[Swine]

...To replace my Intense Uzzi VPX as a do it all AM bike. Im pretty sure i would have been very happy with it after i spent a fair amount of time and money building it right.

But i came across this deal at nashbar, for a 2011 GT Sanction 1.0 with a nasty parts spec at what i feel is an unbelievable price. I owned and really enjoyed a 2008 Force, and all geometry spec's seemed to check out on the Sanction.

So i took the plunge, spent about ~$300-400 more then i was going to spend on the Firebird frame, and am a proud new owner of a Sanction 1.0.

Super, super, stoked. Will post my intial and first ride impressions once i put it together, as well as any changes i may make.

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_544424_-1___202615

 

[Tetreault]

Holy **** is that ever a good deal. the part spec that the complete has is worth it alone:
fox 36
raceface atlas/sixc
x9/x0
forumla brakes
dt wheelset

I'm considering scooping one of these up myself now. Ride it, if i decide the gt frame isn't for me, a simple frame swap a couple months or a season later and your still laughing. good find, you'll enjoy it forsure i've heard really good things about the sanction over the last year.

 

[ZenkiGarage]

Smokin deal!

 

[mattmatt86]

Great Deal. No Larges

 

[gemini2k]

Sanctions are sick bikes. I loved mine.

 

[Swine]

I took one of the last larges.

I have to decide if i want to sell the Fox and run my Vengeance, as well as trade out of the crank for my Holzfellar OCT stuff.

 

[Tetreault]

no on both ideas (from my view anyways)

 

[Da Peach]

not bad... not sure I'm sold...

 

[Swine]

not bad... not sure I'm sold...

How could one do better?

 

[Tetreault]

pay 1 dollar for it like on the price is right when everyone else over shoots their bid

 

[Da Peach]

How could one do better?

rootbeer?

 

[norbar]

Holy **** is that ever a good deal. the part spec that the complete has is worth it alone:
fox 36
raceface atlas/sixc
x9/x0
forumla brakes
dt wheelset

I'm considering scooping one of these up myself now. Ride it, if i decide the gt frame isn't for me, a simple frame swap a couple months or a season later and your still laughing. good find, you'll enjoy it forsure i've heard really good things about the sanction over the last year.

Yeah but you have to sell the dt wheelset

 

[aenema]

Owned both a Sanction and a Firebird in the past. Much preferred how the Sanction rode and I for one prefer the Vengeance to the RLC version of the 36 though the Vengeance will be a taller fork. Fantastic find, you made the right choice man.

 

[Tetreault]

Yeah but you have to sell the dt wheelset

why would i have to sell it

 

[norbar]

why would i have to sell it

Because their durability to weight ratio has been horrible in my experience. 6.1s were the worst ever and they would loose the tire even in the slightest turn, 5.1s were better but never close to competition and the new ones they fit stock on demo are no better than 6.1s. I've seen friends go trough 2 wheels in one day on a very mellow track. They also are not the stiffest ones.

 

[Swine]

Owned both a Sanction and a Firebird in the past. Much preferred how the Sanction rode and I for one prefer the Vengeance to the RLC version of the 36 though the Vengeance will be a taller fork. Fantastic find, you made the right choice man.

Yeah not sure if i want to monkey with a taller axle to crown height on the vengeance. Well see.

Good to hear from someone who has owned both.

 

[KavuRider]

Because their durability to weight ratio has been horrible in my experience. 6.1s were the worst ever and they would loose the tire even in the slightest turn, 5.1s were better but never close to competition and the new ones they fit stock on demo are no better than 6.1s. I've seen friends go trough 2 wheels in one day on a very mellow track. They also are not the stiffest ones.

I did dent my 6.1's, but they didn't fail me. Same with the 5.1's I had on my Bullit. And that was in Phoenix on South Mountain, which is nothing but chunky punishing rock.
To be fair, I did not treat them like the Arrow DHX's I used to have and smash them into everything though. They were light wheels and I treated them as such. But I don't think I would say they were "bad".

 

[Demomonkey]

OMG its the day of the MF dead. That ol dude is one well preserved pensioner.

As for the GT OP, nice work. I-drive is one sweet system.

 

[norbar]

I did dent my 6.1's, but they didn't fail me. Same with the 5.1's I had on my Bullit. And that was in Phoenix on South Mountain, which is nothing but chunky punishing rock.
To be fair, I did not treat them like the Arrow DHX's I used to have and smash them into everything though. They were light wheels and I treated them as such. But I don't think I would say they were "bad".

6.1s are not really lightweight. They are 610g. I did dent the crap out of mine to the point of destruction on a smooth bermy jumpy track. Not to mention my tire came of it on a lip of a jump. That's a common issue of 6.1s. Last year in Morzine a girl that was riding with us lost her FRONT tire in a corner on a 6.1. She wasn't going fast, the turn was mellow and she was light. If that isn't bad then I don't know what is.

As for 5.1s they are probably the best ones of the lot but still for similar weight you have mavic en521 which are noticeably more durable. Not to mention stans.

 

[Swine]

Well worse comes to worse i have Spinergy's Fall Line wheelset that i can use off my VPX thats not to heavy.

Maybe just sell the DT wheelset right off the bat brand new and get as much as i can for them and run my Spin's?

Im fairly certain ill be selling the seat and seatpost right off the bat. There have not been many favorable review of that CrankBro's Joplin dropper. I have some pretty much brand new OCT Holzfellars on my VPX, unless the Raceface stuff is way lighter and has awesome reviews, ill change to the Holz's just so i dont have to run the blue which i am not a huge fan of.


