While the full suspension side of the GT range does take a lot of the attention and lime light, its hardtail range is no less important to the company and the product designers.
Zaskar
Arguably the single most important model name in the company’s history, the Zaskar got a generation into mountain biking during the 1990s. It lives on, and for 2011 gets a new lease of life, or a ‘total rebirth’ as GT are describing it.
The Zaskar Carbon has been around for a couple of years, but a new carbon layup process, FOC Ultra, eliminates some of the resin needed during the moulding and in doing so saves 300g. A medium sample now weighs just 1.1kg.
A byword for versatility, the Zaskar’s flexibility to take on whatever style of riding you’re into is reflected in the range. At the top, the Zaskar Carbon Team is ready to race from amateur to World Cup level and is loaded with must-have parts such as a Shimano XTR 2×10 groupset and ROckShox SID fork and Crank Brothers Cobalt 11 Cobalt wheels and matching, albeit in carbon, stem, bars and seatpost.
The Zaskar started life as one of the lightest and toughest aluminium frames of its time, and indeed is still available as such, with four models to choose from depending on the depth of your wallet. Zaskar ownership now starts at £799.99 and tops out at £1699.99, with the top-end Zaskar Pro equipped as it is with a Fox 32 RL Fit fork, SRAM X9 2×10 and Shimano Deore XT drivetrain and Crank Brothers and Syncros contact points, DT Swiss K1600 wheels and Formula R1 brakes.
Meanwhile at the other end of the price spectrum the newly introduced £799.99 Zaskar Sport gets a decent spec of SR Raidon Air fork, Shimano Deore and matching disc brakes and AllTerra finishing kit, with two colours to choose from.
For the first time the Zaskar can be had in a 29er configuration, with either a carbon or aluminium frame, but it won’t be available in the UK.
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