1999 GT Speed Series Team XL - BMXmuseum.com

 

I bought this bike while on vacation in Southern California on April 4, 2012 from its original owner.  I can't say that it was cheap, but who else has a '99 GT Speed Series Team XL bike in essentially new condition?  The bike was originally purchased from GT shortly after they closed their Santa Anna, CA manufacturing facility back in Spring 2000 (http://www.genesbmx.com/schwinn-news.html#[-0046-]).  Prior to owning this bike, it spent 12 years in a So. Cal. machine shop collecting dust…

 

This is BMX Museum’s first completely stock and mint 1999 GT Speed Series Team XL bike.  It has very minor brake rub on the rear rim, but other than that, the bike is brand new and in perfect condition.  Not a single bolt has been loosened since the original purchase of the bike, and I intend to keep it that way.  This bike retailed for $1,139.99 USD back in 1999, making it one of the most expensive stock BMX bikes available in 1999 (Source: BikePedia).

 

It is noted that both the 1999 and 2000 GT Speed Series Team XL bikes are identical.  The serial number is the only way to tell if you have a 1999 or 2000 model-year bike.  However, many advertisements for the 1999 GT Speed Series Team XL bike show that this bike came stock with a regular (non-inverted) GT Piston XL stem, a GT Micro Adjust seat post stat has a slightly different "GT" logo on it, and black axle nuts (see images below).  In actuality, I have seen no stock '99 GT Speed Series Team XL bikes that came with these parts - my stock/NOS 1999 GT Speed Series Team XL bike looks identical to the 2000 GT Speed Series Team XL bike that is shown in the 2000 GT BMX Catalog (image shown below).  I should also note that the seat tube decal that is on my bike is actually for a 1999 GT Speed Series bike - someone at the GT factory must not have been paying attention :) .

 

 

The bike came with the following parts (as pictured):

Frame: 1999 GT Speed Series Team XL (20.25" top tube, 1-1/8" head tube, American bottom bracket, custom 6061-T6 butted/tapered aluminum tubes – made in the U.S.A. by Easton, Box chainstays, angle-cut Box stay dropouts, CNCd head tube, seat stay bridge, seat tube collar, bottom bracket shell, and dropouts, original 1999 GT Speed Series XL decal set, ball burnished/black two tone)

Fork: GT Stilleto (butted 1-1/8" threadless Cr-Mo steer tube, Reynolds 531 butted (Manganese-Moly cold-worked steel) 1-1/4” oval blades – keeps the weight down while increasing strength, 35mm of offset - which is all in the dropouts, made purely for racing, new for 1999, black)

Handlebars: GT 4-Bar Pro (4130 chromoly, 4pc. tapered Pro design – features oversized 0.065 inch wall risers that taper down to standard O.D. at the ends, has a lower crossbar – for more clearance, includes knurling – provides better clamping action, 27.5" wide, about 8" rise, new for 1999, chrome plated)

Stem: GT U.S.A.-made Inverted Piston XL (for 1-1/8" steer tube, aluminum, CNC precision machined, about 53mm reach, anodized black)

Headset: Dia-Compe Tank SAS/STS Aheadset (1-1/8", threadless, USA-made)

Headset Cap: GT (“GT Racing” logo, aluminum, anodized black)

Grips: Dyno Suction Cup (Pro sized, Kraton rubber, deluxe Dynoval suction cup pattern - "sticks to you almost like glue", black)

Bar Ends: GT (plastic)

Seat: 1999 GT Dropnose Racing (Spandura cover with embroidered "GT Racing" logo, 7mm Cr-Mo rails, composite gray shell, red "GT" logo on back on seat, made for GT by Viscount)

Seat Post: GT Aluminum Micro Adjust (aluminum, anodized black)

Seat Post Clamp: integrated into frame (19mm Cr-Mo binder bolt)

Cranks: GT OverDrive (180 mm, U.S.A.-made 4130 chromoly arms, heat treated chromoly spindle, Japanese sealed bearings with aluminum cups and washers, made for GT by Supercross, new for 1999, chrome plated arms)

Chainwheel: GT Overdrive Lite (44T, U.S.A.-made, CNC-machined 6061 aluminum, black/silver)

