GT 2017 Preview - Press Camp 2016
GT Helion 9er
New for 2017 is the Helion 29er. Based on the success of the smaller, 27.5" wheeled, aggressive xc/trail bike, the new bike brings over the advantages of the larger wheel, while short chainstays aim to keep the bikes handling snappy and progressive. Pictured here is the carbon Expert version of the bike, the only one in the range to include the fantastic plastic—the material of choice for the front triangle, while the rear of the bike is alloy.
New for 2017 is the Helion 29er. Based on the success of the smaller, 27.5" wheeled, aggressive xc/trail bike, the new bike brings over the advantages of the larger wheel, while short chainstays aim to keep the bikes handling snappy and progressive. Pictured here is the carbon Expert version of the bike, the only one in the range to include the fantastic plastic—the material of choice for the front triangle, while the rear of the bike is alloy.
Details
• Progressive geometry provides a longer front-center
• Carbon front triangle, 6069 alloy rear
• 29" wheels
• Boost front, 142mm rear
• Carbon Expert (shown), Expert and Elite “9er” models
• S, M, L, XL
• MSRP: TBC
• Progressive geometry provides a longer front-center
• Carbon front triangle, 6069 alloy rear
• 29" wheels
• Boost front, 142mm rear
• Carbon Expert (shown), Expert and Elite “9er” models
• S, M, L, XL
• MSRP: TBC
The Helion 29 Carbon Expert features an alloy rear.
Seldom seen in the North American market, it features a dual lockout trigger
Like many 29ers, the Helion 29 dropped a few millimeters in travel when it got the big wheel treatment, dropping from 110mm (for the 27.5" version of the bike) to 100mm. Up front it can be spec’d with anything in the 100–130mm range depending on wheel size, but the 29 is fitted with a 100mm Fox Performance series 32. The bike comes with a 142mm rear while the fork is of the Boost variety, and the running gear consists of a combination of Shimano SLX, Race Face and WTB. The bike also ships with a 1x specific narrow-wide ring for those that want to drop the dual ring straight away.
GT 2017 Pantera Plus Bike
GT also showed us their introductory level of the market with a pretty slick spec’d, affordable Plus hardtail; the Pantera. The bike is not a new name in GT’s line, but now sees a rejuvenation with the 27.5+ platform. The team sees a good benefit in the bike over similarly priced rides, given that with the larger volume tires provide riders with a more capable ride than closely priced, regular wheeled bikes. The simplicity of a hardtail results in less maintenance for the consumer and GT are also able to offer it in a better spec package.
The Pantera includes some great bits, including an E13 TRSr top guide
...and the plus sized tires make it a capable machine for a low cost.
The bike is spec’d with a 120mm Rockshox Revelation with Boost, Shimano XT 1x11 drivetrain and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. The tires are of the 2.8 Schwalbe Rocket Ron variety, and keep it stable but still provide that extra mow-down-ability of a plus wheel. They’re fitted to a 40mm internal width rim.
2017 Verb Expert
GT's entry level dual suspension; the Verb. The bike is based on the same suspension system as their high end bikes while the spec is similar to the Avalanche hardtail, with the obvious difference being rear suspension on the Verb. Similar to the Sensor, Helion and other bikes, the Verb features their progressive geometry, with a long front center and relatively comfortable geometry. It's developed around 120mm of travel front and rear and sits on 27.5” wheels. It’s touted as being a capable and affordable trail bike to meet the needs of a rider debating between a hardtail and dual suspension.
The Verb Expert features an entry level shock...
...while retaining the same suspension system as their other bikes.
GTw Helion
GT has been growing their women’s specific line-up and the Helion is the latest bike added to the mix. Like the regular Helion, the women’s specific version is a dual suspension, aggressive XC/Trail weapon and includes the same suspension system as the higher end bikes. The difference is that the touch points (grips, etc...) are more specific to a lady's physique (ie smaller diameter) and the shock tune is such that it is lighter, so that it can perform better for the everyday female riders out there.
The Helion GTw Expert shown here features 27.5" wheels, 110mm of travel in the rear and 120mm up front thanks to a Fox Rhythm 34 and the same progressive geometry as the rest of the GT line. The bike is fitted with a 2x11 Shimano drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes.
The Helion GTw retains the same suspension as the regular Helion, only with a lighter tune.
It features Fox's Rhythm 34 fork up front.
MENTIONS: @GTBicycles
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
Pantera looks like a really sweet bike with really high fun/$ ratio.
What I'm saying is, go boost or don't, these half measures make it feel like the rumor mongers are right, & these standards were designed exclusively to make less components compatible with each other. we're going to end up with people having to sell wheels individually rather than wheelsets if this is the new standard.
Treat it like the standard you're claiming it is. I literally couldn't order an upgraded wheelset(or replacement if I trash the stock set) for either of these bikes unless I went to a custom builder. putting your customers in that situation is shitty.
(the possessive you, in this instance, referring to the bike industry, not you skatodd.)
No specs no prices ?
Great that your featuring affordable bikes.
would be nice if this was more than just a bunch of pictures.
Progressive geometry. Taking cues from Fox?
Will next years bike be even moar progressive?
????
The new i-drive operates under the same principals the i-drive line has always operated under... floating BB to mitigate chain growth and thus reduce pedal kick back, single pivot type axle path for initial rearward motion, etc. So yes, the new one is the "same" as the old one, but it's clearly not the same.
They are the best pedalling bikes on the market solely because of their suspension systems I personaly find many things wrong with gt but i could never say anything bad about the i drive
Being a professional mechanic and racing MX for years lend a decent understanding of geometry and kinematics... I was actually just being facetious in my comment, I appreciate outside-the-box thinking, but there are many "brilliant" engineering concepts that never work in the real world from a durability or efficiency standpoint. So the accepted system ends up a very refined version of a flawed design in the end, with all of us accommodating the shortcomings. Forks, derailleurs, and offset dish wheels are all examples we live with daily.
Front mech is an option that you can remove and its comes with 1x chainring too. I think this is to satisfy the people riding big mountains. It's not the whole world that has gone 1x.
the woman I know prefer at least 150mm in the rear