Submitted by
stevehuby22
a Weekend Warrior
from Westfield , Ma. USA Date Reviewed: October 23, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Anything off Bachelor st.
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1600.00
Purchased At:
Highland Bike shop
Strengths:
This bike has been amazing and reliable for the past two years of rough trail and downhill riding. The suspension is amazing. Can make the knarliest rock garden a breaze. But the bike can still climb like a goat. Makes all day ripping 100times more fun and has transformed my skills beyond what i thought was possible. Affordable and worth every penny.
Weaknesses:
none with the frame itself besides some creaking in the rear dropouts which was easily fixed with some grease. a little on the heavy side but i like having the extra stability. I just get a better workout cuz of it. not too heavy to slow you down though. stock components not that great for hard trail riding. uprgrade to xt shifters and derailer and maybe a 20mm thru front fork and the bike will be straight. no 1.5 head tube.
Similar Products Used:
giant transe,
Bike Setup:
fox talas 36 fork, hope headset, hayes stroker trail breaks, atom lab lite rims and hubs, shimano xt shifters and shadow rear derailer, syncros stem, marzzochi tst rear shock,
Bottom Line:
couldnt have pruchased a better bike, very happy. alot of upgrades made this frame mint. the suspension is amazing for climbing and especially on the downhills. it handles the trails around town with ease and it runs smooth on the downhills at killington. def recomend. think about saving some cash for some component uoprades though, or get the force 1. stock bike still great though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jay Man
a Cross Country Rider
from Cairns, Australia Date Reviewed: October 20, 2009
Favorite Trail:
All of the Cairns tracks
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At:
Victoria
Strengths:
Strong frame, Good looks, Good value for money. Excellent i-drive system.
Weaknesses:
Useless Marzocchi forks. Being fixed under warranty after 6 months riding. Heavy bike.
Similar Products Used:
First all mountain bike
Bike Setup:
GT 6061 monocoque full suspension frame with 6" rear travel, sealed main and BB pivot bearings, forged i-Link and modular rear dropouts.
Marzocchi XC 600 ATA 2 with 100-140mm of adjustable travel.
Fox Float R rear shock.
Shimano Deore components.
Tektro Auriga hydraulic disc brakes.
Shimano disc hubs with WTB disc rims.
Bottom Line:
Excellent bike for the price. From my Mongoose hard tail to this is like going from a Golf LS to a GTI. It really soaks up all the bumps on any terrain. A bit heavy for all day xc but then again when the terrain gets steep and nasty, you are armed. Short steep uphills and I still leave my mates behind on their anthems and trances. Might be because I'm fitter though. The creaks in the frame and dropouts was easily sorted with the fantastic video tutorial on the GT website. If anyone has any issues with creaking noises I can give dvice on it. A bit of trial and error from my side
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
zoone
a Weekend Warrior
from South Korea Date Reviewed: September 22, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Seoul
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At:
local shop
Strengths:
reliable strength, hydro-formed design, fully air sprung suspension with acceptable price.
GT Force 3.0 is the bottom price AM bike is this country. I was just want to ride AM bike and I had to purchase her. The first impression was the heavy weight(+15kg). I rode 11.8kg hardtail XC. But when I go to the trail I used to ride, I could climb pretty well :)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tigahshark
a Cross Country Rider
from Honolulu Hawaii Date Reviewed: September 1, 2009
Favorite Trail:
back yards
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
Bike factory
Strengths:
Feels real tight and rides pretty good on stock parts i guess good for the price
Weaknesses:
Theres a big weakness that i came across when trying to order a bashguard/chain guide, i called my local bike shop and asked if they could order me one so he looked online and found a couple, but he really didnt know if it could fit so he called GT and GT told him nothing will fit there(i was like WHAT!) kinda sucks when u make something where not all parts can be upgrade to how you want or upgraded at all
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
I guess for the price the GT Force 3.0 is a decent bike, but for the rider that like to modify everything he rides this bike isnt that good for that, but if you like the way it is its perfect.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
starpassjohn
a Cross Country Rider
from tucson,az usa Date Reviewed: August 30, 2009
Favorite Trail:
fantasy island
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1400.00
Purchased At:
performance
Strengths:
i drive,climbs well,fast on single track,
Weaknesses:
rear shock,suntour fork sucks!tektro brakes.
Bike Setup:
original fork broke after 5 rides,suntour replaced it with an epicon with lock out,fork sucked!stock setup.
Bottom Line:
fork and rear shock are trash,tektro brakes faded on long downhills.rear shock went out twice.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
floxy
a Weekend Warrior
from Bloomington Date Reviewed: August 21, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Mormon Trail (Tempe, AZ)
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Great Value
Climbs excellent
Weaknesses:
I-Drive can creak
Suspect Marzocchi fork
Bike Setup:
Weirwolf/SB8 Tires
Hope Pro 2/Mavic 717 wheelset
Bottom Line:
Great bike for the money. It climbs like a dream with little bob. Upgraded wheels and tires to save some weight. My marzocchi fork blew after about 150 miles of riding but is being repaired under warranty. Will probably upgrade the fork next.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mikerod87
a Weekend Warrior
from Hollywood, Florida Date Reviewed: August 10, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Markham
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1199.00
Purchased At:
Lee's
Strengths:
I am very impressed coming from a hardtail. It rides well and takes a beating. The i-drive is really nice.
