1991 Bridgestone MB-Zip

1991 Bridgestone MB-Zip

Here's a real gem, a 1991 MB-0 in almost full catalog spec. The one local legend Gene Oberpriller rode in the catalog. 

I bought this at an estate auction along with an equally pristine and original MB-1. When I got it a white Turbo was mounted, which was incorrect. Luckily I was able to source an off-white suede Turbo from New Zealand. This saddle has a 1986 date code, but it appears to be exactly the same saddle as the "Bridgestone exclusive off-white Turbo." I haven't been able to fully confirm that this is indeed the same spec, but it sure looks the part. 


The other pieces on my bike that are not correct spec are the pedals and grips. The correct spec is an XC Pro pedal body with Suntour Superbe Pro Track cages on them, with Specialized clips and straps. I have just sourced a used set from Canada, but they weren't mounted in these images. I also need to find a set of grey Ritchey grips to replace my black ones.  The whole spec of the bike was high level nerd stuff with the Mavic cranks chosen for their low "Q" factor. 

The MB-0 was an outlier in the Bridgestone high end mtb line which were all lugged bikes. From Vintage MTB Workshop: "However, with the advent of even lighter Ritchey Logic tubing and the weight-savings of TIG-welded construction, Bridgestone created the "Zip" model to sit atop the numbered mountain bike (MB) product line in 1990.  Whereas a TIG-welded Prestige frame might be just under 5 pounds, a Logic frame would save 3/4 of a pound and come in at just over 4 pounds.  Because TIG-welding concentrates a higher heat into a smaller area compared to brazing, the thick butted end sections of the tubing could be made much shorter and the thin middle sections much longer.  The MB-0 or -Zip wasn't just about saving weight with the frame, it also made extensive use of lightweight parts that were chosen carefully to achieve a total bike weight under 24 pounds."