Great vid man! I'd love to see the upgrades soon. Recently got a GT Grade also which I plan to use for longer rides, doable on enduro bike but better on this. Been watching yours and the Bikefam's chanel for what upgrades you guys will do on your grade. The first thing I will upgrade would be the rear hub bec of the super low engagement then a little bit wider tire next. Have a lot of old parts that came off my other bike that im planning to try on the grade and maybe trying it on a flatbar also. Sad to hear about GT going under
Thank you for watching man! I should have some videos out early next year about how I'm going to upgrade the Grade. Glad to hear you're watching Bikefam too! I think the first thing I'm going to tackle will be going tubeless and upgrading the shifter and brakes. I have everything I need but the shifter, I'm waiting to get that ordered here soon. The hub certainly sounds like it has 20 degrees of engagement hahaha. It's not a huge worry to me as of now but getting a new hub laced up would be a nice upgrade. I bet some wheel sets deals are to be had, I keep seeing stuff 20-50% off, that might be a better option than just getting a new hub. I would love to play around with getting some wider wheels and maybe some 2.1" tires and doing a hybrid retro 90's MTB build with a Grade GT. It has a dropper post cable provision, it's just asking for this silly conversion haha. It's sad to hear the GT news... hopefully they can successfully restructure and come back in 2025. Thanks once again for watching! It means a lot to me.
You’ll be road biking next lol. I started mountain biking which I still do. I later did like you and got a gravel bike because I didn’t want to switch to road biking. I rode the gravel bike for a few years then I got a road bike and never looked back lol. I still ride my mountain bike and my gravel bike but it’s nice to switch up the riding styles time to time.
I couldn't agree more! The Grade should really have way more recognition in this riding genre. It was one of the first truly engineered gravel bikes back in 2014. I hope to add a carbon one to the garage soon, and I'll be sure to paint it in the lovely green too!
@BK_BT Nice. I've seen the carbon version and it has very similar lines to yours. I prefer XC to gravel bikes, but for sheer beauty, your bike with that green colorway is the prettiest bike I've ever seen. Love to see an update when you get the carbon version. Seeing it painted would be super rad.
Nice! I have a 2013 GT Timberline 2.0 (converted to dropbar monster gravel bike) and a 1994 GT Avalanche. I love my triple triangle rides! The "phantom click" issue sounds like the barrel adjuster probably just needs a half turn or something. Personally, I'd stick with the Microshift and leave any drive train upgrades as one of the very last potential upgrades.
@@klunkébikes I found an old timberline locally in this same green for $50! I was very tempted to get it but I have too many projects on my plate. I did try adjusting the barrel to remove some tension to help click down to the smaller cogs to solve the missing click. It didn’t help. It’s almost like it’s a soft shift at the shifter and doesn’t register. It will shift no problem once I give it another push of the shifter to go to a higher gear. I might try lubing the cable with triflow. Ltwoo makes a better 10 speed shifter (also hydraulic so I can upgrade my brakes) that I might try and use to make a hybrid Ltwoo/microshift drivetrain. Microshift and Ltwoo have the same pull ratio from my knowledge.
This thing is an awesome deal, because it only lacks a proper gravel groupset in order to be the real deal. Great for starters, because it is upgradeable.
@@levrider9558 an absolutely great deal. Even after I upgrade this bike over time I can move that all to a new frame and it will all work. I really wish they made their carbon frame in a color like this green.
I wanted to feel superior about cheap microSHIFT drivetrains. My daughter's Liv gravel bike had one. But then I rode it, and it was actually nice, and I had to shut up. Sometimes we get so caught up in name brands and ego that we forget that the results matter most.
@@texaswunderkind it quite solid drivetrain! the derailleur, cassette are faultless. If the shifter was ever so slightly improved and I was blind folded, I could be fooled to think it was something way more expensive. I’ll see how the durability goes after riding it for a long period. For the price. I’m impressed.
