Ventana X-5 All Mountain Full Suspension


  • Average Rating: 4.97/5
  • # of Reviews: 30

Where To Buy


Rbikes.com

Product Description

And with dual sealed cartridge bearings, massive 15mm main pivot bearing axle, our quad bearing option, Fox Pro Pedal, Progressive 5th Element Air, and Romic coil shock options, heavy duty swingarm option, and travel options ranging from 4” to 6”, X-5 can change like a chameleon from race bike to light, black diamond hucker, making it our most versatile FS chassis ever. 5” of travel, x-brace top tube, options galore, Ventana quality, Ventana design, Ventana “Electric Sex” welds, Ventana silky smooth CNC machine work, and Ventana in-house production all add up to one hot performer…X-5! Believe it!


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Reviews 1 - 15 (30 Reviews Total) | Next 15

User Reviews

Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by JSiete a Cross Country Rider from Central California

Date Reviewed: March 27, 2010

Strengths:    Strength, handling, ride...almost everything.

Weaknesses:    Only minor ones. It's inconvenient to tune a DHX air shock because the main air valve stem is behind the suspension rocker; the rear brake sometimes resonates with the frame a bit, making a sound like an irritated donkey when braking at moderate speeds.

Bottom Line:   
I've only put a couple hundred miles on this thing so far and I only weigh 170lbs., so I can't say much about long term durability yet...but the quality looks great, the ride is smooth and the handling is remarkable. I don't have enough experience to know if it's the geometry, the lateral stiffness people keep talking about or what, but I'm going down stuff (and surviving) which I wouldn't attempt on the other bikes I've tried. There's a bit of bob on climbing, but it's only a little and worth it for the grip. Some of the parts seem a little overdesigned compared to competing bikes, but I'll gladly haul a few more grams to get this kind of ride and handling. I'd recommend it to almost anyone who's looking for a really solid, balanced ride and has some terrain to throw at it.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Montana de Oro, all trails

Purchased At:   Direct from Ventana

Bike Setup:   TALAS front, DHX Air rear, X.9 power, Elixir brakes, trying various wheels and tires


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by BigLou52 a Cross Country Rider from Freehold NJ

Date Reviewed: November 29, 2008

Strengths:    Everything

Weaknesses:    none

Bottom Line:   
I am a true Cyldesale,Broke my 04 X5 frame at the seat tube. Teresa, a great help, put me in touch with Haywood,who gave me the option of either fixing my current front triangle or building me a new frame with a reinforced seatube,at a great price. Their customer service is great and the bike rides like a dream. great bike for a heavyweight. Thanks to Ventana for hooking me up.

Expand full review >>

Similar Products Used:   Turner Santa cruz Jamis

Bike Setup:   Chris King wheelset.Sram XO, Fox Talas, Hayes Discs.RP3


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Gary Kelly a Weekend Warrior from Canberra

Date Reviewed: March 19, 2008

Strengths:    Beautiful finish, and looks great. The frame is very stiff, while the ride is smooth. I was looking for a frame to build a lite all purpose MTB, and this one meets that requirement. I wanted a good climbing bike, and it performs well there also. Good quality and low maintenance.

Weaknesses:    Expensive

Bottom Line:   
Im an older rider (55), and a bit tall for half my weight:) So I was looking for a solid performer that could build into a reasonably light package, and handle the range of terrains.

I liked all my previous bikes, but none of them covered all the bases for me. The Giant climbed and handled well, and was very light, but was jarring especially for a heavier rider. Norco Fluid was very solid, great for the down bits, but a lot of work the other way. Procaliber was good fun to ride, but a bit flexy for me.

The X5 just does it all, without fuss, or too much attention. I will stick with this bike for a long time:)

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Mt Majura

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $1300.00

Purchased At:   second hand on web

Similar Products Used:   Giant NRS Air, Gary Fisher Procaliber, Norco VPS Fluid 2.

