Hello all,

I am only 46, (47 in a few months), but hopefully I am close enough to commiserate with our age group and the trials of just getting into using a mountain bike (for light commuter purposes). If it helps, my body feels more like 70.

I am a partially disabled veteran and a newby to mountain bike repair and maintenance. The last time I owned a new bike was probably in 1983. It was a black mountain bike, and it was promptly stolen from the middle of my (then) aprtment complex courtyard bike-rack, despite dutifully locking it with a U-lock. So, that should give you a point of reference.

So...I was recently given a used, GT XCR 4000 recently and I do not know the year it was manufactured. Is there a way to find out based upon the serial number underneath? Anyhow, it had one cable on it (the front brake) and an unattached, broken Shimano 9(?) speed shifter.

I have checked out every book on mountain bike repairs in the library suystem and am only now finding some help with where exactly the cables should run along the frame. I found a good repair DVD and am still going through it. My rear brakes are missing the brake arm bosses, and I have no idea where to get something like that. (I have the break arms, just not the bosses to bolt them to.)

I don't need top of the line gear and parts, as I am not competing and mostly want to use it as a street/commuter bike around the local area. (I am in northern Washington, and there are thousands of "serious bikers" (that compete and do downhill treks, etc.. It's beautiful here, and there is no shortage of places to check out on your bike.)

I need to get brake arm bosses for the rear from God knows where, run the rear break cable, acquire a compatible and financially reasonable shifter, struggle with running those cables for both deraillures (which I have never done before), before I would consider myself almost done with primary fix-up of the bike. repair books only go over replacing cables, from the point of view of someone who already knows exactly where and how to run and attach cable to deraillures. From the numerous books I have looked at, since they are flat, 2 dimensional pictures, you can only see the areas that are facing the camera, not where "else" the cables go. I don't pretend to know what I am doing and don't know where to find reasonably priced new or reconditioned parts, and don't want to get ripped off in the process.

The online manual for GT mountain bikes is too vague. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I look forward to meeting more people in the forums, and perhaps more old-guy newby's like myself.

Richard
(in Washington State)

With the brake bosses missing, a broken shifter and missing cables, it sounds like that bicycle was scavenged for parts and then someone gave you what was left over. It's hard to say where the cables should go, you need to see a similar bicycle to know what to look for, some run cables above the top tube, some under, some down the downtube, and I have seen some that run cables inside the tubes, it's also possible to get some routed one way, and others another way. The bosses could be tricky, some are bolted on, some are welded on.

There are three solutions:

1) Take the bicycle, or what is left of it, to a bike shop and see what it would cost to be made road ready, used hybrid and mountain bikes should be available in the $150 - $300 range in classifieds and on sites like craigslist, and new ones start at about $400. Let this be your guide.

2) Look and see if there is a bicycle co-op in your area. Some of them will, for a small membership fee, allow you to use their tools and some will even allow you to rent a mechanic. Many will have old parts floating around, or will know where you can get parts that aren't garbage or stolen. Some of the co-ops will have bikes available, that they have fixed up, for sale for a reasonable amount.

3) Scrap what you have and buy a used bike that is road ready, or at least has all the parts present and accounted for. Actually you don't need to scrap it, you can strip the frame, and rebuild it, using your other bike as a guide.

On another point, welcome from another under-aged rider here (soon to be 49)

Hello Harmony.

I've had a lot of success just searching the web for pictures of other's bikes. Once you stumble into some that are similar to yours you'll start to zero in on the vintage which will further simplify your search.

Here's a pic I stumbled into on my first try...
https://www.morcmtb.org/classifieds/s...e=IMG_3425.JPG

Welcome to the Forums and Good Hunting!

Good, very serviceable mountain bikes are available on Seattle's Craigslist all the time for $100-ish or less.

Bikeworks in the Rainier Valley has lots of used bikes.

The Bikery is a bike co-op that can help with repairs. Wright Brothers bike shop in Fremont rents out work space and tools, and can provide some help.

Welcome aboard!

Welcome.

You failed to tell us what kind of pie you like in preparation for the 50+ annual pie ride day.

You are a bit underage, but we will look the other way and not tell the moderators.

As to the mountain bike, it is likely that it may cost more to repair than to carefully buy a used bike on Craigslist.

For example for $70.00

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/bik/1695720858.html

Welcome to the old coot's home, and thank you for your service and sacrifice for the cause of freedom.
Fixing bikes can be just as rewarding as riding them, so have fun.

Found a review page and it appears to be a 99 bike.

With a bit of work this may turn into a respectable bike but it will depend on the previous owners maintenance as to how much that would cost you. BUT- in comparison to a more modern bike- or a well maintained one- this could be a bit heavy- a bit unreliable- or a bit of a dog. Saying that- my MTB is a 2000 one but works well and is reliable. Nothing wrong with old bikes- they just give you the incentive to find out what N+1 is.



https://www.mtbr.com/cat/bikes/bike-f...716_95crx.aspx

Welcome younster. Here is a site that I have found very helpful in researching bikes. You can guess a year and then compare the specs to the bike you have. https://www.bikepedia.com/
I agree with the others that you probably can get a good ready to ride bike cheaper and easier than fixing up the one you have.
Good luck and show us a picture of whatever you end up with.

I appreciate all that repsonded to my intor post. They are always awkward to spew out.

