It’s not the best kept secret, having made several appearances on the downhill world cup circuit already, but today, GT is officially launching its new 2019 GT Fury Carbon downhill bike.
Updated geometry, a new suspension design and many other details result in a completely new beast.
2019 GT Fury highlights
- Updated geometry and new carbon front triangle frame
- Move to LTS (Linkage Tuned Suspension) four-bar Horst link suspension
- Compatible with both 27.5- and 29-inch wheels with GT’s Switch Kit
- 200mm (27.5-inch) or 190mm (29-inch) travel front and rear
- Idler pulley design to mitigate against pedal kickback
- Flip chip adjustable geometry to slacken angles and increase wheelbase
- Boost 148 spacing
Linkage Tuned Suspension
The biggest news with GT’s mountain bikes this year has been the move away from its i-Drive suspension system to a more conventional four-bar Horst link design.
The LTS (Linkage Tuned Suspension) term will be familiar to more than a few of you out there. This was an integral part of GT’s early full-suspension bikes in the mid-90s, and now it’s back.
Suffice to say, it bears little resemblance to the original, apart from the four-bar design and name. The new suspension design is thoroughly modern with all the usual claimed benefits of supple suspension with a linear leverage ramp to provide smooth support and predictability towards the end stroke.
In order to counteract the rearward axle path of the high main pivot, the suspension uses an idler pulley to reduce chain growth and isolate pedalling and suspension forces.
The suspension offers 200mm travel for 27.5in wheeled bikes and 190mm travel for 29ers. The forged rocker takes a modern trunnion mounted metric shock and is claimed to work with both air and coil springs, depending on your preference.
It also features LockR Pivots that use an expanding thru-axle design to create a sturdier connection between the swing arm and mainframe.
Longer, lower, slacker, faster
The completely new frame sees some significant changes. The carbon main triangle is constructed with GT’s F.O.C Ultra2Technology and as is the trend with all things mountain bike currently, the new Fury has more progressive geometry than its predecessor.
The head angle has been slackened out to 62.5 degrees, while the seat angle is around 2 degrees steeper at 74.9 degrees. That’s likely to help balance out the rather large increase in reach of 20mm for a size medium.
The wheelbase has also increased in length by about 15mm, which is a decrease in the chainstay length of 11mm and increase in the front centre of 25mm.
Lots of adjustability
It’s a common appearance, and the Fury is no exception, that the suspension features a flip chip allowing the head angle to be slackened by 0.75 degrees and the bottom bracket lowered by 6mm.
There’s also a chip at the rear axle allowing you to adjust the wheelbase by 10mm, though this is only available when riding with 27.5in wheels.
GT adds that the cockpit can be modified with adjustable headset cups for the ultimate in tunability and getting the bike set up just right for you.
Choose your wheel size
An interesting feature of the Fury is the ability to configure it for different wheel sizes without affecting the geometry. GT offers a Switch Kit that allows you to change between 29- and 27.5-inch wheels.
It suggests 29in wheels for the demands of racing and where high-speed stability and control are paramount, and suggests 27.5in wheels will be more suited to agile and easier handling for park style riding.
Neat, tidy details
Rather than route cables internally, GT has chosen a design it has dubbed Groove Tube. This allows for easier maintenance by routing the cables externally along a groove on the top of the down tube, while maintaining the clean look familiar to an internally routed design.
The frame also features a threaded bottom bracket, removable/replaceable ISCG05 tabs and space for a bottle cage.
