GT revives the Zaskar as a trail hardtail

Since 1991, the American bike manufacturer has been listing GT the Zaskar in its catalogues. The classic model has won MTB races in cross country, fourcross, dual slalom and downhill. In recent years, the 100-millimetre hardtail from 1500 euros was mainly aimed at beginners, while the carbon models met the requirements of sporty racers. This is set to change with the new Zaskar LT.

GT Zaskar LT: from race hardtail to trail rocket

With the Zaskar LT models, GT presents a hardtail with a licence to shred. The completely redesigned aluminium frame with floating seat stays shows no sign of its cross-country genes thanks to its aggressive design. The 29-inch wheels, 130 millimetre suspension travel, Vario seat post and 1x12 drivetrain make the Zaskar LT a carefree all-purpose weapon. At 1199 euros for the cheaper Zaskar LT Elite and 1499 euros for the Expert version, the trail hardtail is suitable for anyone looking for riding fun with an unsprung rear end at a fair price. At the moment, GT is only selling the Zaskar LT in the UK. However, the bike should also be available in Europe in the coming months.

The facts about the GT Zaskar LT

• 130 millimetres spring travel
• 29-inch wheels
• Aluminium frame
• two models from 1199 euros

The geometry of the GT Zaskar LT

The Americans have opted for a very modern design for the geometry. The steering angle is slack at 66 degrees. A value that would also look good on one or two enduro bikes. The very short reach of 465 millimetres for size L is in the modern average range. The relatively long chainstays (450 millimetres) should give the bike good climbing capabilities. GT offers both models in frame sizes S, M, L and XL.

Prices and equipment

At € 1499, the GT Zaskar LT Expert marks the top end of the range. The top model comes with a Rock Shox TBA suspension fork, 12-speed drivetrain from the Sram NX range and a grippy Maxxis tyre combination of Minion DHF 2.5 and DHR 2.4. The TransX telescopic seatpost guarantees freedom of movement on the downhill.

GT Zaskar LT Elite from 1199 euros

With this model, GT offers an affordable entry into the trail segment for 1199 euros, especially for MTB newcomers. At the front, an SR Suntour Zero 35 paves the trail. The 1x12 SX groupset from Sram is used for shifting. As with its big brother, a TransX Vario seatpost on the Elite model increases the downhill fun.