Strengths: I'm a single speed fan, this is the second speed bike I've had and I am well and truely entrenched in these, intially the GT looks like a pretty basic setup but it grows on you i.e. as commented by others the frame is large large large but with a few adjustements it is all sorted and you can just get out there and ride simple and sweet. Great passing people on the up hill this one had been hardly used and was a bargain
Weaknesses: the 32/16 is too hard my previous single had 32/18, this is my preferred ratio, the tyres were rubbish slid out easily and changed to maxis. EBB is noisy and creaks need to look at that. Average 2500 km's per year so get a good bit of riding, 13 yr old rides my old single speed with 32/20 gearing ratio. Like a lot of SSPD's new price is typically high for what you get
Similar Products Used: Rode a Reiker single speed for two years(converted from gears by Jefferson bikes NZ), this had centre pull brakes so the discs are a giant leap forward but agree on the comments regarding adjustment
Bike Setup: As off the shelf but altered gearing as mentioned shortened front stem moved seat forward can't use my right hand so have both levers on left
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Submitted by
ts77
a Weekend Warrior
from Elk Grove, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: April 26, 2009
Strengths: Bars, seat and grips are comfortable. Metallic olive green color looks very nice in the sunlight. Wheelset is strong, tires grip well. Drive components are nice. Changing cogs is simple and quick due to the quality rear cassette.
Weaknesses: Brakes are on the noisey side, but they work. Spend time adjusting them and they will reward your efforts for attempting to improve their sub-par performance. So make sure they're dialed in right to get any decent stopping power from them.
I was quite disappointed with the frame geometry of the Large. It is drastically different than the pictures i have seen of the Medium and Small. The top tube doesnt sweep down towards the rear tire nearly as much as the medium and the rear triangle where the top tube, seat tube and seat stay's meet is a whole lot larger than the medium frame.
So pretty much my only gripe is the geometry, it bummed me out at first, but now Im used to it and still happy with the purchase. Brakes are easily upgradable to some avid's.
If you are heavier, the forks probably will be too soft. I am 150lbs and they dont bottom, but do travel a lot.
Bottom Line:
For the price I paid ($400), I feel like it was well worth my money. Would have been nicer if I could have gotten a Medium frame, but might be having a friend hook me up with a custom built frame. The frame is LARGE LARGE LARGE so make sure it will fit you. I am 5'11" and it fits, but barely.
Spend the time to adjust the stock brakes and they will be happy. And keep the bottom bracket clean and tightened. Invest in some loctite.
Bike Setup: Stock, swapped the stem for a shorter one. Flipped the seat post around so I could slide the seat forward more.
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Submitted by
Kev Botman
a Cross Country Rider
from Christchurch New Zealand
Date Reviewed: February 2, 2008
Strengths: Simple, it looked like it had reasonable spec gear for the price and it was a steel frame. I was considering converting my normal hardtail but this looked like a better idea. The EBB I also thought was the way to go. The fork is a budget spec and I didn't expect too much but it works well. I have others to fit when it finally packs a sad. Brakes are good enough (agree with Avid comment below) but the idea is to stay off 'em when you can! Saddle is great for me but that's always personal. Wide bars feel odd for first few minutes but then are great. I had to change the seat post to put the saddle further forward as I am an odd build, and that put my weight further forward which also improved the previously lacking front end grip (see tyres below)
Weaknesses: The original EBB was a pain in that it creaked. No amount of fiddling and lubing or LBS advice worked, and I tried a lot of things. Eventually I bought an expanding wedge type from Nova Cycle Supply (highly recommended) and the problem is gone. And it is a much better engineering solution really. The tyres were too big and heavy so a spare pair of WTB knobs went on, weight went down and grip improved. Apart from that it's been a wee goldie.
Bottom Line:
Recommended! It looks like my EBB might have been peculiar to my bike, but if not then the best fix is listed above. It isn't the lightest or the best but then you aren't paying for the best. It takes its turn amongst what I ride but it is the one bike all my friends want to have a go on and they all say "this is fun! I want one!"
