# Blue Collar Vintage - Swap meet finds, commuter bikes and overseas production bikes!



## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

So, did you get a sweet score on your local craigslist, Ebay, the classifieds, good will, a dumpster or under your buddy's house? Does the bike have classic mountain bike lines, if not the pedigree to make aficionados palms sweat? Well, here is a thread for those bikes. Let's see 'em and tell the bike's story!

And let's try to be civil here - this is for show and tell - not dumping on bike's you think are POS's. Let the title of the thread be your warning 

I'll get things started with this unfortunate CR-7. Licensed from Richard Cunningham the CR-7 composite design was cool - if pointless. I'm not sure what this particular mix of steal and aluminum was supposed to achieve but if the goal was to make the bike heavy, this CR-7 was perfect-o. I snagged this bike on Ebay a few years ago for $75 with an extra $25 for shipping. Ah, the good ol days. The bike looked clean but first time I rode I was saddened to discover cracks in the welds at the head tube and seat tube. I can't imagine what caused the problem. This picture was taken in my old bike parking unit in Toronto. I wish I had bike parking now.


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## stan4bikes (May 24, 2006)

nice idea BP but . It's like being relegated to the back of the bus....that idea didn't work either...but thanx for trying . I think I'll pass on posting any pictures for awhile. I guess I just don't fit here.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Don't think of it as a slam Stan. Think of it as a thread where you won't get any grief. A place where you can go and see aaaalllll your bikes in one place.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

stan4bikes said:


> nice idea BP but . It's like being relegated to the back of the bus....that idea didn't work either...but thanx for trying . I think I'll pass on posting any pictures for awhile. I guess I just don't fit here.


Stan we'd be sad if you left. Its not you its your bikes. 

I will admit, the rusty junkers were getting a bit old and kinda bringing down the feel of the forum, but I personally liked having you around. And hey I got a few nice things from you, so thanks for being cool. VC's maybe a bit grouchy tonight, but don't let it scare you away. He'll probably be posting pics of his Privateer alongside some of your stuff here shortly. 

Keep hunting the bikes. Your gonna get a gem one of these days.


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## TRIPLE R (Jan 17, 2008)

yer man stick with it,this is all new to me and I tend to be drawn to VRC even tho I dont own what could be classed as vrc stock and I float arownd difrent genres in here and if you butt heads remember its just two difrent opinions,I once fort kliens wer ugly but after seeing so meny here I kinda like them,when I started my Stealth thread I fort no one would reply and I was stoked that I got so much responce,I think haven a break is good but like the sayin goes.......Its like riden a bike....


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## MendonCycleSmith (Feb 10, 2005)

bushpig said:


> CR-7 composite design was cool - if pointless. I'm not sure what this particular mix of steal and aluminum was supposed to achieve


Perhaps I'm sticking my head out here, but Raleigh did the same thing with the Technium series. My understanding was, it being the early days of aluminum with many complaining on the loss of comfort afforded by steel, this idea gave you a stiffer front end (who'd complain there?  ) while keeping the more compliant rear. Figured that was somehting all knew here, so beat me up if I missed some tongue in cheek aspect of what you said


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## Zanetti (Sep 18, 2005)

bushpig said:


> Licensed from Richard Cunningham the CR-7 composite design was cool - if pointless. I'm not sure what this particular mix of steel and aluminum was supposed to achieve but if the goal was to make the bike heavy, this CR-7 was perfect-o.


There were a few reasons,

1. Forming aluminum tubes to accomodate fat rear tires, short chainstays, and triple chainrings was too labor intensive at the time to be practical.

2. Pre-fab aluminum "braze-on" parts like cantilever brake studs and cable stops didn't exist, but the steel versions did.

3. Replaceable derailleur hangers didn't exist and aluminum dropouts were considered a weak spot for MTB use. The steel rear end was easily aligned with standard shop tools, and could be replaced if damaged beyond repair.


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## Veloculture (Dec 18, 2005)

Bushpig: thanks, this is a good suggestion. i moderate a bike forum as well and we have similar threads for this kind of stuff. 

Stan, don't think of this as being regulated to the back of the bus. your mass market bikes are interesting to a few people but every single bike you find doesn't deserve it's own thread. lately it seems like for every cool bike thats posted there are three junkers. that ratio is bring the quality down. i think in general your postings are nice and high energy and i wouldn't mind meeting you at all. we could laugh about this over a beer someday. i saw people kindly and gently telling you for a LONG time and it seemed like a stronger message was needed to move us forward on this subject. 

this thread is a good idea and please don't stop being a contributing member.