Weaknesses:
The front shock is not bad but I thinks its a little heavy.
Bike Setup:
Stock Tektro Aguira Pro/Deore components
Bottom Line:
overall very happy with the bike. It has taken a beating and still looks new. Deraulliers are so, so, maybe its just me but I will probably upgrade them over time but not really that bad. The Brakes have modulation and don't have any complaints thus far. The bike just looks bad ass sitting my basement.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Prostreet513
a Cross Country Rider
from Cincinnati, OH Date Reviewed: July 4, 2009
Favorite Trail:
All of them
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1050.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bicycle
Strengths:
Great Frame, Easy to ride, Decent weight, Nice Parts
I got this bike on sale and it was black with the red graphics package. The first time I rode it I took it on a 26 mile ride and loved it. The components work just fine and are very smooth as long as you maintain them. I put a full shimano xt set up on mine and its awesome!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
PC Marc
a Cross Country Rider
from Park City, UT. USA Date Reviewed: May 14, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Flying Dog
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Purchased At:
Destination Sports
Strengths:
Great bike overall. climbs well on long climbs specially in the 2nd chainring. corners well, feels comfortable at high speeds. feels surefoot on landings
Weaknesses:
heavy, low end components, perfer Fox shocks on both the front and rear. ocassionally when landing a larger drop, you hear a loud clank!
Similar Products Used:
Mongoose Telcali Super. Trek Remedy9
Bike Setup:
fits well needs upgrades but that what you get in this price range
Bottom Line:
fun realible bike. I'm a heavier rider just over 200lbs, I ride daily for the last 2 weeks. the bike has put up with some punishment and keeps on rolling. my ride for an average 1.5-3 hours a day and 5hrs on my long days. and i have not found any real flaws with this bike. get a chance and get on this bike great bike for the value or upgrade to it's lighter brothers
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
xam
a Weekend Warrior
from Philippines Date Reviewed: April 9, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Trails in Cavite - Sta. Rosa
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1400.00
Purchased At:
Grantrail Cycles
Strengths:
This is an awesome all mountain machine. It pedals easy going uphill with the i-drive system and is super smooth on on open fast straights and downhill. Float R pro-pedal works great.
Weaknesses:
I had to change the long stem immediately as the front end tended to wander on technical trails. Also, experienced some creaking sounds after some wet rides but this was fixed with silicon spray (also after each bike wash)
Similar Products Used:
None - this is my first full suspension bike
Bike Setup:
I got the large size Force. Some changes made: Rockshox Pike 454, Hussefelt stem and handlebar, Sun single track rims. Looking at switching to a van r for the rear shock as i tend to bottom the float r (i weigh 215 lb)when i get aggressive.
Bottom Line:
Excellent value for money - probably the only bike you'll need for all mountain use. This is a great bike from GT. I am also looking at getting a Sanction though which is a bit more burly - if i can find a large model available.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Antonio.Ptits
a Weekend Warrior
from Kharkiv, Ukraine Date Reviewed: March 18, 2009
Favorite Trail:
AM
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Strengths:
Strong frame, can be used for XC / AM / Freeride. Lateral strengths more then perfect, weight is qite good for such strong frame - 13 kg
Weaknesses:
Fork
Bike Setup:
GT Force 3.0 / Marz. XC ATA2 / FOX RP23 / XT-SLX / Tektro Comp
Bottom Line:
Good set up for any type of riding. I just replaced system to XT / SLX, rear shock to RP23 and get what I need - bike for every type for activities. Bike suitable for AM and XC as well, also good for heavy riders due to suspension system based on ball bearings.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tmaxrules
a Downhiller
from Colorado Springs, CO, USA Date Reviewed: February 8, 2009
Favorite Trail:
section 16
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
Teds Bike Shop
Strengths:
This bike rocks! it has a great frame design! It feels like a freeride bike but works great as a cross country bike. IT KICKS ASS!!!
Weaknesses:
The only weakness that I found is that the componentry is middle class deore.
Similar Products Used:
I used to ride a specilized stumpjumper fsr. This bike feels just them but has less woble.
Bike Setup:
My Gt Force 3.0 is set up as a downhill bike right now.
Bottom Line:
The bottem line on this beastly bike is that it is perfict for a freeride biker or a cross country rider. The reason that I say freeride, is because it is just as strong one. (frame)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
SoMo Addict
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, Arizona Date Reviewed: August 4, 2008
Favorite Trail:
South Mountain
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1300.00
Strengths:
Feels good. Looks good. Great balance of gear; the suspension-weight-gear-price ratio is excellent. Fox Float-R rear suspension is sweet and the Independant Drivetrain works as stated.
