collection of old parts with a story too good to pass them on is tiny. But I do have a couple of good examples. There's the King Ti Cage I received as a gift over twenty years ago and these Race Face Turbine cranks I purchased in 2017.

Race Face Turbine Cranks NSMB AndrewM (2).JPG

The beauty of changeless consistency with Race Face's Cinch chainring system. This new 12-speed HG+ compatible ring supports The Only Drivetrain That Matters. I'll have more on it in the future.

It's a short story. I bought these Race Face crank arms on Easter weekend in 2017 at Black's Cycle in Courtney. The carbon crankset I was reviewing for NSMB.com failed - resulting in a long trip back to base with my crankarm floating on the spindle - and although Black's was closed, Carter, the manager, turned the lights on so I could buy a crankset and get my bike rolling.

These Turbines hold a lot of energy from that encounter. Carter was genuinely stoked to get me back riding and I was pumped that my weekend with a hilarious posse of friends was saved. I don't remember what they cost, but these cranks paid for themselves immediately with a weekend's riding hilarity with the right crew. Even having bought a Wolf Tooth Camo spider and a Cane Creek bearing preloader upgrade, these cranks feel like they have no cost associated with them.

Even with the faces polished to a shine by my heels and having been installed on a few bikes - never mind removal to swap rings and bottom brackets - they're still in perfectly functional condition. They've been benched for a few months as I've been testing the Only Drivetrain That Matters, but even with their 'spares' status, I don't think there's a price anyone would agree to pay for them for which I'd part with them.

Race Face Turbine Cranks NSMB AndrewM (1).JPG

The faces are rubbed raw from my heels. A fresh Race Face 12-speed HG+ chainring is installed. These things are ready to be put back in service.

Somewhere I have a Magura Gustav floating caliper, a bag of adapters, some fresh pads, and the aspiration to compare it to current brake systems but other than that, the titanium bottle cage, and these Race Face cranks, I can't think of a bike part I own that isn't readily replaceable. Sure, there are a couple of Chris King headsets in frames but I could always replace them with new ones - there's no item-specific emotional value buried in them.

My few value-added components and my various friends' small collections of beaten-and-usable or broken-but-valuable bike parts have me wondering what other folks have kicking around. Whether it's the wretched remains or your first catastrophic component failure, or the chamois you grabbed off the clearance rack twenty years ago, I'm curious about the what and why.


What's the story behind your remnant parts?

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Comments

chris_d
+8 Andrew Major Sean Chee Poz mrbrett Andy Eunson Metacomet Cr4w Allen Lloyd

I can't bring myself to get rid of any of my early to late-90s XTR parts. That blue-grey finish is just the most beautiful thing ever.

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AndrewMajor
+1 Sean Chee

Yeah, I still have a pair of brake levers and a set of cranks from ~’96 somewhere. They look great, and the levers are still the best v-brake levers ever made — but neither item has an emotional significance. 

Are you the original owner of your XTR stuff? Where’d you buy it? Tell us a story!

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kavurider
+1 Sean Chee

Agreed.  I have an old XTR group from a Mountain Cycle Moho I am rebuilding.  The chainrings are shot, can't find replacements.  But man, something about that finish just speaks to the kid in me that used to drool over XTR in the old bike magazines.

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AndrewMajor
0

Where did you find a Moho in rideable shape?! 

Remember running into two guys out by Burrard Thermal in maybe ‘96 - one on a (Ibis) Mojo and one on a (Mountain Cycle) Moho. Pretty amazing sighting for one day. Magura HS hydraulic rim brakes all around.

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craw
+1 Andrew Major

Wow I just had a flashback to those neon (HS33?) Magura rim brakes. Kind of a hassle but so amazing.

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AndrewMajor
0

So. Many. Cracked. Rims

Loved my HS-22 Tomac’s. I think the -33 had the newer short lever blades? Never made sense - leverage is king!

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Bad-Sean
+2 Andrew Major Andy Eunson

I still have my xtr v brakes from circa 96. I only ever had lx levers which SUCKED, but the brakes themselves are a thing of beauty.

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xy9ine
+4 Pete Roggeman Andrew Major Cam McRae bumVSmtn

speaking of well-aged rf parts, i've got a set of OG atlas cranks that have been in continuous use on a couple different bikes (dh & enduro) since 2006. a few miles on these trusty bits.

