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First Look: Guerrilla Gravity and the Innovative Megatrail

10.10.2014
by

Here at Enduro Mountainbike Magazine, we get the opportunity to ride almost all of the newest, hard to get equipment out there, but usually from the big guys. The mainstream companies that have made their way in the industry. But we’re also always keeping our eyes and ears open to the other end of the spectrum. The little guys.

The Megatrail from Guerrilla Gravity has a switchable pivot bolt, changing travel, head tube angle, and bottom bracket height on the bike.
The Megatrail from Guerrilla Gravity has a switchable pivot bolt, changing travel, head tube angle, and bottom bracket height on the bike.

We try to stay in touch, while wading through the onslaught from all the PR firms, with the roots and where this whole crazy mountain bike business came from. Yes, Rock Shox, Specialized, Cannondale and Sram were all started by just a couple dudes sitting around, looking for something fun to do, and how to make the various parts and pieces better for what they wanted to do. They were the tinkerers and craftspeople many years ago. And that’s how Guerrilla Gravity is today.

Guerrilla Gravity is a small company, based in the shadow of Mile High Stadium, in Denver, Colorado. A couple guys and one gal have set out to do their thing and make some killer bikes for themselves and their friends. They’re onto something, as orders are coming in and they find themselves building a few different models of mountain bikes, with orders being a month or two out. Not too long to wait for a new, custom bike, but long enough to know that you as a company are doing something right.

We visited Guerrilla Gravity world headquarters, in a tucked in corner, in a gritty part of Denver. But you get the impression that the GG crew is a bit gritty themselves. Not afraid to figure out what they do and don’t like about bikes and get in there and design and build them, getting their hands dirty, burnt and bruised in the process.

Guerrilla Gravity is headquartered in a little bit out of the way part of town. But because real estate is cheap in that neighborhood, and Denver is growing like mad, Ride GG is being kicked out and will be moving in the next 18 months. Their little industrial space, which they're outgrowing quickly, is scheduled to be demolished and new condos going in.
Guerrilla Gravity is headquartered in a little bit out of the way part of town. But because real estate is cheap in that neighborhood, and Denver is growing like mad, Ride GG is being kicked out and will be moving in the next 18 months. Their little industrial space, which they’re outgrowing quickly, is scheduled to be demolished and new condos going in.
Upon entering Guerrilla Gravity, or Ride GG, you quickly get a feeling of comfort and ease, followed by, oh, this place is cool. Part kick your feet up living room, part awesome bike shop. And you haven't even seen the machine shop, "man cave on steroids."
Upon entering Guerrilla Gravity, or Ride GG, you quickly get a feeling of comfort and ease, followed by, oh, this place is cool. Part kick your feet up living room, part awesome bike shop. And you haven’t even seen the machine shop, “man cave on steroids.”
Ride GG has a program where if you buy a bike, you become part of the "team" or club. You get discounts on sweet gear and are invited on ride days and camping trips. Not a bad way to get your all mountain riding experience kickstarted into high gear.
Ride GG has a program where if you buy a bike, you become part of the “team” or club. You get discounts on sweet gear and are invited on ride days and camping trips. Not a bad way to get your all mountain riding experience kickstarted into high gear.
And then your senses go through the roof. What guy (and certain women) doesn't want to have a "garage" like this. This is what's really cool about small companies like Ride GG-it's all right here. This is where the magic happens. Nothing fancy, including some equipment that looks to be designed by your grandfather. But you can see the process in motion, you see how it goes from one step to the next.
And then your senses go through the roof. What guy (and certain women) doesn’t want to have a “garage” like this. This is what’s really cool about small companies like Ride GG-it’s all right here. This is where the magic happens. Nothing fancy, including some equipment that looks to be designed by your grandfather. But you can see the process in motion, you see how it goes from one step to the next.
Lay it out and start putting it together.
Lay it out and start putting it together.
They certainly don't make 'em like this anymore.
They certainly don’t make ’em like this anymore.
More tool awesomeness. Yep, we want this too.
More tool awesomeness. Yep, we want this too.
Old school lockers complete the authentic feel of Ride GG.
Old school lockers complete the authentic feel of Ride GG.
Some frames are welded, some are just tacked together. Excited customers are waiting for these. Each one is for a specific person.
Some frames are welded, some are just tacked together. Excited customers are waiting for these. Each one is for a specific person.
It wouldn't be an awesome bike shop and manufacturing shop if there wasn't a way to relax after work.
It wouldn’t be an awesome bike shop and manufacturing shop if there wasn’t a way to relax after work.
The Megatrail is one of the models from Ride GG and one that will probably prove the most interesting to potential buyers, with it's flexibility of the changeable "Gravity Mode".
The Megatrail is one of the models from Ride GG and one that will probably prove the most interesting to potential buyers, with it’s flexibility of the changeable “Gravity Mode”.

The Megatrail is the bike we got to take out for an hour. Definitely not enough time to do a complete review on the bike, so we won’t even try. But we can give you some hard numbers and facts about the bike, and say that the bike is worth riding. It’s solidly built, and you can meet the guy who welded it together and assembled it. And that’s what’s awesome about a company like Ride GG. Walk in and shake hands with everyone involved. Everyone. You can’t do that with the big guys.

Specs while in “Gravity Mode” and we say it that way because that’s probably the most interesting thing about the bike, it that you can switch the shock pivot bolt location, which changes travel and the geometry of the bike. A 65.5º head tube angle and 160mm of travel, with a low 12.7” bottom bracket height make this bike very “downhill bike” oriented. But keeping a great deal of pedal-ability.

You can change one bolt, and the bike goes into “Trail Mode”, which switches to a 66.5º head tube angle, 150mm of travel and 13.2” bb height.

We found that changing the modes is probably not something you want to do 10 times per ride, but more of a “where are we riding for the day, and what works best for that location.” It’s great that you have that flexibility and with outstanding workmanship and abuse proved testing constantly happening, it’s not something you have to worry about breaking.

Pricing on the Megatrail starts at $3495 for a complete bike, with well chosen parts. If you’re just not a big company sort of person, and/or you just like the personal attention you get by working with smaller companies, you should probably give Ride GG a call, or at least check out their website and find out more of what they’re all about. Chances are, they’re probably just like the fun, laid back people you already ride with. If those people shred hard that is.

Words, Photos: Daniel Dunn

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