1994 GT RTS-1

[boxxer]

Does the thickness of Anodizing not vary to the length of time left in the solution ??

I recall that GT's had some early anno frames - I may still have a period GT catalogue at my folks house.........

If it's powdercoat or paint then you'd be able to nick it somewhere obscure (side of BB covered by lockring for example) to tell

 

[Tallpaul]

Like i said, it doesn't have any chips or scratches like you get with paint. Where is it scratched it is only very light, and it almost appears red in the scratches.

It's pretty tough whatever it is.

 

[boxxer]

Stove Enammel?

Tell you what, I'm at my partents tomorrow and I'll look out my GT Catalogue collection from the early 90's and see what it says about frame finishes on team bikes and frames.

If I find anything I'll scan it in and send it over to you, I'm intreagued to find out what it is too, I drooled over in my youth.

An RTS owner and sarcasm clearly do not mix!

 

[Tallpaul]

Stove Enammel?

Thanks for your help :roll:

 

[cchris2lou]

Very nice frame that .

what are your plans for the build ?

 

[spitoon]

gt

Could be anodised up to 25 microns(nearly hard anodised,but not quite)that would give a very dark black finish when colour dipped,and be very hard wearing

 

[Tallpaul]

Re: gt

Very nice frame that .

what are your plans for the build ?

XT/LX, Syncros and Flite Alpes.

Bit undecided on the fork, i've got a bright red Judy DH but there is a pimp white Mag21 in the for sale ads

Could be anodised up to 25 microns(nearly hard anodised,but not quite)that would give a very dark black finish when colour dipped,and be very hard wearing

I do think it's ano, but it's thicker than any i've previously scene. I was hoping someone new for definite how these Team frames were coated.

 

[RustyNissanPrairie]

look in the seatpost, bb shell, or headtube- if theyre black as well then its ano-from dunking in the tank-if theyre raw alu then its powdercoated.

 

[SeeingisBelievingGTMuseum]

TallPaul....that doesn't sound good as neither the RTS-1 or Team RTS were ever offered in red.

Back in '93 I worked for one of GT's distributors and had the opportunity to sit through GT's International distributors meeting in Huntington Beach where the 93 sample bikes were shown. If I remember right it was in early May just a couple weeks after the Taipei show. Jaws were dropping when the RTS-1 was shown. Remember in 1993 the RTS-1 and RTS-2 were the only RTS models and they were both aluminum front/chromoly rear bikes. In 1993 the RTS-1 frame was also sold in the Tech Shop catalog.

In 1994 The RTS-1 and Team RTS were Aluminum front and rear and in fact the same frame just different component spec. The Team RTS was introduced in 1994 and was only offered in 1994 and 1995. Back in those days GT was in Huntington Beach and scheduled production for each model and required their distributors to have their purchase orders submitted in advance...in other words they were produced in batches and almost always to purchase orders from their distributors...speculation in posts above that frames got stored or laid around and then got built up later is incorrect. It just didn't happen that way back then. GT was busting at the seams in Huntington Beach due to growth at a rate that no other company in the industry was experiencing. You don't do that when you manufacture bikes. Product was produced to PO and shipped immediately and the only bikes warehoused or stored in Huntington Beach were those in stock for sales to the western US dealers.

TallPaul.... I'm guessing that the frame you have is either:
1) a 1994 RTS-1. The 1994 GT Germany catalog shows the RTS-1 in Black Anno.
2) earliest production 94 RTS-1/Team frame that's been recolored(Same frame just different components)
3) a late 93 or early 94 RTS-1 front end that has been mated to a 94 RTS-1/Team rear end(They were the same frame just different components)
or
4) It's and early 94 RTS-1/Team that's been recolored more than once if you have red showing through....because they never made them in red.....just Ball Burnished for the Team and BB and Black Ano for the RTS-1. (Although I shouldn't say that because I know they played with other anno colors on them....as we all remember Hans riding one in Ink blue).

The decals on your frame are 1996 model. I take it the guy you bought it from was not the original owner? If so it's time he comes clean.

 

[Tallpaul]

Thanks for the info gm1230126, i think i've overstated the 'red' part; what i mean is that where the ano is scratched and thinned there is a vaguely red hue to the colour, not bright red i.e. i don't mean the black is on top of another colour. I've tried to take a picture of what i mean:

As i've said previously, the frame number starts 0693, and this combined with other features leaves me very comfortable this is a US built frame and in its original spec (but aside from decals/colour, the frame/shock/rear triangle was the same from 1994 - 96?). The decals are a little strange, but i've also included an image of a different frame with the same decals, make of that what you will.

Finally, I believe the sellers story - I have the original sales receipt dated 08 July 1996 that states it as 1996 model. As this isn't the only US built frame in world that is black with 1996 decals, i wonder if there is another explanation you are not aware of?