All Arround MTB

The GT is one of a few bikes here that straddles the line between hard-hitting trail bike and mini downhill rig, thanks to its slack angles and lengthy 1,225mm wheelbase. Another similarity to its DH counterparts is its weight – it’s the heaviest bike on test by some way. Thankfully, the combination of a 32t chainring and 11-42t cassette means it’ll still crawl up the nastiest of climbs, though it does growl a little in the biggest sprocket. GT’s own-brand dropper post works OK, although it’s a little slow at times. The seat tube design means you can’t totally slam the post (there’s a stop at the base to prevent the post hitting the shock) and you’ll need to be mindful of overall length if upgrading the dropper in future. Up front, a 170mm-travel RockShox Yari does a sterling job of swallowing up the hits, remaining stiff and accurate as you pummel through the chunder. While the Motion Control cartridge isn’t as refined as the Charger Damper in the Lyrik and Pike, it still works i...

While some bike models last just a couple of years, others change with the times to stay at the top of riders’ wishlists. In the second part of this series looking at the evolution of bikes that enjoy enduring popularity with UK riders, we turn to the GT Zaskar – a bike that was at the forefront of our sport for a long time and still has plenty of appeal today.

There's no denying that as mountain bikers in 2015, we're spoilt for choice. Never before have we had such a selection of options across a wide range of price points and disciplines. Value for money is improving every year, and with so many brands vying for our dollar, there has never been a better time to invest in a new rig for hitting up the trails.

Someone didn’t get the memo that these days ‘crosscountry’ means torture device. You’ll find this bike filed in the XC section of GT’s catalog, but the Helion is more interested in having fun than smashing KOMs. It has no problem grabbing segments if that’s what you’re into, but that’s not really its jam. GT markets the Helion as sort of an homage to what cross-country riding used to mean–long, rewarding days in the saddle. Whatever we’re calling that now is what the Helion specializes in. Most people call it mountain biking.

A few years ago lots of big brands were producing sub – 1500$ full suspension bikes, and they were often okay. Now, most suspension families start noticeably north of a grand, so at what point does cost effective become cheap and defective?

WITH TWO SEASONS of racing under its wheels, the redesigned Fury has quickly cemented itself as one of the most successful bikes on the downhill circuit.

TAKING THE ‘LONGER, lower and slacker’ mantra to the next level, GT’s new Sanction epitomises the direction today’s enduro bikes are taking, blurring the line between trail/all-mountain bikes and full-on downhill bikes.

GT’S VISUALLY STRIKING new Force X Expert rolls on 650b wheels and has a stiff yet light carbon frame with a tapered head tube and 12x142mm rear dropouts. It delivers 150mm (5.9in) of suspension travel via a simplified version of GT’s long-running Independent Drivetrain (I-Drive) design, with damping handled by a capable Fox Float X rear shock and 160mm (6.3in) travel Fox 34 Float fork.

G T were on a mission to create the fastest bike possible when they began the massive redesign process for the Fury downhill bike. Big changes in geometry, tweaks to the suspension and a full switch from carbon to aluminium have had some very positive results.