gt mountain bike models

GT teases new trail bike

4th Jun 2013 | 22:14

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Mystery bike to be unveiled in two weeks

GT is set to release what appears to be a new 150-160mm trail bike two weeks from today. Company spokespeople haven't been forthcoming with details on the new model. Instead, GT put together a 33-second video hinting at what’s to come.

One can gather a few details about the new bike from the video. The carbon frame appears to sport the usual assortment features we’ve come to expect in contemporary mountain bikes: a tapered head tube, 142x12mm rear end and an internally-routed dropper seatpost.

One still from the video, at about 9 seconds, appears to show the numbers  “27.5” on the drive-side chainstay.

None of these details are particularly surprising. In fact, they're all par for the course for new trail and all-mountain bikes this year. So what then makes this new bike exciting?

There appears to be a pivot just below the rear axle — a feature absent on current GT bikes

One possibility is that GT is using a new suspension platform for this yet-to-be-named bike, which appears to be a successor to the Force. It could be an evolution, or a total replacement, of the company’s longstanding i-Drive rear suspension. 

Photos and videos of the new bike appear to show a rear pivot mounted just below and in front of the rear axle. The shock is mounted low in the frame and pierces the down tube.

Take a look at the video and see what you can spot.