PressCamp 2011: GT Bicycles
GT Bicycles has a huge heritage in mountain biking, and an even bigger one in BMX. The GT brand has had its ups and downs, but recently seems to have had some great bikes at all ends of the spectrum; from Marc Beaumont’s carbon Fury DH to the new carbon Zaskar.
Building on this lot for 2012, GT showed us some new bikes that it hopes will continue the momentum.
Let’s start with the plastic wagonwheeler; the new Zaskar ’9r’:
As of 2012, the Zaskar name now denotes more than just the triple-triangled hardtail, it covers all of GT’s high end XC bikes. So, here is the Zaskar 9r Carbon Pro.
The bike features a super stiff, tapered headtube and large diameter, flared top and downtubes to keep the big wheel in check and how about that electric blue paint job? This bike – the Carbon Pro comes with all sorts of nice gear, including DT’s M1800 29er all mountain wheels, modular dropouts at the rear and a Rockshox SID 29er fork up front. There’s 2012 Shimano XT, new Formula R1 brakes and room for 2.3in tyres.
One of the nicest 'ally to carbon' model transformations that we've seen.
Big head tube also matches the flared top and downtube. Internal cable routing too.
Regular front mech and GT has opted to stick with the tried and true threaded BB shell.
Modular dropouts. We've seen protos of the bolt-in sliding dropout too for the one speeders.
GT's triple triangle does allow for a lot of tyre clearance up there.
DT RWS skewers and pimpy caliper. That hose routing could have been tidier though, eh?
And now for another Zaskar; this time the Zaskar 100.
The Zaskar 100 (or ‘one hundred’ to give it its stage name) is an upgrade from the old Marathon Carbon I-drive model. The carbon frame has lost 500g from last year’s Marathon, there’s a changed leverage ratio and a longer shock. Gone is the old bearing system which needed a spare bottom bracket tool, and in now is a system of pinch bolts that can be done with a couple of Allen keys. Bearings are standard 1.125in headset bearings – pretty easy to get hold of. There is a big wheeler in the works too.
Pretty clean lines and a new, supple, less 'Euro' shock setup.
Get used to the name, it'll be appearing on all GT's top XC machines
Dotted and numbered seatpost makes adjustment easy
New, simple pinch-bolt arrangement for bearing adjustment.
...and from the side.
Internal cable routing and a flared head tube.
A new, longer, shock makes for a more supple ride. We know, we've tried it.
Room out back for a few knobbles, though it's obvious this is an XC machine.
Postmount rear brake with replaceable trunnion mounts for the hamfisted.
A simpler dogbone arrangement for the I-Drive system.
Neat touch. An old 45rpm record style headset cap. This is mirrored in the suspension bearing caps.
Formula brakes are all over the GT range for next year.
The next new bike that GT wanted to show was the privateer version of the GT Fury. The carbon Fury is the model that Marc Beaumont races with some success at World Cup level, but not everyone can afford that much swank on their downhill rig, so GT has produce this, the Fury 2.0, which sells in the US for $3150, yet has the same geometry, the same suspension systme and an identical linkage assembly to the full-carbon World Cup machine. It even has the same 64° head angle… And Bombers!
How's that for a mean stance?
Doesn't look bad in aluminium, does it?
Exact same dogbone assembly
Bombers and Minions... No excuses here.
And finally, GT has something for the large generation of Dangerous Dads who grew up riding (or wanting) a GT BMX. GT has produced 26in version of two of its classic BMX bikes; the Performer and the Interceptor. Now you have no excuse for not getting skinned elbows and a big grin…
We give you ten minutes before you say 'Check this out!' and then falling off.
Pegs too...
In a 1986 style, only in 26in. It's aimed at being a fun bike or a tough townie for those not wanting to go all fixie.
UK price should be under £500
Our wrists are hurting just looking at them.
For those old guys who want to try a bit of racing, GT also makes a 26in Interceptor, complete with full cromo frame, Mohawk hubs, internal headset and a slick paint job.
Must resist...
It's time to get rad.
Categorised as:
Posted on: June 27, 2011
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those 26in bmxes are amazing!!!!!
Not into them so much, Carbon Zaskar looks rad in blue.
Well I have to say – I’m impressed.
1) Some lovely dropout/diskmount bits in there.
2) How the heck do they get that Fury made of aluminium
3) How the heck do they make that Fury 2 for $3000
4) 26in Interceptor looks spot-on (I don’t know what for, but spot-on anyway)
5) Great choice of brakes and tyres
6) Amazing magical colour on the Zaskar 29er
So I’m off to look at the all mountain bikes and hope they don’t look as ugly as that Zaskar One Hundred.
nice nice nice and nice!
[quote]“Postmount rear brake with replaceable trunnion mounts for the hamfisted.”[/quote]
also very tidy!
is the ibone thing actualyl any good?
that fury looks evil! its tres sweet!
not so sure about doing flatland on a 26″ bike, only for people with a 39″ inside leg?
That carbon 29er Zaskar looks very tidy & totally in proportion if I had space in the garage then I would be flexing the plastic
Looks in garage again “now if I just shift that bike & ditch some old kit”
mmmm, purrrrdy looking bikes really.
[i]3) How the heck do they make that Fury 2 for $3000[/i]
don’t worry, i am sure it will be the same number in pounds by the time it gets over here *sights*
“all mountain” wheels on a lightweight xc racer with sid forks, didn’t they have any nice light XC wheels?
“Force Optimized Carbon Ultra”
Why do they feel compelled to write utter shite on their frames?
Will it make me faster?
Yes
I think the word trunnion should be used more frequently.
That metallic blue paint is mint. I want to see a similar thing in green, and chrome-painted carbon as well. That would be sick.
Not a great deal of standover on the Zaskar full sus?
That 9r looks lovely though!
The Yanks always write all the tech stuff on the bikes, im not a fan either
That Zaskar 100, so thats why most new bikes to be photographed are small or medium sized then
“Neat touch. An old 45rpm record style headset cap”
Looks nice and smooth with no pointy edges for when you bash your knee or other bodily parts into it
loving those 26 bmxes. GT FOREVER