# ControlTech Team Issue



## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

I'm currently riding 2) 1996 ControlTech Team Issue bikes. One is set up as Single Speed and other is original 24 spd. If anyone has any info on these bikes, please share it. I've spoken several times with John Castellano and he says there were less than 100 made.
Amazingly enough, I bought one bike from Utah and the other from Washington; both are the same size 20.5" and are separated by one serial number.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

zygote2k said:


> I'm currently riding 2) 1996 ControlTech Team Issue bikes. One is set up as Single Speed and other is original 24 spd. If anyone has any info on these bikes, please share it. I've spoken several times with John Castellano and he says there were less than 100 made.
> Amazingly enough, I bought one bike from Utah and the other from Washington; both are the same size 20.5" and are separated by one serial number.


Cool story about the two bikes being one number off. I don't have any info about the CT's specifically, but great you got to speak with Castellano. Humble, brilliant man.

Whats up with the rusty chain on the geared bike.


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## ameybrook (Sep 9, 2006)

Likely made at Anodize, Inc., in Portland. Common design utilized on the more popular on Schwinn Homegrown FS frames.


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

Rumpfy said:


> Whats up with the rusty chain on the geared bike.


It's been sitting unused since the single speed is way more fun and lighter too.


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

ameybrook said:


> Likely made at Anodize, Inc., in Portland. Common design utilized on the more popular on Schwinn Homegrown FS frames.


What is Anodize Inc?

Schwinn Homegrown, Ibis Szazbo and the CT bikes all used similar components and the same guy behind them. Personally I think the CT's are the best of the 3.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

zygote2k said:


> What is Anodize Inc?
> 
> Schwinn Homegrown, Ibis Szazbo and the CT bikes all used similar components and the same guy behind them. Personally I think the CT's are the best of the 3.


Its good to be bias towards the bikes you have but.....


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

I agree that the Ti frame rules over aluminum, but I always thought that the Ibis frame looked weird with that curved bar and tiny pivot. The Homegrown has an arched tube in the lower triangle that looks funky too. The CT's appear to be much cruder in appearance but also much beefier construction.
I wish I had all the components from the above bike though..


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

Does anyone have any pictures of these bikes? I've actually found the silver bike in a thread from long ago and then there is the yellow one on htis site and another black one with the triple crown forks, but I know of no other images.


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## SMRTIN (Dec 17, 2012)

How does a FS single speed ride? At first I thought that chain tension would be a problem, but there is only one pivot right? So the chain length doesn't change?


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

SMRTIN said:


> How does a FS single speed ride? At first I thought that chain tension would be a problem, but there is only one pivot right? So the chain length doesn't change?


That's the number one question that everyone asks. It's very comfortable especially if I lock out the front forks.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

Frame material aside the Ibis and CT are very different riding bikes. The pivot locations dictate that.


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## Vlad (Feb 7, 2004)

I didn't know that Ibis made a Ti Szazbo. Seems kinda pointless but cool.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

Vlad said:


> I didn't know that Ibis made a Ti Szazbo. Seems kinda pointless but cool.


I believe it's a steel szasbo. the rear looks to be steel.


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## sho220 (Aug 3, 2005)

colker1 said:


> I believe it's a steel szasbo. the rear looks to be steel.


Ummmm...the "ti szazbo" on the top tube kind of gives it away...


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

sho220 said:


> Ummmm...the "ti szazbo" on the top tube kind of gives it away...


hahahaha... oh yeah..:thumbsup:


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

SMRTIN said:


> How does a FS single speed ride? At first I thought that chain tension would be a problem, but there is only one pivot right? So the chain length doesn't change?


URT design, so there's no variable chain tension from suspension travel.



colker1 said:


> I believe it's a steel szasbo. the rear looks to be steel.


Colkervision is failing you! :eekster:


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

zygote2k said:


> Does anyone have any pictures of these bikes? I've actually found the silver bike in a thread from long ago and then there is the yellow one on htis site and another black one with the triple crown forks, but I know of no other images.


Not a lot of pics out there, but this one is built nice. Your CT's should at least be running matching CT post, bars, stem, and QR's.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> URT design, so there's no variable chain tension from suspension travel.
> 
> Colkervision is failing you! :eekster:


it failed catastrophically.


