Is It Worth Upgrading a Vintage Mountain Bike? The Teal Steel Finale!
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- čas přidán 6. 05. 2020
- Today we're discussing vintage mountain bikes and if they are worth upgrading. We'll look at what they are good at, and some things they aren't so great at.
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Parts used for this build:
Handlebar: amzn.to/3b3Zh9q
Stem: amzn.to/35wGthT
Tires: amzn.to/2VZFovW
Quill Adapter: amzn.to/2z7TaUm
Cable Hanger: amzn.to/2xxtpwp
ESI Pink Grips: amzn.to/2SyXVNH
Brake Levers: amzn.to/2L0lQ4i
Teal RaceFace Chester Pedals: amzn.to/35tr9CQ
Pink Bottle Cages: amzn.to/2W2vbPG
FSA Megatooth Chainring: amzn.to/2L1NNso
Chainring Bolts: amzn.to/3fhIi6R
Bottom Bracket: amzn.to/2YtTM1j
Chain: amzn.to/3c30yPz
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Saving anything from a landfill does everyone a favour
26inch ain't dead ....
Man, I just did this. Bought a 91 Rockhopper to be my grocery getter. New chain, seat, grips, and I was loving it. Then a week later I saw the identical bike on sale for $60...bought it and now I bought wheels, cassette, rear derailleur, shifter, nw chain ring, pedals, and grips. Turning it into a 1x10. I blame the pandemic on my spending.
haha the internet is a dangerous place when you're at home all day. I luckily didn't start any new projects during this pandemic, so it's kept my spending down. I hope you enjoy your two bikes!
@@CobraKyle i spent like $300 for a shimano deore 12 speeds components. Painted an 80's frame bought deore break levers. Ive spent like 500 already 😅
I’ve just upgraded a £22 Diamondback with new v brakes, lock on grips, maxxis tyres, new pedals saddle and bull horn bar ends..
Must have spent 5x the bike value but best fun I’ve had on a bike for years. And it’s f’ing cool!
Note: I also bought a trials bike and hard tail bike this month which I’ve literally done the same thing with 🤦🏼♂️
I think vintage MTB's are the best value for commuters, street and mild trail. Converting them into a 1X drive train is a good choice as long as your okay with a freewheel gear limitation. Cantilever brakes are given bad press but considering the maintenance, they are far better than discs (unless you are doing actual MTB). I think you can buy a vintage MTB for under 100$ and put 300$ into it, giving you a customized ride equivalent to a 1000$ bike.
Teal Steel is like Cobra Kyle dating a much, much older woman. She teaches Kyle things he's never seen, and tries new things he's never heard (will it hurt?) but in the end, can't commit to her, but he does answer her very late night texts.
This.is.golden! :D
It's like you read my autobiography "Cobra Kyle's Ultimate Secrets to a Shameful Love Life"
I think it was worth it because you made it your own, and you can't find that in a store. Besides it's a really cool lookin bike, nice job, and congrats.
Thank you! This bike is for sure a one of a kind at this point.
I just bought an 87 in teal… u brake… its in nice shape. I’ll replace the pedals. What kind did you Put?
I have 2003 Kona cinder cone, converted to 1x10 full race face crank set, stem and handle bars. The most fun I’ve had on a bike.
Great bike! Something very satisfying about a simplistic rigid design.
Most of the gnarliest trails around me were built 30 years ago, and whenever I approach a feature that intimidates me, I find it fascinating to think about the guys that built it and rode it on rigid bikes with steep head angles, skinny tires, narrow bars, and all that crazy stuff. Here I am sweating it on a $7k bike, haha! It can be inspiring and dehumanizing at the same time 😆
I was scared riding down those stairs for this video. I wouldn't even bring this bike to Arizona haha.
@@CobraKyle It blows my mind to think about people riding North Shore on those bikes back in the day. I would love to see someone make a vid where they ride North Shore on a vintage bike to compare it to a modern day sled.
