# You know you're getting old when your bike from college is considered Retro bike porn



## DeoreDX (Jul 28, 2007)

I've recently dusted off my old MTB from my college days now that my 3yo son has learned to ride his Strider bike. He loves biking around the neighborhood and up and down some of undeveloped portions of the subdivision that are still dirt road covered. I'm getting him started at a young age  Of course daddy has to ride with him so I was forced to pull the old girl out of the garage and start getting her into riding shape. The grips on my old SRT600's have turned into some type of black sticky tar that have made the shifters all but unusable. I want to find another Avid Rollamajig as the one I did have on my bike was stolen and moved to my road bike. But some elbow grease and a little duct tape for impromptu SRT600 grips and she's at least ridable.

Frame is a Wheeler 5900 made from 7005 series Aluminum. I was poor in college and someone backed into my car with my GT Karakoram hanging on the back damaging the down tube. They drove away, no note or even an apology, and I was left with no bike and no money. A friend did the web page for Wheeler international, and got me a great deal on the 5900 . I had never heard of Wheeler but the price was right and it got me back on the trail. I hung some of the pretty parts I had collected over the years on her and I've had her every since. I built this one up over time between '96-98. I had always planned on replacing the frame the first chance I got as I was always a steel sort of guy, but after graduating college I started spending more money on motorcycle than bicycles and real life got int the way of riding and she's been hanging every since. You can see she needs some cleaning as it hasn't seen much action in the past 13 years since I graduated college in the fall of '98. I used to clean and maintain it twice a month and it would be so clean you could eat off of it.










Girvin Pro Carbon with coil over oil ODS system bought from a former Girvin sponsored racer who was no longer sponsored and didn't need it any more, replaced a polished Vector II which in turn replaced a Rock Shox Judy. The polished aluminum Vector II looked awesome on the front of the polished AL bike, but nothing beats the look of carbon fiber 


























Magura Blue HS22 hydraulic brakes, V's had just become the rage but I always lusted after a set of the Magura HS33's Johnny Tomac editions, but I got these on clearance so I settled for HS22's instead. These replaced my most favorite bike jewlry I ever bought, Paul's Engineering Crosstop brakes. I still have the Crosstops, doubt I'll ever get rid of them. I'll include a picture of those too. I know there were a couple of different versions of the Crosstops out there, I can't remember which ones these were.


























My bike Mojo, installed after wrapping a large snake around my rear wheel at Bartram's Trail in Tuskegee National Forest, used to help me ward off any more evil snakes.










A reminder to fasten my seat belt when I got on the bike  Safety first!










My name sake. Always had DeoreDX on my MTBs. Always will.










DeoreLX in the front with a specialized Strongarm crank. Can't remember the BB but I do remember choosing it because the spindle was hollow and a lot lighter then others.










Sun CRE16 rims, needed something beefy as any light weight rims seems to get out of true way too often for me. Specialized Team Control Kevlar beed was my tire of choice on the front end. Yes I know it's on backwards 










I always used Kevlar beaded Continental Cross Country on the rear end, great traction for me through the mud, probably my favorite tire of all time.


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## Vlad (Feb 7, 2004)

I dig the mishmash of parts.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Front wheel is on backwards (or at least the tire).

Thank your son for getting you back on a mountain bike! A tune up will do wonders and that bike is totally capable of doing what you need it to do.


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

Good for you. My story is similar. Felt stupid first cruising around the neighborhood then on simple trails with my boys while sporting a huge travel all mountain machine. Started sporting my old American and now I am addicted.


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## banks (Feb 2, 2004)

Wicked blue Maguras!


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## Vlad (Feb 7, 2004)

Dude. Fox no longer makes 80mm forks. I am not pleased.


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## 805MTB (Jul 4, 2010)

very nice ride, definitely vintage.


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## bucktruck (Jan 8, 2006)

Great to see you back on the bike. :thumbsup: And BTW, those are Crosstop Two's. There is a very good chance that I drilled the holes in those arms.

Enjoy the rides with your son.


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## banks (Feb 2, 2004)

Vlad said:


> Dude. Fox no longer makes 80mm forks. I am not pleased.


Choke a 100 or a 120mm down to 80mm.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

banks said:


> Choke a 100 or a 120mm down to 80mm.


The way my 80mm Z2 marzochi changes the front angle on my hardtail when compressing is already disturbing enough. 
Not too much of a fan of susp. forks; trails i always rode where slow tech and a flexy, angle changing, unreliable front end was a never a hit w/me. Then i was never a good rider enough to judge stuff.


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## shawn57817 (May 15, 2012)

I'm loving the Girvin Pro-Carbon Shocks. Like someone else said, the variety of parts creates a cool aesthetic. :thumbsup:


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## GMF (Jan 10, 2004)

shawn57817 said:


> I'm loving the Girvin Pro-Carbon Shocks. Like someone else said, the variety of parts creates a cool aesthetic. :thumbsup:


What I find interesting is that those aren't Pro Carbon shocks. Those are Girvin Vectors (old style linkage) with Pro Carbon legs. 
Just another bit of story to tell with that bike...


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## Vlad (Feb 7, 2004)

banks said:


> Choke a 100 or a 120mm down to 80mm.


Good idea. Time to do some research. But, with my budget, I'm a good two years away from making this bike a reality.


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## DeoreDX (Jul 28, 2007)

GMF said:


> What I find interesting is that those aren't Pro Carbon shocks. Those are Girvin Vectors (old style linkage) with Pro Carbon legs.
> Just another bit of story to tell with that bike...


Fork was from a former Girvin sponsored racer. He switched sponsors and no longer used it. Most carbon legged versions were made under the Noleen badge. This one not only has the Girvin livery but is badged as a crosslink instead of a vector. Doesn't have the Easton logo on the legs most other pro carbons have too.


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## KDXdog (Mar 15, 2007)

Holy "flashback" Batman!


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## oldsklrdr (May 15, 2012)

Just getting back into the game myself after 12 years away from the scene. 
I think I have a set of those pauls brakes in a box somewhere.
The Girvin fork is total flashback.


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## Funrover (Oct 4, 2006)

I love your bike! I miss the old purple anodized look. I had an old Girivin fork for years, I loved it. Looking back I wish I still had it!


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## johnnybgood65 (Jul 3, 2012)

I think I need to post pics of my 2000 Answer Manitou with the Purple and Blue Annodized Cranks, Handlebar and Bar Ends.


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