General scuttlebutt is that they ride nice, especailly for the money. It does seem that 'cause the first gen used rim brakes with no provision for disc that that was viewed as a mistake on GT's part. Personally, I like the looks of them. Acutally wouldn't mind finding an '07 frame/fork for a project...

 

i owned the white 2007 for about 5 months, before someone ganked it. solidly built. i had no problems with the frame, and very little creaking from the BB or stem. the headset creaked and moved a little too much for my liking, i'm not sure what that was about.

the wheelset isn't the strongest, by any means. i had to have both front and rears trued at least twice in the time i had it, just from normal urban riding.

it's very hard to get the front tire on and off due to the huge exiwolf's. some more clearance from the brakes would have been nice. i even put smaller koolstop pads on it, and it was still a pain in my ass. that's the nice thing about the 2008 model... disc brakes!!

the seatpost doesn't stay where you want it very well... could have been my fault, but whatever.

the day before it was stolen, the left crank fell off... yeah. that was a long walk home. i don't think it's the bikes fault, so to speak. it happens. the components are on the cheaper side of things though, all in all.

well worth the money for what you're getting. for the same price you could get an '07 haro mary, i hear. people tend to have rave reviews for them. just test drive a few around, and see what's best for you. the peace 9r was my first 'real' bike. the big wheels really fit my 6'4 body. i'm hooked on this scene now, and i'm sure you will be too. it only get's more expensive from here though =P

 

Yeah thought I might add this is my first 'real' bike also, and my first SS and first 29er.. so entry level is where I'm at... mind you I've been riding for years.

 

I've had my Peace 9r since last FEB,
It my first choice for any kind of training ride.
the bike is a great value,

I think there is a lot of prejuduice against GT because of the Pacific Cycles buy-out etc, the only complaint about the 07's (Besides the no disc option) was the EBB pinch bolts were a little short from the factory, easy to replace though

for a first bike you can't go wrong,

 

I thought about getting an 07, but didn't because of the lack of disc brake mounts. 08 looks nice with some upgrades including discs, but it also costs more ($650?). I bought the MC 29er instead and LOVE the bike. Built like a tank but rolls real nice. Basic parts but they seem to do the job (although I did swap out the headset before it left the shop). $470 retail leaves room for upgrades. The motobecane Outcast is another budget 29er, but I ruled it out because it also didn't have disc mounts and had an aluminum frame.

Either bike would be a gooc choice, just make sure you don't end up with something you'll just want to upgrade out of in 6 months.

 

...just make sure you don't end up with something you'll just want to upgrade out of in 6 months.

exactly. you end up spending more money in the long run that way. that's my theory on everything i buy :thumbsup:

 

inflight

i have had my 07 for a few months now and I love the way it rides and the price was right at 15% off at performance.

Laurence

 

my local performance still has a medium 07 in stock. Near Portland/Tualatin Oregon. I am sure they would be willing to blow it out. It has been sitting for quite awhile.

 

I have one and love it. The sad thing is I already have more in upgrades on the bike then I originally paid for it.

 

FYI there was a recall on those bolts and Pacific/GT supplied all the dealers with better bolts at no charge.

We are a GT dealer and just sold our last Peace. We only had 3, they took a long time to move, and 2 of the 3 are destined for street use. Lack of disc tabs was by far the #1 reason people passed on the bike.

 

2007 Peace9er

I have had mine almost a year now. I still love it. I swapped the Fork for an Origin8 carbon and added a front disc a month ago and like it even better now. It got me hooked on the 29er SS and I am afraid to get a "better" frame because I reallly like the way this one rides. The stock headset stinks but still works so I haven't changed it yet. The biggest gripe I have with it is that you can't remove the wheels without deflating the tire or removing brake pads on the stock V-brakes.......

 

FYI there was a recall on those bolts and Pacific/GT supplied all the dealers with better bolts at no charge.

I called them last march about the bolts and they had no idea what
I was talking about. The info must have found its way up the food chain
My friend is still recovering from a hyper exteneded knee when the chain
popped off. I got off with only a golf ball size bump when my knee hit the
front fork. I watch that chain slack very closely now

 

I have been riding a 2007 Peace 9er for several months, and I have really enjoyed it. It handles nicely and is particularly fun on flowy singletrack. It's a bit heavy and has some cheap components, but, for the price, I have no regrets.

 

One more positive vote for the 07 Peace 9r. I basically echo what was said above, but will add that I re-tensioned the wheels when I first brought it home and they have since been totally bombproof--the burly rims are one of the highlights of the inexpensive component selection.