I might be late to the party, but I'm constantly hearing about GT being done. Maybe it's a particular model that's being discontinued? This bike seems simply sweet
@@rollypollyguy3976 GT is going on a pause it seems. Not killed, but put in limbo waiting to be revived. I think they’re really going through a reorganization process. I asked the customer service rep I’ve been talking to if he had any information to give, but he just gave me some articles because he did not have anything officially from GT. He said not to worry about the bikes if you buy one, it will be supported by their sister brand Cannondale. So if you still want to buy the GT Grade Sport I still would as it will still be under warranty and supported through Cannondale.
Sounds about right. That's basically what my local bike shop guy was telling me. Sounded kind of like once they sell any of their models there's no guaranteed restocking of it for the foreseeable future. He also mentioned a buy back or recall went down not too long ago. I hope they weather the storm. Never let me or mates down over the years.
I'm curious what size you went with and if you'd get a different size. I was looking at the same bike and it sounds like you and I are about the same size.
@@byramfeltner1 I did the medium vs the large. I wanted something more nimble, snappier and tighter on me. If you want something smoother and stable then go for the large
Well your timing is excellent. I just got the Grade Carbon, it was a great price at 50% off but it sounds like GT is no more as PON put a pause on the brand. Sounds like warranty will be done by Cannondale. I think it's a great bike and perfect for anyone hitting gravel and compliments my Optic.
@@dimimtb I saw that news on the skills with Phil video. It’s sad to hear because I think GT has been making some great bikes that fly under the radar, and their customer service is excellent. Forrest at GT was a great help for me, it sadden me to think he might not have a job soon. Hopefully they’re back soon.
Great vid man! I'd love to see the upgrades soon. Recently got a GT Grade also which I plan to use for longer rides, doable on enduro bike but better on this. Been watching yours and the Bikefam's chanel for what upgrades you guys will do on your grade. The first thing I will upgrade would be the rear hub bec of the super low engagement then a little bit wider tire next. Have a lot of old parts that came off my other bike that im planning to try on the grade and maybe trying it on a flatbar also. Sad to hear about GT going under
Thank you for watching man! I should have some videos out early next year about how I'm going to upgrade the Grade.
Glad to hear you're watching Bikefam too! I think the first thing I'm going to tackle will be going tubeless and upgrading the shifter and brakes. I have everything I need but the shifter, I'm waiting to get that ordered here soon.
The hub certainly sounds like it has 20 degrees of engagement hahaha. It's not a huge worry to me as of now but getting a new hub laced up would be a nice upgrade. I bet some wheel sets deals are to be had, I keep seeing stuff 20-50% off, that might be a better option than just getting a new hub.
I would love to play around with getting some wider wheels and maybe some 2.1" tires and doing a hybrid retro 90's MTB build with a Grade GT. It has a dropper post cable provision, it's just asking for this silly conversion haha.
It's sad to hear the GT news... hopefully they can successfully restructure and come back in 2025.
Thanks once again for watching! It means a lot to me.
You’ll be road biking next lol. I started mountain biking which I still do. I later did like you and got a gravel bike because I didn’t want to switch to road biking. I rode the gravel bike for a few years then I got a road bike and never looked back lol. I still ride my mountain bike and my gravel bike but it’s nice to switch up the riding styles time to time.
Haha! We'll have to see how it pans out, I'll be holding out for as long as it can lol.
Beautiful bike for less than a grand. That green with the triple triangle borders on art. Smoking deal.
I couldn't agree more! The Grade should really have way more recognition in this riding genre. It was one of the first truly engineered gravel bikes back in 2014. I hope to add a carbon one to the garage soon, and I'll be sure to paint it in the lovely green too!
@BK_BT Nice. I've seen the carbon version and it has very similar lines to yours. I prefer XC to gravel bikes, but for sheer beauty, your bike with that green colorway is the prettiest bike I've ever seen. Love to see an update when you get the carbon version. Seeing it painted would be super rad.
