"AMY" 2011 GT Force Carbon Expert

Gazlar

Well Dr Zoidberg has gone off to old greg mostly who rebuilt him, and Bender is about to be junked, so time for a new Gazlar build using mostly left over Bender bits. Anyway let me introduce you to Amy, named following my futurama theme after Amy Wong, mainly because the frame is a Chinese import.

To be honest I've sat around most the week moping waiting for it to come and now its here I cant be bothered to start building tonight, but heres what we have.




I'll post the spec up when shes finished, ship shape and ready to go

Anyone wanna pop round and thread some internal cabling for me?

lawman

Must say I'm looking forward to this gaz, looks chuffing nice mate, and I can't stand GT's! Welcome to the plastic/helium/voodoo material bike club :P

Gazlar

she seems to weigh a fair bit mind, i was expecting her to float out the door maybe shes a chubby asian babe, not bad for 620 quid, actually 530 as ebay have said i'm entitled to my shipping back as instead of 5-8 days it took exactly 5 weeks

welshkev

glad she's finally arrived mate -looks good

i'd be peed right off though if i had to build it myself - i'm useless and would probably break it

we'll get out for another ride when it's built - one without a bitch of a climb before the end and more DH

CraigXXL

What forks are you planning on running. I found the Revs 150/130 dual travel great, the fox float 140 that came with the bike were horrible in comparison

Gazlar

Going to be popping some talas 140 rlcs on for now, as that's what I've got in the shed. See how it runs and decide from there really

CraigXXL

The frames are very stiff and need a fork to match. Not sure how much stiifer the talas are over the floats but can't be any worse

Gazlar

I'm a little concerned dropping a 140 on might make the head a bit too steep, will remain to be seen though how that works out. Couldn't resist just putting the frame together and threading the first of the internal cables, dont know what the fuss is about that, took me 2 minutes.



Starting to look a bit more bike shaped, tommorrow will be take apart bender and scrub him day and pop a few more bits and pieces in, think i'm going to need a bit more gear outer

Kev, i'm glad shes here, and i'm quite happy on the uphills, but yeah will have to give her a good thrashing soon, I can't wait to see your stiffee

Clank

So, Bender. What size is his frame?

Just asking, like.......

Gazlar

Bender is a 52cm I think off the top of my head, I'll have a look

Thewaylander

What ever you do gaz don't get a fox 150 fork, there bendy as hell.

Exciting mind.

1mancity2

Looks very nice, when will it built ready for a blast?

Gazlar

Barring any major peons, I'm hoping to have it built tomorrow ready to give it a gentle test run up the taff trail on Saturday. If itcomes through that unscathed then it'll be out on the trails.

Already mind I can't find my chain splitter and I need to go and buy a 17mm cone spanner to convert my hub to maxle on the back.

Clank

Gazlar wrote:

Bender is a 52cm I think off the top of my head, I'll have a look

Hmm, that's the biggest size, IIRC.

If you're interested in selling on, drop us PM.

In the meantime - liking the GT. 8)

F**k it, going to have to say it: may the Force be with you! :P

There - it's out my system now. 8)

Gazlar

Clank I will be selling pretty soon, just keeping hold until TKC just in case this falls apart or summat.

Right lets chart todays fails and progresses.

Bender stripped.....check
Seatpost serviced
mechs cleaned and lubed
cassette changed to an xt and feehub cleaned, axle changed to 12mm maxle
crown race swapped and new blue custom fox decals stuck on fork

Fails
Need 36.4 seatclamp - ordered
Front mech too big need to order a smaller one but cant find my callipers to measure it, think a 31.8 though

anyway heres what I've achieved

Breakfast, obviously needed to fuel a days fettling


Then this is where i've got to by the close of play



Tommoroow will be shorten hoses and bleed brakes and see if I can get all the drivetrain fitted and indexed, just waiting then for a seatclamp to come

Might go with a black saddle and grips though too

1mancity2

You shortening the steerer?

bails87

I've got a load of black headset spacers....if you're as keen of the gold ones as I am

Looking good though, it's very satisfying to put a bike together.

Gazlar

I've got a load of them ta mark, but I like the little bit of gold, think the grips are a bit much in blue.

