Submitted by
jon stecker
a Cross Country Rider
from mt pleasant sc usa
Date Reviewed: January 26, 2012
Strengths: very stiff lateraly, attention to detail,comfort
Weaknesses: suspension has durability issues. I would steer clear of drcv anything unless you live next door to the fox factory. Supposed to be serviced every 130 hours, thats four times a year for me. With at least two weeks wait every time. I cant find anyone else who likes to work on these. GF put a 6.75 shock on. Nobody makes a 6.75 anymore. cant even replace with a rockshox. I noticed in 2012 they changed to a 7.25. the fox fork uppers are about shot too.
Bottom Line:
The bike is great. Best ive every had. I will replace the suspension with rockshox, and probably have to have a custom shock 6.75 made for the rear.
Similar Products Used: 2006 gary fisher paragon
2008 trek 69r ss
Bike Setup: bike specs (dimensions) are way off on the shop floor compared to the brochure (short). solved with a setback set post.
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Submitted by
DG
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego,Ca. USA
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2011
Strengths: repectable weight(28lbs/21"), mostly decent spec, climbs surprisingly well, decends wickedly. 29" wheels are well matched to this suspension.
Weaknesses: Hmm, crankset-generic shimano.
Wheelset-ditto(numerous flashy stickers aside)but after riding a couple of months they do seem strong and functional enough... we'll see.
Finish;white's not my favorite color for a Mt.bike, and there's a lot of white on this bad boy.
All in all nothing major, it's just that at this price point I kind of hoped to see a higher end crank etc.
Bottom Line:
This is a big, tall bike, and it took a little getting used to, but once I did I can now barely stand any of my old 26ers. As I said, it climbs surprisingly well, is nimble on single track, and really-really comes alive on descents. Even though I listed the mediocre crank and wheelset as negatives, everything on this bike works well together. The Rumblefish platform is stable. When I like a bike, I tend to hang on to it for a long time, and I really love this bike. It has that combination of stoutness to nimbleness that feels right. If someone is looking for a bike in this price range I would say you won't be disappointed. Just buy it, set the sag, air up the tires and get stoked.
Submitted by
Casmp
a Weekend Warrior
from Yucaipa, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 27, 2011
Strengths: Size DOES matter!
Weaknesses: None so far
Bottom Line:
This bike has more ability than I do. It feels like the bike has a mind of its own when I am riding. Especially the technical stuff. I am more hesitant coming from a lefty fork that was not right for my size. After this upgrade, I no longer have to hesitate. The Fox front fork is more than sufficient. The 29er is absolutely amazing. This bike climbs easier and I feel each pedal stroke is more efficient. Obstacles are no longer as problematic as they used to be on my 26 inch wheels with a lefty fork. I am 6'3" 225lbs and this bike serves me well.
Similar Products Used: Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Expert, Giant AC Air, ProFlex 957 and GT RTS-1
Bike Setup: Stock except I cut 1 inch off both sides of handlebars, rock ring and switched out to SRAM 9 shifters and rear D
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Submitted by
fesch
a Cross Country Rider
from Springfield, VA, USA
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2011
Strengths: Suspension is plush even eating logs and roots, I love taking drops and catching air with this bike. Excellent breaking, with the ABP. Thru-axle 29" wheels keeps steering precise. A fun bike to ride.
Weaknesses: Bontrager 29 2.25" tubed tires.
Bottom Line:
I love this bike, it is fun to ride, taking drops is a joy. I haven't found anything annoying or any problems in 6 months.
I think Trek should put better stock tires on it and I would have preferred GF style paint instead of the Trek paint. Mechanically this bike has been great, I have only replaced the chain and the tires. Two thumbs up.
I would suggest that anyone considering a full suspension 29er try one of these bikes on their favorite trail.
Bike Setup: Stock +
Nobby Nic 29 x 2.25 tubeless
Joplin 4 R drop post
Time ATAC carbon pedals
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Submitted by
TX-BoneDigger
a Cross Country Rider
from Tyler, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: February 15, 2011
Strengths: Good mix of components, sturdy and well designed frame, through-axle hubs, tapered headset. This bike is a blast!
