2020 GT Avalanche: Everything you need to know
The 2020 GT Avalanche is designed to be more orientated towards off road riding than the GT Aggressor. This is thanks to the extra travel on the fork and its more rugged design.
Who is it For?
This bike is for the rider that is new to the sport and wants a bike that will help them develop their skills. It is the ideal first proper mountain bike that is fun to ride on the trails. It is also great value for money, as it should last you a long time.
Details
The frame is an all new 6061 alloy triple triangle frame design. This gives it a great feel on the trails, as it it has a very stiff construction. Stiff frames make a bike more manoeuvrable and give them a nimble feeling.
This bike has some neat features, such as internal cable routing to keep it nice and tidy, while protecting the cables when you crash. If you want to install a dropper seat post (which I always recommend), there is internal routing for that too.
The 2020 GT Avalanche features floating seat stays.This helps with the comfort when you are on the saddle and grinding the gears during climbs.
You get a choice between 27.5″ and 29″ wheels. The 27.5″ wheels will give the bike a more playful feel, as it will be easier to change direction. The 29er will be faster and more compliant over the bumps.
Suspension Details
Depending on which bike you buy, you get a different fork.
- Sport – SR Suntour XCT-DS (100mm)
- Comp – SR Suntour XCM-HLO (100mm)
- Elite – SR Suntour XCR-RL (120mm)
- Expert – RockShox Recon RL Remote (120mm)
The SR Suntour forks are pretty basic and low end. Riding around on smooth surfaces is perfectly fine and gives you a comfortable ride. It is also good for low speed riding on bumpy surfaces. However, if you are riding fast on bumpy terrain, you are going to feel the limits of the fork pretty quickly. It will bottom out on the larger bumps and you will find that your wrists will get tired. If you start hitting jumps with it, you will not have a great time and it may not last very long.
But, that is not what the SR Suntour fork is for, for more technical terrain, you should go for the Elite or Expert versions of the Avalanche. These have forks with 20mm more travel than the other bikes and they are slightly more refined and have a little more adjustment. They are still simple forks, but will make the bike more comfortable to ride and more supple over the bumps.
Geometry
Ride Charateristics
The geometry and components on the 2020 GT Avalanche make this a bike that will help you develop your skills as a novice mountain biker. Don’t expect it to be a great enduro or downhill bike, but on the trails it would be fun and capable. The wide range of gears will help you get up the hills without too much bother too.
If you are not too short, you may want to choose a 29″ wheeled version. This will be a more comfortable ride as it will be able to roll over bumps easier.
2020 GT Avalanche Models
GT Avalanche Sport
Specifications
- Frame: 6061 T6 Aluminium frame, triple triangle with floating seat stays, internal cable routing, stealth dropper post routing, boost 141 forged drop-outs with disc brake mounts, zero stack tapered 1 1/8″- 1.5″ head tube, 27.5/29″ wheels
- Fork: SR Suntour XCT-DS, 100mm, hydraulic lockout, coil
- Stem: All Terra Alloy 1 1/8″ threadless, 4-bolt with CNC face plate, 31.8mm clamp, 8°, 80mm
- Handlebar: GT All Terra Alloy Riser, 25mm rise, 8° sweep, 6° rise, 720mm width
- Front Derailleur: MicroShift direct mount
- Rear Derailleur: Shimano Alivio
- Shifters: Shimano Altus
- Brakes: Tektro M275 hydraulic disc, 160/160mm rotors
- Crankset: All Terra, 36/22T
- Cassette: Shimano HG200, 11-36T
- Chain: KMC Z9, 9 speed
- Tyre: WTB Ranger Comp, 27.5/29×2.25″, DNA compound
- Rims: WTB SX19, 32h
