[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference noted::bicycle

Title: Bicycling
Notice:Bicycling for Fun
Moderator:JAMIN::WASSER
Created:Mon Apr 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3214
Total number of notes:31946

2932.0. "Anybody heard of Avatar?" by ANGLIN::PEREZ (Trust, but ALWAYS verify!) Fri Apr 07 1995 19:26

    Alright, there's been SO MUCH conversation in here about mountain
    bikes, that I'm THINKING of picking one up.  A CHEAP-ISH ONE, since I'm
    not planning on doing any hard riding through the woods - my version of
    "single-track" is a gentle saunter down a path just to enjoy the
    forest...  maybe with frequent stops to photograph the local stuff!
    
    SO, I started calling around to the local shops, and found out I can
    pick up something halfway decent - for me decent starts with equipment
    around the STX, Deore DX (yeah, I know its discontinued), or LX
    range...  for AROUND $600.
    
    Then, I talked to one of the folks who brought my attention to
    something I've never heard of before.  They bought 300 bikes built up
    with an overstock of Deore DX components.  The frames are from Avatar,
    and are oversized chromoly butted frames and forksets.  They used all
    DX stuff: sealed hubs and bottom bracket, derailleurs, calipsers, and
    cranksets, and top-mounted shifters.
    
    I haven't been in to see these yet, but I've never HEARD of Avatar,
    which is who built the bikes.  I suspect they used someone else's
    frames, but the droid at the store didn't know who's.  Anybody got any
    ideas?  The attraction is that I can pick one of these up for $350, but
    if the frame is junk...
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
2932.1or Diamondback...ANGLIN::PEREZTrust, but ALWAYS verify!Fri Apr 07 1995 19:274
    BTW:  The same shop is selling out their stock of 1994 DB Ascent units,
    Shimano STX equipped for $399...  
    
    More research is underway!
2932.2STOWOA::SWFULLERFri Apr 07 1995 20:097
    Probably one of the million frames made in Taiwan...
    Components are tough, but not sexy.  Top mounted shifters work ok,
    but are not as quick as either twistgrip or rapidfire.  
    
    I would go with the DX bike...
    
    steve
2932.3Bought the DB, and also one for my daughter!ANGLIN::PEREZTrust, but ALWAYS verify!Tue Apr 11 1995 23:3422
    Well, I got the scoop...  There was SOMEBODY, SOMEWHERE that had a TON
    of overrun frames - which is very common, since having a spare 1200
    frames at the end of a season for a frame builder is nothing.  These
    are frames built for all different bike companies - SO, Avatar made a
    deal to get them all painted black, and came up with 1200 Deore DX
    groupos to put on them.  Then one of the shops here bought 350 this
    winter and sold them within 5 weeks.  So, last week they bought another
    335, and they figure they'll all be gone within the month.
    
    The frames were quite diverse - Sitting next to each other in 22" you
    could have 1 frame for a Diamond Back, another for an Iron Horse model
    (I forget who makes it), another for Specialized, etc.  BUT, the common
    thread was that they were all 4130 straight-gauge Chromo.  The DX group
    was the old 18 speed, top mounted shifters, which I THINK may have been
    pre-Hyperglide, or at best early Hyperglide?
    
    ANYHOW, after trying one, and then trying a Diamond Back Ascent, and a
    Specialized (I forget the model, but it was also in the $400 range) I
    decided to buy the Diamond Back.  Its a 1994 model, full STX equipped,
    and feels very strange after being on nothing but my Cannondale for all
    these years.  But, it rode nice, and I'm looking forward to goofing
    around on it.