New project bike: GT Zaskar LE 1995

girv73
girv73 Posts: 842
edited April 2009 in The workshop
In the mid 90's I did a lot of mountain biking. I was out in the mud most weekends with the uni MTB club and even entered a few races. I built a high spec (for the time), hardtail XC bike around the GT Zaskar LE aluminium frameset. But I left university, life got more complicated, the mountain biking fell away and the Zaskar was confined to storage where I couldn't even see it.

Now, more than a decade later, it's back!

Zaskar%20-%20Homecoming.JPG
(click for more pictures)

A cursory inspection reveals a lot of crud on everything and it'll all need a thorough strip down & lube. Nothing seems to have seized but there's some corrosion on one of the fork legs, which is a worry. It's also a 7-speed transmission so I'm stuffed if any part of it breaks or wears out!

Now I just have to see what the missus will allow me to buy to get the Zask back into the mud :roll:
Today is a good day to ride

Comments

  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,716
    The corrosion appears to be just a spot of surface rust. If not, have a word with Pace, they may either have a stanchion tube knocking about or be willing to knock one up for you.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    re the seven speed you are not that stuffed. it is out there.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • girv73
    girv73 Posts: 842
    @whyamihere yes, the corrosion looks pretty superficial, I'll give it a rub down with some WD40 and see what happens. Good to know Pace are friendly like that though, thanks.

    @nicklouse I see that now! I had just assumed 7-speed parts had gone the way of the dinosaurs. They're pretty cheap too :)

    I'm hoping this bike won't need more than a clean and lube and some new brake pads.

    I'm pondering a disc brake conversion though. The frame is designed for canti brakes; I've managed to bodge v-brakes on to it, but the rear is a little iffy as the cable routing can't be perfect.

    Given that the Pace RC36 forks I have are from 1995 or so, how do you think they'd compare performance-wise to the cheapy Suntour XC 100 LO forks I took off my commuter bike? The Suntours have disc mounts where the Pace don't you see. I need to check they'll fit as well, of course.

    Is there such a thing as a disc brake adapter for forks, so you can retrofit discs on a non-disc fork? I've seen them for the rear, but never for the front.
    Today is a good day to ride