Also just want to add that I've converted 26" wheels to tubeless using gorilla tape and been running them for about 3 years without any problems. I run them at between 25 and 35 psi and they are great.
omg that is me saying nice bike man it was downtown austin somewhere
Vintage mountain bikes are so much better than ultra-expensive modern mountain bikes. Not better in actual performance, but better in every other way like looks, simplicity, nostalgia etc. I absolutely love vintage mountain bikes from the 80's and 90's. I grew up in Ontario Canada, a child in the 80's and teen in the 90's. I have so many wonderful biking/mountain biking memories with my friends. We all had & rode these mountain bikes from that era. We loved our bikes and all the good times we had. We rode urban probably even much more than we rode trails. Some of the very best times of my life was riding around with my friends. It didn't matter where went or what we did, all that mattered was we were together, happy & free and loved our bikes. Sometimes we went camping in the summers with all our gear carried on our bikes. I'm 40 now and almost in tears writing this, nostalgic tears of joy. And old mountain bikes from this era played a big role in our happiness. Norco, Raleigh, GT, Diamondback, BRC, Yokota, CCM, Ozark Trail etc...
I like new bikes, but I have a soft spot in my heart for the bikes that started the whole trend. I just got done restoring a late 90’s Specialized Hardrock fs, and I love it. I will be doing a cheap video on it soon if anyone is interested in watching it. Mine was inches away from being scrapped, and I just didn’t have the heart to see it happen.
I can't believe this but I literally just started this exact same project... same bike... same year... same colour! I was looking on facebook marketplace for an 80s MTB to restore and ride to mix things up from my Devinci Troy and holy crap when I saw the hardrock I knew it was perfect! Can't believe someone else beat me to this exact project (and put it on CZcams!).
So far I've stripped everything and just finished regreasing the wheel bearings. Hyped to get everything back together with all new cables and everything and shred!
That's super cool dude! Sorry I beat you to the punch haha. It was such a fun bike. Just sold it a couple weeks ago. Hopefully you don't spend as much money on it as I did. If you got Instagram tag me in a pic of it when you're done. Would love to see it! @Cobra_Kyle
i am restoring a 1998 scott timber here in Brazil, it is an incredible experience to discover how good the bikes were already.
The Teal Steel songs are pretty great! I've witnessed this thing in action, its slightly scary but still pretty cool. I'd think someone would love to be seen riding this so they'll be asked "Hey, isn't that Cobra Kyle's Teal Steel?!" They'll have a trail talking point for years to come...and a sore taint!
I made a Teal Steel video once without the song and people were asking me where it was. I guess this bike is more popular due to it's theme song. It's truly unique, so I think someone would love to have this thing. My wallet is counting on it!
As someone who has a teal steel that my dad bought back in the 80s its an awesome bike
Totally rad bike! Glad you get to experience one...especially one your dad owned.
I still have my 1988 Specialized Hardrock. I rebuilt it with period parts. Love that bike . . . my first mountain bike
Kinda funny that YT suggested this video to me considering Cobra Kyle hasn't posted in over a year. I had been watching numerous vintage bike builds lately because I recently built up my 1998 Barracuda XC URT frame into a softtail gravel bike. 1 x7 drivetrain, friction thumbshifter, Carver steel fork (suspension correct), Paul Components Cross Stop 3's front and rear, and a bunch of Amazon purchased parts. It rides so well as a 26" wheeled gravel bike, I am planning on riding the Katy Trail in Missouri next year on it, complete with front and rear racks.
Great video and interesting series. I have a 1995 Hardrock that I ride almost every day. I appreciate its simplicity and versatility. Definitely a jack of most trades and master of none. Just like you, I got mine for $100 and then dropped $200 into maintenance. Am I upset? No. I am not a serious mountain biker looking to do gnarly drops or rock gardens. I just wanted a high quality bike for about what I would have paid at Wal-Mart. Rest assured that the lessons that you learned on Teal Steel inspired me to keep mine 98% stock, while getting the most joy out of riding it possible. I appreciate the shout out for Old Shovel, he does fantastic builds on vintage bikes. Thanks for the effort that you put into producing this video series!
That's awesome! I would recommend these bikes all day for people doing light trail riding. I'm working on that GT for a friend, and watched an OldShovel build on a similar GT. His work is super impressive!
Oldshovel is an internet legend now... ! :D))
Seriously, any old bike with a "modern standard" i.e. 135mm hub on the rear can be made into any worthwhile project. 1x11 or even 1x12 (SRAM SX, SunRace) is possible, geometry from the mid 90's is very similar to modern gravel bikes and V-Brakes give more than enough stopping power for moderate usage. And they, too, are dirt cheap on fleaBay.
