Is This GT's New DH Bike?

Feb 18, 2017
by Mike Levy  
Is This GT s New DH Bike


Spotted at this weekend's New Zealand national downhill event, this unpainted frame appears to be GT's new downhill bike and the eventual replacement for the current Fury. GT probably won't like me saying that but the Fury has been around for awhile now (we reviewed it back in 2013), and while I've always got along well with the bike, it looks like this prototype has been designed to address some of the issues that larger and faster riders might have with it.

But since I have close to zero information about Wyn's new ride, we get to speculate a bit. That's always the fun part.


Is This GT s New DH Bike
Is This GT s New DH Bike
The aluminum mule appears to have been built using existing tubing and frame elements.


The first obvious thing that stands out to me is the downward angle of the shock, which has likely been altered from the production bike's near-level shock position to provide more progression through the suspension travel. Both Wyn and Brook Macdonald had been filling their Fox Float X2 air shocks with volume spacers when riding the older Fury, and neither spent much time on a coil-sprung shock simply because they couldn't get the ramp-up that professional downhillers like them require. ''Air on the bike I'm riding now, just because it's super linear, so we need an air shock on it to ramp up,'' Brook explained when we asked him about his setup at the first round of the series. ''But I have run a coil on it; I didn't like it because it'd just blow through the travel too much,' he went on to say.

You don't need to be an engineer to know that a more progressive design would allow them to either run an air-sprung shock with fewer volume spacers or use a coil-sprung shock when they feel that it's an advantage.


GT downhill bike
Wyn and Brook s GT s
GT weren't keen about our photographer shooting the bike when it wasn't in motion, but another source povided us with the above photo that they apparently shot with their baked potato. The current production Fury is on the right for comparison.


The second difference is down at the main pivot and bottom bracket area that is definitely altered from the production Fury's I-Drive suspension layout, although it's a bit hard to see what exactly is going on down there. The main pivot appears to be in roughly the same location as it is on the older bike, and while we can't quite see if there's a floating bottom bracket and dog bone link that make up GT's I-Drive system, I don't see them moving away from the suspension design that they've used on all of their high-end full-suspension bikes for years. Revised, yes; removed, not likely.

Those of you with a keen eye may have spotted the missing linkage that's used on the production bike to supposedly add more lateral rigidity. It turns out that all it did was add more pivots on the new design, apparently, with the GT mechanic at the race hinting that they built this new bike without it and their riders can't tell the difference.

The upper mounting hole for the linkage is on the prototype's front triangle, however, located just below the stubby seat tube, but only because GT used existing tubing and forged bits from the production bike to build Wyn's new prototype.


Is This GT s New DH Bike
The prototype was tested with both coil and air-sprung shocks.


Author Info:
mikelevy avatar

Member since Oct 18, 2005
2,032 articles

159 Comments
  • 446 8
 Word is Putin has a fleet of GTs. He loves using his Force and Fury, but not a big fan of the Sanctions.
  • 23 3
 Well done
  • 7 3
 Winner!
  • 13 10
 TRUMP approves!!
  • 17 8
 Trump reportedly testing GT protos as well! No potatoes were harmed during testing! All foreign objects were banned though!
  • 83 1
 @Maverickdh00: Trump prefers Orange
  • 6 10
flag UtahBikeMike (Feb 18, 2017 at 15:07) (Below Threshold)
 This pun trumps the rest
  • 12 4
 @Obidog: normally I'd agree but seeing as orange isn't made in the USA...
I think it's pretty clear that Trump would ride Ellsworth.
  • 24 2
 Trump rides 29 chuz its uuge
  • 10 66
flag jts429 (Feb 18, 2017 at 17:39) (Below Threshold)
 @Maverickdh00: all foreign objects were banned? Yet another intelligent, well informed statement from someone who clearly knows what they're talking about...
  • 2 1
 @ratedgg13: Neither of those are made in China though.
  • 15 5
 @twodogsfighting: Ellsworth used to be made in the US, they outsourced to China but still pretend to be an "American" brand. And they're ugly as sin. Perfect for Trump.
  • 7 1
 @ratedgg13: Anodized it gold and he'd ride anything. Gold = classy. Apparently.
  • 11 49
flag jts429 (Feb 19, 2017 at 14:13) (Below Threshold)
 Ha negative props, I love pissing off liberals
  • 1 0
 hahaha Genius
  • 3 0
 Everyone knows Trump would ride this gold-plated Surly Pugsley:

www.thehouseofsolidgold.com/24k-gold-extreme-mountain-bike
  • 12 1
 @jts429: you're so edgy
  • 2 0
 @ratedgg13: hmmm Trump seems to love American brands made in Taiwan or China... ever look at the labels on his stuff?

