"Here we go,
Again" you don`t build up a Cunningham frameset around parts you find, or very unlikely you dared..
..as such a historical bike would most definitely already come in complete assembly to be remembered for what it was or still is and the way how appreciation goes you couldn’t change much but try at least to restore everything back to og specs someway or the other.
So when time has passed and you didn’t take a 2nd Chance as a friend of Charlie for a late 29er Ham or C`O`P DIA, what can you do ? Use rare parts you collected on a high end steel frame with Cunningham geometry/design for high regards.
Besides so, Charlie states on of his InfoPacks: the frame material matters less than the geometry in favor with comparable tube diameters to receive a similar as expected ride,..
14 Years after Cunningham conceived his first Aluminum "MTB" (The term Mountainbike firstly other than Klunkers was back then co owned by Charlie Kelly), him and Wtb as a partial consequence of experience to the formerly mentioned note above, launched the limited production custom series Phoenix frames.
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Team Trailmaster - Cunningham_O_Potts
As a resurfacing combined 80s Decalset of large scale historical importance and artistic inspiration
(all references between pioneering Coveshop under Koski ownership and the emerging Wilderness-Trail foundation included),
Who knows.. knows, well the slogan would be a good statement for these two (then soon forming WTB) custom bike-builders to show their respect or close sense of thoughtful engineering with each other and in development of the sport since very early on. Their surname letters were combined as a shared first collaboration on forks which went into Cunningham and Potts Bikes alike. As many a time Charlie delivered the concept and Steve would build it to perfection with production standards. Decades later the C_O_P-Decal was reissued for their DIA Series and again it was only destined to reference a one year timeframe of yet another single series likewise as back in 1982/83 for some time around 2014. With such underlying dynamics WTB was formed (to produce products and craftsmanship of the highest level) in 1982 until SP and CC left the corporate brand in the late 90s (many internal things happened, yet the actual artists didn´t get valued enough and were better off their own as they thought at the time..).
At the same time when classic 1990s Rimbrake-Mtbs ended an era of innovation. The Trailmaster Bike was reborn on a very limited production run of probably 8 to 12 bikes in existence of which the titanium version got welded by no other than Steve Potts, while the former 80s concept frames as perfected follow up to the Lawill Procruiser, already sported geometry and genes of Cunningham’s master welder Dave G. from DKG who was hired also by the Koski brethren. Also of the original Trailmaster similar to Joe Breezer`s Breezer Series l/ll/lll there were no more than 50 made.
The final printed set will consist of C-O-P toptube, seatstays and forkleg sticker patches along with a Team Trailmaster downtube decal.
MtnTrans and the "late 90´s" ? There was a northern californian custom order catalog with a crew behind who sold Wtb and Koski products as well as offering high class restoration/repaint services for exquisite bikes. So if you had a custom vision of your beloved bike these folks were likely gonna put your "idea into reality". After seeing this the idea for a better decal set than the Phoenix logos was double backed up and designed in a way CC would have used or supplied for such a redesigned look of a much beloved historical frame with cross reference attitude.
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.. from Fairfax to Mill Valley in California they had their homes and history was written in front their doorsteps ..
The focus on a ride as close as possible to the Cunningham/Wtb notion had in consequence to be writing with different people, staying alert for rare parts and some restoration to a frame with slight modifications for reaching its full potential.
It also brought about a fusion of component timeline and design appearance as Charlie was himself and on his bikes often doing two things especially:
For one he was fitting out his TIG welded frames with fine finished filletbrazing works on forks and stems.
Then as a second addition to his sense of perfection and function he often mixed componentry across the board from BMX to Road components, from Campagnolo, Simplex to Suntour & Shimano and those often a time modified, manipulated older or newer than a frame received birthing itself.
1993 Frame # 93197
A special early SE Phoenix as a base to build upon since CC & SP always used to be close in collaborating on projects, ideas for Wtb (pre, as well as aside) and in friendship. What was Charlie’s Design input or else which details Steve Potts took over from the Cunningham frame construction process? In any case the frame is made ruffly 10 Nr.`s past CC_personal brown Phoenix #93183.
