Ron Frazelle
Name:
Ron Frazelle
Nickname:
Frazealous (By: Mark Peterman)
Year you joined Team GT:
late ‘95
Favourite GT year & model:
’99 853 GT Psyclone
Favourite Rider:
Furtado
Favourite year team kit:
The “Acura” years…97-99??
If you had to ride a descent on a GT Quatrefoil (Tandem) with someone from your time at GT would you have with you & why?
Hmmm…probably Mike Mautner…because he was really funny and fast downhill
Have you ever pulled a prank on someone or had one pulled on you while working at GT?
Yes, Aaron Bethlenfalvy and I TP’d Barry Burke’s car at his house one night…completely wrapped it like a mummy. You couldn’t see his car at all…good times.
Can you tell us about your role at GT Bicycles in the 90s and how you got started there?
I started on the sales desk, then Quality Assurance, and finally into Product Development.
What was the company culture like during that time period?
We couldn’t be touched. We were making the most innovative bicycles on the planet, we knew and our team showed it at every race…from BMX and Freestyle, World Cup XC, and DH to sponsoring the Lotto team in The Tour…we were on top of the world.
What was the biggest challenge you faced while working at GT Bicycles in the 90’s?
For me, I didn’t have any real challenges, that I can remember. It was one of the most positive, life-changing experiences of my life
Can you share a particularly memorable experience you had while working at GT Bicycles?
My time in the Product Development Dept was amazing and where I met my wife of 23 years. I met some amazing people that I still have in my everyday life. It changed the trajectory of my life, honestly.
How did the bicycle industry change during the 90s, and how did GT Bicycles adapt to these changes?
The Internet and internet shopping was new and the IBD was having a hard time dealing with it. We tried to adapt to it, but looking back, we could’ve done much better.
Can you tell us about some of the most popular bicycle models during that time period and what made them unique?
By far I believe the most popular were the Zaskars, Avalanches (the perfect privateer’s XC race rig) and LTS’s, which shifted to the Zaskars and iDrives by the late ’90s
How did GT Bicycles approach product design and innovation during the 90s?
With everything we had. It was where we focused all of our attention…development. When I was in PD, we had 19 employees in that dept. alone. That was as many employees as Schwinn had in their entire company…that shows where OUR priority was. “Race it on Sunday and sell it on Monday” was a real thing at GT.
Can you describe the company’s marketing and advertising strategies during that time period?
With Andrew Herrick at the helm, we had a great marketing team for sure! That was the era people in the Industry were calling GT “The Firm” like we were this huge “corporate” entity that was ruining the sport…we had the 18-wheeler that we were showing up to races with…we had a presence, that’s for sure. Andrew honed in on that and capitalized on it with the “Fast, it’s corporate policy” ad campaign! It was brilliant!
Can you describe the dynamics working for Gary and Richard?
Gary was a figurehead by the time I started working for GT. I would see him in the offices once in a while as he still had an office on site. But, I didn’t get to work with Richard much before the Summer of ’96 when we lost him.
How did you see the role of technology changing in the bicycle industry during the 90s, and how did GT Bicycles respond to these changes?
The biggest tech change that I can recall was the development of better and longer travel suspension. The introduction of the triple crown front DH-specific suspension was a new thing, and by the late 90’s the introduction of disc brakes and Hutchinson’s tubeless tire setup. We responded with the curved seat stay LTSDH, STSDH, Lobo, and the DHi…
What do you think was the biggest accomplishment of GT Bicycles during the 90s, and why was it significant?
This might not be the most popular opinion. But I think one of the company’s highlights was getting our new ZR road bikes under a bonafide, pro Tour De France Team…I mean, here we were this 20-year-old, “born in a So Cal garage” BMX company in the Tour De France…I mean…that was cool. And the celebration in Product Development with the champagne on the ping pong tables is a very, very proud moment!
What made the biggest impact on you while at GT Bicycles which you rely on?
The people did. Plus, the impact the’90s GT made and the legacy we left on the industry. It changed me for the better. I look back and still have so much pride and such a deep love for what we were doing…I mean we ALL did, we had so much passion and pride. I think that if you ask anyone that worked there during the 90’s you’ll get the same answer. For those of us that contributed to that era of GT’s industry dominance, it was a very positive moment in our lives and we will always bleed “blue and yellow”.