Bike Setup:   Ventanna X5, Sram 0 drive, Juicy Carbons, Fox Talas R 32, Truvative Carbon Crank, Spinergy Wheels


Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Scott a Weekend Warrior from Manitou Springs, CO

Date Reviewed: November 21, 2007

Strengths:    Durable Frame, Once Dialed in with correct fork and rear shock a nice plush ride. I ride an 04 21" and the geometery is pretty good. Good stand over height. Bottom bracket is in just about the right height. Not to low that you hit the peddles on every rock (just a few) and not so high it feels wierd cornering.

Weaknesses:    Cracked the bottom chain stay near the bottom braket pivot after 3 years. Constantly cutting my knees on the cable routing mounts along the top tube. Ovaled out the pivot mount in the frame next to the bottom bracket (say good bye to lateral stiffness). I'm getting picky now - Sherwood should offer an annodized frame mine has lots of rock chips. Replaceable rear derailleur hanger tends to strip the threads in the bottom deraileur hanger mount on the bottom chain stay when the hanger gets bent.

Bottom Line:   
It's a good bike. Although I have broken this bike a few times I probably would have destroyed most other bikes by now. I don't think it deserves 5 chilis though (it's not that stiff laterally. Stumpjumper FSR was alot stiffer). I have had this bike for 3 years now. I put over 2000 miles on this bike this year alone training for Leadville. At least 1000 miles every previous year. I am 6'4" 190 lbs and I ride aggresively. The bike weighs around 29 lbs when I put the XTR wheels on. I bought this bike to ride anything and everything. It has served that purpose quite well. 3 Foot drops in Moab to nice long abusive rides around Colorado. Not a XC racer but repectable uphill preformance. Very nice downhill. I cracked the bottom chain stay as mentioned above. Sherwood said he has seen that before (he said the cause was excessive forces during pedaling.. go figure)and I asked for a free replacment but was forced to buy one. He suggested I buy the bottom chain stay from the tandem (he was kind enough to sell me a used one) because it has a welded plate in the area that cracked. Look it's a bike like most other bikes. It squeaks. Parts wear out. I have replaced the pivot bearings 3 times. Wore out the 5th element that came with the bike. Wore out the RP3 that I replaced it with. Had the RP3 rebuilt at Push industies(very high recommendation). Gone through 4 rear deraileur hangers. The biggest problem spot is the pivot next to the bottom bracket. The 2 piece aluminum axle tends to come loose after about 500 miles of riding no matter what I do (loctite 242, Loctite 222). This is problematic because the only way to tighten it is to remove the crank. I just rebuild the bike around 500 miles every time now. The frame barrel for the bottom pivot next to the bottom bracket has ovaled out and the bike is not so stiff laterally any more (also the source of the loud squeeks). Cable routing is not so good as the cable guides on the top tube make nice little cuts on the side of your knee and the cables wear nice grooves in the frame. The upper chain stay could use some stiffness in the rear disk brake mount area. The frame sets up a nasty resonance during rear breaking. The warranty leaves a lot to be desired. Quad pivot bearing replacements are expensive. Sherwood has been fair but calling it great customer service would be a stretch. If your a roadie or XC racer look at different bikes. If you are into DH look at different bikes. If you like epic long fun rides in the mountains or desert then this is a good bike. Remember it is all relative to your skills. A pro XC racer or pro DH will probably dust most people on a huffy.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Monarch Crest, Jones Park-Pipeline-7 Bridges

Duration Product Used:   More than 3 years

Price Paid:    $3000.00

Purchased At:   Wrench Science

Similar Products Used:   Stumpjumer FSR

Bike Setup:   XT Crankset, Avid Juicy Carbon brakes, SRAM XO grip shift with XO rear deraileur, XTR Front Deraileur, 07 Fox Float 140 mm Front Fork, Pushed Fox RP3 Rear Shock, XTR rear cassette, Mavic Crossmax wheels for abuse and 07 Shimano XTR Disc wheels for racing.


