Submitted by
cob2004
a Cross Country Rider
from Puyallup, Wa
Date Reviewed: October 1, 2011
Strengths: Strong frame with good geometry, climbs great, killer price, low end drivetrain lasted a couple of years.
Weaknesses: Dart 3 fork wss heavy and leaked, wheels went un true with any light hit, a bit on the heavy side (expected in this price range).
Bottom Line:
Love the frame and geometry so much, I've spent more on the upgrades than the bike's original purchase price. The Dart 3 was pretty much worthless from the beginning. The lockout failed, and it leaked even after having the seals replaced due to a service bulletin. Wheels were on the flimsy side, which isn't surprising given this bike's price.
Bike Setup: Float F29 RLC, C29SSMAX wheels, carbon bars, 9sp SLX drivetrain, Selle Italia SLI saddle, and Oury lock-on grips. Fork, wheels, and drivetrain replaced after stock parts failed.
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Submitted by
BigWillieStyle
a Cross Country Rider
from Boston, MA
Date Reviewed: July 6, 2011
Strengths: Strong, sick looking frame with rectangular tubing, good graphics. Turned a lotta heads with this bike. Not insanely heavy considering price range.
Weaknesses: weight
Bottom Line:
It was a great ride, price considered. Be ready to upgrade though as the cheaper parts will wear out when the miles add up or you pound your bike into the ground.
Similar Products Used: niner emd, Redline rigid SS 29er
Bike Setup: Rockhopper 29er frame, Reba fork, Mavic Crossmax wheelset, shimano spd pedals, Firex crankset, Panaracer Rampage 2.3 rear tire, WTB ExiWolf race front tire.
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Submitted by
fishwar
a Cross Country Rider
from Etters, PA
Date Reviewed: August 20, 2010
Strengths: Excellant frame. Bike climbs like a goat and goes downhhill just as well.
Weaknesses: Very poor wheel set! Low end components overall but what do you expect for $900.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent bike for the price except for the wheelset. You will end up replacing the wheels in a very short amount of time. Even after constant tightening and truing the rear will not stay true. The components are on the low end but the truth is if you ride hard or put a lot of hours on your bike components will need replaced. All-in-all for $900 I give it a 9 (I take -1- away for the crappy wheels)
Submitted by
bobw
a Cross Country Rider
from martinsville,va usa
Date Reviewed: April 30, 2010
Strengths: Great frame...Excellent way to get into 29ers
Weaknesses: Cheap components the alex rims were replaced by the LBS with WTB. I converted to singlespeed so the shifters ect. were not important to me. The Dart 3 fork was okay but I wanted to go rigid..
Bottom Line:
This is a great frame. You can purchase this bike for a low price and then upgrade to whatever you want. Great climbing frame and the rigid 29er fork does a great job on the rough stuff once you get used to it...You also can try singlespeed or go back to geared(I doubt you will)..
Similar Products Used: 1992 Schwinn Moab 1 I tried this rigid but there is a huge difference riding a 26er rigid from a 29er. This also was set up as a singlespeed..
Bike Setup: Single speed with Surly rigid fork. LX hollow tech crankset
carbon bar profile design stem WTB wheelset Surly chainring and cog...
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Submitted by
Mark Warnick
a Weekend Warrior
from Harrisburg, PA
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2009
Strengths: Excellant strong frame with great geometry. The bike climbs like no other MTB that I have riden.
Weaknesses: The components are on the lower end. After 100 miles I had to replaced the derailleur and and shifters with a few levels up in quality & cost. The rear wheel also when out of true. I had both wheel re-tighten and trued so I will have to see how they hold up from here.
Bottom Line:
This bike climbs like nothing else I have riden. I would estimate that my climbing performance improved by 40% as compared to my 26" duel suspension specialize enduro. i can burn through single track faster than I can on my 26" duel suspension. I purchased this bike to get the Specialize frame and it was well worth it. The components are on the low end and they will evenually break including the wheels. When they break I replace them with higher end components. I also replaced broken components on my $2,500 MTB! This is the most impressive MTB I have every riden. I don't mind replacing the cheap components. I like upgrading my bike with components I selected. At $800 this bike can't be beat!