Weaknesses: For the price, none to speak of.
Bottom Line:
As a Clydesdale (240 lbs), I wanted a well build and beefy FS 29er. I am not as young as I used to be (43) and my back often hurts on my hardtail after a couple of hours. The bikes I seriously considered locally were the Specialized Camber 29er, the Fisher HiFi Deluxe, and the Rumblefish 1. After spending some time on these bikes in demos, I decided on the RF 1. I really like how this bike rides. It climbs well and descends like no bike I have ever owned. With a lifetime on the frame and 2-years on the pivots and swingarm, this bike should last for a while. From all that I have read, Fisher/Trek has fixed the frame breakage issues it once had. I have no doubt this bike will be a keeper for many years of riding. If you are looking for a good sturdy bike built for fun, this is the bike for you. It probably wouldn't serve very well as a racing bike but for trail use and XC riding, it's a blast. I have not noticed any flexing of the wheels or frame. It seems to be a really well put together package.
Go get one... NOW!
Similar Products Used: Specialized Camber Elite 29er, Various 29er hardtails
Bike Setup: Stock (for now)
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Submitted by
joebreez
a Weekend Warrior
from CT,USA
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2010
Strengths: Decent mix of parts, good value, bike does everything I need it to do.
Weaknesses: Generic Shimano cranks(minor complaint), lack of available wheel sets.
Bottom Line:
Overall an exceptionally good bike. I weigh 210lbs and I wanted a bike that wasn't going to break constantly. I wanted a through axle front fork and at least 5" up front. The dual rate shock in the back works very well. Do yourself a favor, when you get the bike home D/L the shock pressures sheet from the Trek website,well worth the time. I've ridden sections of trail I'd never made before, rough rocky climbs that I used to get hung up in on my old 26er. The Rumblefish hooks up very well while climbing, a small amount of bob but so much more traction. A decent parts spec overall except for the Generic cranks and I didn't like the Elixer 5 setup. The infamous rear brake noise, poor rotor design?
So far I'm very happy with this ride,smoother ride over roots rocks etc, great traction climbing, rips on the downhills and has enough travel to do some light drop ins.
As for lack of wheel sets available aftermarket, I think the stock set that the bike comes with isn't half bad. 1900 grams total is decent for a 29er wheel set. The rear wheel is the one that is hard to match, 10mm through axle X 142mm spacing. A bit odd but you can find hubs aftermarket.
Overall I love this bike, a real work horse that gets the job done. Very capable and comfortable riding.
Also the bike weighs in at 29 lbs stock.
I think it's a great value
Similar Products Used: Did some demo's of Rumblefish 1($2900), Superfly 100($6200)Pivot 429($4500).
You do the math...
Bike Setup: Stock except for upgrade to Formula RX brakes
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Submitted by
Bad Bob
a Weekend Warrior
from phoenix
Date Reviewed: September 29, 2010
Strengths: Great Bike will go over anything. With the correct tires and the rear shock in Pro it will climb very well! great suspension! Great brakes!
Weaknesses: The tubeless ready tires it came with were a joke.Both self destructed. Replaced them with the same tires but that are really tubeless, what a climber now!
Seat sucks replaced it.Put Deity Pedals on it, Love them!
Bottom Line:
This was a great purchase. I have had months of fun on it and so far it has been bullet proof. The stock tires were bad the front one came apart at 20mph, not fun, but that was really the only major problem.I have gone over rocks that I knew were going to kill me with no problem. The bike is a blast!
The Bontrager team issue tubeless tires, the real ones, work great and I like them a lot. I was thinking of replacing the rear shock the RP2 with a RP23 but it works so good I'm not sure I want to do it.
Bike Setup: Stock shock setup. 30 lb in tires. Rear shock in pro most of time, works great that way.
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Submitted by
gsutk1
a Weekend Warrior
from Chattanooga, TN
Date Reviewed: September 15, 2010
Strengths: Geometry is great! Full-suspension 29er is very plush and plenty nimble (coming from a hardtail 29er). Brakes are excellent, used SRAM in past, but am really liking Shimano shifters. Didn't feel heavy and climbed very well.