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AndrewMajor
0

Very cool. What’s the significant anniversary for a crankset?! 15yrs? 20yrs? Hahaha. 

Are you the original owner? Arms and spindle still original?

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dorkweed
+4 Poz Andy Eunson Nologo DCLee

I have an original crank brothers dropper post, in use steady for over a decade now!

HAHAHAHA!!! Just kidding!

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kavurider
+3 Poz Pete Roggeman Andrew Major

Hoo boy, too many to count!  

I have a Manitou Sherman slider I am in the process of rebuilding, that's going on my Xtracycle if I can get it to stop leaking.  It has been pretty bombproof otherwise.

An old '08 66 that has been on too many bikes to count.  Pretty sure the bushings are kaput so it needs to be retired.

I love bringing old parts back to life, it can be fun.  And boy is it a wakeup call when I get on my newer bikes and realize just how terrible some of those old parts were.

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brianbernard
+3 Andrew Major Grif Harris

I have a set of 105 shifters from the mid-2000s. A good friend sold them to me for $20 when I was broke and so were the shifters on my bike. He died a few years later, and even though they're not currently on a bike, I'll never get rid of them.

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AndrewMajor
0

Wow. Thank you for sharing.

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craw
+3 Poz Andrew Major bumVSmtn

I have the same generation of Turbines. I bought them around 2011 when I converted my first gen alloy Enduro 29 to 11spd 1x using a Oneup expander cog and cage. Those cranks have run on every bike I've owned since, including my latest, total of 8 bikes I think. At least that many chainrings have been run on them, one season with an 83mm axle. They're still going strong.

I also have a pair of Derby DH carbon/Hope 29" wheels I built up around the same time and they're still going strong. 7 year old carbon wheels... not really sure what to do with them now.

From the freeride era I have a Carve stem. It's barely not a block of aluminum and it's amazing. 

Carve Stem

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AndrewMajor
0

That stem is sweet! What length?!

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craw
+1 Andrew Major

50mm extension, 31.8mm clamp, 12' rise I think. It's awesome. Maybe I could run it inverted now.

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AndrewMajor
0

Run it upside down with a 3” riser bar! So trendy...

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andy-eunson
+3 Andrew Major Kerry Williams bighonzo

I have old things that just need to go really. A small bin of front derailleurs. Some are direct mount two speed XTR that I really will never need again. A bunch of nice rigid seat posts including a carbon PRO. Don’t want to lose those yet. Rear derailleurs missing parts and and hunks that aren’t removable except by a rock. Retired handlebars. A box of grips that suck. Seats that are painful. Retired stems almost as long as my spare seat posts. A few pairs of barely used cantis from when I was racing cross and was looking for brakes that kind of worked. Mini v’s and Avid sd something v brakes. 

I really should have a yard sale and sell bits for a dollar or two. I’d probably make enough for a small pizza and glass of water. Beer is pricy in Whistler. 

I gave away six or seven freewheel removers last year to a fellow on a vintage bike site. I hadn’t used them since I was a mechanic at Bike Cellar in the 80s. He was ecstatic. 

There really aren’t many parts that I move from bike to bike. I run stuff until it fails or I retire them due to age. I have a hard time disposing of parts that are good but obsolete. Or that one bb cup that’s still good.

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AndrewMajor
+1 Andy Eunson

I definitely have some tools I should part with. Tools are hard.

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Poz
+2 Andrew Major Derek Baker

Tools are a tough one. They can be difficult to replace one day. And they seem to get less strong as the new generations are released.

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andy-eunson
+1 Andrew Major

True but who the fuck needs a Maillard Helicomatic tool. Or an Atom freewheel remover, or Suntour, Dura Ace, Regina those weird Shimano ones that required that you pull the axle out first. Not me. I even gave away my Campagnolo square tapered crank tool. Thing of beauty but useless to me.

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craw
0

Tools for old stuff should definitely end up In the hands of shops like Dream Cycle on Commercial since so many old bikes are getting a lot of love these days.

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craw
0

Tools for old stuff should definitely end up In the hands of shops like Dream Cycle on Commercial since so many old bikes are getting a lot of love these days.

