# Old parts that have performed/lasted far beyond peoples' expectations



## dv8xin (Mar 10, 2013)

Anyone have old parts out there that just seem to be racking miles upon miles of actual trail use that impress you so much that they are worth some praise for how well made they are?


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## KiwiJohn (Feb 6, 2007)

My old Time Z Controls went through 3 bikes in 9 years.


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## Hogdog (Aug 12, 2012)

My 1979 Campag Super Record seatpost and crankset, I've never had a reason to 'upgrade' them.


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## mbmb65 (Jan 13, 2004)

I have a CK headset still in use after 20+ years. My hope minis are going strong after 12 years and 3 bikes.


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## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

Shimano SPDs (747?), ancient now, have been retired numerous times, and then put back into rotation because they continue to work just fine.


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

I've got a 15 year old Thomson stem that keeps finding it's way back onto new builds.


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## dru (Sep 4, 2006)

1996 race face turbines are my oldest bit of kit that still works perfectly. My '96 535 pedals are functional but only barely. I've got a Syncros post from that era too. Everything else has gone to the bike graveyard in the sky.

drew


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## Bikingnerd (Feb 19, 2013)

The original shimano square taper bottom bracket in my '97 RM Hammer is still smooth and solid, after everything else on the bike as been replaced at least once. Absolutely shocking to me, since in similar parts have failed many times over on other bikes over the same timeframe.


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## Dion (Oct 22, 2009)

I've only been riding MTB's since 2009, and my "old" parts are not really old. But, from my CX bike, my Mavic Open Pro rims with Ultegra hubs have been beat to hell and they just rock. I cannot believe they still stay somewhat true considering the off road abuse I've put them through.


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## 411898 (Nov 5, 2008)

my body, considering what it's been through


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## kubikeman (Jun 4, 2010)

A set of Rhyno Lites on XT hubs. I don't have them any more but they kept going even after I broke two frames they were on.

And my Azonic A-frame pedals. Even though it looks like I took an angle grinder to them, they still spin as smooth as the day I bought them.


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## stunnerable (Sep 29, 2009)

My old 2000 model year XTR parts all work awesome today. V brakes have surprising power.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Currently riding a 2003 Marzocchi Bomber Z2 Atom Sport. Fork spent some time in my teammate's storage after someone handed him a Reba, but there's no way this dude was gentle to it for however long he rode it, and I may, on occasion, plow through a few things myself... And, it's a kickass fork.

Late '90s Bontrager saddle. I love the design! I'm actually not sure if I'm riding the one I bought in 1999 or the one I EBayed NOS a couple years ago. I broke one in 2009, which really frustrated me.

The bottom bracket in my road bike. Thing's got thousands of miles, a lot of years, a couple of cross-country trips, and a few winters on it. I bought the bike in 1999 and haven't changed it out yet. The hubs on that bike too, although I've rebuilt both.

It takes a while, but I can wear out Time ATAC Aliums. Still think they deserve a shout-out, though.


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

My entire XT drivetrain from an early 90's Cannondale... 
I rode the bike for like 15 years and now the parts are on my son's 20" Gary Fisher. He stepped up to a bigger bike, but everything is still in perfect working order and waiting for the next kid to use them.


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## Bikingnerd (Feb 19, 2013)

Dion said:


> I've only been riding MTB's since 2009, and my "old" parts are not really old. But, from my CX bike, my Mavic Open Pro rims with Ultegra hubs have been beat to hell and they just rock. I cannot believe they still stay somewhat true considering the off road abuse I've put them through.


:thumbsup: A well built Open Pro/Ultegra wheelset is ideal for CX - mine have taken a hell of a beating over the last 3-4 years too.


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

Cane Creek S3 headset on my cross bike. Was on a few MTBs before it ended up on my cross/commuter bike. Probably has 15-20K miles on it and still has the original bearings. Went from being the most expensive thing on a ghetto rigged SS back in college to the cheapest part on my commuter but it just keeps ticking. 

Shimano 520 pedals. Picked them up used from the local co-op, raced and commuted a ton on them, eventually replaced them with newer XTs but they're still going to end up on another bike eventually.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Ooh, here's another one.

Shimano M-475 rear hub. It came on my mountain bike, which I bought new in 2007. I rode the bike with the stock wheels until 2011, so that hub has seen its share of creek crossings, winters, and mud. I never even had to replace the freehub.

