GTR 2.0 - Carbon Bike
One of things I’ve learned over the years is that a brand is only as good as the people that stand behind them. Let’s face it, eventually something breaks, gives out, under performs, or just goes bad, such is life.
GT was a brand I met years ago during the first years of the BMX craze. Back then GT, Dyno, Haro, Mongoose and Diamond Back (no disrespect if I forgot a name here) were the things dreams were made of. Every day I prayed and hoped that underneath that Christmas tree I’d find my “pro” BMX GT bike and finally be able to pull off those gnarly tricks.
Fast-forward to 2001, my BMX furry now turned into road bike racing. Naturally, I did my research and gravitated back with the familiar GT name I had met years earlier. I found the ZR 2.0 to be a great bike with a fantastic groupo right off the shelf and so I walked out of that shop with a smile reminiscent of my childhood excitement of owning a GT.
One day after a routine bike check, I noticed a crack in the head post and made a call to the manufacturer. My first attempts were a bit of a challenge but I eventually found a local dealer in the Pompano Beach area, a great little shop ( The Bicycle Fix), that welcomed my bike with open arms. Jason, the shop’s owner was sympathetic to the situation and assured me he’d do his best, especially considering I had all of the original warranty documents.
Long story short, GT had been sold off a few years back to Schwinn and was now under new policies. My saving grace was that GT’s regional representative (Tom Hagen) heard my story, reviewed my warranty documents and then went above and beyond to rectify the situation. Not only did he authorize the replacement of the frame but also went ahead and issued an upgrade. A couple of weeks later I was back on the road as giddy as a schoolboy returning home on his new GT.
Trends make come and go but the brand with a long-term commitment to its customers will always be “in”.
Side note: If you want to see what my youthful BMX dreams were made of take a peek at the bmxmuseum.com.
