Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - GT Alloy? (Gutterball frame)

Hey,

I'm thinking about buying a GT Gutterball. I've tried a few bikes and I just like the ride of this bike (but I'm also considering a Kona Paddy wagon).

Anyways, the frae is made from "GT alloy". Does anyone know what this is? Is it an aluminum composite, is it steel, is it a mix of materials? If it isn't steel, any thoughts on how the ride would compare with a steel frame?

I don't want to find, at the end of a ride, that I'm getting beaten up by the bumpy roads here in Toronto.

Thanks for any help.

Kent

Alloy is a blend of two different elements, most likely an aluminium and steel. Words can't describe how a bike will feel on the road. Just go to your LBS, and ask them to try a bike with an aluminium frame.
Read this (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-materials.html) page if you are still have doubts and whatnot.

Website says it's steel. The tubing seems rather thick. It's probably pretty heavy, especially with those deep rims.

The GT GTB, imo, is a great aluminum frame. Can't speak for the Gutterball though.

How much are you picking this up for? There are a lot of other more popular off-the-peg options, even here in Toronto.

Also pay us a visit at www.tofixed.com (http://www.tofixed.com).

You guys should get together since both of you live in Toronto. :)

Alloy is non-tech speak for aluminum alloy. How the frame behaves on rough pavement is going to be more a function of geometry and main tubing size, but the particular alloy of aluminum isn't going to matter. The main issue is going to be the straight blade aluminum fork, that may result in a harsh ride.

Website says it's steel. The tubing seems rather thick. It's probably pretty heavy, especially with those deep rims.

Are you sure it's steel? The website says it has steel track ends, but says nothing about the frame material that I can see.

http://www.gtbicycles.com/usa/eng/Bikes/Road/Details/5938-G10GUT-GTR-Gutterball

Are you sure it's steel? The website says it has steel track ends, but says nothing about the frame material that I can see.

http://www.gtbicycles.com/usa/eng/Bikes/Road/Details/5938-G10GUT-GTR-Gutterball

Click on the "Features" tab. There's some poorly worded sentences there that say its steel. Peculiar!

Are you sure it's steel? The website says it has steel track ends, but says nothing about the frame material that I can see.

http://www.gtbicycles.com/usa/eng/Bikes/Road/Details/5938-G10GUT-GTR-Gutterball

"Steel reinforced track ends".

Zoom in on the pic. Those welds clearly show it's made of aluminum.

Thanks for the replies, people. Deciphering material specs is a little tricky.

So is pricing. The Gutterball is going for CAD$850. I've read posts on here discussing bikes for under $500. In Toronto I just don't see those prices. Things seem more expensive here, for some reason.

I'm looking at:
GT Gutterball - $850
Kona Paddy Wagon - $700
Urbanite custom frame - $900
MASI Speciale Fixed Drop - $950

I've tried all four, and for some reason kind of prefer the Gutterball. It feels really fast and responsive. I've test ridden it a couple of times now. Also, it seems easy to maneuver. I feel like I can go down steep hills and make quick turns on it.

But, based on everything I've read, paying that money for an aluminum frame was seeming foolish. Also, I've noticed that it isn't a popular bike. I've only found one store that carries it. That puts up an orange flag.

So, material type is not a specification, it's a feature! :lol:

Right, it looks like aluminum, is listed as "GT alloy, but elsewhere says it's made of steel.

It's aluminum. I just called a friend of mine from Boise who has one to confirm.

kr5, I don't know where you saw the Gutterball, but it looks like you've checked out Urbane and Sweet Petes so far. Keep looking around. Try Bikes On Wheels. Urbane is great, but their Urbanite builds are wildly overpriced. Among the ones you listed I would go for the Masi, but even then for your first fixed I think you're better off going for a sub-$700 bike.

Urbane also sells KHS Flites, which are essentially Kilo TTs, and about the most popular bike on this forum.

Also, there's nothing wrong with getting an aluminum frame. They're generally lighter, more expensive, and many built-for-the-track frames are aluminum with carbon forks. They're just a harsher ride. I myself ride a Trek T1 and although it can be harsh on some bumpy roads like Bloor West, the weight difference, IMO, is worth it.

