Submitted by
mikek
a Weekend Warrior
from Tulsa OK USA
Date Reviewed: December 18, 2009
Strengths: Not too heavy, high BB, great suspension
Weaknesses: Judy C fork is a little outdated
Bottom Line:
After upgrades, this bike is as good as my 08 Fuji Outland Pro, or any of the other "similar products used" bikes. Confidence builder, stays planted on climbs (after longer stem turned "down") and downhills.
I still own the Fuji, and after several more comparison rides may part with it and keep the GT. If the fork wasn't an '01 spring loaded Judy with no real adjustment, I'd give it a 5 overall.
Similar Products Used: first and only full suspension
Bike Setup: Fox, XT, Avid, Mavic, etc. I've changed everything out apart from the frame, rear shock, bottom bracket, crankset, seat post, headset, brake levers, and rear derailleur.
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Submitted by
Kevin Byrnes
a Cross Country Rider
from Argentine Twp,MI USA
Weaknesses: a touch heavy, but it climbs sooo well!!!
Bottom Line:
Best climber I have ever ridden, I weight 185, and have been as heavy as 205, and the seatpost mount held up just fine!, when you are on the roughest terrain, this bike makes it feel like you are riding on carpet.
Submitted by
keeps
a Cross Country Rider
from montucky
Date Reviewed: September 12, 2006
Strengths: idrive kicks all ass in the linkage department. with a long travel fork the head angle is superb and you never have to worry about the bb touching rocks. the float never bottoms out and feels endless, downhills like bowling ball and reacts quick for the trees
Weaknesses: syncros wheels suck ass as all the spokes are now replacements, and the rear triangle is too wide to slip the wheel on and off easily, seat mount is squeaky, maybe a little bit heavy for the 3in travel, super high ride height
Bottom Line:
everyone is jealous that my ride is cheaper and works better and easier on the uphill.
Submitted by
Harold Hidalgo
a Downhiller
from Staten Island, NY, USA
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2006
Strengths: Light Agile and easy to handle in specific situations. pretty good components for the price, and rear fox shock works like a gem. Also, the idrive Technology in the pedal system is really great with pedal support
Weaknesses: GT merged with Pacific. degrading the company. dirt tends to get in the idrive technology, leaving space for damage.
Bottom Line:
The bike was great for the price after dealing with the bike shop seller. he threw in some perks. the bike is excellent as long as you maintain it. if riding downhill on trails, protect the idrive system, and have some shop fix up a cover. overall this is a slighter than average full suspension mountain bike.
Similar Products Used: Trek Fuel, Cannondale Jekyl, Gary Fisher 2003 team edition
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Submitted by
Trailmutt
a Downhiller
from Vancouver BC
Date Reviewed: May 11, 2006
Strengths: The bike was light and great for climbing logging roads and XC trails. Enjoyable to ride until it breaks and then you find out just how bad customer service can be. Hence the chilies.
Weaknesses: GT is a company (speaking from Canada) that I would stir very clear of due to there poor customer service. I rode the bike for about a year until the seat weld broke. GT said they went bankrupt and would not warranty my frame. Low and behold they are back in business and my bike has been sent to 3 different shops and around the world only to come back to me with the same result. NOTHING. Oh yeh except I lost the bushings which are also hard to track down. A local shop welded my frame but I do not ride the GT because of poor service and bought other bikes in the process of waiting forever.
Bottom Line:
If you want to pay the money for a GT it would be better spent on Rocky Mountain. That's what I did.
Submitted by
Jorge Diaz
a Weekend Warrior
from Moraga CA
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2005
Strengths: Climbs like a billy goat, I'm 250 and I ride hard, I've taken it through the ringer and it still solid. This bike will take whatever you throw at it!
Weaknesses: Seat post clamp cracked and I kept breaking wheel spokes
Bottom Line:
This bike is awesome after 4 years of beating it to the ground it's still as good as when I bought it!
Similar Products Used: Nothing compares to the i-drive
Bike Setup: Added XTR shifters and brakes
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Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from San Jose
Date Reviewed: December 4, 2004
Strengths: Climbs like a hard tail and is very abuser friendly
Weaknesses: The upper shock eye bolt kept breaking all the time until I replaced it with a hardened steel bolt.
Bottom Line:
I Beat this bike harder than I should by far. I was 220 pounds and rode cross country with it for 2yrs stock (except for Avid Mechanical disc brake). It was great. Now at 165 pounds I still ride it. Now its modified it heavily and abused every time I ride it. I ride aggressive cross country and free ride with it. Ive heard of GT disc hubs "coming loose" or "exploding". Mine have not done this and I get air with 8' hayes stress the hell out of them and they are fine. They won't get loose if the bike (hubs include) is maintaned properly. I know people who have cracked thier frames at the seat post welds. Mine have not "Knock on wood". My shock bolt broke only because I was not using it for its intended type of riding furth more it was a 10 cent fix. The bike is absolutely awsome. No matter the bike, No bike lasts for ever.
Similar Products Used: 03'Giant NRS2, Various Marin full suspensions,94'Mongoose amplifier (before they sold out when they were still quality)
Bike Setup: -XT Crankset, XT Rear Casette, XT Front Derailer, Weyless DFR40 Handle bars, Intense Grips (With Flange)/w Odi lock jaws, Marzocchi Z1 FR SL Fork, 8" Hayes Mag Plus Hydraulic Disc Brakes, Serfas open seat, Panaracer FR 2.4 Tire up front, Maxxis High Roller 2.35 tire in the rear, Hardened steel Rear shock bolts.