Last year, I bought a road bike with disc brakes from a friend. It's a Trek, so it came with stupid wheels. I found some cracks in the rear rim and decided to build a new rear wheel for it on my terms, before I got backed into buying one in a hurry. Since I had put new wheels on my mountain bike at that point, I figured, "wtf" and cut the M-475 out of the wheel it was in. It's now been on my commute bike for a bit over a year. Still going strong.

While not a terribly long service life so far compared to a lot of other things I own, with all the problems that people on the 'net report with these hubs, I was still pleasantly surprised to have it still working great when I took it off my MTB, and at what I found when I opened it up to rebuild before committing to build a new wheel on it. So it may only be six years old, give-or-take, but it has exceeded my expectations.


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## tartosuc (May 18, 2006)

88 shimano xt thumbshifters.
They have seen several mountain bikes in the 90's then got retitred to several commuters...still gong strong to this date


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## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

ambassadorhawg said:


> my body, considering what it's been through


Winner!


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## bkirby10 (Feb 23, 2012)

All of my XTR 950/951/952 components (never had any failures) and my 1997 Race Face headset. That thing is still as smooth as it was when new! That one contines to amaze me!

Oh, and of course my Brooks saddles. One if a Team Pro from my Dad's 1960's PX-10 (older than I am) and it's still going strong...


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## jrm (Jan 12, 2004)

My $20 XTR 952 short cage RD. Keeps on ticking


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## gddyap (Sep 29, 2011)

7spd XT thumbies. M737 XT clipless pedals.


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## otis24 (Apr 1, 2004)

Wow, there's some old stuff on here. 

My 2003 Turner Burner's pivots have only been taken apart once. About three years ago I took them apart and they were spotless. The rear end is still super stiff.


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## dompedro3 (Jan 26, 2004)

Bottom brackets:
an old shimano UN72 square taper. I have replaced the plastic cup several times, but the bb itself is probably going on several thousand miles. Still spins smooth.

Not mountain bike related, but I have a set of Campagnolo record 8 speed ergopower shifters that still shifted perfectly in 2012, 20 years and countless miles after they were initially purchased.


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## dru (Sep 4, 2006)

AndrwSwitch said:


> Currently riding a 2003 Marzocchi Bomber Z2 Atom Sport. Fork spent some time in my teammate's storage after someone handed him a Reba, but there's no way this dude was gentle to it for however long he rode it, and I may, on occasion, plow through a few things myself... And, it's a kickass fork.


Funny, I have the 2002 version. The old bombers are fantastic forks.

I didn't include mine since it was NOS in late '05 when I bought it. Is it weird to expect a suspension fork to last 8 years in my case, or 10 in yours?

Drew


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## goalie (Feb 17, 2008)

A whole damn bike. 1991 Diamondback Ascent. Bought it in Jacksonville North Caroling while in the Corps in 1991. Converted it to a single-speed for winter commuting here in MN about 7 years ago, but the thing has the original bottom bracket, brakes (obviously not the pads) and wheel-set. It helps that the wheels allow you to service the bearings yourself and re-pack them.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

dru said:


> Funny, I have the 2002 version. The old bombers are fantastic forks.
> 
> I didn't include mine since it was NOS in late '05 when I bought it. Is it weird to expect a suspension fork to last 8 years in my case, or 10 in yours?
> 
> Drew


I think the better made ones usually die of owner upgradeitis. But I killed my stock fork - RST garbage - in a couple weeks and then took a few years to wear out the stanchions on a 2006 Manitou R7 I picked up slightly used in 2007. I think on a mountain bike that's in someone's active, off-road rotation, service life is probably more on the order of five years for many forks. Damage if they don't get rebuilt, lack of maintenance parts if they do.


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## PdlPwr (Nov 16, 2010)

105 drivetrain and shifters on my road bike. 15 years, countless miles and still on the original cables.


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## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

I've gone through my share of pedals, bars, and rims, but overall I am probably not that hard on the equipment.
Evidently, 1993 was a good year for some things (just not Nuke Proof).

1993 1-1/8" AheadSet is on its 5th frame - and three of those frames broke. It's not quite smooth, but you can still ride no hands. It's on a rigid '02(?) Stumpy that I just rode last week.

Shouldn't be surprising, but '93 *Chris King* classic hubs. They are also on the Stumpy.

'93 Shimano square taper BB - just got sold with my old 29er in September '12.

Shimano Parallax rear hub on our 1997 Cannondale MT1000 mountain tandem. We are either super-smooth, or just not very strong. I even had a 360# stoker on there a few times.

