Jeff Utterback
Everything GJS...
by S.Brothers
28 January 2012 - 11:04 PM
Post #45
Hello GJS fans ,My best friend Nick Waters was a GJS factory rider back in the 80s,,he gave me a 24" GJS frame and fork to race with while I was waiting for the completion of my Nomura frame. Unfortunately the frame developed a crack in the headtube gusset and was dissembled . At the time it was put aside and probably tossed into the trash.
Well I hope all you GJS fans can now dry your eyes and move on to some other rare bike that might still be out there..
PS..
I do have a photo of me racing on it in my Nomura uniform ,I will post it soon..
Peace-out
Randy
Well I hope all you GJS fans can now dry your eyes and move on to some other rare bike that might still be out there..
PS..
I do have a photo of me racing on it in my Nomura uniform ,I will post it soon..
Peace-out
Randy
29 January 2012 - 01:45 AM
Post #46
Here is my GJS




This post has been edited by noelg: 29 January 2012 - 01:47 AM
01 February 2012 - 06:27 PM
Post #47
Here are some pics of my 1979 GJS pre-serial#. The frame was repainted with black laquer due to no paint left on the frame. But the forks are nos. I sold this frame set and the buyer superflaked on me. I say superflaked because I gave him a second chance. So I said to myself, myself you should build this beautiful frame set. And I did, but it won't be revealed until Bellflower. Hope you dig it.
01 February 2012 - 06:57 PM
Post #48
You should try finding some Race Inc. forks or maybe some Cycle Pro/ SE innovations Tange made forks for the black one. That frame may be a bit too early for GJS forks, and Jeff used either of the aforementioned forks before the GJS fork was ready.
I believe the GJS forks were available sometime late in 79. I have a set of Prototype/early production GJS forks, they are identical to the ones pictured above, but have a large crown at the base of the steer tube....like early Goose and Roger D forks did.
I believe the GJS forks were available sometime late in 79. I have a set of Prototype/early production GJS forks, they are identical to the ones pictured above, but have a large crown at the base of the steer tube....like early Goose and Roger D forks did.
This post has been edited by GREG_HANNA: 01 February 2012 - 07:06 PM
02 February 2012 - 02:41 AM
Post #49
It's funny you say that. I was thinking the same thing but when I bought these forks I had to buy two schwinn competition frames one 79 and the other 78 with tange forks and the other has the black gjs forks all frames and forks are nos and I bought them from a sponsored schwinn rider from back in the day. I know that gjs had nothing to do with schwinn but those forks were his choice to race with because of the extreme rake. I know it's sounds like bullshit but I have nonamecruiser as proof because we went halves on the buying. The competition schwinn frame and GJS fork were together when I bought them. So I figured that the GJS fork is the correct fork for 1979. But I guess not.
02 February 2012 - 04:53 AM
Post #50
While I would concur that a pre-serial frame in the year of it's release would not have had GJS forks, I could easily imagine some young fellow "upgrading" to the GJS forks as soon as they were around and he could afford them.
When I was a kid, my PK didn't come with landing gear... but I got them for it as soon as I could. Had to wait until christmas. I still remember it well. That long rectangular box... I knew I was getting them, but my parent's made me wait for xmas. They were wrapped up and put under the tree. Anticipation overdose. That was an awesome year.
But I digress... my point is, to me, it is not outrageous to have gjs forks on there. That could have easily happened in the normal course of bmx'n bitd.
When I was a kid, my PK didn't come with landing gear... but I got them for it as soon as I could. Had to wait until christmas. I still remember it well. That long rectangular box... I knew I was getting them, but my parent's made me wait for xmas. They were wrapped up and put under the tree. Anticipation overdose. That was an awesome year.
But I digress... my point is, to me, it is not outrageous to have gjs forks on there. That could have easily happened in the normal course of bmx'n bitd.
02 February 2012 - 07:20 AM
Post #52
Yeah I don't mind the black one at all. Never seen a black one before.