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craw
0

Tools for old stuff should definitely end up In the hands of shops like Dream Cycle on Commercial since so many old bikes are getting a lot of love these days.

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craw
0

Tools for old stuff should definitely end up In the hands of shops like Dream Cycle on Commercial since so many old bikes are getting a lot of love these days.

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craw
+2 Andy Eunson Andrew Major

Tools for old stuff should definitely end up In the hands of shops like Dream Cycle on Commercial since so many old bikes are getting a lot of love these days.

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Poz
+3 Andy Eunson Andrew Major Derek Baker

Ha that one bb cup. Got a couple of those too. 

I even stripped down a shattered 10 speed XT rear derailleur and put the small parts in a container. Oddly enough these parts will help on something some day. Maybe.

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Lynx
0

Oh man, don't even get me started on all the old, broken derailleurs I still have around, come in  useful for spare parts - pulley wheels, bolts and so forth. From 10spd on, they came apart pretty good, so quite easy to build one good derailleur from a few ones broken in different places and I did that from 3 broken 10spd XTR RDs and got as perfectly working one.
Won't even say how many damn FDs I've got, not that I don't use them, still a big fan of a 2x setup, but just swapping over the loaner/rental bikes to the side swing ones, as they're so much better than the older design. FS still runs an actual 2x setup with FD, Unit has 2 rings and I swap manually if I need to, depending on what wheels/tyres I'm running and gearing on the wheels.

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taprider
0

are your front derailleurs front pull side swing type?

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taprider
0

is your front derailleur front pull side swing type?

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andy-eunson
0

I think they are all top pull bottom swing.

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Poz
+2 Pete Roggeman Andrew Major

I have an XT 8 speed rear derailleur from about 95 off my KHS Comp, all rigid all canti, still kicking around. Gorgeous little item made mostly of shiny aluminium. 

While it’s spent much of the last two decades in the toolbox or hanging on the wall It’s been on at least 7 or so bikes and currently resides on my Cotic Escapade doing gravel duty and shifting a 10 speed cog. After the KHS and a RM oxygen race it’s mostly sat as a spare when today’s less strong derailleurs inevitably break.

Wheels have been changed a few times but up until recently the spring was still strong. It’s getting a little loose and tired now.

It’s earned a retirement on the workshop wall now and will be replaced by a decidedly less shiny GRX on the Cotic. 

That said I may run into a jam again and need it for a short stint!

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AndrewMajor
+1 AndrewR

Assuming Shimano? What level is it? Ultegra? DuraAce? 

I went through a period before clutch derailleurs where I was running road derailleurs on my mountain bikes. They always looked better and generally shifted better too.

Until I got my first XTR (pre-clutch) Shadow derailleur and we wound a Saint cage on to it. Road derailleur level shifting and tucked out of the way - yes please.

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Poz
+1 Andrew Major

Just noticed I neglected to include XT, I suppose that's what happens when posting so early.

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velocipedestrian
+2 Andrew Major Poz

One of the random rarely ridden bikes in my house has a 9spd XTR shifter with a 105 derailleur.

It's true, the shifts are like nothing else. I love a clutch, but they do let down the shift performance.

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AndrewMajor
0

9spd XTR shifter with Ultegra here... exactly!

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andrewbikeguide
+1 Andrew Major

Ultegra Derailleurs and cassettes on the DH bike definitely!

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alexdi
+2 Pete Roggeman Andrew Major

I have a whole garage of parts. Mostly road bike bits from 2005-2010, the peak of that delightful period when everything was interchangeable and externally-routed. Also have a fascination with vintage drivetrain components. The 'artisanal' years from the 70s to the early 2000s, before everything was computer-optimized, yielded some really beautiful stuff. I'd hang it on a wall before riding it though.

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AndrewMajor
0

So with you on the aesthetics. How about a story or two about items of significance?!

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mtbman99
+2 Andrew Major Mammal

First off Carter is awesome and goes above and beyond to keep people riding their bikes.

I have a couple of things I will probably never part with. My Marzocchi XCR because it's the first suspension fork I ever purchased, My Marin Bear Valley frame not the original but a warranty replacement that runs as my commuter and my Pitch frame because that bike was ridden hard for 7 years and really hooked me back into riding more than just shuttles and chairlifts.

