# GT i-Drive, Any Good???



## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

A friend of mine has been offered this bike. That's all I have! One picture. I don't know the spec of the bike or anything but it looks like one of those cheap box bouncers to me.

From this one picture it looks quite clean but is it any good?

Thank guys.


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## Klurejr (Oct 13, 2006)

My wife has one, we bought it a long while ago, but still stills rides it on occasion.

about 7 years ago my main bike was down for a bit so I moved my disk brakes to her GT and rode it for a while. That thing can climb really good. I liked that frame design.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Klurejr said:


> That thing can climb really good. I liked that frame design.


Interesting. It looks like it would climb like a wet duvet. I've never liked 'Y'- frames as I think there is way too much stress on the seat 'tube' but this one at least looks quite burly.

Looks heavy?

I found a listing for the bike on eBay. Has some decent parts but it's pretty old. Unless it's seen little use I can't see it being a wise buy: LINK


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## Klurejr (Oct 13, 2006)

Define Heavy? I think it is about 30lbs.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

I know the early iDrives very well. The suspension design is a great design and they do climb well as well as descend. Problem is, the early iDrives had a frame issue at the seat mast. They all crack there eventually. I had two top end iDrives that cracked in the exact same spot six months apart. I rode them hard though. GT was in the process of correcting that issue when they went bankrupt in 2001. Someone that doesn't weigh much and was an easy rider could ride one and it may last. The one you have posted is towrds the bottom of the iDrive lineup for the year 2000. Speced out pretty low end. Even in pristine condition only worth about $200 US.


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## ghoti (Mar 23, 2011)

I hated the i-drive. BB moving underneath you was weird. Led to feet slipping off the pedals. Affectionately called the nut buster.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Is the bottom bracket on the rear triangle?


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## ljsmith (Oct 26, 2007)

Below is a pic of my wife's carbon Marathon with i drive. Its probably slightly different than the older version. But as you can see the bottom bracket is isolated from the rear triangle. Its a pretty complex system, but it works pretty well. The real question is how much is it? If its free its a great bike! Anymore than $150-$200 then its not so great.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Ok so I've googled the i-drive gismo now. Good grief! The older one is indeed different but no less mental. My major concern is that the big bits wear and that's the frame finished. 

If the seat-tube doesn't snap off first.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Mr Pig said:


> Ok so I've googled the i-drive gismo now. Good grief! The older one is indeed different but no less mental. My major concern is that the big bits wear and that's the frame finished.
> 
> If the seat-tube doesn't snap off first.


The latter will happen before the aforementioned.


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## Clayncedar (Aug 25, 2016)

I had the I-drive on a 2010 GT Sanction 1 with Hammerschmidt which was an all-mountain 6" travel FS deal.

I liked the I-drive but the small bolts holding it tended to shear off. Me at about 230 lbs. geared up seemed to be too much pressure/weight for them. Poor design according to the shop I layer took it to (not the shop I bought it at).


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> The latter will happen before the aforementioned.


I'm sure you're right. I've seen it happen on a similar bike frame.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

I advised him not to buy it, so he bought it! That's how much my friends value my opinion ;0) He's bringing it down tonight for me to check over, I hope it's ok...


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## Klurejr (Oct 13, 2006)

Mr Pig said:


> I advised him not to buy it, so he bought it! That's how much my friends value my opinion ;0) He's bringing it down tonight for me to check over, I hope it's ok...


what did he pay?


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Klurejr said:


> what did he pay?


£100 ($130). He's just away home. I had a good look over the bike and it's in excelant condition. It's clearly low mileage, not ridden hard and has been well looked after. Chain measures as new, virtually no wear on the disk pads or rotors. Very fresh bike.

One worry is that the guy told him he'd replaced the bottom-bracket pivot gizmo. I'm thinking A- not good that it failed relatively early in the bike's life and B- if it does it again he's screwed as there is no way he'll find a new one.

He just got it for a bit of fun, it won't be ridden very often, so hopefully he'll get a few years out of it at least. Oh, the Suntour fork is steaming pile! Two adjustment knobs on the top, neither of which seem to be connected to anything inside the fork. It's a shame as to be honest I think the bike deserves better.


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## Klurejr (Oct 13, 2006)

$130 is a good deal I think. He could move the components (minus the forks) to a new frame if needed.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Klurejr said:


> He could move the components (minus the forks) to a new frame if needed.


He could, but take away the frame and it's all pretty old, basic stuff. Nothing special. I'm going to keep an eye out for a usable fork to replace the pogo stick, it's by far the weakest part of the bike.

This mad i-drive bottom bracket scares me though. Who dreamt that up!?


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

i-drives are amazing actually (for what they were at the time)

the faults are: the dogbone wears and gets loose and noisy

that gigantic bearing...dirt goes in, metal bits come out, can't explain that (it's a fair weather system) need to maintain the bizness out of it if mudding, and that means dickin with those small bolts holding it up...


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

127.0.0.1 said:


> ..that gigantic bearing...dirt goes in, metal bits come out..


Outstanding! :0( The guy knows feck all about bike maintenance so muggins will get lumbered with trying to fix it. With parts you can't buy...


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## Cotharyus (Jun 21, 2012)

Mr Pig said:


> I advised him not to buy it, so he bought it! That's how much my friends value my opinion ;0) He's bringing it down tonight for me to check over, I hope it's ok...


I friends are exactly like that.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

I reckon the ring-bearings in the eccentric will be the first thing to go. Can you still buy those?


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Mr Pig said:


> This mad i-drive bottom bracket scares me though. Who dreamt that up!?


It's really an ingenious piece of work. They work great and nothing to worry about.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

https://forums.mtbr.com/gt/i-drive-pivot-maintenance-repair-560521.html

there are two types of idrive

v1 the OP has, the giant ring bearing, and the type in the pic below
v2 is the smaller dangling BB version as in post #8


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

127.0.0.1 said:


> https://forums.mtbr.com/gt/i-drive-pivot-maintenance-repair-560521.html
> 
> there are two types of idrive
> 
> ...


Yes, the OP posted the first iDrive version. I bought one in 2000. Great system as far as suspension goes. The frame seat mast was the weak link on those bikes. I wouldn't be concerned on the parts of the eccentric wearing out. Unless of course he rides like a mad man through mud daily.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

127.0.0.1 said:


> http://forums.mtbr.com/gt/i-drive-pivot-maintenance-repair-560521.html


Thanks for the link. Unfortunately none of the pictures are visible my end :0(

This thing won't get any maintenance. The guy who bought the bike won't do it and I ain't doing it. We live in Scotland, the bike will know mud.


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## MozFat (Dec 16, 2016)

LMAO, very funny thread. Always struck me as a monstrously complicated way to make a URT work


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

MozFat said:


> LMAO, very funny thread. Always struck me as a monstrously complicated way to make a URT work


I have to agree. You're basically standing on this bearing. You want it to be be sturdy and simple, this is neither.


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## Picard (Apr 5, 2005)

I thought this idrive is ancient defunct technology. 

Sent from my F3213 using Tapatalk


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Picard said:


> I thought this idrive is ancient defunct technology.


You could describe it that way.


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