Submitted by
1X9er
a Weekend Warrior
from San Clemente, CA, USA Date Reviewed: October 22, 2009
Favorite Trail:
secret singletrack
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2380.00
Strengths:
This is a 2010 21" with the revised frame and Active Braking Pivot. Suspension is supple yet firm enough, braking control is amazing over bumps. Steers quick on switchbacks but stable on DH, climbs well, feels very "solid", weight is decent, about 29.5 lbs.
Weaknesses:
Rear tire slips on my uphill "test", installing rim strips for tubeless this weekend so I can go down to 25 PSI to see if it improves. Could not really ride with the stock "big sweep bar", felt like it would hit my knees. Nothing else yet.
Similar Products Used:
Yeti 575. Kona Unit 29 1 X 9.
Bike Setup:
All stock, except Spec avatar saddle, shimano pedals (comes with Candy C), and 2" Earl riser bar. SLX crank, X7 Shifters, SLX direct mount front, X9 rear, Fox Float RP2, Fox 100 RL29 G2 with tapered E2 steerer, Bontrager 2.1 XDX tires, Avid Exixer 5, Duster wheels with Shimano 525SL hubs
Bottom Line:
Feels like a 29 version of the Yeti and hides the extra weight well. Cruises over bumps and rolls up the trail like a 29er should but really feels solid, so squeeks, no creaks, no flex (tapered steer tube helps?), I have only ridden about 2 weeks but already feel it is the best all around bike I've had. Build quality seems very high, the paint and all the little parts look great and it looks better in person than in photos. The ABP is clearly a big deal for this bike, luckily they can share it with Trek, the ability to keep the rear wheel just on the edge of locking up over bumps and on loose stuff is amazing. This is a great bike for a all around trail bike/XC style rider who isn't looking for super long travel and wants to ride all day.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dpastore22
a Cross Country Rider
from GA Date Reviewed: October 1, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Blankets
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
Free Flite
Strengths:
This bike is honsetly a very competitive build right outside of box. Fox suspension, SRAM X9 components, Hayes Stroker, G2 geometry, bontranger rims spells winner. Price!!!!
Weaknesses:
tubeless ready, paid $80 to convert to tubeless. perfect world would be included
Similar Products Used:
Niner, Pivot
Bike Setup:
Added tubeless and Specy saddle
Bottom Line:
Honestly since I've converted to a 29er I will never go back. Its honestly the way mountain biking should be. This bike will make you a better rider, no lie. Bikes Fast, climbs great and descends are just awesome. The Hayes Stroker brakes stop on a dime. Love the adjustments for the brake levers, nice touch. Deluxe is built amzingly well and looks great in white (always get compliments). I've taken this bike to some fun, technical trails and it handles perfect. Since converting from hardtail to full suspension my lower back pain has disappeared, def a plus since I love hitting jumps. I would check this bike out at opportunity you get, I can assure you will love it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Phil K.
a Cross Country Rider
from Sacramento, CA. USA Date Reviewed: September 4, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Hermits Hut Reverse Traverse
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At:
The Hub in Roseville
Strengths:
Great stability, excellent for climbing, 29" wheels roll over obsatcles and are forgiving when you lose your line.
Weaknesses:
Bad Vibration in the rear end when braking.
Similar Products Used:
Iron Horse Hollow Point
Bike Setup:
totally stock*
Bottom Line:
I love my "Big Girl" as she is known. I'm climbing better and descending better than on my previous bike. My only complaint was the rear end vibration that sounded off like a low moan every time I used the rear brake. While the shop I purchased it from denied there was anything wrong with the bike, I contacted Gary Fisher through Bill and Curt at the Bicycle Emporium in Auburn, CA. and the factory graciously acknowledged the issue and sent a 2010 rear triangle. Bill at Bicycle Emporium swapped the triangles out and earned his shop a loyal customer. And now I can say that I truly love the bike!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
elkhunter
a Cross Country Rider
from CO Date Reviewed: August 25, 2009
Favorite Trail:
CO
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Geometry; Relatively lightweight for FS 29er; very good componetry for the price.
Weaknesses:
None so far
Bike Setup:
Stans tubeless, Ergon grips, new saddle, raised stem
Bottom Line:
This bike has performed flawlessly with the exception of some tweaking required on the Juicy 7 brakes by the LBS. It took some creative troubleshooting by LBS to resolve; relocating the rear brake line and isolating it with a small foam pad/Zipi-tie mount to illiminate vibration; now they're working well. The bike as a whole has been a blast so far. Thiis bike is very fast for me and motors up hills efficiently. The Fox front and rear susp. is excellent; tweaked the psi. on the rear 2-3 psi. per ride to dial in the Cush-factor just right. I have put about 200 miles on this bike so far and just finished a 85 mile 2-day excursion on the CO trail/Continiental Divide Trail and it performed flawlessly with my 195lb "A" and about 35 lbs of gear. Fit and finish are excellent; I'm loving this bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
archerbiker
a Weekend Warrior
from manila, philippines Date Reviewed: March 3, 2009
Favorite Trail:
sta. rosa
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Strengths:
Switched from a 26 to a 29er, first thing i noticed is this bike rolls very long:) suprisingly light frame for a 29er. G2 geometry very stable.
