Never seen one like it

[4500_rider]

Anyone know anything about this frame :

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7222473931&ssPageName=ADME:B:BCA:UK:12

I've been on Giants website but cant find anything about this particular one

[Matno]

That's from a few years ago - early 1997 to be exact. (which should be obvious because it's a "downhill" frame with no disc tabs). I've seen them on the web before, but they were never made in any large numbers. There was a longer-travel linkage kit available, which supposedly improved the ride quality for trail riding (increased to 5" I believe). Not a great XC ride though. Don't know much else about them. I'm guessing they weren't too popular based on the limited production and the fact that the shock mounts under the downtube in a very exposed position. Seems like a crazy place for a shock - unless you want to see how much abuse it can handle! I also heard some reports of frame breakage, which is probably why Giant discontinued them. (Or maybe it was just because they came out with some better designs at the time that proved to be quite popular, like the NRS).

[Ionit]

That would not be a bad buy. It looks very clean probably never ridden. If I remember correctly it had a RockShock Coup Deluxe damper however I don't recall the exact  i 2 i. You can get a shock like it on e-bay I've seen a few. A Lizard skins would work to keep the high volocity mud spater off the damper.

It even has internal housing it seems. If it was any closer it may have tempted me to bid. Good thing it is in the UK.

[proflex252]

Yep! 97!

A fellow student of mine had one of those.
He just used it to deliver newspapers (what a shame).
At least until it was stolen by such a 12 year old ghetto guy while he was in a house to deliver the newspapers.
A few weeks later he found it in a bikestand.
Painted in purple all over. And I really mean all over! Including the fork, rims, shock, bar ...
Total damage!
And of course the 12 year old guy and his unemployed parents had no money to pay for it.
And as the guy was 12 he couldn't be sentenced. According to the German law he was too young.

[4500_rider]

Update - been doing some digging on the net and have found the 990 was a 99 model, there was a predeccesor, the 980, which was 97 & 98.

The reason for limited numbers was the price tag - about $3200 brand new and fully built, most of the components where rubbish so you had to spend more getting it up to scratch.  29lbs was its weigh in.

Going by reviews the only issues people seemed to have where the price, rubbish components, pivot squeaking and the fact the cables ran through the frame (?).  Couldnt find reports of frame breakage.  Placing the shock under the downtube is a daft place though i agree.

Have contacted the seller, apparently it is brand new and never been built up, looking at the pictures I would say this is so - no scratches, chips or anything else that indicates use.

I'm going to place a bid on it, should make a nice project - think I could throw a set of x-links on it, any ideas for a disc mod on the rear?