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

colker1 said:


> it failed catastrophically.


what failed?

@rumpfy- I'm still looking for a 135-150mm with a 15 degree rise CT stem- just never seem to find the long ones. I have Control Tech Vbrakes and Seatpost. Would like skewers too.


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

Rumpfy said:


> Not a lot of pics out there, but this one is built nice. Your CT's should at least be running matching CT post, bars, stem, and QR's.


this bike appears to have a broken dropout that has been fixed with a flat piece of aluminum. 
this gives me confidence that I can weld a disc brake tab to the 3rd frameset that I just found.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

PM'd you about a stem.


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## proto2000 (Jan 27, 2007)

*Ti =smaller*



zygote2k said:


> I agree that the Ti frame rules over aluminum, but I always thought that the Ibis frame looked weird with that curved bar and tiny pivot. The Homegrown has an arched tube in the lower triangle that looks funky too. The CT's appear to be much cruder in appearance but also much beefier construction.
> I wish I had all the components from the above bike though..


Look how big the pivot is on the aluminum version, quite large by my standard.

a href="https://s272.photobucket.com/albums/jj198/proto2000/?action=view&current=szazbo.jpg" target="_blank">







</a


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## da'HOOV (Jan 3, 2009)

I've got one of those (Control Tech Team Issue) in my storage...I'll try to get a picture of it for ya.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

proto2000 said:


> Look how big the pivot is on the aluminum version, quite large by my standard.
> 
> a href="https://s272.photobucket.com/albums/jj198/proto2000/?action=view&current=szazbo.jpg" target="_blank">
> 
> ...


I am no expert on those (or anything) but i never heard of ti szasbos. They did steel prototypes and mountain bike action tested one of them.


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## da'HOOV (Jan 3, 2009)

here's mine. ..From an.old "stan4bikes" post and its been in storage ever since the pic was taken is 2006.:thumbsup:

http://forums.mtbr.com/vintage-retro-classic/control-tech-team-issue-fsr-238214.html


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

*Another CT frame*

I just got this one from 'retrofit' on the uk forum.
It has a 4th cable guide under the main tube with an additional guide mounted horizontally on the seat tube. Also comes with original anti chain suck device.
Derailleur hangers don't exist anywhere on the net. Only choice is to have one custom made.
I now have 3.
Pivot assembly is very simple-
1.375" aluminum tube held inside main frame by 2 clamps on the swingarm.
When I put it all together, there is some slop ( maybe .001?) in one direction but not too much anywhere else confirmed by the wear marks. The other 2 bikes have zero slop laterally. I need a unique bushing for this. I don't even know if there were additional washers or spacers with this originally.
All of the CNC work is beautifully done too.


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

*last pictures*

I also want to point out that there is absolutely zero slop or wear on the swingarm clamps. The tube fits much tighter here than the main frame.
I'm wondering if I can get another aluminum tube that is a few .001's bigger and replace it?


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

Rumpfy said:


> Not a lot of pics out there, but this one is built nice. Your CT's should at least be running matching CT post, bars, stem, and QR's.


This particular bike has a broken dropout and has been "fixed" by welding a plate over the entire dropout area. I've seen very detailed pictures of this "repair" job.
The non-drive side dropout has also been modified from original.


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## stefan9113 (Aug 4, 2008)

This particular bike has a broken dropout and has been "fixed" by welding a plate over the entire dropout area. I've seen very detailed pictures of this "repair" job.

... thats not right. First Pic shows the original drop outs, its single speed, second pics shows only a plate that I mount. So i can use a rear detaileur. There ist nothing welded. It's only mount with a screw and the axle.





Greetings Stefan


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## hollister (Sep 16, 2005)

So what very detailed pictures did he see?

Or...


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

Stefan-
Look at the 5th picture that I posted. That is what the original dropouts look like on these bikes. I have 6 of them and they are all identical. The fact that there are rear derailleur cable guides on your frame means that it was an original geared bike, not a single speed. You can easily see in your picture that there has been additional welding on the stays where it meets the dropout. These bikes were ridden hard back in the day and it appears that the one you have suffered some sort of accident to the dropout and it was "fixed" by adding additional metal.
Schwinn Homegrown, Ibis Szazbo, ControlTech Team Issue, all share similar frames and none of them were built as singlespeeds.

