Newbie with a Fat Chance

Tarponhead

New member
Hi all,
I'm new here, and just found the site. Thought I would share my bike and story with you guys.
Just recently started to get back into some riding (maybe 20 years of storage?), so I dug out the old Fat Chance. Where I ride, no one knows what it is....but thats OK. they can have their cute jerseys and pretty bikes.
While in college, I got a job at a new bike shop as a mechanic. The Fat Chance I have was one of the first "expensive" bikes we had in the new store. it sat for some time before someone bought it (me). Everyone used the bike to run down to the hardware store. Everyone always commented on the balance of the bike. We were road riders, so it was fun to give the bike a little hell once out of sight of the shop (the guy that made it told us on the phone it was indestructable), and we often joked whomever bought that bike was going to return it because it would fall apart before they got it home. Back then, mountain bikes were somewhat new to the market, and certainly not mainstream. A few guys bought mountain bikes, and I would "borrow" the Fat Chance for Wednesday night rides. I recall that I could bomb down the hills faster than the others, which was due to the stable geometry of the frame. Well, I ended up buying it at a good price because everyone that got a Fat Chance ordered them, and it was used anyway (or so I convinced the shop owner).

I beleive its a Kicker (can someone confirm?)
All Black Powder Coat finish. Has the Roller Cam bottom brake (damn I hated adjusting that thing). Its on a second set of Deore derailures, that are worn out. Sports the sealed BB, still smooth as can be. Suntour seale hubs, also very smooth. The frame number is 85550, I assume this means it a 1985 frame? I changed the handlebars out, and dont have the original welded triangular type. If anyone has the right bars for this bike, lets talk.
How does it ride? Everybit as good as I remember. Very smooth and stable in decents, stable steering on the roots and rocks. Great balance overall (My fat ass can almost do a track stand on it like the old days :D ) The original rims are grooved from heavy riding in the mud. I really need to change out the derailleurs though, they are in bad shape :mad:

Here are some pics. Note: some of that dirt is 20+ years old!

See Ya!
Tom
 

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