GT Bicycles 2016 - First Look
Press Camp is an annual gathering that takes place in Deer Valley, Utah, a chance for brands to meet with journalists and showcase their upcoming wares in a setting that's much more pleasant than the stifling halls of a traditional tradeshow. GT Bicycles has attended the event since its inception, and this year even mountain bike legend (and GT athlete) Hans Rey showed up to ride the miles and miles of singletrack that surround the area. For 2016 GT's key models remain relatively unchanged, but there have been a host of tweaks and alterations to create an even more refined final product.
GT's 2016 Lineup
The Zaskar Turns 25
The GT Zaskar is instantly recognizable thanks to its now-classic triple triangle frame design, a bike that's firmly secured its place in the mountain bike history books over the last 25 years. For 2016 GT is offering four carbon and four aluminum versions of the bike, all rolling on 27.5” wheels and with a range of build kits meant to appeal to everyone from hardcore XC racers to trail riders.
The LTD mode (shown above)l is the trail oriented version, and the 1200 gram carbron frame will come equipped with a 120mm Pike, a RockShox Reverb dropper post, and a 1x11 drivetrain for $4999 USD. The 69° head angle does have it leaning towards the more cross-country side of things, but the wide bar and short stem, along with generous reach numbers show that it's not afraid to get rowdy every so often.
2016 Sanction
Formerly only available as a frameset, for 2016 there will be three complete versions of the Sanction, GT's big mountain bruiser, including a Team version that's nearly identical to what Martin Maes and Dan Atherton race on the Enduro World Series circuit. The team version uses a Fox Float X2 rear shock for its 165mm of travel, placing it even more into the realm of a mini-DH bike. The $4340 USD Pro model is shown above, which comes with a Fox 36 fork, a Float X shock, and a Shimano XT drivetrain.
At this point it doesn't seem like a carbon version will be happening anytime soon, partly because of the cost associated with manufacturing a frame shape like the Sanction's, and also because GT wants to wait and see what direction enduro racing goes in, whether that's towards even rougher and more technical courses, or towards courses that involve more pedaling and could reward a shorter travel bike.
![Presscamp 2015]()
2016 Sensor
The full carbon version of GT's Sensor 130mm trail bike sheds 1/3 of a pound for 2016, a weight savings made possible by using the same swingarm that's found on the shorter travel Helion model along with the use of a new expanding collet pivot system. In addition to the full carbon and full aluminum models, 2016 sees the addition of the Sensor Carbon Expert (above, MSRP: $4340 USD), which uses a carbon front triangle mated with an aluminum rear swingarm in order to allows riders to reap the benefits of a carbon frame at a lower cost than a full carbon frame would be.
www.gtbicycles.com
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The Zaskar Turns 25
The GT Zaskar is instantly recognizable thanks to its now-classic triple triangle frame design, a bike that's firmly secured its place in the mountain bike history books over the last 25 years. For 2016 GT is offering four carbon and four aluminum versions of the bike, all rolling on 27.5” wheels and with a range of build kits meant to appeal to everyone from hardcore XC racers to trail riders.
The LTD mode (shown above)l is the trail oriented version, and the 1200 gram carbron frame will come equipped with a 120mm Pike, a RockShox Reverb dropper post, and a 1x11 drivetrain for $4999 USD. The 69° head angle does have it leaning towards the more cross-country side of things, but the wide bar and short stem, along with generous reach numbers show that it's not afraid to get rowdy every so often.
 |
2016 Sanction
Formerly only available as a frameset, for 2016 there will be three complete versions of the Sanction, GT's big mountain bruiser, including a Team version that's nearly identical to what Martin Maes and Dan Atherton race on the Enduro World Series circuit. The team version uses a Fox Float X2 rear shock for its 165mm of travel, placing it even more into the realm of a mini-DH bike. The $4340 USD Pro model is shown above, which comes with a Fox 36 fork, a Float X shock, and a Shimano XT drivetrain.
At this point it doesn't seem like a carbon version will be happening anytime soon, partly because of the cost associated with manufacturing a frame shape like the Sanction's, and also because GT wants to wait and see what direction enduro racing goes in, whether that's towards even rougher and more technical courses, or towards courses that involve more pedaling and could reward a shorter travel bike.
2016 Sensor
The full carbon version of GT's Sensor 130mm trail bike sheds 1/3 of a pound for 2016, a weight savings made possible by using the same swingarm that's found on the shorter travel Helion model along with the use of a new expanding collet pivot system. In addition to the full carbon and full aluminum models, 2016 sees the addition of the Sensor Carbon Expert (above, MSRP: $4340 USD), which uses a carbon front triangle mated with an aluminum rear swingarm in order to allows riders to reap the benefits of a carbon frame at a lower cost than a full carbon frame would be.
www.gtbicycles.com
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Sorry to all of you who bought a 29er during it's 15 minutes of fame.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/258021526/the-sentinel
(Sory had to do that)
Never thought I'd love a 29er, but this thing rips, & it's hard to argue with the price.
the steel 45650b is a great option if you're not into the big wheels.
Too bad you guys don't make 29ers anymore...
Ah you think triple triangle is your ally?
You merely adopted the triple triangle. I was born in it, molded by it.
I didnt see a direct seat stay till I was making dirt jump bikes, by then it was nothing to me but blinding.
hey man I was just making a joke but that is very interesting information. any chance you have some pictures of those old beuties?
lmgtfy.com/?q=yamaguchi+triple+triangle
I never said GT had anything with BMC just that the smaller triangle looks like the ones in BMC bikes... than you come to chase me saying bullshit. Now you say a*shole for nothing? Are you kind of crazy???
Well it does to me anyway
I guess you could buy a used for force or the new sanction?
My distortion has fairly clean routing , im using a lowered 36 float @140 with 650b front wheel.
www.offsetbushings.com
They carry a wide array of options.
I still have an i-Drive pint glass from a promotion they ran when they were first introduced. You went to your LBS, test rode an i-Drive, and mailed in a little form. Little while later you got a pint glass in the mail.
All of them look sweet!
This just looks like last year's bikes rehashed