Submitted by
Rock_Garden
a Cross Country Rider
from Philadelphia
Date Reviewed: January 15, 2012
Strengths: Handling
Component spec - Sram drivetrain and Fox fork
Came ready for tubeless (Do it, its amazing) and a strong wheelset
Lot of bike for the money
Lifetime warranty that you WILL use
Weaknesses: Needs more than 80mm travel. 100 would be ideal.
Very harsh frame
Frame weld quality issues
At just over 27 lbs its a tad porky
Mine is red, its ugly
Bottom Line:
This review is for a 2009 model, so things may have changed since GF was absorbed entirely by Trek. The frame has a lifetime warranty to the original owner which is a good thing for me. My frame cracked at the seat tube to top tube weld. It is currently being handled by my LBS who said they see this quite often. So far so good, Trek is replacing the frame and all is well.
You can tell Fisher spent a ton of time figuring out the G2 geometry. The bike is almost as nimble as my old 26er was. It took a bit to get used to the G2 geometry, as you're stretched out over the top tube a bit more than other bikes. It's harder to get weight back on descents, you more or less sit inside the bike instead of hanging off the back. Once you get used to that you're OK though. It rolls over just about anything you throw at it. Picked a bad line up that rocky climb? No problem, the big wheels roll you right to the top. Climbing traction is through the roof ;) Descents are just delicious now that I changed out the stock Bonty XDX tires for some stickier Specialized ones and went tubeless. I strongly suggest a tubeless setup, it'll soften the strangely harsh nature of the frame's rear end. None of my Cannondales ever had a rear this harsh. It's a bit sluggish to accelerate, mostly due to the heavy wheels.
Parts spec is pretty decent. The Sram X7/X9 setup works very well. Stock saddle was an a** hatchet so I changed it out ASAP. Recommend changing the grips to something with more meat. I now have ODI lock-on Rogue's and they're worlds better than the stock Bonty ones. The wheelset on the 2009 model is bomb proof, but heavy. I haven't trued the wheels in 2 years and I beat the hell out of my bikes (granted I'm a bit lighter than some other people). As parts break you can upgrade them to better ones. I'd suggest the crankset and rear cogs as the first real upgrades to do. I switched to a Sram X9 rear when my X7 grenaded, and it has been a moderate increase in performance. The Fox fork is great but takes a few rides to find the sweet spot. Once you find it, the fork is very plush.
All in all a fun bike, but only 3 chilis for overall because if you're reading this review you're probably considering buying a used one, and the lifetime warranty won't apply to you. And the red/silver paint looks stupid.
Similar Products Used: A bunch of top end Cannondale 26er hardtails and a Trek 4300.
Bike Setup: Sram X9 rear, Sram 980 cassette, Eggbeater 2's, ODI Rogue grips, Selle Italia Flite Gel saddle, Specialized Captain Control 2.2 tubeless tires.
Strengths: Smooth ride, not light, but not heavy. Looks sweet
Weaknesses: Avid 3's
Bottom Line:
After a year on this bike it has not let me down. Bought it as left over stock from the previous year. Yes I have swaped some parts since I bought it, but who doesn't.
The only issues I have had was with the crazy sweep bars and the stock Bontrager wheels and the Juicy 3's. Just couldn't keep the wheels true and the position the stock bars put my hands at sucked! At 6'1" and 200 lbs I am a large rider and I have found some wheels just don't hold up.The Stan's rims I built up with X9 hubs and they have been fantastic thus far. If you've had Juicy 3's you know why I dumped them.
The Bike climbs great and is stable at speed. Not having had a 29 before I really enjoy the ride above any of my previous 26ers. Yes a 26 handles real technical stuff better, but the 29 is superior at everything else. On my normal speed run I surpassed my best times on any of my 26ers in short order and this bike is over a pound heavier then my last 26. Bike was a great value and not sure after riding other 29ers that I'd trade it in. If you like hardtails these are a nice ride.
All in all very happy!!
Similar Products Used: Numerous 26ers from Fishers, Speacialized and Klien.
Bike Setup: Stock, but dumped the Juicy's for XT's and went to a 180 disc up front. Also upgraded wheels to Stan's Arch. Added Easton riser bars and a nice Thomson post with a Fizik saddle. Have used several different tires and currently using Maxxis Ignitor rear and a WTB Prowler up front.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Baxter82
a Weekend Warrior
from Georgia
Weaknesses: low end hydros, crappy bars, and grips.