Similar Products Used: None, it is my first singlespeed and I bought it as an experiment knowing I could make it fit and work for me.
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Submitted by
Nathan
a Cross Country Rider
from Bozeman MT
Date Reviewed: August 7, 2007
Strengths: Durability, value, comfort,
Weaknesses: Paint, weight, foreign,
Bottom Line:
I rode the snott out of this bike for 9 months, including a Montana winter of commuting daily. Then I trained for 3 months about 25 hrs per week (gravel-wet season). I replaced the wheelset and bb, not because they needed it, just as a precautionary measure. Then I rode it in the great divide race from start to finish, about 2500 miles. I replaced the brake pads, and had some trouble with the EBB, the head set is obviously trashed, and the fork needs to be rebuilt. The oil on the roads in CO ate the paint,but that stuff apparently eats the paint off of everything. Overall this bike has taken years of abuse in a short period of time and suffered the same ill effects any bike in a higher price range would have suffered. I am making it rigid and sending it into partial retirement, but only because I crave that "new bike smell".
Similar Products Used: SS conversion Jamis, friends bianchi SS
Bike Setup: mostly stock
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Submitted by
Brian Geringer
a Weekend Warrior
from Eureka, MO, USA
Date Reviewed: October 9, 2006
Strengths: Steel frame, Rock Shox with lockout, Eccentric Bottom Bracket.
Weaknesses: Weight - the bike seems to be a little heavy considering it lacks derailleurs, shifters, and cogs. GT could have included a better set of handlebar grips (not enough cushion on stock grips).
Bottom Line:
I was very skeptical about the singlespeed thing. I didn't know if I would like the fact that I had only on option when climbing hills, that option being pedal until my lungs explode. Three rides and 50 miles later, I could not be happier with my decision to go SS. Singlespeed forces you to pedal hard on the climbs and keeps you from being lazy and shifting into a lower gear. I absolutely fly on the climbs now, which my brother witnessed this past weekend when we rode together. He could not believe how fast I was on the climbs.
Here are a list of the positive attributes of singlespeed: 1. No derailleurs or shifters to adjust. (Bike always shifts perfectly. Ha ha, only one gear!) 2. No noise due to the fact that there is no chain slap or derailleurs. 3. It will make you a stronger climber and overall rider. 4. A cheaper bike to maintain than a geared bike.
I like the fact that the GT came with a front shock. It is a low-end shock but it gets the job done. True singlespeeders like the completely rigid setup, but that is not for me. I love SS and I love this bike!
Bike Setup: sun rims CR18, Kenda Karmas(2.2), truvativ blaze crankset, isis drive, tektro aquila 160 mechanicals, SDG belair saddle, truvativ XR riser bars and stem. gearing is 32-16
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Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Rotorua, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: April 12, 2006
Strengths: Cheap, reasonable spec for price. Chromoly frame, smooth ride. Forks work, wheel set is strong, eccentric bb, mechanical discs work. Not much that can go wrong
Weaknesses: Heavy, but not too worried. Using it to build strength and thrash in winter. Spec is cheap but wheels go round and brakes will stop you. You get what you pay for. Will go up a couple of teeth on the rear cog, to help with hill climbs.
Bottom Line:
Basically purchased as a bike to train up on, save the geared bike through winter and work at better riding skills (using momentum..etc). This bike will get you through most things. I'm not a techno-phobe and don't worry too much about bling. It does the job, simple as that. Also good for thrashing around town.
Submitted by
joe heslin
a Cross Country Rider
from yamagata, japan
Date Reviewed: March 9, 2006
Strengths: no particular order: 1. sturdy and responsively rigid frame. 2. the brakes stop the bike. this is good. 3. the J3 fork has a lockout 4. bash guard included. 5. 32 tooth front ring gives nice clearance. 6. looks good 7. eccentric BB/QR wheels much more user-friendly than sliding drop-outs and chain tensioners. 8. big-ass tires and plenty of rear-triangle room for them. 9. cheap price for all you get (disc brakes, suspension fork, etc.)
