My "new" 1998 Porsche Bike S is near completion. After a restoration and thorough cleaning effort the mountain bike, with new Continental Sport Contact road tires, is now prepared for its first long distance ride. Next Saturday I'll try 50 miles.
Follow my continuing passion to explore new adventures on Porsche bicycles. I have conquered a Century ride with a Porsche mountain bike, the Death Ride on a Porsche touring bike, the 184.5-mile Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath in 2020, the 370-mile combined C&O/GAP trail in 2021 and the 237-mile Florida Coast to Coast ride in 2022. And just completed the Maryland and California Coast & Coast Porsche road bike adventure!
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Porsche Bike S check up
After I finished all the restoration work, I took the Bike S to the only shop in the entire world I trust, Tour of Nevada City in Nevada City California, for a check up.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nzjtTcV5ZO4/VnXMqt4ZaXI/AAAAAAAAAK4/J8B4GIc0tRg/s320/FullSizeRender-781863.jpg)
Kurt checked the brakes and gears and fixed a stripped screw on the derailleur.![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nzjtTcV5ZO4/VnXMqt4ZaXI/AAAAAAAAAK4/J8B4GIc0tRg/s320/FullSizeRender-781863.jpg)
All that is left now is cleaning and polishing. I'll save that for tomorrow!
Porsche Bike S shocks rebuilt
I took them apart, scraped out all the old gunk and rebuilt them with brand new elastomers. Took all last night and half of Saturday. Yes, they were that bad. But I bought this bike for a fraction of the value.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IvVhEjvQLgs/VnXCfDCjhkI/AAAAAAAAAKE/TE7cpVRcHoA/s320/FullSizeRender-775842.jpg)
Shocks apart with elastomers installed on the posts.![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IvVhEjvQLgs/VnXCfDCjhkI/AAAAAAAAAKE/TE7cpVRcHoA/s320/FullSizeRender-775842.jpg)
This is the stuff I used to clean the old and disintegrated elastomers out of the shock tubes.
Elastomers and shock posts, exploded view.
Porsche Bike S Votec GS97 shocks reassembled.
Friday, December 18, 2015
Before and after: a tale of two sets of 1998 Porsche Bike S elastomers
Before:
After:
Elastomers are the semi-clear, rubbery polymer spacers that provide the shock fork its cushion. Unfortunately after many, many years the old elastomers basically disintegrated into what looks like dirt. This took a long time to scrape out of the shocks and off the elastomer post. Once I had all that goo off I was able to put the new elastomers on. Look at the difference!
Shock restoration
Tomorrow I attempt to take apart and refresh the Votec GS97 fork shocks. I just received the elastomers from the only place on the entire planet that still makes these for a 1990s Porsche mountain bike. Wish me luck. I'll need it.
Thursday, December 17, 2015
1998 Bike S restoration update
Here is a little tease. New Continental road tires installed. Pedals, brakes and handle bars installed. Several rusted bolts refinished. I sanded and repainted the saddle post with special epoxy paint. Tomorrow I'll install the new saddle and start on the shock restoration. Then last is the clean and polish. This Porsche Bike S is coming together nicely!
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Thus it begins...
My second Porsche Bike S just arrived. In pieces. Saved me the time to take it apart. Let the restoration process begin!
New bike saddle!
My new fi'zi:k bike seat arrived yesterday! This is the same saddle featured on the new Porsche Bike RS. I plan to install it on my second Porsche Bike S that arrives today. This will be my second mid 1990s Bike S, and also Guards Red. It doesn't have an original saddle and I can't find one. So after searching the world over for an original seat I'm going to install the new original equipment which happens to be much lighter then the original. I also have other plans for this second Bike S which I'll share later.
Saturday, December 12, 2015
50-mile ride today
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Monday, December 7, 2015
Just purchased another Bike S
I just bought another Porsche Bike S on eBay today. This new one has a bad front shock and a saddle that is not authentic. I plan to tear this down to the frame and rebuild to original specifications for pure enjoyment. It is a cold and wet winter after all. I'll need something fun to do!
Saturday, December 5, 2015
Friday, December 4, 2015
Porsche bicycle at Rennsport Reunion V?
I do not believe this is an authentic Porsche bike but it is very cool nonetheless. If you attended Rennsport Reunion V you likely noticed it as I did.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Porsche Bike S in Grass Valley, CA
Photo taken in front of the old Nevada County narrow gauge railroad station in downtown Grass Valley.
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Porsche Bike R Coast & Coast Adventure completed
With a bit of luck, last year I was able to buy a well-used 1999 Porsche Bike R. I have wanted a Porsche road bike for sometime, but they ar...
-
I took them apart, scraped out all the old gunk and rebuilt them with brand new elastomers. Took all last night and half of Saturday. Yes, ...
-
Here's another blueprint-type drawing I just completed that might also make its way to a shirt design.
-
I wanted to better document how to change the suspension fork elastomers on the Porsche Bike S. This blog has photos and information when I...
-
During this week's concept announcement of the Mission E Cross Turismo, Porsche teased in both the new Mission E vehicle's news...
-
This rough diagram shows the inner workings of the Votec GS97 bike forks used on the late 1990s Porsche Bike S and Bike FS. The elastomer po...
-
I just ran across a disc brake conversion option on the Internet . Appears to be a viable option to provide better braking power to the Po...
-
The Porsche Bike ST is a rare Porsche bike among rare Porsche bicycles. The Bike ST is a "touring" version of the Bike S mountain ...
-
I ran across this picture of an all white Porsche Bike S on a German website. I believe all the Bike S models sold in the USA were painted G...
-
Good friend Dennis Yee emailed me some photos of his near perfect 1998 Porsche Bike FS. Dennis lives way over on the other side of the count...