# First Gen Rocky Mountain Wedge



## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

The recent Summit pic's had me thinking about the first year Rocky Mountain introduced the Wedge. My LBS, Two Wheel Resource no departed, had a sweet selection of Rocky's, Ritchey's and Vitus road bikes. I vividly remember the cramped shop crammed with trick bikes. However, the Wedge blew me away. It looked like a Blizzard or a Tantalus in that it had a sloping top tube, but the slope was extreme. It had front and rear IRD U-brakes, IRD seatpost and a host of other goodies. Anyone have one for show and tell or indeed can anyone tell me what year it was introduced?


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## islander (Jan 21, 2004)

These are some of the best Wedge pics on the net:
http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=13740&page=82

I really wish I had one of these in my stable...........


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

That is a sweet frame but the kit verges on abuse. I wonder if he has the Wedge forks which looked cool because the arms were rotated forward.

I often wonder where all these bikes are. The burg that I hail from was swimming in sweet fillet brazed bikes, many of which were garage bound. I wonder if that is where they still are.


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## islander (Jan 21, 2004)

bushpig said:


> That is a sweet frame but the kit verges on abuse. I wonder if he has the Wedge forks which looked cool because the arms were rotated forward.
> 
> I often wonder where all these bikes are. The burg that I hail from was swimming in sweet fillet brazed bikes, many of which were garage bound. I wonder if that is where they still are.


You wanna know where they all are? They're in GERMANY. I think the German economy was in better shape than Canada back then, and the scooped up much of the highend Rocky's. Even today, these guys are the high bidders on Ebay as they still covet this vintage of Rocky. Meanwhile, back here in Vancouver, we have a zillion Hammers and Fusions and some Blizzards, but the Thunderbolts, Tantalus, Wedge and TiBolts are very rare. That guy Ed over at Mighty Riders probably knows where half of them are.........


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## cdeger (Jan 18, 2004)

*Following the ...*

... catalog from 1988, this was the Wedge's first year.


germanbutstratosonly

PS: There's no Wedge shown in 1989's catalog. And in 1990 it features the same diagonal tubes than jeroen's Summit ...


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

That's the one! I love the forks. The paint was awesome too. Ah memories. Kudos to those Europeans for spotting a good thing when they see it. I have an 88 Blizzard that has the same cool seat stay, but really nothing at all like the Wedge. I need to get to Germany!


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## cdeger (Jan 18, 2004)

*Come on ...*

Your '88 Blizz made it to the title page


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

Great scans, but I seem to be incorrect on the year of my Blizzard. If you know the Alex Stieda/Alyson Sydor Total Committment poster, I am pretty sure it is the same model. I painted mine green with brown sponge smudges using Endura paint. Looks awesome but now I need decals.


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## bert serotta (Aug 24, 2005)

some pictures of a ´89 wedge. still featuring u-brakes front and rear.

Bert

germantoobutalsonowedgeorthunderbolt


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

Wow. That is what a Wedge should look like. Perfect.


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## bert serotta (Aug 24, 2005)

well, then have a look at this beauty!


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## dRjOn (Feb 18, 2004)

*not wrong!*



islander said:


> You wanna know where they all are? They're in GERMANY. I think the German economy was in better shape than Canada back then, and the scooped up much of the highend Rocky's. Even today, these guys are the high bidders on Ebay as they still covet this vintage of Rocky. Meanwhile, back here in Vancouver, we have a zillion Hammers and Fusions and some Blizzards, but the Thunderbolts, Tantalus, Wedge and TiBolts are very rare. That guy Ed over at Mighty Riders probably knows where half of them are.........


but some nice ones


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## bert serotta (Aug 24, 2005)

once again in full size...


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## bert serotta (Aug 24, 2005)

and here is the last one in my archives. I am sorry for the setup, but the owner unfortunately prefers comfort instead of style.


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## Fluffbomb (Aug 14, 2004)

*Tell me more!*

'88 was a bit before my time so I don't know much about the RM Wedge.

I can spot some obvious features like the double U-brakes, Wishbone seatstays and very sloping top tube.Anything else?

Cheers,

Fluff


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## cdeger (Jan 18, 2004)

Fluffbomb said:


> ... features like the double U-brakes, Wishbone seatstays and very sloping top tube.Anything else? ...


The catalog does not contain more info than posted before - due to the fact, that the custumer always had the last word on specifications of those handbuilt RockyMountain models. Tubing, brake posts, geometry, ...

