New to GT’s lineup is the Helion 27.5 cross country rig. While this tweener-sized bike is aimed at the average XC market, it’s designed with aggressive cross country in mind, with a slightly slacker head angle, a long top tube, and wider bars than a lot of XC riders run.
![Photo courtesy of GT Bicycles.](https://images.singletracks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/G15_GM0365_01_YLW-e1403798889873.jpg)
Key Specs
The Helion features 110mm of travel and 27.5″ wheels. For geometry, the size medium sports a headtube angle of 69.5 degrees and a seat tube angle of 70.5 degrees. For all of the nitty-gritty geometry details, check out these charts:
Angle Optimized Suspension (A.O.S.)
The Helion features GT’s Angle Optimized Suspension which, according to GT, “isolates your pedal forces from the suspension, so all the effort you put into pedaling stays with your pedaling and your suspension only reacts when you need it to.”
![G15_GM0372_01_YLW_3Q](https://images.singletracks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/G15_GM0372_01_YLW_3Q-e1403799285815.jpg)
Build Kits
The Helion will be available in a wide range of build kits:
- Carbon Team
- Carbon Pro
- Carbon Expert
- Pro
- Expert
- Elite
- Comp
While GT doesn’t have official pricing for these builds available on their website yet, they’re truly catering to essentially every rider and price point with this range, with the low-end Comp model spec’ed with Deore/SLX components and a RockShox TK Solo Air fork and the high-end Team model spec’ed with a 1×11 Shimano XTR drivetrain, other XTR bits, and Kashima-coated Fox CTD suspension.
![Photo courtesy of GT Bicycles](https://images.singletracks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Helion_6253_620.jpg)
For more information, check out this video: