Memories of an A2Limited

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    • October 6, 2011 at 11:05 pm
    micahhowe
    Member
    Man, what a great site. I didn’t realize there was other Barracuda groupies out there. My first mountain bike was a ’93 A2Limited. Bought it when I was in high school in Vermont and rode it like mad all the way through college. Best bike I ever owned. Moved to Texas in 1998 and it was stolen off my third floor balcony–broke my heart. Didn’t get another mountain bike until 2006.

    Was just thinking the other day I’d like to add a hardtail to the stable and thought I’d see if I could find any old barracudas for sale. No luck, but found this site. Great stuff, great memories. I’ll be keeping tabs on the marketplace forum, I’d love to get back on a Barracuda.

Viewing 14 replies - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
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    • October 6, 2011 at 11:09 pm
    vpc66
    Member
    A couple of hardtail cudas for sale on ebay right now
    • October 6, 2011 at 11:39 pm
    neo_pop_71
    Member
    Hey Micah-

    Welcome! I have an A2L and I too love the bike! Sorry to hear about your misfortune… that’s a desperate fool that’ll jack a bike off the third floor! F*ckin’ bastards!!! Here, try this link, it’s how I find ’em all about Craigslist:

    http://www.google.com/#q=site:craigslist.org+barracuda+bike&hl=en&prmd=imvns&ei=OjyOTrr7MKbMsQLF_eGzAQ&start=0&sa=N&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=313169e320bf1c&biw=1390&bih=766

    I count about a dozen ‘Cudas after peepin’ the first 3 pages

    Good luck!!!

    -D-

    • October 7, 2011 at 2:39 am
    micahhowe
    Member
    Wow, thanks guys. One the ebay bikes is here in Houston, I’ll go check it out this weekend. 16 inch frame, so I’m not sure it will fit, but I also have no idea what size my old bike was.
    • October 7, 2011 at 5:39 am
    neo_pop_71
    Member
    Yep… that one has been on Craigslist for some time, it’s been popping up in my searches. Here’s a link:

    http://houston.craigslist.org/bik/2566723304.html

    Based on the color and the parts package, it’s definitely a 1994, you can find all the specs from the catalog with a stock photo in the “BIKES” section at the top of the page. I’d offer the guy $200.00, only because it’s not faded nor beaten up (plus it looks all stock and doesn’t look to have seen much use). It needs new derailleurs, LX minimum or XT is better, but it looks like a good snag for a fair price. The seller was asking $299.00 plus $65.00 shipping… it’ll never sell at that price. Get in contact with him, tell him you have $200.00 in hand and you’re ready to roll, he’s likely ready to unload the bike.

    Best ‘o’ luck ! ! !

    -D-

    p.s. I contacted a guy through RetroBike, he’s in CT., and he was trying to sell his A2Limited and was taking any reasonable offer. I’ll let you know if and when he gets back to me and I’ll give you and A2L status update. Peace.

    • October 7, 2011 at 4:49 pm
    micahhowe
    Member
    I’ll give it a try, the guy hasn’t gotten back to me. Would love to get another A2L, so I might watch the classifieds for a while to see if one pops up. It would be crazy if my old bike actually turned up.

    Also saw this one on Craigslist in Austin: http://austin.craigslist.org/spo/2620806298.html. (tried to attach a pic, but I’m not sure it worked). Called about it, the guy said it was an A2E but the frame geometry looks wrong to me based on some of the pictures I’ve found on this site–the top tube on the A2Es are usually more sloped, but maybe its an earlier year.

    • October 7, 2011 at 10:38 pm
    neo_pop_71
    Member
    I just checked out the listing on the Austin Craigslist… That’s a 19″ 1994 A2E, check the specs in the “BIKES” section at the top of the page, everything looks right minus the upgrades. The bike has been “played” with, the XT shifters and the Ringle “Peace Sign” cable hangers are certainly upgrades! Also, it looks like someone got a Dos Equis decal kit and went nuts… (see for yourself)

    http://austin.craigslist.org/bik/2620893731.html

    The A2E is in the correct location, the XX is not…

    The Prestige sticker is correct but the “TREES” is correct but poorly placed off center…

    I’ve never seen a Barracuda decal set for sale, never, I’ve searched for a few years. Yes, I know people could redo them but the Dos Equis decals look authentic… it just seems like some owner along the way came up on a decal set and went for it.