And my winner is...
1990 Shimano LX front hub. The bike has been sitting awhile, but it had at least 12,000 miles on it when it got put away, and it's come out several times since so it's probably 13K+. I even wore out the rim and replaced it - keeping same spokes, hub, nips, etc. This is not by accident. That hub got rebuilt and new grease probably every 3 months due to the conditions of use which was N. GA MTBing, rain, river crossings, dust, mud, and commuting.

Maintenance actually works!

-F


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## dv8xin (Mar 10, 2013)

Only thing I got that are sort of old are Shimano XTR skewers. Old grey colored ones, maybe M950 ones. One of the nicest skewers I've got, though the only other nice one I have is a Bontrager RXL (internal cam) one, but that one doesn't have hardly as much mileage.

That and some old tools, like an old Park mini chain breaker and Pedro's yellow tire levers. Carried them in my pack for a while.

Hmm, I guess I can also give some praise to Q Tubes brand tubes with Stans injected into them, which have lasted for over 6 months.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

Mountain Cycle frame and several CK headsets.


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## JaneDoeRN (Feb 21, 2013)

A husband


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## MOJO K (Jan 26, 2007)

My camelback hawg must be 12 years old...crashed and abused...faded and never smells nice no matter how many times I wash it. There's not so much as one loose thread or stretched seam on the thing. The zippers and buckles are all perfect.


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## supersedona (Dec 17, 2012)

My 2003 Sid SL fork, I just changed the oil and seals but the bushings and stanchions are still perfect. Glassy smooth and no stiction. 

XTR 952 RD, The first one I had brand new in the early 2000s ran over 8k miles and I thought it was worn out at the time so I traded it out with a deore that I won at a race. Last year I found out they were servicable, so I bought another one off ebay and rebuilt it. Hotness.


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## jimwg (Aug 7, 2010)

Have a pair of shimano pedals that I bought in 1985/86. As far as I could tell they were a early MTB pedal, I put them on a touring (road) bike for 5-8 years (with toeclips) And have had them on my hardtail for almost 5 years now.


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## Millfox (Jun 22, 2012)

Um... my frame. Gary Fisher H. K. E. K. 2005 I've been abusing it every damn way since 2008 I think... Even managed to take a few jumps and a 0,5m drops. It's a do-everything bike Still looks good and hopefully it won't ever crack. Also my pedals. Shimano m525 clipless. Used for 8 years without any kind of service. Still working great.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

PdlPwr said:


> 105 drivetrain and shifters on my road bike. 15 years, countless miles and still on the original cables.


The 5500 set, right? My last road bike shipped with that. I did eventually wear out most of it, but it took a while.


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

2001 Marzocchi X-Fly forks. Work great, huge tire clearance, great seals, need little servicing.


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## Pisgah2000 (Nov 16, 2009)

otis24 said:


> My 2003 Turner Burner's pivots have only been taken apart once. About three years ago I took them apart and they were spotless. The rear end is still super stiff.


I recently had my '04 Burner rebuilt, but it didn't need it. I really just wanted a color change, and a rear-end rebuild was included... it's a great, durable design.

My '98 S-works M2 frame continues to impress me. Even the paint still shines like new. That bike also has '97 XT rapidfire shifters and '00 or so m950 XTR V-brakes that are still functioning just fine.


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## atomicmanatee (Sep 1, 2012)

I've got a set of Shimano m495 6 bolt hubs on Alex DM18 rims that i've been riding since i bought the Raleigh M80 they came on in 2004. Not a single problem out of them, never even come out of true.


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## opiate82 (Aug 28, 2012)

My 2003 Specialized Enduro. The only thing replaced on it has been a bottom-bracket, which was replaced last season. I get a minimum of 300 miles a season in on it, usually way more.

I am sure both the rear cassette and front chain rings are worn to the point where they need replacement but funding has been tight so I just keep riding.

I keep hoping the damn frame will give out so I can take advantage of the lifetime warrenty, but no such luck.


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

SRAM ESP 7.0 9-speed Gripshifters. Late 90's "shorty" model. Bought them as NOS in 2001 for $15. Been on my main mtb ride (that would be 6 different bikes) since then. As light as any gripshift SRAM has made since, and IMO work better than later models.

