GT is a division of the Dutch conglomerate Pon Holdings, which also markets Cannondale, Schwinn, Mongoose, IronHorse, DYNO, and RoadMaster bicycle brands; all manufactured in Asia.

GT was founded in 1972, by Gary Turner and Richard Long in Santa Ana, California, and was noted at its inception for spearheading the prominence of BMX bicycles, later for developing a range of bikes around its "triple triangle" design, and at the end of its independent history, winning a commission to manufacture a $30,000 carbon fiber "Superbike"[1] for the 1996 Summer games.

GT sponsored numerous race teams and individuals, including noted riders Rebecca Twigg and Juli Furtado.

These were the first commercially distributed frames by Turner, and one of the first sponsored riders to use them was Greg A. Hill, whose father owned the Pedals Ready bike shop.

Things happened fast and soon Richard and Gary invested in a manufacturing warehouse dedicated to making top quality Cro-moly BMX frames in Santa Ana, California.

Bob Morales eventually left GT to focus on his own company DYNO Designs while Eddie Fiola became arguably the most famous and popular BMX personality of the 1980s until his contract was not renewed in 1987.

In 1989, GT Bicycles acquired Auburn Cycles, another company that Bob Morales started along with Todd Huffman only one year earlier.

[5] Describing the bike, the U.S. Cycling Federation's track endurance coach Craig Griffin said "it's so thin and light, and it's as strong as anything built.

"[6] Controversially, just prior to the 1996 Summer Olympics, Rebecca Twigg quit the team, citing her Superbike's ill fit[4] as one of the reasons for departing.

[citation needed] A week before GT's debut at the 1996 Summer Olympics, GT co-founder Richard Long was killed on July 12 in a motorcycle accident on his Honda Valkyrie en route to a national championship series race for the National Off-Road Bicycle Association at Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino mountains.

[1] At the time of Long's death, GT maintained an office at the factory in Santa Ana as well as a factory in Huntington Beach[3] — and manufactured 600,000 bicycles annually under the GT, Powerlite, Robinson and Dyno brands, distributed bikes, parts and accessories via its Riteway network and had annual revenues of $150 million.

[1] Less than two years after Long's death, in 1998, Bain Capital sold GT to another investment group, Questor Partners, which at the time also owned Schwinn, for $175 million.

On February 21, 2023, GT Bicycles announced the return to its roots with a relocation of the headquarters to Aliso Viejo, California and once again becoming a stand-alone company while still being part of Pon Holdings.

[9] GT Bike's current Freestyle Team includes the riders: Izzy Aleman, Jill Alvarez, Sven Avemaria, Gustavo Balaloka, Emma Bornios, Mia Bornios, Dan Conway, Tristen Cooper, Michael Dickson, Bethany Hedrick, Tom Justice, Brian Kachinsky, Shane Leeper, Ratty Matty, Albert Mercado, Julian Molina, Leandro Moreira, Justine 'Curly' Nieves, Duda Penso, Jeff Purdy, Mason Ritter, Justin Shorty, Dave Voelker, Chelsea Wolf and the Se7en Crew.

Famous names from the ranks of Teams past include X-Games Champions Dave Mirra, Jay Miron, Jamie Bestwick, along with pioneers Eddie 'King of the Skateparks' Fiola, Brian 'Rad Dad' Scura inventor of the Gyro, aka SST Oryg, Trevor Meyer, Joey 'Phenom' Phee, Martin 'The Chairman' Aparijo, Josh 'Dr.

Air' White, Dino DeLuca, Dave Voelker, Brett Hernandez, Kevin Jones, Mark Eaton, Gary Pollak, Kevin 'The Gute' Gutierrez, Ruben Castillo, Robert Castillo, Jason Geoffery, Terryll Loffler, Bill Neuman, Goro Tamai, Krys Dauchy, and Adam Jung.

Eight riders in the Mountain Team, compete in global competitions including downhill, four-cross, trials, freeride and dirt jumping.

The riders in the team are: Marc Beaumont, Hans Rey, Eric Carter, Roger Rinderknecht, Kevin Aiello, and Tyler McCaul.