GT Lightning Titanium

[DaveP_retro]

Can anyone guess at the age of this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 160wt_1019

:?:

 

[matthew71]

gt

easy, they only made them in 97 and 98. , also has a ding in the down tube and i think they are xizang decals. i may be wrong but they are not the same as my lightning

 

[GT-Steve]

Nice bit of kit, bu the dings are gonna take a fair old bit of work to remove, if you're that way inclined...

 

[matthew71]

that ding is only comming out if a new tube is fitted, and that means much dollar

 

[SeeingisBelievingGTMuseum]

The decals are just a generic GT decal not from either a Lightning or Xizang. As was stated above they were only made in 97 or 98 and the year can be determined by the second digit of the serial number being either a "7" or an "8".

 

[gtRTSdh]

How did the lightning and the Xiaznag compare in the model range, seems odd to have two full ti frames available?

 

[SeeingisBelievingGTMuseum]

The Lightning was a two year wonder when Ti was it's hottest in the market. Welded in Taiwan out of USA Sandvik tubing. Only sold as a bead blasted complete bike with mid-level spec. GT's international distributors wanted this model because they were demanding something lower priced in Ti.


The Xizang was built from 90-99 and was originally built by LaVoie, Then Sandvik which later became Ti Sports and fianlly the last couple tears they were built at GT's Tech Shop. Always offered as a frame, only offered as a complete biike in 1994 and 1998. Always sold hand polished except the last year they were painted.

 

[gtRTSdh]

The Lightning was a two year wonder when Ti was it's hot in the market. Welded in Taiwan out of USA Sandvik tubing. Only sold as a bead blasted complete bike with mid-level spec. GT's international distributors wanted this model because they were demanding something lower priced in Ti.


The Xizang was built from 90-99 and was originally built by LaVoie, Then Sandvik which later became Ti Sports and fianlly the last couple tears they were built at GT's Tech Shop. Always offered as a frame, only offered as a complete biike in 1994 and 1998. Always sold hand polished except the last year they were painted.

Need an 'all hail' emoticon for you sir.

A bit of net searching suggests the Lightning was built from plain gauge tube Vs the Xizang which was double butted.

My friend's looking to buy this, what do people think it's worth?

 

[SeeingisBelievingGTMuseum]

The Lightning was a two year wonder when Ti was it's hot in the market. Welded in Taiwan out of USA Sandvik tubing. Only sold as a bead blasted complete bike with mid-level spec. GT's international distributors wanted this model because they were demanding something lower priced in Ti.


The Xizang was built from 90-99 and was originally built by LaVoie, Then Sandvik which later became Ti Sports and fianlly the last couple tears they were built at GT's Tech Shop. Always offered as a frame, only offered as a complete biike in 1994 and 1998. Always sold hand polished except the last year they were painted.

Need an 'all hail' emoticon for you sir.

A bit of net searching suggests the Lightning was built from plain gauge tube Vs the Xizang which was double butted.

My friend's looking to buy this, what do people think it's worth?

Are you seeing that in something printed by GT? I don't think so. I've had dozens of them through my hands over the years and always found 18" frames in both to weight 3lb 4oz or 3lb 5oz depending upon which of my two scales I use.

 

[Can of Coke]

1999 Xizangs were polished as well as painted.