All-new GT 6061 monocoque full suspension frame with 6” rear travel, sealed main & BB pivot bearings, forged i-Link, and modular rear dropouts with 12 mm rear maxle
Submitted by
jdouget
a Weekend Warrior
from atlanta< ga . usa
Date Reviewed: July 3, 2011
Strengths: Everything - I am 6'2" and 280lbs. I bought this because I was afraid id tear up other bikes - the slack angle of the front really helps me not have too much weight transfered to the front. Great climber and descender. Just finished ten miles in the woods
Weaknesses: Bike is tall - i am long torso, 32 in in seam and a large frame is pushing it - some say the weight, but at my weight who cares - id rather it be a lttle heavy, gives me a great feeling of security
Bottom Line:
If you are a big guy - dont hesitate with this bike - The I-drive is perfect, the geometry feels great and once i drop 50 lbs - down the big stuff is where i'll be! - GT did this thing right!
Bike Setup: Bommer 55 tst2 -dhx5.0 - •FSA Gap crankset with polycarbonate bashguard and MegaExo bottom bracket- SRAM X 9 Shifters - juicy 5's -thomson elite x4 -dt swiss x 450 wheels - kenda nevegal tires
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Submitted by
WWStone
a Weekend Warrior
from Rio Rancho, NM
Date Reviewed: June 30, 2011
Strengths: Good parts spec....great climber and decends very well. Burly, takes everything you can throw at it.
Weaknesses: May be a little heavy, juicy 5's are noisy...after the maiden voyage I had to tighten the pivots....no biggie.
Bottom Line:
This a seriously great bike and a great value from GT. I've been on all day rides consisting of 20+ miles and don't feel beatup after the ride. It climbs very well for a big bike. The I-drive is great! Can't say enough about this bike.....
Similar Products Used: DB Mission
Haro Xeon
Titus El Guapo
MC Fury
Bike Setup: Stock drive train, GEAX Lobo Mas Loco 2.5" front back 2.3". Forte convert flats
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Submitted by
Eric P
a Weekend Warrior
from Lake Forest, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 24, 2011
Strengths: Everything
Weaknesses: Juicy 5's are noisy but stop well.
Bottom Line:
This bike is my first true all mountain rig, and I've enjoyed every minute of riding it. I have no problems climbing, and it's a blast going downhill. I ride pretty hard and throw everything at this bike, and it just begs for more. With proper upkeep this bike will not let you down. The Juicy 5's are a bit noisy, but they stop me very well. Slightly on the heavy side for the terrain I ride (mostly singletrack trail riding) but I wanted a bike that could do it all. I recommend this bike to anyone who wants a lot of bike for a great price.
Bike Setup: Everything is stock except Forté Convert Platform Pedals
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Submitted by
dhmonkey
a Weekend Warrior
from Salem, OR
Date Reviewed: May 24, 2011
Strengths: LOTS of bike for the price, nice balance between AM and FR, solid axles, surprisingly well spec'd out of the box, the suspension design maintains chain tension
Weaknesses: It's not a weakness, but it really is a hybrid AM/FR bike more than an AM bike. It's got a slack head angle and is 35+ lbs, which is great for the steeps but tough for true AM riding. The seat tube is a little tall for the reach and head angle, and makes it tough to get the saddle out of the way.
Bottom Line:
The bike is a nice compromise if you need one bike for FR plus everything else, and is really a value buy. The frame is overbuilt in the right places and the solid axles are essential for any gravity riding. The suspension design is strong and efficient, and I really love the constant chain tension, and was surprised at how quiet the bike was over bumps & jumps.
With the propedal on and the fork wound down, the bike feels efficient on the climbs and snappy on the flats. I also spent the day at my local FR park and was most pleased that I never had to think about the bike. It was not as plush as a true FR/DH rig, but surprisingly smooth, stable and willing through jumps, rocks and roots.
My only serious complaint is the combination of the 67 degree head angle with the tall seat tube. The seat tube continues several inches past the reasonably placed top tube. This is fine for the climb, but it makes it tough to get the saddle out of the way for the ride down. This was a practical compromise which reflects the dual nature of the bike.
The bike really was ready to go out of the box, and had a few surprises for the price, like the Crank Brothers Acid pedals. I swapped a few parts to make it more of a pedal-friendly FR, but the bike really straddles the line between AM and FR well and does it at a great price.
