Picked up a 2001? GT ZR-1 worth the build?
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Picked up a 2001? GT ZR-1 worth the build?
Unsure if i am allowed in the section
But in search of the bike that got me into biking (90s Karakoram) i came across this locally and just bought it, i remember seeing this bike and the red/white LOTTO version back in the day but it was more than i could afford and not into road bikes then, only MTB
Thinking about doing a small build, possibly more modern components.
I love the paint scheme but there are a "few" dings.
Repaint whole bike? Repaint yellow parts? Keep it original? Scrap project?



Top tube large gash



But in search of the bike that got me into biking (90s Karakoram) i came across this locally and just bought it, i remember seeing this bike and the red/white LOTTO version back in the day but it was more than i could afford and not into road bikes then, only MTB
Thinking about doing a small build, possibly more modern components.
I love the paint scheme but there are a "few" dings.
Repaint whole bike? Repaint yellow parts? Keep it original? Scrap project?



Top tube large gash




#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: NW Ohio
Posts: 2,912
Bikes: 1984 Miyata 310, 1986 Schwinn Sierra, 2011 Jamis Quest, 1980 Peugeot TH8 Tandem, 1992 Performance Parabola, 1987 Ross Mt. Hood, 1988 Schwinn LeTour, 1988 Trek 400T, 1981 Fuji S12-S LTD
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 339 Post(s)
Liked 279 Times
in
188 Posts
Classic & Vintage is a sliding scale. Pretty much everyone is welcome here, especially when you have something that other forums consider "obsolete". The road forum starts to get surly if you are more than one or two generations behind the latest thing.
I wouldn't repaint for such minor scratches. Find some matching touch-up paint and it will look fine. Being aluminum, check it carefully for cracks at all the joints.
I wouldn't repaint for such minor scratches. Find some matching touch-up paint and it will look fine. Being aluminum, check it carefully for cracks at all the joints.
Likes For Pompiere:
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Worcester, Massachusetts
Posts: 285
Bikes: Fuji Sportif 1.7C, Shogun Metro AT, Jamis Durango SX, Miyata Alumicross, Fuji Special Road Racer, Mongoose ATB, Fuji SST 1.0 Team, Gitane (?), Specialized Rockhopper SS, Univega Gran Turismo, Univega Supra Sport Mixte, Nishiki Tri-A, Diamondback Coil
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 75 Post(s)
Liked 113 Times
in
60 Posts
That frame is worthy of a nice build. I have kept my eyes peeled for YEARS for a nice GT road bike. It's sorta in my grail category. Good luck!
Likes For PugRider:
Likes For 2cam16:
#5
Senior Member
Yes, if the frame fits, build it up and ride the snot out of it. Your questions remind me of concerns I had myself when I first got into "vintage" bikes and paint condition. After you've seen enough bikes, your tolerance for nicks and scratches goes way up - I'd consider that to have pretty nice paint at this point.

