Finally had a chance to take this bike on a trail that required tons of climbing last week. This trail used to punish me on my Stumpjumer and I would get off my bike and walk it 5-7 times before I reached the peak. NOT anymore. This time I did get off only once before I reached the peak. I felt like I was in my 20's. The geometry, components , the stiffness and lightness of the frame made all the difference.

Just this weekend, i took the bike up to Big Bear, CA again for some grueling downhill runs. With all the confidence gained from the first trip here, I was flying down the trails. The bike perfomed flawlessly and we (the bike and I) held up against my my buddies Blurs, Hecklers, Reigns, I did upgrade the rear tires to 2.35" for more rear traction.

The local bike shop took care of the creaking sounds from the BB by re-lubing it, and my rear XT brakes are much stronger thanks to new pads (original pads were contaminated with oil). GiantNerd said they will take care of my expenses since I purchased the Genius Build.

First of all, I was very pleased with the price and the giant nerd dollars I earned with this purchase. It felt like I was stealing this bike and the owner gave me money for stealing it. I used my nerd dollars to buy pedals, light, and spare tubes.

Secondly, the shipping was faster than I expected. I opted for free shipping which indicated 10-14 days. I ordered it on a Friday night. The next Friday, I went out for a 3-day weekend, and to my surprise FEDEX tracking said it was delivered. That's right folks, shipping only took 7 days. I couldn't wait to get home that weekend.

Ok now for the bike. I used pro build to activate the warranty. My bikes builder (won't mention names but starts with C and ends with S) did a great job. The bike came very well packed, and didn't notice any shipping damage. I DID FIND some fairly noticable cosmetic blemishes where the carbon frame meets the rear shock. I called GN about this and they said it is probably just that, a cosmetic blemish. GN said i can return it and they will ship me a new one OR I can just keep it and ride it and see how I like it. If the blemish bothers me, I can return it within one year. (If that is not great, reassuring customer service, I don't know what is.)
I had to adjust the shocks to suit my weight, adjust the XT brakes to my liking, adjust seat height and position, and installed my pedals, adjusted handlebars and installed front tires/wheels. This was a thing of beauty. The FOX Talas fork with adjustable travel, the FOX rear shock with pro-pedal, all XT build group, mavic 719 rims and Kendal Nevegal tires were all on my wish list if I were to build a bike from scratch, and I found them all on this one. To top it off, it has carbon frame. I rode it around the local neighborhood so I can fine tune it and get a good feel for the bike. On 8/27, I took it to Big Bear, CA for a shake down. (I went with guys that I normally go with on my old Specialized FSR.) The guys were in shock with the low price and how beautiful and how great the components were, and how light it was for an all mountain. On the first run, I was still feeling out the bike. It felt very solid and didn't have the frame/rear pivot twist that I experienced from my old FSR. I hesitated on steep rocky descent because I wasn't used to how much bumps the bike can take. But I slowly opened up the brakes. Every jump, turn, and descent made me more confident. I was able to keep up with our lead pack. (On the FSR, I can't even get close). It goes where I point it to and I konw it will go there (again, I didn't have that steering accuracy witth the FSR). On most drops, I would just stay on and charge. On our second run, I had tons of confidence now I knew what the bike can do. The lead pack never got away from me. Then the thunderstoms came and made for a short day on the trails.

One negative comment is that the XT rear brake feels very spongy and can hardly lock up the rear tire. On the other hand, the front brake is very strong. I will play around with the settings and see if it improves.

I can't say too much on the climbing because Big Bear has ski lifts, so most of my experience this time around was downhill.

I've been mountain biking for about 15 years now. Started with a Scott hardtail, to a Specialized FSR , and now this. I don't have much experience with other high end bikes so my comparison is mostly from the FSR.
I absolutely love everything about this bike and love the support that comes with it.

Thanks GiantNerd
Don

First of all, I was very pleased with the price and the giant nerd dollars I earned with this purchase. It felt like I was stealing this bike and the owner gave me money for stealing it. I used my nerd dollars to buy pedals, light, and spare tubes.

Secondly, the shipping was faster than I expected. I opted for free shipping which indicated 10-14 days. I ordered it on a Friday night. The next Friday, I went out for a 3-day weekend, and to my surprise FEDEX tracking said it was delivered. That's right folks, shipping only took 7 days. I couldn't wait to get home that weekend.

Ok now for the bike. I used pro build to activate the warranty. My bikes builder (won't mention names but starts with C and ends with S) did a great job. The bike came very well packed, and didn't notice any shipping damage. I DID FIND some fairly noticable cosmetic blemishes where the carbon frame meets the rear shock. I called GN about this and they said it is probably just that, a cosmetic blemish. GN said i can return it and they will ship me a new one OR I can just keep it and ride it and see how I like it. If the blemish bothers me, I can return it within one year. (If that is not great, reassuring customer service, I don't know what is.)
I had to adjust the shocks to suit my weight, adjust the XT brakes to my liking, adjust seat height and position, and installed my pedals, adjusted handlebars and installed front tires/wheels. This was a thing of beauty. The FOX Talas fork with adjustable travel, the FOX rear shock with pro-pedal, all XT build group, mavic 719 rims and Kendal Nevegal tires were all on my wish list if I were to build a bike from scratch, and I found them all on this one. To top it off, it has carbon frame. I rode it around the local neighborhood so I can fine tune it and get a good feel for the bike. On 8/27, I took it to Big Bear, CA for a shake down. (I went with guys that I normally go with on my old Specialized FSR.) The guys were in shock with the low price and how beautiful and how great the components were, and how light it was for an all mountain. On the first run, I was still feeling out the bike. It felt very solid and didn't have the frame/rear pivot twist that I experienced from my old FSR. I hesitated on steep rocky descent because I wasn't used to how much bumps the bike can take. But I slowly opened up the brakes. Every jump, turn, and descent made me more confident. I was able to keep up with our lead pack. (On the FSR, I can't even get close). It goes where I point it to and I konw it will go there (again, I didn't have that steering accuracy witth the FSR). On most drops, I would just stay on and charge. On our second run, I had tons of confidence now I knew what the bike can do. The lead pack never got away from me. Then the thunderstoms came and made for a short day on the trails.

One negative comment is that the XT rear brake feels very spongy and can hardly lock up the rear tire. On the other hand, the front brake is very strong. I will play around with the settings and see if it improves.

I can't say too much on the climbing because Big Bear has ski lifts, so most of my experience this time around was downhill.

I've been mountain biking for about 15 years now. Started with a Scott hardtail, to a Specialized FSR , and now this. I don't have much experience with other high end bikes so my comparison is mostly from the FSR.
I absolutely love everything about this bike and love the support that comes with it.

Thanks GiantNerd
Don

This is the first high end mountain bike I have owned and i absolutely love it. It is a very well designed bike with an amazing suspension, great breaks and components, light weight and slick looks. It is worth the discounted price and you will see and feel the quality of the product. I am very happy with the timely service I received from Giantnerd.

I purchased the bike this past winter and wanted to put at least a thousand miles in before I wrote my review. As others have stated this bike is a beast. I was a bit hesitant at first about the durability issues of a carbon frame but I no longer am. I ride a lot of rocky terrain and frame equipped with the rp23 and talas fork simply files through them. Where others have difficulties climbing in loose rocky conditions this bike digs in pass all others. Couple this bike with an adjustable seat post and you have a confident all around bike. There are a few minor issues that can easily be resolved. When you receive your bike you should immediately grease the rear dropouts as they are prone to produce creaking and popping sounds. If sound still lingers, then you need to open up the I-drive system and clean and regrease. The brakes are bit weak in stopping power, either brake earlier or upgrade to something with a harder bite. It’s a remarkable bike for the price point. I will be purchasing another gt force for my nephew.

I was very happy with my 2004 Marin hardtail, and I was therefore in doubt of getting a new bike. When riding with friends on my old bike, I usually came further uphill on difficult parts on the tracks, than my fellow riders. Trying my friends full suspension bikes didn't change my impression, that my hardtail was perfect for me, and a better climber.

I decided to go for the GT Force Carbon Expert 2009, because of the reviews promising it's good capabilities in all terrains. I received the bike yesterday, and is amazed by it's performance. Tried it on a steep trail with difficult technical parts on it. I was shocked when I came way further up in the difficult climbing parts than ever before. And that was on my first ride on it, and without adjusting the fork and rear shock to my weight. Downhill was a great experience too, and met my expectations to a full suspension bike. Yet, I am new on the bike, so I feel shure that I have not experienced it's full decending capabilities yet.

The bike has a nice quality feel. The frame, the FOX Talas R fork, Fox RP23 Shock, the full XT group seems perfect on the bike. Solid, but lightweight parts. I guess the tires is pretty heavy. Changing the tires will probably save the bike for at least a pound. My old hardtail is probably 4 pounds lighter, but I really didn't couldnt tell any difference related to weight, when riding the bike.

Only cons is that the paint job on the 2009 model is a bit dull. The fork could be Talas RLC, instead of the Talas R, but for my use, the Talas R has all the adjustments I need.

Ordering from Norway, I felt more confident buying the Genius build. I found it worth it. Everything on the bike was perfectly tuned. The genius build also makes me feel safe as to the GT warranty. The bike was also very easy to assemble when I got it.

I love this bike, and I can't wait to ride it! Highly recommended!

Love the GT bike but the "pro build" or whatever they call it was absolutely not worth the money. It's been one problem after another. This time is was the creaky bottom bracket...oh, dear Giantnerd doesn't include grease with their pro-build so the bottom bracket is dry and shot. Get the bike. Build locally. Skip the internet virtual build.

This bike is perfect for all terrains, cross country, XC, freeride, has a very good components and also a good frame if you want to makes some upgrades, but doesnt need it. The TALAS fork has a very good feature that change the travel with a little movement. I recomend this bike to someone to use the bike frequently to all purposes, from hard terrain to soft.

This is a great bike. I came from a long line of XC hard tails, and as I am getting older, there is no time for racing, and I wanted to slow down a bit and enjoy something different. Based on spec and price, this bike was tough to beat, so I took a chance on what seemed like a long travel Xc'ish trail/all mountain bike.
I now call it an All Day bike. Position is good, A bit more upright than my last hard tail, but it still feels familiar. I got the Pro build, and everything was in order. The Talas fork is smooth, but not yet as plush as I would like. Still fine tuning the setting (air pressure and rebound), and I think a bit more break in will help. The rear (I drive with the RP23) is absolutely remarkable. I was/still am shocked at how well it works. It feels solid when pedaling, and soaks up everything as it is supposed to. Coupled with a rigid frame, I can't detect any flex at the bb while I'm pedaling. If you are concerned with the funky looking and # of pivots, don't be. Easily disassembled (a few creaks started and a bit or grease and careful re-tightening and all is quiet) and everything seems to be doing it's job as the engineers designed it to do.
The XT components, Thompson post and stem, and Mavic wheels are superb as you would expect. And to top it all off, I get compliments all the time on the way the bike looks.
I'd say this bike is perfect for somebody who wants to ride all day and go wherever they want to go along the way. On fast tight single track, my hard tail is faster, but the GT is still plenty quick, and I appreciate the smooth ride more and more each day. I have not, and won't be taking the bike to a ski hill any time soon, so I can't speak to how it would behave in a more downhill focused role.
If there is a counterpoint to all love being gushed above, is be aware that with no bottle mounts, you will need a hydration pack, but it seems pretty appropriate to an All Day bike anyway.
So, no regrets with this bike. Incredible performance, and unbelievable value.

This is the most fun bike I have ever owned, it gave me more confidence to go over trails that previously I was too worry to ride.The bike is versatile and tuff. It can handle anything you throw at it including jumps. Forget that its carbon, rides like a dream, climbs like a goat and rolls over obstacles with ease. Nice buttery ride feeling. Just like I like it.

I would say that the combination of FOX front and rear shocks is the perfect combination for a smooth ride. The XT component make shifting an ease with no problems.

I would recommend it to anybody for all mountain and all day riding in all conditions. This bike is a steal at nearly $2000 off the retail price.

You wont be dissapointed. You will love this bike as much as I do.

Thank you Giantnerd

The day after I got and put together my force expert a couple buddies and I headed out on a five day riding/camping trip to Arkansas. The Force dominated everything on the trail. The Carbon frame was great, it feels much more nimble and responsive compared to my old aluminum Force 2.0, the weight difference was also a huge bonus all around on the trail. The suspension was also awesome, being on a really rocky trail I keep the fork open to 150mm the whole time and then went back and forth with the pro pedal on and off the whole day depending on climbing or descending which made a noteable difference. All around i was thrilled with this bike and how it held up on 30+ miles a day of riding and cant wait to take it out again. I Also went with the pro-build which was easy to put together and everything was working great.

I was a little nervous about ordering a bike unseen on an internet site. As it turns out I'm really glad I did. This bike is awesome; great component package, carbon frame, great suspension. I love it. Giantnerd got it built and sent right away and I received it a few days later. The disc brake calipers were too tight to install the front wheel and I'm guessing the brake was activated without the wheel in during the build. It wasn't too hard to adjust. I'm glad I did the probuild to activate the warranty for only $59. I'm sure it would cost $200 at my LBS.

If you want an all around full suspension bike that can be used for any situation, then look no further than the GT Force Carbon Expert. With a full carbon frame, XT groupo and FOX Talas-R fork; you have a lightweight goat that will climb effortlessly. I have taken this bike off a few jumps this past weekend, and the FOX Talas felt like a pillow with the 6 inches of travel. Ritchey PRO bars, Thomson Elite post...this bike is just a more than perfect upper-mid level full suspension bike.