# Diamondback Axis TT 1994??



## thebobber (Jan 19, 2011)

I have what I remember to be a 1994 DB Axis TT. Anyway it has all the original xtr components and because of the light use, all work great. It has zoom old school handlebars that are very aggressive and I just put on another new smoke dart tire combination. 

The question I have is about what to do with it. I am a little worn out and this bike is way to aggressive for my old ways. Do I keep it and continue to look at it pretending the aches will go away and I will be fit again, do I sell it to someone who appreciates this vintage machine (and if so for what $) or do I modify the headset and try to make it a cool old pebble cruiser?

Thanks for your thoughts!


----------



## thebobber (Jan 19, 2011)

by the way, that was my first post and am no longer a long time lurker!


----------



## Williwoods (May 3, 2004)

Lets see a pic.


----------



## thebobber (Jan 19, 2011)

I will go and shoot one with my cell phone camera, the images usually stink but we will see.


----------



## thebobber (Jan 19, 2011)

Yeah, they came out pretty bad but you will get the idea of the rise and the bike.










Here









here


----------



## thebobber (Jan 19, 2011)

Sorry for those bad pictures, all I could muster. 
I think its a 94, it has a little blue on the decals. Anyway, I have not ridden much in the past ten years and was thinking about doing it for excercise now. I didn't know there was a market for "vintage" Mt bikes but I am not surprised. 
So, again what to do... 
What I really want to know is should I just clean off the dust and use it a few times a year until I can no longer turn a pedal (pretty soon at the wayi am going), sell it, or try to make it a cruiser (which I have no idea how, always used mechanics at local shops)


----------



## babbalanja (Jan 20, 2008)

If it still fits, I'd keep it. You may want to swap out the shock if you're going to use it for roads and light trails. Maybe get a steeper stem while you're at it--that will probably make it more comfortable.


----------



## Williwoods (May 3, 2004)

Thats a fantastic ride. 

Based on the saddle height alone looks like it may be a bit small for you, certainly that would compound the comfort issue.

My vote is for you to find another bike that fits.

Other than that the bike is fantastic, that fork maybe not so much. The m900 xtr components are the sh*t.


----------



## donny the hack (Jan 18, 2011)

*50 50*

you can always set a min price on ebay.com and if you dont get it convert it 2 an upright mt or if its small on you it might work as a cruzer because you would not need the same leg extension with d bars fat seat and flats


----------



## KDXdog (Mar 15, 2007)

A nicely disguised "what's it worth" and "for sale" post. Let us know how many PM's offers you get.

That said,

It's worth keeping. it looks great. get yourself a stem with more rise. An "aggressive" bike doesn't have to be ridden that way.


----------



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

That could make a very cool cruiser for less than it would cost to buy something decent. Great parts and frame.


----------



## thebobber (Jan 19, 2011)

Yeah, I think I am going to keep it, take it out once in a while, maybe change out the fork. So, no...not for sale. If I was sure I wanted to sell it I would put it on ebay and post links to it in the forum.


----------



## Williwoods (May 3, 2004)

get a nice rigid fork and a different stem that has more vertical rise. I would go threadless and leave the steerer fairly long, you would be amazed how much more comfortable a more upright position is.

I assume you dont ride dirt much.

dont make it into a "cruiser" its too cool for that. imho.


----------



## thebobber (Jan 19, 2011)

BTW: Dirt was all this bike has seen since day one, A trip to Red Rock Canyon for a four day trip but everything else back east. Last several years a weekend or two to Jim thorpe PA a year and thats about it. I just don't ride much anymore at all and saw it sitting out in the garage and I started thinking. 

I decided I am going to leave it close to as is, (maybe change out the fork and go with a stem with more rise) going out to put back on the old shimano 545 pedals (son borrowed it last time) and do a cleanup.


----------



## sbsbiker (Dec 1, 2007)

I got a AxisTT for $750 on pro form back in '94 and still have it. I've had a disc tab added so i use it as a winter super-commuter, and still ride the bike to this day. Even after racing/riding it for 17+ years it still tears up the trail and the frame is flawless. Keep that bike and you can hand it down to your kids.


----------



## donny the hack (Jan 18, 2011)

short stem and a different bar make a big difference you might want some old school moto cross bars from the 70s you might be able to pick them up from a motor cycle shop or try soom Skull Skate bars that were styled after the Cook Bros bars of the late 70s early 80s can be found at skullskates.com for 69 bucks and there crmo that is my fav set up donny ps you might need a shim to take either of those bars from7/8 to 1 inch


----------



## jabrabu (Aug 2, 2010)

I just came across this old thread. I have one of these bikes and I have a couple of questions.

sbsbiker, how did you add the disk tab? Was it welded on? I am planning to upgrade from cantilevers to V-brakes, but I'm curious about the disk brake upgrade. I also considered disk front, V-brake rear, but I just scored a set of new 2005 Bontrager Race X-Lite wheels for $100 and some used XTR V-brakes and don't want to buy a new front wheel right now.

I'm pretty sure mine is a 1994. I bought it as a bare frame at that time and built it up with really nice parts -- XTR derailleurs, Grip Shift, White Industries Ti hubs and bottom bracket, Cook Bros cranks, Syncros ti seatpost, Kore stem, Rocket Science handlebars, etc. In the past couple of years a lot of parts have finally worn out and have been replaced, but that frame will probably last forever.

It originally came with a steel rigid fork, and that is how it is currently set up. The steel fork is really nice -- it's a Tange Super Untralight, triple-butted Prestige fork. For most of its life, though, I had a RockShox Mag21 SL Ti on it. I just got a used SID SL fork for free, so I'm planning to rebuild that and put it on this bike.

As donny said, a different stem and handlebar make a big difference. Mine was set up with a long, zero-rise stem and narrow, flat handlebars, which was the typical race setup back in the 90's. Last year I installed a shorter stem with some rise and some riser handlebars, and it is more comfortable, less scary on downhills, and actually handles better.

Here are photos with the Mag21 and with the original rigid fork.

There are some good details on this bike in this old magazine article here:
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2...BA+Review&g2_itemId=5268&g2_imageViewsIndex=1
http://retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/mai...=1993+MBA&g2_itemId=5271&g2_imageViewsIndex=0
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2...BA+Review&g2_itemId=5274&g2_imageViewsIndex=1


----------



## thebobber (Jan 19, 2011)

Sweet, if you figured out the disk brakes tell us what you did. 

Glad I kept mine, still using me in a while.


----------



## sbsbiker (Dec 1, 2007)

Sorry to be so late answering but the disc tab was added to my DBR my my friends that work at Moots. They don't really work on other brands but one of the welders owed me a favor and did it off the clock. Any Ti builder should be able to add a disc mount to your frame. I rattle canned the frame and use it as my winter super commuter, snow riding bike and all around beater.


----------



## jabrabu (Aug 2, 2010)

I upgraded the cantilever brakes in the photo above to V-brakes, and the V-brakes work much better (they are XT levers with XTR V-brakes). They work well enough that I have no desire to upgrade to disks on this bike.

I also got a free 2003 SID fork that I rebuilt and have been running on it, but I plan to go back to the rigid fork soon. I like the handling better with the rigid fork.


----------

