1991 Gt Karakoram Elite - Update on page 3

[drystonepaul]

First ride out on my recently aquired GT Karakoram Elite.
This was my first proper mountain bike back in early 1992. I remember that I'd just spent the day fitting some new XT thumbshifters and generally fettling to perfection, then the very next night, before I'd even ridden with the thumbies, it was stolen from my parents garage.
I'd only had it for a couple of months:
GUTTED!
Fast forward 17 years and this one turned up on eBay. After seven anxious days watching it was once again mine. Really good condition too, everything was original except the rear wheel.
I spent another day fitting some XT thumbshifters to replace the cosmetically damaged DX STI's and put in a spare set of almost period correct wheels, NOS ODI Tomac Attack grips and I'm nearly there.
Just looking for some NOS Amberwall Farmer Johns Cousins, and re-skinning the torn saddle.
Rides really nice too, just having to get used to the power of canti's and U-brakes all over again.

Comments welcome.

More pics added - March 2009

More pics added - April 2009 - now with skinwalls!

 

[FSR-Si]

Nice one, Love the old school GT's, When paint jobs were good

 

[mattbrown]

sweet

 

[jez-4-bikes-max]

Cracking paintjob on these early GT's. Awesome stuff.

Sigh - shame nowadays everything is black.

 

[lewis1641]

cool ride and a nice story to boot. its always a bit better when theres somne reasoning behind a build

 

[Aeronaut]

Really nice! In great condition.

I see that on ebay and it looked like a good buy. Good to hear you've finally got something back you once owned.. Very similar spec to my K2 in fact. Nice

 

[Crayons]

Superb – glad to see another GT lover on the site. A suggestion, if you struggle to get the saddle re-covered take a look at the San Marco Regal C40 saddle. It's basically the same as the one fitted to the avalanche upwards at the beginning of the '90s – perfect replacement. Nice and comfy too.

Seeing this is making me want to get on with the resto of my '91 Karakoram (normal version, black with dark blue streaks). It needs quite a bit of work though.

 

[retrobikeguy]

best bike ever, my first REAL Mtb BITD, kitted mine with deore thumbies & magura's ............................ and a blackburn backrack

 

[Pickle]

Beautiful

I want a GT of that era, with that paint style.

One day

 

[gradeAfailure]

That's lovely...