GT, Haro, Redline, Mongoose, DYNO and Diamonback were the bikes to have when I was a kid. They were pricey though. I had a Huffy. lol. I always wanted a Redline, though. I"m 44 now. 30 to 35 years ago, that was all we did; ride around on our bikes everwhere and build ramps that sometimes caused broken bones. Bike parts were traded like currency. Good times. I sometimes miss those days.
@@samholdsworth420 And we would spend hours sifting through catalogs of parts that we talked about ordering, that we knew we were never gonna order cause they were so damn much money. lol
Yes my early 90s GT Pro Series was so light. It was really fast because it had a larger crank on there but was very comfortable to ride. I wish I never sold it. The guy I sold it to broke the frame and think the bikes became heavy sometime during the mid nineties.
*Correction: As of the 1st of this year, GT is no longer selling to Dick's sporting goods, so anything dick's has left is dead stock. They were a part of Cycling Sports Group, which is also Cannondale... PON has split GT off of that group into it's own subsidiary. Apparently they are re-focusing the brand and coming out with some nice new fresh stuff. There is a good article published a couple weeks ago on Bicycle Retailer & Industry News (BRAIN)
Dont be fooled, they are still owned by Pon and they are tricking dealers into thinking that they support them amd that they are a new separate "old school" GT. Its not and the moment it dossnt work out Pon will screw dealers over to look out for their own self interest. Look into what Pon really is. Look who's left of the companies they bought. Most of thoe people that meant anything are gone.
My first mountain bike was GT Avalanche. Not up there with proper mountain bikes, but I rode it a lot and even where I shouldn't have. Btw, no mention of Hans No Way Ray when talking about GT? He's been ambassador for the brand for almost 40 years and one of best selling riders for them... Made them really popular
I tried to keep the video short and sweet and just about Gary and Richard so it was hard to leave out Hans. I'd love to do a more in depth video on specifically the GT team
I have a GT Tequesta that I bought in 91. It was luv at 1st sight. Upgraded and replaced all of the heavy steel components. Still has the original Rock Shock. It's been well cared for and is still rollin smooth and fast on Maxxis DTH 26x2.215 tires. Lighter than alot of new mountain bikes. I still ride it at least once a week. Lots of miles on it. Get lots of compliments. Glad that I never sold it.
I’m 55 and collect old school bmx, yes I have gt freestyle beautiful, I have also had the pleasure of meeting Gary & Craig here in the uk 🇬🇧, they are 100% genuine nice people, I love the GT old school brand and now Craig is building wow
Changed my job recently and have a much shorter commute. With the longer days coming in, I've started using my 1997 GT Ricochet to go back and forward to work and leave the car at home. Still going strong after almost 30 years.
In ‘91 I bought a Tequesta with money from my first job. I wrecked the frame and changed it to an Avalanche. Last year it was resto’d to a ‘93 Zaskar. None of the original parts remain, but I ride it regularly. It’s rugged and precise in all the right places.
Nice video. On point. For me it was the 1987-1990 GT PFT especially the Dayglow pink bikes….oh yeah. Let’s hope the new GT is back to its roots. We need a 20” new school style 1987 double bend frame bike.
Redline, GT, Diamondback, Hutch, Mongoose, Haro, PK Ripper, Race Inc, Torker, Skyway, CW, Kuwahara, were all brands seen in the Midwest in the 80s. Great stuff!
My first MTB that i built up myself was a GT Karakoram about 1994-1995 or so. I got the frame for $75 and used a British manual to put the bike together using spare parts i had been saving. The first thing i did was tried to screw in the bottom bracket from the wrong side.. After they got it installed correctly for me it went fine I lived in a town in the midwest area in the early 70's to 1991 and had never heard of GT before. We had Scwinn and later on my dad had a few too many beers and bought me a Murray x24 BMX bike for my birthday It was freaking huge and i was the smallest kid in my class. I never learned how to pop a wheelie on that monster bike but i remember riding over someone that wiped out in front of me during a bike-a-thon.
Pretty spot on video. Never the same after Richard died. Gary leaving was the final blow. There is a book coming out about Richard Long that gives all the details. Good video!
Videos like this bring back a lot of memories, GT, dyno, mongoose, diamondbacks, next, were definitely the bikes to own but bike riding came and went that was the same as getting a new phone, game system, tablet, or new pair of sneakers back in the day love this video
I've got a prototype full suspension DS/4X frame that GT had developed the year they folded. Most folks don't remember, they were going to put Brian Lopes *and* Eric Carter on the same team. Got it as part of a 'mystery box' sold out of the old warehouse shut down when Doral bought GT.
I have a GT Outpost Trail I’m putting some love into. I got the bike for $50. I’m really digging it. I used to have old school GF and Specialized mtb’s in the 90’s and I can say this bike is just as good. I like its distinctive “triple triangle” and the top tube has an interesting taper towards the back plus it’s all 4130 cro-mo…good ol steel! It’s also got eyelets everywhere for mounting racks and fenders. This is going to be my adventure/touring bike, after I’m done with it.
My first MTB was a 1992 Zaskar on aluminum finish, I love that bike, it was sturdy strong and very responsive drive. Ever since, I have GTs bikes. To me that company is innovative and quality. I'm thinking to buy a full suspension GT Force soon. Thanks for the video, it answered a long time question
I worked there in the late 90's. Gary Turner built the first bikes but it was Richard Long who built the brand. He was a force of nature. The company lost its way when he died in a 1996 motorcycle accident. Some successes but it was never the same company. The buyout by Pon Holdings and merging of administrative space with Cervelo here in Socal could be a rebirth.