Plus, we all know Trump would ride a Specialized.
  • 3 1
 Wrong and fake news! Rumor has it that Trump is forcing Dorel to move their production to the USA and that the Kiwis are testing their first US made production units...
  • 6 1
 @ratedgg13: No matter what it is... We know he's going to grab it by the rear triangle.
  • 2 0
 wow...just wow!!! i needed a good laugh today....Thank You
  • 2 0
 @ratedgg13: Yeah only Trump's allowed to make all his products outside the US.
  • 1 0
 @twodogsfighting: its pronounced JINE-A
  • 256 5
 "but another source povided us with the above photo that they apparently shot with their potato"

Savage.
  • 52 3
 I think it's time we confronted the unjustified prejudice against potato footage on Pinkbike.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHSiXLoqYgM
  • 56 1
 Shot with a potato yet still shows the bike more clearly then their other pictures
  • 18 0
 @src248: #potatoesmatter
  • 65 1
 @src248: I am pro-potato.
  • 24 1
 @whattheheel You freelancing as a photog again?
  • 10 1
 Who told you?? It's on the DL!!
  • 61 1
 Can we agree on photato
  • 25 0
 Potaters gonna potate
  • 43 3
 Pick a vegetable and be a dick about it.
  • 1 8
flag freeriderayward (Feb 18, 2017 at 17:52) (Below Threshold)
 You say Prado, i say potato!
  • 7 1
 Apparently Mr Potato Head is going to give Gopro a run for their money...
  • 4 0
 @tufty: photato!!!
  • 2 28
flag heavyp (Feb 18, 2017 at 22:26) (Below Threshold)
 "Is This GT's New DH Bike?" Yes!
"The first obvious thing that stands out to me is the downward angle of the shock" Pretty sure it stands out to everyone!
"Those of you with a keen eye may have spotted the missing linkage" You don't need a keen eye to be able to pick up on this.