Right, it looks like aluminum, is listed as "GT alloy, but elsewhere says it's made of steel.

Well, now that I look at the zoom of the track ends, it is quite clear that they are aluminum with steel reinforcing inserts. As Scrod points out, the welds clearly indicate aluminum and not steel and you can be certain that aluminum track ends would not be welded to steel frame members. My guess it's just some variant of 6000 series aluminum alloy.

If you're not sure if it's aluminum or steel.. Go to an LBS that carries it, and bring a magnet with you. If it sticks its steel, if it doesn't, it's aluminum.

The US price dropped from $769 for the '09 to $699 for the '10. The site does say the '10 is a steel frame, but I'm sure the '09 is aluminum. Maybe that accounts for the price drop. I have an '09 that I bought right before Christmas '09 for $600 CDN at a store that was closing forever. It was the cheapest SS option in Kingston ON. It is certainly light, and I love the way it rides compared to my mountain bikes, one of which is converted to single speed.

It's aluminum. I just called a friend of mine from Boise who has one to confirm.

Yes, I'm quoting myself.

cleanupinaisle3, I appreciate the advice. Do you think that paying over $700 is a waste of $$$ because I won't notice the difference in ride? Honestly, I was originally aiming for under $700, or a used bike, but the bikes I liked were just costing more. I started off by testing the KHS Urban Express, which has 24 speeds, but just found that the single speed bikes felt faster, which is why I'm now looking to get one instead. I will check out the KHS Filtes/TTs.

Scrodzilla, thanks for checking on the Gutterball material. I'm still not clear whether a) that means it sucks or b) material doesn't necessarily matter because it is only one of several factors that effect smoothness of ride.

Yes, I'm quoting myself.
:eek: Oh no you didn't!

Yes I did!

kr5 - if it means anything, my friend loves his '09.

Scrodzilla, yeah, that's good to hear.

Alloy is a blend of two different elements, most likely an aluminium and steel. Words can't describe how a bike will feel on the road. Just go to your LBS, and ask them to try a bike with an aluminium frame.
Read this (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-materials.html) page if you are still have doubts and whatnot.

Aluminum is an element; steel is not. Steel and aluminum are not alloyed together, although aluminum is sometimes alloyed with chromium, which is also used in steel alloys.

A 4130 Cr-Mo frame is an alloy of chromium, manganese, and molybdenum, in addition to steel's requisite iron and carbon. A 6061 aluminum frame is an alloy of magnesium, silicon, copper, and chromium in addition to aluminum. The "T6" that usually follows refers to the heat treating.

/engineering lesson

I've tried all four, and for some reason kind of prefer the Gutterball. It feels really fast and responsive. I've test ridden it a couple of times now. Also, it seems easy to maneuver. I feel like I can go down steep hills and make quick turns on it.

This is what matters. If you don't feel 100% sure yet, keep riding whatever you can find, but ultimately it's you who has to/gets to ride it.

i have one and love it, but i would highly recommend getting a carbon or steel fork with some rake to it cause the stoke one picks up every vibration in the road. I would definitely recommend it even though the majority of people on this forum will go on about how its some cheap rip off of a track bike classic, what matters is that the bike is fun to ride and you seem to like it next time you test ride try and find pot hole or a rough patch if you can.

Swanny, can I ask, do you have an '09 or '10?

Aluminum is an element; steel is not. Steel and aluminum are not alloyed together, although aluminum is sometimes alloyed with chromium, which is also used in steel alloys.

A 4130 Cr-Mo frame is an alloy of chromium, manganese, and molybdenum, in addition to steel's requisite iron and carbon. A 6061 aluminum frame is an alloy of magnesium, silicon, copper, and chromium in addition to aluminum. The "T6" that usually follows refers to the heat treating.

/engineering lesson

You beat me to it. It should be noted that aluminum contains traces of titanium as well. I recall that on the paperwork for the million pounds or so of it that we shipped every week from our depot.

My buddy has a gutterball. I've helped him do a few mods, it's a decent, slack, aluminum fixed/ss frame. Most of the guys I see riding them are the ones just getting into fixed; makes sense, as that's how GT markets these, as opposed to the hardcore track style of the earlier GTB/Pulses.