I still have my original 1981 GT pro I bought brand new back in '81. In the late '80s it got stolen and then all I got back out of that was the frame forks and I rebuilt it years later.
I still have my '96 Zaskar. Love it, still ride it occasionally, I'll never sell it. When I was a kid, this was the bike to have. Really sorry GT don't make a high end bike anymore. If they ever make it back to what they were, I'd buy another in a heartbeat.
My brother bought pro performer electric blue in 86 he still has it now, skyway hot seat on laid back gt seat post Grey skyway with coaster rear brake Haro freestyle handle bars he nicked off me mx quick release front brake pink gt tires the bike is in almost brand new condition and in his house in Switzerland now
I have a few GT mtb’s from 96/97, a Zaskar, LTS 1, LTS, Avalanche… I loved the brand when I was coming up in the mtb world in the 90’s, and always love finding one to fix up now.
I aquired a nice GT BMX from a younger friend in England who was going to scrap it. It was mint, so I took it. I used to ride it to work. I'm 51. Didn't have a BMX as a kid, so I'm making up for it now.
I had a GT Ricochet mtn bike in 1993 that I got personally signed by Hans “No Way” Rey when he was putting on a trials show with his GT bike. Hans led a group ride through the local trails after the show. It was great!! Gave the signed bike to my son last year, and he still has it.
I still have my GT I-Drive XCR 3000 from 1999. The front and rear suspension has been upgraded to air fork and shock and a few parts upgraded as well. Such a great full suspension bike. Only bad thing is there was no way to properly upgrade the rear to disc brakes without some iffy adapter so it still has decent V-Brakes. That I-Drive system was the first and best version GT ever made. That was innovation.
Back in the late 60's we had stingray-style bicycles with banana seats. I was a heavy kid and I broke the rear axle mounts regularly. The local welding shop treated me as a regular customer. What I remember most was the absolute freedom to go anywhere in town. My mom didn't have drive me anywhere. LOL!
I purchased a 2018 Pro Performer when I noticed the online shops were selling them. Since it was clearly scantily clad, I went to swapping out parts to get it looking like what we'd be drooling over when passing a reputable bike shop as kids. The bike gets plenty compliments when I'm out and about, plus people have been asking if its for sale.
Gary is definitely a legend! I grew up with his family and always admired Gary's engineering knowledge. A brand you should cover is Alliant, it was a short lived masterpiece collaboration of Gary, Scot B Sr, and Mike Devitt.
Just got into cycling and bought a GT Treveo w/o knowing a thing about the brand. It's my first REAL bike, not a Walmart or Target $75 dollar piece of trash, and I love it. It's fast compared to what I used to ride. Now I own a FELT aero which completely demolishes the GT but I still love my 1st real one. If they do make a serious comeback, I'll check em out!
i had a Titan. It was good. Strong slick looking. I was happy with it. Miss those days. Ate it when my 3 piece crank broke landing off a huge jump. The cranks were always the weakest part of the bike, not the frame
I had a neon pink pro freestyle tour team with white tires and accessories. I worked almost a year busing tables to pay for it. .i wish I never got rid of that bike. They are worth a crap ton of money now….
I used to race cruiser class back in the day, loved my 26" frames from GT. Always thought they did some of the tidiest welds in the business. Still like their older mountain bikes and have a few in the collection.
I have a vintage GT road bike that I don't think most people know ever existed. It is a GT Forte and it has a high quality titanium frame> Have never seen another one for sale. I was lucky enough to buy it as a used bike back around 2007 from a guy who I think used to work in a bike shop. He took really nice care of it and I am lucky to still own it even though it is a little big for me.
In 1985 I saved my paper route and lawn mowing money to buy a PINK Dyno Compe for around $200+, a lot of $$ at the time. It was a head-turner and rarely was I mocked for having a pink ride, everyone thought it was really cool. Coolest forks around with the forward bend. I loved it and rode it hard. Hit by a car in '86 which taco'd the frame so I upgraded to a blue Dyno Compe II, it felt like a Cadillac compared to the Compe. Loved the original Dynos and was disheartened to see them transform into a cheap department store brand.
i remember dumpster diving at the GT factory back in the mid '80s for blemished frames. they were always chopped in half but could be welded back together for various projects like sidehacks
I grew up with the GT brand and still have my 1986 GT properformer. I have owned up to 10 GT’s at one time. I also have a 2015 GT Helion. I hope they become a huge staple again in mtbing.
