# Bontrager Race Lite Restoration



## mro87 (Jun 22, 2010)

Hello everyone,

I have a Bonty Race Lite, circa 1994-1996, that I have been riding, not as my first bike but fairly often, since 2000. Frame is in fair condition and I think it is time for a new paint job. 
I am currently converting it to a single speed so this is the perfect time to do it.

I don't know of a paint shop that specializes in bicycle frames in Puerto Rico, so I'm willing to consider sending it to the US for the paint job. Any recommendations? Secondly, I would like to have the frame restickered. any suggestions on how to go about it (how to have the stickers copied; where to have them made, etc...)

Thank you in advance for your help,

Mario


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

it needs a taller fork.


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## Jak0zilla (May 16, 2010)

colker1 said:


> it needs a taller fork.


You're joking right? I'm going to make an educated guess that you are looking at the stock fork. A zero travel non-suspended fork. I believe there is a bit of difference in length between early and late Bonty forks, but I think it's a centimeter at most. Perhaps someone can illuminate that for us.

The Bontrager thread here has lots of info about decals, and a bit about paint:
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=3836&highlight=bontrager+thread


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## Boy named SSue (Jan 7, 2004)

Jak0zilla said:


> You're joking right? I'm going to make an educated guess that you are looking at the stock fork. A zero travel non-suspended fork. I believe there is a bit of difference in length between early and late Bonty forks, but I think it's a centimeter at most. Perhaps someone can illuminate that for us.


I'm not sure but I don't think so. The crowns you see around that arc so as to give the extra centimeter are off rockshox RS-1s. I don't think they ever came with rigid legs but were swappable.


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## richieb (Oct 21, 2004)

All Race Lites of that iteration were built around a 2-2.5 inch suspension fork. Running that rigid fork, though a cool spec, will make for a VERY steep front end.

Those are also the Composite forks, which have a 1 1/8 inch blade diameter at the top. That crown WILL NOT fit any suspension forks that I am aware of.

I like the paint and stickers as they are, but of you insist, Bontragers are the easiest bikes to restore, becaused you just get them repainted, and slap a new set of stickers on. There has been a guy on Ebay lately selling Bontrager reproduction decals for $20 a set.

Periodically, NOS original sets come up for a bout $65-100 a set, so keep your eyes open.


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

Somebody has to tell you, but ditch the bars.


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## muddybuddy (Jan 31, 2007)

The decals on ebay aren't as good as the ones available from gil_m over on retrobike. I just got a set from him for my race lite and they are very nice and as correct as you are likely to find. 

I think I may have the same issue with the fork as the OP. Were there different versions of the Comp fork for suspension corrected frames?


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## mro87 (Jun 22, 2010)

Thanks for the answers.

Bike has an original Bontrager rigid fork given to me by a friend who had an older Race Lite. Steerer is fairly short so I'm leaning a bit lower than I would like.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

Jak0zilla said:


> You're joking right? I'm going to make an educated guess that you are looking at the stock fork. A zero travel non-suspended fork. I believe there is a bit of difference in length between early and late Bonty forks, but I think it's a centimeter at most. Perhaps someone can illuminate that for us.
> 
> The Bontrager thread here has lots of info about decals, and a bit about paint:
> http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=3836&highlight=bontrager+thread


am I joking? a 95 MTB was built for a 2in travel Judy. 425mm A-C distance give or take.. 
that fork there has 390mm. 
BB looks way low. i like bikes riding as they were designed. YMMV.


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## hollister (Sep 16, 2005)

Jak0zilla said:


> I'm going to make an educated guess that you are looking at the stock fork.


you would be wrong

he could put a spacer under the CRA, but it looks funny


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Colkervision!!!!!!!!!


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> Colkervision!!!!!!!!!


 It's a super power.


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## mro87 (Jun 22, 2010)

colker1 said:


> am I joking? a 95 MTB was built for a 2in travel Judy. 425mm A-C distance give or take..
> that fork there has 390mm.
> BB looks way low. i like bikes riding as they were designed. YMMV.


Measured the fork... 390mm


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## Jak0zilla (May 16, 2010)

Hmm. I was remembering my 1st generation Judy XC as 415mm unloaded, and the Bontrager fork as 395mm. If I'm wrong, then I am wrong. (No my elastomer stack is not split.)

There are a LOT of Bontragers running around with this 395mm fork on them. I realize that a good chunk of them predate suspension, but that still leaves a whole bunch of them with a fork that is 15-30mm too short. We sold about a half dozen Race/Race-Lites at the shop I worked at with a rigid Bonty fork, I was not aware of Bontrager making the distinction between suspension length and non-suspension length forks after that initial run of "ORRS" frames.

So what are you saying is the "proper" rigid fork length for a 93-95 frame? 410mm? I've got a 440mm Kona fork on another (completely different) frame, and it looks crazy long next to the Bonty frame. Would push the headtube height up into this decade, and drop the head tube angle back to "loaded with panniers" territory.


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## KDXdog (Mar 15, 2007)

I took off the Bomber on my 96 Race, and put on my old Fat big 1 inch.

The Bomber worked ok, but felt heavy and when compressed, the bb felt low, as I was smacking the crank on rocks.

Now, with the FAT rigid fork, she feels much better! Looks better too!


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

Jak0zilla said:


> Hmm. I was remembering my 1st generation Judy XC as 415mm unloaded, and the Bontrager fork as 395mm. If I'm wrong, then I am wrong. (No my elastomer stack is not split.)
> 
> There are a LOT of Bontragers running around with this 395mm fork on them. I realize that a good chunk of them predate suspension, but that still leaves a whole bunch of them with a fork that is 15-30mm too short. We sold about a half dozen Race/Race-Lites at the shop I worked at with a rigid Bonty fork, I was not aware of Bontrager making the distinction between suspension length and non-suspension length forks after that initial run of "ORRS" frames.
> 
> So what are you saying is the "proper" rigid fork length for a 93-95 frame? 410mm? I've got a 440mm Kona fork on another (completely different) frame, and it looks crazy long next to the Bonty frame. Would push the headtube height up into this decade, and drop the head tube angle back to "loaded with panniers" territory.


Just measure BB drop/ height and head angle. whatever gets you close to KBs catalog numbers is good.


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## scooderdude (Sep 27, 2004)

Both my '95 Race and Race Lite are "suspension corrected". But, then again, so is my '90 OR, too, and mated to a first gen RS-1.

I notice the two-piece seat stays. Were all Bonty frames of that vintage suspension corrected? I suspect not, as my Race actually came with a hanging tag indicting it happened to be susp. corrected, but there was also a category with check box on the tag for non-susp corrected, too.


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