GT

Helion Comp Complete Mountain Bike - 2015

The new GT Helion Comp Complete Mountain Bike storms onto the scene this season with its crosshairs set on both cross-country and trail riding. Its low weight and ultra-efficient 110mm of suspension front and rear make it more than ready for some serious XC hammering, while its neutral geometry, 27.5-inch wheels, and tough build kit mean it can hang with almost any trail bike.

The frame of the Helion Comp you see here is made out of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy. Who cares, right? You will. This is often regarded as the best all-around alloy from which to make bike frames. It's mostly aluminum, but also has composite components of magnesium and silicone, blended in the proper proportion to bestow the metal with rigidity, deformation resistance, and incredible torsional strength while still being one of the lightest alloys on the market. In the Helion, the tubes are butted and hydroformed to exacting thicknesses all over the frame, allocating strength and stiffness where they're needed while eliminating weight where it's not. The bottom line is a frame that is ready to take your worst while helping you ride your best.

Helping out here is GT's revolutionary Independent Drivetrain suspension platform. The idea of isolating the drivetrain so that it's not affected by suspension movement is nothing new, but GT's approach is, and it works really, really well. The crankset and the rest of the drivetrain make their home entirely on the rear triangle, unlike many designs that put the crank on the mainframe and the rest of the drivetrain parts on the rear triangle. The problem with this is suspension compression that occurs with pedal force, robbing you of efficiency. It's simpler to build bikes this way — indeed, the I.D. system on the Helion is complicated to look at, but it works. Sprinting or out-of-saddle climbing is rewarded with hardtail-like efficiency, not dependent on a shock's damping, yet it's incredibly compliant, and the front half of the bike remains extremely stable. One spin and you'll see why we love it.

The Helion Comp's build kit is made up of tough, light parts that also save you a bit of cash, because we can't all throw a dozen car payments at a bike, but that doesn't mean you don't want stuff that works. The X-Fusion 02RL rear shock teams up with the tapered-steerer SR Suntour Radeon XC fork, making for a low-maintenance, but still tuneable and compliant, ride. Both the shock and fork also feature remote lock-out levers for on-the-fly adjustability. A Shimano SLX drivetrain and Shimano hydraulic brakes continue the trend of reliability and consistency while also needing very little maintenance. The tough Alex GXD22 rims are wrapped in fast-rolling WTB BeeLine tires, and the All Terra cockpit keeps weight down and is tough enough to hold up for years.

The 2015 GT Helion Comp Complete Bike comes in four sizes, from Small to X-Large, and in the color Matte Grey only. Pedals are not included.