Hollister- I saw more than these 2 pictures of this frame. I'll even beg to ask you your opinion on this matter....


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## hollister (Sep 16, 2005)

Share the pics!


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

hollister said:


> Share the pics!


stefan has all of the pictures. that's where I saw them.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

Cat SL. Ran as SS for many years. The builders had it in mind when they designed the drop outs.


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

Stefan- show the rest of the pictures please.


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## stefan9113 (Aug 4, 2008)

"That is what the original dropouts look like on these bikes"

and why are both sides with singlepeed dropouts, when one side is bronken, why should the welded the outher side to singlepeed dropouts too? Bevore I buy the frame, it was never ridden and brand new. The frame comes with singlespeed dropouts.


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## yo-Nate-y (Mar 5, 2009)

Why did it have single-speed drop outs and cables guides for a rear mech?


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## muddybuddy (Jan 31, 2007)

After hours project by some guys at the Control Tech facility?


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## stefan9113 (Aug 4, 2008)

maybe the guys somke a big pipe when they welded it


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

If it was a one off, then it would certainly share the same tooling marks as the other frames do, but since it doesn't, then I suspect that it wasn't like this from the factory.
Look at the arc between the seat stay and the chain stay at the dropout tab on the original bike and compare the same arc on the "single speed" version. The "SS" bike has additional metal welded into this area and if this was a factory model, the dropout tab would be like the original but horizontal instead.
Another question is, where is the derailleur hanger? 
I'm calling shenanigans on this "single speed".


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## Jak0zilla (May 16, 2010)

There must be some sort of conspiracy to make counterfeit Control Tech stuff! :eekster: 

If you look over in that 90's pedal thread you can see some pedals that are CLEARLY counterfeit. We need to get to the bottom of this. 

Looks like we have a mystery on our hands gang!


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## Xlr8n (Apr 29, 2010)

Looks to be a frame in which either the factory welded on some one-off SS dropouts, or someone did later. But it looks more like factory welds to me. Doesn't look much like a repair.
The pics of zygote's factory dropouts also show a double weld at the end of the seat and chain stay tubes, likely to fill the exposed hollow-tube openings. 
From the accounts of the owner of the frame being new when he got it, seems like it was a factory custom conversion. 
Either way, Cool frame and looks like you've done a decent mod to convert it to multi-gear use without altering the drops. Enjoy it!


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## stefan9113 (Aug 4, 2008)

thank you, here you see it works


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## Boy named SSue (Jan 7, 2004)

Jak0zilla said:


> There must be some sort of conspiracy to make counterfeit Control Tech stuff! :eekster:
> 
> If you look over in that 90's pedal thread you can see some pedals that are CLEARLY counterfeit. We need to get to the bottom of this.
> 
> Looks like we have a mystery on our hands gang!


I think that Zygote, the CT uber collector, is butthurt that there is a rare variant that he doesn't own.


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## hollister (Sep 16, 2005)

Boy named SSue said:


> I think that Zygote, the CT uber collector, is butthurt that there is a rare variant that he doesn't own.


Factory ss?


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## Boy named SSue (Jan 7, 2004)

hollister said:


> Factory ss?


Now you're just rubbing it in that I'm butthurt that you have a Bonty factory SS and I don't. Lame.


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## sho220 (Aug 3, 2005)

Boy named SSue said:


> I think that Zygote, the CT uber collector, is butthurt that there is a rare variant that he doesn't own.


I have a CT prototype stem. It has special threaded inserts that spin when you try to tighten the bolts. It's designed to be adjustable on the fly...it's pretty cool!!!


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

I'm still calling shenanigans until Stefan posts better pictures with more detail.


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## Jak0zilla (May 16, 2010)

Please tell me more about these shenanigans of which you speak. What is it that you are accusing him of?


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

There have been many hoaxes perpetrated by individuals over the last few centuries. They all seem to be true with a few grainy pictures that "prove existence", but when the real light of day is cast upon them, the truth is revealed and it's easily proven for what it really is.
I'd really like it to be true that this is indeed a "factory single-speed", but I have strong doubts as to the validity of it because of the poor quality of the dropout tabs and the fact that they look noticeably different than any CT frame part.
Another strong argument against it is that there were very few, if any, full suspension single speeds made in 1997 on purpose or by accident. Even the Catamount that someone posted was a geared bike, not a single speed.

