1
Yes
But GT was the best because its triple triangle, the seat tube crossing the tob tube, the geometry, you know, the front a little up respect the tail... that made that the models of this brand were more apreciated than others ones.-
Cannondale had (and have) a good work in the frames. They played with the dimension of the tubes with bigs down tubes and thin top tubes, they played best than others brands with the weldings: overdimensioned weldings.-
In the full suspension, meanwhile GT was launched GT LOBO and STS (i don't remember the names) Trek put in the market its models wiyh the revolutionary Y frame, the best, not expensive, light, and with the rear suspension in the right anlge.-
But then appear Specialized with the FSR models, they took the Y frame idea, but bending down the top sector of the frame given more space for legs, it was a wonderfull bike, rode one, i couln't purchase it but i rode one in Buenos Aires, it was incredible...
and so on...
I think that is posible say wich brand is best than other brand, geometry, welding, tubes... all in conjunction.-
2
Giant and Specialized (I think it was Specialized) were under lawsuit becuase Giant copy exactly the 4 linkage suspension sistem. The courts in europe said that Giant not made copy, but the courts in the USA said the opposite. For that reason Giant might make a deal with Specialized, to be able to sell its bikes in the USA.-