Submitted by
bobeno
a Cross Country Rider
from Tappahannock, VA, USA
Date Reviewed: January 22, 2012
Strengths: Precise, predictable steering. Amazing climbing, great power transfer, soaks up the trail like it has suspension. Rails corners in tight singletrack. BB is maybe a hair low but tall enough to clear ledges and logs easily (as long as you are awake and thinking). Frame performs better than the spec might suggest, and the price is great for what you get.
Weaknesses: Paint does seem to chip easily. A powdercoat may be in order in a few years.
Bottom Line:
Ridden mostly on rocky, rooty, often steep and tight singletrack. I have no desire to even try another 29er (except maybe an Optimus Ti). I use it mostly as a SS (just don't shift) for conditioning. The bike does everything I ask of it without complaint or surprise, is just as nimble as my 26er softail SS and tracks better in the rough than my 5" f-s bike (both of which I have now sold). Added a wheelset with skinnies for the wet-trail road ride alternative, and I have the perfect bike for anything I want to ride.
Submitted by
DEMOJOE
a Weekend Warrior
from Eastern Ohio
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2011
Strengths: Everything climbs like a goat goes like hell up or down great all around bike handles great cant say anything bad and it only weights 26lbs not to bad for steel
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
love it!!! It does everything you ask of it and then some
Bike Setup: Odis Fork, X9 2X10, Elixir CR 203 fr 185 rr, white brothers crank, Thomson seat post, bars, and stem, cane creek head set, stans rims, and hutchinson toro tubeless
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Submitted by
djvft
a Cross Country Rider
from Scottsdale, AZ
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2011
Strengths: Geometry and price
Weaknesses: None that I have found. Have read things about the paint quality....I think it's on par for the cost of the frame
Bottom Line:
Vassago recommends the fork be ran @ 80mm. Personally, I like it more ran @ 100mm. Maybe that's because I no longer ride a big drop from my saddle to my handlebars. The bike climbs great, handles like a dream, and turns as fast as I need it to turn.
My other current ride is a Dean Colonel 26, and I can whip the Vassago around almost as fast as the Dean. The biggest difference is that my dental work appreciates the larger wheels and smoother ride.
Granted, I could have saved a pound or so by going with a Niner MCR, but I'm going to save my other $450 to put toward a Black Label Vassago in the fall. Meanwhile, I'm going to ride my Bandersnatch and have a ball.
This is a great frame regardless...the price makes it even a better value.
Bike Setup: Formula Oro K24 brakes, XO drive train, Reba RLT Ti 100mm fork, and Flows laced to DT Swiss 240s,
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Submitted by
principal_X
a Cross Country Rider
from Park City, UT
Date Reviewed: September 23, 2010
Strengths: Cheap, Sexy, Namesake (can't count how many times someone felt the urge to shout out "Bandersnatch" in their own quirky way on the trail)
Weaknesses: paint scratches easily
Bottom Line:
Basically, price was the determining factor when buying this frame also the wetcat geometry was interesting. Even though the wheelbase is slightly longer, tight switchbacks don't seem any tougher to make than other std geo 29ers out there. I was also intrigued by the claimed "flexiness" of a steel framed bike. My impressions are that even on the roughest descents, I couldn't tell a noticeable difference between carbon and steel, maybe slightly damper than an aluminum ride. I suppose a fully rigid setup would show the difference better. I could definitely tell I sat lower in the bike the other niner riders out there.
I would buy another Vassago, but maybe next time as a single speeder (Wocky or Chupa)
Submitted by
Dial Tone
a Weekend Warrior
from Southern California, USA
Date Reviewed: July 29, 2010
Strengths: Steel, that often used "in the bike" feeling, stable at high speed
Weaknesses: paint chips easy, a bit heavy, more effort to turn in the tight stuff
Bottom Line:
For me the geometry is spot on. I know its a terminology that has been overused but "in the bike, rather than on the bike" feeling best describes it. Bike rolls smooth and feels very stable once the trail points downhill and fast descents are confidence inspiring. I am guessing this is due to the long top tube and long chainstays.
I did notice that it take a bit more effort to 'muscle' in turns compared to my F/S 26. I really cant tell how much of the harshness is absorbed or mitigated by the steel frame since my other HT bike is also steel.
I dont ride hard enough to flex the frame so I cant comment on flexing issues. The Bandersnatch climbs well even with a poor rider such as myself. Just downshift and keep on cranking. It does feel slower on the takeoff compared to a 26er.
Paint seems to be another common issue on Vassago bikes, my Bandersnatch easily chipped in some areas and some paint were scuffed from minor cable rub. The Phantom Silver is just gorgeous seconded only by Bone White and Pitch Black.
Gotten lots of positive comments on my Vassago since its a not a too common, big corporation bike.
Submitted by
Tasselhof
a Cross Country Rider
from Moscow
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2010
Strengths: Grean quality, perfect fir (wetcat geometry is really what i need), great looks.
In ride it's really what i suspect to get from this frame.
