Tested: 2008 GT Sanction 1.0

GT SANCTION 1.0 $3,300

When purchasing expensive, inessential items—like sports cars or $3,300 mountain bikes—our decisions often are based on emotional responses. For some folks it’s the elegant appeal of a slim, steel frame; others prefer the bulk of a monocoque front triangle. No matter what floats your boat, aesthetics invoke emotion.

One such bike that grabbed my attention is the GT Sanction 1.0. The swoopy lines of its hydroformed frame, the understated, almost utilitarian bronze color and the muscular girth of the RockShox Lyrik fork connected with me. This, I imagined, is the kind of bike that can ride up and over anything. And with that iDrive suspension system, the thing promised to pedal like a dream.

I doubt anyone would have complained if GT used a generic stem and seatpost, but this bike is a name-brand parts parade, starting with the Thomson seatpost and stem. Throw in a stout Lyrik fork and Fox DHX Air shock, Shimano XT/Saint parts and a FSA headset, and you’ve got a high quality yet rugged collection of components.

The frame is loaded with pleasant, subtle details, like a front derailleur barrel adjustor mounted on the seatstay bridge, a healthy gusset supporting the headtube and 135-millimeter, Maxle-equipped rear thru-axle dropouts.

The rough-and-tumble components, however, belie the Sanction’s trail manners. True to GT’s marketing claims, the iDrive suspension system works beautifully, with minimal pedal-inducing bobbing and very little pedal kickback. It’s even solid during out-of-the-saddle efforts. The bike rides high in its 6 inches of travel, making it peppy and responsive. But that firmness comes at the expense of a plush ride. While the bike is definitely capable on rugged and high-speed terrain, I’d classify the Sanction as more of a long-legged trail bike than a mini-freeride or downhill machine. The geometry shies away from the big-hit camp as well. While the 67-degree head angle provides stable handling, the compact 44.4-inch wheelbase on a size large frame gives the bike a nimble ride quality. The bike’s razor-sharp maneuvering shines on tight singletrack, but requires complete attention on high-speed descents.

That’s not to say the Sanction is completely mild-mannered; it has an aggressive, get-rad side as well. Something about the suspension combined with the tight wheelbase just begs for the wheels to leave the ground. The Sanction is so neutral and confident in the air that you’ll want to boost off every bump in the trail, and the rugged components condone that sort of behavior. The bike’s only weak links are the narrow 24-millimeter-wide rims. If the fluid lines of the Sanction are tugging at your heartstrings, and you like riding tight, woodsy trails littered with jumps and berms, this bike is definitely worth 3,000 clams. —DAIN ZAFFKE

HIGHS: Efficient suspension design combined with agile handling; bombproof crankset; sleek looks

LOWS: Narrow rims; twitchy at high speeds; not super plush; heavy cranks

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