92 GT Bravado nearly finished (P4).

[jimihendrix]

Takes me absolutely ages to build a bike :roll:, think i've been at this frame for about a year , nearly there now though, want to (WILL) get it riding for the end of the month for the Macretro ride at Dunkeld so will update this thread in the coming weeks.

Loved my Zaskar for a while (still do), fancied giving a steel GT a try, really wanted a Psyclone (or Cyclone) but those are rare and expensive, this Bravado turned up in my size (16"), really liked it as it has it's original 3D forks and FlipFlop stem, it's also a Groove Tube frame, all the cables run under the top tube out of sight.

Frame is sound, dent and rust free but the XT U-brake was pretty nackered.

Look's quite tidy in the pics apart from the stickers but the frame was quite battlescarred with the usuall wear and tear so decided to strip and re paint it, was going to re-do it plain yellow with new decals but in a moment of madness decided on Rasta , colours used are Ford radiant Red, Ford signal Yellow and Rover brooklands Green, used Rattlecans from Halfords, rattle cans are not ideal for a bike frame (paint is quite fragile) but ok as long as you dont lean it against lampposts or crash too often.

Painted my Clockwork two years ago and it still looks pretty decent after regular offroad abuse.

The Rasta Bravado

Mocked up for size, have ditched the levers and singe R/H shifter for XT units, was going to run it as a 1x8 but going full geared now.

Made a b*lls up with the stickers on the top tube and the GT all terra ended up the wrong way round on one side, i'd laquered over them so when i peeled them off it ruined the paint so i've re painted the top tube and ordered some more stickers.

As it sits at the moment.

Anyone know the idea behind these screws in the rear drop outs, i know it's to raise the wheel but why ?, is it relative to the multi axle positions in the 3D forks ?

Some bits, White Industries (Sugino) cranks, Race Face and Middleburn rings, Proper (BMX) CNC U-brake, XT M735 rear mech.

(Eventual) Spec List,

Frame..................................91 GT Bravado
Fork.....................................GT 3D Rigid
Stem....................................GT FlipFlop
Headset................................Token threaded
Shifters/Levers......................XT M738
Rear mech............................XT M735
Front mech............................XT M736
Cables..................................Clark (yellow gear, red brake)
Bars.....................................Azonic
Grips....................................Yeti (red)
Saddle..................................Flite (red)
Rear brake............................Proper (BMX) U-brake
Front brake...........................XT M737 (for now, hope to find maybe a blue anodized pair, maybe Dia Compe ?)
Cranks..................................Sugino (W.I)
Rear hub...............................LX M565
Front hub..............................XT M750
Rims.....................................Mavic 517
Tyres....................................Maxxis Advantage
QR's.....................................X-Lite (red rear, blue front)

Idealy i would have gone for all Red/Green/Gold anodized bits but gone for blue, keeps my options open as i may get sick of the Rasta after a while, re-do the frame Yellow, the blue bits will still work with the blue decals (as they do now)

 

[drystonepaul]

That's a 1992 Bravado. The Bravado wasn't around in 1991.
The screws were there to align the rear end perfectly should you ever need to. They are however one of the first things I removed from mine back in the day.

Still looking for one of these in an 18" size.

 

[nelly]

Lovely job on the paint work. GT did a similar rasta thing recently with their Peace 29'er. Quite fancy one.

 

[kase1983]

Nice framset

For me id much preferd to have kept the original paint. could have been a really nice original build. & now its gone forever.

I do not understand this 'rasta' fashion.

but hey if its your thing then that's all that's matters.

 

[jimihendrix]

That's a 1992 Bravado. The Bravado wasn't around in 1991.
The screws were there to align the rear end perfectly should you ever need to. They are however one of the first things I removed from mine back in the day.

Still looking for one of these in an 18" size.

I thought it was a 92 (was sold as a 92) but the stamp on the BB shell is T9109 i took that to mean September 91 ?

Pleased the screws are still there then, must have been loads that got binned/lost, though with my crash and bash riding style i doubt i'll be fine tuning anything

Yeah, i noticed one of those Rasta 29'er's on E-bay, they must have robbed the idea off me, the swines

 

[jimihendrix]

Nice framset

For me id much preferd to have kept the original paint. could have been a really nice original build. & now its gone forever.

I do not understand this 'rasta' fashion.

but hey if its your thing then that's all that's matters.

The original paint was worse than it looked in the pics, i could'nt have lived with it, there are plenty of far nicer and mint condition Bravados around, besides as mentioned i'll more than likely re-do the frame plain yellow when i get sick of the Rasta.

Dont do original, period spec builds, i'll go for modern bits (like the tyres, headset and rear brake) if they, fit, work, are easier to obtain and dont look too out of place.

 

[bduc61]

love the paint
and the coloured flite

think the multicoloured paint are a plus and a change from uniform ones

the fat one (don t recall rthe name) being the classiest :idea:

 

[drystonepaul]

I thought it was a 92 (was sold as a 92) but the stamp on the BB shell is T9109 i took that to mean September 91 ?

Could well have been manufactured in 91, afterall it would've been available in late 91 for sale as a 92 model year bike.

Features like the 'groove tube' and 'flip-flop' stem were all introduced for the 1992 range of bikes.

The True Temper GTX tubing is very nice and it'll always be a bike that I remember fondly.

I'm also not that keen on the rasta paint job, but then again I also resprayed mine a couple of times in the past before eventually selling it. The main thing is that it's obviously well loved.
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=56278

 

[jimihendrix]

I thought it was a 92 (was sold as a 92) but the stamp on the BB shell is T9109 i took that to mean September 91 ?

Could well have been manufactured in 91, afterall it would've been available in late 91 for sale as a 92 model year bike.

Features like the 'groove tube' and 'flip-flop' stem were all introduced for the 1992 range of bikes.

The True Temper GTX tubing is very nice and it'll always be a bike that I remember fondly.

I'm also not that keen on the rasta paint job, but then again I also resprayed mine a couple of times in the past before eventually selling it. The main thing is that it's obviously well loved.
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=56278

Cheers for the link to your thread, had'nt seen that before, love looking at old pics from BITD

Knew the Rasta colourscheme would be Marmite, i like it for now, all my bikes get re-done eventually though, will be re-doing the Clockwork this year, probably plain grey.

 

[nelly]

what I like about the paint job is that you did it yourself. Oh and the colours are splendid too.......keep up the good work! This year I must try painting a frame, as the cost of going to the professionals is prohibitive. Is there a DIY painting thread on here anywhere?
My Scot is in line for a new coat of paint but I just can't bring myself to fork out for sending it to Argos or Bob Jackson.....and the local powder coaters have very limited selections. Hmmm