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Historians agree that cycling’s past
stretches back
some 200 years to the time when crude, two-wheeled
“hobby horses” were shuffled about the countryside by
the wealthy young men of England. Crude as they were,
these wood-framed contraptions soon led to the
development of cycles pedaled via a crank attached to
the front axle. Incremental advancements in design and
style such as this have long been the norm in the world
of bicycling.
Today, GT Bicycles, Inc., “pedals” its product in 69
countries around the world, with more than 140 models
currently available ranging from bicycle motocross
(BMX) bikes to road bikes to mountain bikes.
Aggressively expanding the bicycle performance
envelope with high-tech materials, tradition-breaking
designs and advanced construction techniques, GT is a leader in
two-wheeled technology. Where the common bicycle once fit the needs
of the many, enthusiasts and competitors alike now demand a wide
variety of choices at various price points. Some serious riders go
so far as to maintain a stable of bikes, one to meet each riding
style or event in which they may compete.
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To meet the diverse demands of today’s riders, GT
modified its manufacturing techniques and responded
with bicycle frames made of steel, aluminum and
titanium alloys, as well as the latest carbon-fiber
composites. Haas CNCs play an important part in this
design revolution, with GT using versatile machining centers in both
the main plant and off site at Innovative Metal Designs (see CNC
Machining, Fall 1998). |
This rack of 6061 T-6 aluminum frames is
destined for use on the flatland freestyle circuit. Featuring CNC machined head tubes and
bottom brackets, these frames are ridden by the top riders in the
world.
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GROWTH & TECHNOLOGY
GT Bicycles has flourished on a policy of heavy participation
in competitive events that test the extreme limits of the
bicycle. This constant high-profile involvement in competition
includes all forms of freestyle aerobatic stunting, BMX racing
and downhill events. But to win big – and “Team GT” can
claim a string of World Cup victories and championships, in
addition to 16 consecutive team titles in BMX competition – advancements in technology must be frequent and fanatically
supported by both the designers and members of Team GT itself.
But these advancements don’t come cheap. In 1997 alone, GT
invested more than $2.5 million in research and
development.
NEW LOCATION
GT recently moved to a new facility in Santa Ana,
California. “The relocation was necessary to improve our
operational efficiencies,” says Tom Mason, president and
chief executive officer of GT Bicycles. “By consolidating
GT’s manufacturing, warehouse and product
development functions into one site with increased square
footage, we have been able to bring more production and
assembly functions in-house. These include automated
wheel-building and CNC machining. Our goal is to
increase the amount of assembled product built in-house
by about 50 percent for the 1999 product line.”
GT presently runs a VF-4 equipped with a
“side-by-side” manual pallet system to mill frame parts such as the
bottom bracket crank housings. The operator can load and fixture a
pallet of parts while the other pallet is inside the Haas being
machined. This increases output significantly, because all
non-machining tasks are done outside of the machine cutting area.
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Keeping a well-stocked umbrella
of tools on hand, the GT Bicycles Haas VMCs are
constantly up and running, cutting parts. GT is known
throughout the world as a leader when it comes to
revolutionary bikes, always on the cutting edge of design and
development. Be it advanced designs for downhill competition
(i-drive suspension component; see below) or radical beach cruisers built
purely for style – GT rules.
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PEDALS IN SUSPENSION
For 1999, GT Bicycles introduced
an all-new dual suspension design
called the GT i-drive four-bar link
system. Though GT is already
recognized as the leader in dual
suspension – both front and rear wheels
feature fully-articulated suspension
with up to six inches of travel and shock
absorbers to dampen the jarring effects
of rough terrain – this revolutionary
concept promises to transfer more rider
energy to the ground than any other
crank model on the market.
Ever since the development of full-suspension
mountain bikes, the industry
has been challenged by the ever-pervasive
problem of pedal-induced
“bio-pacing,” a jerking motion that
occurs throughout the chain while the
suspension is active. This results in a
disruption of the pedal stroke, forcing
the rider to work harder to maintain a
steady cadence.
| GT’s innovative solution revolves
around the design of their new
i-drive system. The i-drive four-bar link
system isolates the crank, and thus
the pedals and feet, from the
frame’s suspension or terrain
input, while creating constant,
uninterrupted tension
throughout the chain. This
means the bike can be
ridden more aggressively one
or even two gears higher than other
bikes on any given terrain. |
An i-drive suspension
component. |
At GT, the goal is to build every part
lighter yet stronger. This calls for the
ultimate in design and machining skills to
achieve these weight cuts without
sacrificing structural reliability. Once the
perfect balance of mass and design is
arrived at, the machinist must be able to
duplicate the design time and time again
to ensure that part failures do not lead to
the dreaded DNF (Did Not Finish), or
even worse, a rider injury. This is where
the Haas machining center delivers
repeatable perfection, the perfection Team
GT trusts when racing downhill on the
edge of control, the same perfection team
riders can depend on while flying
through the air and wondering if their
bike will survive yet another landing. It’s
teamwork that delivers perfection, from
the designer, to the machinist, to the rider;
and the records prove that GT Bicycles is
doing it right – consistently!
GT Bicycles
2001 East Dyer
Santa Ana, CA 92705-5709
714-481-7103
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Online!