Here is a "guess to it" when comparing the Phoenix to his previous masterpiece framesets: Internally reamed/reinforced headtube & seattube, thicker beefy chainstays (calling for the SE powerboss option and potential togglecam upgrade, where on the seatstays it wouldnt work without brake-brace!), tigwelding of main tubejoint areas in conjuction with filletbrazing where appropriate. Outward geometry and frameanlges altogether with the seatpost-changes in diameter and length made for the ride characteristics of the modern day trailbike conception, which WTB-founding members wanted to push.
Well the idea for a Steve Potts build Cunningham geometry was born in the early 1990s and first frames were exhibited 92 as the Phoenix series. Here in this case an array of old parts have been sourced to resemble an early WTB and partly even pre "wilderness trail bikes" aesthetic. Also later on with his titanium Bikes Steve adopted Charlie’s long proven, although back then radical angles. Especially the few non suspension corrected frames of the early 90s were closest to Charlie’s original designs as a frame builder involved with Wtb.
The frame was much likely a Wtb internal or custom order in 1993, and got modified for cantilevers in-house along with a new paintjob mid or late 90s. Later sold from T.Dennis to N.Gellner, then landed in Germany and was never build up. After further consideration, since by previous ownership all paint had been stripped for inspection, a speedmaster rollercam resto/retrofit was decided to complete original resemblance of a spirit with full blown Cunningham ambitions as the best at the time(s) available.
Fork
Here it becomes especially interesting as the fork is one of the earliest specimen made since and has been decorated originally with a Cunningham_O_Potts Decal. Forks also reached to Mr. T. from the Vintage MTB Workshop by one of the OG-Wtb founding members aka M.Slate. It got traded back and forth for another Cunningham fork which was damaged yet original to one of the Cook Brother Bikes through the hands of S.Hague.
Even later fully brazed Potts Typell`s done by Steve were different and not as voluminous on crown area.
There are only a hand full of these ones and some had flat dropouts along with the Cunningham crown which was not yet pointy as in later evolution steps. The massive crown could also mean that this ample version of Typell forks could have been a prototype for extra rigorous riding as later being possible to specify in WTB - order sheets. This weight & blade spec detail is not known anymore during the course of history yet a few other of these in likewise mannered heavy duty look exist.
Stem(s)
The flatbar faceplate along with the custom dropbar stem turned out a perfect period correct match to the fork. The brazed stems shown are a Cunningham 110 and Potts made 80mm, displaying the non driveside pinch bolts. The fork is generously brazed and filed while the stems are frugal in use brass "Charlie like" for the very beginning of lightweight mtb-crafting.
That custom one off employee Ibis-Dropbar-Stem (pictured at the start of the Photo collection), is again from 91/92 and directly silvered on an upside down quill-extension instead of the typical stubbed solutions which were also fluxed into the forks steering tube. Maybe this stem can be used for another Bike, fit will tell... After history had shown "it" that the early 80s Mtbs were breaking the threaded shaft area, some builders and bike owners went "ahead
" removing the former adaptation from old touring bikes and took that modification back to quill adapters in hopes to preserve their forks lives. This of course needed a torch for performing a sweating out of the stub. Following that notion this bike although being extremely devoted to all achievements WTB-related and of what their founding members had been bringing along, doesn’t sport any of the typical period specific stub system (neither conical or cylindrical as there was conical taper for pinchboltless flatbar stems and cylindrical stubs for Gooseneck typically). Using a special pc diameter quill adapter an OG Potts LD was also sourced for the geometry getting the bars in perfect position.
Nonetheless making advantage and crediting the brilliant aesthetical or even visionary pioneering designs of their era, especially if one keeps in mind that not only Charlie’s last E-series Bikes and most modern stems share the 2 bolt "early ahead design".
☆ Steve Potts Bicycles
"Damping happens in every part of the bike, any movement in a part (stem, handlebar, etc.) absorbs shock that would otherwise be felt by your body. Longer parts (handlebars, etc.) move more because of the lever length.. Enjoy your bike!
Manu, the bike looks great nice job!!!"
Thanks for the photos! Steve.