Weaknesses:
Not so plush, on downward rocky trails. The hayes trail stroker brakes i had to bleed after 3months only.
Bike Setup:
Stock 09 Hifi deluxe
Bottom Line:
Being 5"10 200lbs, i decided to go bigger to a 29er. I will never go back. The GF was suprisingly quicker than my Jamis XC and it rolls over obstacles with ease. Every time i use this bike, it always gives a smile to my face. The light frame and bigger traction helps a lot on switchbacks and cardiac uphills. Affordable with the kind of frame and components that came with it. love this bike!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Deuce918
a Weekend Warrior
from Summerfield, NC Date Reviewed: February 15, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Bur-Mil Park
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Purchased At:
Pace Line
Strengths:
Rolls great
Weaknesses:
Harsh Ride
Similar Products Used:
Trek Ex9, Cannondale Rush 3000
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
1st Experience on a 29r I thought it rolled great the transition from my EX9 to the Fish was easy it cornered great Fish Geometry is always somthing ive liked It climb better than I expected but I felt it was a harsher ride than Im used to the Ex is way plush. and to me it wasnt as fun to ride as
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
romebike
a Cross Country Rider
from Rome GA Date Reviewed: November 21, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Pinhoti
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
Bob's Cycle Shop
Strengths:
Weight, only about a pound heavier than my old Carbon full susp.
G2 Geometry really works
Weaknesses:
Avid brakes are difficult to keep adjusted
Bike Setup:
Stock except for grips
Bottom Line:
The best all around bike that I have owned. Climbs well, solid descender, nimble and intuitive handling.
I see no need to have the Pro. Sram shifting is great.
If you race only probally not the bike for you, but for the typical MTB rider it is a fantastic product.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mbdirt
a Cross Country Rider
from Broomall Pa. Date Reviewed: October 26, 2008
Favorite Trail:
ones with dirt & rocks
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Great sit-in cockpit feel,g-2 geo.,29 inch wheel roll like a freight train,great climber with min. bob, good spec on parts,oversized head tube & down tube = stable predictable handling,wheel base is not to long on the 16" size = near 26 inch handling in the tights but still very stable,fast bike,light enough,price point is very good for what you get.
Weaknesses:
Single pivot design is not as plush as i would have hoped for - but to be fair I have ridden an Ells. Truth for the last 6 years which has one of the plushest suspension designs around ( 4 bar horst link). On the G.F. just cant seem to dial in the cush and same with the front fox fork - although it will hopefully soften up after some more break in and tweaking(currenty have about 8 hours of riding on it) the ride is a bit rough on the rocky terrain with small to mid size rocks at higher speeds. but I guess the trade off is real good climbing with gobs of traction,the bottom bracket is tooo low and rock strikes are a common event - which i find myself concentrating on positioning the cranks/pedals in the rough stuff - which kind of sucks. Well heres the biggie - due to the low b.b. I wacked a rock with my pedal which in turn put the bike into a small fit but to the bikes credit corrected itself back in line with minimal fuss,but as i kept pedaling - i noticed the back tire was rubbing the chain stay with hard pedal effort but would queitt down with normal pedaling, i thought the wheel got out of true but upon closer inspection the non drive side stay had actually folded and cracked ! Needles to say - what a bummer! - Back to the bike shop. The Bontrager tires are being run with tubes at 25 psi rear/20 psi front but still seem too hard - usually can get some cush with lower pressures but these tires seem to not give back the cush with the lower pressures ? - will be trying tubeless once i get the rim strips - but the tires do grip well and have low rolling resistence ( aired up or low pressure ).Grips are too hard,seat blows - easily swapped.
Similar Products Used:
29r Indy Fab ti with duc fork - unreal ride for a hard tail - buds bike. 2002 ells truth with a pike fork- great suspension but not a laterally ridged frame, klein mantra pro- good in its day, heckler - buds bike- nice ride,yeti asr - buds bike. many hard tails - riding mtbs for 20 + years & bmx before that
Bike Setup:
16 " all stock except thompson layed back post,wtb laser saddle, new grips - will get carbon flat bar to help kill some of the buzz & vibration.
Bottom Line:
well this is a tough one -
likes: cockpit feel,stable,low standover,climbing,big wheels
are fast & stable and do take out some trail chatter, component spec. is nice with a few small exceptions.
Dislikes: The frame cracked,low bottom bracket,not a plush bike but offers up some sus benefit on the bigger hits ,suspension needs to be a little more active on the rough trails not just the occasional rock or root. Gonna stick it out for a while. I will get a new chain stay assembly. Maybe the suspension will break in a bit more and meet my expectations - which is for a little bit of plush.
