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Help ID my Privateer is it '96 or '97?

1240 Views 14 Replies 9 Participants Last post by colker1, Jul 31, 2007

marinti

Discussion Starter · Jul 6, 2007 (Edited)

Seatpostdiameter according to previous owner is 27.0
Headtube is 1", that narrows it down to 1996 or 1997.

Panels on the toptube say 1997, but the OR decal on the toptube says 1996.
Decal on the seattube says 1996.
Seatclamp is silver, that's like all 1997 Privateers.

I'm a bit confused or is there a simple answer, anyone?

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logbiter

· #2 · Jul 6, 2007

'96 if it's matte green.
according to the catalog anyway. :thumbsup:
http://mtb-kataloge.de/Bikekataloge/PDF/Bontrager/bontrager1996.pdf

marinti

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 6, 2007

logbiter said:
'96 if it's matte green.
according to the catalog anyway. :thumbsup:
http://mtb-kataloge.de/Bikekataloge/PDF/Bontrager/bontrager1996.pdf

I already knew the german site,
but that catalogue specs this frame with a 26.8 seatpostdiameter

logbiter

· #4 · Jul 6, 2007

marinti said:
I already knew the german site,
but that catalogue specs this frame with a 26.8 seatpostdiameter

KB's spec site lists all privateers as 27.0, so could be a misprint in the catalog? http://www.ridesmarter.com/archives/frames/frame_main.html
There's been some threads on bonty seatpost size in this forum, but I don't recall the details.

gotdirt

· #5 · Jul 10, 2007

1996
27.0

:thumbsup:

nekobasu

· #6 · Jul 11, 2007

For what it's worth, on the tag I got with my 1997 Race Lite (still have the bike and all docs), it states:

------------------------------------------------------------
Ti Frame Seatpost Diameter: 27.0 mm
Steel Frame Seatpost Diameter: 26.8 mm
------------------------------------------------------------

Of course, you'll need an accurate caliper to determine what the dimension of yours actually is, and assume the tube hasn't expanded with age. I'm assuming from the picture that it isn't a re-painted Ti Lite.

Hope this helps.

nekobasu

· #7 · Jul 11, 2007

Are you sure the seat tube clamp is original?

Do you have any of the other original components? If so, please post pictures. That will make it much easier to determine which year your bike was made.

kenjihara

· #8 · Jul 30, 2007

Some of the first Privateers frames took a 26.8. Don't try to force a 27.0 if it doesn't fit. I've got a first year Privateer that takes a 26.8 (1995, I think?).

Rumpfy

· #9 · Jul 30, 2007

I thought zero Privateers were 1"?

laffeaux

· #10 · Jul 30, 2007

Rumpfy said:
I thought zero Privateers were 1"?

For head tubes? All except for the final year (1998) where 1" frames.

colker1

· #11 · Jul 31, 2007

someone should do a puzzle game: "what bontrager is this?"

do those guys like multiple standards or what?

kenjihara

· #12 · Jul 31, 2007

Privateer

The Privateer frames came with 1" compatible head tubes after '98, I believe. In the company catalog, Keith said that there were lots of good reasons to use 1" quill stems instead, but he was "done jousting windmills".

Your Privateer is a '96 (pretty sure) , and was also available in an all-black configuration. I wish I could find one like that in a Medium; that thing looks like it's in great shape.

I've got a '97 Privateer S with a 1" compatible steerer and no canti hanger and a '98 (maybe '99?) Privateer Comp frame with a 1 1/8" compatible steerer.

hollister

· #13 · Jul 31, 2007

keeps things interesting

colker1 said:
someone should do a puzzle game: "what bontrager is this?"

do those guys like multiple standards or what?

yeah, you wouldn't want one

laffeaux

· #14 · Jul 31, 2007

colker1 said:
someone should do a puzzle game: "what bontrager is this?"

do those guys like multiple standards or what?

The opposite is actually true: Bontrager changed very little once production frame were introduced, and they remained very standard. Part of the difficulty in determining the year is that there are so few differences, that pinpointing an exact year is sometimes impossible. In the end there's not enough change that it matters what year a specific frame was made.

The Race and Race Lite frames were made from approximately 1991 to 1997. In those seven years, the only major changes were:

- suspended versus non-suspended geometry (unfortunately decals do not designate this)
- two-piece versus one-piece seat stays
- horizontal versus vertical drop-outs (this was actually an option)
- decal style changed once
- the number of colors available was reduced in the last couple of years

I'd say that that is consistency. Also, changes were made when changes were needed, not based on a model year. There's really no such thing as a '96 or a '97 Bontrager, the frames are identical - one just happened to be made in '96 and one in '97.

The Privateer is a little different as it did change by model year (mostly color).

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colker1

· #15 · Jul 31, 2007

hollister said:
yeah, you wouldn't want one

deep deep deep inside... i want a race lite.

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