Tuesday, 6 March 2012

GT Bicycles and I Drive (No, it's not a Autobiography)

I Drive, or Independent Drive train, it's the revolutionary drive train system from GT Bicycles that allows their bikes to pedal with out changing chain length while navigating uneven terrain. It's pretty freakin' cool, and has actually been around for a while. But how does it work and how will it make riding easier for you? Well read on...

With I-Drive, regardless of how the rear wheel moves, it wont pull on the chain, crank or pedals.That way the rider wont get pedal feedback and it improves your pedal stroke efficiency. Because the suspension operates independently of the drive train, it allows both components to focus on what they are meant to do. So with the suspension not having to take orders from the drive train anymore it makes for a smooth ride and allows the suspension to follow the path of impact which considerably quiets the bike. The rider can keep the momentum, especially going up hill (it's hard enough going uphill without your bike working against you).

The other good thing is there aren't any other components or linkages or pivot points, so that way things don't break, the less headaches the better. You can find the I Drive or pretty much any of the bike in GT lineup of gravity, all mountain, and most of the enduro product families. I think it's a very cool piece of tech and I can't wait to get out and try it.

The other thing about GT is you can now find them in Sportchek stores across Canada. So add the GT line with Jamis, in itself a very reputable product and all of a sudden you have a very attractive product line up. Throw in the value added Reebok and Nakamura brands and you can truly find a bike for anyone here. The prices range from $180-ish up to $1300 and higher in larger stores like Sportchek/Atmosphere in Halifax Shopping Center

Make sure that when you buy your bike you are properly sized. You don't want to get into a frame that is too big or too small as it will make handling the bike more difficult, cause stress on your neck, arms and back, and generally make for a less enjoyable riding experience. Make sure you have 1-3" of clearance under the tires when you hoist it up and it's, ahem... "snug". Then place the ball of your foot on the pedal when it's at the bottom of the pedal stroke, you should have a very slight bend in your knee when your seated with your butt cheeks properly placed on the saddle.

Dont forget you have to have a noise making device (aka bell) and padded shorts are always a good idea if your planning to spend any amount of time in the saddle. Watch for upcoming blogs that will focus on these products.

As always thanks again for reading. next week I'm going to venture into the travel realm as we head to Sunday River for the week to ski, ride, drink, shop, sleep, and as always do it all with big smiles on our faces. Stay tuned.

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