I just found last night out for garbage, a 91 rocky mountain equipe. The green and yellow scheme. All it was missing was wheels, pedals and a seat. Post isnt seized. Im in the process of cleaning it up right now. Brakes work. Post adjusts smoothly, steers smooth. Save from a landfill.
I recently built a "vintage" mtb it's only from 1997 but still very similar, the main difference is that is has a cassette and a 1 1/8 head tube so that helps a lot. Was totally worth the few hundred I spent on it in my opinion, it makes me appreciate my modem bike way more haha :p
The cassette and head tube makes a world of difference. I loved having this bike to challenge myself on easier trails, but for anything else I gotta grab my modern bike.
@@CobraKyle Do you know that the old steel bikes like yours can be widened in the rear to accomodate modern 135 axles for 110/11s cassettes? (see RJ The Bike Guy). And there are quill stems for your bike dirt cheap on FleaBay.
Great video, thank you! I was debating about my 1987 Diamond Back Ascent EX that I started back riding on city park trails last year. I was laughing at how much fun I was having on trails and then an older rider rode right by me with a new mountain bike with suspension and I was like, dang....
I love the looks and simplicity of this bike! I'd use it for bikepacking. :))
Thanks! It would make a good candidate for bikepacking.
Totally agree! I’m in the process of getting a 95 Trek 950 back on the trail! Strong work!
I have two old vintage Diamondback Axis TR with beautiful riding True Temper TT-LITE steel tubing that I upgraded to a gravel bike, 1x11 Microshift Advent X. It is an amazing riding bike even on off trails with 2.4" Maxxis Ikon tires tubeless. The frame bare is under 4lbs and complete is 22lbs. One has a titanium Kona Project two fork and the other a carbon fork. I just recently bought a NOS Dirt Research Kenai made with Columbus EL-OS steel and the frame weighs only 3.5 lbs so it should be very comfortable.
Hey, thank you for the video. All that I have are old vintage steel mountain bikes. And I love your honesty. I think I’ve had a hard time putting into words the pros and cons the way you have done. Thank you for the perspective. I will send my friends your way if they ask me if they should build up a vintage mountain bicycle.
I appreciate the kind words Shawn!
Nice vid. I went actual legit mountain biking for the first time td with my brother. I was riding an early 90s specialized hard rocker zero suspension, (the bike is a few years older than I am), my bro was on a much newer (only 2-3 years old) aluminum hard tail mountain bike. Obviously my brother is a bit more skilled than I am (he’d been out 15 or so times), I can’t help think that the hardware we were on made a bit of a difference. It was definitely noticeable seeing him go down many of the considerably rocky/stumpy/rooted slopes with relative ease while he mostly was sitting down, while I struggled to maintain my grip of the handlebars as they would shake so violently.
Obv I’m a total noob too, but still. Regardless, it was hella fun. Looking forward to going out again
That's awesome! Bikes have come such a long way since these were built, but I'm glad people still enjoy riding them. As you get better, it's fun to keep up with modern bikes on a 30 year old machine. It especially upsets people when they spent 2 grand on a bike and you're ripping it on a sub $100 bike haha
Awesome Video Cobra! A lot of great information here! Teal Steel really is a beautiful classic!
Thanks Thomas. People will be saying that about your GT soon!
So do you think it's better to leave them original as I have an early nineties diamond back ascent ,all original parts and I don't know what to do with it ,do you think this ever have any value ?
It's hard to say. Certain vintage bikes are worth a lot like the early 80's StumpJumpers, or Klein bikes, but any lower end models probably have a ton of examples and aren't worth a fortune. In 20-30 years, they may have more value as they become more obscure, but hard to say. If you do decide to upgrade or change anything on your bike, just hang on to the original parts as a potential buyer will probably want them. It also gives them the option to restore it to original spec or enjoy any upgrades you made. In the meantime enjoy your retro bike!
i started riding a couple of years ago on a vintage steel bike like that one. it did ok at first as i rode more i needed more. It did give me an opportunity to learn maintenance and such.
Very true. I learned a lot about maintenance on this bike, and that knowledge has carried over into more modern bikes. I consider it an investment in my knowledge!
I have restored and upgraded around 7 vintage mtb from the late 80s early 90s. Chromoly steel is only used on the nicest steel bikes today and can range between 700-1,500 for frame alone. So if you have the means and know how to restore and convert to a 1x10 with modern hub I highly suggest. The quality in the frames just isn’t there today unless you dig deep into your wallet! Ride on
Great point! My hardtail is chromoly and it was way more expensive than this bike lol.
