The Millenium Falcon

[danceswithcats]

She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts. I've made a lot of special modifications.

[attachment=1594]


Actually, I've just stuck on parts as i could afford them or they became available second-hand. The fork is an o.e.m. rockshox from about 2000; beautifully plush and well-preserved. The rear mech is an XTR from many years back and the wheels are from a stumpjumper that my l.b.s. sold to a customer who wanted his own wheels on it.

I put Magura disc breaks on it after I had a nasty accident, back in May '09. I will never rely on v brakes again; even my road bike (the Tie Fighter) has discs.

I've done some epic rides on her in all conditions; the snow in the early part of this year was a brilliant experience on her. I feel very at home with the way she behaves; getting used to other bikes always seems weird. I keep having ideas about buying a new frame; maybe a British made steel one, but I am loath to break up the chemistry of this odd concoction.

The Millenium Falcon is feeling a little neglected since I bought the A Wing, a 2010 Stumpjumper, but with winter coming, her day will come again. She's hardy, stable, reasonably light and a great climber and I really love this bike.

[JonB]

Nice one!

Hardrocks really are fantastic frames for the money (or at least they used to be, the 2010/2011 cost WAY too much), mine's the same year as yours I think and it's bordering on indestructible.

[danceswithcats]

I agree. Whisper this quietly, and don't tell my wife, but I'm still not as comfortable on my Stumpjumper as I am on the Hardrock. I keep tweaking, but it just seems to be unbreak-inable. It's a bit heartbreaking, after the years of saving for it, but I had the perfect bike all along.

You live and learn.

[xerxes]

(10-07-2010, 06:19 AM)danceswithcats Wrote:  I agree. Whisper this quietly, and don't tell my wife, but I'm still not as comfortable on my Stumpjumper as I am on the Hardrock. I keep tweaking, but it just seems to be unbreak-inable. It's a bit heartbreaking, after the years of saving for it, but I had the perfect bike all along.

I'm in a similar situation, I've got an old rigid, steel framed Marin, that I bought new in 1990 and a 2007 Giant XTC carbon fibre framed hardtail. I keep messing with the set up; the saddle, handlebars and crank are within a millimetre or two of the position relative to one another of those on the Marin, but somehow the Marin just feels more "right". The cranks arms are 5mm longer on the Giant, so I'm going to fit a new chainset with the same 170mm length crank arms as on my Marin and see if that helps. But who knows, maybe it's just familiarity.

[jinxy72]

if u like it then keep it till it breaks

[FLMTBer]

I like that bike alot!. pretty sweet. I need to buy a set of disc brakes too.