GT Power Performer
£1,799.99 Big-wheel BMX cruiser with ebike power
Weight 23.42kg (one size) Frame Aluminium Fork Alloy Gears Microshift Advent 1 x 9 (38/11-36) Brakes Tektro Hydraulic disc Wheels GT Alloy double wall rims, disc front hub, Bafang rear hub Ebike system Bafang 36v/250w rear hub motor, 418Wh battery, Bafang HMI display Finishing kit GT Power performer cro-mo bar, GT Comfy Code saddle, mudguards, kickstand, GT Smoothie session 2.5” tyres
GT WAS ONE of the biggest BMX brands back in the ’80s heyday. The Performer, in either its Pro or Pro Tour iteration, was the bike to have, and the Power Performer is a bike inspired by the bikes of that era.
For starters, there are plenty of ’80s neon graphics. The oversized frame bears signature GT BMX details too, from the straight-blade unicrown fork through to the seatstays that extend into the top-tube to create a platform (lots of frame-stand flatland tricks were based on this feature). The Power Performer isn’t a BMX for retro trickery, though – it feels like it’s grown up a little since the ’80s, but it does put the same stupid smile on my face that my pre-teen self enjoyed at my local skatepark.
Get on board the GT and it retains that familiar BMX riding position: tall bars, low saddle, short reach and nimble handling. It made me want to lock up the rear tyre at every opportunity, ride down steps instead of avoiding them and launch off curbs and traffic-calming furniture rather than rolling over them. The bike’s chuckability and massive, fully slick 2.5”-wide tyres inspire big-lean angles into corners, too.
The build of the bike is all good stuff. The three-piece crankset is classic GT BMX, and the wide, tough double-wall alloy rims are shod with GT’s own slick Smoothie tyres. The squishy saddle is comfortable for cruising around town, but it wasn’t so comfortable on my 30-mile each way work commute. The GT composite platform pedals are grippy yet kind to shoes, and the classic mushroom grips are as comfortable as it gets.
The 1x9 drivetrain uses Microshift components. I was quite impressed with the Advent rear derailleur. You do get a bit more chain vibration under shifting than with a quality Shimano mountain bike setup, but as budget drivetrains go, this one was easy to use, reliable and has stayed true throughout testing.
The Tektro hydraulic disc brakes do a very good job of stopping you (and are good for skids too). I did get the occasional vibration on the front brake under heavy sudden stopping, though.
Power play
The key to the bike, however, is the e-power system. GT has used a Bafang rear-hub motor with a compact LCD screen controller mounted on the bars. The screen shows your speed and has +/- buttons to scroll through the five power levels. The on/off button on the controller also scrolls through simple information. A battery
graphic with percentage figure is a constant on the screen. Unlike a lot of rearhub control units, this one didn’t suffer from oscillating battery levels, which meant you knew accurately how much energy you had left in the tank.
The five power levels 1 through 5 is a little overkill. Level 1 is barely noticeable and I almost never got out of levels 2 and 3. Level 5 will help you up an extremely steep hill, but remember that as BMXs have small frames, you’ll have to stand and crank the bike to get real power on inclines.
The battery, a fairly small 418Wh, combined with a rear-hub motor without the big torque of systems such as Bosch or Shimano doesn’t promise huge mileage. However, I managed 40.5miles/65km with 1,099ft/335m of climbing. The charger is quite compact and easy to stow should you need more than 40 miles a day; the removable battery charges in just over four hours from empty. You can also charge your phone via a USB socket on the battery if it dies while uploading all those clips of wheelies.
I do have a couple of niggles, however. The rear mudguard could be better: I arrived at work with a dirt-spattered jacket and beltline. Since GT has added guards to a BMX, I’m wondering why not go the whole hog and stick on a rear rack (or even a front rack for some ET- inspired action)? This is essentially an urban/commuter bike after all and I’d rather let an ebike carry the load than wear a backpack. Or maybe I’m just getting old!
On paper, the GT is a bike that simply shouldn’t work. It’s a 29-inch-wheeled BMX with full mudguards, nine gears and a 250w rear-hub motor. When I mentioned it to BMX-loving friends, they turned their noses up at its mishmash of styles and components, while my roadie/commuter friends thought the BMX shape would be a compromise. However, when both groups got to have a quick spin around on it, they loved it. It’s simply a fun machine.
It’s very well priced, pretty practical (besides a couple of niggles) and one of the most fun ebikes on sale right now, so why not channel your inner child?
Verdict
The perfect ebike for the big kid in all of us
“It made me want to lock up the rear tyre, ride down steps and launch off curbs at every opportunity”