The third in the series of Mountain Bikes under £500, I don’t mind admitting that this is one of my favorites in the category and for good reason.
GT’s Avalanche Sport is ideal for beginner and intermediate riders and comes at a price that won’t break the bank. You get a great ride and plenty of bike for your money. It has carefully tuned geometry and offers comfort and control on the trails.
The Avalanche is one of the longest running GT models and is often referred to as the little brother to the Zaskar which will cost you £1000 or more depending on the model.
Sizes
Available in 27.5″ on the small frames and 29” wheels on medium and large frames; which are among the best and most capable frames in the world of hardtail MTB’s.
Frame
The Avalanche Sport (27.5) is built on a T6 6061 Aluminium frame with a slanting top tube that gives extra stand over clearance and helps on rougher trails.
Standover clearance is a part of fitting a bike correctly for a rider. Most riders look for 2 to 4 inches of clearance between the top tube and their crotch when standing flat-footed on the ground over the bike.
Weight
The frame weight is nicely distributed, and it absorbs vibration efficiently.
Handlebars
The handlebar on this MTB measures 720 mm. It feels wide and helps the rider to maintain control on fast trails. Just watch out for narrow tree gates ???? and bark tatoos.
Gears & Shifters
The mid-level derailleurs from Shimano, are smooth and had no lags in shifting during tests and will stay that way so long as you maintain them. The 27-Speed Shimano Altus shifters are easy to use and respond positively every click.
Brakes
The Textro are not the lightest brakes and can become noisy when the rotors get hot. Brake alignment can take a few tries if you do it yourself. That said, they modulate well, and the stopping power is confidence boosting.
Not being a Textro user, I did some searching around for reviews and the biggest negative I discovered was noise. If they do get overly noisy, you can soak them in isopropyl alcohol before cleaning carefully with a toothbrush or similar. This returns efficiency and quiets them down.
WTB Tires and Rims
WTB offers durability and grip by layering each of their three different rubber durometers.
I love that they’ve gone anti-bike industry jargon and offer just two lines of wheels and tires “Light” or “Tough.” No need to say more; great tires and rims.
Verdict
If you’re looking at GT, you are looking at a company with vast experience and a proven track record of manufacturing great bikes. A great starting point or progression to an intermediate level bike or beyond. You won’t be wasting your money on a GT Avalanche Sport.
Scroll down the page for the Tech Chart and you will see just what you can expect for your money.
You can check out prices and options by clicking on the image below. Please know that if you make any purchases I will receive a small commission but the price you see advertised will not be affected.
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Just Ride Hard, Ride Fair, Nobody Hurt
Tech Chart
| Make | Model |
| GT | Avalanche Sport 2019 |
| Type of Bike | Price Range |
| Hardtail | Under 500 |
| Frame | 6061 T6 Aluminum Frame, w/ Triple Triangle™
Replaceable Derailleur Hanger, Disc Brake Mounts, and Zerostack tapered 1 1/8 – 1 ½ Head Tube, 27.5” / 29er Design |
| Fork | SR Suntour XCT-DS, 100mm, hydraulic lockout, Coil |
| Stem | All Terra Alloy 1 1/8” Threadless, 4-Bolt W/ CNC Face Plate, 31.8, 8° |
| Handlebars | GT All Terra Alloy Riser, 25mm rise, 8° sweep, 6° rise, 720mm
Grips: GT Statement logo grips |
| Brakes | Tektro disc, 160/160mm |
| Gears | Front Derailleur: Shimano Altus, 34.9 clamp
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Alivio Shifters: Shimano Altus, 3×9 |
| Crankset, Chain & Cassette | Crankset: All Terra, 44/32/22
Chain: KMC Z99, 9-speed Cassette: Shimano Alivio, 11-34T, 9 speed |
| Pedals | GT Slim Line Flat Pedal |
| Wheels | Rims: WTB ST i19 double wall
Hubs: Formula QR Front & Rear Spokes: Stainless Steel |
| Tires | WTB Transition, 27.5 / 29 x 2.25″ |
| Saddle | Saddle: All Terra MTB
Seat Post: All Terra Micro Adjust, 6061 Alloy, 30.9 x 350mm |