Gt fury 2015 27.5 inch is pretty amazing a single pivot with kinda a high pivot with pivot bearing on the bottom brack you even can adjust the bearing speed that was unbelievable. Then they make sanctiom wich is a small version of that fury i would love to have it one day
I have a Gt Sanction Pro 2016, fully modified, Rockshox Pike, NukeProof pedals, Sram Gx, carbon wheels, soon i ll get a rockshox dhx3 or a Fox Van Rc, great bike, rides so smooth . In my country, they re so underrated. Everybody has a Yt or a specialized/Santa Cruz or A canyon sender. I love my GT so much. For 2000$ you cant get much better. Btw , mine is almost new. Few minor scratches
I have a GT avalanche 2.0 that I never got rid of...My bud had one with newer suspension and we got back in the game 5 years ago to just get active . We went out and to the local "riding areas" we used to go 40lbs heaveir then in our prime....To be honest we had people come up to us with WAY better stuff come up to us and say "I had that bike!!!! And tell stories about their life in those times. Those guys that pushed those GT's back in the day could do WAY more than we could, and ever will....GT's will with that triangle frame and those Color coded Tires will always be my style. GT! Im fat, and past my prime but if you make a nice bike I can swing into on a workers pay I'll buy it, simply cause I rolled with you for soo long.
When I was a kid , only rich kids had GT Bicycles . I get my first “brand “ bicycle when I was in 7th grade . I traded a DOD DESTORTION for a Torker 280 air frame and fork . Built the rest of it dumpster diving at the old International bike shop in Boca Raton , Fl . Got my first GT a couple of years ago . A performer 26 cruiser. It only took over 30 years to final get one .
I found a brand new GT Mach One in bushes past my back field in 1987ish when i was 11, it was so badass. Put many many miles on it and air time. GT FOREVER
When I was a kid I dreamt about getting a GT, Redline or Mongoose but instead I got a Huffy Pro Thunder 4. It was heavy as hell but it was a tank. Put it through hell and it never broke. Still wish I had gotten a GT.
You still can. I'm 50 and still have a GT Proline I'm changing to a 24". IN Cali, many oldheads have SE 29ers, but the GT is a good big BMX option too. Not a Dicks bike, nor whT this guy talks about, bigger now than 10 yrs ago. Kids here have SE, GT, or Rad Power bikes
I'm REALLY wanting to do more downhill mountain biking. I was a BMX kid in the 80s and 90s, riding Mongoose Expert and GT Performers, but I don't really know anything current about bikes. I've been considering getting one of GT's downhill mountain bikes. I don't know how good the are or whatever, but I'm going to guess that as a beginner I won't really notice a difference either way. This video has sort of convinced me to go for it, giving GT my money and "vote" for them. We'll see how that goes :)
GT has been putting out 26 inch retro 89 style freestyle bikes for a few years now. I actually just got a 24 inch Dyno Voelker edition that I made a video for. So far its been a cool cruiser.
It's kind of funny because I just read that Haro is on the move also and going to branch out into many more bicycle types and models. So could we see GT and Haro battling it out again? I guess we will have to see...😊
My 9 year old loves his GT Slammer not a bad started bike for the parks and tracks. Looking for a PK Ripper but hard to find. I use to race a ELF and the GT Box series was a great bike.
My brother had a beautiful Blue metallic/chrome GT Vertigo. So nice it was stolen twice recovered both times in a little worse shape. When my brother and i were in college. My grandparents had a yard sale at my parents house (why?). They sold it for $5.00. They were excited they sold that old "kids bike" for us.
Triple triangle "Zaskars" are among some the lightest aluminum framed mtbs from the 90's.....I have a few of them including an ultra rare "acid green " colored model....Im totally hooked on collecting mtbs I could only dream about owning in the early 90's when I got into mtbing
I have a gt performer and dyno when i was a kid and i love doing flatland tricks like decade,funky chicken,boomerang,caboose megaspin and so many and i love to build GT BMX again♥️♥️🤘🤘🤘
IMO, GT had an amazing winner with the mid 90's (AIR) I-Drive although I also enjoyed the USA made 2000 Zaskar. You're right that Mr Long seemed to be the genius behind GT and they were never the same after he died tragically.
I had a baby blue GT performer with pink and white graphics... with white and blue 150 spoke wheels.i loved that bike... just sucks that it was a pretty heavy bike in comparison to my buddys chrome Dyno VFR. But even though i had a GT, I REALLY wanted a peregrine ultra light. That was my holy grail that i never got to touch.
GT, Haro, Redline, Diamondback were all the brands I drooled over as a poor kid with a 4th time hand me down huffy! It's crazy to see how it's so different now! Edit: Also Gary Fisher! I remember my brother got one for his birthday/Christmas from he whole family and it was a rad ass BMXer!
My friend is a dealer with GT. He sells a wide range of brands including cannondale, evil, bianchi, to name a few. Seems like the shop guys and everyone bought into the Grade and a few higher models for their own rigs this year. Seems like their bikes are selling better than most.
Between 1985-1995, I had Haro, Redline, Dyno, GT and Mongoose, Dennis McCoy riding for Mongoose was my hero. By 1997 I was only riding Matt Hoffman bikes exclusively for flatland freestyle. The quality of many of the aforementioned companies had declined by the late 90s.
Hello? Have you never heard of GT’s Fury, Force and Sensor bikes (NOT sold at Dicks)? I’m still ripping around on my 2019 Sensor, why? Because it’s awesome. They’re great bikes, and it’s very surprising you’re so ignorant of that. Oh, BTW, Danny Hart (yes, that Danny Hart) is racing a GT Fury in the WC Downhills in ‘24.