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Eskdaler a Weekend Warrior from Thousand Oaks, CA, USA

Date Reviewed: November 9, 2007

Strengths:    Rock Solid. Downhills like a champ. Sucks up everything in its path. Beautifully designed and constructed. Ventana really knows how to build a bike. For how well it goes down, it doesn't do too bad on the up.

Weaknesses:    Not real fond of the cable routing over the top of the tube.

Bottom Line:   
I am a big guy for a mountain biker. 6 foot plus and 200 lbs plus. I'm convinced that most mountain bikes aren't built for people my size, so when I heard that Ventana built a bike that could take the abuse, I decided to make the change. I also made the decision to purchase the Ventana X-5 because I was tired of the constant issues with the bearings on the Blur. Even though I must say I love the performance of the Blur on the climbs, and in this category it still out performs the X-5; it requires constant maintenance and just isn't built for big riders. I see all the comments under the Blur reviews about how a little bit of maintenance solves this issue; but I assure you that I am fastidious with the maintenance of my bike, and one month after anti-seizing the pivots, the squeak is back.

From a performance standpoint, I didn't realize how the Blur was holding me back on the downhills until I rode the X-5. I increased my downhill speed instantly by 25%. Also, my confidence increased with the speed. I now take drops that I wouldn't have considered on the Blur.

The design and quality of craftsmanship on the X-5 is far superior to the Blur (and to any other bike I've borrowed or rented for that matter). While I like the Blur, Santa Cruz seems to take no responsibility for the lack of quality in the mechanics of the virtual pivot. Ventana has taken the time to make sure this bike can handle the abuse that is inevitable in mountain biking. This is a machine that will take the hits day after day and not lose an iota of performance... including no squeaks or groans. How many bikes can you say that about!

In addition to the bike performance, Shimano seems to have gotten the issues with the 2003 XTR (what I have on the Blur) figured out on the 2007 XTR. The braking and shifting are much improved.

Larry at Mountain High and Sherwood at Ventana were both extremely helpful in getting the right bike and then getting it set up right. The long lead time on the wheels had me really impatient by the time I got the bike, but they were worth the wait.

While this is a lot to spend for a bike, every time I rent a quality bike where they seem to always use lower level components, it makes me realize that to get the full enjoyment of the ride, you need the machine to work flawlessly. This bike definitely delivers in this department!

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Backbone Tunnels

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Price Paid:    $5000.00

Purchased At:   Mountain High Cyclery

Similar Products Used:   Santa Cruz Blur Classic
Cannondale Jekyl


Bike Setup:   Frame - Ventana X-5 Quad Bearings
Driveline - 2007 XTR
Shifters - Rapid Rise 2007 XTR Pods
Brakes - XTR Disc
Wheels - Industry 9 Enduro
Tires - Panaracer Fire XC Pro Tubeless 2.1
Fork - Fox TALAS 32 RLC


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Wyatt a Cross Country Rider from Baltimore

Date Reviewed: September 15, 2007

Strengths:    No lateral flex, almost no shock bob when in the saddle and minimal out of saddle, great standover clearance. Excellent suspension, supremely smooth and such an improvement over my 1996 Ventana Marble Peak, Santa Cruz Superlight and Giant NRS. The X5 is so graceful at sucking up the bumps. I have spinal arthritis and my back feels much less strain than other FS bikes.

Weaknesses:    No dealers anywhere near me, but Ventana has a try before buying program. It isn't inexpensive, though it is still a better value than a number of others I can think of that cost more but aren't better. In its class it is a great buy, so I guess it isn't a weakness.

