GT Bicycles, Inc. 2001 ZR 5.0

Price Paid:  $325.00 at craigslist.com

Favorite Ride:
Marin Headlands, Rue de Fortifacions to Belgium toLeon

Summary:
The nice price of this bike facilitated my return to cycling after a 10 year hiatus. Bought it barely used. The wheels had to go. Heavy,rough bearings. Major rolling resistance. Substituted old school mavic on mavic wheels w/(gasp)a sachs 8 speed freewheel and sewups.Also disliked pedals and bought Ultegras. Sure they could be lighter but otherwise I haven't had problems with the other "Sora"
componants except the index front derailer seems awfully narrow. I only get about 4 gears travel before the chain starts to rub. Luckily it's triple compatible so I can set 3 positions even though I have a double. Frame is stiff and responsive and my shifting is smooth and precise. I did immediately dump the shimano chain for a sedisport. This made a noticable difference in the smoothness of shifting.To the people who say it's only an ok bike if you switch entire groupo to Ultegra. Well it's then more like a $1100 bike now isn't it.

Strengths:
Frame, price, looks

Weaknesses:
Sora hubs and pedals. Triple triangle is stiff but butt ugly.

Similar Products Used:
Columbus steel hybrid pre index.

Price Paid:  $500.00 at Washington Bike Cent

Favorite Ride:
Reston Rides

Bike Setup:
GT Zr5.0 Frame
Easton Ec70 Fork with CaneCreek2 HS
Performace Fuego Rims with Michelin Axial
Ultegra Components.

Summary:
Frame rides fine. Changed EVERYTHING. Sora Components are heavy and break. Sora derailleur got bent in a reck and on the way home while sprinting it broke and went into my spokes. That tore by bike apart. It ruined my rear rim and when the derailleur rapped itself around my Cassette it runed my shifters. So now it has All Ultegra. I replaced the rims with performance Fuegos and put a Easton EC70 fork. Now it is a beautiful smoothe bike. Just changed the seat post (It weighed over a pound and a half.) and put on a Performance Carbon Seatpost and a Selle Italia Ti gell seat.

Strengths:
Nice Frame

Weaknesses:
Stock Components

Price Paid:  $350.00 at ebay

Summary:
This is a great entry level racing bike or even recreational bike. Replace the crappy Sora components immediately so you won't be discouraged from riding because of the frustrating, unsmooth, gears. I replaced them with Ultegras. Also replaced the seat with serfa. I love riding this bike with all its upgrades. Still cost me less than a other bikes with this quality.

Strengths:
Stiff frame, sleek paint job, smooth ride

Weaknesses:
Soras gotta go! The stock seat also.

Price Paid:  $360.00 at eBay - Bicycle Revol

Favorite Ride:
county roads round Lafayette

Bike Setup:
replaced stock saddle with specialized body geom., replaced stock pedals (poor) with Shimano SPD-R 5

Summary:
good bike for the price, as my first road bike, it has made entry into the sport cheaper and more enjoyable than if I would have gone with other brands. I feel it is a competitive bike against other bikes costing much much more. Visually, the GT looks great.

Strengths:
comfortable ride, light enough to beat cars off the line at stoplights. :)

Weaknesses:
pedals, seat and rear derailuer are garbage. Original rim tape cost me 3 tubes! Check rim tape, may have to replace with thicker properly applied brand.

Similar Products Used:
tested Specialized Allez

Price Paid:  $330.00 at Local Perforamnce Sh

Favorite Ride:
I90 bridge (when people are stuck in traffic)

Bike Setup:
stock, but will upgrade the sora, and seat.

Summary:
This is a great bike to start out with. Like most people said, the components are bad. Shifting is not smooth. But overall; this bike burns. The frame is great, the brakes work, and the value is excellent. If you are looking to get a nice road bike, w/o paying lots of money, this is it! If you ride it more than 30 min, get a new seat. The gt one is not very nice.

Strengths:
Frame, Geometry, Colors, brakes (work good), VALUE

Weaknesses:
Sora comps, gt seat. Everything else kicks!

Similar Products Used:
khs 500