BMX is alive and well here in Richmond,Virginia.... All the guys my age (43) and younger are watching their kids have a go at it.... Richmond BMX is better funded and in better shape than the old classic former late 60s MX track we had back in the 80s & 90s... Powers BMX is the "Mothership" now... We've got Mtn.Bike trails and pump tracks and more "homemade tracks/jumps/trails" than I remember having way back in the early to mid 90s
I’ve had a GT endurance road bike for several years now, very pretty. 🚴🏻♂️😍 It’s a decent rig that came at a budget-friendly price and as usual with a mix of good, OKish, and rock bottom components. 🤨 There’s room for improvement but I don’t regret acquiring it.
I had a GT mountain bike. I loved it. I got a car (RX7) and parked my GT but rode at least twice a week. I was headed out to school one day and someone stole it. I was so sad. I replaced it with a CANNONDALE SV800. I still have it but it was/is so exotic, I refuse to ride it in LA. It is pristine though and you have to have riding shoes.
I had a GT back in 1980, and was a fun bike to ride, then I found Profile Racing, and never looked back. 18 years ago, stated collecting when I wanted to start riding with my kids. That turned into a pure sickness, lol.
How can you talk about GT and not talk about the person who took their freestyle to a whole new level....the legend Eddie Fiola. I still have my 1885 Pro Performer, and I am 52 years old. !!! Great vid albeit leaving off Eddy. :)
I tried to keep it mainly about Richard and Gary so the video was short. It was hard leaving Eddy out! The only reason I put Bob in there was because of the Dyno storyline. I could do a whole video on the GT riders!
It's hard to accept but it will never be like it was and (more importantly) it will never be like we remember it being... Times have changed. Whatever events brought about the particular situation that lead to the birth and life of BMX racing/freestyle, it'll never be the same. I don't think we'll ever see the same kind of momentum -birthed out of organic grass roots that characterized BMX and youth bicycling in the hey day. Everything is SO corporate these days -calculated and invested, controlled by boards... An organic, grass roots company today isn't grass roots or organic, its "boutique". And there's a difference. I feel like we live in an era where everything is "figured out". Everything is an affectation, done for style rather than fun.Maybe not EVERYthing... And maybe I'm old and just can't see cool stuff being done by "the kids" today. Regardless, excellent videos!
GT, Haro, Redline, Mongoose, DYNO and Diamonback were the bikes to have when I was a kid. They were pricey though. I had a Huffy. lol. I always wanted a Redline, though. I"m 44 now. 30 to 35 years ago, that was all we did; ride around on our bikes everwhere and build ramps that sometimes caused broken bones. Bike parts were traded like currency. Good times. I sometimes miss those days.
Dyno was GT. 😂
@@samholdsworth420 It's been a long time. I forget a lot of things. lol
@@ditherdather 🤪
@@samholdsworth420 I vaguely recall that aluminum frames and 3 piece sprockets were all the rage. Pegs were also pretty popular.
@@samholdsworth420 And we would spend hours sifting through catalogs of parts that we talked about ordering, that we knew we were never gonna order cause they were so damn much money. lol
My first GT was an 89 Interceptor. Worked all summer as a 13 year old kid to buy all the upgraded parts when i started racing. Still have it today🤘🏻
Same here, I broke my Interceptor frame and got a warranty replacement frame that turned out to be a Mach 1. Wish I still had it.
Very cool
I'm 42, I grew up on GT and Dyno bikes! I'm a bmx guy! I would love to see GT get back to the level it use to be!
Yes my early 90s GT Pro Series was so light. It was really fast because it had a larger crank on there but was very comfortable to ride. I wish I never sold it. The guy I sold it to broke the frame and think the bikes became heavy sometime during the mid nineties.
They have a couple good bmx riders on their pro team. Tate rosskelly is one of the dopest riders out there
The bike parts are being made in China now they unfortunately never will
Being an Orange Y local in the 80’s and 90’s I’ve seen Mr. GT’s custom work up close. He’s not a fabricator, he’s an artist.
Cover Prodyne
That track was dope🔥
That was a great track!
Thanks for watching and the support! GT has a much deeper history than I went into in this 10 minute video. What brand should I dive into next?
Turner, Maverick, or Felt.
diamondback, mongoose, Raleigh, redline
PK Ripper, Mongoose, Haro, Redline.
Doug Bradbury, Manitou, and Marin
Try finding the story on Torker. I believe the were located in El Cajon, CA but not sure due to that was 40yrs ago and I forget details at times.
I have a original Gt from the 90's. I was looking on Ebay and they sell for thousands. I'm glad I've kept it this long.
just saw one online for 5800 dollars!!
I had a 92’ light blue anodized GT ZASKAR, put 15,000 miles on it. Beautiful machine
I had purple Karakoram
'92
*Correction: As of the 1st of this year, GT is no longer selling to Dick's sporting goods, so anything dick's has left is dead stock. They were a part of Cycling Sports Group, which is also Cannondale... PON has split GT off of that group into it's own subsidiary. Apparently they are re-focusing the brand and coming out with some nice new fresh stuff. There is a good article published a couple weeks ago on Bicycle Retailer & Industry News (BRAIN)
Dont be fooled, they are still owned by Pon and they are tricking dealers into thinking that they support them amd that they are a new separate "old school" GT. Its not and the moment it dossnt work out Pon will screw dealers over to look out for their own self interest. Look into what Pon really is. Look who's left of the companies they bought. Most of thoe people that meant anything are gone.
