GT STS - And so it begins...

Might not be a bad call, but I'm not a fan of the SPV damping of the older Manitou stuff. It can be a pig to get set up and doesn't have the best snail bump sensitivity. And there's no guarantee that it doesn't need servicing.

Also don't know wha spares availability is like, it was around this time that Manitou wer in trouble and the distributors changed. I know it's pretty tough to get spares for the Sherman forks of that era.

I reckon you'd be better off stumping up the extra thirty quid and getting the other shock working properly unless you desperately want a spare rear end or an air can.
 
Mindmap3":9yqy7h9o said:
Might not be a bad call, but I'm not a fan of the SPV damping of the older Manitou stuff. It can be a pig to get set up and doesn't have the best snail bump sensitivity. And there's no guarantee that it doesn't need servicing.

Also don't know wha spares availability is like, it was around this time that Manitou wer in trouble and the distributors changed. I know it's pretty tough to get spares for the Sherman forks of that era.

I reckon you'd be better off stumping up the extra thirty quid and getting the other shock working properly unless you desperately want a spare rear end or an air can.

Good point(s)..!

I swapped the rear shock last night for a less flashy, but working Coupe Deluxe. Luckily I've also got a LTS in the garage so I robbed the shock from it for the time being.

I'd prefer to get one of my Super Deluxes working properly again because I like the idea of having the original rear shock on the bike. However, if I go down the replacement route then I'll look at similar things to the SPV shock in my previous post, or a Fox Float if I'm lucky enough to find a Trunion version! There's actually one on eBay at the moment which came off a Cannondale Jekyll - I believe that it will fit the STS but it needs all the bushes replacing and the seller has put an £80.00 starting bid on it :shock: ... So that's a no go.
 
Although I run an air shock on my SX (what it came with and is a stupid size so hard to replace...only thing I can find is a Cane Creek DB which is twice what I paid for the frame) I do prefer coil shocks. They're much more supple.

I really hated the SPV damping, especially on forks. The TPC and TPC Plus was really good, why they changed it I'll never know. The Swinger 6 way on my Demo 9 was a pain to set up and never felt as good as my Van RC that I had on my Big Hit.

I'd definitely get your Super Deluxe serviced if you can't find a Fox air can for a good price...you can service them yourself too.
 
Well, my girlfriend has gone out for the day, so I took the opportunity to "mock up" a bit of a build, just to give me an idea on what it might look like when finished.

I have now found out that the older of my Super Deluxe shocks actually works pretty well (rebound and compression seem to actually do something!), so I've fitted that for now in place of the more modern super deluxe which was on there originally. The rebound adjuster has snapped off, but the dial still works with the aid of a flat blade screwdriver. The plan is to get a replacement shock at some point anyway so this isn't a major concern. I've also swapped the travel chips around so that it's in "long travel" mode with a full 130mm at the rear to match the front end nicely.

The forks are set at their full 130mm travel, and the bike is nowhere near as "big" as I thought it might be. The seatpost is inserted to roughly the correct height. It looks very stretched out in the pictures, but I think that's because of the lack of tyres and chain set, which just over-emphasises the gap between the front and rear wheels.

Speaking of wheels, I love them :cool: - They're Hope Pro 3 SP hubs and they've built into an incredibly light set of wheels! I think I might be pleasantly surprised with the end weight of the bike when it's completed. I make no apologies for the "arse up, head down" ride position either - I want this bike to feel like a racy xc mile munching machine, hence the long (by modern standards) stem, flat bars and high saddle position. This is how I remember the original STS when it first came out.

The brakes are plumbed in, but I still need to get the calipers aligned properly with the aid of good old fashioned washers (oh, the joys!). The hoses are too long, especially the rear, but I don't plan on cutting them down just in case I want to use the brakes on another bike in future. Unfortunately, there is no neat solution to running the rear hose along the frame, so I've resorted to cable ties. I have got a pair of hose guides which are supposed to bolt into the cable guides underneath the top tube, but they don't fit. I'm happy enough with how it looks though and perhaps I'll look to find a neater solution once the bike is up and running. I've deliberately run a little bit of excess hose on the rear end (rather than running the hose flush to the seat stay), because it gives a cleaner line to the rear brake caliper without the hose needing to bend at an obscure angle towards the caliper end.