Maybe I am speaking from a newby standpoint, but the bike I descibed is very ridable as is, just not optimum. the things that are missing, are a shifter (which I see I can get a real basic Shimano shifter for about $25 online),

Amazon.com:
SRAM X.5 Mountain Bike Trigger Shifter Set (9-Speed)
Buy new: $35.00 $24.30
10 new from $24.30

...a replacement for my rear brake arm bosses (or perhaps new brakes altogether). With no shifter, I am relegated to a low gear, but get around just fine.

I have hunted down many, many photos of GT bikes that are similar (and some that are not) for cable comparisons, and the main problem is that most are not close-up or clear enough to get a good view of them. I think I can get it donw between the gazillion photos I have acquired and the many repair books I have from the library. I am kind of enjoying learning more about the bike by my exploration of it.

I guess I am enjoying the small rebuild project, and also have little money at present to simply buy another bike, so I am doing what I can with what I have for now. I will also look on Craigslist for parts if I cannot find things like replacement brake arm bosses for tbe rear. Does this sound too naive as a MB newby? After my diability increase is finalized with the VA, money won't be as much of an object. It's only been over a year now! "Taking care" of us veterans at the VA. My wife just sent me an article about the VA notifying a man about his menstrual disorder claim. Right on top of that stuff.

Many thanks and cheers to the people that responded to my post!
Richard

Since you are feeling your way through the repair process, be sure to check out the Park Tools repair site, Sheldon Brown's repair tips and the bike mechanic's forum here on BF.

I'm not clear on what you are saying about the rear brakes. Can you post a picture of the problem area?

Does your bike look like this?

If the bike fits you and you like it, it is worth fixing up. See my signature -- my newest bike will be 22 years old in June, according to the serial number.

From one old troop to another, welcome! And good luck with the claim business (related anecdote later).

Rebuilding an older bike can be a real joy; it's not so old that parts are scarce and hard to come by, but you don't need the latest and greatest. Have fun with it, it's an 'evolution'....

OK, anecdote....

Oct 22, '08, had a crack-up going to work; turns out (later discovery) that I'd shattered my collarbone. I KNEW it was broken when I couldn't get right back up, and the big jagged edge trying to come out of my skin was a tipoff. But after five hours in the VA ER, three morphine shots, several X-rays, and a near-rage of frustration, the ER doc came back in and said, "Yep, it's broken." Thanks, Miklos Slobanovich....

They MAILED me a referral for orthopedic surgery! I went back after the drugs had worn off (and my sister almost booted me in the back pockets), and got the paperwork for the referral, went out to ortho, and was seen almost immediately.

The mailed paperwork arrived five days after my surgery; I now have a plate and 8 screws in my shoulder. Gotta LOOOOVE the VA, dude!

Gee, makes me wonder about how good that expen$ive US health care system is that they want to preserve so well. When I fell at work a few years ago, and broke my arm, the lead hand drove me to the hospital, triage felt around it, thought it was broken, typed up the registration, gotta get that government health care number into the system , sent me to Xray. Note, I had not been seen by a doctor yet, to get an order for an Xray. The doctor saw my Xray, before seeing me. Yup it's broken, and it needs to be seen by an orthopaedic surgeon. They park me off to the side, with some good drugs, until the fracture clinic, which has a resident orthopedic surgeon opens at 8AM, at 8AM, my Xray (and I) make it to the Orthopaedic surgeon. Yup it's broken and needs a plate. The surgery was scheduled for the following day. Here in Canada, we actually like our health care system, it's not perfect, but it does work.

Our friend is not in the "Normal" US health care system, he is in the VA (Veterans Administration) system. The VA system is pretty restrictive but can also be pretty good. As far as the new HC bill - many of us are afraid that it will make a bad situation worse. I would not care to comment on your HC system, not being a Canook.

It's Canuck, not Canook.... Actually our health care system works pretty well, most of the time. When it doesn't then Her Majesties loyal opposition, will ask questions of the Minister of Health, where such questions can be dealt with publicly. In Canada the health care system is under provincial jurisdiction. When it was first proposed in the 1950's there was a hard won fight that took place in one Province, Saskatchewan, the CCF party under Tommy Douglas, won that battle, with some federal funding thrown in. By 1965 every province had a system in place. This was actually easier, because provincial governments simply had to point to Saskatchewan. What is interesting is that if I get sick in another province, my province will pay up to it's rate for treatment. Not everything is covered, and sometimes you need to go to another city for treatment, but that is to be expected, by most people.

My bike looks exactly like the picture, except that it is matte black.

Oh, man... that is so typical of the VA. It's too bad their mission statement seems to simply be, "Don't spend money". Under-funded, under-staffed, low-quality care and poor organization. That's the best our country can do for veterans? <sarcastic thumbs up> Okay, I will step down from my soap box now. I'm glad they got around to fixing you up eventually.

Thanks for the reply and the nice welcome. Thank you also for your service. Still proud.

Richard

My bike looks exactly like the picture, except that it is matte black. I think I saw a description somewhere that indicated that the GT XCR 4000 came in black for 2000, but not mentioned in 1999? Just a guess based on what I have seen so far.

https://www.bikepedia.com/Quickbike/B...4000&Type=bike

Got so many bits and pieces from various links to sift through!

I kinda like the sound of Canook better than Canuck actually. But then maybe im from Canookistan.

To the OP: have fun fiddling with your bike and feel free to hassle anyone or post a pithy statement or two on this page. Canook is just to close to Nanook of the North for this proud Canuck!

It's that goofy Al-beer-ta accent...