If your looking for supple you may want to consider some of the more expensive advanced sus. designs ie: 4 bar horst,dw link.& higher bb. if your trails are not so rocky this is a fine bike and the low bb will not effect you as much.Oh - a little note on having to be taller to ride a 29r - Its not true. I am 5'6" and have no problems whatsoever riding these wagon wheels in fact the transition was quick and seamless. I am still keepin my 26 inch. and will ride both. Variety is a good thing!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kel
a Cross Country Rider
from montrose, co Date Reviewed: September 12, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Purchased At:
tellluride sports
Strengths:
Fast, fun, and maintains speed, climbs like a goat. Great value and component group in comparison to others 29'ers.
Weaknesses:
Low bottom bracket and soft tail end and front fork.
Similar Products Used:
My other bike in the Quiver is a 2007 Specialized Enduro SL
Bike Setup:
Stock with the tubless conversion on the tires.
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike over a month ago after wanting to get into a 29'er for over a year- found the bike priced to sell at the end of the product year. I rode this bike for the first month on mostly buffed out trails- Monarch Crest, Slickrock, and Telluride trails. I have not had as much fun on a bike before. The bike maintains speed and rolls exceptionally well and climbs great- its climbing ability reminds me of a Yeti 575 I demo'ed a year ago. It handles great at low speeds and climbing and I have not had a problem with chain lockout with the single pivot design, and bob has not been too noticeable. Today I rode in Fruita on steep, rocky techincal ascents and descents and found the bikes' weaknesses. The bottom bracket is low and I kept hitting the cranks and the BB on rocks, and the soft rear end was noticable on fast rocky descents. I love this bike on buffed trails, but it leaves something to be desired in steep technical trails. I'm glad I still have the enduro for this riding. A great bike and great value, but I can't wait for a 29'er with a higher BB, 5" travel, a 36mm stanchion and through axel design.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim Cook
a Weekend Warrior
from Millington, MD, USA Date Reviewed: March 7, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Crackhead Bob @ Fairhill S.P.
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At:
Bikeline, Middletown DE.
Strengths:
This is my first 29er and I expected it to feel larger than my old Sugar 3, but it actually feels lighter and more stable without sacrificing agility in the tight stuff. Climbs like a goat and rolls over roots, rocks, etc with ease. It has a more rearward weight distribution which I like alot. The hydraulic disk brakes only require light pressure from one finger to actuate and they're very smooth and predictable. Fox suspension on both ends is firm, but soaks up all the hits. Great for XC.
Weaknesses:
Didn't like the stock tires so I replaced them with Kenda Karma 1.9's. There is some pedal bob when standing up to climb (this was pointed out in the previous reveiw) but the shock has a lockout so if it becomes too annoying you can reach down and fix it quickly.
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher Sugar 3
Bike Setup:
Stock except for tires and WTB Rocket V seat.
Bottom Line:
Definitely pleased with it. It's a big improvement over my old bike. I had serious doubts about buying a 29er due to the handling issues that I'd heard about, but no worries now, this bike has none of those issues. Doesn't feel big, it just feels fast.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pete
a Cross Country Rider
from Las Cruces, NM, USA Date Reviewed: February 10, 2008
Favorite Trail:
dona anas single tradk
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Outdoor Adventures
Strengths:
I did a fair amount of internet research on this bike before I ordered it and waited a long time for delivery. I've been riding a specialized epic and love it, but was lusting after a second bike and thought a 29er would be fun for variety.
Frankly, I didn't think this bike was anything special on the easy bits of trail that lead to the technical climbs I love. The shifting was great, I liked the feel of the components and the ride was smooth. I did notice the longer wheelbase altered the sensations of cornering, yet found the adjustment pretty intuitive and straight-forward. At this point I admit I a wee bit underwhelmed.
Then I reached the first technical stuff I was truly shocked at the difference between this bick and my trusty epic. This bike rocks the rocks. The tougher the trail the more this bike shines. It feels big, but even on the first ride I had zero issues maneuvering in tight quarters. The 29er concept plays beautifully on this bike.
Climbs better than I thought it might, with some extra pressure in the rear shock. It just rolls so well through baby heads and step ups that I'm grinning from ear to ear. It rides far more quietly through the bone rattlers than my epic ever could. The epic is more responsive, but at a cost.
Weaknesses:
It's thorn city where I ride and tubeless tires run with a good mix of slime and latex is a must for puncture-free long cross country rides. But it turns out the new rhythm comp wheels on the bike are not ready for tubeless operation. So, I have to wait until April to get a tubeless rim strip. That is lame.
There is some bob in the rear suspension that the specialized "brain" eliminates. I noticed it most when I stood up to climb. Downshifting to a bigger gear helps. You can lock the rear suspension, but I've got a feeling I'm not going to mess with it other than running the pressure high.
Bike Setup:
Got the 19 inch frame. I'm a tad over 5'9". With the standard stem I feel a bit too upright and a wee bit cramped. I like feeling a bit more stretched out over the top tube. Will have to fiddle with this a bit.
Bottom Line:
no disappointment here whatsoever. if you like to ride rough stuff, try this out.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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