I think I want an LTS...

WWC

Senior Retro Guru
Retro dudes

I think I want an LTS.

I've been looking for a retro FS and keep coming back to the GT.

They are well priced and look cool (IMO).

What should I look for?
 
Straight seat tube models are far cooler to look at, but the bent seat tube ones are happier with longer forks. Trunnion mount shocks are hard to get hold of in good nick, but risse in the US produce new ones.

LTS 1s are USA made alongside zaskars from 6061, rest are 7005.

Avoid anything with a steel back end or elastomer shocks.
 
look for wear in the linkages, a full betd rebuild kit is nearly £200 although you can buy the bits separately. check for cracks where the bottom of the shock is bolted through the seatstay mounts, check the dropouts for cracking.
bear in mind these are bomb proof and will happily take most of anything you can throw at it just look for normal wear just dont forget the trunion mount shocks are becoming rare to replace so make sure the one you get is in good working order, risse do a replacement but it costs an arm and a leg and I think a canondale one works but if you can find a coupe deluxe original that is working then thats your best bet.
talk to ba7stards on here he is the lts expert
mine as a way of inspiration :D
 

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Their great ,, I have 3 of them
P1040575.jpg


The dh models run big forks tho modern 120 ish travel forks work well ,means you can run a disc on the front easily , and on the rear with the right adapter

P1040579.jpg

This lts3 is a still a very capable bike will fly over most stuff without flinching , not heavy either , these are probably the retro equivalents of all mountain or whatever it's called this week
If generalized hadn't enforced the Horst link patent I think this system would still be in GT's line up today in some form or other

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This an lts dh from 96 , was only available as a frame from the GT tech shop , there seems to loads about tho
Check the frame for cracks ,just have a good look all over , check the shock works ,and check the linkage bushes , tho betd do a bullet proof kit to sort it all out
I doubt if you'll be disappointed if you do buy one tho
Mike
 
Fantastic!

Right, I now know I want an LTS...

Great advice chaps, really appreciated.
 
So which are the best models to look for?

1s, 2s, 3s & 1000s, 2000s, 3000s?

What’s the DS about?
 
I think the DS meant dual sport, as opposed to dh which were specific to well...dh. I'm guessing its because you can adjust the rear travel on them for xc or dh duty. as far as the best one to get, I think the look comes into play here, personally I dont like the straight seat tube ones the s bend ones look ok but I much prefer the arc ones like mine, although I would sell my first born for a lobo but thats a different story!
I would look at all the different ones, pick the best design you like the look of and find the best example you can, I don't think any were bad just one was evolved from another.
 
Ahh..makes sense.

Cheers again.

It's funny, the front section of your frame weirdly similar to my Maverick.
 

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