Old GT Palomar-school me on this please
 

Hi guys, don’t know much about this bike. Was offered to take it off a friend’s hands but not sure what to offer.

I want to use it for mild gravelling and I just wanted to know if the components are valuable or should I just modernise it with drop bars and tourney shifters to keep the 7 speeds?
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Unfortunately this GT is nothing special. Lower end components. Converting to dropbar will be more complicated. I don't think road levers will work on V-brakes. You'll have to switch to cantilever brakes or source out some mini v-brakes which I've heard work with road levers. Then there's the fork. Make sure it isn't dead. Looks like it's an RST which is most likely elastomers inside. Hope they aren't hard and brittle.

I know drop bar conversions of older mtb's are popular with some, but that stem is already as short as a stem can get seemingly --- drop bars may put the reach out to an odd range

Ive been researching a "gravelly" oriented conversion of an old MTB myself and have decided the compromises to the cockpit with the stubby stem with the high rise are too much for me to want to ride, so I have decided to go with a set of trekking bars -- In my case, Jones bars, but Velo Orange makes a Crazy bar and surly makes the moloko bars --- you still may need a shorty stem but the flip side is I don't have to have a high rise stem to use them

But if you do the drop conversion, take lots of measurements - lots of people love them

IT may be more cost effective to source a generic rigid fork online than rebuild the RST , but you never know

Low end relatively small MTB will not work good or be worth putting drops on and is likely too small for the Op. This is basically department store kids not well suited for what the Op wants.

Hey thanks for all the quick replies! I’m only 5’6” heightwise but yeah I’ll definitely take the advice about the fitting very seriously.

My LBS said if the price is right to get it in and he can see what can be done with the braking compatibility for now. His tentative quote is:

mini-V tektro 926al- $22/pair
shimano tourney brifters- $140/pair
generic drop bar $40
Full bike stripdown + service $60
all prices labour inclusive.
At the moment, Assuming the RST sus fork is ok, thats what I’m looking at cost-wise..

As above, about the bottom of the GT barrel. Use as is or locate a better candidate. Probably worth about $75 IMO.

Don't over think this one. Ride it. See how it works as it sits. If you want to do a lot of upgrades, find a better starting point. Riveted crankset with steel rings, Walmart grade components on this one. I would not assume fork is OK either. I wouldn't put more than $50 into this one. Too many nice vintage MTBs out there for low cost. And do yourself a favor, find one with a rigid front fork. The lower end MTBs tended to have really crappy forks that wear out. Meanwhile, a rigid fork never wears out unless the bike is crashed.

If someone gave me this bike for free (and I have had similar to this bikes given to me), they go straight to the co op. At anywhere from $25 to $100 I have found super sweet vintage MTBs with better everything. Basically tripping over them!


I can't fathom a real full strip down and service for $60. $200, sure. Local shops tend to charge more than $60 for the most basic tune up which involves ZERO strip down and just barrel adjustments on cables. Shops here are charging $75 to $80 per hour for labor.

Here's a local example in my area. Good shop too. Even the Gold Overhaul ($275, the only level that includes complete tear down) does not include any consumables or parts. Expect to pay full top end retail for parts. I am not complaining about their price. The bicycle business is a hard way to make money. And a real shop has real overhead.


https://www.libertybikes.com/product...vice-pg448.htm

You're going to spend more on upgrades than what the bike is worth. Take everyone's advice. Find an older mtb rigid. Great candidates for dropbar conversions. If you're located in a bikers area, you shouldn't have a problem finding one. Good luck with your search!

Thanks everyone for your advise and replies. Will put a lot of thought into this.

Old GT Palomar-now GT Ricochet?
 

Hey guys, just to address some of the misunderstandings-Im not in USA or Europe, actually from South East Asia (think Singapore and you’re close) so labour is cheap here.

Anyway I bought the Palomar, it was sitting in his air conditioned office, not some hot humid warehouse. So I’ve been using it as is atm and have ordered a 34T 7 Spd freewheel and an acera RD along with chain just to give me more climbing range. Keeping the triple anvil crankset for now heh heh.

But..this is where the story gets interesting. One of the riders I ride with usually rides a 29er Fuji and I just found out he has a GT Ricochet.

Deore LX 8 speed groupset, with rear Deore LX hub, front Deore XT hub and I think Rock Shox front sus. Best part is the Ricochet is a 7000 series treated aluminium frame, so it should be lighter no? I think I may look at this one but is anyone able to tell me more abt the Ricochet?

To be honest, I’ve gone from 2 foldies, to a road bike, an mtb and now I’m looking at another mtb 🤦‍♂️. n+1 disease and all that.

The appeal of having two GT’s is nice for me, I’ll just pass the Palomar to my dad for his exercise while I use the Ricochet to ride the trails..oh no..

I’m speaking as if its spoken for and I havent even gone to view it yet. ​​​​​​​


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Seller’s photo today
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Is this Rock Shox or Suntour?
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