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Gary Fisher Hifi Deluxe All Mountain Full Suspension

4.58/5 (48 Reviews)

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Product Description

Frame HiFi Platinum Series 6061 T6 buttet and formed aluminum. Disc specific. G2 Grometry. Asymmetic swingarm with FourBarrel dropout pivots Wheels Bontrager Race Lite Disc. Bontrager Jones XR 26x2.25/2.2 tires Suspension Manitou Minute Super Air w/lockout, 120mm travel. Fox RP23 Camponentry Shimano XTR rear derailleur + LX shofter & front derailleur.


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Reviews 1 - 15 (48 Reviews Total) | Next 15

User Reviews

Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by xc/mxracer a Racer from ringwood,nj usa

Date Reviewed: December 10, 2011

Strengths:    fast light suspension

Weaknesses:    no abp propedal brakes

Bottom Line:   
i got this bike as an 06 from ebay for an amazing price to race next season and i tested it briefly to make sure i built it properly and i've never seen a bicycle go so fast for under $2000. the fox track and there is minimal pedal bob. the only problem is that it is old enough where there is no abp so the suspension firms up when braking and the juicy five brakes don't grip very well at all but other than that i love it . i felt a connection with it immediately and it ships race ready so it just needs to be assembled and everything is adjusted properly right out of the box.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   Tested or demo'ed only

Price Paid:    $1400.00

Purchased At:   ebay

Similar Products Used:   trek 4500

Bike Setup:   Bone stock with m520l pedals
Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:4
Submitted by hifi71 a Cross Country Rider from nc

Date Reviewed: October 17, 2011

Strengths:    soaks up the bumpy stuff. climbs well, crisp shifting. brakes are awesome (vs cable brakes).

Weaknesses:    Harder to lay over in turns vs my 18 yo 26er. Not liking the tires on this bike, it seems they don't have as much grip as I'd like. The back tire is rated tlr, but not the front tire (both wheels are rated tlr). I learned that the hard way while in the midst of a tubeless conversion. wtf is the point of having 2 tlr rims and 1 tlr tire?

Bottom Line:   
I like this bike. I'm not a racer. I had back surgery and wanted a bike that would absorb some of the punishment of the trail. I can go downhill faster than I ever have on a bike, and the moments where I started to think "I'm going to die", the brakes/suspension reeled things back into control nicely. I like the fact that the minor issue I had with the rd was handled without hassle by the lbs and trek/gf. I was also considering buying the specialized epic, but the hifi won out due to price and the Gary Fisher reputation. Granted, there are lots of great bikes out there these days, I'm not really a brand snob. I'm 6-0, 220lbs and selected the 21" frame, which is on the large size for me, but it has lots of stand-over-height.

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Favorite Trail:   lnsp

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Price Paid:    $2400.00

Bike Setup:   stock, except for warranty replaced/upgraded sram x9 rd to x0 after upper pulley/jockey wheel broke. I didn't have rideability issues with the broken pulley, I just noticed it had split. The lbs said that they couldn't get a replacement for the x9, so sram was sending a whole new x0. Works for me. Seat was very firm, but I was way out of riding shape. It broke me in after 2-3 rides with a gel saddle topper I bought for my wife, now I love it without the gel.
Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:3
Submitted by dascmo a Cross Country Rider from Missoula

Date Reviewed: August 10, 2011

Strengths:    Great handling, 29er effects, suspension design.

Weaknesses:    Carbon seatstays are fragile!

Bottom Line:   
Great bike, but I broke the seatstay on a slow-speed switchback tip-over onto a rock. Fisher/Trek have no more! Anybody have one for sale???

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Favorite Trail:   Montana

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Price Paid:    $1600.00

Purchased At:   Ebay

Similar Products Used:   Specialized FSR

Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:3
Submitted by mountian a Cross Country Rider from Breckenridge, CO, US

Date Reviewed: July 14, 2011

Strengths:    Solid frame, Just the right of tuneability from the suspension, brakes (after ebc gold upgrade), brake levers

Weaknesses:    pedals, shifters and tires

Bottom Line:   
When you do to her she is designed to do and push her over your limit then she does every thing she is supposed to do. Buy it if you are gonna up grade it. Ride the whole mountian all the way up and want a single track slot car with few bigger drops on the down.