Ride she about 6 month and happy :)
Submitted by
Rzar
a Weekend Warrior
from Tucson, Az, USA
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2010
Strengths: Geometry. Great for climbing. Stable and fast on descents. Steel gives great compliance over small rocks and bumps. Stiff in the BB and the chainstays for great power transfer. Price to performance makes it a great value.
Weaknesses: A tad heavy, but it is steel. My 18 inch weighed in at 5lbs. Paint seems to scratch easy. The BB threads had paint all over them and the LBS had to chase them. The cable guide on the BB also had paint all over the threads. Did not come with seatclamp or waterbottle bolts. All in all VERY minor stuff.
Bottom Line:
This is my first 29'er so can't give a true comparison to other two niner frames. Also the fork, wheels, bottom bracket are a huge upgrade compared to my old Gary Fisher. The geometry is very close to genesis of the GF. It feels super stable on fast descents. When climbing I hardly have to get out of the saddle to shift weight for traction. It does feel a bit slugish on tight turns but that is to be expected.
Similar Products Used: First 29'er. I was on a Gary Fisher Tasajara 26'er before this.
Bike Setup: Rockshox Reba SL 80 MM
American Classic MTB 29 Tubless 2010
Race King 2.2 tires running slime tubes for now.
Chris King Headset
SLX Bottom bracket and crankset
Deore rear DR and shifters
SLX Front DR
SRAM Cassette and Chain
Avid Leavers and BB7 brakes 160 front and rear
Bontragor Sport seatpost, stem and bars.
Shimano SPD pedals
Weighs in at 28lbs with pedals.
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Submitted by
Jaracer
a Cross Country Rider
from Pennsylvania
Date Reviewed: December 4, 2009
Strengths: The geometry is the stongpoint of this frame. Vassago makes a longer top tube, longer chainstays and a lower BB. This creates a feeling of being "in" the bike rather than "on" it. This leads to great climbing ability and great stability on rough terrain.
Weaknesses: The Bandersnatch's greatest strengths turn out to be its greatest weakness. The long Top tube, long chainstays, and low bottom bracket that help in climbing also compromise handling. The frame has a longer wheelbase (about 44") and low BB which slows steering and causes clearance issues. 29ers allow you to ride at higher speeds and with the bander I felt as though I had to "muscle" it around corners and tight spots. Another weakness is the weight. I realize that this is a very affordable frame, but my 18" frame weighed over 5lbs.
Bottom Line:
This is a good frame but it has its limitations. The climbing traction is great as is the stability but the negatives seem to offset the postives. Niner seems to make the most balanced 29er frame.
Similar Products Used: I have owned or demo-ed the following: Fisher Paragon, Niner MCR 9, Surly Karate Monkey, Niner Air 9.
Bike Setup: Stans ZTR 355 Wheelset, Reba 80mm, XT group
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Submitted by
KmfC
a Racer
from Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Date Reviewed: November 16, 2009
Strengths: Steel, rigid, wet cat geometry, tire clearance, very nice price, and fast — a quality two-niner built by a dedicated two-niner company.
Weaknesses: I wish the sweet head badge was included. That's it. I can't think of anything else as a weakness.
Bottom Line:
I love this bike — and my chosen set-up. I don't even ride the Rig that much anymore — except for the hangover inducing pub crawls. The Vassago 2010 Bandersnatch is my dedicated XC race bike. I climb better, descend faster and tight twisty singletrack is no problem. Flowing singletrack is even better. I cant wait until Summer 2010 to attack the Rocky Mountains of Colorado on this baby.
My next purchase will be the Vassago Jaberwocky single speed. Bye-bye Rig.
Favorite Trail: Trails at Slaughter Pen (to date…)
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$480.00
Purchased At: trails-edge.com
Similar Products Used: Gary Fisher Rig
Bike Setup: Built to race: SRAM X.O Twist, Middleburn 2X9 40/27, Avid Elixir CR Mag, Stans ZTR 355 with ZTR Hubs, Kenda Small Block 8s, Crank Bros Egg Beaters, KORE Elite flat bar, Ergon Grips, Thomson Stem and Seatpost, WTB Shadow V…
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Submitted by
thaphillips
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, TX
Date Reviewed: October 30, 2009
Strengths: "Wet Cat" Geometry & Price
Weaknesses: Paint, Poor Welds, Heavy Tubing
Bottom Line:
I am not going to feed you a bunch of B.S. to try and make myself feel good about my bike purchase.
This is a 29er and will never be as nimble in the tight twisty turns as a 26" bike ......period. I tried lots of handle bars and diffrent stem lengths to try and get the bike to steer quicker. I think I finally have the bike where it steers quickly without being sketchy and still decends well. You will probably go thru alot of handle bars and stems as well if this is your first 29er. I think part of the reason the steering seemed slower was because my average speed went up. While this bike will never feel as quick steering as a 26" bike it does seem to be better than the other 29" bikes I have tried.
The geometry of the frame is what initially attracted me to the bike. Other 29" bikes felt like I was in a higher riding position and being 5'8" it felt a little unatural for me. With a 16" Vassago I felt my center of gravity was a little lower and closer to where it would be on a 26" bike. The guys here who ride these bike recommend a 80mm fork and so did the Vassago website. I really wanted to run a 100mm fork and would be intrested in hearing from those who do. I think Vassago should have designed the bike around a fork with more travel. This is the only thing I would change about the geometry. I feel this bike is a Cross Country machine built to go fast and long.
