Submitted by
Lyle Mc Leod
a Racer
from Cape Town South Africa
Date Reviewed: August 4, 2008
Strengths: Components, Sram XO, Fox.....etc
Weaknesses: Frame welded off center, top tube scew!
Bottom Line:
I have owned my Truth for 2 and a half years, but have been fighting with Ellsworth to get my frame warrenteed, to no avail. The company has made a call based on nothing but photo's and as far as I am concerned, don't give a damn, as I am based in Africa and just an insignificant rider to them! The bike is the most expensive in this country, and you'd expect some quality and service! Hey go ahead and waste your money if you'd like, but there are many bikes out there that out price and out perform this white elephant! The linkage is old school, and you will NOT get service when there is an issue, which there will be! Ride like there is no tar!
Similar Products Used: Felt Virtue Team, Titus Racer X, Trek Fuel EX, Rocky mountain.... plus many more.
Bike Setup: Med/ 17.5 inch, set for marathon and multi day stage races!
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Bill C
a Weekend Warrior
from Ridgewood, NJ
Date Reviewed: August 12, 2002
Strengths: Light, stable.
Weaknesses: A bit expensive, not as plush as teh Mantra (but more stable).
Bottom Line:
This bike climbs like a mountain goat and descends like it’s on rails. It’s great for the rugged terrain in northern NJ / southern NY. I was lucky enough to test ride one (rental) at "Dream Ride" in Moab last year. Once I rode it, I couldn't get it out of my mind. I sold my motorcycle to help fund the Truth and I have never regretted it, not for one second. If you can find the $ you will not be disappointed. The guys at "Cosmic Wheel" helped me to determine a fair balance between cost and performance. I love riding this rig a year later.
Weaknesses: Issues using a 11-34 cassette. My medium frame is only a hair under 6 lb.
Bottom Line:
This is not a glowing report like you see below, makes me wonder if this board is edited. First there is a known issue using an 11-34 cassette on several Ellsworth frames the Truth being one of them but none of the posts below mention it. Customer service at Ellsworth acknowledges it and Speedgoat.com sell a rear derailleur hanger for the Truth that is 4mm longer to aleviate the problem (if you have use this product please post your results, i would like to know). there are several ways around the problem but i think they affect the shifting quality of the bike. Ok about the bike, i just built it and rode only 300 yards on dirt but compared to my FSR the ride is not as plush or neutral. If i pedal hard i feel the rear end extend down like a cantilever bike, definitely a racing Xc bike but i was hoping for more of a trail bike that could do everything well and be as fast downhill as my old bike. I got this bike mainly because i was getting tired of pedalling a 29lb bike up a hill but now i realize that that old bike was not so bad. Give me a month on the Truth and i will probably rave about it like it was my first full suspension bike too but for now its too racing oriented and too tempermental about componentry
Bike Setup: XTR shifters derailleurs, Raceface BB cranks, chris king headset, Psylo race forks, Dolomite wheelset, Avid arches,
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Keith Bell
a Cross Country Rider
from Cary,NC
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2002
Strengths: Climbing/descending.
Weaknesses: finicky setup.
Bottom Line:
This is an update for a previous review. Just wanted to say that my review is no reflection on Franklin Street Cycles. They are top notch and the best around. The Truth works better with Hope minis and a Romic for the bigger guy.
Strengths: active suspension design lifetime warranty anodized, not painted..get the grey! very cool
Weaknesses: this is more nitpick than weakness, but i would rather see a different form of cable routing. cables up front get a little cluttered verses other routing options...not a big deal
Bottom Line:
i would agree with most of the reviews posted about this product. it's a great bike for the intended application...trail riding/racing. yes it's expensive, but i believe worth the cost. overall quality and design execution is very good. suspension design really works. i've built two of these frames from scratch and have found all machining and construction to be correct. i've ridden other full suspension bikes, but this is the one i own. i got the cane creek ad-12 with mine and have been very satisfied(you gotta love doing the rebuild at home!). you can adjust the air volume in the shock to fine tune the ride to your preference. all frame pivots and bearings are working like day one, with no creaks. no feedback from the pedals, regardless of the trail situation.
i would strongly suggest this bike to anyone looking to invest long term in a high-end trail bike/racer. the bike is just right. this is my second frame. i destroyed the first one when i put it down hard in a rock garden( downtube was fairly crushed). this brings me to my only warning about this product. if you're hard on equipment (i.e.: abusive), this frame is built with pretty light gauge tubing. you can damage the frame a lot easier than mass produced, mainstream stuff. but i did find that ellsworth was responsive to my service needs. this is important to me, because a lot of what i do for my living entails customer service. in a nut shell, i now know that i can scratch 'frame' off of my things to upgrade list.
some folks might question how you can give a $2000 frame 5 chilis for value, which i think is a valid question. my take on the matter is what's value without performance and satisfaction! after you do your homework, if this is the bike you settle on, you will not be sorry.
