Late 80s and 90s GT hardtails are the best looking hardtails ever. Fantastic paint jobs and they just look fast. I had a Daktari White 91 Avalanche. Beautiful bike.
Love this video and your Tequesta! Rebuilt a few of these early 90's GT bikes, the brakes take a little experimentation to get right but once you do they can be pretty good!
Sounds a great ride. I find the old bikes are exactly the same as old cars, not as fast but you feel more and need to do more skilful riding. Brakes were ok in the 90s, it was people not setting them up well that was the issue. Great bike and great video 🎉😊
I need to work on mine at some point, its just sitting there feeling sorry for itself looking slightly rusty. The wheels on it are black Alesa 6021 running Panaracer Smoke and Dart tyres (which nearly hit the frame), Crankset is Shimano 200GS running the silver Biopace oval crank and the rear rake is the black plastic covered version of yours the BR- M451 but I do like it in silver more. I got some crappy brake levers and shifters on it so i'm needing to get hold of the all in one Deore LX (ST-M060) to make it a little more original BUT.. I'm tempted to fit the lime green Magura Race Line Hydraulic brakes but i'm not to sure how I feel about boring the internal cable route through the frame if it won't fit as I don't really want to tie wrap the hose to the frame lol. But i'm not rushing as I also have Team Raleigh Banana bike i'm using and working on. Its great to see classic bikes being used and not just be seen as a ornament.
Thanks. They are great to ride, I love the damping of the steel frame. Maybe give yours a second life and bring it back to working order with some modern bits. Rediscover how good they are.
It looks great with those yellow accents. Those GT's stood the test of time. I have just acquired a later GT Tequesta (98 or 99 model Orange frame) . I have put a BMX stem and handlebar combo on it. Hoping to get a rigid for for it soon as the Rockshox Judy C forks are too heavy for the kind of riding I want to do.
lots of early 90s MTBs stood the test of time, Trek 900, 7000, 8000 series, Marin, Cannondale, some Giants, Haro, Kona, KHS, Alpinestars, Kuwahara, Nishiki and of course Specialized Stumpjumpers, Koga Miyata, Fat Chance, Yeti, Klein....
Love the yellow highlights of grips and Karakoram stem! Good tip for using a modern clutched derailleur. Did it feel under geared without a big chainring?
Thank you, no the gearing felt modern, I don’t think I’d ride it fast enough on the trails to warrant a 44T chainring. May be a different story on pavement but feels great.
I have a sorta similar 92’ GT Avalanche that set up as a single speed. Too small for me so is got the surly sunrise bars and the seat post jammed way up. The u brakes the used for a bit there are weird. Great bikes :)
The Ardents are 2.25 but I have some Tan Wall 2.3 DTH, you do have to loosen one side of the rear U brake if you don’t want to install the wheel without air in the tire. The front is no issue at all
Great build! You're brakes issues are due to wrong type of levers. Those are long pull, for V brakes. Been thorough this with my own GT's. Built a 91 Karakoram with the U on the back. With modern pads and the right levers (short pull) they are impressive, as good as V's. Canti's can be good too but fiddly to set up. Fair play to you riding that with a rigid. I always run Bombers on mine.
Thank you 🙏 Yeah I’m waiting to source the correct levers, soon as I do I’ll put them on as I also have period correct cantis for the forks ready to go
Can you elaborate on what is meant by offsetting the chain on the backside of the spider? I'd be interested in someday giving a 1x drive train a go on my vintage mountain bike.
@@nigehill Awesome, I'm hoping to convert at least one bike. They're alu, though, so harsh if set up rigid. I'd like to experience a steel frame again. Cheers
I have the same bike and looking to set it up with the 1x11..you mentioned the 8sp hub body on the rear can accommodate the 11speed cassette no problem, did I hear that correctly? thank you for the video @nigehill
Yup, 8 speed LX 565 is what I’m running. No problem, just make sure the chain line is ok, I have a 110mm tapered bottom bracket and run single chainring on the inside of the crank arm.
Late 80s and 90s GT hardtails are the best looking hardtails ever. Fantastic paint jobs and they just look fast. I had a Daktari White 91 Avalanche. Beautiful bike.
Love this video and your Tequesta! Rebuilt a few of these early 90's GT bikes, the brakes take a little experimentation to get right but once you do they can be pretty good!
That's a good looking bike, well worth the upgrading
Sounds a great ride. I find the old bikes are exactly the same as old cars, not as fast but you feel more and need to do more skilful riding. Brakes were ok in the 90s, it was people not setting them up well that was the issue. Great bike and great video 🎉😊
Great to see mate, well done on another great vid!