Hope they bring back some of their vintage bmx bikes
My first mountain bike was GT Avalanche. Not up there with proper mountain bikes, but I rode it a lot and even where I shouldn't have. Btw, no mention of Hans No Way Ray when talking about GT? He's been ambassador for the brand for almost 40 years and one of best selling riders for them... Made them really popular
I tried to keep the video short and sweet and just about Gary and Richard so it was hard to leave out Hans. I'd love to do a more in depth video on specifically the GT team
I have a GT Tequesta that I bought in 91. It was luv at 1st sight. Upgraded and replaced all of the heavy steel components. Still has the original Rock Shock. It's been well cared for and is still rollin smooth and fast on Maxxis DTH 26x2.215 tires. Lighter than alot of new mountain bikes. I still ride it at least once a week. Lots of miles on it. Get lots of compliments. Glad that I never sold it.
I’m 55 and collect old school bmx, yes I have gt freestyle beautiful, I have also had the pleasure of meeting Gary & Craig here in the uk 🇬🇧, they are 100% genuine nice people, I love the GT old school brand and now Craig is building wow
Changed my job recently and have a much shorter commute. With the longer days coming in, I've started using my 1997 GT Ricochet to go back and forward to work and leave the car at home. Still going strong after almost 30 years.
In ‘91 I bought a Tequesta with money from my first job. I wrecked the frame and changed it to an Avalanche. Last year it was resto’d to a ‘93 Zaskar. None of the original parts remain, but I ride it regularly. It’s rugged and precise in all the right places.
Nice video. On point. For me it was the 1987-1990 GT PFT especially the Dayglow pink bikes….oh yeah. Let’s hope the new GT is back to its roots.
We need a 20” new school style 1987 double bend frame bike.
That dayglo pink was mind blowing 😂!
Redline, GT, Diamondback, Hutch, Mongoose, Haro, PK Ripper, Race Inc, Torker, Skyway, CW, Kuwahara, were all brands seen in the Midwest in the 80s. Great stuff!
My first MTB that i built up myself was a GT Karakoram about 1994-1995 or so. I got the frame for $75 and used a British manual to put the bike together using spare parts i had been saving.
The first thing i did was tried to screw in the bottom bracket from the wrong side..
After they got it installed correctly for me it went fine
I lived in a town in the midwest area in the early 70's to 1991 and had never heard of GT before.
We had Scwinn and later on my dad had a few too many beers and bought me a Murray x24 BMX bike for my birthday
It was freaking huge and i was the smallest kid in my class. I never learned how to pop a wheelie on that monster bike but i remember riding over someone that wiped out in front of me during a bike-a-thon.
Pretty spot on video. Never the same after Richard died. Gary leaving was the final blow. There is a book coming out about Richard Long that gives all the details. Good video!
Loved all my GT’s wish I had them now. My entire childhood revolved around the freedom it gave me. Thanks Gary
Videos like this bring back a lot of memories, GT, dyno, mongoose, diamondbacks, next, were definitely the bikes to own but bike riding came and went that was the same as getting a new phone, game system, tablet, or new pair of sneakers back in the day love this video
I've got a prototype full suspension DS/4X frame that GT had developed the year they folded. Most folks don't remember, they were going to put Brian Lopes *and* Eric Carter on the same team. Got it as part of a 'mystery box' sold out of the old warehouse shut down when Doral bought GT.
I have a GT Outpost Trail I’m putting some love into. I got the bike for $50. I’m really digging it. I used to have old school GF and Specialized mtb’s in the 90’s and I can say this bike is just as good. I like its distinctive “triple triangle” and the top tube has an interesting taper towards the back plus it’s all 4130 cro-mo…good ol steel! It’s also got eyelets everywhere for mounting racks and fenders. This is going to be my adventure/touring bike, after I’m done with it.
My first MTB was a 1992 Zaskar on aluminum finish, I love that bike, it was sturdy strong and very responsive drive. Ever since, I have GTs bikes. To me that company is innovative and quality. I'm thinking to buy a full suspension GT Force soon.
Thanks for the video, it answered a long time question
I worked there in the late 90's. Gary Turner built the first bikes but it was Richard Long who built the brand. He was a force of nature. The company lost its way when he died in a 1996 motorcycle accident. Some successes but it was never the same company. The buyout by Pon Holdings and merging of administrative space with Cervelo here in Socal could be a rebirth.
I still have my original 1981 GT pro I bought brand new back in '81. In the late '80s it got stolen and then all I got back out of that was the frame forks and I rebuilt it years later.
I still have my '96 Zaskar. Love it, still ride it occasionally, I'll never sell it. When I was a kid, this was the bike to have. Really sorry GT don't make a high end bike anymore. If they ever make it back to what they were, I'd buy another in a heartbeat.
Still got my GT pro performer to this day.
I always wanted one and now that I'm 38 I just picked up a 2005 gt performer all original for $50 today.
My brother bought pro performer electric blue in 86 he still has it now, skyway hot seat on laid back gt seat post Grey skyway with coaster rear brake Haro freestyle handle bars he nicked off me mx quick release front brake pink gt tires the bike is in almost brand new condition and in his house in Switzerland now
Mine is my connection to the '80s I don't think I'll ever get rid of it.
I have a few GT mtb’s from 96/97, a Zaskar, LTS 1, LTS, Avalanche… I loved the brand when I was coming up in the mtb world in the 90’s, and always love finding one to fix up now.
