1993 GT timberline retro mod.

[synchronicity]

The fork arrived today so I could assembly everything roughly how it will be.
Fork is heavier than expected, slightly over 800g.

Front innertube already needs to be replaced;
it was a botched repair job (always use isopropyl alcohol to clean the roughened up tube, wiping it with your t-shirt is not enough!)

I had this box one seatpost lying around for another build in the right size (it was for a telescopic seatpost that I wanted to make longer).
It's not ideal for me as this brand was not around in the 90s.
Still, it's silly to buy another seatpost in exactly the same size; had trouble finding a nice 26.8mm in a brand that existed back then anyway.
So this will have to do...

I'll probably need to take a couple more links out of the chain.

Once I get the brakes, handlebar and saddle sorted I'll provide another update.

 

[synchronicity]

Weightweenied the v brake levers a bit.
Now feature hollow carbon pivots.
Although I doubt they are magnesium, 'cause some of the filings refused to burn.
We've been duped!

I have a set of matching avid mag v-brakes that I am fixing up (they are indeed Mg).

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

I like GT as a brand and its always nice to bring out an old friend

 

[synchronicity]

Had to file down the ol' v-brake studs (a little!) to make them parallel again, as they were flared out a bit at the ends!
(I think I over-tightened the M6 bolts back in the day)

Sorry for the low-light high noise pics.



And strangely enough the front ones too as the paint was too thick, plus the other ends (the base) wasn't machined down properly.
I might get better replacement studs one day, for now these will have to do.



As for the v-brake arms themselves, they are undergoing some lightweight modifications.
I might do a separate, dedicated post on those.
I'm a reformed weightweenie see...

 

[synchronicity]

Update:

I've taken two links out of the chain, found the BB cable guide, some old gear cable housing and set up the gears.
It shifts pretty nicely really.

The chain is a 13 speed ekar one that I had lying about ('cause it didn't fit any other road bike chainrings such as Specialties TA and Stronglight).
Oddly enough it's a bit tight on this chainring, but fits perfectly on another identical blackspire chainring.
Hopefully it'll wear in a bit and be just right.

Some grips are on the way.

All I need now to complete the build is to source a saddle, brake pads, brake cables and brake cable housing.

And then install the headset, cut the fork steerer tube.

 

[synchronicity]

Update:

Headset installed, fork steerer tube cut (albeit 1-2mm too long, isn't that always the way?)

Grips installed.

Saddle, brake pads, brake cables & brake cable housing on the way!

The rear derailleur loop is running an experimental vertebrae cable housing @4.2mm diameter (mainly intended for modern campy ergolevers).
I'm completely out of stock of everything else in case you are wondering.

Total weight as pictured without the brake cabling or saddle is a respectable 9.735kg.
I'm quite surprised by that, because the wheels are heavy.
Frame weight to begin with was around 2.5kg.
The fork is kinda rather porky too @ 800+ grams. I guess everyone is used to the weight of suspension forks.

I think with a couple of small modifications this bike could be juuust under 10.0kg.

Here is my custom garmin varia radar mount:
(I never ride on road without that anymore)

 

[moonlite]

Am liking this build! Reminds me of my London commuter in the 2000s: Kona Explosif ('04 I think) with a rigid fork (OK it was a Pace RC31 but that was when I was single and my salary didn't just . . . disappear every month), same wheels and tyres, close-ratio 9-speed roadie cassette.

It was an absolute weapon in traffic -- those close ratios combined with rapidfire shifters made for great acceleration!

 

[Mr Crudley]

As a fellow 93 Timberline owner with the same forest green paint schema, I'm keen to see this one all done.

I use mine Timberline more than I thought I would but mainly for light duties like cyclepaths and smoothish trails. It rides really nice considering plain gauge tubing isn't too aspirational. Your Timberline is much ligther than mine.

Nice work sir.

 

[synchronicity]

I cut the brake cables & housing but not set up or aligned the brake pads yet.
The saddle I had planned for this build did not work out; it may take some time to find another.

 

[synchronicity]

Well I finally got a saddle for this bike (well, I got a new saddle for another bike, and that saddle is gonna be swapped over onto here).
It looks good.

I'm having a bit of trouble tightening the chainring bolts (they are the old style ones with slotted rear female bits).
They keep spinning around so I'm waiting on a dedicated tool to undo them + probably going to get new chainring bolts anyway.

This bike now has a 10 speed saint shifter and 10 speed 11-21T shimano dura-ace cassette from a different build.

Also it gets a hand-me-down (used) carbon Easton monkey bar.

I'm not real pleased about the seatpost. For one thing, it's too long. But one thing that bothers me (and maybe it shouldn't but it does) is that it uses M7 sized bolts. Why?

Final weight looks like it will be around 9.75kg all up.