Final tuning of my "new" 1998 Porsche Bike S

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.

Impossible to find

Ultra rare: Porsche Carrera GT mountain bike

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.

Kurt checked the brakes and gears and fixed a stripped screw on the derailleur.

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.

Shocks apart with elastomers installed on the posts.

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.

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.

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!

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. 

50-mile ride today

I went back to Sacramento and the American River Trail to add 10 more miles to my previous longest ride. My average speed was a little slower but I managed all 50 miles.

Porsche Club of America ran my story!

Read it here!

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!

Pages from the original Porsche Bike S brochure

Part 2

Pages from the original Porsche Bike S brochure

Part 1

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.

Porsche Bike S in Grass Valley, CA

Photo taken in front of the old Nevada County narrow gauge railroad station in downtown Grass Valley.

41-mile ride in Sacramento

I took the Bike S and Cayenne S down to Sacramento today for some flat trail training. Longest and fastest ride to date - a flat path sure helps! 41 miles averaging 16 mph. I feel like I'm on track to ride 53 hilly miles next May.