GT Zaskar LE 1996

[Tired Joseph]

Hi

First post, been lurking for a few days and decided it's time to break cover.

I've decided to restore my 1996 Zaskar to a state where I'm not ashamed or making excuses for it, having had it festering in the garage for a good few years (perhaps 2001-ish).

It's built from the ashes of my 1995 Marin Bear Valley SE, which met its end wrapped around a tree in the summer of 1996, and is a mixture of nice bits (Pace MXCD, XT V brakes) and whatever I didn't manage to break/wear-out from the Marin's original componentry. A bit of a mongrel then.

It's always been a workhorse of a bike to me, and I've never been overly precious about it, which will continue post-restoration.

With that in mind I had intended to upgrade to a modern tranmission (shifters, mechs, chainset, wheels - the lot), but then stumbled upon this site and I'm no longer so sure...

As a 16 year old I never had the cash for the shiny bits I really admired on other people's Zaskars, and seeing some people's projects here has got me hankering after Race Face cranks, Ringle stems etc.

Anyhow, here's some pictures of it in its current state - I'd welcome any recommendations or opinions on the advantages/drawbacks of the older tranmissions (prob XT level to be in keeping with the frame?), and any thoughts on a colour scheme. I've seen a similar frame with purple anodised bits that looked really nice (apologies, can't find the thread now) and might be leaning towards that right now...

Joe

 

[Tired Joseph]

Edit - couldn't post pics as it was my first post.

 

[coomber]

Mmm... looks pretty nice to me.

Some wont like risers but I think they are great and in keeping with the zaskar, I have some on mine.

Pace forks really suit it as well, nice change from Judy's which is what most go for.

I'd get a nicer seatpost as that looks a bit scuffed/bog standard, but unless the parts of the transmission are getting unuseable I wouldnt change the mechs or chainset etc. But if you do, XT would be a good upgrade over teh STX parts you have. I have a 1997 zaskar and have used all XT M738 parts if you want to know what it looks like check it out in my sig.

 

[poweredbypies]

You need to make friends with a tube of autosol

 

[Tired Joseph]

coomber - I had a look through your build last night, and liked the approach, so the riser bars stay! Actually, on closer inspection we may even have the same ones (polished Azonics), but I can't remember the rise on mine. Besides, I've pretty broad shoulders and they make the riding position comfy.

The XT stuff looks good, and would be in keeping with the brakes (I think? When did V's come out, must be the right era or thereabouts?).

I wanted a Zaskar after riding-out with a group from a local bike shop, and finding a guy there with an ink blue one - small frame, low seat, riser bars - and remember him leaving everyone for dead on the decents. Kind of cemented the image for me and I was sold.

Would have loved an ink blue one of my own, but the plain one was cheaper. Haven't seen a red one in the flesh, it looks good. Assume they take less polishing to stay looking good?

poweredbypies - yep, I hear that! Might just try telling people it's a special "frosted" finish...

 

[poweredbypies]

You wont fool anyone on here with your frosted special Always wanted a zaskar bitd it has seeing hans rey doing his thing on them that did it for me, closest i got to recreating hans was having the same helmet as him tho

 

[coomber]

My red is an anodised one from 1997. The ink blue I think is a 1994 one. If you look here there's the catalogues: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/M ... atalogues/

If you look in the dropouts it will tell you the date of manufacture in the serial number. Assuming yours is a 1996 catalogue scan is here: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/d/1 ... d422ac0be1


My bars are azonic risers, which I think are the same as yours. Your stem is certainly nicer.

Looking to get some bounce to the front of mine then it will be a lot nicer for my riding style.

 

[coomber]

As mine is anodised I dont polish it just clean it. Looks nicer in the flesh by the way

 

[Tired Joseph]

Damn, probably the wrong forum to try the "frosted" approach. :?

Hans Rey and the "California Rads" (did I imagine that?!) - that's just how I rode bitd!

coomber, thanks for the links - it's coming back to me now, black Kore stem/seatpost, yellow Judys

Could have sworn the blue anodised Zaskar was a much deeper colour than the one in that '94 catalogue, did they offer a choice or just one at a time?

Think mine is a March '96 frame based on this:

Bit jealous of the colour of the anodised frames, but not sure how much of that is to do with how familiar I need to get with the autosol...d'oh!

I still love the Pace forks, but agree it's an uusual choice on a Zaskar. At the time we had a shop called Freespirit in Meadowhall, and they stocked Pace. Once I'd got over the fact that their frames were well beyone my means I wanted the forks. A mighty 65mm travel, but they feel nice since I cleaned them (inside only ) and replaced all the elastomers with a new set. For what it's worth I was impressed that Pace still keep parts for such an old product.

 

[coomber]

They did a darker ink blue in 1998:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/d/1 ... d422ac0be1

Sorry, not sure why I thought of te 1994 as thats a sparkly anodised blue!

Yours will come up a treat with some polish.