Gotta also give a nod to my 7 year old Gravity Dropper post. One of the oldest moving parts on my bike. For all the whining people do about finicky dropper posts, this one chugs on year after year with next to no maintenance.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

my mtb is a 2003 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp. It just hit the 10yr mark. After a couple rides on it, I put some Magura Julie hydraulic discs on it that were, I believe, 2002 models. The only stuff left from the year I got that bike are the frame, fork (Fox Float RL), shock (Float RL), headset (some Aheadset model), Shimano LX shifters and front derailleur, and those Magura brakes.

These are the second set of Shimano triggers I've had that have been able to take at least 10 years of use. The first was a set of Deore shifters. The LX shifters I have now needed their first cleaning/lubing this winter. The original XTR rear derailleur made it until last summer before it finally just wore out. I still have it, in case I might be able to rebuild it and put it on a commute bike for a little longer. The fork and shock are still going strong. I put Enduro seals on the fork and haven't looked back. Both have needed minimal maintenance (only fluid/seal changes) and still perform remarkably well. Those Magura brakes are pretty great, too. Especially for a lower-end model. They're 11 years old by my best guess, have only needed to be bled once, and only just now need to be cleaned out due to sticky pistons. I really can't complain. I will certainly be purchasing Magura brakes in the future.

I still have some of the original parts I replaced. The stock wheels are now on my wife's bike. I broke a couple of spokes in them awhile back, and she is not nearly as hard on them as I am. I put the original stem and handlebars on a different bike some time ago to update the geometry some and sold it.


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## nOOky (May 13, 2008)

I've some Time ATAC pedals that came on my 2002 bike still going, some SPD747's on the ex's bike, she's also still running my Mavic Crossland wheelset I used to race.
A friend is still riding my old Trek 8000 mountain bike all original except tires or tubes and cables, first year they were made whenever that was.


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## rockcrusher (Aug 28, 2003)

I have a pair of bullseye hubs that I still use and I got originally in 1989 I think. They get used pretty much every day on my commuter bike now. Still they must have somewhere in the 10k miles on them I haven't actually done anything but lace them to a new set of rims in the early nineties, WTB laser beams if I recall. I was just thinking about this the other day while sitting at a light and looking at that front hub.


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## jerry68 (Aug 23, 2007)

1994 XTR rear derailleur... It's been on seven different bikes, and is still pulling daily duty on my nephew's MTB.


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## Dion (Oct 22, 2009)

Oh geez. How could I forget to add this one? My 1986 RockHopper Comp. Who knows what number owner I am, but I acquired this last year. My goal was to build a 1X rigid, but on a limited budget, I asked myself "Why not go with a vintage frame set?". Picked up the frame, fork and original headset for $30.

Dialed in to my tastes, this bike handles beautifully. I ride this most of the time, and it's plush and fast enough for XC to singletrack. Anything bumpy or gnarly, not so much... but for my daily ride? It's perfect.


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## bhc (Sep 27, 2005)

Two things

A Cannondale seat bag from the late 90's. Says made in the USA on it. Expands nice and big. Has been on all sorts of long rides. Looks used, but no signs of falling apart yet.

The old Trek 930 from 96'. Everything has been replaced on it except for the brakes (of course pads replaced). Now it is like an old horse. Take it easy with it, ride with the kids, run errands, etc...


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## rockcrusher (Aug 28, 2003)

bhc said:


> Two things
> 
> A Cannondale seat bag from the late 90's. Says made in the USA on it. Expands nice and big. Has been on all sorts of long rides. Looks used, but no signs of falling apart yet.
> 
> The old Trek 930 from 96'. Everything has been replaced on it except for the brakes (of course pads replaced). Now it is like an old horse. Take it easy with it, ride with the kids, run errands, etc...


I had one of those with a little cleat that clipped to the rails and it was amazing. I lost it years ago but not after using it for at least 8 years if not more. You may not know but Cannondale started with bags before getting into aluminum bikes. Touring bags as I recall.


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

I just recently retired my 1995 XTR m950 rear derailleur. After 17 years of hard abuse it finally started to get sloppy in its pivots. The 1995 XTR front derailleur is still in perfect condition. 

My 1997 XT shifters also still work great. Just don't need them anymore having recently upgraded to a 3x10 XT/SLX drive train.

I also have 1999 Hope Hydro brakes that are still perfect but the only problem with these is that I have a non standard caliper that does not fit my new frame  

I have a Royce Titanium bottom bracket where the bearings lasted 12 years before they died. I don't use it now but I would bet that I I put new bearings in it it would last another 12 years. 