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## DoubleCentury (Nov 12, 2005)

Interesting points Zanetti. I hadn't appreciated all of those.


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

MendonCycleSmith said:


> Perhaps I'm sticking my head out here, but Raleigh did the same thing with the Technium series. My understanding was, it being the early days of aluminum with many complaining on the loss of comfort afforded by steel, this idea gave you a stiffer front end (who'd complain there?  ) while keeping the more compliant rear. Figured that was somehting all knew here, so beat me up if I missed some tongue in cheek aspect of what you said


I knew the ride argument but it seemed pretty theoretical and certainly wasn't delivered with the CR-7. It was a harsh riding bike! The points made by Zanetti seem more nuts and bolts manufacturing justifications. The Ti/steel hybrid frame made by Merlin/Mongoose was an interesting mix.


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

Speaking of the Raleigh composites - here is on I picked up on Ebay. I bought the bike for the cranks. This frame was donated to a local bike charity.

This one was too big for me to ride but I heard that they were kind of dead.

Let's see more pics and less talky!


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

DoubleCentury said:


> Interesting points Zanetti. I hadn't appreciated all of those.


Zanetti has it exactly right. I think I posted those same reasons a few years ago in the Mantis thread regarding the XCR. There was another poster that doesnt come around anymore that was stating that it was for a stiffer rear end and a more compliant rear end. That is not what RC ever said and besides, aluminum frames in the 80s were considered to be more compliant than steel anyway. In fact the XCR test that I have says that it rides smooth due to its less-dense, aluminum front triangle.

But I will agree, that CR-7 is a tank and must ride like a brick. The Mantis XCR version isnt so tanky. I still need to build mine up to see how she rides.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

bushpig said:


> I knew the ride argument but it seemed pretty theoretical and certainly wasn't delivered with the CR-7. It was a harsh riding bike! The points made by Zanetti seem more nuts and bolts manufacturing justifications. The Ti/steel hybrid frame made by Merlin/Mongoose was an interesting mix.


and i remember an article on mtn biking raving about this bike and the myata. ahhh... magazines.


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## CS2 (Jul 24, 2007)

bushpig said:


> Speaking of the Raleigh composites - here is on I picked up on Ebay. I bought the bike for the cranks. This frame was donated to a local bike charity.
> 
> This one was too big for me to ride but I heard that they were kind of dead.
> 
> Let's see more pics and less talky!


I've got an 89 Chill with the same paint job. Only difference is the 89 has the Deore II group with cantis front & rear. I bought mine for the group. When I got it the bike was in such nice shape I couldn't bear to strip it. So, it's sitting in the garage waiting for something. 

Tim


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## Smurf Hunter (Mar 13, 2008)

I made a fresh post last night, but either Merida is too European to be familiar, or my bike really is a POS. I agree the magnesium tubes bonded into the steel rear triangle and the paint job is extra funky, but thought it'd spark more interest than it has.

Read the whole blog entry at https://www.yunt.net/blog/?p=367


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## muddybuddy (Jan 31, 2007)

Smurf Hunter said:


> I made a fresh post last night, but either Merida is too European to be familiar, or my bike really is a POS. I agree the magnesium tubes bonded into the steel rear triangle and the paint job is extra funky, but thought it'd spark more interest than it has.
> QUOTE]
> 
> Looks like someone was doing trials with it.


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## Smurf Hunter (Mar 13, 2008)

Because of the lack of middle and big rings, or the over sized (for the time period) tires I've thrown on there?


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## TRIPLE R (Jan 17, 2008)

*I would ride it*

[]


Smurf Hunter said:


> I made a fresh post last night, but either Merida is too European to be familiar, or my bike really is a POS. I agree the magnesium tubes bonded into the steel rear triangle and the paint job is extra funky, but thought it'd spark more interest than it has.
> 
> Read the whole blog entry at http://www.yunt.net/blog/?p=367


I would ride it I would put a middle ring on it tho,Merida has gone way hi tech now with carbon thay are very popular here in N.Z and in Australia too,but dont think they are Euro tho.:thumbsup:


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## TRIPLE R (Jan 17, 2008)

they started in japan in 1972


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## muddybuddy (Jan 31, 2007)

mostly due to the lack of chainrings. 

