Comments on: Renaissanced 1983 Specialized Stumpjumper Review http://www.renaissancebicycles.com/2010/06/renaissanced-1983-specialized-stumpjumper/ Renaissance Bicycles custom builds road, touring, and commuter steel bikes. Sat, 04 Jun 2011 20:31:31 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: EcoVelo » Blog Archive » An Interview with Bryan Luce of Renaissance Bicycles http://www.renaissancebicycles.com/2010/06/renaissanced-1983-specialized-stumpjumper/comment-page-1/#comment-957 EcoVelo » Blog Archive » An Interview with Bryan Luce of Renaissance Bicycles Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:19:18 +0000 http://www.renaissancebicycles.com/?p=1968#comment-957 [...] On a more personal level, I have always been intrigued with mechanics, design, and their synergy in aesthetics. Hot Rods and classic cars have always been out of my financial reach, but I relish the individual statement they create. As I wrote previously, most people make the sensible choice to buy a Honda, but it takes something special to look at a rusty car left in a field and see the potential Dream Machine. This is what I try to do with the “Renaissanced” bicycles I build — like my personal mountain bike, a 1983 Stumpjumper. [...] [...] On a more personal level, I have always been intrigued with mechanics, design, and their synergy in aesthetics. Hot Rods and classic cars have always been out of my financial reach, but I relish the individual statement they create. As I wrote previously, most people make the sensible choice to buy a Honda, but it takes something special to look at a rusty car left in a field and see the potential Dream Machine. This is what I try to do with the “Renaissanced” bicycles I build — like my personal mountain bike, a 1983 Stumpjumper. [...]

]]> By: Montclair Bobby B http://www.renaissancebicycles.com/2010/06/renaissanced-1983-specialized-stumpjumper/comment-page-1/#comment-879 Montclair Bobby B Wed, 14 Jul 2010 03:01:49 +0000 http://www.renaissancebicycles.com/?p=1968#comment-879 That's a beautiful build... bravo! What the early Stumpies may have lacked in terms of pure trail performance, they sure excelled in terms of looks, quality and (as I've recently discovered) all-roundedness. I've always loved the 1985 Stumpy, and recently had the notion to build one up as if I were building up a Rivendell Atlantis. The resulting creation turned out just as I had hoped, and the only way to describe the ride of this bike is "blissful". And as much as I love the Rivendell Atlantis (and will likely own one someday), this bike cost literally thousands less. http://www.flickr.com/photos/16461051@N04/sets/72157623574409014/ I use it for commuting, all around errands, pub rides, etc. It's nearly perfect, in my opinion. Thanks, I love your site and what you're doing. Keep up the great work! Peace, BB That’s a beautiful build… bravo! What the early Stumpies may have lacked in terms of pure trail performance, they sure excelled in terms of looks, quality and (as I’ve recently discovered) all-roundedness.

I’ve always loved the 1985 Stumpy, and recently had the notion to build one up as if I were building up a Rivendell Atlantis. The resulting creation turned out just as I had hoped, and the only way to describe the ride of this bike is “blissful”. And as much as I love the Rivendell Atlantis (and will likely own one someday), this bike cost literally thousands less.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16461051@N04/sets/72157623574409014/

I use it for commuting, all around errands, pub rides, etc. It’s nearly perfect, in my opinion. Thanks, I love your site and what you’re doing. Keep up the great work!

Peace,
BB

]]> By: Repack Rider http://www.renaissancebicycles.com/2010/06/renaissanced-1983-specialized-stumpjumper/comment-page-1/#comment-857 Repack Rider Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:09:47 +0000 http://www.renaissancebicycles.com/?p=1968#comment-857 The link to my site alerted me to this post. When Gary Fisher and I started assembling Ritchey bikes in the shop we called MountainBikes, we modified the Mafac brake pads so you could install or remove the wheels without deflation. The front pad was cut shorter so it would open past the fork blade, and the front corner of the rear pad was beveled with a file to open wider. The reason there is clearance for a larger tire is that the original (1982) Stumpjumper was designed from four Ritchey bikes that Specialized bought from us in 1980. The forks on those bikes were not made by Ritchey but by John Padgett and were too long by our standard. When Specialized asked or some bikes, we were not in a position to deny the them, but we suspected why they wanted them, and they got something less than our best examples, which were faithfully duplicated, even to the point of duplicating in a cast crown the fork crown that Tom built from flat stock. The extended front end is why it descends okay, but doesn't climb well. The link to my site alerted me to this post. When Gary Fisher and I started assembling Ritchey bikes in the shop we called MountainBikes, we modified the Mafac brake pads so you could install or remove the wheels without deflation.

