GT Zaskar Identification

[d8mok]

Not worth a thread of it's own so i'll piggyback here..

Is this a Zaskar? It's MiA according to seller

Stickers says 96..
View attachment 672305

..as does serial number
View attachment 672306

Curved cap?
View attachment 672307

..and you can just about make out^ 6061.. but what's going on with the top tube?..

It's a tiny 14.5" frame.. where the smaller frames this shape?

Serial and everything else points towards a 12.5 Zaskar from 96. Even decals are corrrect. However curved end cap is a mystery. I have heard of the odd Zaskar ending up with with the wrong end cap but the issue is convincing people it’s a real one if you sell it on.

 

[Betsy]

Thanks all

 

[Gtpulse]

My goodness, I disappeared down the search function wormhole - 15 pages and a locked thread over a similar frame a decade or so ago say this used to be a more emotive issue!!

The conclusion there seemed to be Avalanche LE but does seem odd another has cropped up.
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads...ale-on-ebay-12-5-frame-pace-evo-forks.108576/

 

[Betsy]

Wow! who'd have thought the shape of an end cap could be such a contentious issue.. i don't really care either way but shhh! don't tell anyone

I spotted the frame while trawling a Japanese auction site

https://zenmarket.jp/en/auction.aspx?itemCode=c1066841922
..and just assumed if it was legit.. it was probably a smaller/different frame made for the export/jp market but y'know, sleeping dogs and such

 

[d8mok]

My goodness, I disappeared down the search function wormhole - 15 pages and a locked thread over a similar frame a decade or so ago say this used to be a more emotive issue!!

The conclusion there seemed to be Avalanche LE but does seem odd another has cropped up.
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads...ale-on-ebay-12-5-frame-pace-evo-forks.108576/

I’ve not read that entire thread however I’ve read lots of misinformation from a well known poster on there. Sometimes maybe over the years information gets lost or confused but I know more knowledgeable people on Zaskars than him.

My favourite some years ago was him saying frost coloured anodised Zaskars don’t exist even though posters were showing the pics of their bikes and quite simply they aren’t even rare.

Did 6061 Avalanches have a number format serial number?

The ones I’ve had have all contained letters albeit it’s only around 3 I’ve had.

 

[Betsy]

I used to think 'bikes' were one of the few things which brought people together .. then i signed up to this forum

 

[Gtpulse]

I reckon even in 1996 GT was a small enough company with in-house production on many of the higher end frames that there was stuff that got out there that doesn’t match the collective wisdom/catalogues etc so I’m always happy to acknowledge stuff doesn’t always fit in a particular box.

I once met a man in a pub who had a dog and it’s cousin once sniffed Hans Rey’s tyre smoke type legends as well!

 

[d8mok]

I think the American market , Europe and Asian likely had different frames and sizes.

Can’t imagine many 20 inch Zaskars were sold in China nor 12.5 in Norway

 

[Betsy]

I ride through Chinese student-ville on my way home and they’re quite tall compared to other east-Asians (even compared to some brits) I think a westernised junk food diet is playing havoc with their waistlines tho, it’s surprising how many male offspring of the Chinese middle classes are massively overweight.

 

[legrandefromage]

I’ve not read that entire thread however I’ve read lots of misinformation from a well known poster on there. Sometimes maybe over the years information gets lost or confused but I know more knowledgeable people on Zaskars than him.

My favourite some years ago was him saying frost coloured anodised Zaskars don’t exist even though posters were showing the pics of their bikes and quite simply they aren’t even rare.

Did 6061 Avalanches have a number format serial number?

The ones I’ve had have all contained letters albeit it’s only around 3 I’ve had.

<checks through entire thread>

Phew! It wasn't me!

Anyway, there are anomalies with the GT manufacturing output which bring up the odd argument to baffle many of the self appointed experts

The old 'LE' one would give you a few minutes of light relief

Anyway what would make our day is if the serial numbers matched with the one in the old thread