Nice! I have a 2013 GT Timberline 2.0 (converted to dropbar monster gravel bike) and a 1994 GT Avalanche. I love my triple triangle rides!
The "phantom click" issue sounds like the barrel adjuster probably just needs a half turn or something. Personally, I'd stick with the Microshift and leave any drive train upgrades as one of the very last potential upgrades.
@@klunkébikes I found an old timberline locally in this same green for $50! I was very tempted to get it but I have too many projects on my plate.
I did try adjusting the barrel to remove some tension to help click down to the smaller cogs to solve the missing click. It didn’t help.
It’s almost like it’s a soft shift at the shifter and doesn’t register. It will shift no problem once I give it another push of the shifter to go to a higher gear. I might try lubing the cable with triflow.
Ltwoo makes a better 10 speed shifter (also hydraulic so I can upgrade my brakes) that I might try and use to make a hybrid Ltwoo/microshift drivetrain. Microshift and Ltwoo have the same pull ratio from my knowledge.
This thing is an awesome deal, because it only lacks a proper gravel groupset in order to be the real deal. Great for starters, because it is upgradeable.
@@levrider9558 an absolutely great deal. Even after I upgrade this bike over time I can move that all to a new frame and it will all work. I really wish they made their carbon frame in a color like this green.
very well done review! I loved that bike and enjoyed riding it
I wanted to feel superior about cheap microSHIFT drivetrains. My daughter's Liv gravel bike had one. But then I rode it, and it was actually nice, and I had to shut up.
Sometimes we get so caught up in name brands and ego that we forget that the results matter most.
@@texaswunderkind it quite solid drivetrain! the derailleur, cassette are faultless. If the shifter was ever so slightly improved and I was blind folded, I could be fooled to think it was something way more expensive.
I’ll see how the durability goes after riding it for a long period.
For the price. I’m impressed.
I might be late to the party, but I'm constantly hearing about GT being done. Maybe it's a particular model that's being discontinued? This bike seems simply sweet
@@rollypollyguy3976 GT is going on a pause it seems. Not killed, but put in limbo waiting to be revived. I think they’re really going through a reorganization process. I asked the customer service rep I’ve been talking to if he had any information to give, but he just gave me some articles because he did not have anything officially from GT.
He said not to worry about the bikes if you buy one, it will be supported by their sister brand Cannondale. So if you still want to buy the GT Grade Sport I still would as it will still be under warranty and supported through Cannondale.
Sounds about right. That's basically what my local bike shop guy was telling me. Sounded kind of like once they sell any of their models there's no guaranteed restocking of it for the foreseeable future. He also mentioned a buy back or recall went down not too long ago. I hope they weather the storm. Never let me or mates down over the years.
I'm curious what size you went with and if you'd get a different size. I was looking at the same bike and it sounds like you and I are about the same size.
@@byramfeltner1 I did the medium vs the large. I wanted something more nimble, snappier and tighter on me. If you want something smoother and stable then go for the large
Well your timing is excellent. I just got the Grade Carbon, it was a great price at 50% off but it sounds like GT is no more as PON put a pause on the brand. Sounds like warranty will be done by Cannondale. I think it's a great bike and perfect for anyone hitting gravel and compliments my Optic.
@@dimimtb I saw that news on the skills with Phil video. It’s sad to hear because I think GT has been making some great bikes that fly under the radar, and their customer service is excellent. Forrest at GT was a great help for me, it sadden me to think he might not have a job soon.
Hopefully they’re back soon.
@@BK_BTForrest is amazing!
I suggested this bike to a friend of mine. I was wondering what are the largest tires you can put on this bike?
Max sized recommend from GT is 45mm. I'm going to see if I can stuff some 2.0 MTB tires on here with a converted MTB wheel set haha.
Well just ordered one for 645.00 total free shipping
@@melgozakoki85 Heck yeah dude! That’s a killer deal.
I’m tempted to buy another and give it away to a lucky subscriber on the channel haha