Some things are just built to last :thumbsup:


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

dru said:


> Funny, I have the 2002 version. The old bombers are fantastic forks.
> 
> I didn't include mine since it was NOS in late '05 when I bought it. Is it weird to expect a suspension fork to last 8 years in my case, or 10 in yours?
> 
> Drew


I have a 1999 Pace RC36 Evo II fork that I took off the bike a couple of years ago. It's still in excellent condition but does need some seals replaced.

It's great for XC but for bigger hits I was blowing out the damper every few rides. The damper seals could be replaced if I sent it back to the uk for service (no one can do it in Colorado) so I decided to retire the fork. But apart from that bushes and everything else was just awesome on it.


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

I noticed an interesting trend on this thread. High end Shimano stuff just works and continues to work. Where's the SRAM stuff?


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## ranier (Sep 9, 2003)

The 8 spd SRAM X.0 SL grip shifters and matching derailleur that I got in the late 90s are still in use on my commuter. Wouldn't give them up for the world, occasional cable and housing changes done and they still work.


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## ranier (Sep 9, 2003)

TheNormsk said:


> I also have 1999 Hope Hydro brakes that are still perfect but the only problem with these is that I have a non standard caliper that does not fit my new frame


Hope IS calipers?

I have some old Hope Mono Minis in the IS flavor. Had some compatibility issues when swapping out to a PM fork but there are adaptors out there but you gotta search.


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## OldTiGuy (Apr 3, 2012)

My main ride is a collection of old/durable parts that have far exceeded expectations -

1996 Litespeed Hiwassee HT still rides as sweet as the day I bought it new in '99.
1999 Rock Shox Sid SL honestly it needs a service but it's held up well
XTR UN 91 bottom brackets rarely get much love but the thing is bulletproof
XTR m950 Rear Derailluer still shifts smoothly and cleanly as it did a decade ago
Bontrager Valiant/XTR m950 wheelset still as smooth and true as the day I put them on my bike
Thomson Elite Seatpost/Stem the seatpost has been through a couple of bikes, the stem just one
Chris King HS to this day one of my favorite components, a true "install and forget about it" part
Race Turbine LP crankset what can I say? They've been great.


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## opiate82 (Aug 28, 2012)

TheNormsk said:


> I noticed an interesting trend on this thread. High end Shimano stuff just works and continues to work. Where's the SRAM stuff?


I honestly don't remember SRAM stuff being that common when I was bike shopping (10+ years ago). Pretty much everything I looked at had Shimano on it.

When I started going bike shopping last year with a buddy I was like "Whoa, components other than Shimano? Where did this company come from?" Only to find out they had actually be around awhile.


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

ranier said:


> Hope IS calipers?
> 
> I have some old Hope Mono Minis in the IS flavor. Had some compatibility issues when swapping out to a PM fork but there are adaptors out there but you gotta search.


I have one number 1 caliper and a number 5. The 5 is the ISO standard and is on the front and fits the posts with an adapter. Turns out the number 1 is a non standard 42ish mm bolt pitch that fitted my mid 90s frame. There are no adapters available for this bolt spacing to fit an ISO 51mm mount.

If anyone has an old number 5 caliper they don't need then please PM me.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

TheNormsk said:


> I noticed an interesting trend on this thread. High end Shimano stuff just works and continues to work. Where's the SRAM stuff?


I had crappy SRAM grip shifters on a bike I commuted on in the late '90s. From Ranier's post, clearly I'm wrong, but I'd always assumes they didn't start doing higher-end stuff until some time in the 2000s. I bet it's a quantity thing.

Although I don't know that I'd expect terribly long life from their road shifters. I killed one about a year ago, which led me into some examination of its construction. Not really made for longevity, IMHO.


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## melan47 (Nov 27, 2012)

1997 Shimano Parallax hubs, rhino lite rims, and shimano deore crankset with original shimano(model?)bottom bracket all going strong.


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## manpurse (Feb 6, 2011)

Time ATAC pedals and White Brothers fork.


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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

I probably just got lucky, but I have a set of Avid Elixir CR's I got in Aug 08... Still going strong after 3 bikes and almost 5 yrs


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## fahza29er (Jun 26, 2012)

Everythng on my Cannondale Deltav 1000 1993, only changed rims as wre the originals wore out, damn those rims brakes, hubs are still original as is headshock(still working) all drive train parts are original well not the chain or cassette lets be reasonable here. Changed the BB the second year with an XTR and it still in there and smooth. My son still rides it but its being retired this year, getting cleaned up and hung on the wall. poor thing has been through alot over the years.


