Early nineties GT Pantera

GT Pantera we refurbished here at Bike Boom. If your'e not familiar, Bike Boom is a used bike shop in Davis square, on the border of Cambridge and Somerville , near Boston MA. where we specialize in restoring and refurbishing used and vintage bikes and offer professional bicycle repair services.

Parts list for GT Pantera vintage mountain bike

Rear Wheel: https://amzn.to/3526DqZ Front Wheel: https://amzn.to/2RmyIGj

Tires (pavement, light off road): https://amzn.to/2YsSodj (choose 26x2.1)

Tires:(high performance off road): https://amzn.to/2LzPazq ((choose 26x2.1)Shifter cables and housing: https://amzn.to/38g40ol

Brake cables and housing: https://amzn.to/2DZqPPk

Front and rear (set) Shifters (better): https://amzn.to/2Qzzv4X (3x7 only)

Front and rear (set) Shifters (good) : https://amzn.to/2u89Usc (select 6 or 7 accordingly)

Rear Derailleur: https: https://amzn.to/2sHJOeL

Front Derailleur: https://amzn.to/2Pj0QHH

Crank: https://amzn.to/2qp6e3H (choose 42/32/22 tooth type)

Freewheel (7 speed): https://amzn.to/2EZunS6 

Pedals: https://amzn.to/2OUDbyD

Chain: https://amzn.to/38ayVCI (fits 6, 7 and 8 speeds)

Headset: https://amzn.to/38EkfvQ (Choose 26.4 but it's better to remove crown race and measure inside diameter for sure)

Brake pads: https://amzn.to/34TYUMF (standard use, original part)

Brake pads: https://amzn.to/369Nvbs improved performance and wet and cold condition 

Brakes: https://amzn.to/2s2IfIg

Saddle: https://amzn.to/34Wkccn

Handlebar (25.4 clamp): https://amzn.to/34SU2XT

shifter cables and housing: https://amzn.to/38g40ol

brake cables and housing: https://amzn.to/2DZqPPk

This GT Pantera is a great example of an affordable and reliable commuter. After we perfected the process of refurbishing vintage road bikes (10 speeds) and than english 3 speeds, we took on the challenge of refurbishing the early mountain bikes made from the late 80's to the late 90's. The correct term for these bikes is "Rigid" as they have no suspension, unlike the hardtail (front shocks) and full suspension (front and rear shocks). I have a lot of respect for these bikes as I used to race rigid mountain bikes back in the days when suspension was still considered unreliable and energy waster (the shock absorbs some of the pedaling energy) plus they were not that efficient as the early hardtails did not have more than 2" of travel (the distance the shock compresses).

GT was a strong player in the Mountain bike scene throughout the 90's. This early GT Pantera has an Aluminum frame and a U brake in the rear but the location is quite unique, placed on the seat stays unlike most U brakes which were located under the chain stays. U brakes were wildly popular between 1986 to 1988. They were very strong but due to the location under the chain stays they were hard to service without flipping the bike up side down and also were basically mud traps when you actually took it off road. The GT Pantera screams early 90's Orange-pink Neon paint scheme and punk-rock style decals. The goal in refurbishing bikes like the GT Pantera is keeping it under budget as these are the most affordable bikes in our shop. The parts these bikes came with were quite hi tech but not all of them survived, especially the Suntour thumb shifters which were not as good and crisp as shimano's. We had to replace front shifters since finding quality thumbs shifters is quite hard these days. We ended up replacing the tires to the semi slick and thin type  We had the chain and freewheel replaced along with a comfortable suspension seat post. All the cables, brake pads and some of the housings were replaced as well. GT was a unique company and were readily identifiable due to the famous triple triangle geometry which, in my opinion, was mostly a gimmick. GT merged with schwinn in 1998 and was later bought by the pacific company and than by the dorel industries bicycle conglomerate. 

sold to a nice girl looking for a reliable point A to B bike for short commutes in the somerville area.

Early eighties Detel Legend 4000

Are you looking to repair this bike?
Links below for parts you can buy now on amazon.

Over the years we repaired thousands of these and became experts in finding alternatives to original bike parts. 
Buying parts for older bikes is confusing, as most of the original parts have been discontinued. 
We use these parts everyday and created this list to make it easier for you to repair your bike.