I am still strongly toying with the idea of trading the Fox for my Vengeance, but my mind is far from made up on that topic.

Hell i should be able to get about ~$1400 for the seat, seatpost, wheelset, crank and BB, and Fox if i were so inclined. I could buy a dropper worth a damn, run my components off my VPX which i paid significantly less for(and besides the wheelset have less then 4 rides on), and still have a very similar and/or better performing bike.

Decisions decisions.

 

[norbar]

If you have a tendency to dent wheels or are a heavier rider I'd surely do that. Though fall lines are a bit on the opposite side of the spectrum. The best option in my opinion would be looking up mavic 521s with comps and some decent hubs that are light and you can get 400g lighter wheels than spinergy. Not as burly though but they are dh wheels.

 

[sbabuser]

6.1s are not really lightweight. They are 610g. I did dent the crap out of mine to the point of destruction on a smooth bermy jumpy track. Not to mention my tire came of it on a lip of a jump. That's a common issue of 6.1s.

I got a season of racing dh out of mine. They were dinged up all over the place, but never to the point of losing any air (set up ghetto tubeless with DHF's) and never got too out of round or true. The Yeti team was running them for awhile, too, and I don't recall any of them dnf'ing because of rim issues.

I'd question your wheel build, air pressure and tire selection (specifically how well the tire bead you used matched up with the rim diameter).

 

[Swine]

Well im about ~205lbs with gear. I have not had a tendancy to trash wheels or blow the bead off.

The spin's are ~2400grams as a 135mm wheel set, i havent dug to much into wheel set weights, but what would you say a typical value based wheelset build with the purpose of being a strong all mountain wheel come in as a set?

 

[frorider]

Why is a thread about a deal on a GT all mountain bike getting derailed into a discussion about obsolete versions of DT rims that have been replaced now for years by a stiffer alloy version? Plenty of Northstar abuse over the last 2 yrs and my FR600s are like new. Behave nothing like the soft 6.1s. But what does any of that have to do with the DT wheelset on this GT?

Sell the Joplin while it's new -- plenty of suckers out there will buy it. I think your $750 DT wheelset will work out fine...I'm not sure if the issues w/ the 36 POE version of the DT hubs have been worked out, but if they have, convert to 36 & enjoy.

 

[Dogboy]

The stock wheels on the Sanction will be fine. I wouldn't sweat it.

 

[Swine]

About to say, researching the wheelset more seems the DT E2000 wheelset on the sanction doesnt appear to a 5.1 or 6.1 rim at all.

 

[Da Peach]

Yeah, a 5 second search about that Joplin 4 yielded nothing but horrible reviews.

A friend of mine went through 2 of them before giving up.

Looks like a screamin' deal.

 

[descente]

i would take the DT wheels over Spinergy wheels any day.
i would take the X-fusion over the Fox, though that is a tougher choice.
do not worry about bending rims, it happens to all of them. so run em till they break THEN build some nice Mavic hoops to them.

 

[norbar]

I got a season of racing dh out of mine. They were dinged up all over the place, but never to the point of losing any air (set up ghetto tubeless with DHF's) and never got too out of round or true. The Yeti team was running them for awhile, too, and I don't recall any of them dnf'ing because of rim issues.

I'd question your wheel build, air pressure and tire selection (specifically how well the tire bead you used matched up with the rim diameter).

It was not a problem with keeping pressure. The tire blew off the rim. I landed on a tube alone (inflated to around a high pressure since I was a stupid kid back then). The tire was a 2.5 maxxis high roller. How will that not fit. The wheel was still true, it was just dented insanely. Also that girl incident with a front tire blowing of the rim. Also a maxxis 2.5 tire. Low speed. How is wheel build important in keeping tire?

@Frorider - the fr600s are also quite soft. Better but still not good. E2000 use 5.1s or ex500s? 5.1's weren't also crazy durable to be honest. The same denting issues as 6.1 though not of the same magnitude. If it's ex500 it might be worth the risk but after what I and my friends came through because of DT rims I will never trust them again.


Still that's a great ride and I hope you will have lots of fun on it.

 

[marshalolson]

About to say, researching the wheelset more seems the DT E2000 wheelset on the sanction doesnt appear to a 5.1 or 6.1 rim at all.

the vengeance is 5mm taller than a lyrik/36 at the same travel. no big deal.

the dt e2000 is a pinned (not welded) version of the ex500, which is a legit rim for an all-mountain bike, and plenty of folks run them on DH bikes with god results. they are plenty more durable than a flow anyways.

sick deal man, good thing there are no more larges! or i would have one on way

 

[herbman]

i have also came off a intense on to a sanction, and have been super happy with that call.

love the angles and the way it carrys speed over lumpy ground. i picked up a second hand frame and built mine up, but a guy i ride with is on one that you have and loves it. his wheels are holding up fine as are the dt wheels i have used.
in a side not the only tires i have rolled off the rim are maxxis, on dt and stans rims.

 

[ApolloCreed]

JUST ordered one thanks to this thread! I was going to order a distortion through my team manager but they're all gone for the season!! Loved this bike since last year and the '12 Sanctions (other than the 1.0) are really spec'd bad.

 

[csermonet]

WHAT A DEAL. I would love to have an AM type bike, and this is one hell of a good deal. Too bad I can't afford it at the moment >:0 Congrats, will love to hear your impressions.