You're looking at a 1990 Rocky Mountain Metro - the first hybrid ever in Rocky's lineup. The hybrid became a very popular style of bike when people realized how great it was to have most of the speed of a road bike, but with the more comfortable upright riding position of a mountain bike.
This is a gravel bike way before the 'gravel bike' existed.
The Metro was made from steel - Tange chromoly - in Japan, and equipped with a Deore LX drivetrain. Rocky Mountain-branded bar and stem, Bruce Gordon tires size 40c, Wolber rims, and the one 'fancy' name brand part, Syncros Steerhorns barends. Pretty standard for an entry-level bike at the time, but still showing the extra effort that Rocky put into their parts spec at the time.
It also has my favourite feature of the '90 Rocky lineup, and the reason I want to buy every one that comes along - dual downtube waterbottle mounts. But like the Fusion, the Metro lacks the wishone rear end that everything from the Hammer up to the Altitude had in '90, '91, and '92.
It also has my favourite feature of the '90 Rocky lineup, and the reason I want to buy every one that comes along - dual downtube waterbottle mounts. But like the Fusion, the Metro lacks the wishone rear end that everything from the Hammer up to the Altitude had in '90, '91, and '92.
When I picked it up, it had built as some kind of street fighter... thing. I'm not sure what it was, but it was definitely something. Super short stem, carbon RaceFace bar, XT cranks with a 1x8, and super cool Kult Vans 29 x 2.1 tires. I had always wanted a '91 Metro, and built an '07 to be as close to the '91 as possible, but I figured this would get me even closer. So everything from the '07 went on this bike, apart from the Mary bar, because I just really liked the look of the quill stem and Titec Hellbent bar I had
Also I had a working set of Deore DX STI shifters and XT brakes of the correct vintage, so I figured I was getting it back to pretty close to stock. I put on a set of 42c WTB gravel tires on some plain road wheels, the excellent Titec Hellbent bar - I even have some Syncros Steerhorns but they don't fit in the bar - and swapped the Dura Ace rear derailleur for an Ultegra.
What I got, was perfection. Perfect riding position, comfy WTB saddle, the WTB tires are awesome, and the old DX shifters still work, though they are crunchy after 30 years of use. I really should make the change to my 'Mary' bar, as it's just made for this kind of bike, but it's hard to break this down when it works so well. Plus the 'Mary' is perfect on my Hammer.
It ticks all the boxes for a bike I want, though as I've discovered in the Okanagon, the box for 'only kid on the block that has one' is just never valid. There's one for sale right now, just down the road....
Also I had a working set of Deore DX STI shifters and XT brakes of the correct vintage, so I figured I was getting it back to pretty close to stock. I put on a set of 42c WTB gravel tires on some plain road wheels, the excellent Titec Hellbent bar - I even have some Syncros Steerhorns but they don't fit in the bar - and swapped the Dura Ace rear derailleur for an Ultegra.
What I got, was perfection. Perfect riding position, comfy WTB saddle, the WTB tires are awesome, and the old DX shifters still work, though they are crunchy after 30 years of use. I really should make the change to my 'Mary' bar, as it's just made for this kind of bike, but it's hard to break this down when it works so well. Plus the 'Mary' is perfect on my Hammer.
It ticks all the boxes for a bike I want, though as I've discovered in the Okanagon, the box for 'only kid on the block that has one' is just never valid. There's one for sale right now, just down the road....
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