2010 GT Traffic 1.0 Hybrid. Any reviews/experience?

[I like Skol]

I have been doing a 10-11 mile commute through the summer and now I have some lights I am continuing into the winter. I am on 4 x 12hr nights so try to ride 1 or 2 nights so I am travelling 22 or 44miles a week (did 3 nights one week but family commitments mean that is pushing it a bit).

Currently I am using my trusty old MTB fitted with 26x2.1 slicks. A 1994 GT Zaskar, and while this is fine I realised the thing that is bugging me about this arrangement is that I just don't go mountain biking any more because I can't be bothered to swap the slicks for knobblies just for the ride. I don't/didn't want a drop barred road bike (although I am beginning to wonder since finding this forum) so started looking for hybrids and soon found the GT Traffic 1.0 as the ideal road going partner for my GT Zaskar. It ticks all the requirement boxes. Robust, strong wheels, familiar layout and known brand. I don't have any trouble commuting with flat bars, I don't get passed by other cyclists but do plenty of overtaking on my sub 40 minute commute.

Has anyone had any experience of the GT Traffic? I have found 1 review here but a comment in the review has worried me;

"The Traffic's handling is very stable and the steering reasonably slow, so it's not going to get your heart racing through town but that would be missing the point. If you want to get from A to B without fuss and do it every day, and you're not worried about getting there in a hurry, a bike like the Traffic is what you need. At cruising pace it's unfluttered and simple to pilot and doesn't feel slow. Put the hammer down and it's a case of diminishing returns: the harder you try, the less efficient it feels, thanks to the heavy tyres, hub gear and upright position."

I know the Traffic 1.0 doesn't have the Nexus hub gears but after an MTB with suspension forks on 26x2.1's I was expecting the rigid forked Traffic on 700x35c's to be pin sharp in comparison. Is this just one testers opinion or does it point to a real dull ride problem?

I have found a stockist of the 2010 Traffic 1.0 at only £500 (saving £170 on rrp) so I am keen to snap one up before stocks run out. Any comments/views eagerly awaited.

 

[I like Skol]

BUMP

Has anybody got any views or knowledge of the GT Traffic range? I would hate to splash £500 on my first new bike in 16 years and make a mistake.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Sorry must confess I have no experience or have even heard of the model before now, however I did find another review of a lower model in the series here. It is kind of true that the reviews do look like they are damning it with faint praises...

I can see why you want to catch the bargain before it disappears, however correct me if I am wrong but the seller appears to be in the Sheffield area which is not too far from you? Perhaps you could reserve and ask to have a test ride?

When I look at its spec, certainly it looks very expensive at rrp, but if you value the pin-head security and want to have another gt, then for £500 it is reasonable value. Perhaps the only other thing I would like to add is, look at its spec it looks like a hybrid developed from an mtb, while e.g. the Boardman Hybrid Comp looks like a road bike trying to be a hybrid. I have no idea what the GT weighs but from the specs I would expect the Boardman to be lighter, snappier and faster on the road, which you might find fun to have.

You might have thought of it already but one way to speed up your existing mtb/hybrid transformation is just to get another pair of QR wheels (perhaps with narrower rims so they can be shod with some high pressure thin slicks, such as the 26x1.3 Conti Sport Contact which I can certainly recommend).

I would certainly advice trying any bike before buying.

Hope it helps!

 

[I like Skol]

Sorry...... I have no experience or have even heard of the model before now........ the reviews do look like they are damning it with faint praises...
Yes, very little info out there other than official sales hype

I can see why you want to catch the bargain before it disappears...... ask to have a test ride?
I am going on Sun or Mon, not sure on Sheffield or Chesterfield but will certainly ride even if only around the shop

When I look at its spec.......looks very expensive at rrp........ for £500 it is reasonable value.
£500 is my limit. I have also had a quick look at the On-One Pompetamine but at a starting price of £600 (no discounts available?) it is out of my range. Also initially very interested (but slightly scared) by the 8 speed hub gears but as pointed out in a comment on Bike Radar they can be a real arse if a quick wheel removal is needed. On the other hand, I know rear derailleur gears well.

while e.g. the Boardman Hybrid Comp .
Can't get excited about this one for one big reason, the 'H' word (that's Halfords, not Hybrid!) and I would never be able to get away from the niggling doubt that I was paying a large sum for a cheap bike with an expensive celebrity endorsment?

You might have thought of it already but one way to speed up your existing mtb/hybrid transformation is just to get another pair of QR wheels ).
I don't have any problems with the speed or handling of the MTB on chunky slicks but want to further commuterise it with a pannier rack so it then moves even further away from the off-road use I want to resume. A dedicated commuter hack seems to be the obvious answer and my riding style (lots of hopping up and down kerbs, hammering down flights of steps and crossing broken surfaces at speed) also indicates a hybrid with MTB heritage like the GT might be more suitable for me and my 90-95kg body weight (closer to 90kg most of the time but xmas is coming )

Hope it helps!
Yes it helps, I am more and more convinced that the GT has the spec and strength I need/want at a price I am prepared to pay. Thanks.