This post sounds like it was written by a 12 year old for 12 year olds. Its almost as if it was written so fast and without very much thought just to beat other websites to do it even thou VitalMTB has so snippets of it last week and you could tell from Wyns dodgy instagram artwork the shock was in a different position and the legate was gone.
  • 1 0
 @endlessblockades: a sure bet ! hahahahha
  • 88 2
 Looks like enough for a water bottle in there now, Levy should be excited!
  • 296 3
 Hydration is not a joke.
  • 35 1
 @mikelevy: Don't be a fool, hydration is cool?
  • 5 3
 @mikelevy: but that is all the pink bike comment section is
  • 6 1
 @mikelevy: hydrate or die
  • 3 0
 Dehydrated is overrated
  • 13 0
 Hydration is such a dry topic.
  • 2 0
 @SpillWay: I'd argue it's more of a wet noodle fight.
  • 4 1
 Dosent have SWat though! Or Giddy up Or Cock n Ballz!
  • 1 3
 @mikelevy: stop being so wet
  • 2 1
 Water is for the weak
  • 3 1
 I pity the fool who don't drink the water!
  • 2 0
 @mikelevy: Beer comes in cans.
  • 45 0
 Yes it is. Thats why a dude with a GT jersey is riding it
  • 71 0
 I came to the same conclusion.
  • 6 1
 thank you for answering if this is gt's new DH bike. Now it's clear.
  • 4 0
 @bmoore34: no problem. Glad to help
  • 1 0
 so wise. they should hire you.
  • 28 0
 Them potatoes are getting pretty good these days.
  • 3 6
 Only good potatoe is one that looks like a Session!
  • 24 0
 I can hear the DU bushing screaming in pain already
  • 16 0
 Exactly, Gt bikes need more bushes than a Wutang video .
  • 24 1
 looks like a fury.
  • 2 5
 Can u smell what the Fury is cooking!
  • 24 5
 Holy smokes it's even less attractive!
  • 1 0
 You said it first.
  • 2 2
 in the early to mid 90ies gt was so desireable with the zaskar and lts...now they only make ugly bikes
  • 1 1
 Tis ugly, but better than that awful white spaceship looking monster they made
  • 3 0
 @funkzander: My friend has a gt force, in any photo it looks completely rank, yet in person it is the nicest bike ive set eyes on, not to mention its one of the best riding.... Not sure how GT manage it!
  • 11 0
 Word on the streets is that yes, the new designer at gt is moving gt(entire range) away from i drive.
  • 5 1
 That bb shell does look like it's welded in place in the last shot. No more rattling BB linkages, good news!
  • 13 4
 Fake news
  • 5 2
 I hope so. I-drive is a joke. Don't get me wrong, the engineering behind it is sound, it virtually eliminates chain-growth and it's associated problems, but it's at the complete cost of durability and maintenance. Good riddance to it I say, I-drive and other concentric BB pivot bikes, have never taken off because they're simply too much hassle VS the performance gains. I can't understand why it took them 15 years to give up on it!
  • 6 0
 For what it's worth I don't think GT make bad bikes either, they're a reputable manufacturer, I-Drive is a lost cause though.
  • 2 0
 @miff: the idrive was killed years ago
  • 1 0
 @t-stoff: nope, path link aos is still form of i drive..independent of bb. Gt is changn it up soon
  • 2 0
 @jrocksdh: It is an evolution of iDrive, but it works in a completely different fashion. No weird BBs. It is an independent BB, but it still uses a standard BB and of that. Maintenance on a AOS is way simpler than an iDrive.
  • 3 0
 @dbarnes6891: ive owned a few forces and a few furys. New stuff coming from gt
  • 2 0
 @jrocksdh: I'm a big fan of the new stuff. I really want to get into enduro racing and I have been strongly considering one of the new sanctions or possibly a force to add to the stable. My roadie is an 11' GT GTR series 4. Nothing special but it's great for getting those training miles in during the week.
  • 1 0
 @miff: ever ride an old g-spot with the massive bearings around the bb?
  • 10 1
 Looks like it's breaking the shocks back though.. People will be bending shock shafts, especially the x2 coil because it's so skinny.
  • 9 7
 Ya my thoughts exactly the arch path it's terrible GT making another bike nobody is gonna wanna ride
  • 15 2
 I did a quick diagram of the linkage to validate this to myself, and I disagree with you
  • 27 0
 ^^Who's this guy? The captain of tying knots? You eva need a knot tied, you go to him
  • 5 2
 @joalst: yes, member of the IGKT and also a mechanical engineer
  • 10 1
 That's also not what breaks shocks. Shocks break because they are loaded in a direction that the bushings can't account for. That's specialized bikes Break shocks all the time.
  • 4 0
 @dk1996: @captaintyingknots: agreed. The horse shoe link on the demo claimed many a double barrel because yes it was almost using the shocks own eyelet hole as a lever postion to snap it.. this isn't quite in the same detrimental situation as that but it looks unnatural to me?
  • 2 0
 Position**
  • 2 0
 As the shock is positioned and from the pivot that is shown, the shock would never actually be fully compressed properly, I can only surmise that the visible lower pivot is connected to a linkage that moves it outwards as the suspension compresses, something along the lines of how corsairs linkage works
  • 1 0
 @ctd07: yeah like a turner DHR but reversed? Obviously this will just be an experimental frame but I can't see this working. A shock mount on the down tube and a lower rear mount with a rocker link might work better?
  • 1 0
 @ctd07: Doesn't look like that on the photo at the top?
  • 1 0
 @ctd07: In fact it looks like there is about a inch of shaft left on the X2 and the traiangle looks about to smash into the seat tubes?.
  • 1 0
 why on earth dont they just use the linkage to drive the shock? You'd take care of the bottoming problem, open up tuning options and not have to drive the shock at a crazy angle. GT is retarded.
  • 4 0
 Is this GT's new dh bike? The one you take on your back and hike? The one which can hold a waterbottle? The one you don't loose, even going full throttle? Yes it is a GT as the pics will tell, the one Putin rides furiosly down to hell. We ducked right under Brook's ass, so we could shoot those pics first class!
  • 9 1
 Big hit...
  • 8 2
 why is the gt leaked soon as its seen but the new norco is kept a secret?
  • 4 0
 @mikekazimer: no think he,s referring to the 29" Sight and Range that Norco has gag-ordered the industry with no leaks
  • 1 2
 actually it sorta resembles the older 09 Norco DH frame , soon as I seen the shape and shock placement I knew I had seen a similar design
  • 6 0
 That is what you call a raked out front end
  • 4 0
 yeah it looks like a 58deg HA, probably just a lens effect though
  • 11 0
 @freerabbit: Or bottomed out rear end
  • 1 0
 @strasznyzbigniew: yup
  • 3 0
 @freerabbit:

I see what you did there
  • 4 1
 They've been moving away from the iDrive for a few years. I have a 15' sensor and they have something called the AOS/path link on it. It's pretty awesome. Virtually no pedal bob and killer traction. Slays the corners.
  • 3 0
 yep, still you've got tons of replies of people saying the idrive this and the idrive that. I give up.
  • 1 0
 Brook mentioned it in here (trying to back track a few times after saying it was a new bike), to be released at the NZ national champs: itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/the-hookit-podcast/id1097966651?mt=2&i=1000380421332
  • 2 1
 @mikelevy Personally, this comes across, as a few recent "sneak peek" PB articles have done, as free R&D for a bike manufacturer. Using phrases like "GT probably won't like me saying this...." as though they didn't make sure you got this fictitious "scoop" and they aren't getting a free advert and R&D, as I said. I imagine every word here has been proof read by a GT employee.

