Do I return it to orignal specs?

[Golden brown]

:? I have a 1990ish Galatic fade GT Karakoam K2 which I have owned from new, my question is simple over the years it has had magura hydrostop brakes fitted and replacement Mavic rims as well as DX thumb shifters instead of the DX Sti units.
Unfortnately all the old bits are long gone....

Your views please as with the Marin finished except for decals its time to bring the GT back to life.

 

[brocklanders023]

Don't think I'd worry too much about the Magura's (As long as they're not modern ones) and the thumbies. Might get some period wheels if your Mavics are a later model.

 

[Raging_Bulls]

IMO there's plenty of GTs in original shape, so why not mod it?

 

[Barneyballbags]

If you're going to build it and ride it, then I'd recommend mod'ing it.

It's all very well returning bikes exactly to their original spec, but don't forget that you will probably have changed a lot since the bike was new, so an original build might not ride as well for you as a build done with modern but tasteful kit.

 

[bm0p700f]

Nothing wrong with a older frame updated with good modern kit. The best for you is modded to your exact requirements anyway.

 

[defconfunk]

my old gaffer is into veteran motor bikes and cars. he has bikes in the british motor bike museum and two old cars from 1909 and 1911. he has made all sorts of improvements like modding the axles to take taper needle roller bearings instead of bushes. now this is seen as a no no and all sorts of turmoil in the clubs. but i have to go with his view on this. "well its not the b****y original air in the tiers, make it work better". dont put it back to standard just make it better.

 

[shogun]

I say keep the period-ish mods. Its not as if you've welded disc mounts on, fitted a modern fork, bolted in external bearing cranks etc.

Very rarely did anything stay stock when new, and DX shifters, maguras etc are all par for the course in terms of early 1990s gear.

My dad races classic MX and its hilarious how they are stuck on originality, he's got dated newspaper clippings of himself racing 1975 model bikes in mid-1974, rear shock mounts modded for travel on earlier bikes etc and all that kind of stuff is a no-no apparently in the interests of keeping it period (pre '75 racing has a Jan 1 1975 model-year cut-off); laughable when in the period nothing much was left standard.

As for mountain bikes I don't think I ever owned a bike in the 90s which made it through even one year with all its original kit.

Point of my ramblings is old mods on old bikes is fine, new mods on old bikes... only do it where stealthy or necessary.

 

[unkleGsif]

My view (not that it counts for much really, but hey) is that it's your bike and you're gonna ride it, so do what you like to it.... keep it stock , period mods, contemporary mods.... whatever, just keep it working and used.

It's a bike... ride it ;-)

 

[defconfunk]

My view (not that it counts for much really, but hey) is that it's your bike and you're gonna ride it, so do what you like to it.... keep it stock , period mods, contemporary mods.... whatever, just keep it working and used.

It's a bike... ride it ;-)

I could not have put it better myself. In fact i didn't hears two of my bikes. to very different set-ups but each are ace for what I use them for.