You're looking at a 1993 Rocky Mountain Stratos. The Stratos was Rocky's entry-level aluminium bike, debuting in 1989, made in Japan from 7000 series alloy. I think. There should be a decal about the frame tubes on the bike, but it's gone.
It's an interesting bike as Rocky put some extra effort into the parts spec, attempting to make this something more than just another hard tail.
It's an interesting bike as Rocky put some extra effort into the parts spec, attempting to make this something more than just another hard tail.
The origin story that I'm familiar with for Rocky Mountain involves them going to Japan early in their history to setup mass production of bikes. They clearly saw the potential of mountain bikes as early as 1983/84. This trip to Japan involved Tom Ritchey, but we'll get into it later, when I talk about my Ritchey.
So, this Stratos was made by Toyo in Japan, equipped with a Deore DX drivetrain, including 7 speed thumbshifters, DX hubs on Wolber rims, Rocky-branded stem and bar, and Ritchey tires. As I picked this one up, it was 95% original; just a different seat, a Profile bar extension, and the DuoTrack suspension fork were different from stock.
If you really nerd-out on Shimano's history, you might realize that having 7 speed thumbshifters on a '93 bike is a little odd, since Rapidfire STI shifters had already taken over in 1990. And indeed, all of Rocky's bikes in 1993 had Rapidfire - except for the Hammer, Blizzard, and Stratos.
I believe this was partly done because of the perception in the market that the Shimano Rapidfire shifters were fragile. Rocky played this into a strength, marketing the Stratos, Blizzard, and Hammer as tougher bikes. I think maybe even using the word 'enduro' for them. The only problem was that Shimano didn't make 8 speed thumbshifters, so to make these extra capable bikes, they had to be down-specced with 7 speed drivetrains. The Blizzard got XT, and the Stratos and Hammer got DX.
So, this Stratos was made by Toyo in Japan, equipped with a Deore DX drivetrain, including 7 speed thumbshifters, DX hubs on Wolber rims, Rocky-branded stem and bar, and Ritchey tires. As I picked this one up, it was 95% original; just a different seat, a Profile bar extension, and the DuoTrack suspension fork were different from stock.
If you really nerd-out on Shimano's history, you might realize that having 7 speed thumbshifters on a '93 bike is a little odd, since Rapidfire STI shifters had already taken over in 1990. And indeed, all of Rocky's bikes in 1993 had Rapidfire - except for the Hammer, Blizzard, and Stratos.
I believe this was partly done because of the perception in the market that the Shimano Rapidfire shifters were fragile. Rocky played this into a strength, marketing the Stratos, Blizzard, and Hammer as tougher bikes. I think maybe even using the word 'enduro' for them. The only problem was that Shimano didn't make 8 speed thumbshifters, so to make these extra capable bikes, they had to be down-specced with 7 speed drivetrains. The Blizzard got XT, and the Stratos and Hammer got DX.
I don't really need a reason to buy a Rocky beyond the fact that it's a Rocky, with the Stratos, I'm hoping to re-create the very first Rocky I ever owned, a 1991 Nimbus. The Nimbus was a much better frame, using the first set of double-butted aluminium that Easton developed. They are exceedingly rare, so finding one probably won't happen, but the Stratos is awfully close.
I've built it with most of the parts it came with, swapping to a Syncros stem, an FMF bar (cheap, wide, 25.4 bar - hard to find these days), and a Precision Billet derailleur. If you've not heard of it, Precision Billet was part of the Great CNC Derailleur Movement of the 90's. With the intent of creating some bling for these fancy new mountain bikes, a few companies got their CNC machines going to make some sexy derailleurs. They were light, came in many anodized colours, and more-or-less worked.
When Shimano bought out the second generation XTR group it wiped out the Great CNC Derailleur Movement almost overnight. The M950 rear derailleur looked bad-ass, was really light, and less expensive than the CNC derailleurs, and most importantly, it slaughtered the CNC brigade on performance. So very many bikes in this period came with 99% LX level stuff, but then an XTR rear derailleur, which was the thing that everyone wanted, and was the thing that sucked buyers in.
I'd very much like to find a Manitou fork for this, as that's how my Nimbus was setup when I got it, but, they are expensive, so maybe a rigid fork is more realistic. The DuoTrack doesn't do anything, but I kinda like the look of it, so it's ok for now.
I've built it with most of the parts it came with, swapping to a Syncros stem, an FMF bar (cheap, wide, 25.4 bar - hard to find these days), and a Precision Billet derailleur. If you've not heard of it, Precision Billet was part of the Great CNC Derailleur Movement of the 90's. With the intent of creating some bling for these fancy new mountain bikes, a few companies got their CNC machines going to make some sexy derailleurs. They were light, came in many anodized colours, and more-or-less worked.
When Shimano bought out the second generation XTR group it wiped out the Great CNC Derailleur Movement almost overnight. The M950 rear derailleur looked bad-ass, was really light, and less expensive than the CNC derailleurs, and most importantly, it slaughtered the CNC brigade on performance. So very many bikes in this period came with 99% LX level stuff, but then an XTR rear derailleur, which was the thing that everyone wanted, and was the thing that sucked buyers in.
I'd very much like to find a Manitou fork for this, as that's how my Nimbus was setup when I got it, but, they are expensive, so maybe a rigid fork is more realistic. The DuoTrack doesn't do anything, but I kinda like the look of it, so it's ok for now.
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