Bottom Line:
This is a good 29er for an intermediate rider not ready to drop the super big bucks on a full squish, but who still wants a high performance machine. All in all im satisfied, but like i said before it would be worth your while to swap the brakes for some bb7's or some higher end brakes. I have a major "turkey warble" issue with them. It may be the pads but Idk. Let the good times roll : )
Similar Products Used: none (its my first real bike)
Bike Setup: stock, but i have aspirations to swap the brakes for some elixir 7's...
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
kchan021
a Cross Country Rider
from NE Georgia, USA
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2011
Strengths: Light.. smooth.. big upgrade vs. my Marlin!
Weaknesses: Stock handlebars are too long. Almost hit a tree! Will have it cut. The stock grips are paper thin. Hurts. Shifter does not have a dial to tell you what gear your on
Bottom Line:
Just picked up my 2012 model and used it for a day and rode 8.5 miles.. and so far so darn good. Smooth; light. Brakes stop on a dime. My 3rd Trek/ GF so I believe in them! Seems to climb easier and smoother. Makes me a better rider after 8.5 miles!
Weaknesses: None really although i will probably change the tires at some point. Not sure i like the swept back bars much and ill probably change these for a low riser as well at some point.
Bottom Line:
I normaly have real problems getting a bike to fit and then trouble finding one that fits to ride like i want it to. But this baby fits like a glove (after inclusion of above noted post) and rides like bute. It has a really nice floaty feel, glides uphill like a demon and is capable on the downhill stuf -- i was riding it down v steep very flinty loose stuff at reasonable speed yesterday and it pissed it. All in all a very capable steed at £225 notes off the list price. Not sure why you would want to spend more but thats just me. Anyroad its early days for such a positive review but my years of riding both good and bad bikes tell me that this ones a keeper.
Similar Products Used: Cannondale F900,Specialized Stumpjumper, Pace RC303
Bike Setup: Ive had to change the post to a Thomson layback.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
gc450r
a Weekend Warrior
from matthews, nc
Date Reviewed: August 7, 2011
Strengths: I love the bike when it's not broken. Great in corners and fast uphill, very comfortable ride
Weaknesses: replaced lousy rear wheel, grips, brakes. oh yeah, frame cracked where seat tube inserts above top tube. trek replaced with a paragon frame and i still get the nagging creeky metal sound near seat tube. i am pretty sure it will crack again. oh, trek customer service really sucks too
This review is for the 2011 Trek/GF Collection X-Cal. I decided to go with the X-Cal after going back and forth on whether to get a full-suspension or hardtail. I LOVE the geometry, I've had a Marin Alpine Trail 29er before and the X-Cal takes the cake on handling. It is also much lighter physically and in how it feels when you are riding it. The Reba Dual Air fork is an amazing fork, I am 215 @ 6ft and set it up with 150psi and it feels great. The SRAM X7 rear derailleur shifts quickly and accurately even after 30 miles of dirt, sand, and some mud. It confused my why they went with a Shimano front derailleur instead of an X7, but it works OK. I took the top ring off and converted to a 2x10 drivetrain. My X-Cal came with the Jones XR Tires which I think are a lot better than the listed 29-2's which is a plus. They are dual compound tread and really grip in the corners. I converted the Bontrager SSR wheels to tubeless using the gorilla tape ghetto tubeless method and the Jones XR's beaded well using Stans.
Where the bike falls short is in the choice of some components. #1: The 12 degree sweep handlebars are absolutely horrible, they make your wrists sort of kinked, I took them off immediately and put a flat bar on with a shorter stem. #2: The seat, I think a flat board would have been more comfortable. #3 THE FINISH/PAINT (or lack of) is really a poor, poor choice on Treks part... seriously guys? What looks like painted blue & gray stripes is really some sort of decal paint. Mine weren't completely lined up correctly and had air bubbles, and one of the blue stripes chipped off after a day of having the bike. I can see a matte finish bike if you actually paint it, but adding decals just shouts that Trek was trying to do the cheapest thing possible. This is my biggest grudge with this bike, there should have been a clearcoat. Good luck keeping all the white, white. I added a frame protection kit from frameskins.com so hopefully that will help. #4: The Avid Juicy 3's really are not a good brake. I thought it was cool that it came with the bigger rotor in front, but that still does nothing in stopping power. Plus the squealing from them is pretty annoying in the quiet woods. At least everyone knows I'm coming?