    I’m curious what happened to the SR suspension fork? Personally, I think the rigid fork is an upgrade over the stock SR “boat anchor” (aka pogo stick) that was probably bottomed out. Thinking about it, this looks like a bike that someone who worked at a bike shop (that sold Barracudas) might have pieced together… that might explained a spare rigid fork and a “Team” decal set. I’d like to have those Ringle cable hangers, those might fetch $50.00 for the pair! It looks like a good bike for the price being asked… not sure if Charlie at Brazos Trading Co. is going to be flexible on the price.

    Hey Mix… do you have any free time to check it out for Micah? I know it’s too big for you, so you won’t be adding it to your stable. ;)

    -D-

    • October 8, 2011 at 2:22 am
    mixalive
    Member
    I could give him a call on Sat. to check the status.

    to Micah: The reason this frame has a more horizontal top tube is that it is a larger frame. It states it is an 18.5 inch. Could be an 18 or 19. If yours had a more sloped top tube than the one in Austin, you probably had a 16 inch or 14 inch.
    That Houston A2R is deff a 16 inch. You can check out my bikes on the Member Bikes section to compare to a 14 inch. All my bikes are 14 inch.

    The Houston A2R looks cherry from the pictures. It even still has the wheel spoke reflectors and plastic cassette guard. I would jump on that one.. :ugeek:

    • October 8, 2011 at 12:42 pm
    micahhowe
    Member
    I called him yesterday, he said he still had it. Thanks for the offer though. I may drive over to Austin on Sunday if I don’t hear anything from the guy here in Houston. After looking at bikes all week, I’m dying to get out for a ride today.
    • October 8, 2011 at 2:22 pm
    neo_pop_71
    Member
    Nice… a Cudahead is born!!!
    • October 8, 2011 at 2:41 pm
    neo_pop_71
    Member
    Hey Micah,

    Just to be sure, since you’re talking about a 19″ frame vs. a 16″ frame, are you around 6′ tall with a 32″+ inseam? That’s about the minimum you’d need to be on that 19″ bike, that was the largest frame Barracuda made in 1994.

    Oh yeah, one other thing… these bikes are addictive! You’re going to find Cudas popping up for $80.00… maybe $125.00 and you’ll feel compelled to “save” the poor thing! Take my good brother Mixalive, he came to this site with one Barracuda to his name… now, look at this postings and you’ll see he is up to 4 in the stable. All added to the collection in about a year (and a damn fine collection it is too ;) ). I had 3 but I’m down to 1 presently and I truly regret selling off my other 2, however, I was up to 32 bikes when gave up my workshop (aka “The Shed”) in an industrial complex. There was no way in hell my sweet wife was going to stand for all those bikes at the house! Now, I have 10 and she (I mean we 🙄 ) have an understanding “old” bike out before a “new” bikes comes in. Gotta keep a happy home!!!

    Good luck whichever one you score but don’t say you weren’t warned about the desire to own more and more!

    -D-

    • October 8, 2011 at 9:15 pm
    micahhowe
    Member
    5′ 11″, 30″ inseam. I think you are right, the Austin bike is probably too big. I’m going to look at the 16″ bike here in Houston tomorrow afternoon. I have no idea what size my old bike was, so that should give me a better idea.

    Understood about wanting more and more–we have 5 bikes in the garage right now, and my wife is a little skeptical about my “need” for another one. If this Houston bike isn’t right, I’ll probably patiently watch for a while to see what comes up.

    • October 8, 2011 at 10:59 pm
    mixalive
    Member
    I would suggest the 16..
    • October 9, 2011 at 5:35 am
    neo_pop_71
    Member
    I agree with Mix, he’s right for sure, at 5’11” the 16″ frame would be better suited. Just me, ‘cuz I want a deal, I wouldn’t pay more than $200.00 for that bike. It looks to be in nice shape but you should figure to spend an additional $60.00 ($30.00 parts w/$30.00 labor) on new brake cables, new shift cables, a new chain, and a minor tune up just to get the bike trail worthy. I gotta know the drivetrain is sound… nothing worse than the walk back!
    • October 10, 2011 at 1:09 am
    micahhowe
    Member
    Went to check out the Houston bike today and passed. It was in pretty rough shape, needed a lot of work before I would ride it any distance and the guy didn’t want to go below $250. Looked to be pretty much all original equipment, but it had been in a Texas garage for a long time so anything that wasn’t metal was dried out and falling cracking. I don’t mind rebuilding, but starting at $250 eats up a lot of my rebuilding budget. I’ll keep looking.
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