The front pad was cut shorter so it would open past the fork blade, and the front corner of the rear pad was beveled with a file to open wider.

The reason there is clearance for a larger tire is that the original (1982) Stumpjumper was designed from four Ritchey bikes that Specialized bought from us in 1980. The forks on those bikes were not made by Ritchey but by John Padgett and were too long by our standard. When Specialized asked or some bikes, we were not in a position to deny the them, but we suspected why they wanted them, and they got something less than our best examples, which were faithfully duplicated, even to the point of duplicating in a cast crown the fork crown that Tom built from flat stock.

The extended front end is why it descends okay, but doesn’t climb well.

]]> By: Michael Doleman http://www.renaissancebicycles.com/2010/06/renaissanced-1983-specialized-stumpjumper/comment-page-1/#comment-849 Michael Doleman Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:43:02 +0000 http://www.renaissancebicycles.com/?p=1968#comment-849 Nice review. I had a 21" '82 Stumpjumper Comp frame built-up at one point not long ago, but it was just too large for me. I enjoyed the bike immensely, and it was a truly gorgeous frame--nicely thinned lugs, water-bottle stars, great overall build. But I found its limitations in terms of ride quality to be exactly as you describe in this article. Fine for general cross-country use, but not stellar in any particular category. I now have a "classic" mountain-type bike built around a Soma Groove frame, and I absolutely love it. I may at some point think about upgrading to a Rivendell Bombadil or Hunqapillar. Love the 1X9 drive-train. I have found that for most offroad riding, three speeds are perfect: a high, medium, and (really) low gear. I've built a 3X1 bike with a Surly Crosscheck, using a Paul Melvin chain tensioner, around this concept, and it works very well. I will, likely, convert the Soma over to this type of drive-train at some point. Thanks for the review and pics! Nice review. I had a 21″ ’82 Stumpjumper Comp frame built-up at one point not long ago, but it was just too large for me. I enjoyed the bike immensely, and it was a truly gorgeous frame–nicely thinned lugs, water-bottle stars, great overall build. But I found its limitations in terms of ride quality to be exactly as you describe in this article. Fine for general cross-country use, but not stellar in any particular category. I now have a “classic” mountain-type bike built around a Soma Groove frame, and I absolutely love it. I may at some point think about upgrading to a Rivendell Bombadil or Hunqapillar.

Love the 1X9 drive-train. I have found that for most offroad riding, three speeds are perfect: a high, medium, and (really) low gear. I’ve built a 3X1 bike with a Surly Crosscheck, using a Paul Melvin chain tensioner, around this concept, and it works very well. I will, likely, convert the Soma over to this type of drive-train at some point.

Thanks for the review and pics!

]]> By: Bryan http://www.renaissancebicycles.com/2010/06/renaissanced-1983-specialized-stumpjumper/comment-page-1/#comment-844 Bryan Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:34:24 +0000 http://www.renaissancebicycles.com/?p=1968#comment-844 Where we get all of our custom painting -- our friends at <a href="http://www.airglowpainting.com/" rel="nofollow">Airglow Painting</a> (but you knew that already). Where we get all of our custom painting — our friends at Airglow Painting (but you knew that already).

]]> By: Hill Clarke http://www.renaissancebicycles.com/2010/06/renaissanced-1983-specialized-stumpjumper/comment-page-1/#comment-843 Hill Clarke Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:06:41 +0000 http://www.renaissancebicycles.com/?p=1968#comment-843 Great post, and an amazing bike. Just wondering where you got that Awesome copper paint? ;) Great post, and an amazing bike. Just wondering where you got that Awesome copper paint? ;)

]]>