I've gone a bit higher end with several top spec Titanium 90/00s MTB builds, with upgrades to top spec 00s components (e.g., 10x XTR). They are both fun and can actually compete with modern XC bikes. Necessary upgrades are a dropper seat-post and a high spec fork (which means finding a MTB frame with a 1-1/8 steerer), ideally adjustable like a 2010 Fox Talas -- with that you can hit moderate jumps with the slacker geometry, but then drop down to the steeper head tube angles for blitzing the climbs. With the fork upgrade you can also run a front disc, which is really all you need in terms of better stopping -- high-spec 26" disc wheels can be bought cheaply on Ebay. As for tires, if you get the right frame you have some great options -- My 1999 Moots YBB runs 2.5" x 26", and my 2000 Mongoose Titanium Pro fits 2.3" x 27.5" wheels, so plenty of traction and speed.
I purchased a Diamond Back Ascent for $50, put on a new chain, new pedals, a total blast to ride around town and on low key trails. I have been considering making some upgrades similar to teal steel but in the end i enjoy the rigid frame, janky ride and a slightly out of true front wheel that takes me back to my childhood. Thanks for the video and giving life to an oldie.
That's awesome! I think it's best to keep it how you have it. It's fun to have a cool throwback bike and sounds like you're enjoying it!
@@CobraKyle such a blast to take it easy and plan a line on the trail that doesn't throw me off.
My pops got an old bike one of the first bikes with rock shock forks I love that bike been in the family for years still rides smooth 👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽
I think what you did with this bike is incredible. I ride a 1998 giant Yukon and while it might not be much on paper, it has a lot of sentimental value to me and I'd love to give it some new life with some modern components if I had the funds.
I appreciate it! Enjoy your Yukon and upgrade over time, and I'm sure it will turn out rad!
Restorations aren’t about recouping the money spent. It’s the love of the sport. I still have my old Rocky Mountain hammer. Love the bike. It’s not as nice as my crosstrail, but I’ve upgraded it, replaced parts and don’t think about the money. I’ve beat on it and it just asks for more. Great video.
I have an old Cannondale Hardtail mountain bike. I've been wanting turn this bike in to a full blown commuter with drop or bull bars. Seeing this project is inspiring.
I considered drop bars for this, but I also had a road bike at the time, so went more MTB. You should totally put drop bars on that Cannondale and rip it!
I was really into riding, maintaining and modifying bikes in my high school years (some years ago). I got more into cars through university and hadn't had a bike for a while. I found the prices of new bikes these days to be very high and that deterred me from getting back into the hobby. I decided to buy an older bike and fix it up to ride for a while just to see if I could commit to the hobby again. I got a 98 Kona Hahanna and made some modern upgrades (using all used parts). All in I spent $300 CAD on the bike and it rides quite nicely. I agree, for hard mountain biking I may as well just ride a road bike but for basic riding it rocks and it re-ignited my passion for the sport! So in my opinion... totally worth it!! Although, I will be getting a modern bike again soon.
Very cool Matt! Glad you found your way back to the sport! I like Kona bikes. Maybe you can get a modern Kona to go with it!
I have one of similar vintage; great for road and light trails. yes, not easy to go up hills on them. plus I'm restoring my "heavier" 70s 10-speed.
I know the illness from personal experience. I dusted off my 1988 mtb and began riding it in 2020. Had so much fun I now own eight old mtbs ranging from a 1988 Schwinn to my newest mtb from 1993. I do have three newer bikes that I ride regularly but the old classics are a blast. If you are waiting for a bike I’d strongly recommend picking up one of these to tied you over until the new bikes are back in stock.
My first bike was a 1995 auto bike I upgraded it with 8x3 drive train and vbreaks and I love it. It can climb things you wouldn’t think it can and is a great all rounder bike.
I kind of wish I would have left this as a 3x6 cause I can only imagine how great it would have climbed.
Straight up, detailed, unbiased and entertaining talk about 🤘🏻
Really appreciate that! Glad you enjoyed it.
Fantastic! The teal is great! Just found a 91' Panasonic mc4500. Steel is real!
Steel is the best! Congrats on the Panasonic. Should be a fun ride.
