Well, apparently she's making a return for 2012 in 29'er guise for us yanks and in the traditional 26" for the European market. I don't know anything about the model aside from this picture tweeted by Matt Phillips from Rodale:
So, here are the questions:
Since Forrest Yelverton finally left the company, who's behind this? And, more importantly, who's making the frame?
According to Phillips, the price tag for the frame will be north of 2 G's, so a domestic manufacturer can't be ruled out. Lynskey seems to be getting most of the contract work these days for private label Ti frames.
talked to gt, they say most likely all 29ers, only maybe a 26 in the smaller sizes, and europe will be 29er too, and maybe (slight chance i think) of a 26in, yet to be decided.
Makes it easy for me, the only way you would get me on a 29er is with one of these, and even then only if I got some super mega deal... I think it will be time to track down a late model original... or a Dean Colonel...
9R for USA - medium, large, XL
26" for EU & Asia - XS, small, medium
Sizing & geometry same as new Zaskar Carbons.
Features & details:
Geometry for 100mm fork
Tapered headtube for integrated bearings
Post mount disc brake
Replaceable RD hanger
31.6mm post/34.9mm clamp
Polished finish
Made in Taiwan at a well respected frame maker who has some old school roots with GT. One of Forrest's last projects with CSG was visiting this vendor and giving them the "thumbs up" to do Xizangs.
woot... will have to source one from EU then...
when do they come out... I have already told the GF that if there is a 26in, then I'll be trying to get one... only problem is... I currently earn zero dollars, at the start of next year, both my GF and I are moving interstate (from cold Tasmania, to hot Queensland) to start jobs... but till then I am broke as broke and about to incurre hefty relocation spending, so hopefully its mid next year... (and hopefully the australian dollar can keep its legend status, and not take a nose dive like the last time I had my finger on the trigger of a xizang)
29er for sure in M/L/XL, suggested retail US$2,200. I'm guessing and hoping Titanium Sports (formerly Sandvik's frame shop) will be doing them. There is good history there between the companies. Notealso that TiSports their web site is in the process of a rebuild right now...what could this mean.
Needed: 26.8mm XTR seatpost, blue GT/Grundig Jersey.
Wow never imagined this day would come again. I'd hope it's ebb compatible or something that makes the frame unique... Cheezy decals gotta go.
So let me get this right....you want what was the rockinest hardtail to be SS compatible?
Yuk!...if it would sell....but only on one model that's steel.
I'll say it again...ska todd, Peterman... you and a lot of other people in this industry are missing the boat. Many of the 45-55 somethings with decent jobs and funds don't want all this 100mm pogo adapted, dropped top tube, space flying big hit hardtails. They want the simple high quality bike they couldn't afford back in the late 80's to early 90's. Classy, rigid or 80mm max travel, light weight steel and Ti. Disc brakes would even be a question mark. I'm serious...if you do three models of "GT Classic" you will sell out. Shimano will make the parts if you ask, they need business should be easy to make happen.
Needed: 26.8mm XTR seatpost, blue GT/Grundig Jersey.
Ha I was wondering and pondering over the last year (since there was some big lotto thing for ~100million) if i had those piles of money, how much would it take to do do what I was thinking (now that I had more money than I knew what to do with)
- spec up a Xizang to the same spec at the Zaskar reissue, 100mm fork geo, disc tabs etc for a limited frame production
-a super limited spec of the Xizang,e xactly the same as the 91, original geometry, get shimano to reissue M900 XTR parts and Rockshox to reissue a Mag 21 (SL)... maybe not totally period specific, depeneds, and call that the Xizang LE...
anyway, don't ave that cash...yet
Its like the Ritchey 29er frame, most of the people that lust after a Ritchey, or hell, even remember that they made frames, are the "retro" crowd who are all stuck in their ways and want the stuff they could have (or don't have any more) and are now all cashed up in mid life... hence the whole retro thing going on... so they give us the Ritchey 29er... er... eh? I can understand the 29er to crack in with this new hype thing, but at least give the 26in people (the people that actually want this stuff) something...
Its the same here, I understand the 29er thing, its the big thing at the moment, but I am happy on my 26in bike, have been for 20 years and fail to see why I need a bike with big wheels to be able to ride any more... I have dreamed of the Xizang comming again, and dreaded it would be a 29er, and it is... I am one of those people where it doesn;t have to be cool carbon, or big wheels or 5in forks, the sort of person that this frame will conjure up emotions of the past for, but its a 29er...which is more the "must have newest, bestest" person (eg a specialised/trek)...
Anyway enough meaningless, incoherent gibberish from me.
I was hoping for a re issue like the zaskar.Like the good old days,only with disc mounts and a modern geo to go with todays parts.This thing is a abomination just like the 26"performer.Let me guess,the small has the girls bike top tube to?The original xizang was one of the,if not the classiest hard tail mtb frames ever made.This..............this is just sad.
PS fire the graphics guy.
Just got one in australia, yes its a 29er, but way cool. Could not afford one back in the day.
We all think its looks great, and yes I like 26" but thats all we got and its the only one in Australia. Mine is not for sale, but.....
Taking orders.....
Kaoscustombikes.com.au
when is the actual release date?
how many? (eg zaskar was 500)
so I am assuming that Oz is lumped in with US and getting the 29er So i'll have to try to get one out of EU... well at least if I miss out, I'll just pick up an old one...
Thanks for the input, especially from some of the longtime GT fans & "oldtimers". This 2012 Xizang is not in anyway meant to be a "reissue" like the Zaskar of a few years back was (heck, passing current CEN standards using straight up old designs might be tough!) This is a modern retake on the classic. The geometry is thoroughly modern and features are designed for popularly available highend parts (100mm tapered forks, 160mm PM disc brakes, integrated headsets, 2x drivetrains).
aa & his team did their best to preserve some of the classic look of GT's heritage & heyday but also keeping the look completely relevant to today. As Hans dubbed the look when he saw the first samples of the 2011 Zaskar Carbon Team last year "retro future". We aren't trying to re-create the past but we certainly are giving a tip-of-the-cap and a big thumbs-up to it.
Yeah, cheers, Must admit that from the one pic i've seen, I was under no illusuions it was a reissue (as much as I'd like it to be), and don't mind that its a new bike, where the xizang would ahve ended up anyway if it had never stopped being made... its just the 29er thing... don't mind it there is a 29er... so long as I can get a 26in
which may be hard...
still.. when are these due to be released? cause if its soon, then i'm stuffed, but some time next year (hopefully april,) or hopefully still available then... then i'll probably be tracking one down... don't make them too limited...
Right now it looks like a mid-late fall release for USA on the Xizang. Some markets might get them earlier/later depending where they fall in the production queue. The 26" vs 29" decision is made regionally by markets based on their particular needs and doesn't emanate directly from Bethel with an iron fist
I'm with you on this one GM123. If I'm gonna own a Xizang or a Zaskar it is gonna be an old classic. I don't mind that GT is doing a 29er Xizang but I won't buy one. I am looking at their Zaskar 100 29er full susser, but that's just cuz I love the look of it and I might race it if it's light and quick enough. The only Zaskar esque frame that I have is Todd Wells's old alluminum race frame and it's displayed on my garage wall. Now GM123, if for some reason you wanna part with that two tone purple/chrome Zaskar frame you have, I'd like to be the proud owner of that sweet thing. Hahahaha!
2009 GT Marathon Team,GT Force 2.0, GT Jelly Belly TT (nude carbon), and a very special Todd Wells Zaskar.
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Originally Posted by ska todd
oh no's I'm gunna have no money.