Shifter cables and housing: https://amzn.to/38g40ol

Brake cables and housing: https://amzn.to/2DZqPPk

Handlebar Tape: https://amzn.to/2qxHiaf

Rear Wheel: https://amzn.to/2RuAB3X

Front Wheel: https://amzn.to/2PuFaIM

Tires (good): https://amzn.to/2s9eipE (similar look, casual use, choose 27x1 1/4)

Tires (better): https://amzn.to/33YwOyl (super flat resistant and fast rolling, choose 27x1.25 or 27 1 1/4)

Shifters: Front and rear (right and left): https://amzn.to/347vWrv

Rear Derailleur (good): https://amzn.to/2DYUOXF (choose w/ direct attachment)

Rear Derailleur (Better): https://amzn.to/2PupyVA (choose GS type)

Front Derailleur (good): https://amzn.to/3415IXm (choose double)

Front derailleur (better): https://amzn.to/2LAI262 (better quality, fit and finish)

Bottom Bracket: https://amzn.to/2RydlSI (Likely 68x122.5 but must measure spindle length before purchase)

Crank (good): https://amzn.to/2Yw7miQ (better quality fit and finish, will likely need a new bottom bracket)

Crank (better): https://amzn.to/2rg0YQx (lesser quality option, likely will not need a bottom bracket)

Freewheel: https://amzn.to/2qx4c1t

Headset: https://amzn.to/38EkfvQ (Choose 27.0 but it's better to remove crown race and measure inside diameter for sure)
Pedals: https://amzn.to/3593fvC (Modern style)

Pedals: https://amzn.to/2DZbNZP (same style as original)

Chain: https://amzn.to/38ayVCI (fits 5, 6, 7 and 8 speeds)

Brake pads (good): https://amzn.to/36eEldP (casual use)

Brake pads (better): https://amzn.to/38ixNN7 (Improved performance and wet/cold condition)

Brakes (rear): https://amzn.to/2P31N8o

Brakes (front): https://amzn.to/2Prqcn2

Brake Levers: https://amzn.to/2LQALz9 (similar to original

Brake Levers: https://amzn.to/356h3Hc (modern style)

Early eighties Detel Legend 4000 10 speed road bike we refurbished here at Bike Boom. If your'e not familiar, Bike Boom is a used bike shop in Davis square, on the border of Cambridge and Somerville , near Boston MA. where we specialize in restoring and refurbishing used and vintage bicycles and offer professional bicycle repair services.
This was a complete refurbishing including: Alloy wheelset, tires, tubes, tires, cables, housing, tape, brake pads, freewheel, and chain.
the customer, a graduate student at MIT wanted to install fenders. I think it came out very nice. a very solid little commuter.

70's gold Schwinn Collegiate cruiser

70's Schwinn collegiate 5 speed cruiser bicycle in mint condition seen at Bike Boom. If your'e not familiar, Bike Boom is a used bicycles shop in Davis square, Somerville on the border of Cambridge and Somerville , near Boston MA. where we specialize in restoring and refurbishing used and vintage bicycles and offer professional bicycle repair, customization and restoration services.

This Gold Schwinn Collegiate belongs to a friend of the shop and is currently for sale. It looks as if it was just assembled. The Schwinn Collegiate along with the Schwinn Breeze which is the 3 speed Sturmey Archer hub version of this cruiser are the nicest american cruisers. The most common of the american cruisers we see is the Columbia Tourist 3 speed and all the other variations of Coulumbia 3 speeds over the years with the sturmey archer and shimano gear systems. The Schwinn Collegiate and Breeze have the best components, the finest chrome and they brake and shift better than any Sears, Columbia or Ross of that era, usually also the paint job as seen on this Schwinn Collegiate is better than the other brands.

I wonder where it's been hiding all these years, it's in amazing condition.

Other schwinns featured in the blog here

1985 Shogun 400

Are you looking to repair this bike?
Links below for parts you can buy now on amazon.

Over the years we repaired thousands of these and became experts in finding alternatives to original bike parts. 
Buying parts for older bikes is confusing, as most of the original parts have been discontinued. 
We use these parts everyday and created this list to make it easier for you to repair your bike.

Shifter cables and housing: https://amzn.to/38g40ol

Brake cables and housing: https://amzn.to/2DZqPPk

Handlebar Tape: https://amzn.to/2qxHiaf

Rear Wheel: https://amzn.to/2RuAB3X

Front Wheel: https://amzn.to/2PuFaIM

Tires (good): https://amzn.to/2s9eipE (similar look, casual use, choose 27x1 1/4)

Tires (better): https://amzn.to/33YwOyl (super flat resistant and fast rolling, choose 27x1.25 or 27 1 1/4)

Shifters: Front and rear (right and left): https://amzn.to/347vWrv

Rear Derailleur (good): https://amzn.to/2DYUOXF (choose w/ direct attachment)

Rear Derailleur (Better): https://amzn.to/2PupyVA (choose GS type)

Front Derailleur (good): https://amzn.to/3415IXm (choose double)

Front derailleur (better): https://amzn.to/2LAI262 (better quality, fit and finish)

Bottom Bracket: https://amzn.to/2RydlSI (Likely 68x122.5 but must measure spindle length before purchase)

Crank (good): https://amzn.to/2Yw7miQ (better quality fit and finish, will likely need a new bottom bracket)

Crank (better): https://amzn.to/2rg0YQx (lesser quality option, likely will not need a bottom bracket)

Freewheel: https://amzn.to/2qx4c1t

Headset: https://amzn.to/38EkfvQ (Choose 27.0 but it's better to remove crown race and measure inside diameter for sure)
Pedals: https://amzn.to/3593fvC (Modern style)