Submitted by
John Moorhouse
a Racer
from Altamonte Springs, FL, USA
Date Reviewed: March 22, 2002
Strengths: durabilty, performance
Weaknesses: none whatsoever
Bottom Line:
I've looked over all of the reviews here on the 2001 Ellsworth Truth. I noticed that there were mixed reviews, with the majority of them being good ones from satisfied owners. I saw a few negative reviews, but I guess you cannot please all of the people all of the time. I felt that I should put in my 2 cents worth here.
I am an Ellsworth-sponsored rider. I do 24 hour solo events. Now before you come to a conclusion and assume that this review is some kind of cheap, lame way to promote the brand, its not. I am here only to state the FACTS about my experience with the bike and with the company that made it.
I was introduced to Tony Ellsworth 2 years ago in my search for a bike sponsor. For being the head of a company, I immediately found him to be very down to earth and personable. Not long after that, I signed a rider agreement with the company and have been on their bike since. Yes, I had looked around at a few other hi-end brands prior to this, but felt that the Ellsworth product was one of the best and was also impressed with how receptive Tony was in supporting an unknown rider like myself when most of the other companies wouldn't give me the right time of day. My experience with the entire staff at Ellsworth Bicycles has been exceptional right from the start.
About the bike: I purchased, yes PURCHASED (at a substantial discount) a 2001 Truth frame in August of 2000. I am still on that same frame as I write this. It has succesfully carried me through numerous 24hr solo events across the US and Canada without a SINGLE problem. Ive even done a few 24hr solos in the worst, muddiest conditions possible....conditions that would ruin the pivots on other brands within a few hours. My bike is still on the original pivot bearings and is as solid as the day I got it......110% creak, slop, and flex free. Ive had zero problems with this bike whatsoever (which can't be said for too many other brands)....especially considering what I put it through. I log more mileage (170-200+ offroad) in a single race than a lot of people do in entire season. This bike has successfully carried me through 12 24-hour solo races and 4 12-hour solos, helping me stand on the podium 5 times during that period, and in the top 10 all but about 3 times. I think its pretty safe to say that my bike is a "living" testament to the overall quality and performance of the Ellsworth Truth.
The point is: There is no way that I could acheive this level of success as a rider if the Ellsworth product had inferior perfomance or reliability. Likewise if the company itself didn't care about the people that ride their product.
With that said, you can sort through all of the other reviews on here and make what you want of them. Ive stated my case, pure and simple. I urge you to sort through the nonsense and make an educated decision towards your next purchase of a bike. The Ellsworth product is superior and so is the company.
Strengths: Light and efficient. Quality materials -except the cheap head tube "sticker".
Weaknesses: Some aspects show poor engineering and design.
Bottom Line:
Sweet ride despite the backyard engineering. From the grinding required to install the disc mount to the rigging needed to run an XTR derailleur this frame requires way too much patience and intervention on the owners behalf.
If the bike mag editors had to build the bike from a frame then ride it the reviews wouldnt be nearly as good.
Bike Setup: Psylo Race, Fox Vanilla, Hayes hydros, King/F519 wheelset, XTR drivetrain.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Stimmer
a Weekend Warrior
from Watertown, MA
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2002
Strengths: Design/function/looks.....strength/stiffness vs. weight....ride quality and versatility....let's me ride faster and longer than I ever could on my terminally injured steel hardtail (sniff, you never forget your first girl....I loved that bike).
Weaknesses: None for ME (I'm basing this whole review on my experiences, thus "my" review)
Bottom Line:
That I'm finally writing this review sucks, because it means the weather is so crappy today it would be irresponsible trail use. Thus, one man's opinion..
The Truth is a very special bike, truly one of the best of it's kind. The bulk of my riding is long weekend rides in search of technical, rocky/rooty, new england trails and fun: somewhere to lose yourself after 60 hours in the office. For kicks, I enjoy a few races, and I'm also getting hooked on 24-hour madness. This bike fits my riding range perfectly.
I primarily wanted a bike that is fun (which also means fast) to ride, followed closely by comfort. A good ride for me is going up, down, over, through and around every tree, root, rock, obstacle and stunt as humanly possible within 3-4 hours. The truth's underlying strength is the design. Ellsworth delivers on its advertising, they makes a light frame that is super efficient.
Once dialed in, I could not believe I was riding on only 4" of travel. The bike just seems to float over everything, it really does reduce the challenge of many obstacles I encounter during my regular rides. Keeping in mind I'm a 225lb rider, I have noted some minor flex in the rear end (only the Turner was stiffer by smidge, which also flexed when I rode it...the xtra stiff wasn't worth the weight). Overall, set up with 100mm of travel in the front, the ride is neutral, which lends directly to its versatility.
Climbing is just more fun. I just don't feel any type of bobbing, and it just eats up bumps without breaking my stride. The suspension sticks the rear tire to the trail whether I'm sitting or standing. I just don't lose grip/traction compared to other bikes I've ridden. Going down, anything I ride over, big and small, is no problem. The fully-active suspension really is awesome: I can just ride without worrying about lock-out, brake jacking and chatter.
On singletrack, I love this bike more than anything I've ridden in the past. Pedaling hard on the twisties rocks, the Truth is just so dam solid and smooth acting. I go into, and come out of, corners faster and more confidently than I thought was possible for me. Best of all, the ride is comfortable. The best way for me to describe it is to say the suspension is always there when you need it; whether it's holding a line through a sweeper, digging it out over a steep uphill root, or slamming a babyhead on the downhills, the suspension is working for me.
