GT RTS 1 / Team

[Benmac]

Now I have finished the RTS 2 I was going to use as "my" RTS (build thread here viewtopic.php?f=6&t=347488) I move onto what is now going to be "my" RTS.

After starting the RTS 2, this frame popped up for a good price and just had to be acquired. It matched my desire for a polished RTS more closely than the painted RTS 2 obviously and as I had already collected most of the swish bits and bobs to go on it it was an obvious thing to do.

I need to do a little investigating on exactly what it is, either a Team or a RTS 1 or some sort of hybrid. The main frame is an 18". It has a flat capped top tube at the back with GT stamped in it, I cannot recall whether that signifies US or Taiwanese build, can anyone advise. I can also provide the frame number if that is a clue.

The rear triangle is an alloy one and I was under the impression that only the Team RTS ever had the alloy back end but now I am beginning to doubt myself. Again, can anybody advise?

The other thing that suggests its a 1 rather than a team is that the shock is not a piggy back one but I suppose that could have been changed along the way.

Either way, it's great and just right for what I wanted. The condition was very good when I got it with no cracks or dings of any note, just a bit of cable rub and the sort of scratches and marks you'd expect to see. It has been subject to some repolishing but I am doing a more thorough job using 800 grit paper, then 1500, then 2500, then autosol and finally some car polish. Seems to be working nicely although obviously it is one of those where it gets better worse before getting better.

As for the rest of it it'll be Judy SLs up front then M950/2 drivetrain, Magura HS33s, then a blue theme using Hope, Race Face, Fred Salmon, USE etc bits and pieces. Some bits for the initial build will be put on with the intent of getting it up and running and may be replaced with the ideal items if they ever pop up for sale.

As it stands the planned spec for now is:

Frame: 18" GT RTS 1/Team (exact year to be determined) Gil has done me some lovely new decals!
Fork: Rock Shox Judy SL (recently totally refurbed and painted)

Headset: Blue Rabid (modern cost effective replacement until I fork out for a swankier one)
Stem: Syncros cattleprod (polished)
Handlebar: Fred Salmon (blue)
Grips: ODI

Brakes: Magura HS33 Raceline
Brake Pads: Magura
Brake Cables: Magura
Brake Levers: Magura HS33 Raceline
Bar Ends: Undecided, either OnZas or X Lite if I put some on

Shifters: Shimano XTR M950
Front Derailleur: XTR M952
Rear Derailleur: XTR M950
Derailleur Cables: Jagwire
Cassette: Shimano XT 8spd
Chain: KMC
Cranks: Race Face Turbine (blue)
Crank Bolts: Halfords own
Chainrings: Pace
Chainring bolts: Shimano
Bottom Bracket: Shimano UN55 73/113
Pedals: My M737 SPDs if I can find them!

Hub Skewers: The one key thing I am missing
Rims: Mavic 231 front, Mavic SUP 217 rear
Hubs: Hope Ti Glide
Nipples: Unknown
Spokes: Unknown
Tyres: Panaracer amberwall Smoke and Dart
Tubes: Unknown as yet, I prefer Continental usually

Saddle: Selle Italia Flite
Seatpost: USE alloy (blue)
Seatpost Binder: Unknown blue one I had

Here is a lot of it unceremoniously in a box:

Pre any work by me

I'd done the seat tube at this stage

 

[Benmac]

Finished the main frame last night and couldn't face any more polishing (or tidying the garage) so the rear end can wait.

Got on with some initial building instead. Headset, forks, stem bars, seatpost and seat clamp, BB. All went in sweetly with coppaslip to prevent any future nasties.

Here's the down tube mid polish.

And here it is after I'd hung some bits and bobs off it. I did actually make an angled spacer so I could fit a normal top cap on the syncros stem as I wanted it fairly low. However, with just a 5mm spacer under it the stem was high enough on the fairly short steerer to give me the space to use Romuald's proper Syncros recreation which is preferable.

 

[regan_ev]

Been looking forward to seeing this one following your RTS-2 thread.

Looking good!

 

[Benmac]

Ta!

I'm putting Maguras on it and having never done them before and armed with all the bits and the instructions I've just had a play at putting the front one on as a test fit. My word, what a palaver!

Not helped by the fact the wheel I am using, while perfectly straight is dished over to one side so I'll need to tweak it back to the centre. I didn't realise that to start with! Neither did I realise how they come apart etc etc. Once set up I'll remove and give them a thorough clean up (booster could do with a lick of paint and I need to helitape the forks where the brakes brace against them.

Think I have them sussed now so will do some more later on!

 

[regan_ev]

Maguras are fiddly as feck, no other way to explain settin them up! I spent about an hour on mine a couple of weeks ago, got it perfect, only to remove and reinstall the rear wheel and find the brake needed adjusting again aaarrghhh!
If you persevere with it though it'll be sweet and awesome at stopping.
There are a few helpful videos on the Magura YouTube channel on setting the rim brakes. Make sure you search for the English-dubbed version, unless your German is perfect.

 

[Benmac]

Ta, I'll look them out and nope my german GCSE from 25 years ago (Jesus!) probably won't be a lot of help!

 

[boxxer]

The 95 and 96 Team & 1 had an alloy rear end, the later 2 and 3 also had alloy back ends which tend to crack at the pivots on the chainstays....

Flat cap and 6061 = USA Made

I turned my 3 into a 1 copycat with a steel rear end....

I have a 2 coming next week as well!

 

[Benmac]

Ah that's useful, ta. Definitely a USA main frame then as as well as the flat cap it had a very tatty original looking 6061 sticker (I have a new one from Gil).

The alloy back end fortunately has no cracks but I also have a spare steel back end that I've restored as a just in case measure!

 

[Factory Jackson]

Starting out on a RTS build myself, so following your progress on this one.

I'm at the dreaded polishing stage myself !!

 

[Benmac]

Well, small amount of progress, hope to do some more this weekend.

More magura fiddling, happy with it now. Cleaned and fitted the two shifters and took the rear end to bits and cleaned it up ready for polishing. Also fitted the Dart reissue I'll have on the front. Very pleased with how it's looking.

The brake hose is too long so I'll trim that once it's all together (changed the hoses on my modern a couple of weeks back so that sort of faff is still fresh in the memory!)

Test fit of the rocker went OK too. I want to change the bearings in it but while on my RTS 2 there was enough room inside the rocker to get a drift in to hammer the bearing out they're too tight in this one. The design is slightly different. The one on this bike is a bit slimmer and less agricultural. I've ordered a proper tool to pull them out. Also oddly, on the RTS 2 there are shouldered washers that went in the frame fittings for the rocker. None on this frame though. I had some very thin M8 washers though so have put those in to stop the rocker either having play or stressing the frame too much tightening it up. All moves freely enough.