Bontrager Privateer "Steel is Real"

[Painkiller]

Due to my Retro Mtb sickness I just had to own a bike inspired by the great Keith Bontrager. One of the last made in the USA steelies. I pickup this 97' Privateer Brand new fresh out of the box. Not sure what to do with it yet but more than likely take it from singletrak born to street bred in Painkiller style. If I could only come across a Bontrager switchblade fork I would almost be in Heaven. I would hate to see it hit the dirt this late in the game but would cremme for the chance at the same time

[Giulianna23]

Wow...looks sweet!...the tires are soo nice!...congrats!

[Giulianna23]

Wow...looks sweet!...the tires are soo nice!...congrats!

[tino]

hang the baby on the wall buddy sweet baby

[GeorgeET]

Nice, that's a hell of a seat post bike must have been way too small for the PO.

[Painkiller]

ha ha George, it does look long but its just barely in there. I hone and lube the seat tube before I put the post in so I won't scratch it up. I just pulled it from the box for a pic. Its a 19in. frame

[hcjg1]

(01-19-2013, 06:15 PM)painkiller Wrote:  Due to my Retro Mtb sickness I just had to own a bike inspired by the great Keith Bontrager. One of the last made in the USA steelies. I pickup this 97' Privateer Brand new fresh out of the box. Not sure what to do with it yet but more than likely take it from singletrak born to street bred in Painkiller style. If I could only come across a Bontrager switchblade fork I would almost be in Heaven. I would hate to see it hit the dirt this late in the game but would cremme for the chance at the same time

I agree it deserves to be hung on a wal its just too sweet bro'.

[Painkiller]

well, until I get my other projects done it just may go back in the box for awhile

[Painkiller]

Back out of the box and into the stand ! Full facelift for this baby.
Taking from an STx 24spd single track to an 21 speed nos Deore equipped street machine. I was a bit tickled to see a 19in Cromo frame come in at 24lbs with a shock, most alloy frame bikes with shocks that cross my path come in at 27 to 32lbs. Keith Bontrager knew how to build a sweet single track frame for sure. Thats why I started with the entry level Privateer ($999 list) to upgrade and make the ultimate street machine. I broke out my best A Grade parts for this build. Here are some pics for now and when finished will post some more. i wish you could see it in person for she is a rare beauty in pristine condition.

[hcjg1]

(04-21-2013, 01:01 PM)painkiller Wrote:  Back out of the box and into the stand ! Full facelift for this baby.
Taking from an STx 24spd single track to an 21 speed nos Deore equipped street machine. I was a bit tickled to see a 19in Cromo frame come in at 24lbs with a shock, most alloy frame bikes with shocks that cross my path come in at 27 to 32lbs. Keith Bontrager knew how to build a sweet single track frame for sure. Thats why I started with the entry level Privateer ($999 list) to upgrade and make the ultimate street machine. I broke out my best A Grade parts for this build. Here are some pics for now and when finished will post some more. i wish you could see it in person for she is a rare beauty in pristine condition.

Just sweet mate. It looks like a Museum piece and I'd feel real guilty riding something like that but probably wont mind rtakinf it on the train into Central London for the annual Sky Ride, potter around on it bit and take it back home on the train and back into its box. I think you have a a very fine, enviable and inspiring collection.

[Painkiller]

Thanks much Hc. Like most, it all started with that first higher end bike and I was hooked and never looked back. Before collecting bicycles, I started collecting tools and knowledge. With that it turned into a self funded passion, searching for bikes to flip a profit and sink into my personal rides. If I made 10 or 20 bucks for 100 spent, well better than a bank. I work on all bikes but define myself to Mtb's from the mid 80's to mid 90's and fond of the cromo revival and thus have accrued a lot of vintage parts over the years. I set in place certain standards for builds and working methods and log every bike I do from start to finish. here is an example of a bike that would get a complete inspection and documented somewhat