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## schillingsworth (Oct 23, 2009)

Hands down for me are my 1997 Shimano DX PD-M636 Pedals!! 3 bikes & thousands of mtb miles on AZ trails.


From Bike Setup


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

melan47 said:


> 1997 Shimano Parallax hubs, rhino lite rims, and shimano deore crankset with original shimano(model?)bottom bracket all going strong.


I'll second this. Picked up a cheap wheelset for my first mountain bike with 90s XT hubs laced to Mavic rims, beat the hell out of them for years, kept expecting to snap the freehub under my clyde weight. Put thousands of offroad miles on them then moved onto disc brakes for the mountain bikes and they became commuter wheels. Then I put them on a commuter I built for my sister and they're a thousand miles away but still ticking.

Also hate to say it since it's something I really really hate but my Ritchey Comp seatpost has lasted for almost ten years. I bent a 30.9mm version but the 27.2mm version from my first road bike has moved from bike to bike with shims to fit the newer frames. I cant stand the head design on it but the post just keeps working so I havent had a reason to get rid of it. It's on a bike I'm selling to a friend but he's a good bit lighter and I'm sure it's got plenty of life left.


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## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

*How timely*

My Mom just called me last week to tell me her coaster brake was not working well. This is on the rear wheel from her old bike (frame) that she got on Mother's Day 1970. This past weekend I looked at it. Disassembled. It is a Styria (?) roller clutch single speed coaster brake hub - from Austria, I think. Cleaned. Nothing missing or broken. The brake actuator had a "68" or an "89" stamped in it (1968?). Re-assembled. Test rode. Still can't lock up the rear wheel. The damn thing wore out after only 42 years (= 3 kids, 2 frames, 100,000 miles on the back of a camper in all kinds of weather, and ?????miles of actual riding in literally all conditions).
I guess it's time for a new one.

-F


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## zgroove (Feb 10, 2009)

White Industries Hubs, vintage 95 circa. Still rollin' strong on my Ritchey P-21!.................knock on wood. LOL! You know how that goes...


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## MK_ (Nov 15, 2004)

1986 Trek 520 Touring frame and most importantly bottom bracket! The thing has been beat up as a townie for eons. I just did some maintenance on it and after all the curb hops and a couple foot drops to flat on pavement the bottom bracket races are as good as new; the old Ultegra 600 crank is holding up well, too. The frame is showing no signs of being tired. Amazing.

And a Marzocchi Marathon SL I just recently picked up to build up a bike for my father-in-law. 12 years old; original seals and bushings and air seals; fresh oil, good as new. Incredible in the light of modern day Foxes which need to be replaced every 6 months.

_MK


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## erudition12000 (Apr 16, 2012)

I wore out a pair of Sidi Dominator shoes just last year after 19 years of use, granted a little light use in mid '00s. I knew it was time when the rubber sole began to crumble/decay.


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## N10S (Sep 27, 2004)

1) Race Face LP forged cranks
2) Shimano UN71/72/91 square taper bottom bracket
3) Shimano 535 pedals
4) XTR 752 Rd
5) Thomson Seatposts


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## frdfandc (Sep 5, 2007)

Oldest components from the past was the Deore LX drivetrain from my 1991 Haro Extreme. Got 16 years of use out of the shifters, and the rear derailleur was only replaced 2 times in that time frame. 

Current oldest components.

My Shimano MT-75 wheelset. 2 different bikes, over 3000 miles of use the past 4 years. Just transferred them to a new Jamis Dragon Race 29er frame set. I have not touched these at all, other then basic hub repacking.

2007 era X9 shifters. Still work as good as the day they were purchased.


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## Alan-S (Nov 4, 2005)

I definitely have some 15+ year old Chris King and Thomson parts in rotation, which is not surprising to me at all. The shocker for me is my Stans Olympic ZTR Rims. I bought them laced to CK hubs back in 2006 when I was mostly XC riding on a race hardtail. Fast forward to today and they have thousands of miles on them and are pulling AM duty on my 5.5" travel Blur LTc. I have never had to true them other than replacing broken spokes. They always seal and I can count flats on one hand. Money well spent.


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## Zignzag (Jan 23, 2004)

Sidi shoes


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## RTM (Sep 17, 2005)

I'm running a set of Shimano pd-m540 clipless pedals for 9 seasons of hard use. Lots of rock strikes and outright abuse. They look like hell but work like new.


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## PHeller (Dec 28, 2012)

I use 1993? XT Thumb Shifters. 1x9, so only one. I've never had much luck with trigger shifters in terms of reliability. I'm hoping my next bike will have something more reliable.