My beefs with the bike is a couple areas of quality control. The welds on the bike are not very pretty and for a $450 frame I have seen much better welds. It's cheap for a 29" frame, but frames for 20" bike cost more because they are in vogue. My other concern was the quality of the paint. I have the Blood Red and it immediatley began to chip after the first ride. This is by far the worst paint job I have ever had on a bike. Hopefully Vassago will remedy this in the future.
Last beef with the bike is the tubing used. I understand they use 4130 to keep the cost of the bike down. In the future I hope they will offer models with better quality tubing and a lighter overall frame weight. I would pay more for it.
Last issue is the gearing in general for 29" bikes. Because of the larger tires your rollout on a 29" bike is diffrent than that of a 26" bike. The granny gear could be a little smaller for Mountain climbing. The best option avail is Middleburn as they make 20T 30T 40T chainrings that are more suitable for 29" bikes. Hopefully other manufactures will take note.
Do I love the bike? YES!!! Love the speed I keep on this bike!!!
Would I buy this bike again? No I would probably get a custom builder to copy the geometry and get better welds, better tubing, and a lighter weight from the bike. I would expect to pay more for a custom frame, but I also put $1200 worth of parts on the bike and could justfy spending a litte more on a nicer frame. The bike can be built up as a budget 29er and get people into a 29" for right at a grand.
Overall Rating & Value 4 due to poor welds and paint.
Similar Products Used: 99' Schwinn Moab, Old Specialized M2 Single Speed, 01' Bianchi C.u.S.S., 02' Jamis Dakar, 06' Strong
Bike Setup: 80mm Reba Race, 80mm Titec Pluto Stem, Truvativ Team Straight Bar, Ritchey Carbon Seat Post, WTB Saddle, Stan's Flow Rims on DMR Revolver Hubs, XT Cranks, Sram X9 Shifters, X7 Front Derailer, X9 Rear Derailer, Sram 971 Chain, UN-72 Square Taper Bottom Bracket, Avid Juicy 5's with 120 Rotors, Salsa Skewers and Seat Post Clamp. Oury Grips - Total Weight 25.4 pounds
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Submitted by
utahmountaineer
a Cross Country Rider
from Ogden, Utah
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2009
Strengths: Lightweight, great hill climber
Weaknesses: None found
Bottom Line:
I would love to sit and write about how awesome this bike is, but I think I'll go for a ride instead.
It's just something you have to experience for yourself.
Bike Setup: reba racce fork, 355 wheels, 240 hubs, elixir cr brakes, 185 rotor in front, carbon post, and bars with ergo grips. grip shifters, xtr cranks, egg beater ti's, smp saddle, 25 lovely lbs, RR2.4 front, and 2.2 rear with sealent
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Submitted by
plastics
a Weekend Warrior
from houston, tx
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2009
Strengths: Fun all rounder. rolles realy fast. excellent climber. can also stand the abuse of all mountain, light dh.
Weaknesses: paint.
Bottom Line:
Fun, fun, fun bike. Totally different than 26". not better or worse just two different rides. 29" wheels are perfect on hardtails, feels like my full suspension.
Excellent customer support.
Highly reccomended.
Strengths: This is a great riding bike. On the trail it feels smooth and strong rolling over everything with ease. The greatest strength however is this bikes ability to climb. Its almost like something is pushing you up the hill.
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
Bottom line, Vassago makes a fast and comfortable 29er that rides great(especially climbing). I have done short cross country races to 100 milers and the bike felt great the whole time. Even after spending 12 hours on my Vassago I still look forward to riding it the next day.
Bike Setup: Full rigid with the Odis fork (also great)
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Submitted by
livdatrail
a Cross Country Rider
from Puerto Rico
Date Reviewed: December 12, 2008
Strengths: Price, steel makes for a very smooth ride, geometry steers like a 26er (no joke)
Weaknesses: Doesn't come with a seat clamp...
Bottom Line:
I don't usually write reveiws but this bike deserves one!!! My first 29er was a Salsa Mamasita and it was a good bike if you are a racer. It was compliant but it was just to nervious on the downhills.
Well back to the real deal. This bike is AWESOME!! No joke. It is very forgiving and compliant as the Mamasita but the stabilty on this thing is incredible. This is what Vassago is proud of and they have the right to be. The geometry is different than other 29ers with traditional 72 degree angles. This bike has a 71 degree angle and add a Fox F29 100mm and you got a decender. I find myself ripping through choppy rooty downhills with a few steps on the way and can't wipe the smile of my face at the bottom. The steering is even more awesome. It really steers like a 26er but carves turns way better. This is my only bike since I sold my 4" fs stumpy and don't regret it at all.
With all this talk you would think I work for Vassago but how can I. I live in Puerto Rico. If you are contemplating on a 29er don't ignore this baby. You will not be dissapointed...