Weaknesses: maybe BB clearance, but worth the trade-off to get 26" feel and nimbleness. Also would have liked lock-out option on rear shock but pro-pedal is nice. Not sure how well the paint will hold-up, may be prone to cable rub, etc.
Bottom Line:
If you are looking for a plush riding 29er this is a great option. I'm not a Fisher or Trek fanboy, I just really liked the product. I would have probably been just as happy with a Stumpjumper FSR 29er. If your primary metric is weight, the Hi-Fi or Tallboy are probably better options. If you want plush, you’ll want to take a Rumblefish for a spin.
Similar Products Used: Own a Diamondback Overdrive (great entry-level hardtail 29er); Demoed Giant XTC 29er (not nimble!) & Giant Anthem (Loved!)
Bike Setup: I'm 6'1" 195lbs, sized for a large but went with a Medium (for nimbleness) with a 20mm setback seat post and may extend the stem from 90mm to 100mm in the future. Also went tubeless mainly out of curiosity. Shimano M540 pedals (although M520’s are just fine). Otherwise everything is stock - Shimano SLX, Fox front and rear.
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Submitted by
taz047
a Weekend Warrior
from bend, oregon,bend
Date Reviewed: August 14, 2010
Strengths: good handling, plenty of travel, rolls over everything
Weaknesses: saddle may want to be replaced
Bottom Line:
Great bike, have ridden it for two days and like it the more i ride it. A bit heavy, but a great bike for the money. suspension works great so far. Even does good on climbs....a first for a 29er full suspension. Would recommend to a friend.
Similar Products Used: specialized stumpjumper,expert
Bike Setup: stock
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Submitted by
SR92
a Cross Country Rider
from Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Date Reviewed: May 31, 2010
Strengths: 36 tooth cog in the rear end lends help taking 29" tires uphill.
Fox DRCV Shock provides two modes of rebound, soft then harder.
Fox F29 120mm fork is very solid and performs well under load.
QR15 front quick release provides stability and strength.
Frame is oversized, solid and comes with a lifetime warranty.
SLX two way shifters allow for shifting under braking.
Active Braking Pivot (ABP) allows for braking during suspension flex.
Wide front handlebar and Bontrager grips are very comfortable.
185mm Shimano front brake and 160mm rear are very capable of stopping the bike.
Weaknesses: Stock seat was not very comfortable. Other than that I have found no other weaknesses not attributable to the rider!
Bottom Line:
Wow! My wife ordered the Rumblefish for me after I raved about it during a demo in November. (Cool wife huh?) After riding the first 150 miles on it, I am very impressed with everything about how the bike handles. I find I am much more confident due to how well it handles large obstacles and drops (29" wheels help here). The shocks are particularly pliant for small bumps and then firm gradually (GF calls this Dual Rate Control Valve or DRCV) and allow a lot of flex without giving up that they have a limit. The 36 tooth cog makes hills much easier, even considering the 29" tires. I love the two-way Shimano SLX shifters and have found that the bike can easily shift or brake or flex its suspension under load. Frequently I tackle steep (25+ degree) uphills in low gear in the saddle. Trek's ABP allows a lot of control when braking and the 29-3 tires keep me planted in traction (except in deep mud). The only modifications I made to the stock offering were to swap the saddle (for comfort) and the pedals (to match my current shoes). Overall, I highly recommend the Rumblefish One to XC riders looking to take their game to the next level.
Similar Products Used: Rode Gary Fisher Tassajara. Prior to purchase tested G-F Roscoe, G-F HiFi, Trek Remedy, Trek Fuel EX8, Pivot Firebird.
Bike Setup: Bone stock as purchased with addition of Trek Incite ACH computer, swap to WTB Pure V saddle and swap to Shimano SPD pedals.
