# '89 Specialized Stumpjumper Comp



## PCC (Sep 5, 2005)

Way back in 1989 I bought a metallic white 20" Specialized Stumpjumper Comp, brand new, at a LBS. I added clips and straps almost right away and swapped the saddle for an Avocet Gel Flex model. I upgraded the brakes to Dia-Comp SS5 levers and 986 cantilevers a year or two later. Unfortunately, I stopped riding that bike, except for an occasional ride to the store or something, for a long time.

When I bought it they did not have my size available so I bought the next closest one. I should have bought an 18" model for my 5'7" frame but bought a 20" instead. It does not feel too large to me, though, and I have no problems riding it. I still have the original receipt and owner's manual!

Last year I sold that bike to my cousin (who never paid me for it) who loaned it to his nephew. His nephew thought his generous uncle gave it to him so he started to take it apart to repaint it. By the time my cousin figured out what was happening his nephew had removed all of the original stickers but had not started to strip the original paint nor had tried to paint over the original paint. He brought it back to me to put back together. I decided to take it back since he had not paid for it.

Today, I've upgraded a few things:
Mavic XC717 rimbrake rims, 28 hole front and 32 hole rear
Wheelsmith DB spokes, 2X up front and non-drive rear and 3X on the driveside
Shimano Ultegra rear freehub
WTB front hub
Shimano Ultegra 12-27 rear cassette
Shimano Deore LX Rapidfire shifters
Shimano Deore XT RapidRise rear derailleur (to match the rear derailleur on my Cannondale Prophet)
Avid V-brakes and levers
Ritchey WCS aluminum flat bar
Performance brand slicks
Cannondale clipless pedals from the Prophet
Ritchey WCS foam grips which are very similar to the Grab-On foam grips I had on there before
Fizik Pave saddle

The original seatpost has been chopped down and tuned to make it lighter (I was bored one day).

The thing is, I have most of the original parts to completely restore this bike back to almost original condition. I do not have one of the original Shimano XT cantilever brakes, brake levers, grips, nor the brake cables and housing. Shimano used to use this really thick brake cable and housing for the brakes. I can probably get the cantilever brake and levers back from my friend.

As it is it's a great in-town bike and I occasionally put a rack on it to go shopping. It has been used as a tow bike for my daughter's trail-a-bike, too. I'll probably never ride this bike on dirt unless it is absolutely smooth (part of the reason I stopped riding is because of a neck injury I sustained back in '95 - doctor's orders).

The questions are: should I leave this bike the way it is or restore it to the way it was when I bought it? Is this bike, being an '89, even considered retro? Anyone else out there own one of these from a similar vintage?


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## cegrover (Oct 17, 2004)

I bought one off Ebay last year, fixed it up and sold it (too small for me). It had all original parts and brought a couple hundred bucks, IIRC. You can find it here: http://www.geocities.com/cegrover/vintagemtb.html

Anyway, it's not really a collectable bike, but is certainly a nice one and certainly qualifies as vintage/retro. If you're getting good use out of it for towing and town stuff, I say leave it how you like to ride it. "Ordinary" late 1980s Stumpies certainly have a following, but were produced in big numbers; so they're not too hard to find and don't command high prices. The Comp was the second from the top of the line, with a Team model above it. The team models are harder to find.


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## ScottyMTB (Oct 26, 2005)

Definately retro. Keep it as a townie until somebody sees you riding it around and offers you a couple hundred for it.


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## wxflyer (Apr 30, 2006)

*Certainly Vintage*

I almost bought one in '88, but wanted something "different" ie not quite so common, so I bought a Jamis Dakar.

The late 80s Stumpjumpers were quality bikes with good components. I saw alot of them on the trails back in those days. I'd say ride it spec'd as you like, unless you have a burning desire to keep it "original" for nostagia's sake. Enjoy.

Cheers,
John


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

I have one as well. We got a couple of them on closeout for Specialized at the end of the year in a larger size at the shop. They were so inexpensive on closeout that we could buy them for less than we could buy the parts group. So we stripped them of their parts and used the parts to build up a couple Ritcheys or something, I don't recall what. Anyway, one of the frames, a pearl black color, sat in the shop for years and I finally got sick of seeing it around so I stripped off all of the decals and built it up with leftover used parts and a few of my spares and used it as my bar bike. I'm tall and even in size jumbo it fits pretty well. That thing is nice to ride and I still keep it as my running errands bike with fenders and a Bruce Gordon rear rack and lights, etc.


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## rockyuphill (Nov 28, 2004)

PCC said:


> The thing is, I have most of the original parts to completely restore this bike back to almost original condition. I do not have one of the original Shimano XT cantilever brakes, brake levers, grips, nor the brake cables and housing. Shimano used to use this really thick brake cable and housing for the brakes. I can probably get the cantilever brake and levers back from my friend.


Loose Screws has the 2mm cable and casing

http://www.loosescrews.com/index.cg...Casing&tc=&item_id=SH-80A0025&id=725032013367

http://www.loosescrews.com/index.cg... Cable&tc=&item_id=SH-8009803&id=725032013367

they even have some NOS DiaComp 980 canti brake sets

http://www.loosescrews.com/index.cg...Complete&tc=&item_id=DC-980BS&id=725032013367

and Cambria has the old XT cable sets as well

http://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.asp?id=23740


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## PCC (Sep 5, 2005)

As it sits, now, I have stripped this frame almost down to a bare frame and fork. I'm probably going to completely strip it to a bare frame and fork then have it powdercoated before I build it back up again. I still have the original derailleurs, seatpost, headset, one set of cantilevers (front or back), but none of the other original parts are in my possession. I can get my original handlebar back as well as the original brake levers and the other cantilever (went on a friend's bike that has a rear U-brake), and I have a not quite correct 730 crankset in 170mm and with 46/36/26 Bio-Pace chainrings (original was 175mm, 48/38/28). I just can't seem to bring myself to sell this old bike. I even bought some reproduction Specialized decals for this bike in red. Decisions, decisions...


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

One day I will need to take pics of my old Specialized. It is a Rockhopper from 87 or 88. I had roller cam bosses brazed on the forks and retrofit it with XC9000 RCs. I dig it


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## CS2 (Jul 24, 2007)

PCC said:


> I even bought some reproduction Specialized decals for this bike in red. Decisions, decisions...


Are the decals the version with the blue lightning bolt in the middle of the lettering? Where did you get them?


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## PCC (Sep 5, 2005)

No, they were a kind of reproduction of a '90 or '91 Specialized Stumpjumper decal set that someone in Germany made up some time ago. We PM'd each other about them and I PP'd some money to him and a few weeks later these decals showed up at my door. I don't think he went into production on them. I believe that he had the drawings on his computer and just brought them to a place that makes signs and had them cut out.


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