BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I recently finished overhauling this bike that I found for free(!!) on Craigslist and thought some might be interested in the pictures. I fully intended to document the process better, but unfortunately I got caught up in it and these are about all of the pictures I took. The ad was just for a frame and I have a box of parts, so I answered it. Didn't expect a nearly complete bike when I got there. It's a 1996 Stumpjumper M2 FS that retailed for $1500. It was barely ridden (like less than fifty miles, most likely) but left outside for a couple of years and missing the seat post binder and front wheel. Closer look at the decals. Getting ready to strip. I used the older (bright orange) formula for CitriStrip, steel wool, and a wire brush. I let the stripper sit for ~1hr, then scrubbed the paint off and washed with denatured alcohol. It took two rounds, plus some light final cleanup with steel wool. Stripped and ready for paint. I stripped the handle bars and then decided I should have left them black, so I painted them back to the color I stripped. Oops... Next, I rebuilt the fork. It's a '96 Rock Shox Judy XC. It was in fine shape, so I basically just tore it down, cleaned it, replaced the damper fluid, greased, and reassembled. I also tore down and rebuilt *everything* else. One of the brake levers. The rebuilt rear derailleur, cassette, chainrings, parts of the headset, and bottom bracket. Rebuilding the pedals. I painted them the same black. I know it won't last, but I figured I could make 'em pretty for the final build picture. Putting those tiny bearings deep in the pedal was a pain in the ass! Pedals rebuilt. I found rubber o-rings at Kraynick's to replace the old seals that disintegrated when I tore them down. Decals for the paint job. I printed them inverted on the back of Testors decal paper, painted the front, and cut out with sharp scissors and an X-acto knife. I tried to touch up the silver S decals with paint after cutting, but it wicked in at the edges and destroyed them. I left them off because I was anxious to get building. Applying the decals. The 'StumpJumper" decal went on in two layers. My first attempt at wheelbuilding went surprisingly well. I wanted a wheel that at least matched (in color) what was on the back and was drilled for a presta valve so I don't have to carry two spare tubes. I got lucky at Kraynick's and found a rim that is a different brand but nearly identical, and the first hub I picked up happened to be the exact one that originally came with the bike. All put together. I'm really happy with how it came out. My total costs were $230, but that includes materials (steel wool, stripper, bike grease, etc.) I already have. I bought a new pair of shifters (Alivio 3/8 from REI for $47) that were my only option at 6pm, but if they hold up they'll turn out to have been a great purchase. I bought new grips, tubes, tires, bottle cage, and front wheel, and added bar ends and cables/housing and replaced most of the bolts from my spare parts. Everything else is what came on the bike. Closer detail on the decals. I'm *really* happy with how they came out, though I have no idea how well they'll hold up. I think I'm going to try silk screening on the next frame I do. S badge on the head tube. After the first test ride. Now it looks like a real mountain bike!