GT Aggressor XC 2... as an entry level MTB?

[Sittingduck]

Hi

Just wondering what you folks' opinions were on the GT Aggressor XC 2?
I can get one for 360 quid which seems something of a bargain! Riding will be nothing extreme, just lightish trails etc. Would like the option of taking it on rougher terrain in the future though. The spec includes Tektro hydraulic brakes and Deore mechs.


EDIT: Full specs below...

• Frame Material: Aluminium
• Frame Size: 17-18
• Gears: 21+
• Gender: Mens
• Suspension: Front
• Alloy Rims: Yes
• Brake Type: Hydraulic Disc
• Chainset: Truvativ Isoflow chainset with sealed Bearing BB
• Exact Frame Size: 16"
• Forks: Suntour XCR fork, 120mm travel, rebound damping & lock-out
• Frame Colour: Black and White
• Frame-: Lightweight hydro-formed aluminium Triple Triangle frame
• Front Brake: Tektro Auriga Comp hydraulic disc brakes, 180rotors
• Front Mech: Shimano Deore
• Gear Shifters: Shimano Deore Rapid Fire
• Handle Bars: GT oversize
• Headset: GT Alloy
• Hubs: Formula DC 20
• Number of Gears: 27
• Pedals: Classic Cage with Toe Clips
• Quick Release Wheels: Yes
• Rear Brake: Tektro Auriga Comp hydraulic disc brakes, 160rotors
• Rear Mech: Shimano Deore
• Rear Shock: NA
• Rims: Alex ASD-1 disc rims
• Saddle: SDG Bel Air saddle
• Seatpost: Alloy Black
• Stem: GT Oversized
• Tyre size: 2.3"
• Tyres: Maxxis Ignitor
• Wheel size: 26"

Thanks in advance,
SD

 

[Cubist]

Good spec for the money you are talking about. Deore, Tektro, GT frame, Alexrims wheels, all good stuff for the price level. You're unlikely to get anything better TBH. It'll eat light trails for breakfast, but I'm a bit sceptical of the need for a 120mm fork, smacks of gimmicry a bit. Having said that the Suntour forks are adequate for some rougher stuff, but you may find them under damped to really hoon it along some red routes. You can always save up and upgrade later. Make sure the Monkeys at the "exclusive retailer" put it together properly........

 

[Sittingduck]

Hi Cubist

Hehehe - I went into that shop this afternoon for a closer look at it. Seemed pretty respectable to me and a good looking bike Unsurprisingly there wasn't enough available staff around for me to have a sit on it - the one on the stand was a 20" and I would need to have an 18" anyway (I think). Planning to pop back at a quieter time, perhaps on Monday morning as I have the day off & the 20% sale on the GT's ends that day. Just need to work out if I can get the cash together in time and if I can really justify another bike to add to the collection. My flat already looks like an LBS!

Cheers,
SD

 

[Mr Pig]

Looks like good spec for the money, hard to beat I think.

 

[Bman]

Ive just ordered the GT Aggressor XCR . My colleague ordered the XC2 (both on the Cycle2Work scheme)

Listed at £750, but £150 off if you reserve online.

I was going to start a new thread asking pretty much the same as the OP, but I may as well add it in here now

Do you think the price difference (between the XC2 and XCR) is worth it?

Edit : Link to product

 

[Mr Pig]

Well it certainly looks like a good value bike, lots of nice bits on it.

 

[Steve Austin]

Always worth looking at Pauls Cycles be fore buying any bike. you can get a rrp £500 Giant XTC for £370 which is a cracking deal. they also got Kona fire mountains fro the same sort of price.

Its impossible to say which is a a good deal at that price point. There a re a lot of bikes, and a lot of variation in parts. they will all ride fine, they will have good parts, they could all benefit from upgrading over time.

Just steer clear of Full Suspension, at anything less than 1k

 

[User482]

Mrs User482 had one, it was a nice bike and perfectly capable of what you describe. I'm sure that whoever stole it thinks the same...

 

[Sittingduck]

Mrs User482 had one, it was a nice bike and perfectly capable of what you describe. I'm sure that whoever stole it thinks the same...

How cynical
It was in a deal at Halfords this weekend for 20% off the 450 RRP!

Thanks for all the replies but I just can't getthe reddies together until pay day and the deal ends Today. Probably cannot justify another bike in the flat anyway

SD

 

[Mr Pig]

Shame, nice bike. You should've asked to put a deposit on it and payed the rest when you picked it up, they would've been cool with that.

 

[Trumpettom001]

Funnily enough, I'm getting a similar bike (XC3), but boxed, as I don't trust the retailer to assemble it..... (I work as a volunteer bike mechanic, one day one of our customers came in and said "can you see anything wrong with this? it dosen't feel quite right??" I took a look at the bike, and said "well, I suspect it's probably because the front forks are on 180 degrees the wrong way"... she then said "REALLY??? I just had this "professionally built" at halfords, and I havent touched it since.... " I then thanked her for the warning. this was a fairly expensive (for halfords anyway) Carrera... so you'd think they'd get an actual professional to build it..... makes you wonder how many boardman's get built with the handle bars on upside down or somthing similar....

 

[Bman]

I think its down to the employees that work in the individual stores. Some know what they are doing, some dont.

I chose to reserve and collect my XCR to get the 20% discount. It was assembled correctly. Although, I had to adjust a few things once I got it home

 

[PoiSon]

lol well when my carrera was first used, the gears were set up so that when I went onto the top chain ring the chain was thrown straight off. My seat fell off roughly 3 hours later

 

[Trumpettom001]

Yep, I told Halfords three times "I will built it myself thanks" and they accidentally ignored this and made me wait an extra three days while it's being professionally built..... sooo frustrating, as I've been waiting for almost four weeks...

 

[scaryant]

I've got a GT Avalanche Disc 2.0 which I bought 3 years ago and I bought the same bike in Australia (still there) four years prior, the GTs come with excellent kit all round and perform well - I'd recommend them as a great entry level MTB.

However they always fit crap forks and Suntour are just that, however as an entry level set on light trails they will do you fine. I suppose this is how they make the bike more affordable at entry level...

My GT came with a set of RST forks, they were decent quality (for my use) and had good travel for XC and a handy push lockout. They lasted me 2500 km before developing a fault, recently replaced with Rockshox Tora - bliss.

Apart from that I've only just put the bike in for a full service (only because of the fault in the forks) and it needed only a new rear mech (due to wearing after 2500 km) and chain (due to my poor maintenance).

Happy trails.