gt bravado what year?

[lee-m.c.]

Hi, i just won the auction for this. can anyone tell me what year it is as i don't think it's a 2003 as the listing suggests ?
& what was the original spec?
i'm thinking it's around 1997?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWNX:IT

 

[mattbrown]

It is 1998, 653 tubing

checkout http://www.mtb-kataloge.de/html/gt.html for 1998 and page 32

 

[Gadro]

'98

I was bidding against you on that Really good steel frame you've got there and if you ever want to sell it give me a shout

 

[kikaha]

cheap really cheap.

 

[lee-m.c.]

'98

I was bidding against you on that Really good steel frame you've got there and if you ever want to sell it give me a shout

I do have my eye on a phyclone. If i get it this may be back up for sale. will let you know

 

[the great roberto]

Is there something special about these frames ?
My 1997 karakoram was the same frame as a 97 bravado. I've assumed that there was no change for 1998 ?
Yes, they are a nice frame, and it would appear worth as much as a zaskar frame of the same era.

 

[lee-m.c.]

Is there something special about these frames ?
My 1997 karakoram was the same frame as a 97 bravado. I've assumed that there was no change for 1998 ?
Yes, they are a nice frame, and it would appear worth as much as a zaskar frame of the same era.

karakoram reynolds 525 tubing

Bravado reynolds 631

May not sound much different but would ride different to the karakoram

 

[the great roberto]

My Karakoram says 4130 Cr-mo. Same as my mates bravado frame.
But neither bike mention what grade of reynolds tubing is used (if any)
( bare in mind we are talking 1997 and 1996 versions of karakoram and bravado here.) To me the frames always looked the same and rode the same. No extra mojo in the bravado ( same M569 LX crankset as well !)

Now 4130 is just a grade of (strangely) chrome +moly steel.

The Reynolds site does not say if their 525 or 621 tubing is or is not SAE 4130 grade steel. The many graphs shown that both 525 and 631 have identical siffness with very small differences in their UTS ( strength).

Certainly they mention that 631 is cold drawn and air hardened. With 525 being cold drawn Cr-Mo alloy steel.

So, if the Bravado is 631 and the karakoram is 525 how would they ride that different if their stiffnesses are identical ? And their strenght is so similar as not to matter ?

And, would Gt have made two frames out of two different materials ?
And if so, why are the only markings on our bikes 4130 Cr-Mo ?

Dunno.. Bet someone knows for sure..................

 

[JamesM]

The Reynolds tube sets were only used from '98 and onwards. So your frame is neither 525 or 631. Reynolds 525 is their cold drawn 4130. Reynolds 631 is there cold drawn 4340. 4340 is air hardening cro-mo. As it cools it gets stronger so the 631/4340 frame will be stronger at the welds.

For reference Reynolds 725 is heat treated 4130 and 853 is heat treated 4340. Heat treating increases strength. However when you weld heat treated 4130, the effects of the original heat treatment are lost in the area around the weld as the metal cools down. Fillet brazing is a way around this problem as far less heat is required compared with welding. Heat treated 4340 doesn't suffer in the same way as being an air hardening cro-mo it gains strength when allowed to cool naturaly.

Early Bravado's were made from heat treated 4130!!!

 

[lee-m.c.]

Thanks for all the help explaining the differences. There is nothing wrong with the karakoram frame. it's very good. but the bravado is a bit better. then the phsyclone is even better than both. all quality steel frames.