After a few glimpses on social media channels and at various enduro races, the new 2022 GT Force is officially here. The revised enduro bike hits the trails with a 160 mm travel high pivot rear end and 29″ wheels. We’ve got all the details about Martin Maes’ new race machine.
The 150 mm travel GT Force used to be the trail bike in the GT Bicycles range. But that didn’t stop pros like Martin Meas from taking several EWS podiums on the bike. With 160 mm travel at the rear and 170 mm up front, the new Force offers significantly longer travel and relies on the same high-pivot technology as the American brand’s downhill bike. The front triangle of the frame is made of carbon, paired with an aluminium rear end. Both the front and rear wheels are 29″ throughout. The new Force is available in three different builds and as a frameset alone, expected to be in stores from September with prices varying from € 3,899 to € 6,099.
The high-pivot rear suspension on the 2022 GT Force
The most apparent change on the new model of the GT Force is the high pivot point and idler pulley of the rear suspension. GT have already proven their expertise in this concept on their downhill bike, the Fury. Due to the high pivot point, the rear axle moves backwards and upwards on impact with an obstacle, promising to mitigate hits more effectively. To minimise the pedal kickback that this causes, the chain is guided around an idler pulley. According to GT, doing so doesn’t result in increased maintenance costs.
Although we saw various spy shots with a dual crown fork, GT say the frame isn’t intended for it and comes specced with a 170 mm travel fork as standard. The rear end is said to be compatible with both air and coil shocks.
Clever details on the new GT Force
Home mechanics will be pleased to hear that GT are relying on a threaded bottom bracket and that the internally routed cables in the front triangle are fed through dedicated channels. The frame can also accommodate a water bottle. With the additional option of stowing a spare tube and other essentials in the small triangle in front of the seat tube, you can confidently leave your backpack at home.
The geometry of the new Force
The Force will be available in four different sizes. For a balanced ride, the size S and M frames have a chainstay length of 435 mm, growing to 445 mm in sizes L and XL. A flip-chip allows you to adjust the chainstay length to suit your preferences, giving you a choice of two positions. The seat tubes are short enough to accommodate long travel dropper posts or to choose a longer frame if you prefer. That said, riders who find themselves between sizes L and XL will, unfortunately, have to contend with the 500 mm seat tube of the XL frame.
| Size | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top tube | 563 mm | 590 mm | 617 mm | 654 mm |
| Seat tube | 380 mm | 410 mm | 445 mm | 500 mm |
| Head tube | 110 mm | 120 mm | 130 mm | 140 mm |
| Head angle | 63.5° | 63.5° | 63.5° | 63.5° |
| Seat angle | 78° | 78° | 78° | 78° |
| BB Drop | 30 mm | 30 mm | 30 mm | 30 mm |
| Chainstay | 435 / 445 mm | 435 / 445 mm | 435 / 445 mm | 435 / 445 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1211 / 1221 mm | 1240 / 1250 mm | 1270 / 1280 mm | 1309 / 1319 mm |
| Reach | 430 mm | 455 mm | 480 mm | 515 mm |
| Stack | 627 mm | 636 mm | 645 mm | 654 mm |
The 2022 GT Force models
The flagship Force PRO LE relies on high-end RockShox suspension. Shifting is taken care of by a SRAM GX drivetrain, paired with an X01 derailleur. We would have preferred a lighter X01 cassette instead of the high-end derailleur. SRAM also supply the CODE RSC brakes, offering plenty of stopping power with a 220 mm rotor up front and a 200 mm version at the rear. On frame sizes L and XL, the TranzX dropper post offers a full 200 mm travel, decreasing to 170 mm on size M and 150 mm on size S. The aluminium WTB KOM i30 rims are shod with MAXXIS tires featuring the EXO+ casing, which isn’t fit for the purpose. You get an ASSEGAI up front and a Minion DHR II at the rear.
The Force PRO is our personal best value tip as you get the excellent RockShox ZEB Select+ fork and equally good Super Deluxe Select+ shock for € 4,999. The drivetrain consists of a SRAM GX derailleur and NX components. We like that they prioritised the suspension! Unfortunately, the sizes L and XL have to make do with a 170 mm dropper post. We would have much preferred the same dropper as on the flagship model. The SRAM CODE R brakes on the Force PRO also rely on a 220 mm rotor up front and a 200 mm rotor at the rear. You get WTB ST i29 TCS rims fitted with MAXXIS ASSEGAI and Minion DHR II EXO+ tires front and back, respectively.
At € 3,899, the Force ELITE is GT’s entry-level model and is specced accordingly. The suspension relies on a RockShox Yari fork and a Super Deluxe Select shock. For the drivetrain, you get the SRAM SX groupset. Slowing the whole thing down are a pair of TRP Slate brakes and 203 mm rotors front and rear.
Our first impression
The 2022 GT Force is an exciting high-pivot enduro bike with a few clever details. The PRO and PRO LE builds look very promising, but few will be happy with the spec of the ELITE model. We’re excited to see how the new enduro bike will fare in the EWS and we can’t wait to put it to the test!
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Words: Niklas Spinner Photos: GT
