Alpinebikes MTBs..?

alpineSTARS, I meant alpineSTARS! Sorry for the mistake, can't seem to edit the topic title..

Hey guys!

I'm just wondering, anyone know something about these bikes? I can't get any decent info on google either..
I have a chance to get one of their Cro-Mag XT (or LT? don't remember) frames, they look pretty weird with the high chainstays and all, but I've wanted to build up an ss mtb so this might be just up my alley..

Anyway, would appreciate any info and some known flaws with them, before I start spending money on parts..=)

Are you sure you don't mean Alpinestars?

dont you mean alpinestars? : http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=414218

Are you sure you don't mean Alpinestars?

Just saw it and edited..=) Meant alpinestars ofcourse..

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=679

I used to lust after them back in the early 1990s. Never bought one though.

If memory serves they had lots of problems with frames cracking, presumably due to aluminium being in it's infancy in bike usage then. However, I'd guess the cromoly, i.e. steel. version would be far less likely to suffer from this.

I used to lust after them back in the early 1990s. Never bought one though.

If memory serves they had lots of problems with frames cracking, presumably due to aluminium being in it's infancy in bike usage then. However, I'd guess the cromoly, i.e. steel. version would be far less likely to suffer from this.

Yeah, I read that about the cracking as well.. the cro-mag seems to be the steel version, so I'm hoping to get by..
Thanks for the links, Andy and Dan, appreciate it! Looks like I'll be building that thing up after all, since it seems to be a somewhat "cult" 90s bike..

Yep, I too lusted after one in the early nineties.

I was seriously considering one of those or a Pro-Flex for a while.

Yep, I too lusted after one in the early nineties.

I was seriously considering one of those or a Pro-Flex for a while.

I'd imagine that they (alpinestars) would be pretty flexy with those stays. Mind you - I did own a pro-flex (856, the last year of the elastomer shock I think, could be wrong) and whilst I loved it to bits, that could hardly be described as the laterally stiffest frame!

Elevated chainstays had nothing to do with stiffness....they were designed to allow shorter chainstays and therefore better climbing.
The only Alpinestars bikes i ever liked were the TI Mega that Mike Kloser raced on with the lawill leader fork....and the cool T-24 bike for little people. :)

I had a T-24. It was awesome!

Elevated chainstays had nothing to do with stiffness....they were designed to allow shorter chainstays and therefore better climbing.

Elevated chainstays actually decrease BB stiffness as you only have the down tube supporting the BB.

It's interesting that is is a length issue (presumably so the chainstays don't foul on the cranks/big ring) as I'd always thought it was a mud clearance (and to a less extent chain slap/jamming) thing.

I can consider myself educated now!

They went on and on about the 15.5" chainstay length in all their marketing- hard to miss I thought?

I had a 1990 AlMega XT, with mad elevated-chainstays, I stripped the gash paintjob off and had it as polished alu, it was wicked. I sold it so I could buy drugs at college. doh!

Elevated chainstays actually decrease BB stiffness as you only have the down tube supporting the BB.

Which is why elevated stay bikes used bigger diameter tubing to support the BB...downhill bikes have used unsupported BB's for years with no problem.
A skinny tubed frame with chainstays will still have more BB flex than an elevated stay bike with large diameter tubing.
Seemed to work fine for Graham Obree. :)

But the forces through the BB on a downhill bike are totally different to those through a rigid frame, so that is a bit of an engineering non-sequitur (specifically the fact that the suspension will be "taking the edge" off some of the forces through the BB).

Didn't Graeme build the BB on his bike out of part of a washing machine?

For the record I accept that you can have a very stiff BB on elevated chainstay (E-stay, as I knew them back in the day) frames, but it takes more metal to achieve it.

Changing the subject, does anyone remember the UK company Ozone that used to make aluminium elevated chainstay frames? They were awesome (although still no Mantis).

Also, Gabes - I know you love drugs, but you really fucked up there.

For the record I accept that you can have a very stiff BB on elevated chainstay (E-stay, as I knew them back in the day) frames, but it takes more metal to achieve it.

Changing the subject, does anyone remember the UK company Ozone that used to make aluminium elevated chainstay frames? They were awesome (although still no Mantis).

That's what i said...more metal, as in bigger tube diameters to retain stiffness. :)

I remember Ozone...though my favourite elevated stay was definately my S-bike...I loved that bike!

Sigh....:)

mmmm nice!

E-stays were invented to stop problems with the dreaded chainsuck. Basically old cross country frames had issues with early mtb rear derailleurs being all floppy and horrible. When you hit a bump it was not unknown for the bottom of your chain to get dragged up between the small chainring in the front and the chainstay (where it bent in to meet the BB shell). The clearances were such back then that it could really mash up your chainstay and kill a frame.

With E-stays instead of mucking around with clearances, the designers just lifted the whole chainstay out of the way and thus no chainsuck destroying frames. The design never really caught on as rear mechs got better as did frame design in general so the compromises in increased weight (and as has already been pointed out) the decreased frame strength were no longer needed.

Still it look fly as all fuck at the time and I would have loved one.

And to create shorter rear ends...hence why most e-stay frames had super short rear ends, which they boasted about in the ads...to create better climbing bikes.

And mud clearance (I am adamant that this was a factor)

Not sure if it's of any use now, but check the front mech bracket - they only had about 10mm of vertical adjustment for the front mech (seperate plate welded to seat tube)
I had a Cro-Mega DX frame years ago when 52t was considered 'ok' for D/H chainrings and the front mech only just cleared the rings.
You might have to go 'old school' with your cranks!