GF Genesis 2.0
4/18/13

Complaint : Not shifting as well as it used to,
needs inspected/serviced, needs
Wheelset

Frame Notes : Overall, very good condition
with only minor and few chips/scrapes in paint
90%+ perfect
All welds are intact and rear
triangle is true and square,
Bosses show slight rust from
from lack of lube, derailluer
hanger out of alignment, dim.
are as follows :


Checked: A to B..11mm....21mm tol. should be
+ or - 2mm
Set @ A to B.......14.7mm....14.2mm

Checked: C to D..23mm.... 12.4mm tol.+ or - 2mm
Set @ C to D....19mm....18mm
A
C to D
B

Frontend : Good, inpected for smoothness
No service needed

Drivetrain : chain, pedals, crank, derailluers,shifters
brakes/levers, good.
cartridge bottom bracket, Bad

Service : Partial teardown, full inpection, lube,
Replace cables/housing as needed,
Replaced brake pads ( trials compound )
Replaced bottom bracket, clean/polish,
Degreased components,New tubes/tires
New wheelset (upgrade), reassemble, tune

I charge $100 + parts for a complete tear down, inspect, assemble ,
tune. trust me the time spent I am lucky to make $10 bucks an hour. Its just a hobby and passion to me and I can pick and choose as I please. Sorry to say but I do not work on dept. store bikes as a
rule, it just seems I get burned every time and find it effortless but on a good note I know people who do and refer them.
Thats why I post here, not to be snobby but help people take their
passion to the next level, do things right and buy those tools, learn and make a buck or two to feed that habit. anyone can work their way into better bikes and have fun and done proper not break the bank even if it looks like it sometimes. ( the wife has not left me yet)

[FredS]

That is a very good looking bike Painkiller, congrats for it and take care of it and you.

[hcjg1]

(04-22-2013, 08:09 PM)painkiller Wrote:  Thanks much Hc. Like most, it all started with that first higher end bike and I was hooked and never looked back. Before collecting bicycles, I started collecting tools and knowledge. With that it turned into a self funded passion, searching for bikes to flip a profit and sink into my personal rides. If I made 10 or 20 bucks for 100 spent, well better than a bank. I work on all bikes but define myself to Mtb's from the mid 80's to mid 90's and fond of the cromo revival and thus have accrued a lot of vintage parts over the years. I set in place certain standards for builds and working methods and log every bike I do from start to finish. here is an example of a bike that would get a complete inspection and documented somewhat

GF Genesis 2.0
4/18/13

Complaint : Not shifting as well as it used to,
needs inspected/serviced, needs
Wheelset

Frame Notes : Overall, very good condition
with only minor and few chips/scrapes in paint
90%+ perfect
All welds are intact and rear
triangle is true and square,
Bosses show slight rust from
from lack of lube, derailluer
hanger out of alignment, dim.
are as follows :


Checked: A to B..11mm....21mm tol. should be
+ or - 2mm
Set @ A to B.......14.7mm....14.2mm

Checked: C to D..23mm.... 12.4mm tol.+ or - 2mm
Set @ C to D....19mm....18mm
A
C to D
B

Frontend : Good, inpected for smoothness
No service needed

Drivetrain : chain, pedals, crank, derailluers,shifters
brakes/levers, good.
cartridge bottom bracket, Bad

Service : Partial teardown, full inpection, lube,
Replace cables/housing as needed,
Replaced brake pads ( trials compound )
Replaced bottom bracket, clean/polish,
Degreased components,New tubes/tires
New wheelset (upgrade), reassemble, tune

I charge $100 + parts for a complete tear down, inspect, assemble ,
tune. trust me the time spent I am lucky to make $10 bucks an hour. Its just a hobby and passion to me and I can pick and choose as I please. Sorry to say but I do not work on dept. store bikes as a
rule, it just seems I get burned every time and find it effortless but on a good note I know people who do and refer them.
Thats why I post here, not to be snobby but help people take their
passion to the next level, do things right and buy those tools, learn and make a buck or two to feed that habit. anyone can work their way into better bikes and have fun and done proper not break the bank even if it looks like it sometimes. ( the wife has not left me yet)