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AndrewMajor
0

I’ve heard so many “I was in Cumberland and this guy Carter...” stories. From loaning a wheel to a quick shuttle up Forbidden. 

Actually have met at least two people who went to Courtenay to buy bikes, from over here, because he’d helped them out when they were visiting previously. Pretty cool.

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Jotegir
+2 Cr4w AndrewR

When the shop has been in the same location for over 30 years, you can still find some 5 bolt bash rings fresh in their packages down in the basement. 

COVID bike revival meant I actually "sold" one of these things to a kid on a freeride bike that was older than he was.

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velocipedestrian
+2 Andy Eunson Andrew Major

And an obvious candidate: Thomson 27.2 x 410 silver post. Completely functional, near indestructible, can't see the scratches...

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AndrewMajor
0

My 27.2 (black) Thomson Masterpiece actually has some good stories too... say in a box forever until I recently shimmed it to fit my cargo bike.

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fartymarty
+1 Andrew Major

My 27.2 Thomson is now on my eldest daughters bike along with my old Salsa seat qr.

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DCLee
+2 Andrew Major bighonzo

For me it's my trusty set of Shimano M520's. They've done many thousands of KM's, and graced many bikes. From my top shelf XC race bike, to my cheap and cheerful fat bike, to a spin bike sitting in my basement. They've gotten me through gruelling stage races, Ontario cup races, and too many fun rides with friends to count. They're not light, they're not pretty (certainly not anymore), but I have no desire, or need, to replace them. I don't have a single other component that I will hang on to long after it's useful life because of the adventures we've been on together.

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AndrewMajor
+1 DCLee

I’m mostly on flat pedals these days - or CB Mallets if I’m not - but I have a pair of m540 pedals that are similarly beaten and awesome. Getting just a bit sloppy but still gold.

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cheapondirt
+1 Andrew Major

Parts are mostly just tools to me and it is indeed only the ones with memories attached that stick around.

I have a stem spacer from Sea Otter Classic 2006, when my generous grandparents flew me out there for my 16th birthday. I raced the DH on my hardtail and got to see the premiere of Seasons - a dream come true at the time! That 10mm spacer is something I won't let go easily, though it's not on my current bike because the colour clashes.

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Bad-Sean
+1 Andrew Major

I still have my shimano 636 pedals. Two pairs actually. They're the only clipless pedals I've owned and still work perfectly. They've been polished clean many times over, but have one set apart atm that I plan on getting powder coated back to bright red soon. 

I've considered retiring them before but I simply don't have a reason to.

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kavurider
+1 Andrew Major

I forgot, have 2 sets of the 636 pedals! I still use them all the time, love them.

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Lynx
+1 Andrew Major

Oh man, Andrew, as someone who's been around bikes as you have, I'm a bit surprised if that's the extent of your "collection" :-( Some cool stuff and stories from a lot of you guys.

I've only been MTBing for 16 years (this year) and I still have my first set of XT M760 HT2 cranks I bought in 2005. They now reside on my '08 Monkey, now my commuter since getting an '18 Unit. Nothing wrong with them except one arm is slightly bent from when I didn't manage to properly hop a square 10" rock in the middle of a very narrow trail doing and bent the big ring completely onto the middle ring - a quick-ish stop at the side of the trail, two 5mm allen nuts undone and the cranks were off (used the needle nose pliers on my leathermaan to remove the pre-load piece), removed the chainring bolts and bent the spider arm back good enough to use the middle ring and finished that great 20ish mile ride on the Monarch Crest. I only run XT cranks on my bikes now, no better bang for the buck, longevity and super easy to service/work on IMHO. BBs are cheap and easy to change, bearings last longer if you just buy the proper bearings and replace the Shimano's once they're toast.

Just this year my friend gave me his broken 20 year old bike with full M750 XTR groupset with 180mm cranks, which I stripped all off to see what was still good. BB was very, very rough and despite being one that's "not serviceable", I went into it and managed to clean out the bearings and get some fresh grease in there, then I  got out the hacksaw and cut off the 44t big ring to give myself a nice 180mm 24/34 double crankset and it now resides on my 2012 PP Banshee Prime FS, which still is as awesome as the  day I got it. On the Prime also still resides my very first, true wide bar, a 780mm FUNN FatBoy which was bought for the initial  build of the Prime and it's still going strong.