 

[I like Skol]

Well, I couldn't help myself and picked up a large Traffic 1.0 today from J E James in Chesterfield, 'ONLY' £499.99 (as I keep telling my wife!)

Now I have a bit of an additional shopping list to complete the package,

Some M520 SPD pedals
Tioga barends - THESE
A pannier rack, probably the Blackburn MTN - HERE
I would like to swap the 11-32 Sram cassette to something more roadie like an 11-26 or maybe 12-26?
I might look at changing the saddle as the stock one is pretty wide but I will see how it feels after some miles
and finally, I definitely need a spare innertube, just in case.

All this means I have at least another £75 to spend to build my ideal commuter

On a plus, the quick rides I have had so far seem to indicate great sharp handling and I can't wait to go further, but not on tonights commute as I have a terrible cold and cough (not quite man-flu but it's close).

I think concerns about handling from reviewers might depend on which discipline you come from. MTB'rs will be fine but roadies might not like it? So far I like it.

 

[g00se]

Hi,

If you want a hybrid with MTB ancestry and is very fun to ride then I highly recommend the Kona Dew series. I've got a 2009 Dew Plus and it's bomb proof and lots of fun.

At RRP, with £500, you can look at the Dewand Dew Plus models - but there may be discounts on 2010 models with higher spec.

 

[g00se]

Sorry - just seen you've already got the GT. Have fun....

 

[I like Skol]

Still not ridden this new bike in anger due to weather, illness and a weekend away 4x4ing but today my order of goodies arrived from Chain Reaction so I spent an hour or two fitting some goodies to personalise my new commute hack.

1st thing on was a Blackburn mountain bike rack (lifetime guarantee) as i really get fed up of the big sweaty patch that wearing a rucksack causes. It fitted perfectly even though the shop that supplied the bike and Wiggle both saying a disc specific rack would be required. The caliper location on this bike means it is well out of the way from knocks and doesn't interfere with the carrier (I wonder why all bikes aren't like this?)

Next was some short Tioga barends to give me an alternate hand position when getting down low on the road and also some Shimano M520 SPD pedals so I can wear the same shoe I wear on the MTB.

Finally, and possibly the biggest change, was to swap the cassette from an 11-32 to a 12-26. I did some test set-offs with the old cassette and even on the 24 tooth sprocket had no problem on a slight incline so the 26 should be fine (in the old days a 28 was considered adequate for an MTB!).

I spotted that the saddle was quite far forward while fitting all these bits so moved it back around 3/4 inch and instantly the bike felt so much more natural. When I first tried it it had a 'this bike feels like my big brothers and will take some getting used to' kind of feel and I wondered if this was due to the bigger wheels (28" as opposed to the 26" MTB wheels I am used to).

Can't wait to ride it and now the plan is to ride it to work tomorrow night if the weather isn't too bad (or maybe even in bad weather, I am really desperate)

Also want to try out my new Endura Gridlock hi-viz breathable waterproof so will report back on how it goes soon.

 

[I like Skol]

Here's my new toy now I have added the bits I wanted

and this is the old 94 GT Zaskar it is joining

I hope they don't fight when locked up together.

Now I need to get the knobblies back on the Zaskar.

 

[chad]

i am looking at buying the last traffic 1.0 from je james - having had the bike a few months now do you think it is worth the money? any major gripes?

 

[I like Skol]

i am looking at buying the last traffic 1.0 from je james - having had the bike a few months now do you think it is worth the money? any major gripes?

Sorry for the late reply to this, I don't know how I didn't spot it.

I am still loving the traffic, it is proving to be a solid reliable flying machine.

Gripes, I've had a few but then again to few to mention.......

Minor problems;

The original chain lasted about 400 miles then was at the 1% stretch mark and promptly snapped. replacement has since done 1000 miles and still isn't allowing the 0.75% wear marker to fit into the links. Perhaps the winter commuting with road salt and rust killed the first one?

The broad GT saddle was surprisingly comfy so stayed around a lot longer than I intended (and the built in flashing red light is a useful bonus) but I eventually tracked down an annoying creak to the saddle which no amount of lube or tweaking would stop so it has been replaced with a brown leather effect Charge Spoon saddle that looks fab against the conservative grey colour scheme of the rest of the bike.

Major gripe;

The disc brakes were a B*TCH for the first few hundred miles, squealed and graunched terribly despite all I and JE James did to them. They were ok when absolutely dry but any dampness made them so bad I actually tried to minimise use. They have settled down now and only squeal a bit when wet (as I believe most bike disc brakes do) BUT, they do sound like the pads are down to the metal most of the time when used dry. I had the pads out for inspection and clean up in the last few days and their is loads of life left in them (over 50% still) but when it comes time to replace them I will definitely be avoiding the originals but try shimano or other quality brand and will probably change them sooner rather than later.

Hope this is useful and you are enjoying your bike.