02 February 2012 - 07:40 AM
Post #53
I do agree, as folks have noted, the 79 frames are a better "match" to a Race Inc/Cycle Pro fork. It's sort of what folks remember them like BITD. But, I also think it's a fair pairing being it's a late year frame. Why?
Joe's frame, if you look closely, has the gusset under the brake bridge. So, that's a late 79 model. I'd actually be curious on Joe's frame to scrutinize the BB for a serial. There were late 79's with serials on the BB when they had that extra bracing. The pics of the drops are cool, but, that's not where it'd be on Gen1/79 frame.
Joe's frame, if you look closely, has the gusset under the brake bridge. So, that's a late 79 model. I'd actually be curious on Joe's frame to scrutinize the BB for a serial. There were late 79's with serials on the BB when they had that extra bracing. The pics of the drops are cool, but, that's not where it'd be on Gen1/79 frame.
02 February 2012 - 02:25 PM
Post #54
ere's my OG black frame with 1st gen landing gear forks that, like an asshole, sold. Should have never sold the damn forks!!!! Having a very difficult time finding another set that goes as well, aside from GJS's of course.



02 February 2012 - 04:08 PM
Post #57
The orange one is very nice but, your chrome freestyler is stunning
02 February 2012 - 04:10 PM
Post #58
No serial number anywhere to be found on my frame. No grinding marks and no rewelds.
02 February 2012 - 05:19 PM
Post #59
As Joe has noted his frame is a non serial number 1st gen. frame and it does have the brake gusset. The brake gusset was a fix added very early in GJS production. The brake gusset does not make a GJS frame early or late (serial #'ed), or even 2nd gen. I had owned early several non-serialed GJS A frames, a couple had the brake gusset and some did not (very early ones). The earliest picture I have seen of GJS forks is the one of Clint Miller from Dec. 79, posted earlier in this thread. Also in that pic, it looks like Clint may be on a 2nd gen frame in late 79!!
Let's assume GJS forks were available some time mid-late 79. And could have come on some serial #'ed 1st gen's and any 2nd gen. Also keep in mind that, like Robinson's, many people chose to pair GJS frames with other forks because of the under leg dropout design. The under the leg dropout was considered un-cool and outdated by the time Robinson and GJS frames were introduced. That's a HUGE reason why Robinson and GJS forks are harder to find!!
On a side note Stu won the "Worlds" on 1st gen. GJS in late 1977, that frame still resides in George Utterback's game room. That is one that I would hope to one day have the honor of preserving. My personal Grail, so to speak. This also leaves a gap of a year between the first appearance of the GJS and the popularly accepted 1979 year of first availability. Perhaps it was possible to purchase an GJS as early as some time in 1978!?
Personally, I date a frame by best guess of manufacture date, not model year, as it is impossible to determine what justifies model year. Unless there has been a significant design change that coincided with end of year/start year manufacturing or there is a date coded serial #.
Let's assume GJS forks were available some time mid-late 79. And could have come on some serial #'ed 1st gen's and any 2nd gen. Also keep in mind that, like Robinson's, many people chose to pair GJS frames with other forks because of the under leg dropout design. The under the leg dropout was considered un-cool and outdated by the time Robinson and GJS frames were introduced. That's a HUGE reason why Robinson and GJS forks are harder to find!!
On a side note Stu won the "Worlds" on 1st gen. GJS in late 1977, that frame still resides in George Utterback's game room. That is one that I would hope to one day have the honor of preserving. My personal Grail, so to speak. This also leaves a gap of a year between the first appearance of the GJS and the popularly accepted 1979 year of first availability. Perhaps it was possible to purchase an GJS as early as some time in 1978!?
Personally, I date a frame by best guess of manufacture date, not model year, as it is impossible to determine what justifies model year. Unless there has been a significant design change that coincided with end of year/start year manufacturing or there is a date coded serial #.
This post has been edited by GREG_HANNA: 02 February 2012 - 05:35 PM
02 February 2012 - 05:26 PM
Post #60
Curt, at some point you HAVE to get all your stuff out and take a pic of it all. You have SO MANY cool 70s frames that noone knows about.
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