Overall I do love this bike and it has made me a lot faster, just go into it knowing you will have to make a few small upgrades to get it to where it SHOULD be from the factory.
Bike Setup: 2011 Trek/GF Collection X-Cal, Bashguard converted to 2x10 drivetrain, FSA Flat Bars, Jones XR tubeless tires
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
askeetskeet11
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta, Ga
Date Reviewed: June 27, 2011
Strengths: Stock Fox F29 fork, good stock componetry for the price.
Weaknesses: stock handlebars, grips, and tires.
Bottom Line:
Just moved up from 26" hardtail to 29". Had ridden my friend's rockhopper comp 29er and this thing is way better. This thing is pretty sweet once you tweak it a little bit. The stock handlebars are weird (really narrow), and get worse once you pull out the spacer in the fork to make it 100mm from the stock 80mm. Had to go with a riser bar. Stock grips suck. Ate it pretty hard first ride with stock tires (may have been the slick rock since it had just rained). Overall, this bike is a great value for the money.
Weaknesses: Handlebar, grips(not lock on), Brakes are low end, dont have thru front axle.
Bottom Line:
Is this bike has great Value, I recommend this bike to any one who wants a good midlevel hardtail. I can't say how its going to hold up but can comment on the ride and spec. The brakes are low end but they are quiet and work. The fork has lots of options for adjustments and works great. I was not a fan of the handlebar, and didnt even try the saddle. Mine came with bontirager 29-3 2.25f 2.0r worked okay but not great. As for size it a XL I am 6'2" 34" inseam rode both L and XL and liked the XL better. This bike is fast atleast it feels it on the trails,it climbs like a goat and decends great.
Bike Setup: 2011 Trek X-Caliber XL frame, 2.25 Racing Ralphs F/B, 70MM Stem, 685mm low rise handlebars, WTB pure v saddle.I am 200lbs riding weight fork pressure are 132lbs+ 118lbs-
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
coyotedustr
a Weekend Warrior
from Illinois
Date Reviewed: June 3, 2011
Strengths: Fast bike. Fun to ride.
Weaknesses: Cracked Frame
Bottom Line:
I bought an 08 new and loved it until it broke. It cracked just above the top tube where it meets the seat post just like a bunch of other people said on here before. When I brought it in to the shop a couple of days ago the one mechanic said to the other "another one". They have a new frame on the way and it should be here in a few days. Overall I really liked the bike but I am a bit discouraged that the frame did crack
Submitted by
dwnhlldav
a Cross Country Rider
from Appleton, WI
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2011
Strengths: Neutral handling.
Good parts spec for the price.
Weaknesses: Stock bars are too narrow.
My butt doesn't like the saddle, but saddles are so personal that I wouldn't count it against the bike.
Bottom Line:
This review is for a 2011 Trek, Gary Fisher Collection, X Caliber.
I only have two rides on it so these are my first impressions. Though I've got a lot of time on a lot of bikes. I've owned 12 mtbs in the last 12 years and have ridden far more so I feel capable making judgements after only a couple rides. I just can't attest to durability, unless it's a manitou stance king pin which lasted all of 5 minutes during my first time out on it, but I digress.
The X-Cal is not my Santa Cruz Chameleon and that will take some adjusting on my part. While it's far better suited to the trails here in Wisconsin, when the trail gets interesting, the X-Cal is not nearly as fun as the Chameleon. On the flip side, it's far more maneuverable than the Voodoo Dambala I built up a couple years ago.
Cornering/control: Once it's in a corner, it likes to stay there, even if the corner ends. Overall, I feel a little like the bike is taking me for a ride, but I have a feeling that is more a result of the really narrow bars. Seriously, I thought narrow bars were a thing of the past? I'll reserve final judgment on the control issue once I have some more leverage.
Climbing: It's got great traction and the front wheel is planted. Something totally new to me. Even though it's a hard tail, my Chameleon is build for the downhill and can be a handful on climbs.