I have a GT bmx stem on my 1x7 mountain/street bike (Reynolds 853 frame) - love the retro look 🤙🏼
A video on Redline would be interesting. Also Hutch would be a good one as well. Cheers!
These BMX bikes remind me of my 1984 Schwinn Predator, which I bought for $125. That was my favorite bike when I was little
Predator was my first real bmx bike. Loved that thing
I still have my 2000 schwinn predator trail frame. It's hanging up in my dad's garage since I cracked the frame when I was 14
I aquired a nice GT BMX from a younger friend in England who was going to scrap it. It was mint, so I took it. I used to ride it to work. I'm 51. Didn't have a BMX as a kid, so I'm making up for it now.
I had a GT Ricochet mtn bike in 1993 that I got personally signed by Hans “No Way” Rey when he was putting on a trials show with his GT bike. Hans led a group ride through the local trails after the show. It was great!! Gave the signed bike to my son last year, and he still has it.
I still have my GT I-Drive XCR 3000 from 1999. The front and rear suspension has been upgraded to air fork and shock and a few parts upgraded as well. Such a great full suspension bike. Only bad thing is there was no way to properly upgrade the rear to disc brakes without some iffy adapter so it still has decent V-Brakes. That I-Drive system was the first and best version GT ever made. That was innovation.
I loved the early GT innovations!
The first iteration of i-Drive was the best and most sophisticated, then cost cutting happened 😅
Ur the only person I ever heard to LIKE I drive.
I road a gt Dyno back in the early 90s today I ride gt globetrotter frame 👌🏼
Back in the late 60's we had stingray-style bicycles with banana seats. I was a heavy kid and I broke the rear axle mounts regularly. The local welding shop treated me as a regular customer. What I remember most was the absolute freedom to go anywhere in town. My mom didn't have drive me anywhere. LOL!
I purchased a 2018 Pro Performer when I noticed the online shops were selling them. Since it was clearly scantily clad, I went to swapping out parts to get it looking like what we'd be drooling over when passing a reputable bike shop as kids. The bike gets plenty compliments when I'm out and about, plus people have been asking if its for sale.
My Pro Performer was my favorite bike back in the day. Now I’m riding a Gt 29in bmx bike and couldn’t be happier.
Gary is definitely a legend! I grew up with his family and always admired Gary's engineering knowledge. A brand you should cover is Alliant, it was a short lived masterpiece collaboration of Gary, Scot B Sr, and Mike Devitt.
Just found this channel. It’s like a time warp to my youth!
Love it!
Just got into cycling and bought a GT Treveo w/o knowing a thing about the brand. It's my first REAL bike, not a Walmart or Target $75 dollar piece of trash, and I love it. It's fast compared to what I used to ride. Now I own a FELT aero which completely demolishes the GT but I still love my 1st real one. If they do make a serious comeback, I'll check em out!
I had no idea Gary Turner started GT, and the name was just his initials. Dude was really into putting his name on bike companies!
I am not aware of any other bike companies that Gary Turner put his name on.
@@thesilversender I must've mashed Gary Fischer and Turner together in my head
@@blurglide wow your an idiot
i had a Titan. It was good. Strong slick looking. I was happy with it. Miss those days. Ate it when my 3 piece crank broke landing off a huge jump. The cranks were always the weakest part of the bike, not the frame
I had a neon pink pro freestyle tour team with white tires and accessories. I worked almost a year busing tables to pay for it.
.i wish I never got rid of that bike. They are worth a crap ton of money now….
I used to race cruiser class back in the day, loved my 26" frames from GT. Always thought they did some of the tidiest welds in the business. Still like their older mountain bikes and have a few in the collection.
I have a vintage GT road bike that I don't think most people know ever existed. It is a GT Forte and it has a high quality titanium frame> Have never seen another one for sale. I was lucky enough to buy it as a used bike back around 2007 from a guy who I think used to work in a bike shop. He took really nice care of it and I am lucky to still own it even though it is a little big for me.
I still got my box series 1 24 cruiser. I'm never going to get rid of it.
Ty 4 the video! Eye opening experience! ❤
Glad you enjoyed it!
In 1985 I saved my paper route and lawn mowing money to buy a PINK Dyno Compe for around $200+, a lot of $$ at the time. It was a head-turner and rarely was I mocked for having a pink ride, everyone thought it was really cool. Coolest forks around with the forward bend. I loved it and rode it hard. Hit by a car in '86 which taco'd the frame so I upgraded to a blue Dyno Compe II, it felt like a Cadillac compared to the Compe. Loved the original Dynos and was disheartened to see them transform into a cheap department store brand.
i remember dumpster diving at the GT factory back in the mid '80s for blemished frames. they were always chopped in half but could be welded back together for various projects like sidehacks
I grew up with the GT brand and still have my 1986 GT properformer. I have owned up to 10 GT’s at one time. I also have a 2015 GT Helion. I hope they become a huge staple again in mtbing.
I had a Blue Dyno NSX and I was so pumped. I still miss that bike
I’d prefer the Honda but still a cool NSX to own.
