# What is there to know about mid-90s steel Gary Fisher frames?



## zanq (Feb 10, 2004)

As you can see from my sig., I'm in search of a mid-90s vintage steel frame. A Bontrager would be ideal but unless I find a sucker who doesn't know what they have, they are going on ebay for more than I'm willing to spend. I have seen a couple Specialized, Gary Fisher and assorted others pop up.

Does anyone know anything about mid-90s steel Gary Fisher frames? The ones I've seen claim to be 853 steel, is this correct. Were they typically 1/1/8" head tubes? I would just like to be educated if/when something becomes available.

Any info or resources you could point me to would be great! Thanks!


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## forkboy (Apr 20, 2004)

zanq said:


> As you can see from my sig., I'm in search of a mid-90s vintage steel frame. A Bontrager would be ideal but unless I find a sucker who doesn't know what they have, they are going on ebay for more than I'm willing to spend. I have seen a couple Specialized, Gary Fisher and assorted others pop up.
> 
> Does anyone know anything about mid-90s steel Gary Fisher frames? The ones I've seen claim to be 853 steel, is this correct. Were they typically 1/1/8" head tubes? I would just like to be educated if/when something becomes available.
> 
> Any info or resources you could point me to would be great! Thanks!


I am almost done rebuilding my 91 Fisher Paragon I pulled out of the trash.

It's Tange Prestige tubing
Has 1 1/4" (Evolution) headset
Has inboard cartridge bearing Bottom Bracket - no threads in BB shell.

Great bike, just some non-standard items you may or may not encounter in your search.


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## logbiter (Dec 30, 2003)

Also keep an eye out for a norco, brodie, & other canadian bikes. Longish top tube, low standover and sweet handling. I picked this norco up on fleabay for a decent price (frame only). '95 or '96 TNT, tange ultimate ultralite tubing, 1 1/8" headset & a sweet singletracker. I just built it back up with gears (rigid for now with kenda 2.35's for a bit of cush), as it deserves better than being my commuter. Pic is attached, since this is my first ride since building it back up.

I lusted after a supercaliber (or was it procaliber, i forget now) of the sweet steel variety after I riding my M2 for a while. Somewhere around '98 it's tubing went to easton. The '95 on should be 1 1/8", dunno about earlier. Also, starting in '96 some frames went to genesis geometry (which works for me, but I've got a long torso/short legs)
I believe the hookoo' was more like a standard DB 4130 type of steel, rather than a higher end cromo. 
The earlier 90's fishers often had the 1 1/4 headset (evolution?) which is easy to put a reducer in there to get it to 1 1/8" and pressed in BB, as already mentioned. by mid 90's they went 1 1/8" and "standard" BB.
sorry, that's not much help.

good luck!
Serge



zanq said:


> As you can see from my sig., I'm in search of a mid-90s vintage steel frame. A Bontrager would be ideal but unless I find a sucker who doesn't know what they have, they are going on ebay for more than I'm willing to spend. I have seen a couple Specialized, Gary Fisher and assorted others pop up.
> 
> Does anyone know anything about mid-90s steel Gary Fisher frames? The ones I've seen claim to be 853 steel, is this correct. Were they typically 1/1/8" head tubes? I would just like to be educated if/when something becomes available.
> 
> Any info or resources you could point me to would be great! Thanks!


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## Shayne (Jan 14, 2004)

*Nothing Too Desirable*

By that time Fisher's were all cookie cutter bikes stamped off the Trek production lines.

The top of the line steel frame (Excaliber?) was indeed made of 853. A local shop has a 13" bike for sale for dirt cheap but that doesn't help you.

I would heed Logbiter's advise. Canadian bikes usually slip under the radar and can be a pretty good value.


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## fanzy38 (Aug 27, 2004)

I have a 92' Procaliber, in a beautiful metallic purple color... Made from Columbus Genius, with 1"1/4 headset, inboard BB....
I really love it, and still ride it in single-speed. 
I replaced the rigid fork by a Rock-Shox Judy in 94, but might go back to rigid some day... 

If you can find one on eBay, it's a really sweet bike !

Francois


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## Hayduke1972 (Nov 12, 2004)

*watch out for 1" headtubes*

Many of the frames you mentioned are great frames, but many also had 1" headtubes (all Santa Cruz made Bontragers, Trek made Bontragers except '98, Specialized steel Stumpjumpers, mid-nineties Kona, Salsa). This is fine if your going to run a rigid fork or am happy woth the only choice available in new forks, the Marzocchi MX Comp. Depending on what year, the Fishers go something like this: Pre-'95 will have 1 1/4" headtubes which can easily be reduced to 1 1/8" but will also have the pressed in bottom brackets. '95 and newer will be Trek produced and will be standard 1 1/8" headtubes and threaded BB's. The '97 Supercaliber was 853. The '98 HKEK was True Temper Vanadium steel and was a pretty cool frame and might be found cheap. Other "bargins" you might find in steel are the Trek 970 and 990's which used True Temper OXIII steel frames. KHS had some nice steel frames as well, but beware as older ones will also be 1" headtubes. Also, the first generation Voodoo frames were nice and came in a variety of steels, from standard 4130 to 853, they were always 1 1/8" headtubes. Jenson USA is selling some 853 frames for something like $300 new as well.

Good Luck


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## zanq (Feb 10, 2004)

Hayduke1972 said:


> Many of the frames you mentioned are great frames, but many also had 1" headtubes (all Santa Cruz made Bontragers, Trek made Bontragers except '98, Specialized steel Stumpjumpers, mid-nineties Kona, Salsa). This is fine if your going to run a rigid fork or am happy woth the only choice available in new forks, the Marzocchi MX Comp. Depending on what year, the Fishers go something like this: Pre-'95 will have 1 1/4" headtubes which can easily be reduced to 1 1/8" but will also have the pressed in bottom brackets. '95 and newer will be Trek produced and will be standard 1 1/8" headtubes and threaded BB's. The '97 Supercaliber was 853. The '98 HKEK was True Temper Vanadium steel and was a pretty cool frame and might be found cheap. Other "bargins" you might find in steel are the Trek 970 and 990's which used True Temper OXIII steel frames. KHS had some nice steel frames as well, but beware as older ones will also be 1" headtubes. Also, the first generation Voodoo frames were nice and came in a variety of steels, from standard 4130 to 853, they were always 1 1/8" headtubes. Jenson USA is selling some 853 frames for something like $300 new as well.
> 
> Good Luck


Actually a 1" headtube wouldn't be all that bad, I have a '97 Judy XC with 1" steer tube that I'm trying to pair up with something. If I end up with a frame with a 1/1/8" headtube, I plan to just reduce it.

Thanks for the info!


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