I think some of the brain trust is still located in Lake Forest but since GT brand is owned by Pacific I don't think you would ever see production onshore. I've never owned a GT because they've always seemed over marketed but under engineered, maybe that will change with the companies new lease on life?
I just pumped some new life into my old LTS sometime last year - the main problem is that the rear triangle is starting to go, it's not very true anymore ... but still alot of fun to ride - more than most 10 year old FS quasi-DH bikes:
That picture in the middle of the full suspension with all the suspension components behind the seatpost is the ugliest contraption I've ever laid eyes on. Yikes!
I had a GT avalanche that I bought in 1988 and had for over 10 years. I loved that bike. But I thought I needed a lighter aluminum bike with a front suspension so I sold it and bought a Giant Ranier. Bad decision. I would have been much better off buying a new fork for the GT. I traded down in that deal.
I just picked up a Haro Mary (dumping the Giant in the process), and this is back in the same world as my old GT avalanche. The bike has a plush feel for a hard-tail (steel frame), and I'm happy once again. I didn't like getting beat to death on a beer-can hardtail.
So why didn't I consider GT? I wanted a 29er plain and simple. GT don't play that so they are out of the picture. They also don't have steel frames anymore.
I really try to refrain from posting negative thoughts on line but the GT I-Drive was the worst bike I have ever owned. Started riding more tech downhills and that thing sent me over the bars so many times that I considered never going downhill again. Then I bought a Turner 5-Spot and life on the downs was good.
Then there was that whole cranked seat mast mess, with many of us left with crappy Pacific support when they sold. Sorry I still don't forgive them.
Nice looking frame, Juliius. Is it rear pivot parts you need or an entire rear end? Wondere if you can find something off e-bay, or if you could find someone to machine you a new rear end, but might be expensive a one off huh?
I really try to refrain from posting negative thoughts on line but the GT I-Drive was the worst bike I have ever owned. Started riding more tech downhills and that thing sent me over the bars so many times that I considered never going downhill again. Then I bought a Turner 5-Spot and life on the downs was good.
Then there was that whole cranked seat mast mess, with many of us left with crappy Pacific support when they sold. Sorry I still don't forgive them.
After I graduated from Cal State Long Beach in 2000 I hadn't even ridden for like 6 months, just focused on finishing my degree, so figured I owed myself a reward and bought that Blue/White i-drive 3.0 I think it was, from Jax in Huntington. The bike flat out worked for me and I improved on it. I started descending rattlesnake at El Morro way faster than I ever did before, and just climbing and descending was sooo much fun. The bike felt really well-balanced for me and I just remember being able to go faster donwhill and ride more tech lines.
I heard of people having seat mast breakage problems, but I never experienced it. I also never experienced the OTB happy feel that you had, it was the opposite actually, the bike gave me confidence. Only problems I had with the bike was a couple of cases of terrible chain suck, but that was my fault and the stock headset basically "disintegrated" on me at the start of one ride on the climb up Bommer canyon at LCWP. (wtb stock non sealed headset)
For all around xc/trailbike though, I did end up in the same place as you - i got a 5 Spot as well. I could make a comment about something personal about how I should have spent the money on my now EX girlfriend, and try to save our relationship but that's no on topic! LOL!!!
I think some of the brain trust is still located in Lake Forest but since GT brand is owned by Pacific I don't think you would ever see production onshore. I've never owned a GT because they've always seemed over marketed but under engineered, maybe that will change with the companies new lease on life?
Actually the first generation I-Drives were a engineering marval. Even in todays world of suspension designs. The first I-Drives are great design and worthy of a repeat performance. Sure they had a weak point in the seat tower area which caused them to crack prematuraly. But the first I-Drive suspension design is a masterpeice, IMO. If you have ever ridden one for a good length of time you would most likely agree.
Until two years ago when I started getting back into mtn biking, I was totally out of the loop on mountain biking for years. I'd been really into it in high school when GT bikes were the shiznit. I got out of riding mostly because I became a poor college student and couldn't afford a bike. Years went by and I've now, thankfully, re-discovered mtn biking. And among the big changes I noticed since the old days is that GT just doesn't seem like a relevant or desired brand anymore. What happened over the past 10 years?
Until two years ago when I started getting back into mtn biking, I was totally out of the loop on mountain biking for years. I'd been really into it in high school when GT bikes were the shiznit. I got out of riding mostly because I became a poor college student and couldn't afford a bike. Years went by and I've now, thankfully, re-discovered mtn biking. And among the big changes I noticed since the old days is that GT just doesn't seem like a relevant or desired brand anymore. What happened over the past 10 years?
They went Bankrupt in 2001' and Pacific bought them. The quality dropped to department store level. Only in the last two years have they stepped it up to a somewhat acceptable standard.
I still remember being insanely jealous of one of my best friends when he got a brand new 92 Tequesta with shocks and rapid fire shifters. I was still on a rigid Trek 830 Antelope. It's gotta be frustrating being today's middle school and high school kids when so many bikes start out at seemingly higher prices. Back then $700 bucks got you a pretty dope ride. Now that's barely entry level. Or have we all just become bike snobs with income?
They went Bankrupt in 2001' and Pacific bought them. The quality dropped to department store level. Only in the last two years have they stepped it up to a somewhat acceptable standard.
So why didn't I consider GT? I wanted a 29er plain and simple. GT don't play that so they are out of the picture. They also don't have steel frames anymore.
That bike sure wasn't at my local GT dealer. I checked to see what GT had, and there were no 29ers on the floor at all. I even asked the guy at Performance (local GT dealer) what they had in 29ers and he said there were none. I thought he would have told me about one not on the floor if there was such a beast.
That looks like it could have been a contender if it only had disc brakes. I needed the rear disk tab for the Rohloff speedbone. But other than that, it does look very close to my old Avalanche circa '88 or '89 (I forget which year).
I beleive Pacific bought GT, Mongoose and Schwinn because of all three company owe Pacific ton's of money as Pacific OEM (original equipment manufacture) for three compnay's before Pacific bought them. Once you have cash flow problems then your supply or parts stop comming from the far east and it becomes a viscious cycle downward. GT spend a lot of R&D on their bike but it did not return in financial terms, pluse their LTS, STS is a 4 bar Horst Link design that was patented by AMP Research of Irvine and from what I heard, GT never pay AMP any rights but AMP did not have the means to go after all the guy who copy/infringe their design but when AMP get out of bike business and sold the patent to Specialized who do have the financial means to go after GT. When that happen it was the final nail in the coffin for GT.
I also think GT develop the I-drive to get away from the LTS, STS horst-link design but it come too late to save the company.
Nice looking frame, Juliius. Is it rear pivot parts you need or an entire rear end? Wondere if you can find something off e-bay, or if you could find someone to machine you a new rear end, but might be expensive a one off huh?
Yar, the triangle is teaked ... could probably be torqued back into shape, but it's likely it will bend again. Nothing too bad - just from years of hard use. The pivots all work pretty good - and I know I can replace most of those parts if I need too. There ARE some places to get the whole rear triangle ... but, it's probably not worth the trouble. Thanks for the compliments, I still have fun riding this when the Ventana is in the shop (which isn't often).
I still like my GT Pantera bike. 9+ years and still going strong. I'm actually going to retire the bike this week. I just ordered an MKIII Comp. that should be arriving next week.
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