That is by far the most inspiring Zaskar I've seen to date! Beautiful iterations thorough out the build as well! I have a 1997 Avalanche LE build with 6061-T6 here in good ole California before being built in Taiwan. Not only is the metal 6061 it is also flat capped with the GT logo on the top tube. You wouldnt even know it was an Avalanche over a Zaskar if it wasnt for the decals and the 20" frame. My GT when I picked it up came with a Marzocchi Bomber Z3(similar to your Z2 I think? Any chance you could repost the Bomber rebuild link you posted before? It not longer works :-( Any new updates to the bike? Cheers from across the pond!
OF all the forks you have tried which rigid forks did you like the best? In your original post i can tell what kind of forks those are.
Also one of the last posts you did had some nice unicrown rigid forks as well.
I am looking for some rigid forks for a GT frameset that i have and want to be close on geometry if i can. Any recommendations?
BTW...this is the best Zaskar thread on the web. Very nicely done.
First off thank you, im glad you like it. The zaskar is stripped down now, because Im planning on rebuilding it more original with more attention to detail
One thing i learned is that finding forks that suit this bike is difficult, because the geometry is very old school and the ride with anything but 90s era/ low axle to crown length forks is badly affected. So avoid fitting any modern fork. The only retro suspension fork i would recommend though is the rockshox mag 21, for an early oil fork they were brilliant. where as every elastomer fork from the same period ive tried, was terrible
Ive since bought an original gt bologna lite rigid fork which fits and rides perfectly, and wish id found one of these forks sooner.
I bought the ball burnished one new in 95. Keep returning to it, the finest frame I’ve ever ridden. About to do a tear down and service to parade it around like a classic muscle car. The bike is so comfortable, the fit is so great, I rode it on a coast to coast tour across the US. With those riser bars - they’re perfect for this bike. (Or maybe my aging back? LOL)
Great post, except now I need to find an an aqua frame...
Part of what makes this a superior beast in my area ( SE Louisiana, mud, river sand, alligators) is that big chunk of metal welded between the seatstays. Don’t understand why it isn’t seen more. The back is so laterally stiff in sketchy dirt it just drifts on stuff like sand and keeps going. Absolutely amazing. Suspect this is the BMX heritage making a superior dirt monster.
I have the Same Frame! And looking for a GT Zaskar Rigid Fork, 1 1/8” threadless anyone have any leads on one? With the GT bologna slice caps at the drop out?