This thread is a continuation of a previous thread I started here:
https://forums.mtbr.com/vintage-retro-classic/noob-97-gt-zaskar-le-1136989.html
With many more pictures, updates and depth.
I hope it becomes a useful guide for other new builders, like myself, who are working out the complexities of adapting a retro MTB frame for a city lifestyle. I am still learning as I am going so forgive me for the many mistakes, edits and updates I will be contributing as the days pass. I look forward to the project and learning from the community!
SO! I bought a 97 GT Zaskar LE frame in Berlin. Its a little beat up but the battle scars add to the character. It has a unknown, and slightly strange rigid alu fork, Chris King nothread headset, ritchey stem and concept bars that came with it to seal the deal.
Condition when I bought it:
After some research I ended up sourcing a Shimano XT M737 groupset. Great condition, including seat post, Mavic 230 SBP rims with M737 hubs, and Ritchey Zmax tires, like new.
I brought the set over to my buddies shop to get started building and this is of course when things started getting interesting....
The M737 Front Derailleur had the wrong clamp size. It came with 28.6 and this bike requires 31.8. Also, the M737 front derr I have is a top-pull, and I soon realised the difference between top and down pull hahaha! Perhaps there are different variations of M737 that are in a down pulling configuration but I have been a little too impatient/excited to get building so I found a Shimano LX front derr (ill find the model number later) that accepts both top and down pulling systems and have installed it. It hurts my eyes a little but it will get me rolling until I refine the systems and get a little more stylish
I gave up on trying to find the correct cable guide (which is Shimano sm-sp17-t for future reference) for under the bottom bracket and modified a random cable guide with a box cutter to fit under the frame.
------bottom bracket-------
The BB that came with the frame was like new and functioning properly. Spindle length was 111.5 at that point which seemed fine, but it ended up being too long for the M737 crankset to line up properly with the rear derailleur. I had been researching BBs for this frame/year and after cross referencing multiple forum threads I understood that 73mm is the proper size for the case, and there are numbers ranging from 110 to 120 spindle length depending on the crankset. BUT upon removing the BB I have I found out it is interestingly, a 68mm Shimano UN73.
It was replaced with a BSA 68mm "Neco" BB with a spindle length of 110.5 to get (what seems to be) the correct fit for the XT M737 crankset. Sorting through all of the conflicting information across forums is a headache lol :madman:
----------
Ill get into the brake system journey tomorrow...
Thanks for looking and whatever input you might have!
-AK
https://forums.mtbr.com/vintage-retro-classic/noob-97-gt-zaskar-le-1136989.html
With many more pictures, updates and depth.
I hope it becomes a useful guide for other new builders, like myself, who are working out the complexities of adapting a retro MTB frame for a city lifestyle. I am still learning as I am going so forgive me for the many mistakes, edits and updates I will be contributing as the days pass. I look forward to the project and learning from the community!
SO! I bought a 97 GT Zaskar LE frame in Berlin. Its a little beat up but the battle scars add to the character. It has a unknown, and slightly strange rigid alu fork, Chris King nothread headset, ritchey stem and concept bars that came with it to seal the deal.
Condition when I bought it:
After some research I ended up sourcing a Shimano XT M737 groupset. Great condition, including seat post, Mavic 230 SBP rims with M737 hubs, and Ritchey Zmax tires, like new.
I brought the set over to my buddies shop to get started building and this is of course when things started getting interesting....
The M737 Front Derailleur had the wrong clamp size. It came with 28.6 and this bike requires 31.8. Also, the M737 front derr I have is a top-pull, and I soon realised the difference between top and down pull hahaha! Perhaps there are different variations of M737 that are in a down pulling configuration but I have been a little too impatient/excited to get building so I found a Shimano LX front derr (ill find the model number later) that accepts both top and down pulling systems and have installed it. It hurts my eyes a little but it will get me rolling until I refine the systems and get a little more stylish
I gave up on trying to find the correct cable guide (which is Shimano sm-sp17-t for future reference) for under the bottom bracket and modified a random cable guide with a box cutter to fit under the frame.
------bottom bracket-------
The BB that came with the frame was like new and functioning properly. Spindle length was 111.5 at that point which seemed fine, but it ended up being too long for the M737 crankset to line up properly with the rear derailleur. I had been researching BBs for this frame/year and after cross referencing multiple forum threads I understood that 73mm is the proper size for the case, and there are numbers ranging from 110 to 120 spindle length depending on the crankset. BUT upon removing the BB I have I found out it is interestingly, a 68mm Shimano UN73.
It was replaced with a BSA 68mm "Neco" BB with a spindle length of 110.5 to get (what seems to be) the correct fit for the XT M737 crankset. Sorting through all of the conflicting information across forums is a headache lol :madman:
----------
Ill get into the brake system journey tomorrow...
Thanks for looking and whatever input you might have!
-AK