I put a 10 speed 11/38t flywheel and zee derailleur with a 1 up rad cage just for fun. It actually worked well. I had the derailleur already and the freewheel was $40. Might be worth looking into if you already have a 10 speed group set.
Just grabbed a 1990 iron horse they are starting to get more expensive a lot of people here in Maryland are wanting the retro look and to do exactly what you just did awesome video 👏
The Iron Horse is cool! Definitely seeing a surge in retro style. Hopefully the prices don't get too absurd!
What website did you use to find used bikes for sale?
In the video I was searching on Pinkbike.com, but I typically use Craigslist when looking for bikes in my area. I bought Teal Steel on Craigslist.
First off I need a Classic Cobra t-shirt. Secondly, this was really fun to watch! Interesting to see you put it through its paces. Looks like it's best used as super fun and capable ride if you're trying to get from point a to b, and want to get a little rowdy on the way. Still, I can't help but want to see what it can handle. Maybe we take this thing down the big rock garden at Spider Mountain when it opens back up?
I can give you my Classic Cobra shirt although it may look like a crop top as it's pretty short on me too. I'm gonna say a hard no to this thing at Spider. Coming down that stair set alone caused me to spend like 5 minutes on adjusting things lol.
It's Teal it's Steel!!! Love that little song but wish I could get it out of my head now!! Great video...
Thanks. It is a catchy tune. Probably my crowning achievement in regards to my musical career lol.
Dude!! I have a late 90’s rockhopper. What amazes me is that it is so much lighter than entry level mountain bikes like my daughter’s trek marlin. Yeah very connected feeling to the trail but also yeah, nut buster.
My '92 Giant Rincon was my dad's first "mountain bike" and I've repainted it twice in the last 7 years, upgraded everything on it except the frame and fork, and it serves at least once or twice a week as my commuter bike. Mavic wheels (rim brake of course, and tubeless compatible) and a shimano xt m8000 drivetrain. Overkill maybe, but it is super reliable and still fun and gets me to and from work in the saddle.
That's sick! Tubeless compatible is a nice touch on a bike like that.
thanks for the video. I am personally working on a Giant Iguana from 1994 i just LOVE that mid 90's geometry .
Sweet! Seems like these old bikes are still very popular. Been getting lots of comments about everyone's builds!
This was a great video. In the same boat and this video is like having a good friend giving me advice ...
Thanks so much! I appreciate it!
This was great, nicely done!
Thanks a lot! Appreciate you checking it out.
Yeeeehaaa, in my MTB Collection i've got 6 Classic MTB's and all are pure fun😎👍
I got also Roadbikes, Crossbikes and one Trekkingbike.
Ride your bikes with fun, it does no matter what kind of bike✌.🤩👍
Best Wishes and Big support from germany
That's awesome! I'm working on that old GT I teased in the video, and they are a lot of fun. I have 6 bikes myself in all different disciplines. I just love all bikes! I appreciate your support, and especially cool you are watching from Germany!
@@CobraKyle there are many Bike Freaks like me in germany and we like to connect each other to a big community. Restoration or rebuild of old bikes is great. One You Tuber called "Oldshovel". He is a great Bike Restorator and in some cases he transform old bikes with modern Bike parts. Really great..
Best Wishes and support from germany.
Or like Toogy Howser "Keep your feet on the pedals " stay well in this Times.
Teal steal tugging at my heart here. Born again 90's rider recently purchased a 97 GT Outpost for $75. New rear wheel, freewheel, New tires, new pedals, grips, handlebar ends, new chain, and the prize find, a barely used like new '96 original GT Supersoft saddle. Give or take around $200 plus the $75 I started with makes it worth to me. As long as you can keep the budget within reason these bikes are workhorses and a lot of fun. Teal steel a little over budget but a super cool ride.
Can be possible to add shocks and what kind do you recommend. I just bought a 1993 Specialized Hardrock Cruz for $80 in excellent conditions.
You can add a suspension fork, but I honestly don't know much about vintage suspension forks. You will have to search the used market as it's probably a non tapered fork. It could potentially be a threaded fork still, but don't quote me on that. I know Rockshox has been around for a long time, so they would probably be a safe bet, but I'm just basing that off brand recognition. Find out what style of headset you have, and size of headtube then check ebay for some sweet vintage forks!
