Easton Elite mountain bike frame
My year 1999 Viper F-40 Easton Elite MTB frame, which I bought from new way back in March 2000 from Woollyhatshop mail order page, as advertised in the MBUK magazines (Mountain Biking UK) of the period. I lusted for this frame back in the late 1990's because it was so light, looked well-engineered and was finished in a cool unpainted satin brush. It's been in the wars over the years, largely due to the seizing-up of contact parts. Now repaired, It involved a tedious and laborious 2hrs sawing & drilling out the seized crank and bottom bracket, as well as smoothing down the suspect bottom bracket thread with a jewellers file. With the new 'outer bearing' style bottom bracket cups it's perfectly fine, this is due to them not needing to be threaded as deep into the bottom bracket shell where the suspect thread is (the older style cartridge bottom brackets were irrefutably stiff during the last 1/4 turns). It was a prestige frame back in it's day, costing £189.00 and getting a 5/5 star rating in the MBUK magazine test, August 2001.
Note there is no tab for a disc brake and it's intended for 80mm travel forks - this is showing it's age!
Details:
Frame: Viper F-40 Easton Elite 3 main tubes with aircraft grade 7005 rear triangle, unique CNC yoke, rear snakestay-style seatstays (i.e. wavy shaped), hooded dropouts with replaceable gear hanger. Weight: 1618g.
Easton Elite mountain bike frame
My year 1999 Viper F-40 Easton Elite MTB frame, which I bought from new way back in March 2000 from Woollyhatshop mail order page, as advertised in the MBUK magazines (Mountain Biking UK) of the period. I lusted for this frame back in the late 1990's because it was so light, looked well-engineered and was finished in a cool unpainted satin brush. It's been in the wars over the years, largely due to the seizing-up of contact parts. Now repaired, It involved a tedious and laborious 2hrs sawing & drilling out the seized crank and bottom bracket, as well as smoothing down the suspect bottom bracket thread with a jewellers file. With the new 'outer bearing' style bottom bracket cups it's perfectly fine, this is due to them not needing to be threaded as deep into the bottom bracket shell where the suspect thread is (the older style cartridge bottom brackets were irrefutably stiff during the last 1/4 turns). It was a prestige frame back in it's day, costing £189.00 and getting a 5/5 star rating in the MBUK magazine test, August 2001.
Note there is no tab for a disc brake and it's intended for 80mm travel forks - this is showing it's age!
Details:
Frame: Viper F-40 Easton Elite 3 main tubes with aircraft grade 7005 rear triangle, unique CNC yoke, rear snakestay-style seatstays (i.e. wavy shaped), hooded dropouts with replaceable gear hanger. Weight: 1618g.