Beautiful! I need to fix mine up. 🤙🏼
I need to work on mine at some point, its just sitting there feeling sorry for itself looking slightly rusty. The wheels on it are black Alesa 6021 running Panaracer Smoke and Dart tyres (which nearly hit the frame), Crankset is Shimano 200GS running the silver Biopace oval crank and the rear rake is the black plastic covered version of yours the BR- M451 but I do like it in silver more. I got some crappy brake levers and shifters on it so i'm needing to get hold of the all in one Deore LX (ST-M060) to make it a little more original BUT.. I'm tempted to fit the lime green Magura Race Line Hydraulic brakes but i'm not to sure how I feel about boring the internal cable route through the frame if it won't fit as I don't really want to tie wrap the hose to the frame lol. But i'm not rushing as I also have Team Raleigh Banana bike i'm using and working on. Its great to see classic bikes being used and not just be seen as a ornament.
Thanks. They are great to ride, I love the damping of the steel frame. Maybe give yours a second life and bring it back to working order with some modern bits. Rediscover how good they are.
It looks great with those yellow accents. Those GT's stood the test of time. I have just acquired a later GT Tequesta (98 or 99 model Orange frame) . I have put a BMX stem and handlebar combo on it. Hoping to get a rigid for for it soon as the Rockshox Judy C forks are too heavy for the kind of riding I want to do.
Nice!
lots of early 90s MTBs stood the test of time, Trek 900, 7000, 8000 series, Marin, Cannondale, some Giants, Haro, Kona, KHS, Alpinestars, Kuwahara, Nishiki and of course Specialized Stumpjumpers, Koga Miyata, Fat Chance, Yeti, Klein....
Love the yellow highlights of grips and Karakoram stem!
Good tip for using a modern clutched derailleur.
Did it feel under geared without a big chainring?
Thank you, no the gearing felt modern, I don’t think I’d ride it fast enough on the trails to warrant a 44T chainring. May be a different story on pavement but feels great.
I have a sorta similar 92’ GT Avalanche that set up as a single speed. Too small for me so is got the surly sunrise bars and the seat post jammed way up. The u brakes the used for a bit there are weird. Great bikes :)
What a beauty!
Are those 2.3" tyres? Was it a squeeze to get them on? The bike looks cool af 👌🏻
The Ardents are 2.25 but I have some Tan Wall 2.3 DTH, you do have to loosen one side of the rear U brake if you don’t want to install the wheel without air in the tire. The front is no issue at all
Great build!
You're brakes issues are due to wrong type of levers. Those are long pull, for V brakes. Been thorough this with my own GT's. Built a 91 Karakoram with the U on the back. With modern pads and the right levers (short pull) they are impressive, as good as V's. Canti's can be good too but fiddly to set up. Fair play to you riding that with a rigid. I always run Bombers on mine.
Thank you 🙏
Yeah I’m waiting to source the correct levers, soon as I do I’ll put them on as I also have period correct cantis for the forks ready to go
New levers will make a world of difference. Keep up the good work!
Newer brake pad compounds work better in wet conditions than the old brake pads.
I got the same 92 Tequesta in awsome condition that I want to sell, I'm located in germany :)
Can you elaborate on what is meant by offsetting the chain on the backside of the spider? I'd be interested in someday giving a 1x drive train a go on my vintage mountain bike.
Just aligning the chain ring with the centre gear in the rear cassette so the chain line is straight
@@nigehill And a 110mm bottom bracket, would that be pretty standard on bikes early to late 1990s?
@@icantgivecredit871 yes pretty standard but later alloy can also have 113mm as standard
@@nigehill Awesome, I'm hoping to convert at least one bike. They're alu, though, so harsh if set up rigid. I'd like to experience a steel frame again. Cheers
I have the same bike and looking to set it up with the 1x11..you mentioned the 8sp hub body on the rear can accommodate the 11speed cassette no problem, did I hear that correctly? thank you for the video @nigehill
Yup, 8 speed LX 565 is what I’m running. No problem, just make sure the chain line is ok, I have a 110mm tapered bottom bracket and run single chainring on the inside of the crank arm.
perfect. thank you, and are you running the original stem? Mine is black with the white stripes.thanks again @nigehill
@@mitchharnett5835 no mines off a Karakoram
I love my old GT,s i hoping to do a 1 by 10 on my 98 Arrowhead
What’s sizes are the maxxis tires?
Sigh. L8v it❤
we need more manly squealing 😂