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Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Ellensburg
Date Reviewed: September 18, 2004
Strengths: Good overall.
Weaknesses: As someone else mentioned there is problem with the GT disc hubs. I put a set of Avid mech. discs on it 6 months after I got it. The spokes would loosen up and some broke soon thereafter. Then the split, while on a one way in ride, the rear hub exploded and would not free wheel. The hub body had started to shear around the bearing race on the drive side just inside the flange. LBS made good on a repair, but GT lost face there. Poo poo to GT. No cracked welds yet. 230lbs and the frame is still going after a few good throws.
Bottom Line:
Go with something else, even if the LBS is offering a deal of the century with closeout GT's
Similar Products Used: GF Sugar, Numerous other Specialized...
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Submitted by
Bora
a Weekend Warrior
from Helsinki, Finland
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2004
Strengths: Very comfortable and fast. I like to push the limits every time I ride and this bike is always up to it. The I-Drive works perfectly from the saddle. Setting up the bikes sag is very easy with perfect preload gauge. The traction is great both going up or coming down the hill. The rear tire is always pulled on the ground.
Weaknesses: slow techinal stuff due to its high bottom bracket. Avid brake on rear, but I upgraded to Shimano deore hydraulic discs. Little on the heavy side...But overall with little upgrades bike is very good.
Bottom Line:
If you like ride fast and your pedaling technique is correct this is your bike. Bike works well almost every situation and actually maintenance is quite easy after couple of times. If I ever will brake the frame... I possibly would buy Turner and ride even faster.
Bike Setup: Upgrades: Rock shox psylo xc and shimano deore hydraulic discs.
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Submitted by
Rob
a Cross Country Rider
from Lansdale
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2004
Strengths: Climbs like a goat on crack, with no bob whatsoever. Rips up DH. Oh, looks good too.
Weaknesses: Little heavy, high center of gravity. No rebound dampening on POS Fox rear shock. Judy TT is avg. at best. Not a fan of the Hayes mechanicals.
Bottom Line:
I got this bike because I always fit well on GT's. I'm 6'-4" @ 220lbs and have had no problems with the frame @ the seatpost clamp...(read the instructions & don't have the post end up above the clamp Einstein's!) or the eccentric. It maybe a tad heavy 30 lbs?, but at my size who cares, I don't race. If you take care of it, it's a smoooth ride. To make it bob, you have to try.
Strengths: Great climber over rough terrain. Strong descender at high speeds. Disc ready is a plus. The black/brushed aluminum color scheme is awesome! Great Component Group.
Weaknesses: Stem is not the Syncros Stem as advertised. Judy SL fork a bit timid for a 6'3" 200+lb rider. Seat Clamp area a bit weak and developed a crack, but not til' after 3 years of hard time.
Bottom Line:
I've had this bike almost 3 years of hard time. It has stood up to technical rocky downhills and 9+ hour backcountry excursions without folding, until recently I discovered a crack at the seat tube. Pacific sent me a replacement frame- upgraded to 1.0 within two weeks!! Though, the colors are not as cool as the 3.0 was, It's supposed to be a much better frame. I can't wait to try it. I will miss the 3.O.
Similar Products Used: I-drive 2.0--(test ride) but I liked the colors better on the 3.0...it matters to me.
Bike Setup: MOstly stock except for Hellbent bars, Motoraptor 2.4 front, Ritchey 2.3 rear, Fox Air RC w/lockout rear shock, Marzocchi z5 air forks, Shimano Hydraulic discs.
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Submitted by
Allan Schuehle
a Cross Country Rider
from Redmond
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2003
Strengths: Price, rides well, rear derailleur
Weaknesses: 1. 7 mm seat post bolt too small, broke, upgrade to 8 mm 2. Nut at base of aft shock will vibrate loose, replace with a lock nut and loctite. 3. Rear hub cracked, replace with Shimano XT 4. Rear V brakes marginal in mud and wet conditions, upgrade with disc brakes
Bottom Line:
It is a good bike for the price. A little heavy. Fun to ride
This is my first FS MTB, but I read up on suspension designs, read reviews here, and settled on the iDrive. No bob on climbs or sprints. Goes down hill like a rocket, eats anything that is thrown at it. Never unsettled, always smooth and very confidence inspiring handling. You will go faster than you ever thought possible on this bike. I've had no problems with the frame. Had a hard time getting the original LX front derailer to work properly, but an XT fixed that. Upgraded to XT hyd discs also just because the bike came with disc ready wheels. Really a worthwile improvement for any bike. Compared to other bikes of simular build quality, you can't beat the price or performance. If you can find one, and want to stay under 1K, buy it! You will pay twice as much for anything else close.
Weaknesses: tires are too small stem is way too long air shock blew out needs longer travel fork top shock mount ovalized a little Nothing that cant be fixed
Bottom Line:
get one, this bike takes everything I can throw at it and still climbs great. If you like freeriding but still actually ride some xc stuff then get this bike
Bike Setup: black spire bash ring Manitou X vert dc Fox vinnila rx coil moto raptor 2.4 front IRC kugo DH 2.35 back generic flat pedals way short stem chopped down seat post(about 5") gremica system 8's front and rear