☆ CC/Wtb-Braking System
Charlie’s very first brakes were a complicated push toggle and scissor/cam design.
But it wasn't only the efficient constructions Cunningham came up with moreover he placed the brakes away from pedaling impacts which became crucial on his compact sloping geometry frame vision.
It was CC again who was extra fond of getting the brakeboss spacing all the way up to 90mm and for doing so easily and with the most strength for his powerful brake developments he choose to place them at the stiffest areas for frame and forks. On a fork that means reinforcements on the crown and for the frame it screams chainstays rather than seatstays since the former are shorter and more suitable in gauge and diameter. As Charlie supplied on his evolving Bikes and offering to customers, he also provided upgrade kits as the timeline of his often handmade braking systems progressed. The Rollercam evolved into the toggle and from there into a romance with the short lasting Sabercam experiment but finally climaxing to be in love with the Lever Link brakes which he outfitted as complete sets also in a small series of again completely hand machined version many years past his more active MTB-building phase and post time department from WTB. In the mean time while WTB was still going strong as prototype and design department within the scene, originally Dave Garoutte at DKG machined WTBs 2nd gen. Swiss Cheese and 3rd gen. Speedmaster cam brakes, as well as other WTB envisioned parts such as shifter-mount perches for example. As a lesser-known fact D.G. also welded many of CC frames after tubes were cut and tacked in place.
CC in his own words during an Interview in his work shed called "offhand manor":
"In fact, I can show you the original mountain bike down there.. the linkage has evolved over the years. If you ride this thing, you think, how in the world could anyone use anything else? I feel like I’m riding in heaven almost. I get on the latest best disc brakes, they’re great but they’re just..."
If you object to some characteristic of his bikes, Charlie will simply tell you, that it’s optimized for the kind of riding he likes to do.
Charlie’s latest/last endeavors were a small batch of 5 Bikes for which and some more customer demand he then build a unique refined "braking system" called the Leverlink. People often quote W.Williams as the advocate for Wtb producing the first fat-ish 29" tire, but if it wasn't for the money involved Cunningham would have been the first to try it all out, well he did with various 69 designs and his 700er expedition models, but most importantly as his final opus with a skinny 29" and short chainstay frame and generous full size vintage tire upfront:
https://theradavist.com/charlie-cunningham-2012-29er/more info and spec/specific history you come to read in most picture caps/descriptions below for what they call today the roots of monstercrossbikes !!
Link(s) to build thread,
Documentation & Pics S/N: 93197
https://www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/american-fairfax-flair-wilderness-trail-manifesto.937467/page-2For the first project bike build:
Fairfax Flair B1 - American ELF (The far fetched Cunningham)
https://fotos.mtb-news.de/s/95800WTB Phoenix Premier and Serials
https://www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/suche-infos-zu-wtb-scans-serials.952244/Additional Info's on WTB
Offroad Drops
https://fotos.mtb-news.de/s/92009& Forks
https://www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/type-2-gabel-information.949109/page-2& brakes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/156925988@N06/albums/72157718531664977/with/51005676187/WTB factory Visit Scans / Interviews
https://www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/wtb-potts-cunningham-galerie.351737/page-2WTB History On Mombat
http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/WTB.htmlWTB Katalog Scans
https://fotos.mtb-news.de/s/75295&
https://www.steelfightsback.com/wtb/phoenix-se-18-1993/Steves Presentation about Framebuilding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyy6VE4T8tYInterview witch Steve the artist!
http://ppolinks.com/mvpl39241/2016.017.001_PottsSteve_OralHistoryRecording.mp3Interview with Steve and Charlie about brakes components and Industry standards
https://www.mountainflyermagazine.com/view.php/pott-cunningham-interview.htmlInterview transcribed of S.P. " The master craftsman"
https://bicyclecomplex.blogspot.com/2014/03/steve-potts-master-craftsman.html?fbclid=IwAR0BLv1xTMZzchRQkBL6PCpL9QDI4r6RX93GTo6p-BlOyZk11miwA8hv008Steel Bike Frame Ring - WTB Phoenix by Potts
https://youtu.be/oNgMwe0DlbY 