Similar Products Used: Specialized SX, RM Slayer, Iron Horse 6Point
Bike Setup: Stock plus Wellgo flats, Azonic FR stem & FR saddle
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Submitted by
dmarsh15
a Downhiller
from Amherst, NY, USA
Date Reviewed: August 28, 2009
Strengths: Everything so far. The bike climbs great with pro pedal set up correctly. I took it on some downhill trails at a local ski resort and the bike just handles and feels amazing. It is not a full out downhill bike though but it can still do some drops and jumps, just not anything too crazy.
Weaknesses: None so far. One thing though is that the bike did come with a small dent in the frame and the rear derailleur hangar was bent.
Bottom Line:
I just bought it about 3 weeks ago and have only ridden it a few times. But I have taken it to a local ski resort for some downhill and it handled great. I love the bike. Highly Recommended for someone who wants the best of both downhill and cross country.
Similar Products Used: Specialized Big Hit, Rockhopper comp disc
Bike Setup: Fully stock. SRAM x7 shifters, x9 rear derailleur, slx front derailleur, slx cranks and bottom bracket, juicy 5 brakes, 200mm front rotor, Rock Shox Domain 302 fork with 6" of travel, Fox DHX 4.0 rear shock with 6" of rear wheel travel, 2.3" kenda nevegal tires, mavic en-321 wheelset. It came with crank bros acid pedals but I like flats better so I bought a pair of Wellgo B-67 pedals, they are pretty light, low profile and lots of grip.
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Submitted by
one_uknw
a Weekend Warrior
from wellington nz
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2009
Strengths: Stiff, burly frame, dialed geometry, versatility, value
Weaknesses: Not a fan of the Juicy 5's
Bottom Line:
Took some fine tuning to get it dialed. 35lb build (with a solid fork) so not the lightest 6" bike but it's a matter of personal preference. It's feels solid and supple yet manages to climb efficiently with a single ring. Absolutely confident that I can, and have thrown everything at it. In my mind this is a perfectly balanced, reliable trail bike. Recommend it if you wanna save some cash for a custom kit. Pivots are all good provided you look after them. Keep em tight and greased
Bike Setup: 09 Marz 55RC3, single ring 34t, SRAM x9, low rise 680mm bar & 60mm Sunline AM stem, XT brakes with 8" rotors, Nolian NBX & Geax Dhea 2.3" rubber, Mosh Steps
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Submitted by
b18c4g
a Weekend Warrior
from Ephrata, PA
Date Reviewed: November 20, 2008
Strengths: Price for what you get. Suspension is Amazing! components are great and work flawlessly so far
Weaknesses: NONE
Bottom Line:
Great all-mountain bike!!!! I love it! It has taken anything i've thrown at it without complaint! It's a little heavy when compared to some XC bikes, but for being a all mountain, no complaints. Climbs well, downhills are the best!!! I love it!! I got the 08 model, not really feelin the 09 puple color!
Bike Setup: santion 2.0 marzoci drop off bomber 2001 alivio groupset avid bb7 breaks w/ WTB rims
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Submitted by
ride0082
a Weekend Warrior
from Crystal Lake, IL
Date Reviewed: August 8, 2008
Strengths: Perfect amount of travel, very efficient, can be ridden on XC trails, freeriding, downhill lift access trails, big drobs and anything you could find. Lightest bullet proof all round bike. Rides fast, can dial in suspension for a sweet plush downhill ride.
Weaknesses: ..I tried really hard to think of a weakness. I would maybe say that it should have beefier rims than the stock narrow DT Swiss rims. But I punished my bike at some lift access trails in CO and had to only do a little trewing to the stock DTs.
Bottom Line:
I can't say how much I love this bike. I live in IL and ride this thing hard on technical single track, and bomb this bike at the resorts out west in the summers. This bike if rediculously insane!!! I used to ride a specialized enduro, and that bike doesn't even compare to the Sanction 2.0. This bike is fast, and very pedal effecient with it's ID technolocy. A bonus is that the ID bearing set up is just like that of a head set, easy to take apart and clean. This bike is light for what it can handle. The entire component setup is great.
If you want that perfect "All Mountain Bike" this is definitely it! I will probably never buy a different kind of bike again except for a new GT Santion.