Barracuda - Totally Driven!

This is my 1993 A2L (Limited), the serial number is as pictured A2L010162. I'm confused by this as it doesn't seem to follow the other serial numbers that I've looked at on this forum.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

-DON-

Mine is a2l010620. It has the non tange labeling and has a freakishly large seat tube by cuda standards. Is yours built w tange tubeset? What size seatpost does it have?

Hi manbeer,

I'm not sure why there would be a difference but mine does have the Tange MTB double butted tubing. The more I dig the more I come to understand that Barracuda Cycles was at a constant state of flux, always changing things. Somehow between my #162 and your #620 things may have changed but that may not be the case, they may have simply run out of decals and that's why yours does not have a decal. Seems too obvious, I know, but I ordered a set of Deda race tubing from Nova Cycles because I'm building my own frame right now and the set came with a DEDA decal. My buddy ordered a different Deda tube set and his didn't have a decal included, he called Nova, they said the supplier ran out. Maybe a long shot but it's possible. My seatpost was butchered by the previous owner, I used my micrometer and it measured 29.93mm, so I'm calling it a 29.4 seatpost. Just to be sure, your post is black anodized with "BARRACUDA" laser etched right? I asked another guy on MTB about his A2L seatpost, he said his was stamped ZOOM but had no diameter markings. I know Zoom made a lot of oem branded parts (stems, bars, etc.) for numerous companies. The head of the seatpost and the clamp look like other Zoom posts I've seen.

Let me know what your seatpost has marked into it, I'd like to know.

Thanks,

-DON-

I don't think it's that the decal is missing, it's that the decal doesn't say Tange.

Hi Mark,

Besides the Easton aluminum tubing and the Tange tubing on my A2L, what other tube sets or decals did the pre-Ross Barracudas use? Were there different Tange frames? How about production runs on various models, is there any documentation (or even a rumor) as to how many 'Cudas were made? Was the A2L offered any other year aside from 1993? I've never read or heard anything except for the '93 catalog. Do you have a '93 catalog? I'd like to see what the catalog says about my bike.

As always, thanks for everything!

-D-

All great questions!

- My research has led me to believe that there were 2 different Easton tubing types used: Elan 3 and Program. They used a few different tubes by Tange, which included (among others) the 4130, Prestige and Prestige Ultimate SL. Don't forget, on the lower end aluminum frames, Kinesis 7005 tubes were used.

- No idea on the total number of (Durango) bikes. I don't even have a guess, but I may have an answer to this question soon..

- To my knowledge the A2Limited was only offerred in 1993.

- I have a 1993 catalog coming, I'll be posting good scans when it arrives. Stay tuned!

- "No idea on the total number of (Durango) bikes. I don't even have a guess, but I may have an answer to this question soon.."

Not that you want to jinx yourself but what's up with the info on the Durango bikes, who've you been talking to???

- "To my knowledge the A2Limited was only offerred in 1993."

Sweet, that's what I've always believed... good to know that there weren't years worth of overrun while under Ross' control of the 'Cuda name!

- "I have a 1993 catalog coming, I'll be posting good scans when it arrives. Stay tuned!"
That's awesome, I'm really looking forward to seeing those scans! Mark, 1993 was the first official catalog right? I saw in the PRINT section that you have the '93 catalog set up for download. I got excited and scrolled the cursor over "download" but nothing happened... dirty sneak, getting my hopes up!

I'm not a supersticious fellow, but..

Yeah, the only question in my mind was if they made the A2Limited prior to 1993, I was sure that it never came around again after the company was sold.

I can't wait for it to arrive either! I've lusted after it for a while now, then missed an opportunity, now I have another.

Yes, i also have the black anodized with gold logo seatpost. So you think a 29.4 will fit just fine?

Coming over on the Ferry after picking up my A2L. I found a thread that the seller posted up a ways back on retrobike, apparently he picked it up for 20 dollars at an estate sale. I paid 160, and its pretty damn clean, and original