__________________
Some Past Bikes: '96 Bianchi Reparto Course EL OS, '96 Serotta CSI, '89 Bianchi Giro, '82 Gitane SC, '81 Gios Torino, '79 Trek 937, '77 Trek TX700, '73 Gitane TdF, '72 Follis 472, '58 Peugeot PX-10
Some Past Bikes: '96 Bianchi Reparto Course EL OS, '96 Serotta CSI, '89 Bianchi Giro, '82 Gitane SC, '81 Gios Torino, '79 Trek 937, '77 Trek TX700, '73 Gitane TdF, '72 Follis 472, '58 Peugeot PX-10
Likes For friendofpugs:
#6
Forum Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Kalamazoo MI
Posts: 20,376
Bikes: Fuji SL2.1 Carbon Di2 Cannondale Synapse Alloy 4 Trek Checkpoint ALR gravel Viscount Aerospace Pro Schwinn Paramount PDG 5 Colnago Classic Rabobank
Mentioned: 51 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2741 Post(s)
Liked 4,398 Times
in
2,622 Posts
Touch it up, build it up, ride it up!
Likes For cb400bill:
#7
Mother Nature's Son
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Sussex County, Delaware
Posts: 2,451
Bikes: Early 90's Ochsner road, 2006 Schwinn SS DBX, 2014 Orbea Avant MD30, 2004 Airborne Zeppelin TI, 2003 Lemond Poprad, 1989? Fuji Ace, 2001 Lemond Tourmalet, 2014? Soma Smoothie
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 647 Post(s)
Liked 902 Times
in
521 Posts
Likes For delbiker1:
#8
Senior Member
Very cool bike. High end aluminum bikes from the mid to late 90s and very early 2000s are great. This was right before hydroforming started to become dominant in aluminum bike design so the bikes actually look good too as they generally have straight, unprofiled tubing.
I've owned two 90s aluminum bikes (95 Stumpjumper M2 and now a 99 Schwinn Homegrown hardtail) and they both ride great.
I've owned two 90s aluminum bikes (95 Stumpjumper M2 and now a 99 Schwinn Homegrown hardtail) and they both ride great.
Likes For TenGrainBread:
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Berea, KY
Posts: 969
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 293 Post(s)
Liked 161 Times
in
119 Posts
I never really like the GT mountain bikes (not sure why) but I always loved the way their road bikes looked. I say do it. I don't think you will regret it.
__________________
Andy
Andy
Likes For beicster:
#10
Master Parts Rearranger
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 4,136
Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 2014 Trek FX 7.3 - 1973 Schwinn Paramount P-15
Mentioned: 209 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1348 Post(s)
Liked 1,321 Times
in
689 Posts
Sweet triple triangle GT! The paint looks to be in great shape. Touching up the chips should be no problem. Give it a wax if you have some and know how to, and that will shine it up and provide additional protection (I do this to all new-to-me frames that I pick up). Build it up with your favorite components and ride it as intended!
As to 2001 being C&V, yes, C&V is a sliding scale, though ~20 years tends to be a good minimum age. Welcome to the edge. '90s are definitely in, even if they're primarily composed of Cannondale examples it seems.
As to 2001 being C&V, yes, C&V is a sliding scale, though ~20 years tends to be a good minimum age. Welcome to the edge. '90s are definitely in, even if they're primarily composed of Cannondale examples it seems.
Likes For RiddleOfSteel:
#11
Hoards Thumbshifters
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Signal Mountain, TN
Posts: 1,141
Bikes: '87 Bruce Gordon Chinook, '08 Jamis Aurora, '86 Trek 560, '97 Mongoose Rockadile, & '91 Trek 750
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 227 Post(s)
Liked 294 Times
in
176 Posts
Easton Tubing was the prime beef of the aluminum world back in the day. It's a good frame. Like others have said, look for cracks around the weld, usually around the head tube to be safe. If that's all good, you can build it and ride it.
Likes For mechanicmatt:
#12
No Chain Lube Preference
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 3,916
Bikes: Schwinn Volare ('78); Raleigh Competition GS ('79)
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 705 Post(s)
Liked 484 Times
in
253 Posts
Don't even touch it up. Those nicks were earned.
__________________
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
Likes For Fahrenheit531:
#13
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Thanks for all the responses
Looks like its a go!
As i said before i love this frame/paint scheme so i know this will be a fun bike when done
I weighed the frame and comes in at 3.04lbs or 1.38kg on my feedback scale
Currently shopping for a donor bike to get the build started
Looks like its a go!
As i said before i love this frame/paint scheme so i know this will be a fun bike when done
I weighed the frame and comes in at 3.04lbs or 1.38kg on my feedback scale
Currently shopping for a donor bike to get the build started
#14