Bottom Line:   
If you can afford it, you should or an X5 or another Ventana frame/ bike. I can't imagine a bike being as stiff and solid feeling. Although being heavier to achieve this (7 lbs. for large), it feels as efficient pedaling as lighter bikes. There is no perception of being heavy. The suspension works terrifically yet doesn't have a bobbing issue like so many others. It feels very balanced and easy on the body. The Giant NRS didn't bob but felt more like a hardtail in comparison. Climbing is great; it digs in and will ascend anything you can push the cranks up. The company service sets the standard. That hasn't changed since my first contact when I owned a Ventana Marble Peak. How could an FS bike be better than being this laterally stiff, having great standover clearance, efficient pedaling, and huge amount of usable travel? And you can speak to the guy who designed the bike Sherwood Gibson, almost any time you call. If not, his right hand woman Teresa is also terrific. Ventana sets a standard for any kind of company.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Loch Raven's Merryman's

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Price Paid:    $1700.00

Purchased At:   Baltimore Bicycles

Similar Products Used:   1996 Ventana Marble Peak Santa Cruz Superlight and Giant NRS, lots of hardtails.

Bike Setup:   XTR cranks and derailleurs, Grip Shift shifters, DT Swiss 4.1 wheels, Dean ti seatpost, Magura Marta brakes. Fox Talas RLC fork. Fox Float R with the PUSH modification which I consider required for Fox shocks. It transformed the suspension behavior.


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Big Shane a Downhiller from Newbury Park

Date Reviewed: September 10, 2007

Strengths:    Stiff laterally. Supple suspension. Paint quality. Construction unparalled. Beautiful welds. Can't be matched. Customer Service. Personality.

Weaknesses:    Uh NONE!!

Bottom Line:   
If you want a bike that (flipping kicks A$$) is backed by a company that believes in the product they sell and you want to know that you are a part of the customer base not just quota then look no further. I have dealt with almost every bike company in the US and Ventana is above the "best". Sherwood and Theresa are awesome and I will be a Ventana customer for life. I have access to highly discounted bikes from other major companies but this company impressed me enough to spend close to 7x what I needed to spend to get a "bike". I got a piece of ART and I am happy as can be. Thanks again Sherwood and the best ever Theresa.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   anything dirty and technical

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Purchased At:   NPLO

Similar Products Used:   Gt LTS, Giant AC, Ellesworth Epiphany, Specialized Epic

Bike Setup:   08 Talas 36 RC2, I9 Enduro's SWEET!!!(Thanks Jeff and Brandi at I9),King headset, Easton EA90 stem, Monkeylite Carbon bar,Thompson Elite, SalsaQR, X9 shifters and R-derailleur, XTR crank, Xt FD and Cassette, HFX with goodridge and Staitline levers and bar caps with OURY lock ons. Small Block 8 andBlue Groove. Anything missed?


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Willem Boom a Cross Country Rider from Bend, Oregon

Date Reviewed: July 11, 2007

Strengths:    EVERYTHING. Just awesome. I had a Ventana Pantera before and purchased the X-5 from the mechanic at Village Bike and Ski in Sunriver, OR. Both are great bikes. Similar front end geometry. The increase in travel, while maintaining if not increasing the stiffness is just amazing! Quality of the frame is superb. The paint "Grinch Green", the welds, rear suspension (upgraded to quad bearings), and the legendary customer service from Ventana all add up to a great experience. I have put about 140 miles on the bike thus far. This includes mixed trail types with lots of climbing, rocks, loose soil (sandy), and log jumps. The uphills and downhills have been great. The X-5 Climbs really well and decends even better with the five inches of rear travel.

Weaknesses:    This bike is solid. NONE

Bottom Line:   
Get it if you can afford it... Maybe sell your bigscreen TV or something like that!! It is worth it! TV sucks anyway!

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Mzarek / Metolius Windigo

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Purchased At:   Village Bike & Ski - Sunriver, OR

Similar Products Used:   Ventana Pantera, Jamis Bikes, Gary Fisher, Trek, etc..

