[adenew]

Here is the bike: https://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl_en/avalanche-expert-29
Can a GT Avalanche Expert 2019 be converted to an XC mtb?
If is possible what I should change?

 

[chazpat]

Here is the bike: https://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl_en/avalanche-expert-29
Can a GT Avalanche Expert 2019 be converted to an XC mtb?
If is possible what I should change?

It is an XC bike. What about it makes you think it isn't?

 

[adenew]

Look at the manufacturer's site is in the trail category in the upper left it says Category: Trail HT https://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl_en/bikes/mountain-hardtail?cat=39
is in Trail category not in XC category and has a large 176mm curved handlebar like trail mtbs.

 

[mik_git]

Yeah well on that website there is no XC category...
There is nothing on the bike that won't be perfectly fine for XC. The only stuff that would make it pure XC ie going a lot lighter and maybe a bit more agressive, you'd have to start throwing a massive big pile of cash at it, you'd end up spending more than the bike cost.
This is one of those bikes that all the parts on it, there is nothing flash, but it's all solid, a good base, so you don't need to bin things straight away. ZRock it, ride trails, ride XC, whatever and then when soemthing wears out, upgrade and it;ll be even better.

 

[chazpat]

Look at the manufacturer's site is in the trail category in the upper left it says Category: Trail HT https://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl_en/bikes/mountain-hardtail?cat=39
is in Trail category not in XC category and has a large 176mm curved handlebar like trail mtbs.

I wouldn't put any value in that, noticed that they do not list any XC bikes. "Trail" is just a newer and trendier term than "XC" so marketing said to use that. If you do not like the handlebar, change it; but it is fine for XC riding if you like it.

 

[adenew]

I wouldn't put any value in that, noticed that they do not list any XC bikes. "Trail" is just a newer and trendier term than "XC" so marketing said to use that. If you do not like the handlebar, change it; but it is fine for XC riding if you like it.

They used to list XC bikes few weeks ago, and even then this bike was in the same trail category.

 

[chazpat]

They used to list XC bikes few weeks ago, and even then this bike was in the same trail category.

https://forums.mtbr.com/beginners-corner/xc-vs-trail-whats-difference-1073786.html

 

[mik_git]

It depends on what you want out of an XC bike, if you want to be at the pointy end of an XC race, then no this is not the bike, you'd have to replace...well everything, including the frame. If you want to make it more "XC" like that then upgrade, and I mean major upgrade, there is nothing wrong with the bike as it is to go off and ride XC or do some races, it will be perfectly fine. But if you want to go more XC then think $1K+ (we're talking NZ$?) for forks, same for wheels, same again for drivetrain/brakes, then another bunch for seat, seatpost, set and bars and tyres. So somewhere like $2.5-3.5K so it's "better". Nothign wrong with upgrading or changing stuff, go for your life, its fun, but you have to realise it's diminishing returns.
Trail is a pretty wide defining category, it describes bikes that are really XC bikes through to bikes that are all mountain bikes and everything in between. So just because something is labled trail doesn't mean it is perfectly excellent at something else.