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About GT
GT'S STORY IS SIMPLE:
Speed, speed and even more speed.
From GT’s namesake Gary Turner designing one of the first BMX race bikes in 1972 to our modern carbon fiber creations that redefine fast-as-hell, we’ve built a long legacy of racing, winning, yet never taking ourselves too seriously.
As a company, we’re 30 going on 18. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.
1972
BMX frames of the era just weren’t durable enough.
At least not according to Gary Turner. And so, using skills acquired from welding drag racing cars, he created the first GT frame in 1972 for his kid to use on the SoCal BMX race circuit. The frame was a hit.
1974-1980
GT Bicycles was born with a simple vision: to help riders push the envelope of what’s possible on two wheels by creating the most reliable, innovative frames. It was a vision immediately proven in the BMX community, with an overnight cult following on the BMX race circuit.
1981–1986
GT bikes became synonymous with durability and winning, bringing home more BMX wins and clout than any other bike brand of the era.
Success on the BMX track cemented our attitude toward two wheels —we build athlete-proven bikes that let you “Earn your Wings”. Riding legend Hans Rey signed with GT in 1986 and after 25 years he still has more riding skill than you!
1987–1994
Applying the same attitude toward the emerging sport of mountain biking, GT set out to design the best bikes in the world.
Mountain bike pioneers Juli Furtado, Nicolas Vouilloz, Rishi Grewal and Gerhard Zadrobilek validated GT’s approach with multiple world cup titles and national championships aboard bikes featuring GT’s iconic Triple Triangle®. This nontraditional frame design became a symbol for GT and was recognized as the industry’s most advanced frame design.
1995–1998
Our commitment to building progression-enabling bikes continued.
GT was the leader in the development of full-suspension mountain bikes, with frame designs like the RTS and LTS.
Soon our efforts on the mountain were recognized on the road. Having established our brand as the one riders trust to help push their limits, GT built a series of composite superbikes for Team USA’s Olympic campaign – however, these bikes were banned due to their advanced aerodynamics. GT road bikes were quickly seen underneath virtually every game-changing cyclist, from Ironman World Champion Mark Allen, to team Lotto.
1999–2002
We introduced our ultra-reliable and efficient i-Drive® suspension to rave reviews.
The design proved to be groundbreaking. Period. GT maintained a strong presence both on-and off-road, with pro teams such as Saturn opting for GT road bikes, and gravity racers ripping on the GT LOBO DH.
2003–2006
GT continued to test innovations that included the world’s first downhill bike with a production gearbox design, the IT-1.
2007–2009
GT continued to adopt new technologies, introducing production 29’rs and a new proprietary carbon frame construction method.
Force Optimized Construction enabled the world’s first full carbon downhill bike, the Fury, and the UB2, the world’s first carbon BMX race bike. And just like before, results followed. Brian Lopes became the 2007 4x World Champion. In 2008, Burry Stander became the U23 XC World Champion. In the inaugural Olympics for BMX race, Mike Day took home silver; Jill Kintner, bronze. And in 2009, Mick Hannah podiumed (again and again) on the Fury.
2010-PRESENT DAY
It’s all about family! GT has focused on supporting the best athletes and teams to help inspire and develop the technologies that allow us to bring you the best bikes.
Marc Beaumont won the 2010 Val di Sole world cup making him the first person to win a UCI World Cup aboard a full carbon DH bike (the Fury). Fast forward to 2013, GT is still supporting the fastest DH team in the world, GT Factory Racing with Gee, Rachel, Dan, Marc, Taylor, and Martin. We have expanded our BMX teams in both race and freestyle, quickly reestablishing success on the BMX scene.