# what year is my bontrager privateer comp?



## gotdirt (Jan 17, 2006)

okay so i know some 'race' folks look down on the privateers , but mine has been beloved since i bought it new back in the fall of '97 out in NYC. i plan to keep it forever, though i did just (reluctantly) convert it to more of an urban daily ride (rigid fork) after my second englund air cartridge blew out in the original judy (as i'm sure i don't have to tell any of you, finding a 1" threaded suspension fork ain't easy). anyway, i'm not sure what year it actually is: it is grey w/ yellow decals. i've got a couple of bontrager catalogues-- the '96 copy shows a "silver" privateer comp w/ yellow decals? mine is definitely more grey than silver, but i suppose it could just be the photo... so was this color combination available other years?

between my time out east and now back in CO i've only ever seen a handful of bontragers on the trail, and most seem to be either the rasta color scheme or blue/orange.

anyway, just stumbled across this forum and figured somebody here would know.

thanks in advance.


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## richieb (Oct 21, 2004)

There's a German website with a bunch of scans of Bontrager catalogues. Surely you will find you bike in one of those. Search the forum here for "catalogue scans" and you should find it.

Oh, found it - http://www.mtb-kataloge.de/

BTW - mine is always a good home for old and busted suspension forks looking for new life, should that fork of yours need a place to stay during its recuperation. 

-Richard


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## gotdirt (Jan 17, 2006)

hey thanks for that link!

well unless they also made a silver/gray w/ yellow in '95 (no catalogue), i can say now i'm 99% certain mine is a '96. though they did offer the same color scheme in '97, the decals are a bit different (mine had the OR on the top tube). the other big difference is the switch from cantilever to linear-pull brakes in '97 (for the privateer XT kit).

i'm gonna hold on to this judy fork "just in case", as it does have the black bontrager offset crown... 

cheers.


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## Boy named SSue (Jan 7, 2004)

gotdirt said:


> hey thanks for that link!
> 
> well unless they also made a silver/gray w/ yellow in '95 (no catalogue), i can say now i'm 99% certain mine is a '96. though they did offer the same color scheme in '97, the decals are a bit different (mine had the OR on the top tube). the other big difference is the switch from cantilever to linear-pull brakes in '97 (for the privateer XT kit).
> 
> ...


Decals saying OR and a Bonty offset Judy point to your bike being a race or racelite unless you specifically upgraded the fork. You might want to check your frame against the SC built Bontragers. There are a few telltale differences. Check to see if the rear dropouts are cast or stamped from sheet metal. If they are cast you have a privateer, if they are stamped, it is SC built.

There isn't too much looking down at privateers on this forum. Cool bike either way.


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## gotdirt (Jan 17, 2006)

it is definitely the comp, as it says so on the seat tube... also appears that it was the last year they used the OR decal on the top tube??










and yes i did upgrade the fork (and pedals) at the time of purchase. 



Boy named SSue said:


> Decals saying OR and a Bonty offset Judy point to your bike being a race or racelite unless you specifically upgraded the fork. You might want to check your frame against the SC built Bontragers. There are a few telltale differences. Check to see if the rear dropouts are cast or stamped from sheet metal. If they are cast you have a privateer, if they are stamped, it is SC built.
> 
> There isn't too much looking down at privateers on this forum. Cool bike either way.


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## gotdirt (Jan 17, 2006)

here's the '97 for comparison -- in case it helps anyone in the future.  
('96 pictured above).


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## Boy named SSue (Jan 7, 2004)

gotdirt said:


> here's the '97 for comparison -- in case it helps anyone in the future.
> ('96 pictured above).


Whoops, my mistake. I had never seen the '96 with the OR. I've only noticed the '97 style where OR was replaced with privateer.

cheers


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## smithcreek (Nov 27, 2012)

I'd start a new thread, but I don't have enough posts. Does anyone know the size of the crown race on the headset of a '96 Privateer comp? Tange-Levin has a 26.4 and 27.0. I have a little play that tightening does not remove. Thanks!


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## laffeaux (Jan 4, 2004)

smithcreek said:


> I'd start a new thread, but I don't have enough posts. Does anyone know the size of the crown race on the headset of a '96 Privateer comp? Tange-Levin has a 26.4 and 27.0. I have a little play that tightening does not remove. Thanks!


The difference between a 26.4 and 27.0 mm headset is related to the fork, not the frame. 26.4mm is the "standard" 1-inch fork headset. Some forks use a JIS standard steerer tube which is 27.0mm - these forks are much less common than a standard 26.4mm fork steerer.

So, measure the diameter of the fork that you're using. And unless you have an odd-ball fork, you should need a 26.4 mm headset.


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## smithcreek (Nov 27, 2012)

Thank you very much! I could not tell exactly from the diagram what the 26.4 was referring to, but your explanation clears it up. The fork is a plain old Rock Shox Quad 21R.


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