Bike Press Camp: Old-Skool BMX and High Tech MTB reign at GT

A visit to GT at Bike Press Camp took me back to my warm happy place (a GT Pro Series was the first “real” BMX bike I bought with my own money). The reason for my deja-vu was their Performer and Interceptor 26″ cruisers.

The 26″ Performer ($479) hit all of the notes right with its classicly styled freestyle frame and chrome finish. The intent behind the Performer was to create a cool townie bike that could also do tricks. Lest you think that the Performer was for the fixed gear freestyle crowd, it’s really more of an all around bike than the very purpose built FGF bikes. Equipment includes 3-pc. cranks, a hi-ten steel frame and 2 sets of pegs for your grind tricks (or giving a friend a ride).

The Interceptor ($629) features more of a race-style BMX frame and gets some nice upgrades including a cromoly frame, a stepped up bottom bracket and crankset, an SDG seat and post, an integrated headset and a machined chainwheel.

Moving over to the world of mountain bikes, GT had two models featured: First up was the $4200 Zaskar Expert. The design goal behind the Zaskar Expert was to create a “really good bike for the money” and it certainly seems like they achieved it.

The Zaskar Expert comes with an all carbon fiber frame and rear end, resulting in a bike that is 500 grams lighter than the Marathon that it replaces. The Zaskar experts features 100mm of travel front and rear, and the longer stroke yields better compliance over small bumps.

Other suspension upgrades include a new carbon fiber iLink. This new piece is stiffer than the aluminum piece that it replaces and will offer a longer life with no fatigue. The carbon piece also is designed solely to pivot, whereas the previous model worked by pivoting and flexing.

The pivot system for the rear end has been redesigned to be easier to maintain. The entire rear end can be removed, lubricated and re-assembled in just five minutes and the bearing pivots are the same bearing used in a 1 1/8″ headset, so replacements can be found at most any bike shop.

The build kit for the Zaskar Expert digs around in the parts bin for value and includes a Shimano SLX/XT 2×10 drivetrain, a SRAM 2×10 crankset, Formula brakes (180mm front, 160mm rear), a Crank Brothers bar and stem, a Rockshox Reba fork and DT Swiss’ x420 wheelset.

For the downhill crowd, GT was featuring the Fury Alloy 2 ($3150). The Fury Alloy features the exact same geometry as GT’s top of the line carbon fiber World Cup DH Fury artfully executed in hydroformed monocoque aluminum.

The rear end features a completly redesigned rear end that is built around a very durable cold forged and machined main pivot. The swingarm is made of alloy and is welded directly to the pivot.

Suspension pieces include a RockShox Boxxer RC with 200mm travel on the front end and a Fox Shox Van RC with 3oomm travel in the rear.

Different than the carbon fiber iLink on the Zaskar Expert, the alloy iLink on the Fury is a massive alloy piece and the BB linkage is considerably larger as well.

The build kit includes Avid Elixir brakes, FSA Gravity Moto-X cranks, a SRAM X5 shifter and rear derailleur and more.