OLD Gary Fisher MTB questions - Page 2 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

01-06-2005, 10:27 AM

Thu, 06 Jan 2005 16:49:31 GMT,
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, RonSonic
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com> wrote:

>All Deore stuff on it with the back brake
>under the chainstay. I'll get a better look at it soon, but in the meanwhile can
>anyone tell me.....
>
>Is this brake location as silly as I think it is?
>
>About how old is this bike - I'll be able to look at date codes later - but for
>now can anyone place it within a few years?

The rear brake is a U-Brake which also dates the bike to 1986-88.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
--
zk

01-06-2005, 10:27 AM

Thu, 06 Jan 2005 16:49:31 GMT,
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, RonSonic
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com> wrote:

>All Deore stuff on it with the back brake
>under the chainstay. I'll get a better look at it soon, but in the meanwhile can
>anyone tell me.....
>
>Is this brake location as silly as I think it is?
>
>About how old is this bike - I'll be able to look at date codes later - but for
>now can anyone place it within a few years?

The rear brake is a U-Brake which also dates the bike to 1986-88.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
--
zk

01-06-2005, 10:27 AM

Thu, 06 Jan 2005 16:49:31 GMT,
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, RonSonic
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com> wrote:

>All Deore stuff on it with the back brake
>under the chainstay. I'll get a better look at it soon, but in the meanwhile can
>anyone tell me.....
>
>Is this brake location as silly as I think it is?
>
>About how old is this bike - I'll be able to look at date codes later - but for
>now can anyone place it within a few years?

The rear brake is a U-Brake which also dates the bike to 1986-88.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
--
zk

01-06-2005, 12:06 PM

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
RonSonic <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com> wrote:
>
>
>So there's this ancient rigid Hoo Koo E Koo for sale in my price range, says
>made in Taiwan right on the head tube. All Deore stuff on it with the back brake
>under the chainstay. I'll get a better look at it soon, but in the meanwhile can
>anyone tell me.....
>
>Is this brake location as silly as I think it is?

_ Yeah, pretty much. However, in the words of Abe Simpson

"It was the style at the time."

_ For a bike to ride in the mud and dirt it makes about as much
sense as wearing an onion in your belt. I've converted my Hoo Koo
E Koo from that era to a drop bar 26" fat tire touring
bike. U-Brakes make some kind of sense for that kind of bike.

>
>About how old is this bike - I'll be able to look at date codes later - but for
>now can anyone place it within a few years?

_ Most likely 88 or a year or two earlier.

>
>Any disagreement that this'll make a cool errand runner and occasional trail
>rider for a big old guy?
>

_ It will be just fine for that. One thing to be aware of is that
the frame is spaced for 130mm rear wheels, but will work with
135mm wheels. Also, you can't use V-brake levers, but if you
want to drop a little weight you can get some very nice
Ritchey levers at

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

You can easily drop a pound from the bike by replacing the steel
handlebars and stem. A Nitto Dirt Drop stem works well on this
bike. Guard the thumbshifters with your life,( or
sell them on ebay to finance other upgrades ). Lastly, replace
the BioPace chainrings, once worn they are very very prone to
chain suck[1]. Salsa 110 BCD chainrings will work just fine with
that Deore crank.

_ Booker C. Bense

[1]- before that they just suck period.... %-).

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01-06-2005, 12:06 PM

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
RonSonic <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com> wrote:
>
>
>So there's this ancient rigid Hoo Koo E Koo for sale in my price range, says
>made in Taiwan right on the head tube. All Deore stuff on it with the back brake
>under the chainstay. I'll get a better look at it soon, but in the meanwhile can
>anyone tell me.....
>
>Is this brake location as silly as I think it is?

_ Yeah, pretty much. However, in the words of Abe Simpson

"It was the style at the time."

_ For a bike to ride in the mud and dirt it makes about as much
sense as wearing an onion in your belt. I've converted my Hoo Koo
E Koo from that era to a drop bar 26" fat tire touring
bike. U-Brakes make some kind of sense for that kind of bike.

>
>About how old is this bike - I'll be able to look at date codes later - but for
>now can anyone place it within a few years?

_ Most likely 88 or a year or two earlier.

>
>Any disagreement that this'll make a cool errand runner and occasional trail
>rider for a big old guy?
>

_ It will be just fine for that. One thing to be aware of is that
the frame is spaced for 130mm rear wheels, but will work with
135mm wheels. Also, you can't use V-brake levers, but if you
want to drop a little weight you can get some very nice
Ritchey levers at

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

You can easily drop a pound from the bike by replacing the steel
handlebars and stem. A Nitto Dirt Drop stem works well on this
bike. Guard the thumbshifters with your life,( or
sell them on ebay to finance other upgrades ). Lastly, replace
the BioPace chainrings, once worn they are very very prone to
chain suck[1]. Salsa 110 BCD chainrings will work just fine with
that Deore crank.

