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Mantis Timeline |
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1981 |
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Mantis was founded by Richard
Cunningham, current editor of Mountain Bike Action magazine. |
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1983 |
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The 1983 models were Sherpa ($850
frame $1595 bike), Overland ($750 frame), XCR ($850 frame $1695 bike)
Sherpa: .035" wall large diameter 4130 Cro-Moly tubing, full fillet
brazed, 2.5" fork rake, pressed in sealed Phil Wood cartridge bearing bottom
bracket, Campagnolo 1010B short drop outs, stock Imron colors of medium blue,
light continental blue, forest green, bright green, slate grey or golden brown.
72 degree seat and head tube angles, 11.5" high bottom bracket. Stock
component package includes: Campy seat binder quick release integrated into the
frame, black Cordura nylon shoulder strap, 4130 stem with internal cable
routing, Magura Shorties, Mafac tandem cantilevers, modified Zefal Tornade pump
(rides inside the seat tube), Excalibur sealed cartridge pedals, Galli tapered
roller bearing head set, Selle Italia Royale Anatomic saddle, Mantis aluminum
bars, French Laprade seat post, Mariplast bottle, Blackburn cages, Araya 7X
rims, Phil Wood hubs (quick release or bolt on), Comp III tires, Suntour thumb
shifters, Sedisport chain, 13-30 Suntour New Winner freewheel, TA Cyclotourist
crank (170-185mm length), Suntour Cyclone or Huret Challenger/Duopar
Overland: Pretty much identical to the Sherpa but TIG welded as
opposed to fillet brazing to keep the cost down. The fork is the same as
the Sherpa but the fillets are less finished. The Overland is listed as
being available as a frame set or frame kit but not assembled.
XCR (Cross Country Racer): designed to enhance high speed
handling, shorter frame, longer seat post, taller stem, 17.5" chain stays, .035"
cro-moly main tubes, Columbus stays, fillet brazed, standard color is Italian
Red, Campagnolo 1010B short drop outs, sealed cartridge Phil Wood bottom bracket
bearings. Same specs as the Sherpa except: Ambrosio Durex rims, optional
modified Campagnolo cranks, Superbe Tech derailleurs, 13-28 New Winner
freewheel, Suntour XC 5000 pedals
Components: Stem:
triangular front piece with internal
cable routing, 4130 TIG welded cro-moly, ovalized extension tube, curved
stainless steel internal tube for cable routing Handlebars: .120" wall
6061T6 aluminum
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1987 |
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The XCR sells for about $1,750. |
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1990 |
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Debut of the Flying V aluminum monocoque main frame and cro-moly bolt-on
rear end. Mantis begins exploration of a full suspension design.
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1992 |
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All models were redesigned to tackle the new world of suspension:
The Flying V is available in three sizes, uses sealed press-in bottom bracket,
26.8 mm seat post, 1" head tube only and designed to be used with a suspension
fork. The XCR is now all welded aluminum with elevated stays (possibly
only 3 frame built in this configuration). The
XCR uses 22.2 mm seat stays, 25.4 mm chain stays and a 35 mm seat tube.
The bottom bracket is a sealed press in unit, 26.8 mm seat post, 1" standard (1
1/8" optional) head tube and cable routing to work with top or bottom pull
derailleurs. Sizes are 16" through 22" in 1" increments. The
Valkyrie is welded True Temper OX Cro-moly tubing and features elevated stays.
The 1992 model uses a conventional single top tube (as opposed to the older
models multi-tube top tube), 68 mm threaded bottom bracket, 26.8 mm seat post
and 1" head set. Suspension corrected geometry in 16", 18" and 20" sizes.
The full suspension Pro Floater uses an aluminum frame and swing arm with a
steel strut. The bottom bracket is a sealed press-in unit, head tube is
1", seat post is 26.8 mm and is recommended for a 2" suspension fork.
Sizes are 16", 18" and 20". Pro Floater chassis were farmed
out to Redline for production. |
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1993 |
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Models listed as XCR, Flying V and
Pro-Floater. Richard Cunningham becomes editor of Mountain Bike Action
magazine and puts Mantis up for sale. |
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1994 |
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The company was bought out in
late 1994 by two former Bell employees (Pat McIntyre and Tom Akeley) and Doug
Solomon, a Wall Street investment banker. Dave Shultz, another Bell
employee, is hired to update the Mantis product line. The XCR loses the
bolt-on cro-moly rear end in favor of a welded aluminum rear. The
thermoplastic Screaming V picks up where the Pro Floater left off. .