The fork: It's rocking a Reba. My last 29er fork was a White Bros. I don't care how good they are once broken in, that fork was a piece of crap out of the box. I'm in the camp that we've come far enough that forks should no longer need breaking in. The Reba is flawless out of the box. The white bros had all the confidence inspiring traits of a wet noodle. The Reba tracks strait and I didn't notice any wandering or deflection even coming from my 26" wheel, 20mm through axle forks. I do love how they call the red o-ring a "Fork Sag Meter."
Tires: It came with Bontrager Jones XRs. The trails were in ideal conditions and pretty much any tire is good when the conditions are good. They roll fast and the cornering was good. The trails we also delightfully tacky. I'm going to have to spend some time on these when the conditions are less than ideal before making a decision. If I don't like them, my next set will be a pair of Kenda Slant 6 tires. I'm itching to try them out.
Saddle: My butt thinks the stock saddle sucks. I need to swap it for a WTB.
Cockpit: I've already made clear that I think the bars are too narrow.
10 speed drive train: I'm still scratching my head at why we went to 9 speed for mountain bikes. 8 speed was so much less finicky when dirty. I may be a bit of a luddite. The 10 speed X7 stuff on the X-Cal works well now, but I'm a little worried how it's going to function in sloppier conditions. Following past patterns I would have gone for a single speed, but I travel for work and wanted a bike I could take out on multi use paths or even the road if there are no trails near where I'm staying. Thus the necessity for gears.
Brakes: I've never been a fan of avid hydraulic brakes, mostly because they are a PITA to work on compared to Hayes or Shimano hydraulic systems. The bike came with Avid Juicy 3's with a 185mm front rotor and 160mm rear. The performance was decent if not a little underwhelming. They have good feel and nice modulation but could do with some bigger rotors, at least in the rear. It might be that I'm used to 203mm front/185mm rear.
All and all, I think it's going to be a good Wisconsin trail bike once I get it dialed in.
Favorite Trail: Whichever trail I'm riding at the time. I lean towards the more technical
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Purchased At: Wheel & Sprocket App
Similar Products Used: Voodoo Dambala
Bike Setup: Stock, but will be swapping the bars and saddle.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Braumeister1969
a Cross Country Rider
from Northern Michigan
Date Reviewed: December 29, 2010
Strengths: Great geometry, good mix of components for price point, great ride (when it's not in the shop).
Weaknesses: Severe chain suck with stock components, FRAME CRACKING ISSUES HAVE NOT BEEN SOLVED.
Bottom Line:
Bought my 2009 X-Caliber in May 2009 and initially loved it. I'm a big guy at 6'1"/220 lbs. but ride mostly cross-country terrain and am not too hard on my equipment.
Almost immediately I experienced severe chain suck problems as others have reported. This was (mostly) solved by the shop swapping out the original Bontrager crankset with a Shimano Deore XT (covered under warranty thanks to my LBS).
After a month or two of moderate riding I started hearing a creak and began troubleshooting various potential problems. At 850 miles I found the problem when I discovered the weld joining the top tube and seat tube had developed a crack around the weld itself. Again, thanks to my LBS, the X-Cal frame was replaced with a Paragon frame (they are exactly the same except for decals and paint) though I was a bit disappointed in the new color of my bike.
The following season, after 800 miles of riding I discovered the same old creak and found a crack in the exact same spot. This was after I replaced the stock seat post with one that is longer and no change in my moderate riding style.
Trek has agreed to replace the frame once again under warranty but I am lobbying my LBS for an upgrade (at some expense to me) to a full suspension or other model to alleviate future problems. So far, it isn't going as easily as it should which is disappointing.
Though this is a fun bike and has made me a much better rider, it's spent far too much time in the shop and is clearly not built for larger riders. Look elsewhere.
Bike Setup: Mostly stock; replaced bars, saddle, see below.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
nsxinsac
a Weekend Warrior
from Fair Oaks, CA, US
Date Reviewed: November 20, 2010
Strengths: Great frame, forks,shifters and derailers.
Weaknesses: Juicy 3 brakes are noisy (squeaky) and can't keep them from rubbing the calibers causing some resistance, 12 degree back sweep bars, lower end crank (although no problems yet).
Bottom Line:
I was also looking at the 29er Stumpjumper Comp and Scott Scale 29er. In my area about 6 months ago I could not find any of these models in a small and after searching for months, finally got the call that Folsom Bikes got a X-caliber in. So that was my only choice. So far it is a great bike. Feels a lot faster than any other bikes I have owned. The Fox forks are very adjustable and solid. Also, I went down hard twice last week and the bike was untouched with no problems but I got pretty jacked ;) !