Also still have my first proper FS MTB, a 2005 XL GIANT Trance, the first year Maestro came out, it was amazing and really got me hooked on MTBing, put well over 5k miles on it in the 3 years I rode it  until I got my first 29er in '07 and never touched a 26" again. Will never get rid of it, someday I'll get it up on the wall properly to look  at and remember what it did for me. Occasionally I build it back up if there's parts about, normally with a 650B fork/wheel, as 26" just seems so tiny to me now, but doesn't last long and soon gets stripped and put aside as the  little wheels just don't feel right to me anymore. Also still have the HOPE Mono Mini's I bought in '05 for the Trance, but they reside on a small loaner bike as I never found that they had great stopping power, but damn do they look nice.

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AndrewMajor
0

I live in a tiny space! It’s helped keep my collection to a minimum. 

But then as I think of it more stuff comes up. I have an ancient set of CookBros cranks in anodized purple with a custom machined Profile a Racing ring! Also, a pair of NSB cranks

But yeah, limited space; limited things. Have to have real meaning.

...

M750 180mm cranks! In good shape? With a 104 bcd spider I know some single speeders will kill for those!

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Lynx
+1 Andrew Major

Yeah, I can see how that  would be a problem, unfortunately for me I live in a very small 3 bedroom house, so too much space to fill up with junk. Also I hate to throw stuff away as when you do, you generally find you found a need for it a week or two down the  road.

Sorry, XTR M950, 180mm, 104 BCD (once you cut off the big ring or you can get a custom ring from Garbaruk that fits as a direct mount), in what I consider damn good shape. Have 2 sets of the M760 in 175mm and then got the M780 in 180mm and liked the extra leverage, so was super happy to get these, so now both my main bikes run 180mm.

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Lynx
0

This comment has been removed.

OLDF150
+1 Andrew Major

I've been riding for enough years to have had a few things interesting parts over the years.  I don't keep much now and tend to ride things until they no longer work, or I've sold the bike.  But, one thing I only let go of a couple years ago was a 2000 Marzocchi Mr.T fork.  Dual crown, 5" travel, spindly legged thing from the days I was learning to drop off stuff.  I kept it as a backup until I got to the point where it was never going to be on another bike of mine, and I had nowhere to display it.  Sturdy little fork though representing a time of standing around watching friends trying to push their skill levels without dying, LOL.

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insectoid
+1 Andrew Major

I have some M730 XT thumbshifters, several pairs actually, that I will probably never use again. I don't find that drvietrains now actually shift much better than ones from back then, but the 1x thing is so much better. So even though those XT thumbies still work pretty well (and, come to think of it, the Shimano compatible Suntour XC Pro ones are even better), there is no place for them on a modern bike. Sigh. (Also- thumbies require taking your thumbs off the grips to shift- not a good idea when traversing a rock garden or root carpet at speed). Never ridden anything that shifts as well as Suntour XC Pro thumbies.

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AndrewMajor
0

Are you trolling me?! Do they have Friction Mode settings?! Mount them up to your current drivetrain and ride!

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velocipedestrian
+1 Andrew Major

A set of DX v brakes in original powder coat red. So much nostalgia, so little utility...

I'll probably put them on a bike for the kids in the next year or so. Maybe with Avid levers - they can be adjusted closer to the bar.

Edit - 

Also a 104 BCD bashguard on my XTR 980 crankset. The finest mountain crank shimano ever made - normal BCD, normal bearing preload, no strange 'standards' and silver faces to polish with your shoes. I don't know how old they are, but they're not coming off my main bike until they fail.

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AndrewMajor
0

Forgot about Red DX (pedals aside). So un-Shimanoesque to do coloured components. And why red?

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velocipedestrian
0

I think they were (are?) a BMX group. It doesn't help with why red, but different.

There still seems to be a DX crank in X-type 104 with up to 180mm arms around.

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AndrewMajor
0

DX is the BMX group. The problem with the crank is it’s road spacing (68mm only spindle).

Certainly not red anymore though!

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AndrewMajor
0

Have to argue there... m970 did require a proprietary removal tool, but in use they’re glorious (and 4-bolt 104bcd as well). Had a pair with my NSB bash guard. Mmmmmm.