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## PretendGentleman (May 24, 2011)

June Bug said:


> Shimano SPDs (747?), ancient now, have been retired numerous times, and then put back into rotation because they continue to work just fine.


I feel this way about all shimano clipless pedals. I have some m545's that are third hand and I've put 30k miles on them easily, some of it loaded touring, some mtb, some commuting. I have other cheaper shimano pedals with similar longevity and zero maintenance.


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## desertred (Jun 9, 2010)

Saw this thread and mistakenly read the title to say "Old farts ...." (haven't finished morning coffee). Thought this was a thread about me.


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## PretendGentleman (May 24, 2011)

desertred said:


> Saw this thread and mistakenly read the title to say "Old farts ...." (haven't finished morning coffee). Thought this was a thread about me.


the irony really is delightful! Good job on the long term performance, regardless. You're still welcome to share your life story


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## EricD4 (May 11, 2008)

My Shimano M646 pedals, have 4 pair now and they all work great, can't seem to wear them out or destroy them

-E


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## EricD4 (May 11, 2008)

freeskier46 said:


> Hands down for me are my 1997 Shimano DX PD-M636 Pedals!! 3 bikes & thousands of mtb miles on AZ trails.
> 
> 
> From Bike Setup


Now we're talking!

-E


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## switchie (Aug 28, 2012)

ALMOST the 'Whole Damn Bike' a couple of times over.
1989 Trek 970, still going strong. Down to the 'once a week' relive the day ride. Shimano Deore BIOPACE, rigid ride, thumb shifting throwback.
1954 Schwinn Spitfire, rebuilt with new tires, tubes, grips and chain.
1992? Giant Rincon. Bar bike, kids bike, spare for out-of-towners. Low-end to start, low end for sure, but still going.


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## pedalitup (May 30, 2007)

Glad to read about so many Shimano pedals. Just bought some XT 780s to replace eggs as my increased skill has finally exposed their only weakness. My current bike is a collection of multi frame long life parts. White industries hubs, Stans rims, Thomson post, Easton monkeylite XC hi rise bar and Haven stem. Weaker areas are a thru axle SID that needs lots of attention, but rewards with flawless performance, and Sram XX 2x10 crank arms which have shed most of their clear coat in 4 years of constant use. Latest frame is a Sette Serum carbon HT which is virtually indestructible. It's taken dozens of hard rock hits and never needed more than a touch of 5 minute epoxy and some light sanding to vanish a chip in its epoxy coating. Now if only WTB would make a Mutano last two seasons. . . .


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## IRONMAN1518 (Jul 19, 2008)

BEST clipless pedals EVER!! 1995 ( i think), Shimano XT' 747. have a pair since '95 all I've ever done is check the bearings clean out old grease in parts cleaner and re-grease. Still in use today! My '86 Cannondale SR900 has all the original Campy components all I've ever replaced were the pedals (went to clipless) and the BB bearings. Otherwise all I've ever done is clean once a year or so and re-grease' re-adjust and go!!


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## Mattcz (May 26, 2005)

I have a 2002 RS SID that just keeps going. Yes it flexy but it still works.


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## trmn8er (Jun 9, 2011)

XTR 952 rear derailleur from 2004. I built my bike pretty much from the ground up, replacing parts as they wore out, but I can't justify replacing this thing. It just works.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

Phil BB's. I have one I bought used from the original owner. He installed it in 80" and did 5 CC tours before the frame broke and he parted out the bike in 95. It's seen ss duty ever since paired with a RF Turbine crank set and Time pedals that I bought new that year. I expect the cranks to go before anything else.


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## gmats (Apr 15, 2005)

I have all kinds of stuff, still going, daily commuter.

My 86' Klein Elite that sports White Industry hubs, Mavic rims, XT (7 speed) thumb shifters controlling 8 speed XT and derailleurs XTR cassette, Ritchey Logic cantilever and Shimano U-brakes, Kore seatpost.


