GT Speed Series build.

[Midschoolfool]

Right so the other week I bought this Sunday Aaron Ross EX thing.



It's a very nice bike and I guess it would make many people happy but it just felt weird. Like, too short. The rear end felt short too. Maybe riding race bikes as an adult has done that to me, gawd knows. I am looking for another rider, basically. I have never owned a GT BMX for more than ten minutes either, so I wanted to build one. What I mean is I bought a couple of GTs in the late 80s and 90s and as soon as I rode them home some one took a fancy to them and kerching. Just never been a GT fan always been an SE boy tbh.

Any way, I found this yesterday at half price. £230. Very similar to the one they used in the Olympics, so I fell in love.



It's XXL. Also, once again I am doing my own autistic thing with this so it won't be all race. I don't want light, I weigh 17 stone and rode the mid school. Anything post 2003 is light to me haha.

OK, so as fate would have it (and being the huge mid school bloke that I am) I was fishing around on Ebay earlier in the day and decided to buy some stuff. Mostly to stop it being mangled and molested etc, but mostly because I know once the mid school stuff dries up and the guys who rode it reach mid life crisis the prices are going to explode. Some already have, but there is a guy on Ebay I have been buying off for years who sells at great prices. None of this inflated bs. Also, I've also noticed that a lot of the old school guys are now buying up LGs and welding in 1" threaded steerers. The poor forks So I had already bought these for £39





With the decals.



Before I had even found the frame. As I said, I bought them to keep. I also bought these for £17 (3 pc size)



Because I have always liked them. Very plain looking, very simple, but very strong and light. And again, becoming quite thin on the ground. I also bought this seat because it was the last one he has.



Which will no doubt end up going on my 24" Quadangle and I will take the plain black seat off of that.

Cranks and disc were taken care of.



And I am going to use the Sunday stem, and possibly bars painted white. Not the stem painted, just the bars. For wheels I bought these.



Y22 rims (awesome rims from the mid school, very very strong and light) and they have nice machined alloy hubs and are flip flop too. I can get these for £30 a pair at the moment. Again because they are plentiful, but when they are gone they are gone. I have a couple of options on those. Firstly get sealed hubs for them or simply replace them with something special later down the line.

I did get a shock with the forks, though. I did not realise the frame was designed for tapered forks which go from 1-1/8 to 1.5". So thankfully I found this in a panic.



Which saved the day. The cranks used on this frame are called BB30 and of course, not standard size. But, the frame does come with a FSA headset and FSA crank adapter to Euro, so I just ordered this.



I have now pulled the wheels from the Sunday, crank, sprocket (used on my Quad) brake (calipers only) and will also use the lever, bars etc. It has already paid for itself, before I sell the F&F. Yeah good lesson to learn that. Better off buying older full bikes than parts.

[griff]

as long as it makes you happy etc

[Midschoolfool]

as long as it makes you happy etc

Yeah exactly. I've ridden a few alu bikes now and not liked them very much. Too light, too twitchy etc. The only way to make yourself happy is to build it how you like it. I'm not really the type to buy a bike then like it.

[CustardLips]

Pretty sure i have a modern GT seat (similar to the SE one you have) if you're interested ?

[Midschoolfool]

Pretty sure i have a modern GT seat (similar to the SE one you have) if you're interested ?

I could be but it would be incredibly price dependent mate if I am honest. I have a Burner to pick up tomorrow so money is getting tight atm. I've got a brand new black plain padded seat already. Maybe in a couple of weeks if you still have it?

[VOIVOD]

  Watch out if you are using the lever from the Sunday on the GT-you will need a v-brake specific lever.

[Midschoolfool]

Watch out if you are using the lever from the Sunday on the GT-you will need a v-brake specific lever.

Thanks, I will see how it goes. I will likely buy a lever and V brake at the same time. In fact, if any one has a gold or black V brake for sale LMK please !

The frame arrived about 30 mins ago. It nearly brought me to tears. Just holding it I feel privileged. It's gorgeous.



It's like a flat pearl white with a pattern all over the top tube in gloss white. Sadly it doesn't pick up in photos, will try again if the sun comes out.



It's just stunning. Last time I felt this much wow was when I unpacked my candy red 1998 Alu Quad for the first time.

[Midschoolfool]

Ironically I stumbled across this seat looking for bars. But I had to.



Got a pair of brakes, not sure if I will use them both yet.