Lock it out on the up, slam the seat on the down, modiulate them brakes, stick that leg out and load the saddle baby.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Hmmm

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Price Paid:    $1900.00

Similar Products Used:   Cannondale super v, kona stinky

Bike Setup:   Gary Gisher HIfi delux ,long handle, long stem, gell saddle, dx pedals, tubless dualcompound kenda nevegal 2.2 front, 1.95 rear. Supernatural ablilities
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by mtbiker165 a Cross Country Rider from attleboro, ma

Date Reviewed: December 25, 2010

Strengths:    very strong and resposive bike! its an exelent climber pro pddle works well, even without it it clidbs like a mountain goat! then when it comes to the dh it suddenly turns into a monster, eating everything in its path like its never eaten before!

Weaknesses:    nothing so far!

Bottom Line:   
this is a great allaround bike its super lite for a 5 in travel bike and for the money its the steal of the sentury!!!

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   veitnam

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Price Paid:    $1500.00

Purchased At:   union cycle

Similar Products Used:   hi-fi pro 29r.

Bike Setup:   bone stock!
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by bob29r a Weekend Warrior from Lawrenceville, GA

Date Reviewed: December 17, 2010

Strengths:    Awesome suspension, handles great.

Weaknesses:    Bars too wide, Candy pedals difficult to get into. Cheap saddle.

Bottom Line:   
My past GF bikes have fit me well and the value is certainly there, great frame warranty. It's at least 2 to 3 lbs heavy than any of my old bikes but it's faster.. go figure! I've had the bike for about 3 months and I'm very happy with it. The G2 geometry rocks!

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Yargo, Chicopee, Bull Mt

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Price Paid:    $2100.00

Purchased At:   Free Flite

Similar Products Used:   GF Sugar 3, GF Mt Tam, Salsa Dos Niner

Bike Setup:   Stock, except: Swapped out saddle. Eventually will swap pedals to Shimanos. Cut off 2" from bars.
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Maddytk a Cross Country Rider from Albany,OR

Date Reviewed: September 21, 2010

Strengths:    Solid setup
29's roll over everything
No component issues thus far

Weaknesses:    Heavier than my hardtail
No rear lockout, but thats by design. No problems with this, although there is a bit of bob climbing.

Bottom Line:   
Love, love this bike. fs and 29's have made me a much better rider. Have had no issues whatsoever. Got this 2010 on a great sale (25% off) after returning a Giant XTC1 hardtail due to excessive break vibration. This bike has the same brakes but not a peep out of them yet. Nothing better than riding thru the forest on a silent bike!

Slime tubes have eliminated annoying thorn flats, but plan on going tubeless.

6'2" - 21" is right on.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Mac Forest

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Price Paid:    $1900.00

Purchased At:   Bike Gallery

Similar Products Used:   first fs

Bike Setup:   standard
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by osun a Cross Country Rider from seoul, s korea

Date Reviewed: June 17, 2010

Strengths:    120mm ~ 140mm fork travel

Weaknesses:    140mm fork travel

Bottom Line:   
nice price!

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Favorite Trail:   yeti 575

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Similar Products Used:   scott genius20

Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by jes.meier@gmail.com a Cross Country Rider from Winston-Salem, NC

Date Reviewed: January 30, 2010

Strengths:    Light-weight full-suspension bike that handles well and makes you think you can take on anything.

Weaknesses:    No major issues yet, aside from the annoying brake squeal. The Fox RP2 rear shock does a good job, but is On-Off only. May switch out to the RP23 for more adjustment options.