Bike Setup:   X-5 Frame in Grinch Green
Fox Float 130 RLC Fork
Fox Float R Rear Shock (going to PUSH in the winter)
Chris King Headset
Shimano XTR Front and Rear Derailleurs
Shimano XT Cassette
SRAM Chain
Shimano XT Dual Control Brake Levers and Shifters
Shimano XT Brake Calipers and Rotors
Shimano XT Crankset and Rings
Shimano XTR Pedals
Thomson Stem and Thomson Masterpiece Seatpost
WTB Rocket V SLT RACE Saddle
Yeti Carbon Handlebar
ODI Lock-On Grips
LP Carbon Bar Ends JR
Maxxis Ignitor 2.35 Tires (still haven't gone UST - Soon!)
Mavic 721 Disc Wheelset with XT Hubs (upgrade coming soon)


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Sam a from Chesapeake, VA

Date Reviewed: June 23, 2007

Strengths:    Everything!

Weaknesses:    Nothing!

Bottom Line:   
I am writing another review as I have moved from a 2004 X-5 to a 2007 X-5. There were some design changes after 2004. I LOVED my 2004. After trashing the frame by backing into a tree stump while the bike was hanging on a hitch mounted rack...I traded the frame in for an 07 with Ventana's trade in or customer loyalty program.

The 07 has a slacker head angle than the 04. When I first got on the bike, it felt a bit strange. Wasn't too sure if I'd like it as much as the 04.

But, man is it SWEET. I really thought that there was no way to imporove upon my 04 X-5. But, I rode it last night on a mostly XC trail with a few jumps here and there. The bike was incredible. Felt even more stable, more smooth, and somehow seemed to pedal even easier.

If you are thinking about a Ventana...quit thinking and buy it. Again, this is the single best purchase I have ever made for myself.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   UPS/MPS/LPS/Porc Rim

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Purchased At:   Ventana

Similar Products Used:   Giant NRS, Santa Cruz Heckler, Turner 5-spot, Gary Fisher Hi Fi

Bike Setup:   2007 17" X-5 Frame w/quad bearings and 5" rockers, 2006 Marzochi All Mountain 1 (150-160mm), 2007 Pushed RP23, 185 mm Avid Juicy 7s front and back. X-9 shifters, X-9 rear derailuer, Shimano LX front derailuer, Race Face Atlas Cranks w/ x-type BB, Thompson 90 mm stem, Easton Carbon lo-rise bars, King hubs w/ front Bontrager mustang rim and a rear DT 5.1 built by Dave Thomas.


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Brandon a Weekend Warrior from jackson, wy

Date Reviewed: June 17, 2007

Strengths:    The frame is stiff, tuff, and takes a beating

Weaknesses:    NONE

Bottom Line:   
This bike is indistructable. I ride everything from cross country to dh trails. 4ft. drops and flat landings haven't phased it a bit. I have taken some serious falls that have left grooves in the tubing and it's like it never happened. I'm 5' 9" and ride a small for standover purposes and to throw it around more easily. I run a romic for dh days and a float rl for other rides. If you are considering an x5 look no further!

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   More than 3 years

Purchased At:   Larry at Mtn. High Cyclery

Similar Products Used:   Giant AC2 (not similar in any way other than 5" of travel)

Bike Setup:   vanilla 125rlc, romic or float rl, xt & lx, stylo 2.2 cranks, xt/4.1d wheels, thomson stem/post. 31.5 lbs with a 2.6/2.35 combo and float rl shock. 32.5 with romic


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by CheapWhine a Cross Country Rider from Saratoga, CA

Date Reviewed: February 18, 2007

Strengths:    Build quality and customer service. The frame is very strong and robust. It soaks up the bumps and still climbs well. I like the fact that the frame is a bit different...it doesn't look like everyone's bike and the design makes engineering sense to me.

Weaknesses:    After a year of riding, I haven't found any. They are hard to find in bike shops so it takes a bit of planning to find one to test ride (Ventana has a rental program or try posters in the Ventana forum).