Similar Products Used: Specialized 26" Enduro Comp
Bike Setup: Stock with the exception of derailleur and and shifters. Also replaced rear tire after two rides with a more agressive tire. Stock rear tire traction is poor.
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Submitted by
vectorbug
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago, IL
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2009
Strengths: welds, paint, price
Weaknesses: Dart fork, chain comes with too many links (although that may be dependent on the shop), rims
Bottom Line:
Good deal if you can get it on sale. It'll get you on the trails but stuff will break while you're trying to keep up with your friends (or strangers) on their nicer bikes. The Dart3 fork will need service, but should be covered by warranty. I don't know if the warranty work will really fix it, I shelved it and upgraded to a Reba 29er SL.
Unfortunately 8-speed is a limiter if you want to upgrade the components. You'll have to upgrade the cog set to 9-speed if you want to jump to a higher class.
For a commuter it's ok if the weather and roads are bad. One of the main reasons I purchased the bike was for commuting in the Chicago winter in addition to mountain biking in the summer. The tires are not good in the snow however.
Similar Products Used: Trek 69er, Access Aluminum frame with Manitou forks from about 10 years ago
Bike Setup: stock until the fork broke, now with reba 29er sl
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Submitted by
Cameron
a Weekend Warrior
from Tucson, AZ
Date Reviewed: April 21, 2009
Strengths: Great frame, good price. Low grade components work for me, but once they wear out will get better stuff.
Weaknesses: Dart 3 shock leaked oil and had to be rebuilt. Eventually the shock will have to be replaced. Wheels are very heavy, and did not like the tires that came with the bike, and replaced them.
Bottom Line:
If you are sketchy on the technical stuff this won't make you any better. Big plus is the big wheels, in the flat, are fast in comparison to the 26" mtb I rode years ago.
Submitted by
CoachKoolAid
a Cross Country Rider
from Oxford, MS
Date Reviewed: April 15, 2009
Strengths: Great 29er introductory bike, I could not be happier. The frame is very solid and have not had any major problems.
Weaknesses: I have broken one rim and it is about time replace a second one. As mentioned earlier the rims go out of true very easily. The brakes also need tighting very often. If i had the cash I would upgrade to hydro brakes.
Bottom Line:
Great bike, I would recomend upgrading the brakes and rims from the stock compents.
Submitted by
Trail Driver
a Cross Country Rider
from Spring Hill, TN
Date Reviewed: April 6, 2009
Strengths: 29er loves to climb. I am out of shape but, smoked my equally out of shape buddies climging. I have never enjoyed climbing this much!
Weaknesses: I have not gotten as comfortable with the 29ers on tight technical terrain yet. It will come. I am not going back to a 26er.
I know many have complained about the strength of the wheels but, I think they are pretty solid. The key is to maintain your bike properly (i.e. check for loose spokes before/after each ride).
I noted the Dart 3 appears to leak some. I have not noted any performance issues yet and anticipate taking some time to rebuild it down the road (see the manuals on Rock Shox website). I think this would be my first upgrade.
Bottom Line:
This bike is great! M4 frame is sweet.
I cannot wait to hit the trails again. Planning some trips to Snowshoe, WV when it opens 5/22 and to Pisgah (Black Mtn). My local trail is the Chic-a-saw Trace in Columbia, TN.
I would recommend this to anyone wanting to check out a 29er.
Similar Products Used: Had a Trek 7000 for years that I continually upgraded... awesome frame but, it was time to upgrade.
Bike Setup: 2008 model. Stock components -rather lower end components. I think it is a minor weight issue rather than durability.
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Submitted by
ride29er
a Cross Country Rider
from australia
Date Reviewed: March 20, 2009
Strengths: Go the 29inch revolution(taking over the world) great frame grips are okay, lol
Weaknesses: cheap components all base model gear, Kinda heavy for a hard tail
Bottom Line:
awsome bike once cheap parts have been upgraded, i found if the wheels get tensioned up properly when new they are quite strong( ive done over 1000km off road on these and they still going strong)prob have to spend as much on the bike as what you paid for it to get a good bike though
Submitted by
propguy
a Weekend Warrior
from Canyon Country, CA
Date Reviewed: February 9, 2009
Strengths: Frame, drivetrain. Lower end Shimano drivetrain works surprising well - just maintain it properly.