Hi PK I agree with you about inspiring others to take their passion to the next level but there are some people who wont shift. I used to belong to a bike / social club and some of the members had some of the lowest spec bikes you could ever come across. I never sno anyone's bikes but I used to try and encourage them to upgrade certain components from steeel to alloy, wheels, tyres, brakes etc, and even offer them the parts and to fit it for free but it just wasnt happening. With me its not what your bike looks and performs like today, but what you can do to get it looking and riding better as cost effectivley as possible. Everyone have to start somewhere. Keep showing the stuff as i find it very encouraging.

[Painkiller]

Thanks Fred ! yep hc you are right on that.
http://forums.bikeride.com/thread-4822.html
thats how I ended up with this for $60, I got it for someone who wanted a bike with a budget of $150. said they would help. I told them when its done it will be the way you want it, all fresh with all new key components, frame-off. When done it will sell for twice that.
After they did not come through, I was a bit shocked. Its these bikes that I seek out for that perfect flip. I could make a $100 or more of this easy. Rule #1. never foot for a bike that you cannot.
make your money back on. I take old bikes and put value back into them. Instead of flipping I think I will make a nice expedition/commuter out of it. that person could not look beyond the stickers/rot tires/grease and grime and dull paint to see what the bike really can be. It will be a beauty when it gets done

[RobAR]

PK. Let me call Keith and see if it is okay to give his number to you. Probably NOT!

[Painkiller]

wow, thanks Robar. I know Keith could only do so much in that price range since he sold his soul to Trek. Always glad to help !

[hcjg1]

(04-23-2013, 09:14 PM)painkiller Wrote:  Thanks Fred ! yep hc you are right on that.
http://forums.bikeride.com/thread-4822.html
thats how I ended up with this for $60, I got it for someone who wanted a bike with a budget of $150. said they would help. I told them when its done it will be the way you want it, all fresh with all new key components, frame-off. When done it will sell for twice that.
After they did not come through, I was a bit shocked. Its these bikes that I seek out for that perfect flip. I could make a $100 or more of this easy. Rule #1. never foot for a bike that you cannot.
make your money back on. I take old bikes and put value back into them. Instead of flipping I think I will make a nice expedition/commuter out of it. that person could not look beyond the stickers/rot tires/grease and grime and dull paint to see what the bike really can be. It will be a beauty when it gets done

Hi PK i went to the Spin Bicycle show yesterday in Hackney, East London and the only aluminium framed bikes on show were from a Spanish company named Hood Bikes and a Danish company called Avenue Bikes. Everything else was steel.

[Painkiller]

wow that would have been fun, all you see here for the mainstream is alloy, if you want high quality steel nowadays you pay thru the nose, custom build, them and what not, thats why I seek out the forgotten
steelies and refurb them. I would rather have a $1000 or more in an old steelie than that in a hydo whatever formed alloy bike of today with a cheap shock.
Did you take any pics?

[hcjg1]

(05-05-2013, 09:19 AM)painkiller Wrote:  wow that would have been fun, all you see here for the mainstream is alloy, if you want high quality steel nowadays you pay thru the nose, custom build, them and what not, thats why I seek out the forgotten
steelies and refurb them. I would rather have a $1000 or more in an old steelie than that in a hydo whatever formed alloy bike of today with a cheap shock.
Did you take any pics?

I took loads of photos but the computer is playing up but you may be able to check out some of the exhibitors here. most of the exhibitors were independebt frame builders. i think the only carbon bikes there was the Boardman range.

spinldn.com/exhibitors/‎

[Painkiller]

Thanks for the link, lots of cool stuff to comb thru for sure!