Anyway, here are some pics:

IMAG0282_zps7baf3cec.jpg


IMAG0285_zpse859fcb8.jpg


IMAG0292_zps6bc22583.jpg


IMAG0288_zps04ec0b6c.jpg


IMAG0293_zps30d57dd0.jpg


IMAG0286_zpsa6f24021.jpg


IMAG0287_zpsa1e5bf2b.jpg


IMAG0284_zpsce4c903c.jpg


IMAG0289_zpse2a31641.jpg


IMAG0291_zpsad87bcc3.jpg
 
Well, I just sat down with a brew after doing the mock up, and I had a bit of a trawl through my Facebook... Whilst the STS will be a lovely bike, it's still not going to be my favourite GT out of all the ones I've owned. That honour goes to this little beauty. Sadly, some lowlife also liked the look of it and it was pinched back in 2009 :(

It was an ex-team Zaskar Carbon 4X with a beefed-up frame, X0, Easton Carbon bits and Hope Team Green everything (when team green was just for sponsored riders and virtually impossible to get hold of!).

If my STS turns out even half as nice as the Z4X, I'll be a happy man!
 

Attachments

  • 15712_1472357092677_6095397_n.jpg
    15712_1472357092677_6095397_n.jpg
    74.1 KB · Views: 211
Looking good mate. Take it your going for a different kind of build to the Schwinn (which looked like a proper hooligan).

These STS frames still look pretty modern and the forks really suit it. What other bits are going on it?
 
Mindmap3":2qjsr26g said:
Looking good mate. Take it your going for a different kind of build to the Schwinn (which looked like a proper hooligan).

These STS frames still look pretty modern and the forks really suit it. What other bits are going on it?

Bits yet to arrive and be fitted:

Raceface Turbines (Silver)
Bash Guard (Silver or Black, to be decided when they arrive!)
XTR M950 Rear Mech
XTR M950 Cassette (NOS, and needs to be paid for!)
Pedals (Flats, gunmetal)


Bits to be bought:

Charge Spoon Saddle (White)
Grips (White)
Tyres (to be decided)
Shifters (XT or XTR 8spd)
Chain
QRs (Hope, Gunmetal)
Seatclamp (Hope, Gunmetal)
Headset (Hope or SARS, Gunmetal)
New rear shock (eventually - RS Super Deluxe if I can find a NOS/fully working one or Risse Genesis)
Chris King Top Cap for the front mech tube (pewter)


And I think that's it..?! I want to get the QRs/Headset/Seatclamp in gunmetal to match the hubs and tie everything together nicely. The saddle and grips will add a little splash of colour to it and will tie in quite nicely with the white on the seat post/bars/stem :)
 
That's going to lovely when it's done.

I really want some XTR v brakes for my 'Dale when I rebuild it but I'm too tight to pay what they seem to go for. Did you get hammered for the cassette or was it not too bad?
 
Mindmap3":3a1twjxm said:
That's going to lovely when it's done.

I really want some XTR v brakes for my 'Dale when I rebuild it but I'm too tight to pay what they seem to go for. Did you get hammered for the cassette or was it not too bad?

It was a little bit more than I'd budgeted, but not a whole lot more than they tend to go for used, so I'm happy :)
 
Well, the rest of the build is all sorted now - I'm just waiting on some money to land in my account so that I can go ahead and order it all!

I might as well stick the spec list up, seeing as it's all chosen :) :

Frame: 1999 GT STS 1000 DS 18"

Fork: Pace RC40

Headset: SARS
Stem: Crank Brothers Cobalt 90mm x 0 rise
Handlebar: Crank Brothers Cobalt flat bars 680mm x 0 upsweep x 6 backsweep
Grips: Yep!

Brakes: Hope Mini 185/165

Shifters: XT M740 8 spd
Front Derailleur: XT
Rear Derailleur: XTR M952 with TOKEN jockey wheels
Cassette: XTR M950 spd (NOS)
Chain: SRAM PC850 8spd
Cranks: RaceFace Turbine ISIS
Chainrings: RaceFace 32/22T
Bottom Bracket: 2013 RaceFace SRX ISIS 73 x 113mm
Pedals: TBC

Hub Skewers: Hope
Rims: DT XR4.2
Hubs: Hope Pro 3 SP (with a freehub loud and clicky enough to wake the dead)
Nipples: DT
Spokes: DT
Tyres: Schwalbe Rocket Ron Folding

Saddle: Charge Spoon
Seatpost: Crank Brothers Cobalt 31.6
Seatpost Binder: Hope 36.4

Weight: TBC although I think it should be relatively light :D


Hopefully I'll be able to run the M952 rear mech (9spd) with an 8spd setup. Otherwise I'll sell it and get a M950 from somewhere.
 
Back
Top