Pedals: https://amzn.to/2DZbNZP (same style as original)

Chain: https://amzn.to/38ayVCI (fits 5, 6, 7 and 8 speeds)

Brake pads (good): https://amzn.to/36eEldP (casual use)

Brake pads (better): https://amzn.to/38ixNN7 (Improved performance and wet/cold condition)

Brakes (rear): https://amzn.to/2P31N8o

Brakes (front): https://amzn.to/2Prqcn2

Brake Levers: https://amzn.to/2LQALz9 (similar to original

Brake Levers: https://amzn.to/356h3Hc (modern style)

Shogun was a bicycle company who operated during the 80's and manufactured bikes in japan to be sold strictly in the US, similar to Takara, Univega and many others.

A classic sport touring bike with a mid size wheel base.While the head tube angle is similar to road bikes, the seat tube has a geometry of touring bikes. This is the 25" size, which is the largest frame size for Japanese bikes we seem to refurbish a lot of shoguns in that size, the last one was a fully customized shogun 300. The shogun 400 was a mid end bicycle which offered the Tange 900 double butted chromoly frame (the tubing has 2 widths) and the Shimano EZ action shifter and derailer systems, one of the best non indexed systems in my opinion. This specific shogun 400 was sold with the Japanese Belt brand seat, very similar to brooks and wright seats. The Sakae SX is also a great crank, very similar to the sugino cranks. The shogun 400 also featured the nicest 2 position (also called "safety") brake levers made by shimano with nice supple hoods and wide lower levers for comfortable grip, much nicer than the Weinman and Dia compe versions. This bike was made when shimano was starting to dominate the market. A year prior, the shogun 400 was equipped with shimano brakes and suntour shifting system and 2 years earlier it was fully equipped with Suntour compoents. By 1986 the market  has shifted to Shimano as the indexed shifting systems were introduced. This beautiful Shogun 400 was sold to a Tufts Student from Panama he came by with his family and we had a great conversation. Really nice guys. Other shoguns we refurbished and sold here

1986 (?) Schwinn woodlands

Are you looking to repair this bike?

Links below for parts you can buy now on amazon.

Over the years we repaired thousands of Vintage bikes and became experts in finding alternatives to original bike parts. 

Buying parts for older bikes is confusing, as most of the original parts have been discontinued. 

We use these parts everyday and created this list to make it easier for you to repair your bike.

Parts list for Schwinn woodlands

Rear Wheel: https://amzn.to/3526DqZ Front Wheel: https://amzn.to/2RmyIGj

Tires (pavement, light off road): https://amzn.to/2YsSodj (choose 26x2.1)

Tires:(high performance off road): https://amzn.to/2LzPazq ((choose 26x2.1)

Shifter cables and housing: https://amzn.to/38g40ol

Brake cables and housing: https://amzn.to/2DZqPPk

Front and rear (set) Shifters (good) : https://amzn.to/2u89Usc (select 6)

Rear Derailleur: https: https://amzn.to/2sHJOeL

Front Derailleur: https://amzn.to/2Pj0QHH

Crank:https://amzn.to/2rg0YQx 

Freewheel (7 speed): https://amzn.to/2EZunS6 

Freewheel (6 speed): https://amzn.to/2qx4c1t 

Pedals: https://amzn.to/2OUDbyD

Chain: https://amzn.to/38ayVCI (fits 6, 7 and 8 speeds)

Headset: https://amzn.to/38EkfvQ (Choose 26.4 but it's better to remove crown race and measure inside diameter for sure)

Brake pads: https://amzn.to/34TYUMF (standard use, original part)

Brake pads: https://amzn.to/369Nvbs improved performance and wet and cold condition 

Brakes: https://amzn.to/2s2IfIg

Saddle: https://amzn.to/34Wkccn

Handlebar (25.4 clamp): https://amzn.to/34SU2XT

Shifter cables and housing: https://amzn.to/38g40ol

Brake cables and housing: https://amzn.to/2DZqPPk

  1986 (?) Schwinn woodlands mountain bike we refurbished here at Bike Boom. If your'e not familiar, Bike Boom is a used bike shop in Davis square, on the border of Cambridge and Somerville , near Boston MA. where we specialize in restoring and refurbishing used and vintage bicycles and offer professional bicycle repair services.
This Schwinn woodlands was purchased in great condition with very low miles, refurbishing it included cables housing , brake pads and a good clean up and tune up. A lot of the entry level mountain bikes in the early-mid 80's were actually comfort bikes with road oriented drive train, usually with a large, double chain ring design instead of a standard three chain ring crankset. The Schwinn woodlands has a first generation Shimano indexed thumb shifter system. Women's mountain bikes from that era all the way to the mid 90's had a much more upright riding position than the men's versions of the same models, thus making them great cruisers, very comfortable, similar to today's comfort bikes.