Maybe Derek Bailey, RM's main frame builder for these models, can say more than that. Just try to contact him at Rocky.


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## Jeroen (Jan 12, 2004)

Does someone have the emailaddy to Rocky? There seems to be none existent on their website...?


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## ViperZX (Nov 13, 2006)

Sorry for digging up an old thread, however I just found this and notice my bike was here... Cool, even though Bushpig said my kit was abused :lol:

It's like I stumbled into an old family reunion


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

Don't mind me - it's just the jealousy and envy talking


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## ViperZX (Nov 13, 2006)

bushpig said:


> Don't mind me - it's just the jealousy and envy talking


:lol: No Problems, I actually laughed when I read that and looked at those pictures again. It did look a bit tired there...

The Bike is a 1988 that was custom ordered for me. It is a 17.5 frame, and it came with the Wheel Tech built Wolber rims, the Roll ahead fork, 50 tooth big ring, slicks and the custom 6 color splatter paint that I have never seen replicated by any other maker other than Rocky. Apparently it was a very tricky process to do the way they did it with out looking overdone, or as if it was just splattered form a paint brush. There are some streaks that are nearly 2 feet long.

I still have the original fork, unfortunately the steerer tube was slightly bent after a jump with the bike. Rocky said they could fit it, but could not duplicate or even replicate the paint job again. It was then i upgraded to a straight blade Syncros fork, using that until I installed the Judy. It was a 6 speed system, however I modified it to a 7 speed system when 7 sp came out.

The bike has served me well for and it was ridden fairly hard, maybe even abused a little, but it was always lovingly maintained, religiously torn down and rebuilt after every hard ride. I think it actually still looks pretty good for a 18 year old bike that has been rode hard.

I have often though of sending it away and having it refurbished, however I would lose that 6 color paint that I so love about this bike. So I do nothing. I actually was able to get a set of decals for a repaint back in the early 90's, however they are Green with the Grey Shadow.

I'm currently looking to build a new MTB, but I just rode this the other day for some Off Road action, and it is one hard bike to give up....

Here are some recent pictures of it.
































































Now that Winter has hit here I'm using it for my Winter Commuter again


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## Jeroen (Jan 12, 2004)

Kool, my size. Consider it to be sold ;-)


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## Bigwheel (Jan 12, 2004)

ViperZX said:


> The bike has served me well for and it was ridden fairly hard, maybe even abused a little, but it was always lovingly maintained, religiously torn down and rebuilt after every hard ride. I think it actually still looks pretty good for a 18 year old bike that has been rode hard.


To say the least. And somehow I get the feeling it is not the only horse in the corral either....

Also if those are recent shots it looks like it has already been plenty cold up in the north country to have started that river anchoring up already. brrrrrrrrr.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

islander said:


> You wanna know where they all are? They're in GERMANY. I think the German economy was in better shape than Canada back then, and the scooped up much of the highend Rocky's. Even today, these guys are the high bidders on Ebay as they still covet this vintage of Rocky. Meanwhile, back here in Vancouver, we have a zillion Hammers and Fusions and some Blizzards, but the Thunderbolts, Tantalus, Wedge and TiBolts are very rare. That guy Ed over at Mighty Riders probably knows where half of them are.........


and lots if not most of the tenth anniversary and ti fat chances.


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## ViperZX (Nov 13, 2006)

Bigwheel said:


> To say the least. And somehow I get the feeling it is not the only horse in the corral either....
> 
> Also if those are recent shots it looks like it has already been plenty cold up in the north country to have started that river anchoring up already. brrrrrrrrr.


It was cold, We got a big dump of snow bu tthen it warmed up yesterday and melted a lot, however now it's boiler plate ice :lol:

I mounted up my studs and had at it 

This was from the snow that other day...


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

I sent you a PM about that bike


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## ViperZX (Nov 13, 2006)

bushpig said:


> I sent you a PM about that bike


Thanks Bushpig, you'll be the first to know if it ever comes to that :thumbsup:


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## ViperZX (Nov 13, 2006)

Here are a few updated pictures of the Wedge.

I swapped the fork back to a Syncros Rigid fork. I found I was getting too much wheel flop in lowspeed deep snow.

I swapped out my SPD to DH platforms, I also attached Plant Bike Hard Core Freddie Fenders to the bike, I think it looks wicked.














































A photo from my commute home today


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