A light system, Mondo Light, is shown housed in aluminum housings.
Critical Racing, maker of high end components, is also bought by the new owners
of Mantis. |
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1995 |
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Ingenuity
Sports, in Altadena, CA, is the home of Mantis, Critical Components and now
Carmichael Company (May, 1995). Screaming V is in production now. Critical
Components products include cantilever brakes, brake levers, quick release
skewer and a stem. |
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1996 |
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Carmichael will sell a rear derailleur, made by Joes Prototype Machining in
Denver. Ingenuity sales listed at "less than two million dollars".
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1997 |
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Models were the same |
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Mantis model descriptions:
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Sherpa:
Pretty conventional cro-moly steel frame. One of the
first models from Mantis when they started building bikes in 1981.
XCR: The XCR was introduced in the
early-mid 80's. It was built in 2, perhaps 3 versions. From its beginning
until 1990 or 1991 it was a traditional design with aluminum front triangle and
bolt on Cro-mo rear triangle. In 1990 or 1991 the XCR received the elevated
rear end. Production stopped in 1993 I believe with a few leftovers being sold
in 1994. All these frames had 1" head tubes, press fit BBs and 26.8mm seat
posts. There were a few customs with 1 1/8 and 1 1/4" head tubes and some had
threaded BBs. The frames came stock with straight blade rigid forks and stems.
The very early models had custom Mantis stems and the rest of them came with
Salsa roller stems. A 3rd version was in the works and I don't know if any were
produced or if it was still in the prototype stage when the company was sold.
It was an all aluminum XCR with elevated stays...again to reduce the weight in
response to team riders requests. It was of all welded construction. There
were handful of prototypes of this for sure.
Valkyrie:
The Valkyrie was made from
the mid 80-s until about 1990. I think they stopped making them when the
Flying-V was introduced. Available in both non-elevated and elevated
designs with 1" head tube and press fit BB (although I know your frame is
threaded and I'm sure there were a few other customs like that). I don't know
the seat post size but I assume it was 26.8mm as that seemed to be
Richards size. I'm not sure if any of these came with Mantis stems as all of
them that I've seen had the Salsa Pro Moto roller stem. Straight blade rigid
fork also standard.
Flying V:
The Flying V was introduced in
1990 I believe. Elevated Cro-mo bolt on stays, press fit BB, 1" head tube,
26.8mm seat tube. This frame remained the same until 1995 when it was made
entirely of aluminum to lower the weight and also received the changes listed
above. At some point the monocoque section began to have the "Mantis" stamped
into the frame. The early versions just had decals with the name. I estimate
this happened in 1993ish. Another change was in the rear end. Some of the bolt
on rear triangles had reinforcement tubes running between the canti bosses and
the chain stays and some did not. I do not know when this happened. The R
Cunningham Flying V's came stock with a straight blade rigid fork and Salsa
roller stem Here are a few pics of variations on the Flying V. This first
picture is a 1995-97 version with stamped "Mantis", all aluminum construction
and standard stays. The second picture is a frame with the stamped front and
non connected seat and chain stays. The third picture is of a first yr Flying V
with the chain and seat stays connected at the brake post and with vinyl
"Mantis". The frames with the stamped "Mantis" that I have seen also seem to
have undergone more finishing; the welds that join the 2 halves of the monocoque
section at the head tube were filed down smooth so it looks like one piece
whereas the older frames with the vinyl decals still have visible welds on the
front of the head tube.
Screaming V: Constructed of Cyctec
thermoplastic carbon which replaces the aluminum main frame of the Pro Floater.
Pro Floater:
Pro Floater from
1991-1994 had a round aluminum swing arm and a Cro-mo rear strut. Seatpost was
26.8mm, 1" head tube and press fit BB. The very early ones had both chain stays
somewhat elevated and used Marzocchi rear shocks. The majority of them
came with Noleen rear shocks and had the drive side stay elevated and the
non-drive stay straight. The swing arm was usually painted the color of
the frame. From 1995-1997 the frames had 28.6mm posts, 68mm threaded BBs, and 1
1/8" head tubes. The swing arm was beefier and now box section and the strut
was aluminum as well. Some of them also received a CNC machined piece that the
main swing arm pivot was on as opposed to the normal round tube found in the 1st
generation frames. As a side note I don't know if they switched painters but
the 1995-1997 Pro Floater paint jobs were terrible. They chip very easily.
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