Not shortening the steerer yet, going to try it out before I chop, don't like leaning down too much on the front end.

Gazlar

Essntially finished now, just waiting for the last little bits to arrive, seatclamp, some grommets for the internal cable mounts some tit tape and some black grips, then shes ready to roll

leaflite

Looks great!
Did you get a chance to weigh the frame?

Gazlar

3.16 kgs the frame, according to my kitchen scales. weighing all the bits seperately and adding up, that includes the shock. Total build not sure yet need to find my luggage scales out

lawman

what that needs gaz is some offset bushings, should get it nice and slack and abit lower. Looks superb mate. proper job!

Gazlar

Nooo, I liked it because its steep, I loved the handling of my hardtail, and wanted something that responded like it. Think it suits how I ride. I'm not really a gravity fiend, I want to start doing done good length trekking, but with some comfort.

peter_booker2003

gazlar...that looks seriously hot! Would love to have one of these!

bennett_346

Gazlar wrote:

Nooo, I liked it because its steep, I loved the handling of my hardtail, and wanted something that responded like it. Think it suits how I ride. I'm not really a gravity fiend, I want to start doing done good length trekking, but with some comfort.

Sounds like my kind of bike.

noppy

looks very nice indeed, you had to get the colour i really wanted didn't you

yeh thats one thing i noticed immediately its massively high, i literally have to climb onto it :P compared with my stumpjumper. But tbh i don't think it lacks at all especially with a high volume shock because it has such soft cushioning on the down hill, feels like your floating (annoying as i have naff forks on mine atmo its very uneven) but with forks like yours set to match the rear end it must feel fantastic

Gazlar

Cheers for the praise guys

Noppy to me it doesn't feel that high, to give you an idea, the focus my forks came from were cut to that length and had 10mm of spacing as opposed to to 40mm this needs and the seat post was as low as possible, this gives me almost 3" standover by comparison. Yet to ride it as I've been waiting for a seatclamp to come, but that's here now so will be having a blast tomorrow.

Gazlar

Now fully completed so heres a few pics and the full spec. I'll try and get some better quality pics taken by someone who knows how to use a camera





Full spec

Frame: GT Force Carbon Expert
Forks: Fox Talas 140rlc (140/120/100)
Bars: Superstar Descent (cut to 750mm)
Stem: Superstar Zephir cnc
Headset: Cane Creek 40.is41 Short Cover
Grips: Superstar Supagrippa

Front Brake Lever assy: Shimano XT m785
Front Caliper: Shimano XT m785
Front disc: Superstar Floating 180
Rear Brake Lever assy: Shimano XT m785
Rear Caliper: Shimano XT m785
Rear Disc: Superstar Floating 180
Hoses: Shimano High Power


Shifters: Shimano SLX m660
Cables: Jagwire L3
Front Mech: Shimano SLX m660
Rear Mech: Shimano XT shadow m772
Chain Device: Superstar Double

Seat: SDG Aliso ti
Seat Post: Pure Racing KS i950 remote
Seat Post Clamp: Hope Bolt 36.4

Cranks: Shimano m542
Chainring(s):Shimano SLX 22/36 and MRP S4 Bashguard
Chain: KMC x9l gold
Cassette: Shimano XT m772 medium cage
Pedals: Superstar Mag Light
Bottom Bracket: Shimano Deore bb70b
Chain Device: Superstar Double roller type

Front Wheel:
Rim: Stans Crest
Spokes: Sapim
Hub: Superstar Switch 15qr with Fox Axle
Tube: Tubeless
Tire: Continental Mountain King 2 protection Black Chili
Dustcaps: Fully Sprung Industries anti-theft

Back Wheel:
Rim: Stans Crest
Spokes: Sapim
Hub: Superstar Switch 12mm with Rockshox maxle
Tube: Tubeless
Tire: Continental Mountain King 2 protection Black Chili
Dustcaps: Fully Sprung Industries anti-theft

Weight: 28.4 lbs

Gazlar

bennett_346

Smashing that Gaz. I don't think i'd go for a gold dropper cable myself though

Gazlar

Cheers, had to go with gold, for now at least, the black one I had I could only route cable tying it to the top gear cable but was rubbing the top tube too much. The only cables I had long enough were gold or pink