Weaknesses:
Feels slightly sluggish on long uphill climbs. Cables not as neatly secured against frame as I like.
Bike Setup:
Stock except I swapped the clipless pedals for some standards.
Bottom Line:
In my experience this is a great all-around bike that does everything good, and excels at downhill, steep and bumpy stuff. A great balance of suspension-weight-gear-price, but if you can afford the Force 1 or 2 go for the sweet Fox suspension. The bike looks great and has style, and you gotta like what you have in your garage. :)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Thyman
a Cross Country Rider
from Sacramento, CA, USA Date Reviewed: August 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
trails at Auburn, CA
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1400.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bike
Strengths:
Fairly lite weight, durable, smooth ride. I Drive works as advertised putting more power to ground without pedal bob. Upgraded design of the flex bone.
Weaknesses:
Tires wash at any hint of loose dirt. Lower end shimano components.
The bike rides like a cadillac compared to my 06 I drive with only 4" travel. It rides over technical areas very smoothly. I upgraded my components going to Sram Grip shifters...this exceeded expectations. I can go from 1st to 9th gear and visa versa with just a flick of the wrist and the rear derailer snaps too immediately. Very impressive, much faster and more precise than tirggers. The marzocchi fork has three adjustment areas for rebound, stiffness and run out that I did not know about and actually perfoms very well and rides very smooth. I tend to back my adjusments off to a very loose setting. I am very impressed with its performance. I have taken multiple drop offs up to 5' on the trails and the bike handles the landing as advertised, very smooth...felt like I didnt even go off. Having already rode with crank bothers pedals the acids are great, very easy to get in and out of and do not clog with dirt/mud. Initally I wanted the 1.0 or 2.0 but they were sold out so I decided to take the components I had purchased to upgrade the old bike and use them on the 3.0. I would highly recommend this upgrade. I also added the lizard skin chain guard.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
koldsimer1
a Cross Country Rider
from Allen. Tx Date Reviewed: August 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
DKORBA
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1130.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Quality shock and fork, almost zero pedal bob, nearly 6" of travel, extremely versitile, one of the best values around, bike looks baaaad.
Weaknesses:
Cable rub is bad in several places, creaking independent drivetrain took some time to figure out.
Bike Setup:
Avid BB7's 203/160, avid sd-7 levers, loco wheels, '09 Fox 32 vanilla r, King headset, zuzu's.
Bottom Line:
Man, what a bike for the money. I haven't ridden many of the newer FS 6" bikes, so I don't have much to compare the GT to. Honestly, I don't see how a bike could be much better than this. From tight, technical XC to urban bashing this bike seems to do it all well.
The addition of a beefy wheelset, powerful brakes, and coil fork were the only mods I did immediately. The front end is worlds stiffer than stock and the bike just soaks up everything I can throw at it now. I was concerned that it would be somewhat cumbersome on the tighter stuff but it is plenty flickable and it tracks so well.
The stock Tektro brakes and Marzocchi fork worked well, but I swapped them out for the reliability and proven performance of the bb7's and vanilla.
TWo gripes- the GT website lists the Headset as an FSA orbit X and the wheels as WTB speed discs. The bike came with a cane creek headset that looks like nothing they offer and the wheels were wtb sx 24's if I recall correctly. Not a big deal really, but it is misleading.
Bottom line, for under $1200 and with performance backing it up, it seemed like a no-brainer. I'm camping happily.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ballzout
a Weekend Warrior
from Atlanta Date Reviewed: June 13, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Sope Creak (Outside my door)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1150.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bike
Strengths:
Overall very strong bike. I love the components selections by GT. The Bomber front shock, and the fox air float rear shock is very nice, and can handle a big boy like myself (280). My only wish for this bike is.... I wish the rear shock came with a lockout option. Even still the bike is really a great buy if you can catch it on sale like I did!! The brakes perform, the shifters are deore, they do the job, but there are better out there, but dont be to picky unless you are some type of freak, the deore works juuust fine!I love the frame, it is sleak and slender, and light! Plus it LOOOKS REALLY HOT! I got the black with red accents!
Weaknesses:
I am not sure there really is a true weakness.
Similar Products Used:
I tried 2 Iron Horse Hard Tails... I returned them! I should have bought this bike to begin with. I love it, the bike takes the drops, roots, and water like a Champ, you always have the option to pay at least 1K more for a Trek.
Bike Setup:
Stock for now.
Bottom Line:
GT still makes a very solid bike! For a F/S bike, this one here has a great value, it performs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
logan
a Weekend Warrior
from wallkill ny usa Date Reviewed: May 16, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
scolaros bike shop
Strengths:
great suspension the fox float is amazing. rides like a dream best bike ever owned.
Weaknesses:
crankbrothers clipless pedals a little hard to get out of
Similar Products Used:
diamond back coil ex
Bike Setup:
shimano rims,shifters, derailer,
Bottom Line:
grear bike. I will be buying GT bike from now on. 3 foot drops feel like a pot hole with te fox float rear suspension.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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