GT Fury Carbon Team 29 specs and prices
- Frame: LTS Downhill Design, FOC Carbon 29in Frame, 200mm travel w/Forged Linkage, 1.5in head tube and 12x148mm thru-axle dropouts
- Shock: Fox Float Factory X2, 225x75 Metric Trunnion Air, Adjustable High Speed/Low Speed compression, High Speed/Low Speed rebound
- Fork: Fox Float Factory 49, 190mm, Adjustable High Speed/Low Speed Compression and Rebound, 20x110 boost thru-axle
- Drivetrain: Shimano Saint
- Crankset: Shimano Saint, 165mm w/36t ring
- Wheelset: All Terra Sealed Bearing 6-bolt hub, DT Swiss Alpine II spokes, Stan’s Flow MK3 32h tubeless ready rims
- Tyres: Schwalbe Magic Mary Downhill 29 x 2.35in Addix Ultra Soft
- Brakes: Shimano Saint, 203mm IceTech Rotors, Metallic Pads and Fins
- Bar: Race Face Atlas, 31.8 clamp, 1.5in rise, 785mm
- Stem: Race Face Atlas Direct Mount, 30/50mm
- Seatpost: Race Face Turbine 31.6x400mm
- Saddle: Fabric Scoop Shallow Elite, cr-mo
- £5,499.99 / €7,499 / $7,500
GT Fury Carbon Pro 29/27.5 specs and prices
- Frame: LTS Downhill Design, FOC Carbon 27.5in/29in Frame, 200mm travel w/Forged Linkage, 1.5in head tube and 12x148mm thru-axle dropouts
- Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Coil RC, 225x75 Metric Trunnion, adjustable rebound and compression
- Fork: RockShox Boxxer RC 27.5/29, 200/190mm, adjustable rebound and compression, 20x110 boost thru-axle
- Drivetrain: SRAM GX DH
- Crankset: Truvativ Descendant DH w/36t ring
- Wheelset: All Terra Sealed Bearing 6-bolt hub, DT Swiss Alpine II spokes, DT Swiss E 512 32h rims
- Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHF 27.5in x 2.5in, 3C compound, DH casing
- Brakes: SRAM Code R, 200/200mm centreline rotors
- Bar: Spank Spoon 785mm, 20mm rise, 31.8mm clamp
- Stem: Spank Spike 25/30 DM stem 31.8mm clamp
- Seatpost: Spank 2 bolt, 31.6mm
- Saddle: Fabric Scoop Shallow Elite, cr-mo
- Sizes: Available as 27.5in for Small and Medium, or 29in for Medium and Large sizes
- £3,999.99 / €5,499 / $5,500
GT Fury Carbon Expert 27.5 specs and prices
- Frame: LTS Downhill Design, FOC Carbon 27.5in Frame, 200mm travel w/Forged Linkage, 1.5in head tube and 12x148mm thru-axle dropouts
- Shock: X-Fusion Vector Coil R 200mm, 225x75 Metric Trunnion, adjustable rebound
- Fork: X-Fusion LV1, 200mm, 20x110 thru-axle, adjustable rebound and compression
- Drivetrain: Shimano Zee
- Crankset: Race Face Chester, 165mm, 36t ring
- Wheelset: All Terra Sealed Bearing 6-bolt hub, 14g stainless spokes, Alex MD-30 double wall 32h rim
- Tyres: Schwalbe Magic Mary Bikepark 27.5in x 2.35in
- Brakes: TRP Slate T4 203/203mm rotors
- Bar: Spank Spoon 785mm, 20mm rise, 31.8mm clamp
- Stem: Direct Mount AL6061-T6 CNC, 35mm
- Seatpost: All terra 2-bolt, 31.6mm
- Saddle: Fabric Scoop Shallow Sport
- £2,999.99 / €3,999 / $4,000
GT Fury Carbon 29/27.5 Frame specs and prices
- Frame: LTS Downhill Design, FOC Carbon 27.5in/29in Frame, 200mm travel w/Forged Linkage, 1.5in head tube and 12x48mm thru-axle dropouts
- Shock: Fox Float Factory X2, 225x75 Metric Trunnion Air, Adjustable High Speed/Low Speed compression, High Speed/Low Speed rebound
- Extras: Seat Clamp, 0mm and +/- 3.5mm offset headcups, 12-15t Idler cogs, down tube protector, custom e*thirteen chainguide, SwitchKit to swap between 29in and 27.5in wheel size
- Sizes: S, M, L
- £2,499.99 / $2,999.99