How can I date my GT bikes please?

I have four polished GT mountain bikes that I have had from new - but have sadly not been able to ride any of them much so they all still look like new, but as they have been in storage - maybe for 20 years or so, and as time has drifted along I cannot remember the exact year of purchase.

Is there a register of GT frame numbers anywhere that I refer to to find the age?

If not a description of them may help to age them:-

16" Zaskar polished frame with XT group set and Rock Shocks Judy SL forks (also have original black rigid forks.

LTS TEAM with titanium rear linkage and full XTR group set and Judy SL forks.

LTS TEAM with titanium linkage and full XTR group set and original orange Bomber forks.

Med "GT Downhill" sold as a polished frame kit with fitted AC crank at the time, but was completed when new with twin crown "Judy Downhill Only" forks with XTR rear mech and V brakes with GT black Jumbo hubs etc.

My guess is they are about 20 years old.

They should all have serial numbers. If you post those we can tell you. On the Zaskar and LTS the first 4 numbers are month and year. (I think)

The LTS frames will probably be 95/96 the DH one could be 97 onwards. Depends on what model of frame.

Hi Ben,

Thanks for your reply.

The first LTR "TEAM" bike has the frame number 003965346LTS 16 stamp on it and has the "team issue" titanium rear triangle linkage and full XTR groupset.
This one has red Hope hubs with gold Mavic 121 rims and Panaracer tyres. King "Rastus" headset, orange Bomber forks, X-Lite billet stem, gold Azionic bars, Kore seatpost with embroidered Wilderness Trail Bikes saddle.

The second LTR "TEAM" bike has the frame number 003965000LTS 16 stamp on it and also has the "team issue" titanium rear linkage with full XTR groupset.
This one has the yellow Judy SL forks and basically all of the "team issue" kit on it.

The LTR Downhill has no stamps on it at all - only the factory applied sticker under the frame below the crank that simply says:- " 30 APR 97"
This one has the double stanchion Judy DH Only forks with back GT Jumbo DH hubs on Mavic 121 rims with World Force billet stem and World Force black bars. AC crankset with AC chain protector and XTR gears,V brakes, chain and rear gear cluster.

I also have a new set of red Judy DH forks that were to interchange with the yellow Judy SL and orange Bomber forks - all from the same time period.

We also re-discovered a much older Clockwork Orange in the white and orange colour scheme with full LX groupset, number A2070027. This is my wifes old bike - again in almost mint condition, hardly used and just stored since she bought her FS bike some years later.

.............but in between she had a KONA Lava Dome frame number H6K1 2725 that my youngest son grew out of and sold it to me (!) to fund his downhill bike parts he wanted - also here in storage!

I guess I should try to find out what these bikes are worth so I can get them insured properly, as things have changed, and right now I could not even afford to buy one full XTR groupset in a box - never mind the bikes themselves!

I am guessing (from the clues you have given me) that the LTS TEAM bikes are from 1996?......and that they are 16" frame size !

The 16" polished Zaskar is at home, so I will get the frame number from that and post it later when I get back so we can try to age date that one as well.

Thanks for your help - Bob.

Both the LTS teams are March 96 and they are both 16" frames. Not sure about the LTS DH 97 they made an STS DH but that was thermoplastic.

Actually looking at catalogue. They did an LTS DH frameset. It had Judy DH forks. So single crown. The DHO's are from STS DH and the forerunner to Boxxers.

yeah pictures will explain much, is the DH one of the boomerang frames or one of the later curved seat tube ones?
Also the LTS are they titanium rear triangle or titanium linkage? Not sure they came with a ti rear end, except that Lynx model. But if they do that would be nifty.

The LTS Downhill is polished alloy and the forks I bought to fit it were the double crown Judy Downhill Only.

My spare set of forks are the red Judy Downhill single crown and are quite a lot different to the double crown types (known as double stanchion type at the time).

Was this the first ever "production" GT downhill frame set made by Gary ? This was certainly what I was told at the time.

The black thermoplastic one followed it some time later, and although I was keen to upgrade to one - the early frames had a few issues with cracks and breakages so I never ended-up buying one.

The LTS Downhill frame set did not come with any forks at the time - they were an "extra" and although the single crown red Judy forks were a "suggested" option, I plumped for the new (at the time) double crown "Judy Downhill Only" forks as they looked like a moto-cross motorcycle fork.

But the frame set always came with the downhill AC crankset and chain protector fitted as part of the package.