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CSG UK is rolling out a number of special events to celebrate GT’s Zaskar in 2016, marking 25 years since it launched. The bike has scored World Cup victories in cross-country, slalom, trials, and even downhill and this year the 2016 line is UK-specific, much revised, and builds on those 25 years of success.
GT started the celebrations early by working on a 25th Anniversary frameset which was delivered at the start of 2016 – hand-built from carbon and limited to just 100 units globally, the matt black Zaskar Anniversary frame sports die-cut graphics resembling brushed aluminium and a numbered decal on the seat tube indicating the frame’s limited status.
CSG brought over a handful to the UK to use in magazine features and special contests including in MBUK. This was shortly followed up by another contest at The Bike Place show at Silverstone, and then again for Joe Public at the London Bike Show.
The few journalists who were given test examples also started penning reviews, including Andrew Dodd from Factory Jackson: “Really, the Zaskar inspired a whole generation of riders in the UK. And it’s great to see it’s still here – and still just as versatile,” raved Dodd. Singletrack Magazine is also giving the frame some focus in its anniversary year: “What can you say about the Zaskar that’s not already been said? It’s one of the most iconic mountain bikes in the world and has been ridden to championships in every discipline. It’s also been ridden by a who’s who of the mountain bike world. A classic!’
So too, has BikeRadar: “If you want to cut away all the crap and just go for a razz with your mates, nothing beats a hardtail Zaskar.”
The Zaskar isn’t just limited to the edition carbon frames. The main upgrades in the new complete range have been made for the British market, including larger and gnarlier tyres, wider handlebars, shorter stem, longer forks, and a 1x gearing system. The UK Zaskar is less cross-country and more trail-oriented, and starts from £849 and goes up to £1,899 for the Carbon Expert.