Bottom Line:   
Bought the bike to replace my old abused Stumpjumper hardtail, got it at the end-of-season price back in August. Ended up with the 2009 26" version; originally was going to get the 29er but the large frame was completely sold out for the year. I'd demo-ridden a guy's 29er, and it was a fast bike. The bigger wheels really get you moving, and can probably shave some time off your ride if you're racing. If you're doing slower, more technical rides, probably not gonna make any difference. No major complaints about the 26" bike, love the improved handling over the roots and rocks. The suspension does it's job well. The trails were my old bike bounced around on roots like a pogo stick are far more enjoyable, and stuff I wouldn't have thought attempting before now look manageable. It's not a heavy-duty downhill bike, so while it's a wonderful cross country ride, I won't be taking any big drops on this frame. Rode it all this past fall around the trails here in the Greensboro area, and just came back from riding Balm Boyette down in Florida. This bike made some insane trails a whole lot of fun- Abyss and Ridgeline were a blast. The light frame let me fly along, and it climbed hills incredibly well. Doesn't feel like I'm losing any energy to the suspension. Stock Bontrager tires are great for the terrain here in NC, but the rubber is soft, so the rocks are tearing up the treads rather quick. Took the Florida terrain really well, handled sand and hard-pack great. Seeing a bit of ghost-shifting on climbs, but I think I just need to make a few adjustments to the rear derailer. I went with the Twist shifters, personal choice, lets me keep a good grip on the bike at all times. I don't think you can go wrong with a Hi-Fi if you're looking for a great ride.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Wild Turkey Trail

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Price Paid:    $2000.00

Purchased At:   Paceline Bicycles, G

Similar Products Used:   Old bike was 1997 Specialized Stumpjumper Pro hardtail.

Bike Setup:   Stock 2009 set-up, except for the Sram X.7 Twist shifters
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Al Ferri a Cross Country Rider from Hope Mills, NC (US)

Date Reviewed: November 30, 2009

Strengths:    Great geometry! very responsive steering, climbs very nicely and in some ways it is more efficient that my hartail was, particularly in technical rooted/sharp rocky climbs. Rails downhill Fox suspension front and rear very plush.

Pull manuals across small natural double rollers and bunny hops small obstacles and step ups easily. Rides small drops (2-3ft) very smooth and sure in both uphill and downhill directions. Not too heavy as trail bikes go, definitely not fragile, but not XC racer light weight/fragile...Overall instills confidence in the ride performance.

Weaknesses:    Paint is a little too delicate. Avid Juicy 5 brakes (Rear 160mm) are nois (Make a great turkey call, lol) I tried the sandpaper trick Considering Hope Full Floating Disk brakes.

Bottom Line:   
Defines the meaning of "all things in moderation". Its a real do anything bike. If you are looking for a bike that can handle rough and rugged trails while offering a high quality plush ride, yet not too heavy or seems like too much bike in lighter trail conditions, then you need THIS BIKE.

If you are an extreme all mountain rider, you may want to consider the new GF Roscoe, its a similar bike but much burlier. Its not at all heavy as trail bikes go, In fact its one of the lightest, but hardcore XC Racers needing a rugged platform will want to lighten it up more or Consider the 2008 Hi-Fi XC Series.

When I was in Korea started to strongly consider the SantaCruz Heckler as my next trail bike. However, I came back to the South Eastern US where the trails weren't as burly and all mountain in my region, so I Needed something a little lighter than Heckler but not fragile and still offered all mountain capability of a 5in trail bike for those times I go out of my way to find something technical to ride up and rail down. This bike fits that bill.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   (World wide) Yong Hwa Mtn, ROK--(US) Dauset Trails, Ga.

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $2400.00

Purchased At:   The Bike Shop in War

Similar Products Used:   (Demoed) 2008 Trek Fuel EX, (The geometry on the Trek is more of a lean forward ride, great for climing but not my prefernce for overall handling) Specialized Stumpjumper FSR (Comp)I have always liked these bikes, no complaints really, but the G2 Geometry of the Hi-Fi is more responsive.

Bike Setup:   Mostly stock except for 80mm stem (Considering a 70mm Thomson), tubeless tires, (highly recommend the tubeless tires) and Lizard skin Lock on grips. Planning to go with Thomson Stem and Seatpost, lighter saddle and full floating disk brakes. This should reduce overall weight further and some of the rotating weight. The stock brakes are great, this upgrade choice is a personal preference.
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by elvishawk a Weekend Warrior from leeds UK

Date Reviewed: July 22, 2009

Strengths:    light bike, very responsive, excellent geometry, confidence inspiring, rides like a hardtail - fast..........

Weaknesses:    slightly light front end when climbing very steep/technical, still getting used to sram gearset

Bottom Line:   
needed to upgrade from my 10yr old trek 6500 hardtail to a full sus as was losing out to my mates on technical fast downhills. needed discs, light weight and a firmish ride so i wouldnt lose speed on the hills etc but with enuf sus to cover me on the hard stuff.
demod 29er hardtail, hated it - too much weight on the hills and not enuf controlability in technical climbs and terrain.
took out a marin with quad link sus - too twitchy and massive pedal bob when climbing - very fast tho.
then took out this lttle fella and i can honestly say she rocks !!
geometry felt right immediately and i can climb anything, go faster and is comfortable to ride all day.
the juicy 5's are great and adequate for me, am still getting used to sram gearset but i went out 2 days back in heavy mud and it NEVER slipped even once.
very light frame and plenty of firmness from the sus to maintain rigidity on the road and good surfaces so i dont lose momentum/energy when climbing. sus is single pivot and it shows - i love it. unlike the majority of quad link bikes which concentrate on using the sus to do all the work and relies on propedal to neutralise pedal bob, the GF hifi deluxe uses the whole rear end as suspension and the shock just as a damber. the brilliant result is a bike thats as fast a hardtail most of the time, but which will absorb the really heavy downhills when necessary.

only downer is the front goes light in extreme climbs.

having said that, i went out for 2 hs the other day and i never unclipped my feet once !! thats a real result considering the terrain.

a brill all rounder and has made me 30% faster already. i nearly went for the ex8 but im so glad i didnt.
ps - went for the 17.5 inch. im 5feet 10inches tall and weight 10stone.

well done on a fantastic package gary, phillip.

pps - managed to get a price reduction to £1600 due to a scratch on the frame.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Yorks Dales

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Price Paid:    $2000.00

Purchased At:   chevin cycles otley

Similar Products Used:   trek 6500 1999

Bike Setup:   standard, end bars and cateye cordless to fit.
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by big mountain riding a Racer from Lynchburg, VA, USA

Date Reviewed: July 16, 2009

Strengths:    Can do it all, pretty much! Rails the descents, climbs with agility, great balance, feels lighter than it is.

Weaknesses:    Low Bottom Bracket - or at least feels that way at times. I have the 2007, and the next year they upgraded to a Fox fork and a stealth black paint job. Doh!

Bottom Line:   
For years, bike companies and magazines touted this bike or that as the "one" bike that could do it all. As someone on a budget, I loved the idea of a bike that could handle most of the standard trail conditions confidently, however I don't think they lived up to the hype until 2006-07. I test rode a Giant Trance, and it performed everything well. However, it wasn't exciting. A great bike needs the design and capabilities to excite.

Enter the Gary Fisher HiFi. While there are other bikes out there that probably excite more, and can handle even more (i.e. the Yeti 575), the HiFi does it all and costs less. I'd say I regret not waiting a year to buy the one with the black paint job with a Fox fork, but then I would have missed out on a great year of riding. And, I love the Manitou Minute fork. I actually have one on my Klein too. This Minute with the thicker stanchions is rock steady, as is the whole bike. In the first six months of owning it, I placed the best I ever had in an epic (100KM) race, took it to Moab for a week and rode local trail features I had never imagined being able to ride. I use the ProPedal feature on the Fox rear shock almost every ride. Yes, the bike will climb fully open, but the stiffer setting makes those long climbs just that much more bearable. And with practice, your hand will find the lever without looking down.

Problems have been few: At just under two years, the rear triangle broke. And not the carbon seat stays. I think the asymmetrical chain stays are under a lot of torque forces. Gary Fisher replaced the part for free inside of two weeks from start to finish. So, this is not the bike for regular jumpers ... Additionally, replace the stock tires with something with more grip if you ride in loose or wet conditions. I ride an old set of Panaracers 2.1" with a tried and true tread design.

Oh, and yes. As other reviewers have warned, this bike can goad you to go faster than you may be ready for. On Moab's Porcupine Rim Trail, my brother and I passed a motocross bike in the r-r-ruff on the downhill running from the rim overlook back to Sand Flats Road. A pinnacle moment for a mountain biker. The guy about fell off his motorbike when we flew past on his left :-0 That's the kind of bike this one is. Surprising competent and tougher than it looks. Great for true all mountain riders that need to pedal up to rail down.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Porcupine Rim - The whole thing

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Price Paid:    $2000.00

Purchased At:   LBS - Bikes Unlimite

Similar Products Used:   Klein Palomino, Giant Trance

Bike Setup:   Stock, except Chris King headset, Thompson seat post, WTB Rocket seat, platform clipless pedals
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Keefer a Cross Country Rider from Woodstock, GA USA

Date Reviewed: June 26, 2009

Strengths:    Easy to ride.
Rolls over roots and rocks much easier than a 26".

Weaknesses:    Brakes are noisy after 20 miles of single track. I have to remove the pads and rub them against sand paper. It's good for another 20-25 miles. I've tried organic as well as metal. It's a Juicy thing and not a Fisher issue.

Bottom Line:   
Highly recommend this bike as it's just an all around awesome bike. It can ride anything you throw at it. The 29" wheels make a huge difference in smoothness and ease of rolling.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Blankets Creek

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $1900.00

Purchased At:   Free Flite

Similar Products Used:   GT hard tail.

Bike Setup:   17" frame. 5'9" @ 170lbs.
Tubeless - Highly recommend converting to tubeless.
Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:4
Submitted by JNorcia a Weekend Warrior from Chattanooga, TN

Date Reviewed: May 30, 2009

Strengths:    Acceleration, climbing ability, agility and turning ability really give you confidence (after switching the tires)

Weaknesses:    Rear suspension firms during braking on decents. Tires just werent made for the rocky, wet southeast hills.

Bottom Line:   
Great bike for the price. Climbs great and after converting the tires to tubless, it only made it better, up and down the mountain. The only downfall is there is a significant firming of the rear suspension during braking. Other than that its a solid bike that keeps you in a comfortable position for hours of solid riding. Feels as quick as most 4 inch cross country bikes I've ridden with an extra inch of travel to help you throuhg the tougher lines down the trail. A perfect bike for someone who is looking for their first full suspension bike since the rear end stays pretty firm (with or without the propedal on) compared to many other rear suspension designs.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Racoon MTN

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $2300.00

Purchased At:   Owen Cyclery

Similar Products Used:   Fuel ex, giant trance,

Bike Setup:   stock with upgraded crank to an shimano xt and specialized eskar tires. Also Fizik aliante xm saddle
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Twenty Times a Cross Country Rider from Holbrook, NY, USA

Date Reviewed: April 28, 2009

Strengths:    Trek and Gary Fisher equipped this bike very well! The mix of Shimano and SRAM components allow for a nice mix. The FOX suspension is amazing.

Weaknesses:    White seats are horrible!!
Snapped a chain under 100 miles

Bottom Line:   
The bike is awesome. It handles moguls, small drops and tight single track incredible. The bike climbs nicely and bullets down hills. The frame style and color scheme on the 2009 is a "must see to appreciate" because the pictures do not do it justice.

The benefits of the Deluxe component wise makes the bike worth the extra few dollars over the plus model. I debated the 2 models and decided the Deluxe, with the Juicy 5's and FOX RL suspension was enough of a reason to upgrade. I am glad I did! For those who puts high miles and a confidence inspiring bike, this is it.

The white seat is the only negative. In fact, white seats on mountain bikes should be outlawed.

The price (over 2K) is very good for the quality of the bike you will receive. While doing research, everything kept pointing back to the HiFi Deluxe.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Glacier Ridge

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Purchased At:   Brands (Wantagh, NY)

Similar Products Used:   First full suspension bike.

Bike Setup:   Stock other then pedals
Reviews 1 - 15 (48 Reviews Total) | Next 15

Review Options:  Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating

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