I have a few retrobikes and i have found that there are a lot of older Marzocchi Bombers still functioning well.
Really enjoyed the trip down memory lane (great video 👍), but as I bought one of those new while in high school (to cross train for motocross where I raced, gasp, a 2 stroke 😳), it made me feel old 🤣 I'm just getting into buying and refurbishing "vintage" bikes (for fun, not for flipping). Nice rebuild on this one 😁✌
what size tires and rims do you use?
I think the tires were 26" x 2.1", but I don't recall the internal width of the rims on this bike.
Thanks man. Spent $100 on upgrade parts for my 93' M400 Cannondale (tires, bars, seat, suspension post, grips) plus the $150 on a tune up. Hopefully my skill level will be up there when I upgrade to a full suspension after this beast. A lot of sentimental value though.
This is a great video! Currently working on my 94 trek mtn track XC.
Thank you! Have fun with yours!
Which quill stem adapter is that?
amzn.to/2z7TaUm
I don't recall which size it was as I bought it over 2 years ago and don't have this bike anymore :(
My trail bike is a 50s Schwinn Cruiser on 26" balloon tires with a 2 speed manual Bendix coaster brake hub. It's so inappropriate for the stuff I ride that whenever I ride friends' full suspension disc brake jobbies it's like I suddenly sprouted wings. 10/10, would recommend. Definitely wear a helmet though, braking distance is about a quarter mile going down loose dirt hills, and when the terrain is too rocky, it's impossible to position the pedals to brake while also dodging and hopping rocks.
Having said that, this build is rad! Currently working on converting a 40s Norman to 2 speed Bendix (duplicate to other hub, love that thing but modding it to negate the brake function) with a double chainring and TWO sets of rim brakes! Riding some nonsense like that Schwinn has me convinced that 1.) Brakes 2.) Low gearing, and 3.) Tires with grip are the only real essentials. Otherwise it's just a matter of practicing and being damned careful! Won't be taking either off more than a 3-foot drop though...
Good trick to save money is to just buy cheap unusable bikes for parts-- everything I have is salvaged from about 6 different rusty and obsolete trash bikes that probably cost about $50 altogether
Keep it up! Love to see other folks doing this!
Love that bike! I have a Black HR With yellow decals - planning on building one very similar with Yellow pedals grips and cables. I used to run that park San Antonio- right? I was stationed at Randolph back in the 90's Cool stuff! Thanks for making this vid when half of the country just wants to stare at smart phones! Saw a Teal Rockhopper on Ebay the other night - There may be Teal Steel II out there one day LOL - Maybe a gravel bike. Or it could be BLUE STEEL! But would it be able to turn left? Great job on the vid.
I'm a professional and passionate mtb builder / restorer and it is simply a matter of fact that old-school machines are far superior both in design and build quality. Modernising a 90s frame always results in a complete monster of a bike
Older MTB's like this make excellent 'campervan bikes' (or 'RV bikes' for our American cousins!)
1. They're cheap. In they get damaged or stolen, it's not as catastrophic. Arguably much less likely to be targeted by thieves.
2. They are very easy to fix whilst on vacation. No suspension or hydraulics, just a (easily stored!) basic tool and puncture-repair kit.
3. 26 inch wheels are easier to store in a locker. They're smaller!
4. To some degree, they are disposable. Use them for the season then donate them to a thrift-store, and use the freed-up locker space for other vacation goodies such as gifts or momentos.
Teal Steal looks rad! I've been on a vintage Specialized RockHopper FSR for 2 years ( about when I took MTB up ). Just last week I got a modern ride. I am with you, thought about upgrading it to its limits but it won't come close to a modern bike. It's is fun though but still sketchy.
Very cool and congrats! What a big difference it makes to have a new bike!
Hey Kyle, I did the exact same project, for the same reasons and my steel rig, just sat there too! Now, I can't even sell it, I'd loose too much money.
These old bikes are truly a double edged sword.
Love the comments. I recently bought a 1986 diamondback ascent, the chrome one. Same one I had as a kid. I paid about $350 for it. Too much? Possibly, but I had one for sale last year I wanted to look at, but after the seller and I agreed on a time the next day, he texted me back a few hours later and told me it sold. He wanted $315. Now all I want is a light trail/bike path bike to drop the 40lbs that snuck up on me after hitting 50. 😩
i got the best chuckle when you were riding down the dirt stairs, we have all be there where your entire body becomes a spring, ride that bucking teal steal baby!!!
haha it was quite the harrowing descent.