Have had bashguards on the brain a lot lately as I’m running the new Wolf Tooth CAMO bash-spider. Not a fan of ISCG bash tacos; definitely wish I could still run bash rings on all my cranks.

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velocipedestrian
+1 Andrew Major

Was the M970 the one with a tiny allen bearing preload? I like the style of that generation, but the no-weird-standards of the 980 wins it for me.

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AndrewMajor
0

It’s not that tiny - 2.5mm Hex - same as Chris King hub preloader or Crankbros crank preloader.

But yes, that’s the one. Apparently couldn’t use the hardening process for stiffness that they used and use their pinch bolt system. It was just that generation.

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Sanitylost
+1 Andrew Major

Pearl Izumi liner from 15 years ago, super thin chamois it just disappears, just a few large holes but oh well.

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AndrewMajor
0

Ummm, woah... is the chamois like sun-cracked leather, or maybe sandpaper when wet, at this point or really still good?!

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Shortyesquire
+1 Andrew Major

I have a thing for esoteric but brutally effective components. 

I have two complete sets of m755 Xt 4 pot calipers still running on bikes. Combined with Trickstuff pads and m785 levers they are still awesome. 

I also have a set of Navigator 6 pot calipers hooked up to Saint m810 levers with carbon ceramic pads and huge Hope V2 discs. Surprisingly civilised brakes given their sheer physical capability.

Finally I have a set of OG Middleburn rs8 x-type cranks. Fully modular, direct mount, dh rated, and ever so slightly wonky spacing on the spider because british!

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AndrewMajor
0

Quite the collection! I have always loved the aesthetics of Middleburn cranks (any Middleburn cranks).

Sold my last pair of M755 pads last year! Came across a small box of spares with those and a couple generations of Magura Louise pads and found easy homes for all of it. Kept my Gustav pads though... really want to mount that up and compare it to a modern 4-piston.

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Shortyesquire
+1 Andrew Major

Hehe I hope you kept a big stock of IS to PS adapters. They are getting hard to find these days. 

I've never felt a pair of Gustavs but I've been told that they were very powerful and came on STRONG!

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AndrewMajor
0

I needed a 203mm IS to PM adapter for my Walt fork and it was harder to find than expected. 

Gustav adapters, I have post:post adapters and a couple IS ones. They’re a wear item and some folks still love those brakes so apparently they’re worth decent coin used - to the right buyer.

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nouseforaname
+1 Andrew Major

NSB 20mm hub that I had to take a grinder to to fit a Fox 36. Living in Calgary in my first ever 'real' winter, I'd grind till the lock ring got too hot to hold, then throw it in the snow to cool off.

Let's of reasons that hub will be handed down to my first born.

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AndrewMajor
0

Lots of reasons I wish I had one of those... still in use?! I guess with some reducers and a rotor spacer it is Boost 110/15 compatible?

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cyclotoine
+1 Andrew Major

I feel this is more applicable to road components than mtb for obvious reasons. I acquired a bike with 10 speed campagnolo chorus from ‘00 around ‘09. At the time road was still 10 speed. I rode that bike for a while but eventually sold the frame. I’ve rebuilt the shifters and replaced the hoods and they’ve been on a few bikes. They’re currently on an early 80s Reynolds 531 tubed frame from Switzerland, paired with the original chorus rear derailleur. I ride that bike to work a lot, and it’s running 1970s record brake calipers. These brakes were produced with very little change for almost 20 years. The same bike also sports my first edition sram rival 180mm compact crank set in silver and a syncros ti post, a Chris king no logo grip nut headset and dia compe gran comp stem. I’m even using authentic mathauser pads in the Campy holders. I used to pick out all the old centerpull Scott/mathauser pads out of the bins at ocb and cut them shorter to fit the record holders. The pads are probably 40+ years old and I think I’m on my last sets, they still perform better than most new pads.

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AndrewMajor
0

I love the look of older Campy stuff. Actually, I don’t follow road stuff enough to know when it happened but they were definitely the last drivetrain company whose new parts didn’t look like cellphone accessories the way most drivetrain parts do now.

I miss the obviously-metal (not black) rear derailleurs.

KoolStop still makes those Scott/Mathauser pad shapes. We be interesting to compare their current salmon compound to 40+ year old NOS pads.