Weaknesses: Fork and brakes. Blew the lockout early although the fork still seems to work properly. Going to upgrade to a Reba SL. Brakes need frequent adjustments.
Bottom Line:
This is my first mountain bike. I ride every weekend and some weekdays. Great value - does exacly what it's made for - to get you hooked and wanting more! SRAM needs to work on the Dart 3's durability.
Bike Setup: Stock now. Will upgrade to Reba SL fork and BB-7's.
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Submitted by
bumptoe29
a Weekend Warrior
from boston, MA, USA
Date Reviewed: November 15, 2008
Strengths: This is my first mountain bike, and I think it was a really great choice since I wanted to see if I liked mountain biking, but also needed a commuting bike. It's fast for a nubbly tired bike, and that's great for the commute.
Weaknesses: My fork started leaking fluid at least a week ago, but it might have been going on for longer. Massive stickshion, and lockout is broken. It also makes some interesting noises. Thought about spending $$$ on a better fork, but I think I'd rather save my pennies for a full suspension ride. Also the rear deraiuler got trashed by a small stick on 50' into my first ride
Bottom Line:
Great bike for the money. Great to learn on - I've really felt I understand my bike, and how i need to move with it so i can let it do what it needs to do for me.
Submitted by
Trevino
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: October 23, 2008
Strengths: A mostly solid bike to get someone started in mt biking, climbs great, rolls over most everything
Weaknesses: Rims, Like others have said here rims will need to be trued often. I had a minor crash and my front wheel was untrueable. My wheels were already becoming untrue after 50 miles of light riding and no crashes. Stock rims suck really hard and make this bike a poor value as you will need to replace them or spend a fortune getting them retrued. Because of this I think the GF cobia is a better deal.
You have to pay a premium for a 29 inch frame Compare this bike to a gary fisher marlin 26er and you will pay 150 more and get mostly the same components but the GF has better derailers.
Bottom Line:
Rims really hold this bike back and I don't think they changed them for the 2009 model.
Submitted by
rocktrailrider
a Weekend Warrior
from Chambersburg, Pa, USA
Date Reviewed: September 20, 2008
Strengths: I like the 29" wheels and stock tread. The frame is tall yet easy to manipulate. This bike is butter compared to much higher prices models.
Weaknesses: None! Whiners whine about everything, don't listen. Very few riders require more than this bike provides.
Bottom Line:
I sail over all obstacles. After a hard crash I only had to true the front wheel and rebuild the front shock (just try not to crash). All other crashes resulted in no damage except scratches. The tread grabs good on trails and tar. I ride on rocky, muddy trails where elevation delta's 1200-1500 feet. So, down hill to terminal velocity is easy and I haven't roasted the brakes yet but expect to soon. (I really don't use brakes, this bike feels stable at all speeds.) I cross deep water every ride and no problems. I travel with the bike on a rack in all types of weather and no corrosion issues. I only hose it off and dry it well after a ride. The people complaining must be nutcases because I average ten miles off road three times a week, more on weekends and no problems. So, they must ride MUCH harder distance and trails. Most of us won't ride up/down Pikes Peek so don't blow the wod on something you won't need. FOR THE PRICE, this is a great ride. Included one year free service and warrentee. When I crashed and blew the front shock out in the first month, it was rebuilt free and since then absolutely no issues. The only thing you'll need to replace after one year of ownership is your helmet! If you want to spend big bucks, start with your head. This bike looks good and the handling lets you ride like a pro. I think those who paid over 800 got ripped. If they really knew what they were talking about they'd have never got taken like that. The truth is in the trail, don't take my word for it, go ride one.
Similar Products Used: GT (own three), Gary Fisher (test ride), Trek (bad set up). I've owned GT's for 11 years. The price range didn't get squat with GF and GT was comparable. It was a tough choice bewteen the two. I never thought I'd buy a Specialized.
Bike Setup: Stock with after market grips and bar ends.
