../companies/G-Sport

Sources: www.gsport.co.uk, Ride BMX UK #20 , Dig #27 , ...
If you want to add any info, please contact buissonrouge@23mag.com.
Founder: George French.
Country: UK
1989 George French: I started riding BMX in 1989 while I was doing my engineering degree in Sheffield.
1994 G-Sport started out as G-Spot in early '94 with handmade stuff made by George French on a small lathe. He had a range of three products: pegs, hubs and cone-nuts.

Donger Pegs
Ride BMX UK june 1994: These pegs are some of the best we've ever seen - 4 1/4 inches long by 1 1/4 inch diameter and knurled, and made from 304 grade stainless steel. Stainless steel is much harder than regular steel and these pegs will last longer than a steel peg with twice the thickness and will also grind way faster than a non-stainless peg. Guaranteed for life, these Donger Pegs are £22 a pair inc p&p. You can also buy an anti-unscrew version for an extra fiver, which has a stainless bolt which slides into your dropout slot preventing movement - there are three threaded holes for this bolt, so you can rotate the peg six times for extra life.

Ride BMX UK august 1994: Hub from George French's new engineering firm G Sport. If you've ever bent an axle, then think about getting a set of these hubs laced into your 48 hole rims. The idea is simple: the hub doesn't have a traditional axle as we know it. Instead, it has a hollow 17mm high-tensile 'axle' which fits inside the width of the dropouts, and steel allen bolts replace the regular nuts and thread inside the hollow axle keeping flight. You can not bend the axle: if things go awry the allen bolts bend instead and these are easily replaced and only cost 50p each, and you don't even need to take the wheel off and fanny about with bearings to replace 'em. The shells are machined from aluminium, and the bearings are super smooth cartridge units making things roll like glass.
Front and back versions available, and a pair should go for about £140. Simple. Ideal. Totally impressive Could it possibly be any better?

The tiny brake cable nipple clamp in the picture (made from 303 stainless steel, with 10mm hex and 2.5mm alien grub screw) fits in levers to shorten upper Gyro cables, or in AD99O brakes for dual cable tower Gyro systems.
G-SPORT

hub
1995 Full Frontal Forks tested in Ride BMX UK #18.
1996 G-Sport Wunder bars.
Ride BMX UK october 1996: George gave us a set of bars to ride and test - these are the new G-Sport Wunder bars as designed by Waddy and George, and they are made in Sheffield from awesome T-45 carbon manganese tubing which is strong as a house [reputedly stronger than 4130 cromoly]. The size and bend is similar to a set of S&M Slam bars, but they're a bit narrower - they feel perfect in fact. Everyone who checked these bars out while on my bike said they felt superb. The shape gives load of room for lookbacks/flatland manoeuvres, and the oversize tubing [regular OD tubing used for grip/stem sections] makes them not only look beefy, but will stand up to extreme stuff. G-Sport bars may be pricey at around £75 a pair, but you genuinely can't buy a better set of bars.
1998 George French is on the cover of Ride BMX UK #34 april may 1998. Ride BMX UK
2000 Left hand homer (lef hand drive hub)
2001 The G-Sport "GRINDS LOVELY ANTI NANGING DEVICE" is a guard that fits to the spokes of any wheel to protect the spokes and hub flange from grind damage. It also provides a much better grinding surface than spokes and flange so grinds are longer smoother and more predictable. The steel G.L.A.N.D. is now discontinued but a new Nylon G.L.A.N.D. will soon be going into production. Lighter, smoother, tougher and best of all CHEAPER. Projected weight 60g, Available Autumn 2001.
2004
2005 Press release, february 2005: Odyssey BMX and George French are pleased to announce that the G-Sport brand has become a part of the Odyssey family. An arrangement was agreed on in late 2004, and new projects for both brands are now underway. After working together on the Elementary Stem for the last two years, it was realized that a closer working relationship would be beneficial to both Odyssey and G-Sport. George French will work on product design and development for both G-Sport and Odyssey, with the focus at G-Sport remaining on the hub and wheel market that the company is already known for. This arrangement will relieve George of time consuming business-related commitments, giving him the needed free time to focus on product design and development that will now cover a much broader range. French will continue to work from his home in Sheffield, England, communicating daily with U.S.-based Odyssey employees; Chris Cotsonas (product design), Jim Bauer (graphic design) and Nuno Oliveira (sales).
Existing G-Sport component production will move to Taiwan, but will retain the strict quality control that has always been the hallmark of the brand. Odyssey in turn will use their strong customer support, distribution and marketing to make the products more affordable and readily available.
G-Sport products will be available from Odyssey in Spring 2005.