Hi all, here is a GT tandem I bought last year. This looks to be a 1993 model with 26-inch wheels, and ubrake rear brake mount.
It was running components from different periods: GT Hadley/Mavic 217 sup ceramic wheels, Judy DH Fork, mismatched groupset parts…
The man who sold it, bought it in the 90’s from Nicolas Vouilloz, the 10x downhill world champion! Here is what I have been told :
- the bike was offered by Team GT to Nicolas Vouilloz during Roc d’Azur
- there were 4 bikes of this color, offered to 4 team GT athletes
After some research, I found in Mountain Biker International magazine from Summer 1997, that Nicolas Vouilloz broke his arm during the first tests of his new Sunn bike, just having left GT Team. In the interview, when asked if he trains alone, he replies: “When I practice on the road I have friends that ride with me, the same friend that rides with me on the tandem now l have broken my arm. Normally; in DH I ride alone sometimes one friend comes he is in top 15 and top 20 French DHer”
I guess this is the tandem he trained on in 1997?
Vouilloz could have ridden the tandem during Roc d’Azur 1993, and when injured in 1997? Do you know who rode the tandem with him?
I would love to know more about this bike. I any of you know or can confirm something, that would be great!
I would also like to find the good parts for that bike, and here are the parts that were on the bike when I picked it up :
Original 1993 parts :
My idea would be to restore the bike as Nicolas Vouilloz used it just before selling it. Keeping the original parts he kept, and using what he might have upgraded.
XTR m900 seems a bit overkill for a tandem, even if period-correct (and bike had m900 rear right crank). I don’t know if the bike came with Deore DX or XT like other and older Gt Quatrefoils ?
The bike is at the moment running XT m737 parts. This is what I had, the groupset came in 1994 and is not period correct, but could have been an upgrade from N.V. ?
What parts do you think I should be using?
Thanks a lot for your help! Looking forward to answering your comments!
It was running components from different periods: GT Hadley/Mavic 217 sup ceramic wheels, Judy DH Fork, mismatched groupset parts…
The man who sold it, bought it in the 90’s from Nicolas Vouilloz, the 10x downhill world champion! Here is what I have been told :
- the bike was offered by Team GT to Nicolas Vouilloz during Roc d’Azur
- there were 4 bikes of this color, offered to 4 team GT athletes
After some research, I found in Mountain Biker International magazine from Summer 1997, that Nicolas Vouilloz broke his arm during the first tests of his new Sunn bike, just having left GT Team. In the interview, when asked if he trains alone, he replies: “When I practice on the road I have friends that ride with me, the same friend that rides with me on the tandem now l have broken my arm. Normally; in DH I ride alone sometimes one friend comes he is in top 15 and top 20 French DHer”
I guess this is the tandem he trained on in 1997?
Vouilloz could have ridden the tandem during Roc d’Azur 1993, and when injured in 1997? Do you know who rode the tandem with him?
I would love to know more about this bike. I any of you know or can confirm something, that would be great!
I would also like to find the good parts for that bike, and here are the parts that were on the bike when I picked it up :
Original 1993 parts :
- Original GT rigid fork that I also have
- GT seatposts and rear stem
- Mavic 217 SUP ceramic wheels laced on a pair of GT Harley silver hubs?
- Stronglight 190 left crank arms?
- Front right crank arm?
- Vetta rear saddle
- RockShox Judy DH Fork
- Kore red stem
- Downhill style bars and grips
- Star bar at the back
- Cane Creek aheadset
- Flite titanium Kevlar front seat
- XTR m900 rear right crankarm and Platinium chainrings?
- XT m737 rear derailleur
- Magura Classic hydraulic brakes (it was running cantis when he bought it, and hesitated between vbrakes or magura upgrade, went with Magura)
- Cheap groupset (Shimano Exage front derailleur, LX 9s m570 shimano left shifter, cheap 8s right shifter…)
My idea would be to restore the bike as Nicolas Vouilloz used it just before selling it. Keeping the original parts he kept, and using what he might have upgraded.
XTR m900 seems a bit overkill for a tandem, even if period-correct (and bike had m900 rear right crank). I don’t know if the bike came with Deore DX or XT like other and older Gt Quatrefoils ?
The bike is at the moment running XT m737 parts. This is what I had, the groupset came in 1994 and is not period correct, but could have been an upgrade from N.V. ?
What parts do you think I should be using?
Thanks a lot for your help! Looking forward to answering your comments!