Bottom Line:   
I have been totally pleased with this purchase. It was a bit of money, but this is the one thing that I do just for me rather than the rest of the family so I felt justified.

It was hard to find an X-5 to ride, so I ended up calling the factory and talking to Sherwood. A buddy and I then went up to the factory to see the setup and ride a few bikes. Putting a leg over the top tube makes all the difference to me. I noticed 4 things very quickly:
1. The X-frame looks odd but is very functional. My torso is relatively longer than my leg length. The X-5 frame had the most stand-over by a large margin. Sudden stops or lifting over a small obstacle are much easier with this frame. I appreciate not having to worry about "inadequate clearance".
2. The frame is stiff and strong. I have no worries about riding over or through something. The suspension just sucks up the bumps.
3. It climbs well. Much better than I expected.
4. The fit and finish are top notch. The welds are great. We got to meet the welder. My buddy is used to be a welding engineer and asked lots of technical questions and got the right answers. Paint looks great and I like the polished rear triangle.

I have been riding with the same group for a while. My balance is much better, I am significantly faster descending (especially through rough stuff) and probably a bit faster climbing too. I now choose trails and lines that were not possible on my previous bike.

After a year, I am still convinced this was the right choice for me. I would not hesitate to get another Ventana if I needed another bike, but this one is great.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $2000.00

Purchased At:   Red Barn

Similar Products Used:   Turner 5-Spot and Santa Cruz Blur LT. The 5-Spot rode well but not as the X-5. The Santa Cruz was just a miss for me. Two friend and I did a multi-run comparison with a similar sized 5-Spot and Blur and the agreement of the bike buyers was that the 5-Spot was better the Blur and the X-5 was better than both. I previously rode a Fisher Sugar 2 and there is no comparison (I should have upgraded sooner).

Bike Setup:   Quad bearings with DHX-Air and a Rock Shox Pike 454 up front. Hadley hubs front and rear laced to DT rims with WTB MotoRaptor 2.24 tires. Chris King headset, Race Face Deus crank, and SRAM X.0 derailleur and chain. Thomson seat post and stem with Answer ProTaper bars. Magura Marta SL brakes.


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Derek Johnson a Weekend Warrior from Seattle

Date Reviewed: February 15, 2007

Strengths:    BUILD QUALIITY!!!!!! CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!!!!! Ease of transition from riding BMX bikes for almost 20 years. Climbing, actually not enough space or time to list them all

Weaknesses:    set the bar too high for any other bike I ride, research, touch or get within a twenty mile radius of.

Bottom Line:   
I started researching full- susp bikes back in july looking at any and everything, with build quality, versatility, and made in the good ol' USA being a priority. I wanted a bike of high quality and I needed a bike that could do everything well. I literally stumbled onto Ventana after going to the Dreambikes website. I called Ventana to explain what I was looking for and Teresa, in sales, told me she would have someone give me a call. Within two hours I received a call-back from the owner of Ventana (whose name escapes me at this moment...Sherwin???) and we talked bike for an hour. I was sold and went to see the guys at DHZ, ordered my X-5, with the travel upgrade, in orange.

My bike is simply put the nicest thing I have ever owned. The build is nicer than my Davidson road bike...welds are perfect stacks of dimes, machining is an art form.


The ride is absolutely rock solid without being boring. Handling is excellent the bike goes where you want it RIGHT NOW but isn't squirrelly. Climbs like a land cruiser and descents are better than a roller coaster.

$2000 bucks ain't cheap for a frame but perfection isn't either. If you are looking for a one quiver ride of exceptional quality and the best customer service in any type of business look no further. Ventana has a customer as long as I ride.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Beaver Lake and St. Ed's for now

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Price Paid:    $4000.00

Purchased At:   The Downhill Zone

Similar Products Used:   New to the single track world after years on a 20 and then no riding at all for a few years.