And this, in case I feel brave.

[Midschoolfool]

Now decided I want a chrome front end. Sunday stem didn't look right so I ordered this (Fullerton).



And got these to go with.

[Midschoolfool]

Bars got

[Midschoolfool]

[oldtired]

not really feeling the front end , i think it needs the white fat carbon forks,  just with it being the 1 1/8  to 1 1/2 ht,  may look different when built?

[Midschoolfool]

not really feeling the front end , i think it needs the white fat carbon forks,  just with it being the 1 1/8  to 1 1/2 ht,  may look different when built?

Yeah it looks a little bit odd. Mind you, I have deliberately taken photos of it so you can see the Hope adaptor in there.

Carbon forks are a bit of a dream if I am being honest. Every one has reasons why they want to build a bike I guess. I've not really gone into the reasons I am building this, but I will explain.

In the mid 90s I got back into BMX in a big way. I was up late one night (I don't sleep without pills which I now have) and was watching the X Games on Channel 5. IIRC it was 1995. I got back into the sport in a big way. I mainly rode a Schwinn Hydramatic and I rode street. It was awesome being a strong, fully grown adult. I was a tiny kid. So tiny my mother had to take me to Gt Ormond St hospital as a kid to have tests to make sure I was growing properly. I did not grow to a full sized adult until I was about 23. Before that I was a tiny skinny little kid. Now? I am 5'10 and I tell you what is incredible? basically Gt Ormond said I would be 5'10. They even predicted my weight (14 stone) but I am a bit over that now due to meds screwing with my thyroid..

Any way, I rode hard for about three or four years then the falls started to hurt. I would usually fall, bash my shins, smack my nuts etc. But then just get up and walk it off and carry on riding. However, when I reached about 27 the falls started to hurt. Like really bad, to the point I would have to take weeks out.

So I decided I was going to build a race bike. I loved riding just as much as pulling crazy crap so I bought a race bike. 1997-8 Quadangle Alu, LG forks (the same identical ones I am using here) Fusion 3pc crank (the made in USA £180 one) then I traded my Schwinn which was now painted custom in hubba bubba metallic pink for some Peregrine Super Pro etc etc. Eventually it was done (took me over a year) and I was into it for about two grand. At the time I was working for a BMX shop, long story very short I was smacked over the head from behind when closing the shutters and it was stolen.

I have built a Yellow '07 with a very similar frame (only it's Cro Mo which is better for me as I am pretty fat lol) but I have been craving a light race bike. Now obviously when I say light I don't mean modern race bike light. I mean more mid school race bike light which to me feels like I am riding naked. God I loved riding that thing (the mid quad).

So in ways this is my proper replacement. I've made sure it has a stupid long top tube, then the rest is all mid school as it was back in the late 90s (wheels, forks, crank disc etc).

3pc cranks haven't changed an awful lot since the late 90s. Once Profile smashed it out of the park it was kinda hard to beat, so every one pretty much just copies them now. Not a bad thing I guess !

[Midschoolfool]

Ordered everything else I will need. Chain.



14t freewheel (42/14)



Which thankfully I can fit due to FF hub. Got me a nice left handed V brake lever for the brake as the ones I have are all right handed (bloody yanks )



Marin 27.2/350 seat post.



And some brake pads. I wanted the longer ones as they grip better on Vs I found.



Once all that turns up I should be ready to build Only thing I have to do is take the ano off of the 5mm Vocal spacer I have for the headset. Will tackle that later

[Midschoolfool]

Had a bit of a mock up yesterday. Still waiting on a few parts before I can do anything properly (freewheel so I know where to set the cranks, stem so I can mount the bars). The pile it grows, though !



And some loose assembly just to make sure everything fits where it should. I have pressed in the BB30-Euro adapter now.

[Mikku]

Lovely frames those! Looking forward to seeing how this turns out!

[Midschoolfool]

Lovely frames those! Looking forward to seeing how this turns out!

Thanks man. Sadly the post office seems to be awfully constipated. I would think it is because of Black Friday. So all that has arrived in two days is one brake lever and a chain. No freewheel (so I can't set the cranks and tie up the back end) and no stem so I can't do the front end.

[Midschoolfool]

A freewheel ! my cuppeth overflow !



Brake cable is not long enough but I have ordered another.

[Midschoolfool]

As for the bike? it's a rocket ship.