# Older Giant (more blue-collar vintage)



## cegrover (Oct 17, 2004)

I picked up another bike for cheap: this one's a Giant AT740, one notch above the first bike I ever owned (AT730). I'll pick it up this week and see what shape it's in, but here are some fairly poor photos. Yes, I like U-brakes!

Is there anyone else out there who has or had one of the early Giants? They epitomize mass production, but I think it's interesting how they've quickly evolved to become a pretty dominant brand after only about 20 years as a marketing/sales company in the US.

If you have details on the founding of the Giant brand, I'm all ears. I recall that they were pretty much brand new when I bought mine in about 1986/87 and this is consistent with their web site. Looking back, the salesman who helped me (River Trail Cycles at 41st and Riverside in Tulsa - no longer there as far as I know) was nice to let me - then a teenager - know that the Giant had better components than the more expensive KHS Montana that I was going to buy...


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## zipzit (Aug 3, 2005)

Hmmm. I've got a Giant ATX 770 (or is that 760?) that I bought new in 1989. Except for a few scratches in the paint, its in pretty good shape. Barely used. I took it on a fireroad mountain ride.. once.

I love what the bike is, how its engineered, etc... 7 speed cassette, DeoreDX components, with pod shifters integrated to brake levers. I suspect this bike isn't worth $125 on ebay or anywhere else.

Problem is, not sure what to do with this bike. I'm thinking of stealing bottom bracket, crankset, handle bar, seat and seatpost and tossing them onto a Surly KM 29er and go SS. To buy those parts for the Surly would cost me lots more than $125. 

Take the frame, wheel set, cantilever brakes and all and place it on the curb on trash day.... but I really hate to do that... to a bike I really loved. 

What would you folks do?

Zipzit, Detroit MI


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## steef (Aug 22, 2005)

zipzit said:


> What would you folks do?


I'd turn the Giant into a SS first, then build up the Surly.

I have a KHS Montana that I recently SSified.


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## cegrover (Oct 17, 2004)

Save the Surly money and ride the Giant as-is! I've taken my recently acquired '88 Montare out a few times recently and the rigid bike makes simple trails a little more interesting and challenging. I find it perfect for a quick exercise ride when I don't have time to drive to a trailhead.

If you don't want to ride it or SS it, you might try selling the whole bike on Craigslist or, as you say, scavenge what you can; but then sell the remnants on Craigslist. I bet someone would pay for the frame, fork and parts, though the whole bike would be an easier sell to a non-enthusiast.

My impression is the the ATX bikes were Giant's higher-end MTBs, with the AT bikes more cross/low-end MTB. I could be wrong, though, it's possible the ATXs replaced the ATs...

Here's Craigslist's bike section in Detroit:
Craigslist


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## zipzit (Aug 3, 2005)

steef said:


> I'd turn the Giant into a SS first, then build up the Surly.


 Thought about that... I really did. The problem there is that I'm too anal. If you are going SS, you gotta do it right, and a singleator just won't cut it. That means going to a ENO White Industries Hub, and when I added up the pennies (hub & spokes...) it just didn't make sense financially.

I just checked Ebay, and there is someone auctioning off the same bike as I (Giant ATX 770 Mountain Bike very good shape Item number: 7177166751 ) There are still seven hours remaining on the auction, and the price is up to $185

Good news, but a new BB & crankset, seat post, seat and handlebars are going to cost me more than that for a SS

I think I'm an idiot, but my take on this is to polish up the Giant bike, throw it on ebay, and shop for specials on new parts? Any other advice here?

Appreciate the advice. Looking forward to SS29erville.

Tanks, Zip


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## steef (Aug 22, 2005)

zipzit said:


> steef said:
> 
> 
> > I'd turn the Giant into a SS first, then build up the Surly.
> ...


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## grawbass (Aug 23, 2004)

zipzit said:


> Hmmm. I've got a Giant ATX 770  (or is that 760?) that I bought new in 1989. Except for a few scratches in the paint, its in pretty good shape. Barely used. I took it on a fireroad mountain ride.. once.
> 
> I love what the bike is, how its engineered, etc... 7 speed cassette, DeoreDX components, with pod shifters integrated to brake levers. I suspect this bike isn't worth $125 on ebay or anywhere else.
> 
> ...


PM sent.


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## steef (Aug 22, 2005)

Here's another way to SS an old clunker. '91 Diamondback with freehubspacers and the old derailleur on it as a tensioner. It works fine for city riding, but I bet the chain hops off on the rough stuff.