Bike Setup:   fox dhx 5.0, rockshox pike, sram x-7 and 6" travel upgrade


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Juliius a Cross Country Rider from San Marcos, CA

Date Reviewed: September 15, 2006

Strengths:    Pure Beauty, Do-Everything Bike + Awesome Customer Service (which isn't often needed)

Weaknesses:    Annodizing on the rocker is sorta weak.

Bottom Line:   
If you want to treat yourself to a beautifully built bike that can do it all - don't look any further.

I've owned this bike for just over a year and love it. Great climber with a moderate XC build and able to pretty much bomb down anything I have the ambition to attempt.

If you want a bike that can be built super-light over super-burly - this is IT!

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Noble Canyon

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $1950.00

Purchased At:   Quality Bikes

Similar Products Used:   Enduro, FSR, GT LTS, Ells Truth, RM Slayer

Bike Setup:   CK Hubs & Headset, SRAM X.0 gruppo, Magura Marta SL brakes, WTB LaserDisc XC Wheelset, Minute 3:00 Fork, Swinger 3-way shock


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Gerry a Cross Country Rider from Mission Viejo, Ca

Date Reviewed: July 13, 2006

Strengths:    suspension travel, ride quality, responsivness, geometry

Weaknesses:    just the big hole in my wallet

Bottom Line:   
I have owned a lot of bikes through the years but this is the first one I ever rode the first time and thought "wow". They did it right. The best feeling bike ever "GO Ventana".

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Purchased At:   The Path

Similar Products Used:   Specialized Enduro Pro, Specialized S-Works

Bike Setup:   Fox XTT fork, Hope M4 brakes, Sram XO rear X-gen front X9 shifters, XTR cranks, Mavic XL wheelset, Thomson stem and seatpost, Salsa Carbon bars, WTB Laser seat


Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Sam a Weekend Warrior from Chesapeake, VA

Date Reviewed: July 13, 2006

Strengths:    Versatile (5" or 6"), Light, Stiff, great stand over hieght, incredible attention to detail in the machining and welding.

Weaknesses:    NONE!

Bottom Line:   
Every time i look at this bike...I think, "this is the best thing I have ever bought myself." Originially I was thinking of getting a 5 spot. Demoe'd one in Moab and wasn't overwhelmed. Looked around and was initially not interested in the X-5. Then I read the reviews and got over its strange look. I primarily ride it on cross country trails because of where I now live. Even having a well spec'd out Giant NRS in the stable, I ride the X-5 on even the purest of cross country trails...it is just that much more fun to ride...even if it does way a bit more than the NRS. It seems as effortless to pedal as the NRS...yet when a good drop or jump comes along...there is no compairson...the X-5 is just what the doctor ordered. I have never ridden a bike that I enjoyed more than my X-5.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Porcupine Rim

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Purchased At:   Mtbr classifieds

Similar Products Used:   5 Spot

Bike Setup:   '05 Marzochi AM1 fork, '04 Fox RP3 shock, Race Face Atlas crank/ BB set, Avid Juicy Seven brakes w/165 mm rotors, Sram X9 rear derailuer, Sram shifters, Shimano LX front derailure, Thomspon seat post, Thompson 90mm stem, Easton Monkkey Lite low rise bars, Cane Creek SoLos headset, Front wheel is a Bontrager Mustang tubless on Chris King, Back wheel is a DT Swiss 5.1 on Chris King, both build by Dave Thomas.



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Spring Swap or purchase.. 2011 demo 8.. 9.5 x 3.0

Any of the eight hundred 2011 Demo 8 riders have a spring to swap or sell?? I have a 500# spring and looking for a 400# spring.. Thanks ahead of time..   Read More »

**PAID SPAM** Avalanche Chubbie 8.5 x 2.5

Click link below to see ad: [URL="http://classifieds.mtbr.com/showproduct.php?product=71649&title=-2a-2a-2anew-2a-2a-2a-avalanche-chubbie-8-5-x-2-5-coil-shock&cat=9"]MTBR AVY CH   Read More »

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