2009 GT Aggressor 3 refresh

[Henne]

Got this in a tatty state some 7 years ago and it was just hanging around waiting for me to get around to doing something with it. Gave the frame a repaint with some Poundland Matt black rattle can spray paint. After prepping the frame, gave it a few coats in the summer followed by Matt clear lacquer. Seems to come up alright but time will tell how durable it will be. Added gloss black GT decals on the down tube and head tube. Forks are Suntour XCMv2, 120mm which I stripped and rebuilt. Gave them a matching coat of Matt black and they seem to perform okay. They do raise the front somewhat and more than I am used to as my retros are all rigids. I may swap them out for some rockshox dukes which are 80mm but I tried some On One rigid forks to see how it looked and felt. I may convert it to a gravel bike with different rigids and drops. Brakes are Auriga comps which I bleed and put new pads in. Gone with a 1x7 set up with gripshift. Tyres are 26x2.25 for cushy ride.

 

[Henne]

Latest pictures are of the bike with a 80mm rockshox dart, and a newer (no springs) saddle. This is my first full alloy frame (6061 triple butted). I'm really surprised by the comfortable ride especially at the rear, may be helped by the fat tyre, as I had always thought alloy frames were too stiff going by the majority of thought. I can feel the immense difference when I hop back on a steel 4130 cromoly frame which is more springy and lively though.

 

[hawkhill97]

Looks nice, good job!

I've got a 2010 Avalanche. Despite it being a fairly basic, bog standard frame, I really really like it... It might possibly be the most fun bike I've ever owned.

 

[Henne]

Thanks HH97 and liking your rig too. Proportionally, it looks spot on. You're right, as I have to say this one has turned out to be fun to ride and more so than I thought. I have a GT Talera 4130 steel from 1998 which also gives a nice ride. I think GT build frames that ride very well generally, in my experience.

 

[hawkhill97]

Are you still thinking you might go with drop bars on this build down the line? I reckon that would look pretty awesome on this frame....

Plus you could call it...

A Gravel-anche!

I'll get my coat

 

[hawkhill97]

Oh wait yours is an Aggressor not an Avalanche so that dreadful pun doesn't even work

 

[Henne]

Oh wait yours is an Aggressor not an Avalanche so that dreadful pun doesn't even work

Yeah when I can get around to digging out the bars, stem, mech brakes, gears, shifters... Did do a quick mock up a couple of months ago, but might go with a road 70mm stem instead of the higher swan neck stem and 110mm pictured which I tried out. Here are mock up pics before decals.

 

[Henne]

Got a BMX stem but would need some 22.2 bars to fit with it. Would need to put back on the longer 120mm forks though. I think drops and a gravel conversion will need to be tried first though.

 

[hawkhill97]

Mmm, some nice mock ups there. Agreed the 70mm road stem is probably the nicest choice aesthetically at least. I like that rigid straight fork too