Full-Suspension...Ghetto -Style

Back in 1996, I had a DiamondBack V-Link Pro full-suspension mountain bike. I sold it, a year later, when I got my Klein Mantra. Thing is, no other FS bike I've ever owned (or ridden) has suited me as well as the V-Link, including the Klein which replaced it.

Recently, I started suffering from a bad case of peer pressure, and began thinking about getting another double-boinger. Since I no longer work in the bike shop, I don't feel the need to have the latest and greatest, so I started looking for another V-Link. My theory is that the bike was capable of going faster than I was in 1996, when I was still racing and in decent shape, so I don't think it will slow me down, now.

And, at my advanced age, I would be wasting money to get a new bike which might physically allow me to go faster, since my brain wouldn't cooperate. I'm finding the recovery time from high-speed MTB crashes to be getting longer and longer as years go by.

So, after months of looking, I finally found a V-Link I could afford (anybody know if the Pro on eBay sold for the starting bid of $1400?). It's the lower-end model; an ex-rental and pretty much a beater. The listing mentioned a dent on the top tube, but the picture really didn't do it justice. And, that was a disappointment, because I had planned on powdercoating it.

I filled the dent, and threw some flat black over the filler and the front third of the frame before I built it up. The only parts I actually bought new (other than cables and housing) were the coil-over shock, a seat post and the used Flite saddle. Everything else was cannibalized from other bikes.

The pink bike gave up its drivetrain and fork, stem and bars. The disc wheels came from my KHS fixie mountain bike. The Avid mechanical disc brake was one I had originally bought for the pink bike, but decided to not use.

For a total of about $350.00, I slapped together a full suspension bike which should suit me just fine. Here's hoping it's not such a beater that it snaps in half, or something!

x