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Reuben.Sandwich
+1 Andrew Major

Hope Big 'un front hub I bought in 1997. It was red but has faded. It's still in use with a 9" rotor on the front of my Syndicate V10. It started life as a QR on a GT  then a 1st gen Specialized Big Hit. Had a year in the garage then on a Banshee scirocco until it took pride of place on a murdered out (before that was a thing) Vpfree with mono6 Ti brakes in 04 which is when it grew to 20mm.  It went on a green V10.3 which I stupidly sold to get a 951. Stayed on there until I got a Chris King to match the rear hub. It then had the qr end caps machined to fit a 15mm fork and had stints on a tazer ht and a yeti 4x. Sat around again until I got bored and built it with a carbon rim on my V10. Last person to ride that bike was Loris Vergier at a SC promo and he was spinning out about the hub being almost his age! It's probably more fancy than the intent of this article but it's just such a work horse with the only bearing change happening to up size the axle!

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AndrewMajor
0

Nope, that’s exactly the right kind of fancy. Very, very, cool addition. You just run a rotor spacer to fit a modern 110x20 Boost DH fork?

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Reuben.Sandwich
+1 Andrew Major

It's still a 26" v10. The first incarnation on the carbon v10 with an alloy rear so predates boost. Has Had a cracked back rim for 18 months so has been unridden as my Slayer does it all. Hard to space for boost as it's a five bolt Hope rotor.

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AndrewMajor
0

Totally forgot about Hope 5-bolt. Do they still make rotors?!

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mrbrett
+1 Andrew Major

This article made me sad because I was reminded of all the fallen comrades. I moved a significant distance about 4 years ago and had to say goodbye to the Hall of Fame in the process. I donated a giant tote of treasure to a local charity bike shop. 

XTR ti cassettes

Ringle bottle cages and a few stems

Some fresh onza bar ends

XT hubs from back in the days

8 speed shifters, good quality 

Two pairs of X Ray shifters

Bunch of mavic 819 rims

Etc.

I still have the memories.

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AndrewMajor
0

Wow, sorry to trigger you! That’s a serious load of cool stuff.

Those 26” 819 rims would have been worth a pile of cash this year.

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velocipedestrian
+1 Andrew Major

I recently gave away a pair of ano blue brake lever extenders. For the whippersnappers in the audience, these clamped onto the end of the brake lever at a 90° angle so you could keep your hands on the bar ends and use your brakes.

I was the original owner, and gave them to a local trail builder who's even more of a retrogrouch than me.

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AndrewMajor
0

Hahahaha, bar ends AND brake lever extenders! That’s throwing it back.

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SteveR
+1 Andrew Major

First post after lurking for a year, mainly for the AM articles. Anyhoo...

I cleaned out my bike room this past spring, getting rid of a bin of vintage parts that I couldn’t previously bear to let go of. So as it stands now, the only “antiques” that I have are a pair of XTR 952 shifters and a King headset- original equipment on and still going strong on my 2000 DeKerf Team 853, mounted with Schwalbe cx 1.35 knobbies and seeing weekly use on pathways, and dirt side trails that entice. Every other original part is long gone after many cycles of wear replacement and upgrading. The frame itself went back to Chris in 2005 to have a disc mount added, and a repaint in classic DeKerf copper. It still draws the occasional comment of approval from knowing bike connoisseurs!

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AndrewMajor
0

Rigid fork painted to match? Photos?! Sounds delicious.

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SteveR
0

Funny you should mention that! It’s getting to be time for another refurb of the Dekerf, with a rigid fork to replace the leaky old Reba being high on the priority list. But- the price for a Chris made fork- whoa! Maybe one from Walt...

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rigidjunkie
+1 Andrew Major

A couple things came to mind:

1. I have a Race Face stem that is either a 50 or  70 with 20-30 mm of rise.  It doesn't work anymore because bars got bigger, but I can not throw it away.  

2. I carry a tube patch kit box that I bought 15 years ago at Merv's Bike Shop in rural PA.  The whole shop was nothing but rare vintage parts that an old dude collected over the years.  I think I spent 2 hours just looking at stuff in there.  Bought a patch kit and some oddball part that I don't remember.  That patch kit box will stay with me forever, just because it reminds me of an awesome day and biking trip.

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fartymarty
0

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mrbrett
0

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