GT was talking ab reproducing the GTB/Pulse, but production for the pierced seattube in the triple triangle design was apparently too expensive (That's why the GTB in the word "gutterball" are capitalized, as an homage of sorts). It's also why these bikes are flamed so hard.

It's like the redheaded stepbrother of the GTB/Pulse, but GT tries to make it sound like the new, fresh GTB.

Of course it is aluminium. It has steel reinforced track ends. Why would a steel frame have steel reinforcements?

Alloy is widely used to mean aluminium for bikes.

Alloy forks for a FG bike of that price? Bike companies must be laughing at us stupid consumers. We don't lust over expense groupsets, they can charge a lot for bike with no groupset at all!

So, i've determined:

2009 Gutterball = aluminum
2010 Gutterball = steel alloy (Chro Molly?)

Thanks for all the advice and help, everyone.

NO! 2010 is Aluminium!

quote from site:


Frame:
GT Triple Triangle track frame with butted downtube, steel reinforced track ends and integrated chain tensioner
Fork:
GT Gutterball Straight blade design, alloy steerer, alloy legs

Link to blog post about it (http://superbbicycle.com/?p=814)

So, i've determined:

2009 Gutterball = aluminum
2010 Gutterball = steel alloy (Chro Molly?)

No, NO, NO!

How the hell did you make this "determination" after reading all the responses in this thread? They are aluminum.

I Thought I was being a bit strong with my capitalised NO!

This is confusing. So, based upon responses in this thread, the bike looks to be aluminum. The website lists the bike as steel. I just called a bike store that carries them and the guy who works there claims that the 2010 is steel, whereas the 2009 was aluminum.

Just do the magnet test. Or ride a bike that you know is steel/aluminum, and compare the two. Ultimately buy what you think rides nice. It doesn't necessarily matter what the frame is made out of. There's nothing wrong with aluminum, and nothing wrong with steel. What's with the anti-aluminum attitude?

Perhaps the photos on the website are for the 2009 model and some of the specs are outdated. Ask the guy at the bike shop if a magnet sticks to the frame tubes.

Those pics are definitely of a '10. It's also definitely made of aluminum.

Here's a link to someone's Velospace who has one:

http://velospace.org/node/27242

Look closely at the welds, fool!

mines the 09 the all black one. and the site does say its steel this is from their site under the features tab not the spec tab "GT Triple Triangle frame in steel for a smooth, dependable ride..."

mines the 09 the all black one. and the site does say its steel this is from their site under the features tab not the spec tab "GT Triple Triangle frame in steel for a smooth, dependable ride..."

Probably a remnant from the 09 lineup. Their website isn't exactly well-organised or well thought-out. I mean, look at the second "Feature."

i can see where the confusion is the frame looks exactly the same, if they did switch to steel those are some fat tubes. i say OP when your back in the bike shop flick your finger on the frame to hear the ping then test that out on a known steel frame and aluminum frame the GT should sound similar to one of those (ghetto alchemy)

I'll check the bike out after work and will do the ping test and the magnet test. I'm really curious. Though, based upon some of the comments, steel doesn't necessarily make the bike a better ride than aluminum.

I've never seen a steel Gutterball before...

Not that I doubted the expertise on this board, but it is indeed an aluminum frame, not steel. But F#%k it! I think that's why I like this bike. Super light. Compared to the other single speeds I've tried, it feels more like a bike that can jump onto curbs, and deke around...I love this bike... I'll shut up now. Thanks for the help, people.

Did you buy it???

Yeah, man. I bought it :thumb: Super stoked.

Yeah, man. I bought it :thumb: Super stoked.

Congrats! It sounds like you got the bike you really wanted.

Awesome. Glad it worked out after all the confusion!

Thanks again!

We knew it was aluminium!
Yeah
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20070614152320/uncyclopedia/images/7/72/Hooraycat.jpg

End note: I'm beginning to wonder why I bought this bike simply because GT seems to suck so much. I finally heard back from two people at GT. The guy who builds the bike (who has "built over 40 of them") didn't know the material of the frame. Also, I got an email back from customer service telling me the frame is steel.

As for the ride. It is light. But, yes, I can really feel the bumps.

GT aint what it used to be man, that's for sure.