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Early stuff quite cool, original RTS sub zero, later stuff not cool.
I voted ok. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!
I voted ok. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!
Cool Wall - GT Bicycles - POLL FINISHED
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mechagouki
Senior Retro Guru
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I own one, ergo - cool.
On a serious note, they've been cool since the early 1980s, you can't discount the BMX days when you make your evaluation, they're the all-American bike brand, the muscle car of bikes, think early 1990s Camaro IROC-Z, the Triple triangle is no more of a gimmick than Project 2 forks, it's brand identity, think Team Scream, USA Olympic bikes, Eddie Fiola, the fact that they've made some of the best riding hardtails ever, the brand name whilst it originally stood for Gary Turner also stands for Gran Turismo, what about adjustable rake forks, a durable thermoplastic frame, making the effort to polish the Xizang when others settled for dull gray, a fillet-brazed production frame, I could go on (and on).
So yes, cool they are.
On a serious note, they've been cool since the early 1980s, you can't discount the BMX days when you make your evaluation, they're the all-American bike brand, the muscle car of bikes, think early 1990s Camaro IROC-Z, the Triple triangle is no more of a gimmick than Project 2 forks, it's brand identity, think Team Scream, USA Olympic bikes, Eddie Fiola, the fact that they've made some of the best riding hardtails ever, the brand name whilst it originally stood for Gary Turner also stands for Gran Turismo, what about adjustable rake forks, a durable thermoplastic frame, making the effort to polish the Xizang when others settled for dull gray, a fillet-brazed production frame, I could go on (and on).
So yes, cool they are.
Whatever the outcome the GT brand may probably not be seen as cool now, but bitd it was riding hard against the rest with some top bikes. It was one brand that originally caught my eye and got me started in mtb anyway, what with the triple triangle frame design thing. It was something a little different in the eyes of a 15 yo kid at the time. They looked solid and purposeful like they could take just about anything you could throw at them, which they did.
The retro originals with their wild paint and functional features, plus the proven race winning classics will always hold a certain amount of respect for those who remember or had one. They're the ones that deservedly earn the cool status no matter how high up the spec list.
Maybe now it's all down to fashion and what's the flavour of the month this time round, or not as the case may be. There'll still be the same issues, stigmas and snobbery when it comes to kona, saracen, orange, marin, specialized, scott, raleigh, giant, trek etc etc... namely the mainsteam or affordable bike brand available to us all that we knew and loved so well.
My Karakoram K2 is always going to be cool in my eyes especially thinking back to the reason why I chose it in the first place. Still struggling to decide which COOL car brand it could be compared to though
The retro originals with their wild paint and functional features, plus the proven race winning classics will always hold a certain amount of respect for those who remember or had one. They're the ones that deservedly earn the cool status no matter how high up the spec list.
Maybe now it's all down to fashion and what's the flavour of the month this time round, or not as the case may be. There'll still be the same issues, stigmas and snobbery when it comes to kona, saracen, orange, marin, specialized, scott, raleigh, giant, trek etc etc... namely the mainsteam or affordable bike brand available to us all that we knew and loved so well.
My Karakoram K2 is always going to be cool in my eyes especially thinking back to the reason why I chose it in the first place. Still struggling to decide which COOL car brand it could be compared to though
Right, I'm gonna rule on this now (in my own, inimitable, arrogant way ;-)) - GTs from BITD were cool.
I see the comments on them being the "Vauxhall" or "Ford" of the MTB world - and I've no real argument against that - but that has precisely nothing to do with them being cool. Ferraris or Astons, or any other "aspirational" cars aren't the only cool cars around.
Cool isn't to do with function, nor how good something is from an objective perspective - it's a certain je ne sais quoi (not literally, I do know ;-)), something ethereal about the item in question. Not whether, objectively, it could be considered "good" or "excellent".
That's why GTs - especially triple triangle ones are cool, that's why biopace was cool. It's also why some very good, very excellent MTBs, would be decidedly not cool.
I see the comments on them being the "Vauxhall" or "Ford" of the MTB world - and I've no real argument against that - but that has precisely nothing to do with them being cool. Ferraris or Astons, or any other "aspirational" cars aren't the only cool cars around.
Cool isn't to do with function, nor how good something is from an objective perspective - it's a certain je ne sais quoi (not literally, I do know ;-)), something ethereal about the item in question. Not whether, objectively, it could be considered "good" or "excellent".
That's why GTs - especially triple triangle ones are cool, that's why biopace was cool. It's also why some very good, very excellent MTBs, would be decidedly not cool.
gibbleking
Old School Grand Master
xiang was cool.....maybe a polished zaskar but nowt else though.
Tomahawk kid
BoTM Winner
GT's Cool........
How can anyone say that GT's are not cool? :roll: pre 2000 GT's defo..
what a roll of honour these triple tri angled frames have not a gimmick race proven world beaters :
Le Xiang's
Lightnings's
Zaskar Le's
Zaskars
Psyclones
Then theres full full sussers
All you haters need to get a grip.
Put it this way I still ride my 93 Zaskar Le weekly, my 96 Pace RC 200 F3
has just failed round the BB weld!!!!!
How can anyone say that GT's are not cool? :roll: pre 2000 GT's defo..
what a roll of honour these triple tri angled frames have not a gimmick race proven world beaters :
Le Xiang's
Lightnings's
Zaskar Le's
Zaskars
Psyclones
Then theres full full sussers
All you haters need to get a grip.
Put it this way I still ride my 93 Zaskar Le weekly, my 96 Pace RC 200 F3
has just failed round the BB weld!!!!!