Weaknesses: again, no real order: 1. wowzers, she's a hefty 'un. 2. paint comes off easier and quicker than a prom dress. 3. the tektro brakes are a smidgeon loud ("ears bleeding...can't hear...") at times. 4. in the 3 months i've had it, the BB has gotten crunchier than a bowl of all bran. (see below for possible explanation) 5. did i mention it's kinda heavy?
Bottom Line:
okie-dokie. all-around nice bike. the handling is predictable and that comforting singlespeed feeling of direct-responsiveness/energy in = energy out is all there. its a bit sluggish on the climbs but i think that is due to its portliness. i have not been the best friend to this bike as it was purchased as a winter bike for one of the snowiest winters in japan's recent history. i'm talking like 4 meters in nearby towns. but the roads were relatively clear and, not having a car, i bought her and put some studded tires on to get to work and for recreation rides. this probably had a lot to do with the crunchiness of my headset (which i've already overhauled three times) and BB. the seals can only do so much but i really feel they didnt do enough. the frame is steel and that makes the ride feel quite smooth. however, as steel (as opposed to aluminum, titanium, carbon) can rust easily, a really good paint job is extra important as every chip is a gateway to rottingframesville. bad. my paint seems to chip with every impact (metal and stone of course, but wood? ice? rain? hair? dust? [ok, ok, a slight exaggeration, but really!]). maybe mine was just from a bad paint batch. anywho, the bottom line is that i would recommend this bike to recreational riders perhaps looking for their first leap into single speeding. the frame (outside of the paintjob) is solid and the parts are easily up-graded if one so desires. i preferred my bianchi to this GT; however, the bianchi is more expensive and (at least in japan) it doesnt come with a suspension fork. i actually don't think a fork is totally necessary (or even always preferrable) on a singlespeed, but for the novice, it makes for a smoother transition. if you are not a newby to singlespeeding, this bike may be a little ho-hum. in the case of this GT, just realize that you get more than you pay for but the bike is not too expensive. it rides well over-all, but, besides being heavy, the indivdual components are, at times, on the lower end of quality (thus, GT can afford to sell it at the price it is) so they can go south if one isnt careful. so, not stellar, but solid. for the price, however, a win.
Similar Products Used: was the owner of a bianchi b.o.s.s. also i've converted about 5 bikes to single speeds (both sliding drop out frames and using tensioners on traditional frames).
Bike Setup: pretty much what came on it outta the box. added a bell as i have to if i ride the mean streets of yamagata city (does that count). for winter riding had IRC mudmax studded tires on it. now that the roads are (generally) clear, using michelin semi-slicks. what comes on the bike is a judy J3 fork, tektro (aquila maybe) mech. disc brakes, truvativ cranks (and i assume BB), GT disk wheels, truvativ standard stem, some (maybe) 1" riser bar, GT seat, blah blah blah, yadda yadda. (for more information than this simpleton can give you, he'd like to direct to the GT website.)
ok.. this is my Ruckus SS that ive just got, i just thought i'd post some pics since everyone else has posted their badass rides so....
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2 Read More »
Normally, I would try to go out and test ride a bike before buying. What I'm finding, is its hard to find a SS in stock to test. I can get a good discount through work on a GT, s Read More »
Hey, I'm looking for some info on the GT Ruckus SS. There's only two reviews on the products page - hoping to get a little more information. For starters, does anyone know the we Read More »
I have a brand new GT Ruckus 26" SS, has maybe 1/2 mile on the rig,,,,disc brakes, eccentric BB, Kenda nevegals, Sun rims,,,,,,,,,,,looking to trade for another bike/frame or parts Read More »