Submitted by
ymerej1881
a Weekend Warrior
from Toms River, NJ
Date Reviewed: September 14, 2010
Strengths: -Its a 29er
-Great warranty
-I'm a clyde and it has handled everything I've thrown at it so far
This review is for the 2009 model.
-Good component mix for the price
-The Fox fork was reason I went for this one over other brands/models at a similar price-point. It hasn't disappointed.
Weaknesses: The component mix was pretty good for the money, but I have still had to replace some items. The bike comes with a weird sweep style handlebar that makes the bike handle like a boardwalk cruiser and I wore out the grips after only 75 miles or so. The saddle tore a hole in my shorts, and some cable rub has already eroded away the shiny red paint in a few areas. Basically, I had to think really hard about something to put here, its a great bike and I love it.
Bottom Line:
I love this bike. I can take it everywhere and feel comfortable. I ride the East Coast on everything from flowy singletrack to technical rocky stuff that is hard to even walk over. As mentioned earlier, I have broken a few things on it. On my first ride I had to hike it out due to a flat, and I had a stick muck up my rear hanger and derailleur.
The bike is fast, light and relatively inexpensive. What more could you want?
Favorite Trail: High Rocks, White Clay, French Creek, Hartshorne
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At: Bikeline
Similar Products Used: Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo, Huffy White Heat (just put that in to see if you were paying attention!)
Bike Setup: Stock except:
Easton EA30 riser bar
ODI lock-ons (Troy Lee design)
Converted to 2x9 with BBG Bashguard
Shimano 520 Clip-ins
Sram x.9 Rear Derailleur
Went tubeless with the Bontrager strips and swapped out the rear rubber to the 29-3's. The equipped tires aren't great.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
TedS123
a Cross Country Rider
from Culpeper, VA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 22, 2010
Strengths: Overall Balance, Stability, Fit, Handling, and Value; GF/Trek Warranty
Weaknesses: Grips - slippery when wet
Bottom Line:
My old 26" hardtail was leaving me feeling very sketchy on rocky downhills and when encountering larger obstacles (rocks, logs, etc.), leading to some OTB adventures. Wanted something more stable and comfortable. Was considering going to FS for a new bike, when a shop owner encouraged me to try a 29er HT. The simplicity and affordability of sticking with a hardtail appealed to me - no extra shock, pivots, etc.
I demo'ed (mostly parking lots, but one trail ride) several different 29ers over the course of several months. I liked the added stability and smoothness, but found some to be a bit more cumbersome (my old bike was twitchy). The GF 29ers (Cobia and X-Cal) stood out from the rest as the quickest handling, which helped me narrow it down to those two. The Cobia didn't fit me as well, due to the bar being narrower and more swept. When I finally rode the X-Cal, it felt just right, with great balance of stability and handling. And the upgraded components seemed well worth the extra cost - Fox fork, X-7 drivetrain, hydro brakes, and the tubeless-ready wheels (this was very important). I really like the Bontrager TLR system and have already converted to tubeless.
The bike has helped me gain a great deal of confidence - I now ride areas on the local trails that I never tried or were scary - rock gardens, steep downhills, narrow bridges. I never feel like I'm going over the bars, and the stability helps me feel under control, not twitchy. The big wheels really do help with momentum, stability, and smoothing out the trail.
The ride is different from my old 26er, and takes some getting used to. The chainstays are much shorter than my previous ride, which means I can manual and wheelie easier, but it also means I've had to adjust my body english during steep, loose climbs to maintain traction and control (more forward lean to keep the front wheel tracking). I'm also learning to lean the bike and not my body in turns and improve my cornering skills due to the higher speeds. The front tire has washed out on me a couple times when the ground was damp. This is partly due to the XDX tires, which don't like any form of moisture, at least on the front. I've just replaced the front with a 29-3 2.25", and I already think it's an improvement, so my confidence in the turns should increase. The XDX seems fine in the rear for now.
My only other complaint is the grips, which are extremely slippery when wet. This has forced me to use full-finger gloves so my sweaty hands don't slip off the grips.
Overall I am very pleased with the bike. It's held up well so far and has allowed me to ride everything I want to. If you're in the market, give it a try!
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