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## zipzit (Aug 3, 2005)

zipzit said:


> I think I'm an idiot, but my take on this is to polish up the Giant bike, throw it on ebay, and shop for specials on new parts? Any other advice here?
> Tanks, Zip


Here's a photo of my ATX770, nearly stock. The only part swapped out here is the seat.


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## 1FG rider (Jul 9, 2004)

*My first mtn bike*



cegrover said:


> I picked up another bike for cheap: this one's a Giant AT740, one notch above the first bike I ever owned (AT730). I'll pick it up this week and see what shape it's in, but here are some fairly poor photos. Yes, I like U-brakes!
> 
> Is there anyone else out there who has or had one of the early Giants? They epitomize mass production, but I think it's interesting how they've quickly evolved to become a pretty dominant brand after only about 20 years as a marketing/sales company in the US.
> 
> ...


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## cegrover (Oct 17, 2004)

Thanks for the story - good stuff. I remember the sales guy really pushing how Giant had been making bikes for many other brands and they weren't really completely 'new' because of that, etc. when I got my AT730.

Here's a photo of my AT740 project after cleaning it up. It has a lot of paint nicks with bad touchup jobs, but the pearl white looks really cool overall. It has the full Exage Mountain group, whereas my Fuji Cedanza has Exage Trail - I assume Mountain was the higher rated stuff. I'm not sure if I'll see or hold on to it...


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## ledfoot (Jul 16, 2006)

I am totally kicking myself, I just sold my old Giant AT730 about a month ago and am now in complete remorse. I bought the bike new from Lasalles in Tulsa in about 1986. Tulsa must have been the ticket for Giant bikes in the 80's. I love the new bikes but wish I had hung on to the old one as I really miss the retro ride.


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## Pegasusphm1 (Jun 30, 2010)

These old MTB make great commuters, I would rather trade up on a woman than an old mountain bike.....

In the words of WC Fields..... Women are like elephants. I like to look at 'em, but I wouldn't want to own one. 

Nope nothing wrong with keeping your old MTB, and re-purposing it such as a commuter or utility local kick around town bike.... Fully rigid folks are built like Sherman tanks. Like the Sherman tank they couldn't go toe to toe with a King Tiger Tank but in the end they won the damn war.... 

What the hell do you think these hybrids are based off of? Fully Rigid MTB's. 

Just slap a set of city shoes on the sucker... and sling a camelbak pack on... I'm ready for war... 

Why old MTB and me we push 500 miles a month. On the weekends when I run into these weekend warriors on their road bikes all dressed up like a 1979 spandex disco hooker from Saturday Night Fever, I spit in their general direction. Real men ride MTB's and drink whiskey not wine spritzers...


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

Hunh?


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## Steeljaws (May 2, 2010)

Wonder what "real men" were riding befor there was anything called mountain biking....and I hate whiskey.


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## Pegasusphm1 (Jun 30, 2010)

LOL 

Mules


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## chimpanzee00 (Dec 16, 2006)

zipzit said:


> Here's a photo of my ATX770, nearly stock. The only part swapped out here is the seat.


I just picked up a Giant ATX 770 off Craigslist for $35, it looks just like yours. It was barely rideable when I got it (both tires flat, just needed air). Some surface rust on frame.

Shimano DX front & rear derailleurs, in good shape.

I had to throw away the Shimano DX brake+shifters, they were heavy & unuseable. I threw a LOT of WD-40 at both front & back shifters, still couldn't get hte "gunk" to dissolve! I ended up putting on SRT400 grip shifters & old cantilever brake levers. Put on new cables & housings, this thing works great now! The cantilever brakes are high-end

This bike is still coming in at 30 lbs! (kinda heavy, I expected 27 lbs). How much does your bike weigh? Mine has beefy Maxxis tires, weight could be coming in here (plus heavy tubes)

I think the handle-bars are steel. The back wheel is Shimano XT hub, Araya 17, the fronts seem to be also high-end.. What wheels do you have on yours?

Wow, this bike is a super elegant design & is now a personal FAVE of mine! Except, I need to somehow reduce the weight!

I can't find any info on the bike from Bikepedia, it's a 1990 Giant ATX 770?


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## Bikegear (May 29, 2021)

Old mtb are worth gold I just sold my stump jumper for $800 And if I wasn’t a real man I would be crying like a baby. Don’t sell buy every MTB diamond frame in sight. It’s gold!!


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