1997? GT Avalanche Commuter

[legrandefromage]

those Michelins have tread a bit like the old World Tours so not too slick.

big ring is clearly not big enough!

long ride out tomorrow.

I love these gt frames. Did you build this instead of your incoming zaskar?

I had a 97 gt backwoods and will soon be building a 97 zaskar - nice to see a different model!

Good weight that too.

The Zaskar is on the back burner for now - not feeling it.


side by side though, these frames are very different and the ride is noticeably different too.

 

[coomber]

Interesting.

Had my Backwoods for 12 years and not ridden a GT since so I am keen to see what subtleties will change with the Zaskar.

 

[jamy99]

side by side though, these frames are very different and the ride is noticeably different too.[/quote]

In what way different?

I have a 96 Avalanche and always thought it looked just like a Zaskar. The frame geometry is the same isn't it?

Is the ride any better or worse?

 

[legrandefromage]

side by side though, these frames are very different and the ride is noticeably different too.

In what way different?

I have a 96 Avalanche and always thought it looked just like a Zaskar. The frame geometry is the same isn't it?

Is the ride any better or worse?[/quote]

side by side, its the welding and the finish of the zaskar, its a bit thicker, a bit less tidy but more weldy...? The Avalanche looks machine smooth, just a bit too neat and tidy. when you pick both frames up, the feel is subtly different, the zaskar clangs differently.

Not built the 97 Zaskar up yet so can only compare the Avalanche to the 93 Zaskar I have.

 

[jamy99]

Is the Zaskar lighter?

I considered trading in my Avalanche for a Zaskar, but in the end, just thought apart from the flat end cap, nothing else is really different.

So, apart from the kudos of actually owning a Zaskar and it saying Zaskar on it, are there any differences in performance?

 

[legrandefromage]

well, hard to say really:

The Zaskar is usually USA built from 6061-T6, heat treated, ball burnished and so on

The Avalanche is 7000 series (my one is 7005) and built in Taiwan (where many good frames are made).

Just back from a 10 mile shake down, the Avalanche doesnt have the twang that the Zaskar has when climbing. It feels like a pretty ordinary alu frame to be honest - not a bad thing but its no Zaskar.

 

[Drencrom]

well, hard to say really:

The Zaskar is usually USA built from 6061-T6, heat treated, ball burnished and so on

The Avalanche is 7000 series (my one is 7005) and built in Taiwan (where many good frames are made).

Just back from a 10 mile shake down, the Avalanche doesnt have the twang that the Zaskar has when climbing. It feels like a pretty ordinary alu frame to be honest - not a bad thing but its no Zaskar.

Same here. There is a very noticeable difference between the way a Zaskar 'pings' and climbs, compared to a 7005 series frame. I ride both, and it's not psychosomatic, honest!

 

[jamy99]

HHmm, thats very interesting.

Maybe I need to trade in my Avalanche afterall....or just upgrade my cassette to an 11-34!

 

[Linoleum]

Zaskar = shorter chainstays? I think I heard that once on the interwebs.

Edit: Additionally, I can't think of anything less comfortable than an older aluminum Zaskar frame. Granted you get immediate acceleration from the pedals, but you're arms and ass will take a beating. I've tried commuting to work on mine, several times, and its just not fun. Grab a Karakoram for a bit more comfort.

 

[dyna-ti]

I'd love to see a rack mounted on it,being a commuter an' all :?

And at least one stuffed to capacity pannier