I'm not accusing anyone of anything because that is a direct violation of the MTBR forum etiquette and is a punishable offense.

Proof is in the pudding (or pictures)
Post 'em up!


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

sho220 said:


> i have a ct prototype stem. It has special threaded inserts that spin when you try to tighten the bolts. It's designed to be adjustable on the fly...it's pretty cool!!!


lol!


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

sho220 said:


> I have a CT prototype stem. It has special threaded inserts that spin when you try to tighten the bolts. It's designed to be adjustable on the fly...it's pretty cool!!!


Is "prototype" the new term that you use when you break a part and still hold onto it for some reason? If so, I have a huge box of stuff that fits that description. I'm thinking of listing it somewhere as prime "VRC" stuff... I'm sure there's a collector of that stuff that wants these things.


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## Uncle Grumpy (Oct 20, 2005)

Boy named SSue said:


> I think that Zygote, the CT uber collector, is butthurt that there is a rare variant that he doesn't own.


I think it's a shame that this has potentially driven a wedge between the entire worldwide ControlTech Team Issue Aficionado population, of 2.

Grumps


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

Au Contraire mon frere!- Coming soon to a race on the East Coast....
Team ControlTech riding 3 vintage CT bikes. 2 FS and one hardtail.
I won cool bike again at the Bakers Dozen on Saturday and our team finished 29th out of 42.


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## mik_git (Feb 4, 2004)

Na see that one is the original prototype, the CT guys were all like "Wow it came out awesome...wait, something doesn't seem quite right..."


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## Uncle Grumpy (Oct 20, 2005)

Me said:


> I think it's a shame that this has potentially driven a wedge between the entire worldwide ControlTech Team Issue Aficionado population, *of 2.*





zygote2k said:


> Team ControlTech riding 3 vintage CT bikes. *2 FS* and one hardtail.


I was right then.

Grumps


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

Uncle Grumpy said:


> I was right then.
> 
> Grumps


Which one did you want to ride?


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

zygote2k said:


> Which one did you want to ride?


The hardtail obviously. The FS ones suck!


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## da'HOOV (Jan 3, 2009)

Uncle Grumpy said:


> I think it's a shame that this has potentially driven a wedge between the entire worldwide ControlTech Team Issue Aficionado population, of 2.
> 
> Grumps


there may be more than two ;-)


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## hollister (Sep 16, 2005)

Low hanging fruit


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## Uncle Grumpy (Oct 20, 2005)

da'HOOV said:


> there may be more than two ;-)


Three if you served beer.

Grumps


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

Uncle Grumpy said:


> Three if you served beer.
> 
> Grumps


da-hoov has one of the FS bikes. I think he has the beer.


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

stefan9113 said:


> "That is what the original dropouts look like on these bikes"
> 
> and why are both sides with singlepeed dropouts, when one side is bronken, why should the welded the outher side to singlepeed dropouts too? Bevore I buy the frame, it was never ridden and brand new. The frame comes with singlespeed dropouts.


fanzy38
They also made some Single Speed bikes... 
Here are some scans from MBA, Jan'99:

unotache 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
make that ONE Single Speed Frame. 
That was my bike, with an intersting story.

MBA reviewed a polished silver gearie version of that bike a few years earlier. When the frame retruned it spent the next few years being raced by some local sponsored riders, until the der. hanger was ripped off in a crash at the Catcus Cup Dirt Boy Crit.

The frame sat in my office for a while until I convinced on the of guys to modify a set of REDLINE BMX dropouts, and had Jason Grove weld them in place.

Off to heat treat and a fresh SID blue powdercoat.

A few weeks later we got a call from MBA who was putting together a Single Speed Shootout (I think this marked when SS Jumped the Shark)

I never bothered to tell the wrecking crew we sent them the exact same frame as the reviewed a few years earlier. Note that I sent it to them with a rigid fork which they replaced with the Manitou.

CT never made another SS frame.

Stefan- the mystery is solved. Your bike has some history. Congrats.


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## Boy named SSue (Jan 7, 2004)

Hey, looks like you have contact info for unotache. Would you mind passing that my way? I have some unfinished business with Mike and he's proven difficult to get a hold of.


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

I only found that post buried on this forum. I assume you could look him up.


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