# Balance Al 550



## djsiryn (Apr 18, 2008)

I already have one, But I am looking for a backup frame. This frame has alot of nostalgia for me, it was one of my first almost race ready bikes and would like to have another in the garage. So if anyone has an old al550 or al750 for sale please let me know. Would prefer if it was in really good shape. Also if anyone has any pics of theirs please share. Here is a pic of my current al550. Love the geometry


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## Sideknob (Jul 14, 2005)

I had the AL450 - STXRc and a Mag 21 - it got stolen. 

I scanned and posted my old '95 Balance catalogue up here:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=339251&highlight=balance


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## djsiryn (Apr 18, 2008)

Those old catalouges are great! Brings back memories. Thats exactly what happned to my original balance around 98' after having it around 2 months:madmax: Took me almost 10 years but finally got another one:thumbsup: The one I have now the frame is the only thing that is basically original. I went to a mixture of xt and lx components and upgraded to a 9 speed rear casette. I also have a new magura hs33 hydraulic brakeset coming in this week. Always a work in progress


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## apexspeed (Jul 6, 2004)

I'll share mine with you, as long as we're being nostalgic.

Mine was a closeout frame picked up by my shop owner when I was racing dual slalom on a regular basis. It's 14" 550 frame, and was built up in '97 as a race bike:










It's now been rebuilt with a collection of vintage parts that I never got rid of, and is my wife's daily rider. Guys comment to her on the paved paths about her bike and she has no idea what they are talking about.


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## djsiryn (Apr 18, 2008)

COOL! Love those old spinnergy's:thumbsup:


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## vintagebalancerider (May 17, 2008)

*old bike new hardware.*

Good to see other people still ride these bikes. I've got an AL 550 and think it is still a killer bike. It isn't all stock but a lot of the parts are old and outdated. I ride with a bunch of guys on really cool new bikes and they look at my bike like its a dinosaur. I have thought of updating it with things like new forks, wheels, 9speed, and disc brakes, but the guy at the bike shop says it would be a waste of money. He says the new bikes out now are way better because of there geometry. Whats wrong with the geometry of my cool old Balance? I'm comfortable in pretty much any kind of terrain and I feel like it corners and handles pretty well. Anyone have any opinions on this subject?


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## djsiryn (Apr 18, 2008)

I love my old balance al-550! The guy at my lbs thinks that its the coolest thing and the geometry of the old balance was ahead of its time. As of now I have a new full 2008 xtr drivetrain, a rock shox Reba race fork and magura hydraulic rim brakes. Also just about everything else is carbon ot titanium. It comes in at a whopping 23.2 pounds which is alot lighter than the new bikes. The old balances can handle 80mm of travel without a problem and I have gone as high as 100mm. I say if you love the bike there is no waste of money in upgrading it but thats just me.:thumbsup:


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## vintagebalancerider (May 17, 2008)

*Al 550*







Started life as a green faded to polished. I had some time on my hands about ten years ago and made it all polished, it's not so polished anymore.


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## AudiSport44 (Feb 6, 2008)

Polish it again, but clear coat it this time. Then it will stay that way


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## onfloat (Jan 12, 2009)

Here's mine. I have had it since it was new in '95. I don't think I'll ever give it up.


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## Sideknob (Jul 14, 2005)

Cool onfloat. I wish I still had my AL450


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## bikin222 (Apr 23, 2007)

To the OP or anyone else interested. You are welcome to the original RID seatpost from my AL-350 (31.4 mm)

I am with you onfloat. This was my first nice bike in 95 and I still ride it. I often leave my Blur at home and use this instead...keeps me on point.


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## AudiSport44 (Feb 6, 2008)

Here is mine that I built up around a NOS AL450 frame with full XTR group(it has purple anodized NOS old school bar ends now). Every component is brand new. I also have a NOS complete FS PRO in red fade that I will post up sometime.










P.S. If any of you have a red fade (polished rear) hardtail frame in medium (or full bike) that you want to get rid of, let me know at [email protected]. New or mint shape would be great.


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## cableguyxx (May 19, 2009)

I bought an AL350 years ago, but rarely took it out. My teenage son is now joining his H.S. MTB club, so I bought him a Gary Fisher Wahoo. He's wanting me to start riding with him, and rather then buy a new bike, I'd like to use the Balance, which is still in near new shape(I've had it tuned up a few times over the years). I'd like to add front suspension to it, since right now it's still the stock fork. Can a suspension fork still be found for these? Would I need to change any other components to make one work? Sorry to go off topic; I've not seen much about these particular bikes in years. I appreciate any feedback on this.