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Submitted by
DownbeatDave
a Cross Country Rider
from Hood River, Oregon, USA
Date Reviewed: May 1, 2010
Strengths: (1) 36 tooth max rear cog
(2) 15QR thru-axle
(3) DRCV rear shock
(4) a bit more front travel (not so important)
(5) better stock tires for my home in Hood River, Oregon
(6) Active Braking Pivot
(7) totally neutral handling
(8) VALUE!
Weaknesses: A bit heavy
Bottom Line:
Very impressive bike. Handles like a 26er, but has the sure-footedness of a 29er (shorter wheelbase, G2, front thru-axle). Mid-range componentry works well even if a bit heavy; Fox RL fork doesn't have FIT like the RLC, but it is simpler and does have 15QR (a big plus); and the DRCV shock effectively adds another 1" of rear movement by making the most of the travel available. Price point is just right. Cost would jump up another $1000+ (Rumblefish 2) to get a few ounces of weight savings and a few more features in the fork and shock (which can always be upgraded later). The Active Braking Pivot REALLY WORKS! It's like the anti-lock brakes of mountain biking. Also, I found I don't even bother with Pro Pedal and fork lockout when climbing. First thing I replaced was the saddle with one that has a padded front end. Just sit forward on the saddle and the RumbleFish will climb ANYTHING! The bike has great climbing ability (even though, since it's a bit heavy, it takes slightly more work), plus unreal downhill speed and control. All-in-all, it's everything I've ever wanted in a mountain bike. I would recommend this bike to my friends, but only at the end of the season... I'm having too much fun blasting by them on the mountain right now!
Favorite Trail: Post Canyon (daily ride 3 blocks from home)
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2350.00
Purchased At: Bike Gallery (downto
Similar Products Used: Gary Fisher HiFi Deluxe, Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Elite
Bike Setup: Swapped out the saddle for a Specialized Phenom Ti Gel
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Submitted by
B Rad
a Cross Country Rider
from Bow NH USA
Date Reviewed: December 20, 2009
Strengths: Climbes like crazy and does it all well. Fast Fast!
Weaknesses: Found none
Bottom Line:
This bike is one that I liked from the first minute I hit the trails on it. We were at Otis. It goes very fast with less effort and rolls fast. We did a 25 mile ride and the bike was great everywhere. Hit some stunts with it and it goes over stuff well. Climbed several hills that I have not done b-4. Great bike with lots of good parts on it for a reasonable price! This is going to be my new main ride.
Submitted by
Wesfishes
a Cross Country Rider
from Hendersonville, NC, USA
Date Reviewed: November 28, 2009
Strengths: Plush Travel, legit pro pedal, fits my frame(6'4", 230), easy lockout on travel
Weaknesses: G2 geometry is not what I am used to. Felt like riding a Blur in tight quarters
Bottom Line:
Great feeling bike. Little bit heavier than my hardtail and I would not want to ride the bike all the time on the trails I tend to ride. I like the predictive ability of riding a hardtail and knowing it is going to hammer you on the downhills. This bike bounces you around a little bit but when you are expecting it you blow right through things. Impressive on the climbs. The propedal really does its job. Feel a little bob when standing on steep terrain and ware out faster because of the weight of the bike, but used to a hard tail 29er. Shifters and derailers were on demand-no issues. Brakes were on cue as well. Great overall bike. I would definitely consider the purchase. Need to compare RIP9 and Tallboy before dropping the $.
I had a couple posts in the 29er world regarding some recent work on my 2010 Gary Fisher Rumblefish (swapping wheels and tires). That experiment was incredibly successful. I went Read More »
I am the proud new owner of a Rumblefish I. The ride is amazing but I have a couple of issues. The first ride was great and once I got it dialed in it was bliss. I took it out the Read More »
I posted this in the GF forum as well, probably will get a quicker response here...
I ordered a BBG Bashguard to replace the 44t ring. I plan to try keeping the 32t middle ring. Read More »
Quick question for a buddy of mine. Assuming equal prices of around 2500----which would you go with? He has ridden both and likes both. Thanks. Read More »
Good evening all, quick question, I have a 2010 Rumblefish I, and was curious if anyone knew its seat clamp size. Inner is 31.6 I believe? Is the outer a 36.4?
Thank you in adva Read More »
