Mike, from a rad coffee company called Traction, sent in his 1991 Fisher Advance for this week’s Readers’ Rides. Let’s check it out!
All photos by Matt Cordova
There’s nothing quite like the buzz of building up a new bike. But taking a forgotten rig, giving it a fresh purpose, sending it back into the wild? That’s next level satisfaction.
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Over the past few years, my love for ‘80s & ‘90s mountain bikes has hit full tilt—mostly because of their simplicity. I grew up on BMX, & there’s something really special about a straightforward, rigid steel frame that just makes sense. No suspension wizardry, no overly complex drivetrains—just a raw, no-nonsense machine built for fun.
Right out my front door in Colorado, I’ve got a goldmine of riding options: paved bike paths that connect nearly every town along the Front Range, miles of dusty dirt roads, & most exciting of all, rogue singletrack that I don’t have to drive to. Now, my garage is already stacked with bikes, but I didn’t have the bike—something dedicated to slashing through these unsanctioned trails. Enter; the Fisher Advance.
With a vision in mind, my search was on. Pawn shops, thrift stores, FB Marketplace, Craigslist, garage sales—you name it. & then, BOOM. A nearly mint Fisher Advance appears on marketplace, message SENT.
I met up with the original owner, & what a legend. He shared stories about the bike, the adventures he’d had, the miles covered. The encounter felt like way more than a smiple transaction—it was a passing of the torch. When I told him about my plans for the build, he grinned ear to ear & said, “Please send photos when it’s done.”
The moment I got it back to our shop, the Traction Coffee roasting HQ, I tore into my parts bin pulling together what I could, & started sourcing the rest. The goal? A rig that could chew up 30 miles of path or gravel between breweries or taco shops but still dip into rogue singletrack & get rowdy without hesitation.
First up: the drivetrain. I wanted max gearing range without the hassle of a front derailleur. After some deep-dive research, I found that I could swap a freehub body onto the stock hub, allowing me to run an 11-speed cassette which comfortably fit in the frame’s rear end thanks to the 135mm spacing. Perfect. I paired that cassette with a set of 175mm BMX cranks & a 104bcd 4 bolt spider to complete the drivetrain. Clean. Simple. Bombproof.
Next, the cockpit. I wanted to preserve as much of the original Fisher as possible while sneaking in modern performance. A quill-to-threadless adapter let me swap in a shorter stem & a set of cruiser-style bars, instantly transforming the ride position. The finishing touch? A true throwback; an OG dropper post, the HITE-RITE.
This thing rips. It’s basically a big BMX bike that crushes bike paths, slays singletrack, & manuals for days, thanks to those short chainstays. Exactly what I was hoping for. Only problem? I finished the build in the dead of winter. Now, I’m just counting the days until spring so I can properly break it in. Until then, I’ll just sit in the roastery & stare at it.
If you’ve got an old MTB kicking around—or feel inspired to track one down—do it. Give it a second life, take it somewhere new, & have some damn fun. Cheers!
Build Spec:
- Frame/fork: 1991 Fisher Advance in Sizzle Red
- Brakes: Shimano BR-T4000 V-Brake
- Brake levers: SHIMANO Alivio BL-T4000
- Rear hub: Shimano FH-HG50
- Front hub: Shimano Exage
- Rims: Araya VP-20
- Tires: Maxxis Holy Roller 2.2”
- Bottom bracket: MCS Euro (Blue)
- Cranks: Rant BMX 175mm
- Chainring Spider: MCS Alloy (Blue)
- Cassette: 11sp Shimano SLX
- Chain: 11 speed Shimano
- Dropper: Hite Rite
- Saddle: Alta Vintage Diamond Pattern
- Grips: odi elite pro lock on
- Pedals: Rockbros Sealed
- Bars: Velo Orange Klunker Bar
- Quill Adapter: Nitto MT 1-1/4″ to 1-1/8″
- Stem: Syncros 50mm
We’d like to thank all of you who submitted Readers Rides builds to be shared here at The Radavist. The response has been incredible and we have so many to share over the next few months. Feel free to submit your bike, listing details, components, and other information. You can also include a portrait of yourself with your bike and your Instagram account! Please, shoot landscape-orientation photos, not portrait. Thanks!