Tested: 2007 GT i-Drive 5 2.0

GT i-Drive 5 2.0 /// $1,899
gtbikes.com; 800-743-3248

GT’s i-Drive series is one of the longestrunning suspension designs on the market, and the latest version of its i-Drive 5 represents a culmination of iterative changes dating back to the last millennium.

The second-from-the-top 2.0 model we tested has a solid parts spec and ride quality that belies its sub-$2,000 price tag. The heart of the bike lies in its intricate linkage design, which effectively isolates the bottom bracket from the rest of the bike, creating the bike’s namesake—an independent drivetrain—which by and large eliminates pedal feedback.

In layman’s terms, the i-Drive provides active suspension without influencing power transfer, and overall the bike performs well. Climbing was sure and steady, even absent any sort of platform shock. Our 2.0 model came with a Fox Float R, which has some ProPedal built into its valving but is about as Plain Jane a shock you can get from Fox these days. Visually, the biggest change over last year’s frame is its sloped and gusseted toptube, which offers greater stand-over height—or bailout clearance, depending on how you look at it.

Despite the bike’s multiple potential flex points, it felt surprisingly solid railing through corners. Kudos go to the bike’s overbuilt 6061 aluminum frame and hydroformed downtube. As good as the bike felt, however, I did run into a few glitches. The Marzocchi XC 600 fork, with 5 inches of travel, felt supple right out of the box, and I found myself making good use of its travelwind-down feature to tame the front end while chugging up long climbs. But after a few extended downhill sections, the fork’s TST chamber freaked out and the rebound damping went through some pogo-stick antics. It was still rideable, but needed to be sent back for a warranty repair.

That was no big deal, but gremlins got to the Fox rear shock, too. Specifically, a quad seal failed and the shock got stuck in the compressed position, which required sending the unit to Fox for service.

It’s interesting to note that the “5” in i-Drive 5 is a bit of a misnomer, as the bike’s rear-wheel travel is closer to 5.5 inches. While waiting for the blown suspension bits to come back I put a longer-travel fork on the bike and took it on shuttle runs, where it behaved beautifully.

Sure, the bike suffered a few mechanical setbacks, but these things happen and this bike was way too much fun to stay mad at for long. —Chris Lesser