Gt fury 2015 27.5 inch is pretty amazing a single pivot with kinda a high pivot with pivot bearing on the bottom brack you even can adjust the bearing speed that was unbelievable. Then they make sanctiom wich is a small version of that fury i would love to have it one day
I have a Gt Sanction Pro 2016, fully modified, Rockshox Pike, NukeProof pedals, Sram Gx, carbon wheels, soon i ll get a rockshox dhx3 or a Fox Van Rc, great bike, rides so smooth . In my country, they re so underrated. Everybody has a Yt or a specialized/Santa Cruz or A canyon sender. I love my GT so much. For 2000$ you cant get much better. Btw , mine is almost new. Few minor scratches
I had a GT Robinson with powerlight handlebars, a 3 piece crank and all the goodies. Someone stole it some years back, man do I miss that bike.
My first mountain bike was a GT Karakorum triptri. Thing was so heavy! Got aTrek OCLV next and loooooved going light
East coast here, I was always a Hutch fan. I hope GT finds there way home, I miss the 80's!
I have a GT avalanche 2.0 that I never got rid of...My bud had one with newer suspension and we got back in the game 5 years ago to just get active . We went out and to the local "riding areas" we used to go 40lbs heaveir then in our prime....To be honest we had people come up to us with WAY better stuff come up to us and say "I had that bike!!!! And tell stories about their life in those times. Those guys that pushed those GT's back in the day could do WAY more than we could, and ever will....GT's will with that triangle frame and those Color coded Tires will always be my style. GT! Im fat, and past my prime but if you make a nice bike I can swing into on a workers pay I'll buy it, simply cause I rolled with you for soo long.
I still have the GT Pantera I bought back in... '96? That thing is a classic and I'm never getting rid of it!
GT is making a come back through Divide Brand on the west coast with a modern race frame, will see them at local, state, and nationals throughout 2024
I've been riding a GT Force as my downhill bike and park bike last year and then this year and I see tons of GTs still out there.
When I was a kid , only rich kids had GT Bicycles . I get my first “brand “ bicycle when I was in 7th grade . I traded a DOD DESTORTION for a Torker 280 air frame and fork . Built the rest of it dumpster diving at the old International bike shop in Boca Raton , Fl . Got my first GT a couple of years ago . A performer 26 cruiser. It only took over 30 years to final get one .
I found a brand new GT Mach One in bushes past my back field in 1987ish when i was 11, it was so badass. Put many many miles on it and air time. GT FOREVER
When I was a kid I dreamt about getting a GT, Redline or Mongoose but instead I got a Huffy Pro Thunder 4. It was heavy as hell but it was a tank. Put it through hell and it never broke. Still wish I had gotten a GT.
You still can. I'm 50 and still have a GT Proline I'm changing to a 24". IN Cali, many oldheads have SE 29ers, but the GT is a good big BMX option too. Not a Dicks bike, nor whT this guy talks about, bigger now than 10 yrs ago. Kids here have SE, GT, or Rad Power bikes
Had the STS-1 with full XTR. Still the most beautiful carbon fiber, full suspension bike ever.
I'm REALLY wanting to do more downhill mountain biking. I was a BMX kid in the 80s and 90s, riding Mongoose Expert and GT Performers, but I don't really know anything current about bikes. I've been considering getting one of GT's downhill mountain bikes. I don't know how good the are or whatever, but I'm going to guess that as a beginner I won't really notice a difference either way. This video has sort of convinced me to go for it, giving GT my money and "vote" for them. We'll see how that goes :)
GT has been putting out 26 inch retro 89 style freestyle bikes for a few years now. I actually just got a 24 inch Dyno Voelker edition that I made a video for. So far its been a cool cruiser.
It's kind of funny because I just read that Haro is on the move also and going to branch out into many more bicycle types and models.
So could we see GT and Haro battling it out again? I guess we will have to see...😊
I always liked GT. My first freestyle bike was 1984 GT Pro Performer. I currently own 2 USA-made GTs. A 1984 GT Mini and a 1993 GT Pro.
Watching Skills with Phil you’d never guess GT is a dormant company.
I rode skyway, Hutch, Red line. Good time to be young. Still have the 24” redline.
I still have my GT Aggressor 2.O mountain bike from 1999. Still love it.
My 9 year old loves his GT Slammer not a bad started bike for the parks and tracks. Looking for a PK Ripper but hard to find. I use to race a ELF and the GT Box series was a great bike.
I miss my GTs. I have a vertigo first and then a Performer. My parents threw them out when I was in the Marines.
Get another one -- trust me!
My brother had a beautiful Blue metallic/chrome GT Vertigo. So nice it was stolen twice recovered both times in a little worse shape.
When my brother and i were in college. My grandparents had a yard sale at my parents house (why?).
They sold it for $5.00. They were excited they sold that old "kids bike" for us.
Our Local Shop... A-1 Cycle and Lock in Westminster CA 🇺🇸...
One of the First to carry GT .. our frames even had a Stamp.. A-1 Cycle and Lock..
I had a maroon gt interceptor and 96 pro series,i currently own a 24 inch 2018 mach one !
How's the mach one?? I'm about to buy a bmx race bike and I've been looking at the gt pro bmx race line up
Triple triangle "Zaskars" are among some the lightest aluminum framed mtbs from the 90's.....I have a few of them including an ultra rare "acid green " colored model....Im totally hooked on collecting mtbs I could only dream about owning in the early 90's when I got into mtbing
I have a gt performer and dyno when i was a kid and i love doing flatland tricks like decade,funky chicken,boomerang,caboose megaspin and so many and i love to build GT BMX again♥️♥️🤘🤘🤘
IMO, GT had an amazing winner with the mid 90's (AIR) I-Drive although I also enjoyed the USA made 2000 Zaskar. You're right that Mr Long seemed to be the genius behind GT and they were never the same after he died tragically.