It looks like this is the direction your publication is going. I for one can't get on board with this attitude towards brand pushing. If GT were making some of the greatest bikes out there this wouldn't be necessary. Everyone would be familiar with them, they would have a great rep. But increasingly, you appear to be a format that's open to exploitation from the brands with the deepest pockets and some of the worst bikes. The global companies. The ones not rider owned, or even rider focussed. Just money focussed. Maybe that's why GT need these advertorials - they've basically lost their way like so many of the old big brands. They've been usurped by hungrier, and more rider focussed product.

Anyway, shame its come to this. Makes me question where the interest for me lies on PB pages when every other article reads like and advert, and the proliferation of direct to market brands using you for advertising increases every week (it seems).

If I've got this wrong, apologies. Not trying to call anyone out, just lamenting the days where I came here to learn (impartial) views about the products on the market.

Cheers .
  • 4 0
 The old fury was a killer Whistler beater. Cheap and tough now it's going to get even cheaper!
  • 2 0
 A frankenstein version of a Guerillia Gravity GG DH - which is the best singlepivot on the market imho - so way to go gt. the new design should be a lot more progressive which is what the pros were asking for.
  • 5 1
 So slack it could ride down a dam
  • 2 0
 The other guy did it with a demo so you'll be pretty safe on this one Big Grin
  • 1 0
 "GT weren't keen about our photographer shooting the bike when it wasn't in motion, but another source povided us with the above photo that they apparently shot with their baked potato

this is alternative facts
  • 4 1
 Wit that shock angle.. now u have a turner...ha
  • 3 0
 The shock looks like a more aggressive Turner dhr with that angle.
  • 4 1
 Scott Octane' used to have it's shock in a similar position. Just saying.
  • 4 1
 if it's fast, nobody would mind its ugly af look.
  • 6 4
 I have no idea how they stay in business. Who buys these bikes?
  • 1 3
 They stay in business because they're owned by CSG.
  • 4 0
 A lot more people than you think. I own a 15' Sensor and love it. Solid bikes. Just as good as the other options out there but the suspension link puts people off. They have been moving away from iDrive for a few years now and using AOS which is still very different from a lot of the other stuff out there. Regardless it's a great performer.
  • 1 3
 @seraph: so other more successful CSG brands are effectively bailing GT out?
  • 1 0
 @dbarnes6891: Glad you're happy with em. id be up for trying one.
  • 1 3
 To be honest the suspension looks similar to a bike I saw at Walmart. Take a lesson from Intense. They dropped the Horst Link design they used for years, and switched to VPP. I'm not saying which is better than the other, although personally I prefer VPP for everything but downhill. Point is, it's ok to change suspension design. If you're gonna do single pivot at least add some form to your function. Foes is a builder that comes to mind. As Robert Duvalls character in The Eagle Has Landed said "It could be done........and in my opinion, it should be done"
  • 1 0
 looks shite incomparison to everything...even my old commie v2 lol stay with that stealth look you had going gt..
  • 2 0
 Hydroformed with osmosis
  • 1 0
 is it me or the shock is a little smaller one 8.75?
  • 1 0
 Idk rick looks fake to me hahahaha
  • 1 2
 instead making it more progressive with leverage curve, add some damn compression shims in the X2 which is too soft overall! the current GT fury leverage is pretty good.
  • 3 1
 Very nice
  • 1 0
 Without dogbone? Big Grin ....yes!
  • 1 0
 Conveniently no good shots of BB, funny that. Tailored spam.
  • 2 1
 Damn!!!! More leaks than the White House lmao....
  • 2 0
 slaaaaaaack
  • 2 1
 29er
  • 1 0
 Wcdh better bring some this year!
  • 6 5
 no more dumb i-drive
  • 1 3
 I am the table
  • 3 6
 I can't wait to see these failing weekly in the bike park
  • 2 5
 Looks like a DHR
  • 2 5
 i-Drive = URT.
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