I've always had a thing for the bonded frames, and I'm liking the paint. pretty cool.:thumbsup:


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## TRIPLE R (Jan 17, 2008)

do you know the materials used


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## Smurf Hunter (Mar 13, 2008)

TRIPLE R said:


> do you know the materials used


The fork, stem and rear triangle are some sort of chromoly steel. I know this because it had rust and I had to bend the derailer hanger straight (used a Park DAG-1).

I've done some research on the main tubes. Some sources indicate magnesium. I'm no metallurgist, and if I had to guess I'd say aluminum.

How can I tell magnesium from aluminum?


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## azjeff (Jun 3, 2006)

Smurf Hunter said:


> How can I tell magnesium from aluminum?


A torch? :yesnod:

sorry


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## Smurf Hunter (Mar 13, 2008)

azjeff said:


> A torch? :yesnod:
> 
> sorry


That'd be quite the youtube video if I rode a flaming frame down some 20% grade.



triple R said:


> I would ride it I would put a middle ring on it tho,Merida has gone way hi tech now with carbon thay are very popular here in N.Z and in Australia too,but dont think they are Euro tho.


For the record, I fully plan to put rings on it. The middle one was on back order and I was to lazy to install/remove the big ring twice.

My dad worked in the shipping industry for years, and specialized was one of his customer at the time we lived in Taipei (we were American ex-pats). I'm not sure exactly where this bike was destined for export, but was told not the USA, and this particular bike was a demo model from the factory show room or something like that. Got it new in 1989, so my memory is vague.


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## TRIPLE R (Jan 17, 2008)

Smurf Hunter said:


> The fork, stem and rear triangle are some sort of chromoly steel. I know this because it had rust and I had to bend the derailer hanger straight (used a Park DAG-1).
> 
> I've done some research on the main tubes. Some sources indicate magnesium. I'm no metallurgist, and if I had to guess I'd say aluminum.
> 
> How can I tell magnesium from aluminum?


not sure but from what I have seen from my old magnesium forks is a mat finish(metal exposed) and if you give it a flick it doesnt make a ting sound like steel and aluminium but I not an xpert either,but if you live near a scrap metal dealer/sorter/recycler thay should have a lazer that they zap the metal with and it tells you what grade/metal it is,It is softer too,mag wheels on custom cars were called mags short for magnesium,they were replaced with alloy wheels as alloy is more harder and didnt bend/break as easy in crashes and miner scrapes


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## soreyes (Mar 16, 2007)

Smurf Hunter said:


> ...
> I've done some research on the main tubes. Some sources indicate magnesium. I'm no metallurgist, and if I had to guess I'd say aluminum....


The Merida site has some history that indicates it might be aluminum.

Merida History 93

"- the aluminum Bond Mountain Bike, Albontech & Carbon Bond Mountain bike, Dura-Carbon, honorably won the "Symbol of Excellence Award" and the "Award of Excellent Innovative Product" (TBEA) "


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## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

I walked into a bike store i've shopped at for 15 years yesterday, say to the guy behind the cash who I've known that long... "what's the story behind that Norco frame that's been hanging there for 8 months?"

(a little background here, the bike store has no brands but their own, they custom build every bike from the frame up, and there's 70 or so frames hanging there, Al, Carbon, Carbon/Al, Titanium...in road, tri, touring/cx, mtb, full suspension, and urban/jump varieties with this one old used Norco hanging tween a pair of Ti frames)

"I don't know its story either, I'd like to get rid of it, you can have it if you want." comes his response.

So, instant free frame with a crankset & BB and semi-stuck (it came out with lots of upward hammer action) seatpost. I'll post pics when I finish rebuilding it into something in the next week but basically, 1993 Norco Bigfoot SP, Tange MTB butted tubing, 18.5" size, blue in colour.


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## Smurf Hunter (Mar 13, 2008)

DeeEight said:


> So, instant free frame with a crankset & BB and semi-stuck (it came out with lots of upward hammer action) seatpost. I'll post pics when I finish rebuilding it into something in the next week but basically, 1993 Norco Bigfoot SP, Tange MTB butted tubing, 18.5" size, blue in colour.


I love hearing stories like that.


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

Smurf Hunter said:


> I love hearing stories like that.


Yep - great to have an in at the LBS!


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