I had a baby blue GT performer with pink and white graphics... with white and blue 150 spoke wheels.i loved that bike... just sucks that it was a pretty heavy bike in comparison to my buddys chrome Dyno VFR. But even though i had a GT, I REALLY wanted a peregrine ultra light. That was my holy grail that i never got to touch.
GT, Haro, Redline, Diamondback were all the brands I drooled over as a poor kid with a 4th time hand me down huffy! It's crazy to see how it's so different now!
Edit: Also Gary Fisher! I remember my brother got one for his birthday/Christmas from he whole family and it was a rad ass BMXer!
Had a Dyno detour and a haro shredder as a kid. Will never forget those. Wish I would have kept them
I used to love the chonky frames in the 90s and especially Klein and Cannondale were two of such brands.
My friend is a dealer with GT. He sells a wide range of brands including cannondale, evil, bianchi, to name a few. Seems like the shop guys and everyone bought into the Grade and a few higher models for their own rigs this year. Seems like their bikes are selling better than most.
Between 1985-1995, I had Haro, Redline, Dyno, GT and Mongoose, Dennis McCoy riding for Mongoose was my hero. By 1997 I was only riding Matt Hoffman bikes exclusively for flatland freestyle. The quality of many of the aforementioned companies had declined by the late 90s.
I just bought a Sensor ST- very much on par with all the major bikes people are riding, hightower, fuel ex, instinct, habit, spectral etc..
Hello? Have you never heard of GT’s Fury, Force and Sensor bikes (NOT sold at Dicks)? I’m still ripping around on my 2019 Sensor, why? Because it’s awesome. They’re great bikes, and it’s very surprising you’re so ignorant of that. Oh, BTW, Danny Hart (yes, that Danny Hart) is racing a GT Fury in the WC Downhills in ‘24.
Agreed. really not sure how he isn't aware of any of that. Not to mention Brage Vestavik, who's been riding GT for a few years now.
Remember when the head of 'World Anti-Doping' in sports was Dick Pounder?😂
It was so bloody 'spot-on', I still think it was deliberate.
I completely forgot about that😂😂
I still have my 97 Karakorum Mtn bike! Great bike for being 26".
I still have many various GT parts and a few bikes from GTs prime. And i mostly focus on GT collecting today.
First I had the Mach One the FLY and the Bump the Bump was by far the dopest looking and riding of them all imo
Loved my 1987 GT pro freestyle tour.
BMX is alive and well here in Richmond,Virginia....
All the guys my age (43) and younger are watching their kids have a go at it....
Richmond BMX is better funded and in better shape than the old classic former late 60s MX track we had back in the 80s & 90s...
Powers BMX is the "Mothership" now...
We've got Mtn.Bike trails and pump tracks and more "homemade tracks/jumps/trails" than I remember having way back in the early to mid 90s
One of my first BMX bikes was a GT fueler..
I had a interceptor, then got a dyno vfr, damn u brought back memories
Still got my one of the first dyno slammer bmx with GT tuffs and odyssey flying wedge handlebars.
I’ve had a GT endurance road bike for several years now, very pretty. 🚴🏻♂️😍 It’s a decent rig that came at a budget-friendly price and as usual with a mix of good, OKish, and rock bottom components. 🤨 There’s room for improvement but I don’t regret acquiring it.
I have one of Craig’s and Gary’s 50th anniversary bikes - hand made by the OG’s themselves. Serial Number 11.
I had a GT mountain bike. I loved it. I got a car (RX7) and parked my GT but rode at least twice a week. I was headed out to school one day and someone stole it. I was so sad. I replaced it with a CANNONDALE SV800. I still have it but it was/is so exotic, I refuse to ride it in LA. It is pristine though and you have to have riding shoes.
I had a GT back in 1980, and was a fun bike to ride, then I found Profile Racing, and never looked back. 18 years ago, stated collecting when I wanted to start riding with my kids. That turned into a pure sickness, lol.
How can you talk about GT and not talk about the person who took their freestyle to a whole new level....the legend Eddie Fiola. I still have my 1885 Pro Performer, and I am 52 years old. !!! Great vid albeit leaving off Eddy. :)
I tried to keep it mainly about Richard and Gary so the video was short. It was hard leaving Eddy out! The only reason I put Bob in there was because of the Dyno storyline. I could do a whole video on the GT riders!
I had a mate who had the pro performer, he was so fast in that thing and its creaky crank.
It's hard to accept but it will never be like it was and (more importantly) it will never be like we remember it being... Times have changed. Whatever events brought about the particular situation that lead to the birth and life of BMX racing/freestyle, it'll never be the same. I don't think we'll ever see the same kind of momentum -birthed out of organic grass roots that characterized BMX and youth bicycling in the hey day. Everything is SO corporate these days -calculated and invested, controlled by boards... An organic, grass roots company today isn't grass roots or organic, its "boutique". And there's a difference. I feel like we live in an era where everything is "figured out". Everything is an affectation, done for style rather than fun.Maybe not EVERYthing... And maybe I'm old and just can't see cool stuff being done by "the kids" today.
Regardless, excellent videos!