My 1996 GT Zaskar LE refurb/rebuild.

zaskar69

Decided a month or so ago to build this frame. it is an original 96 LE, was ball burnished but in a bit of a mess, so was powder coated blue.
Very pleased with my retro ish build, gear train is new spec as it is much better than the old stuff, but have built it pretty much to the same spec as i used to use for trials and xc in the mid to early 90's, bit of tweeking and finished, the front wheel is being built at the moment to match the rear wheel, the one in the pics is temporary, soon she will be done and ready to used as she should be!.

ilovedirt

nice retro build, how much does it weigh?
And you use that for trials??!!!

zaskar69

i will weigh it tomo mate, when the street trials craze started around me in Oxford when i was growing up, we all used mountain/xc bikes with maguras and big rims that was it, maybe a cut down road sign bolted to the cranks as a bash guard and a tyre inside the other on the bake wheel to stop pinches. It was a while before proper bikes and gear was made.

ilovedirt

aye, i suppose in comparison to a more seasoned biker (i'm choosing my words carefully!), i've not been on the scene long at all! though it's more about how you ride than what you ride, at the end of the day.

Zaskar20

I used to have a '96 LE in anodized red - great bike. Looking at your pics brings back the memories. Interestingly the lines of the bike (geometry wise) still look fresh and up to date, compared to other bikes around at the same time.

Oh and by the way - nice original username!

ilovedirt

hah, i'm crap at thinking up witty and original usernames, so i went with the obvious :P That said, yours can't have taken too much thought either! haha

And yeah, the orange patriot design has hardly changed at all, obviously they don't make them anymore, but look at the newer patriots they made, the 222, 223, 224 etc etc. Single pivot bikes are just so simple yet so effective It's no wonder the top companies still make them.

That reminds me, must update that photo again!

Zaskar20

ilovedirt wrote:

hah, i'm crap at thinking up witty and original usernames, so i went with the obvious :P That said, yours can't have taken too much thought either! haha

And yeah, the orange patriot design has hardly changed at all, obviously they don't make them anymore, but look at the newer patriots they made, the 222, 223, 224 etc etc. Single pivot bikes are just so simple yet so effective It's no wonder the top companies still make them.

That reminds me, must update that photo again!

Sorry! I think I've confused you

I'm Zaskar20 and I was replying to zaskar69

I do have a soft spot for all Orange bikes though.

ilovedirt

Zaskar20 wrote:

Sorry! I think I've confused you

i think you might be right there! haha

ChillyGetsTrilly

Totally nostalgic for this bike, reminds me of the good ol' days. Great Job! 8)

gbarnewall

you'll have to get searching for a some KORE componants

i seriously love it!! i had i think a 99 backwoods,and that frame is bringing all the memories back

supersonic

Very nice! This is my 96 LE, still going strong:

Zaskar20

supersonic wrote:

Very nice! This is my 96 LE, still going strong:

If my memory serves me correctly the finish was 'ball burnished'.
I had the anodized red - which I thought was the dog's danglies.
The other colour was powdercoat blue as ridden by Jez Avery in MBUK at the time.
It was my first of many custom builds by my own fair hands. Great memories.

supersonic

Aye, ball burnished! I still lust after the 'frost red', see them on ebay from time to time.

Still running original headset and seatpost. Timeless bike, and geo still used today.