1990 Bridgestone MB-0
Part Diary, Part Technical Manual, Part Tips & Tricks

When it rains it pours. I had just got into the old rigid steel mountain bike kick and bought a MB-3 last Friday. Then I see an ad for a completely original MB-0 nearby, so I went to check it out and ended up buying it as well. It is one size larger than the MB-3, so I'm kind of curious which size will fit me better. I had just recently sold my XO-1 a couple months ago, so once again I have another Tusk colored Bridgestone, the color they used on their top of the line models.. I've always said these bikes do not age well. I dont' know if its the color or the quality of the paint, but these Tusk colored bikes always seem to have an extra amount of paint scratches and chips while the creme colored Turbo saddle always end up getting very dark and nasty. In some ways, the MB-Zip is one of the most quintessential models of the Peterson-era Bridgestones, but it probably also the least BOBish with its TIG welded frame and component selection leaning towards lightweight. But regardless, its a very cool and interesting bike. So on December 13, 2011, I now have two Bridgestone mountain bikes.

12/17/2011 - So I dial in the seat height and install a water bottle cage and off I go for my first ride. At only 24 pounds, its an incredibly light mountain bike, especially considering its age. The frame geometry fits me very well, providing a taut and efficient ride while the big tires does a reasonable job of soaking up the bumps. I think this 52cm size suits me better than my 49cm MB-3, which shows a lot of post.

12/4/2012 - The strangest thing just happened. I put up an ad to sell this bike on craigslist last week and I got an email from someone who was very interested and asked some very specific questions. Turns out he was the original owner of this bike, who bought it new in 1990 from Jitensha Studio when he was a student at UC Berkeley. The amazing thing is that over the course of twenty years and at least four owners, the bike is still completely original. The buyer thanked me for looking after the bike and it was indeed my pleasure.

Here are the specs:

Frame: 1990 Bridgestone MB-0, 52 cm (20.5"), Number 0054 of 1000. Ritchey Logic Prestige tubing by Tange, 130mm spacing. Serial Number: M9KF50. Flared seat tube, bulge-butted seat reinforcement. Investment cast seat collar. Bi-conical seatstay, butted chainstay. Tusk.
Fork: 1990 Bridgestone fork, 1" threaded. Ritchey Logic triple tapered gauge tubing. Tusk.
Front Hubs: Mavic 530 "Paris Gao Dakar", sealed cartridge bearings. 32H. Mavic alloy quick-release.
Rear Hubs: Mavic 536 "Paris Gao Dakar", sealed cartridge bearings. 32H. Mavic alloy quick-release.
Rims: Ritchey Vantage Comp, 32H, silver with Wheelsmith doubled-butted stainless steel spokes.
Tires: Ritchey Megabit Overdrive, 26" x 2.0", kevlar folding bead.
Freewheel: Suntour XC-PRO, 7spd, 12-26T.
Cranks: Specialized ST-1, cold forged, 46x36x24, 172.5mm, 110/74 BCD.
Bottom Bracket: Specialized with Sugino spindle, 114mm.
Front Derailer: Bridgestone Special: Suntour XC-PRO body with XC-9000 cage, clamp-on.
Rear Derailer: Suntour XC-PRO, 7spd.
Brakes: Dia-Compe 986, buffed and clear-anodized finish.
Brake Lever: Dia-Compe Advantage 5-SL (superlight drilled version).
Shifters: Suntour XC-PRO.
Headset: Ritchey Logic Comp, 1" Threaded with Dia-Compe cable hanger, black.
Chain: DID Lanner-Index 7.
Stem: Ritchey Force Comp, heat-treated, butted. 10 degree rise, silver, 1" threaded, 130mm, 25.4mm diameter.
Handlebar: Ritchey Force, heat-treated, butted, silver.
Grips: Ritchey True Grip, black.
Pedal: Shimano PD-M535 SPD.
Seatpost: Ritchey Force, heat-treated, butted, silver, 27.2mm x 300mm.
Saddle: Bridgestone Special: Selle Italia Turbo, leather, off-white.

The bike weighed 23 lbs 11 oz in original condition, 24 lbs and 0 oz as shown.

The following are OE parts that I am currently not using:

Pedal: Bridgestone Special: Suntour XC-PRO, sealed cartridge body with Suntour Superbe Pro track cage. Specialized toe-clip and strap.