Really enjoyed your build and video! I'm redoing a '93 Litespeed (titanium!) as an electric gravel bike. These early geometries can do well on road and light trail and the strong frames are relatively easy to add hub motors to. And DIY everything 🙂 I've subscribed and will check out your other videos, thanks!
Thanks so much! Appreciate you subscribing. Those old Litespeeds are super cool! I've been thinking about building my own e-bike as well from a modern hardtail. Could be an interesting project. Best of luck on yours! Hopefully you can make some videos on it cause I bet lots of people will want to see a titanium e-bike from 93!
Love the video, very entertaining! I'm half-way down the rabbit hole too, fixing up an old 1999 Specialized Hardrock. Great learning tool, easy to spend "just another $30" and find yourself out hundreds. Would do a new bike, but they're all sold out! Rim brakes = sketch
Thanks! I turned my eye to how much I was spending during the process of building. Super easy to get carried away when it only takes two clicks on the internet to get sweet new parts. I don't miss rim brakes at all! Bikes have come a long way in a relatively short time!
I started riding again @55 about 5 years ago. I bought a Kawahara Impulse MTB and the parts to fix it from a local dealer. I enjoyed the bike for a few years. I still have the bike but it needs so many parts that I am having a bit of trouble justifying the expense, and as I have other bikes now? Well you know. It is so easy to carried away with a build. You can modernize an old bike. A shock fork with hydraulic brakes will do wonders, but it is still an old bike. I have a serious new MTB now. For some rides it takes everything that bike has. Going back to V-brakes for a steep hill, not me. For casual riding, any bike will work. However, if you want to do extreme riding, it's best to acquire suitable equipment.
Welcome back to riding and thanks for sharing your story! As cool as these old bikes are, mountain bikes have come a long way in the past 20 years. I wonder if bikes 20 years from now will make our modern bikes feel obsolete?
I just got a 1994 Specialized Rockhopper Sport in violet purple, mint condition! Only paid $75, and it's going under the knife for all the same stuff, worth it!!!
Luckily, the Diamondback Topanga I saved from a dumpster has only cost me like $300. But yeah, tools and crap to work on a bike, I’m not gonna even count. I’m afraid to!
Definitely agree with how different a bike is now with all its suspension.
I definitely learned a lot. Local bike shop was impressed when I brought it in for a tune (I’m in a hurry for a trip)
The added dialog made this video worth of a like and comment for me.
Thanks so much!
Still racing 26" , top end 90s stuff. A laugh thrashing around the woods getting the better of modern bikes , but raced in the 90s so can cope with minimal suspension. Still on 3x but might go 1x . The canti brakes are adequate in dry conditions... just.
Good vid, buy a higher end vintage bike and tune it up, really rewarding.
Ive built a fair number of mtb steel bikes for the bike shop I work at, they sell fast haha.
Doing up a vintage mountain bikes pretty cool I get up on it was a cool little bite should have kept it at an old Sears free spirit it was a middle of the road bike it had Shimano Claris groupset for 1991 you can upgrade the brakes you can go to a newer style B break that's what I did
I love Teal Steel and Commando Bear. My favorite bikes that you have. Glad you really enjoyed yourself with these builds. I also love The Teal Steel song! It’s bad ass!
Thanks so much! I actually sold Teal Steel to a dude who was going to travel the country in an RV and wanted a cheap bike to cruise around different cities. I didn't tell him when I sold it that it has a theme song and I hope one day someone yells "It's teal, it's steel" at him. I miss doing more project bike stuff...parts just became more and more expensive and harder to find!
Awesome build, if you intend on keeping the bike for you to keep for a long time I say spend as much as you want. But your right, you’ll never see that money back at resale so keep it and give it to your kids.
My first adult bike I bought myself was Specialized Hard Rock, it could be a sister bike to Teal Steel. I have kept it in working order, and about two years ago I went through a similar restoration process. I have a newer bike, but the Hard Rock is now my main bike. The brakes are the main weak point, but I went for 3x7, and that bike handles everything I throw at it.
That's super cool! The brakes on these bikes leave much to be desired. I put V-Brakes on my friends old bike, and they stop so much better!