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## jarwes (Mar 13, 2012)

I have all kinds of stuff. First generation XT V brakes... 18 year old xtr hubs that are on the the 5th set of rims.. Ritchey stem, seat post and bottom bracket.. I have at least 25k miles on these parts and they still keep on going.. No need to change them.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

*SID Fork circa 1999*

I first put the SID on my '98 GT Zaskar as an upgrade to the Judy SL that came with the bike. Since 2002 it has kept the front end of my IF hardtail off the ground and shows no signs of quitting. I took the bike and fork to a Rockshox demo last season and the reps were pretty amazed at how well it continues to perform. Even after switching it out for a 2012 SID for the demo, I could not detect any major differences in performance other than the new forks being stiffer. I still get 80 mm of travel. FYI, the fork is the original SID blue and was one of the first to be disc ready even though it was installed on a bike with rim brakes at the time. The fork goes back to a time when Rockshox was still made in the USA and did not have the greatest reputation for reliability and long before the company was incorporated into the SRAM empire. I guess I just got lucky.


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## Ben_Im (Mar 3, 2012)

Not as old as a lot of parts in this thread, but I'm still using my 2004 Avid BB7's. Been through a few sets of pads and more than a few rotors. More cable and cable housing changes than I can count. I just can't get myself to replace something that is working flawlessly.


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## scaryfast (Apr 23, 2004)

Nike Cairns shoes from 99.


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## flyfat (Jun 8, 2004)

KiwiJohn said:


> My old Time Z Controls went through 3 bikes in 9 years.


I know - crazy right? An hour of hard charging with my 13 year old phenom - our oldest - tonight on my Z's - still work like the day they came out of the box - just crazy.
ff


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## BurkeVT (Jul 11, 2003)

scaryfast said:


> Nike Cairns shoes from 99.


I had a pair of those. They were red and white/silver, if I remember right. They didn't fit my feet well; too tight. I ended up breaking the sole/shank on a stump in a rather miscalculated pedal stomp. First and last time I ever did that.


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## GiddyHitch (Dec 1, 2009)

scaryfast said:


> Nike Cairns shoes from 99.


I had some Diadora Jalapeno II shoes from 97 that were still going strong until a few months ago when the sole delaminated from the shoe while trying to clip out. First horizontal trackstand in quite a while!


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## iloj (Oct 20, 2009)

1997 Shimano LX Derailleurs with Indexed Grip Shift - Got these on my '97 Specialized RockHopper - Rigid bike. I don't ride this bike much any more, but used to ride the heck out of it. Every once in a while, I take this bike out, and it still shifts perfectly. I've never even replaced the chain. On my newer FS bikes, I'm replacing chains every season, at least, and derailleurs every now and then. I didn't even lube the chain much on the old '97 - don't make them like they used to !


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## slimphatty (Sep 9, 2011)

My 2001 Trek 6000. It only had one tune up that was about a year after we bought the bike. Everything on the bike is original except tubes, tires, handlebar, pedals and grips. I am amazed that everything else has lasted so long especially the chain. I know the bike needs a good overhaul but I've never had any problems with the bike so I ain't fixing what ain't broke.


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## Threesticks (Jan 18, 2004)

I have a 1978 Schwinn Super Le tour 12.2 that I bought new. Original stem and bars and brakes. Up graded the shifters and derailleurs to Sachs quartz in the early 80's. Updated the wheels to Shimano 105 hubs Alpina oval spokes and Mavic Open 4 CD rims also in the mid eighties. Still using the Schwinn crankset. 

Still use it for running errands and going to the store with the Blackburn rack and bags


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## wg (Dec 20, 2003)

goalie said:


> A whole damn bike. 1991 Diamondback Ascent. Bought it in Jacksonville North Caroling while in the Corps in 1991. Converted it to a single-speed for winter commuting here in MN about 7 years ago, but the thing has the original bottom bracket, brakes (obviously not the pads) and wheel-set. It helps that the wheels allow you to service the bearings yourself and re-pack them.


Heh, I have a '96 Diamondback Axis that still gets some dirt time. Still have a good chunk of the original 7speed XT components on it (shifters and front/rear Ders, brakes).


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## rockerc (Nov 22, 2010)

My shoulders are coming into their 58th year now, and it amazes me they are still doing their thing. About 20 years ago I had the doc do a deep cortisone lube job, gave up the golfing, and continued to MTB... still going strong after all these years, much thanks to Fox!!!


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## TAOS1 (Feb 5, 2013)

Sadly most of my parts 

Bomb proof:
Ringle Super Duper Bubba front/rear hubs
Chris King headset
Both from 1993ish and both still on my daily rider


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

rockerc said:


> My shoulders are coming into their 58th year now, and it amazes me they are still doing their thing. About 20 years ago I had the doc do a deep cortisone lube job, gave up the golfing, and continued to MTB... still going strong after all these years, much thanks to Fox!!!


Just think how much better they would feel if you used non Fox forks.


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