Vintage MTB Restoration Series | Episode 01 | Beautiful Builds

For the latest Beautiful Builds video, John introduces his newest project: a 1984 Ritchey Annapurna he got from Bicycle Collective in St. George, Utah. (bicyclecollective.org/)
Over a few episodes, he'll explain what it takes to make these old "barn find" bikes road-worthy again.
From replacing split cable housing and cables to protecting the paint, repacking bearings, and rust-proofing, this episodic Beautiful Builds showcases the amount of work that goes into vintage MTB restoration.
Music: Fellwinter - The Dawn of Winter LP

[@jordanmuller4735]

The Black Metal backing track makes this peak Radavist.

[@johnprolly]

Thanks, Jordan! Hoping to crack into my other esoteric dubplates, too!

[@kgilliagorilla2761]

Wonderful video! I own a 83’ Stumpjumper. I’ve had it for 10years. 20” frame. The lugs wrap around the head tube. The top lug is made with a band for the head tube, the bottom lug is opposite with the same band. The seat cluster is the same as Tom did with your bike. The Bull Moose bars have the quill built in. The Avocet saddle hurt, so I put an old Flyer on it.The guy I bought it from set it up SS, with Suzue hubs. 36/20 for effortless cruising. It has Sugino cranks, with the Suntour beartrap pedals. The cantis are Shimano. I went with Smart Sams for old school knobby look. I know Tom had a big part in this bike I have. I love it, and my bike loving mid 30 yo son has dibs on it. Cheers from Chicago!

[@celluloiding]

Let us not forget the Ross Mt. Hood.....I miss my '87 with the pink stem and matching fork. One of the first MTB's I'd ever seen and I remember riding around my campus and people asking me what the heck i was riding. Thank you, John, for your bike soul.

[@theradavist666]

So many excellent bikes of the era. Thanks for sharing!

[@underacheiver2000]

That was my first MTB, also my first bike with index shifting. I messengered on that for about 3 years, put on some Specialized Fatboy 1.5 slicks, that bike was bombproof.

[@backyard_bicycless]

More of this please! Love this bike check style content with a build element.

[@johnprolly]

You got it!

[@thepineapplethief]

Yes please!

[@c0nsci0usness]

Love to see stuff like this

[@flyingdutchmanROS]

Beautiful bike and nicely done video John. Really enjoyed it. Bravo to the Bicycle Collective for hooking you up with it!

[@frostewistrom2911]

We did appreciate it!

[@Jacksondallen]

Love the pace of this piece John. Beautiful bicycle gets a great new home.

[@mikebellamy8263]

Love it! Need more retro bike restorations from you guys, please!

[@theradavist666]

Heard! We'll have more DIY stuff rolling out. 🙂

[@jas_n]

seeing someone love bikes makes me love bikes more - thanks for sharing the stoke

[@johnprolly]

You got it!

[@stephena4878]

LETS GO

[@danielvojtisek2223]

Love 80s MTBs!

[@theradavist666]

Agreed! They're the best riding bikes, IMO. Prior to NORBA race geometries of the 90s.

[@bike.breath]

I loved all the insight you shared about the lugs and overall design! Makes me want to find an old MTB to enjoy. Great series, looking forward to more!

[@johnprolly]

I was just on a phone call with Tom the other day about a different project and he said "The Annapurnas were such a pain to make. They were so much work." and I can't imagine how much energy went into a single bike!

[@bike.breath]

@@johnprolly Neil Peart from Rush once said he wants people to leave a Rush concert thinking, “care was taken”. I felt exactly that with this bike.

[@themississippikidful]

Nice one John , this series will be great to watch !

[@velo_orange]

Great video, John! Big dig.

[@johnprolly]

Thanks! Part two is gonna be fun!

[@noelsmith1852]

You had me at 'bi-lam'.

[@johnprolly]

the best!

[@mattmatthews5414]

Cool vid. Sorta expected that one bike with the qr built into the seat cluster.

[@johnprolly]

Which bike is that?

[@mattmatthews5414]

@@johnprolly I was 80% sure it was an Anna, most of my brain is saying it was blue… but now I feel like an idiot as the only thing I can remember 100% about it is that the QR was an old Campy skewer.

[@mattmatthews5414]

@@johnprolly found it: Mantis XCR & Sherpas

[@johnprolly]

@@mattmatthews5414 Ah yeah! Those are so nice. 24" is VERY rare in an early mantis.