1994 GT Timberline FS

petra cycles can get them, but they're 23 quid. you can get new STX headsets for £15....
 
In typical old bike style it's gone from 'new BB, bit of a polish'

to a list as long as my arm.

The fork bushings are stuck in the outer leg which has a tiny crack in the bit where the boot fits over (boots AWOL), the inner has scoring on it and some of the threads on the steerer are worn.

The frame has bubbling rust on the down tube and more scratches than actual paintwork.

Might be in this for the long haul!
 
Mixed bag so far with this.
I've stripped and rebuilt the fork, it'll do fine for future use. It's a strong fork and there's loads of wear left on the bushings that are stuck in the legs.

Today I made a start on cleaning the drive train, the LX mech has had a service and works fine, the right Alivio shifter/brake lever was stripped to the bones and cleaned... Then I started on the left one and the bolt holding it together seized... Dabbed some WD40 on there and had another go... CRACK... it loosened but won't unscrew. Think I've rounded something off internally.

*adds new shifters to the list*

STX headset on it's way and I'm enquiring with Sithlord for cables.


I would show more pics but there's really not much to see beyond a few slightly cleaner bits :D
 
Hope you lot don't mind the regular photographic updates... I've always been a huge fan of project diaries, both as inspiration to myself and others.

Typically for me, once parts start arriving I can't just sit them in the shed awaiting for the rest of the bits. I always worried about fitting a headset, I know the recommended way is to get your LBS to fit the cups... But this bike has had that many botches done on it in the past, one more couldn't hurt.

I was gonna leave the LX cups in, but they're black and scuffed and the new ones are silver... The result is smooth and tidy. I even used a headset spanner this time, so no scratches!

Since this rebuild is not going to be original (although fairly close to period) I now need to decide on whether to go for black or silver stem and handlebars... Or a combination of the two. Any opinions?
 

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on the right build, a silver bar in a black stem can work. really needs a black post too

mine

06062010421.jpg
 
That looks awesome, I've always liked Kona.
This has a black Kalloy seat post that I won't immediately be replacing.

In fact, as I recall, the original stem was black and the bar was silver. Seems logical to head down that route.
 
Picked up a few parts off here and Ebay over the course of the week allowing me to put the bike back together.

I got a stem similar to the old one, NOS from some bankrupt stock seller on Ebay. The new bar is an alloy bikehut one. The wheels have had new bearings and the whole bike has had a good clean. I think I removed mud that has been on it since day one.

Thanks to Retrokona who sold me some STX cantilevers.

With the bike in a rideable form and the sun in the sky I thought it'd be rude not to take her out for a spin... 7 miles round Croxteth park was a lot of fun on this bike, even without it's front mech and only 7 working gears. It's very relaxed compared to the wide barred, short stem Avalanche.

One of the simple joys of the bike being mine for many years is that as I was riding I started picking up on all the old quirks it had.. The rear wheel is slightly out of true causing a tiny bit of brake rub. The rear hub makes a Rrr Rrr sound once every revolution too. Probably the old bearing races.

In future I want to clean up the cantilevers a bit and possibly put some slightly more trick bolts on them and in a few other places... Also thinking of adding bar ends again. The frame does need some tidying up, but I'll probably limit that to treating surface rust. I don't mind the chips and scratches.
 

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