@@CobraKyle my old bike has Tektro Oryx cantis and Kool Stop salmon pads and it definitely stops. Cantis are a pain to set up properly, but once you get them right, they're super reliable.
Vintage bikes as a whole have a cool factor - interesting to see one in good shape or refurbished and upgraded. There's no cool factor in a low budget bike that the first thing you want to or have to do is upgrade the low quality parts. You'll end up spending more anyway.
Hey Kyle, where are the off road trails located on the mission trail? That’s where you’re at right?
The unpaved clips in this video were filmed at the Medina River Natural Area. It's just south of the Toyota plant, and it's actually pretty fun.
@@CobraKyle ah yes, I've ran the paved trails at the Medina trail before...thx Kyle
Whoa, Kyle, you're rockin' that clean shaven face very well! :)
Cool vid and thanks for a resurrection of that bike, I'm about to get into resurrecting an old road bike in the same fashion.
My first road bike was a walmart MTB (yeah, I know) and a I quickly progressed to a Diverge and then a Roubaix all carbon upgraded to all Dura-Ace, about 5 grand, all in.
I'm surprised the prices are relatively low for a rebuild - hmmm, you've given me some ideas!
Again, thanks, and take care!
Thanks Michael! What old bike are you gonna be working on?
@@CobraKyle An old Merckx. Still gotta do the deal.
Good balanced review. These were actually very good all-purpose go-anywhere bikes and I think they're coming back into style. I think you should get some bar-ends though for full period effect.
Thank you! These bikes are great for commuters and I think they are seeing a resurgence in the "gravel" scene. I unfortunately did sell this bike :( Kind of miss it, but got to make room for other bikes!
Us older guys never stopped riding them !! I've had GT & Specialized boy what fun!!! I'm 57 and still rip !!! trying to take it easy but it's hard too.. I'm still 15 yrs old at heart . Turn & Burn till the end⚡
The new color scheme makes it perfect for cruising along boulevards in Miami Beach. :)
Looking forward to restore my Legend Leopard MTB. A nice steel frame with a rigid fork. Current condition of the bike is bad, wheels out of alignment, missing spoke on rear wheel, rim brake surfaces worn out, BB shot, crankset worn out, etc.
Will be a great project to work on!
Heck I ran down a trail with rim break just feather them til ya really need em.
Vintage bikes? ND? You're making some good choices. 👌
lol I thought so too! Unfortunately I sold both of them haha. I really miss the Miata, but I'll probably get another one down the line.
Is this still for sale?
Nah I actually sold it a couple weeks ago.
Vintage bikes are like vintage muscle cars: they look good and they can still compete
I found an old mountain bike by a dumpster nearby. Going to upgrade it over the next few months😎.
Very cool find! Have fun bringing it back to life!
I see you've got a u-brake under that chain stay, but those old cantilever brakes on slightly newer vintage bikes are great. More than good enough.
Better you than me learning this lesson lol. Great video as always Kyle
Thanks David. I'm glad I could save you some cash lol
Cobra Kyle I mean if not this it would have gone somewhere else MTB related. I have a SC Tallboy that I wanna learn to wrench on. Gonna swap some forks and maybe a new group set drive train...
I used to grab bikes from bike shops that people donated and I'd ride freight trains and take my 1991 Marin mountain bike or Nishiki I Liberated from Boulder Colorado bike rack.
I have the old miyata trail runner. Love the simpsons bike seat.
Haha from what I've found my recent purchase is a 1991 Giant Butte. I considered a fork upgrade... until I watched this video. Think I'll just ride it til I'm bored going through the neighborhood. I think I spent too much. Haha
How much was it?
That you still have the original parts, gives me a little comfort, at least.
The pink parts are full fresh, though.
Yeah I wanted to keep the original parts in case the next buyer wants it back to how it came. I love the pink accents. Really makes this bike pop!
OK I bought the Teal ROCKHOPPER frame off ebay got an awesome deal - standby for Teal Steel II!
Vale la pena cada maldito centavo!
Intro was awesome loved it. The bike is just sick. I like the color and wish newer bikes had more color style. Great video and sucks your selling it.
Thanks Mike! I'm shocked by how much people like this bike. I feel like I should hang on to it and make more videos on it lol.
@@CobraKyle hell yeah man would love to see more of it. It's a cool looking bike. And you did a nice job on the build.