_ Booker C. Bense

[1]- before that they just suck period.... %-).

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01-06-2005, 12:06 PM

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
RonSonic <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com> wrote:
>
>
>So there's this ancient rigid Hoo Koo E Koo for sale in my price range, says
>made in Taiwan right on the head tube. All Deore stuff on it with the back brake
>under the chainstay. I'll get a better look at it soon, but in the meanwhile can
>anyone tell me.....
>
>Is this brake location as silly as I think it is?

_ Yeah, pretty much. However, in the words of Abe Simpson

"It was the style at the time."

_ For a bike to ride in the mud and dirt it makes about as much
sense as wearing an onion in your belt. I've converted my Hoo Koo
E Koo from that era to a drop bar 26" fat tire touring
bike. U-Brakes make some kind of sense for that kind of bike.

>
>About how old is this bike - I'll be able to look at date codes later - but for
>now can anyone place it within a few years?

_ Most likely 88 or a year or two earlier.

>
>Any disagreement that this'll make a cool errand runner and occasional trail
>rider for a big old guy?
>

_ It will be just fine for that. One thing to be aware of is that
the frame is spaced for 130mm rear wheels, but will work with
135mm wheels. Also, you can't use V-brake levers, but if you
want to drop a little weight you can get some very nice
Ritchey levers at

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

You can easily drop a pound from the bike by replacing the steel
handlebars and stem. A Nitto Dirt Drop stem works well on this
bike. Guard the thumbshifters with your life,( or
sell them on ebay to finance other upgrades ). Lastly, replace
the BioPace chainrings, once worn they are very very prone to
chain suck[1]. Salsa 110 BCD chainrings will work just fine with
that Deore crank.

_ Booker C. Bense

[1]- before that they just suck period.... %-).

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01-06-2005, 12:06 PM

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
RonSonic <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com> wrote:
>
>
>So there's this ancient rigid Hoo Koo E Koo for sale in my price range, says
>made in Taiwan right on the head tube. All Deore stuff on it with the back brake
>under the chainstay. I'll get a better look at it soon, but in the meanwhile can
>anyone tell me.....
>
>Is this brake location as silly as I think it is?

_ Yeah, pretty much. However, in the words of Abe Simpson

"It was the style at the time."

_ For a bike to ride in the mud and dirt it makes about as much
sense as wearing an onion in your belt. I've converted my Hoo Koo
E Koo from that era to a drop bar 26" fat tire touring
bike. U-Brakes make some kind of sense for that kind of bike.

>
>About how old is this bike - I'll be able to look at date codes later - but for
>now can anyone place it within a few years?

_ Most likely 88 or a year or two earlier.

>
>Any disagreement that this'll make a cool errand runner and occasional trail
>rider for a big old guy?
>

_ It will be just fine for that. One thing to be aware of is that
the frame is spaced for 130mm rear wheels, but will work with
135mm wheels. Also, you can't use V-brake levers, but if you
want to drop a little weight you can get some very nice
Ritchey levers at

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

You can easily drop a pound from the bike by replacing the steel
handlebars and stem. A Nitto Dirt Drop stem works well on this
bike. Guard the thumbshifters with your life,( or
sell them on ebay to finance other upgrades ). Lastly, replace
the BioPace chainrings, once worn they are very very prone to
chain suck[1]. Salsa 110 BCD chainrings will work just fine with
that Deore crank.

_ Booker C. Bense

[1]- before that they just suck period.... %-).

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01-06-2005, 12:48 PM

I used to ride a Fisher Celerity of about that vintage. Fisher made some
good bikes--the HooKooEKoo is a better bike than the Celerity. The brake
location had some advantages, which I am not still clear on--neater cable
routing, and possibly more rigid. But the enemy was mud, and the idea went
away. For your intended use, it should be fine.

BTW, I have ridden the HooKooEKoo trail on Mt. Tamalpais, after which the
bike was named. The trail was named after an indian tribe.

01-06-2005, 12:48 PM

I used to ride a Fisher Celerity of about that vintage. Fisher made some
good bikes--the HooKooEKoo is a better bike than the Celerity. The brake
location had some advantages, which I am not still clear on--neater cable
routing, and possibly more rigid. But the enemy was mud, and the idea went
away. For your intended use, it should be fine.

BTW, I have ridden the HooKooEKoo trail on Mt. Tamalpais, after which the
bike was named. The trail was named after an indian tribe.

01-06-2005, 12:48 PM

I used to ride a Fisher Celerity of about that vintage. Fisher made some
good bikes--the HooKooEKoo is a better bike than the Celerity. The brake
location had some advantages, which I am not still clear on--neater cable
routing, and possibly more rigid. But the enemy was mud, and the idea went
away. For your intended use, it should be fine.

BTW, I have ridden the HooKooEKoo trail on Mt. Tamalpais, after which the
bike was named. The trail was named after an indian tribe.