I don't miss disc brakes, perhaps because I'm pretty slow on a rigid singlespeed, but also because I appreciate the low theft appeal of the total package--it's a great night-ride-with-a-beer-stop bike.

If I could change one thing about the 9r, I'd have it available one size larger. The largest frame has a 19" seat tube, and while the TT length is fine for me, I spent 20% of the price of the bike on a nice long Thompson post so I could safely get the seat where I need it.

 

I also picked up an '07 Peace 9r when Performance had a deal on them. [Clearance price plus 20% off sealed the deal]. I had the local PBS set it up with a second-hand Marzocchi Bomber fork. I knew that I would be able to put a BB7 on it with the new fork, so I went for the bike.

It's great fun. The gearing is pretty easy: 32T:18T stock. The sticker on the seat tube says 32:16, but not to worry, this works for my old knees. The bike fits me well, and rides like it's on rails.

I don't miss a disc brake on the back since my first SS had a disc/v-brake combo. I will say that the headset is loose now after 10 weeks. I also need to keep an eye on the chain slack. It didn't occur to me that this could be a problem. (My first SS was homebuilt with a chain tensioner.)

I've upgraded the seatpost, grips and brake levers. I put a set of M-520 SPDs on it before I ever rode it. Eventually I guess the headset will get pitched and I'll switch to 2.1" tires. The best thing about the Peace 9r is that the cost of entry is low enough that upgrades don't bite too much. Plus the ride is decent and the steel frame is nice and compliant.

One downside to the bike is that it's heavy. If you want to get your feet wet with a 29er SS, it's a great deal. However, you may want a lighter bike if you're a racer or into epic rides. I look forward to riding it for some time. Eventually I'd like to have a 29er that can run gears or SS without too much trouble.

 

Hey thanks all for all the advice and the heads up... think I'll step up and grab one (the 2008 model that is) All ya input has been much appreciated. When I get it I'll post and let ya know how it goes

 

2008 model (may be a slightly different spec than the generally available 2008) is now at Performance for $449. At that price, I'm picking one up just to try it out. Probably use it to pull the kids' trailer.

Edit: I think that will be by far the least I've ever spent on a bike.

 

Good bike, great price.

I've got an '08 I picked up cheap from a friend. I love it. Nice riding frame/fork, decent parts and wheels. Most of the complaints I've heard have been echoed above-slipping seat post, a little porky, etc. The stock ExiWolfs are heavy, nice cush, but heavy nonetheless. They are on par, weight and performance wise, with Redline Mono's-that seem to be the apple of everyone's eye around here (MTBR)...and yes, I've got one of these too.

I know they still suffer from the stigmatism attached to Pacific Cycle and their early handling of the brand. Who cares? If it's a good bike and it makes you happy, screw what everyone else thinks.

 

Chain Tensioning?

Hi

Greetings from the UK

I have a GT Peace 9R 2008 Single Speed Mountain Bike

Great ride and no problem powering up hills, until.....

The tension in the chain has gone and I can't seem to make it 'taut'. It does identify the torque settings that should be used on the tensioner itself. I did not have a torque wrench to hand and just gave it a little nip with a regular pair of mole grips.

This has had no effect. Its fine along the flat - but the chain will slip when ascending a hill.

Anyone ever suffered this before? If so, what was the resolution?

Thanks for any help

 

Hi
The tension in the chain has gone and I can't seem to make it 'taut'. It does identify the torque settings that should be used on the tensioner itself. I did not have a torque wrench to hand and just gave it a little nip with a regular pair of mole grips.

When you say 'tensioner' are you referring to the EBB (eccentric bottom bracket)? If not then if you flip the bike over you will see two allen key set screws under the EBB. Loosen these and then hold the external bearings on the cranks and you should be able to carefully rotate the EBB until the chain is tensioned properly and then retighten the screws. You can do this each time the chain needs tensioning.

If you have done this and the chain is still too loose then it may need a link or two removed from it and them do as above.

If you have done all this and it still skips off then all I can think is maybe your chainring or rear cog have some worn down or bent teeth on them that skip the chain under torque. Also make sure all your front chainring bolts are tight as if one of those comes slightly loose then up hills under torque the whole ring will move or bend in half.

Hope you find some solution.

 

GT Peace 9r

Doh!

Thanks - did exactly what you said and it fixed the problem!

Been out today up and down hills - no dramas

Thanks again for your time!

I realised that the Handbook that they had supplied was for a multi-speed bike not a single speed one - I have been onto GT to get the right one - might be able to the obvious things without dramas lol