Senior Member
Late to the party but in full agreement with responses here. Tubing great and iconic style. My 95 Force is a rocket. Do you have a CF fork with the frame or ?
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
It did not come with an original fork but i was given a CF fork that he said was from a Trek T1 or something like that, its in the backround of one of the pictures i can get some better pictures of it, unsure if its good or not or if i need to search out a GT fork to keep it original frameset. Looks like there is 2 different kinds of forks for the ZR line up depending on 1.0 2.0 3.0 etc....
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: oregon coast
Posts: 235
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 76 Post(s)
Liked 74 Times
in
43 Posts
i wouldn't touch it up either, nothing wrong with a little patina!
as for the fork, unless it's drastically different geometry, i would run what you've got. if you some how come across an original fork one day, it's a pretty easy job swapping it out.
as for the fork, unless it's drastically different geometry, i would run what you've got. if you some how come across an original fork one day, it's a pretty easy job swapping it out.
Likes For t_e_r_r_y:
#17
Senior Member
A lot of aluminium bikes got aftermarket CF forks when that material became prevalent. Mine was aluminium with a chromo fork so I found an aftermarket CF fork very close to the specs and put it on. Lively ride indeed!
Love the painted livery on your model. Great colour combo. Mine came with fill RSX but thinking I will upgrade it to 10 speed 105 soon.
Let us know how the build progresses!
Love the painted livery on your model. Great colour combo. Mine came with fill RSX but thinking I will upgrade it to 10 speed 105 soon.
Let us know how the build progresses!
Likes For 3speedslow:
#18
Senior Member
Thread Starter
A lot of aluminium bikes got aftermarket CF forks when that material became prevalent. Mine was aluminium with a chromo fork so I found an aftermarket CF fork very close to the specs and put it on. Lively ride indeed!
Love the painted livery on your model. Great colour combo. Mine came with fill RSX but thinking I will upgrade it to 10 speed 105 soon.
Let us know how the build progresses!
Love the painted livery on your model. Great colour combo. Mine came with fill RSX but thinking I will upgrade it to 10 speed 105 soon.
Let us know how the build progresses!
Since i have no parts laying around maybe a donor bike is my best bet, then if i find i need different bars/stem i can change it out
#19
Senior Member
Watch out for compatibility with components. I have been tripped up with the front derailleur a few times.
#20
Señor Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 5,063
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 646 Post(s)
Liked 283 Times
in
207 Posts
Very cool bike. Build & ride.
Karakoram was my grail bike back in the mid '90s. I bought a 1998 (I think) model, tore it down and built it with my preferred parts, and the frame broke in 2000.
Karakoram was my grail bike back in the mid '90s. I bought a 1998 (I think) model, tore it down and built it with my preferred parts, and the frame broke in 2000.
Likes For Wilfred Laurier:
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 3,372
Bikes: 82 Medici, 2011 Richard Sachs, 2011 Milwaukee Road
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1311 Post(s)
Liked 793 Times
in
499 Posts
If you are a SRAM guy, go for it. If you have never ridden with Dura Ace 9 speed, it is truly awesome and worth considering.
#22
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I am on the fence, i like SRAM controls but i dont "hate" any other brand components (of the big 3)
#23
Thrifty Bill
$500 to $600 for a donor is way over my pay grade. I tend to either use Shimano 6400 8 speed (tricolor 600) or Shimano 7400 8 speed (Dura Ace). Sometimes you can find a donor where the sale of the frame covers the cost. That is my goal on donors, and I have done that several times. But I am patient.
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 3,372
Bikes: 82 Medici, 2011 Richard Sachs, 2011 Milwaukee Road
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1311 Post(s)
Liked 793 Times
in
499 Posts
Ya. I did a quick search and it seems that that GT came with the 7700 group which is truely fantastic as a drive train and looks refined. Parts are plug and play with your frame which s a bonus.
#25
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Pick up a donor bike today loaded with SRAM rival components
Its a pretty nice bike, after some google searching i guess it was the beginner $3200 bike below the racing BMC bikes


Its a pretty nice bike, after some google searching i guess it was the beginner $3200 bike below the racing BMC bikes