- Front Hub: Sealed Alloy disc, QR
- Rear Hub: Sealed Alloy disc, QR
- Saddle: All Terra MTB
- Seatpost: All Terra micro adjust, 6061 Alloy, 30.9x350mm
GT Avalanche Comp
Specifications
- Frame: 6061 T6 Aluminium frame, triple triangle with floating seat stays, internal cable routing, stealth dropper post routing, boost 141 forged drop-outs with disc brake mounts, zero stack tapered 1 1/8″-1.5″ head tube, 27.5/29″ wheels
- Fork: SR Suntour XCM-HLO. 100mm travel, coil, hydraulic lockout, air spring
- Stem: All Terra Alloy 1 1/8″ threadless, 4-Bolt with CNC face plate, 31.8mm, 8°, 80mm
- Handlebar: GT All Terra Alloy riser, 25mm rise, 8° sweep, 6° rise, 720mm width
- Front Derailleur: N/A
- Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore
- Shifters: Shimano Deore
- Brakes: Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc brake, 160/160mm RT10 rotors
- Crankset: Prowheel Charm, 30T
- Cassette: Sunrace, 11-42T
- Chain: KMC X10, 10 speed
- Tyre: WTB Ranger Comp, 27.5/29×2.25″, DNA compound
- Rims: WTB SX19, 32h
- Front Hub: Formula, QR
- Rear Hub: Formula, QR
- Saddle: All Terra MTB
- Seatpost: All Terra Micro Adjust, 6061 Alloy, 30.9x350mm
GT Avalanche Elite
Specifications
- Frame: 6061 T6 Aluminium, triple triangle with floating seat stays, internal cable routing, stealth dropper post routing, boost 141 forged drop-outs with disc brake mounts, zero stack tapered 1 1/8″-1.5″ head tube, 27.5/29″ wheels
- Fork: SR Suntour XCR-RL, 120mm, hydraulic lockout, air spring
- Stem: GT All Terra 3D-forged Alloy, 31.8mm clamp, 7°, 80mm
- Handlebar: GT All Terra Alloy riser, double-butted, 15mm rise, 9° sweep, 5° rise, 740mm width
- Front Derailleur: N/A
- Rear Derailleur: Shimano SLX GS
- Shifters: Shimano SLX
- Brakes: Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc brakes, 160/160mm RT10 rotors
- Crankset: Prowheel Charm, 30T
- Cassette: Sunrace, 11-42T
- Chain: KMC X11, 11 speed
- Tyre: Vittoria Barzo, 27.5/29×2.25″, wire bead
- Rims: WTB SX19, 32h
- Front Hub: Formula, QR
- Rear Hub: Formula, QR
- Saddle: WTB Silverado Sport, Steel rails
- Seatpost: All Terra Micro Adjust, 6061 Alloy, 30.9x350mm
GT Avalanche Expert
Specifications
- Frame: All-New 6061 T6 Aluminium frame, triple triangle with floating seat stays, internal cable routing, stealth dropper post routing, Boost 141 forged drop-outs with disc brake mounts, zero stack tapered 1 1/8″- 1.5″ head tube, 27.5/29″ wheels
- Fork: RockShox Recon RL Remote, 120mm, Solo Air, 15x100mm, tapered steerer, 51mm offset
- Stem: GT All Terra 3D forged Alloy, 31.8, 7°, 80mm
- Handlebar: GT All Terra Alloy riser, double-butted, 15mm rise, 9° sweep, 5° rise, 740mm width
- Front Derailleur: N/A
- Rear Derailleur: SRAM SX Eagle
- Shifters: SRAM SX Eagle
- Brakes: Shimano MT400 hydraulic disc brakes, 160/160mm RT10 Centerlock rotors
- Crankset: SRAM SX Eagle Power Spline, 30T
- Cassette: SRAM SX Eagle, 11-50T
- Chain: SRAM SX Eagle, 12 speed
- Tyre: Vittoria Barzo, 27.5/29×2.25″, wire bead
- Rims: WTB ST i25 TCS 2.0, 32h
- Front Hub: Shimano MT400 15×100
- Rear Hub: Shimano MT400 QRx141
- Saddle: WTB Silverado Sport, Steel rails
- Seatpost: All Terra Micro Adjust, 6061 Alloy, 30.9x350mm
What do you think?
Does the 2020 GT Avalanche take your fancy? I would love to know what your thoughts are. Please let me know in the comments section below.
Alternative
If you are in the market for a bike at this price level. I would seriously consider checking out the Vitus Nucleus. It is a multiple award winning bike and amazing value for money.
Vitus Nucleus
Good day,
I have the GT Avalanche Sport and I would like to replace the actual HG rear Hub body in order to buy only the XD body only and avoid to take a parts the entire rear wheel , so which brand/model is it ? maybe Novatec?
thanks
F.