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## AudiSport44 (Feb 6, 2008)

Not sure if you saw the picture of mine that I built up recently, but adding a suspension fork is no problem. I have an older(circa 2000) Rock Shox SID that I bought brand new last year on Ebay.Your steerer size should be 1 1/8" and wether it's threaded or not will depend on the headset and stem you're using. I wouldn't go with something that has a travel of over 100mm because the geometry of the frame isn't set up for a very long travel fork. To keep it looking nice, I'd go for a more old school Rock Shox or Manitou fork. Sometimes you can find new, or hardly used ones on Ebay. Post up a picture of the bike or send it to me at [email protected] and I can help you out more.


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## cableguyxx (May 19, 2009)

I did see your bike...looks real nice. I'll shoot a picture later this evening and post it up with as much info as I can gather.

Thanks for the help.
Darin


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## cableguyxx (May 19, 2009)

AudiSport44 said:


> Not sure if you saw the picture of mine that I built up recently, but adding a suspension fork is no problem. I have an older(circa 2000) Rock Shox SID that I bought brand new last year on Ebay.Your steerer size should be 1 1/8" and wether it's threaded or not will depend on the headset and stem you're using. I wouldn't go with something that has a travel of over 100mm because the geometry of the frame isn't set up for a very long travel fork. To keep it looking nice, I'd go for a more old school Rock Shox or Manitou fork. Sometimes you can find new, or hardly used ones on Ebay. Post up a picture of the bike or send it to me at [email protected] and I can help you out more.


Here ya go:


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## Sideknob (Jul 14, 2005)

AudiSport44 said:


> Here is mine that I built up around a NOS AL450 frame with full XTR group(it has purple anodized NOS old school bar ends now). Every component is brand new. I also have a NOS complete FS PRO in red fade that I will post up sometime.
> 
> P.S. If any of you have a red fade (polished rear) hardtail frame in medium (or full bike) that you want to get rid of, let me know at [email protected]. New or mint shape would be great.


Nice, same frame as I had. Though mine was a 16".


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## AudiSport44 (Feb 6, 2008)

Nice, it looks like it's in good shape, definitely worth saving. So yeah, you're going to need a fork that has a 1 1/8" threaded steerer, which is very hard to find now. OR, if you update the headset and stem to threadless, then the options open up a LOT more since that's what they use these days.


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## dsokoll (Aug 19, 2009)

I found an AL-550 (large frame) in an old farmhouse while looking at a used car. Paid the owner 25.00 for it. It has a Control Tech threaded aluminum stem that is 135mm and 0 deg rise. This can't be original. I put on a shorter stem a friend had laying around so i could ride it. Anyone have any idea what the original stem length and rise is?


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## wojtek170 (Nov 27, 2009)

Witam,
I'm from Poland and i'm looking for some info (original pictures etc.) about BALANCE FS 550.
I bought it in Germany, pay 30$. It is rebuilt now:


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## Sideknob (Jul 14, 2005)

wojtek170 said:


> Witam,
> I'm from Poland and i'm looking for some info (original pictures etc.) about BALANCE FS 550.
> I bought it in Germany, pay 30$. It is rebuilt now:


https://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=339251&highlight=balance


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## ChronoFish (Dec 25, 2011)

AudiSport44 said:


> Here is mine that I built up around a NOS AL450 frame with full XTR group(it has purple anodized NOS old school bar ends now). Every component is brand new. I also have a NOS complete FS PRO in red fade that I will post up sometime.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think this is the nicest of the Balance bike's I've seen.


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## used2ridealot (Apr 2, 2013)

I wonder if it still looks like that..it's been a few years since that was posted.


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## Gacin1970 (Jul 7, 2018)

*Balance 750 AL550*

Hi haven't come across many of these in auatralia i have been riding for 20 years recently a lot off road
Anyone have any info on these (still rides great)


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## AudiSport44 (Feb 6, 2008)

Please delete


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## AudiSport44 (Feb 6, 2008)

used2ridealot said:


> I wonder if it still looks like that..it's been a few years since that was posted.


I tore it down and used the parts for another frame. The Balance AL-450 is being redone; see my new build thread.


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