Chain: KMC (1/2" x 3/32", roughly half of the links are stamped with either "KMC", “TAIWAN”, or “SJ”)

Chain Tensioners: 1999 GT (CNCd aluminum, U.S.A.-made, black/silver)

Pedals: GT Platform (9/16" Cr-Mo axle, aluminum body, new for 1999, black)

Front Hub: GT “Rhythm System” (36H, 100mm OLD, slotted 3/8" Cr-Mo axle w/ steel axle nuts, anodized black aluminum shell with oversize flanges, sealed bearings)

Rear Hub: GT “Rhythm System” (36H, 110mm OLD, flip/flop design, solid round 3/8" Cr-Mo axle w/ steel axle nuts, anodized black aluminum shell with oversize flanges, sealed bearings)

Cog: ACS Claws (16T, Cr-Mo, chrome plated)

Rims: GT “Rhythm System” Double Wall (38mm wide, aluminum construction, stainless steel eyelets, anodized black w/ CNC machined braking surface, welded joint, extra-wide flange spacing “for superior strength”, designed in the USA)

Spokes: Wheelsmith (1.8mm straight gauge, stainless steel w/ brass nipples, black)

Tires: GT AA Pro (20 x 2.125" front, 20 x 1.75” rear, Kevlar bead, 120 TPI casing, 60 psi)

Tubes: stock tubes w/ Schrader valve (20" x 1.75-2.125")

Brake Lever: Shimano DX BL-M601 (red body w/ black blade)

Brakes: Dia-Compe Diatech VC-767 (parallel push, black)

Brake Cable: GT Racing

 

Note: OLD = outer locknut dimension.

         butted = thicker at the ends and thin-walled sections in the middle of the tubes.

         TPI = threads per inch.

 

 

Complete Frame/Bike Geometry - see image below (Source: 1999 GT BMX Catalog):

• HA (Head Tube Angle):  73.0 deg.
• SA (Seat Tube Angle):  70.0 deg.
• TT (Top Tube Length):  20.25 in.
• CS-1 (Minimum Chain Stay Length):  15.13 in.
• CS-2 (Maximum Chain Stay Length):  16.38 in.
• BB (Bottom Bracket Height):  12.00 in.
• FC (Front Center Distance):  22.77 in.
• WB-1 (Minimum Wheel Base Length):  37.62 in.
• WB-2 (Maximum Wheel Base Length):  38.93 in.

[IMG]http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/pharv85/1999-GT-SST-XL/103_1999-GT-Cat_Re-700.jpg[/IMG]

 

 

Advertisements for the 1999/2000 GT Speed Series Team XL bike/frame:

 

1999 GT Speed Series Team XL bike advertisement (Source: Sept. '98 BMX Plus!):

[IMG]http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/pharv85/1999-GT-SST-XL/1999-GT-SST-Ad_Sept-98-BMX-Plus_Re-700.jpg[/IMG]

 

[IMG]http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/pharv85/1999-GT-SST-XL/BMX-Plus_Sept-98_Pg-36_Re-700.jpg[/IMG]

 

[IMG]http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/pharv85/1999-GT-SST-XL/BMX-Plus_Sept-98_Pg-37_Re-700.jpg[/IMG]

 

1999 GT Speed Series Team XL (Source: 1999 GT BMX Catalog):

[IMG]http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/pharv85/1999-GT-SST-XL/101_1999-GT-Cat_Re-700.jpg[/IMG]

 

[IMG]http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/pharv85/1999-GT-SST-XL/102_1999-GT-Cat_Re-700.jpg[/IMG]

 

2000 GT Speed Series Team XL (Source: 2000 GT BMX Catalog):

[IMG]http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb370/pharv85/1999-GT-SST-XL/104_2000-GT-Cat_Re-700.jpg[/IMG]

 

 

Here is a very short video of Thomas Allier riding his '99 GT Speed Series Team bike: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrYhS87z2as).

 

 

Feel free to leave a comment.  If you have a question, please send me a PM.

 

Check out my other bikes too: (http://bmxmuseum.com/user/55510/bikes).