Interesting that they appear to be a world wide spec - they were also sold as a frame only in the uk - I bought this bike to replicate the bike I owned in 89/90 - that one was bought as a frame and fork from a bike shop in Brighton just after my 16th birthday in 89, it had been hanging over the till for at least 6 months and I saved every penny from a part time job to afford it and replace a muddy fox courier. Only difference I can think of between the frame I had and this bike is the lack of an ‘alpine series’ decal on the seat tube of the current bike.