From a quality standpoint, I've got no complaints. The pivots are silky smooth and don't ever make any noise. I do ride hard, and will do an occassional 3ft wheelie drop. My frame feels as solid as the first time I rode it. Considering how light this bike is makes it all the more amazing how stiff and solid the bike rides. For my money, I got what I paid for (that's value).
In the end, this was an exceptional choice for my situation. Do your homework. Know what type of rider you are and how you will ride/abuse a bike before you buy it. More importantly, buy what you like, not what someone thinks you should have, or tells you to have.
Purchased At: beyondbikes.com Overall all a B+, great prices and buildup, they don't listen so well.
Similar Products Used: Turner/XCE, K. Kikapu, LocoMoto, Tracer, Racer X, Sugar, Mantra.....more..
Bike Setup: Med/Black (I'm 6ft), CK headset, Xfly100, AD-12, CK DiscGotechs/317 (great wheelbuilder at beyondbikes), Avid mech/PD-7 levers, Thomson stem/post, Flite ti, Monkey-lo, Atacs, XT D-Train w/Ring God....
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Jay Mutina
a Weekend Warrior
from Houston Texas
Date Reviewed: February 16, 2002
Strengths: Excellent finish, lite weight, active suspension (Easy on my old back)
Weaknesses: Nothing major
Bottom Line:
Ive read all the reviews on the 2001 Truth and there are alot of bad things said about it. I must say that I am very happy with this bike, heck, its the second Truth Ive purchased the first being a 98. The 2001 is a much better design, thanks for getting rid of the bushings Ellsworth. I received a call from Ellsworth promptly after returning my warranty card just to check and see how things were going. Ive also had alot of coorespondence w/Ellsworth in regard to my old bike and found them to be helpful.
If you are looking for a lite CROSSCOUNTRY bike look no further. If you are heavier than 210#, are looking for a freeride bike or a part time downhiller, look elsewhere.
I am using Hope Mini Disks on this bike and find them to fit perfectly as opposed to some of the fit problems with Hayes. Hope's rock, they are killer looking, strong, cheap modulate well and quite !!! What else do you want?
A little pricey, never thought Id ever spend $2K on a frame, you get what you pay for.
Similar Products Used: Giant NRS, 98 Ellsworth Truth
Bike Setup: Chris King Discotechs, Psylo SL, Hope Disk Brakes, Full XTR, Easton carbon seatpost and riser bars, MG60 stem.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
jose luis tula
a Cross Country Rider
from mexico
Date Reviewed: January 15, 2002
Strengths: medium good handling , medium good climbing ,good downhill
Weaknesses: the frame is a disaster,bad quality, it brokes and it´s a mess to contact ellsworth ( beware if you own one)
Bottom Line:
It´s a good handling bike (nothing to write home), but if you want to spend more than 3300 go for the titus or the tracer and don´t waste your money on silly experiments, because the ellsworth is a piece of %&/($·on manufacture quality and it´s by far lower in all capabilities and technology compared to the tracer and it´s years far from titus. I hope these guys make something or the money they spend in buying editors to have good comments will be overpassed by the truth like the bikes name , and at the end they can not cover the sun with one finger ( so they stop robbing people that believes on their brand ? well is not the brand it´s the publicity and the reviews ), I know a lot of people on the media that know or have heard , that the frame brokes and the quality problems , so If you like the bike please don´t do a mistake, consider other options before you take the risk on giving your money to the ellsworth bandits, in case you insist on the ellsworth , maybe you have luck ,but again for the price ,the bike is like 85% the capable of the amp b5 like 65% of the tracer and like 60% of the titus, so please don´t buy it , listen well because I have waste my money and sincerely at the end you´re only paying the marketing of the brand.
Similar Products Used: titus racer x , amp b5, intense tracer
Bike Setup: full xtr,rock shock,monkey lite, avid v´s,croos max,easton wheels chris king heads
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Keith
a Weekend Warrior
from Cary, NC
Date Reviewed: January 3, 2002
Strengths: Design, Paint job, gnarly hill climbing abikity,downhilling ability
Weaknesses: Chainline problems.Hayes discs are difficult to incorporate,Hayes rear hub would not fit into drop outs and international standard adapter had to be ground down to fit. Stickers fall off immediately. If runnining air shock, it is very difficult to find a happy medium between too soft and too stiff. That's too many little annoying problems for a $1995.00 frame.
Bottom Line:
This bike works well but should not have all of these small quirks for the price. My $1100.00 Santa cruz frame went together without a hitch. It's lighter and very efficient as well as plush. I've talked to others with the same problems plus others. Rides great if you can deal with the problems.
Strengths: Lightweight, pedal efficiency, no noticeable bounce, customer service.
Weaknesses: Dents a little easy.
Bottom Line:
I have had my Truth for just under a year and started having drivetrain trouble about 2 months ago, was getting ghost shifting and chain skipping when under under heavy torque. I sent Ellsworth an email describing the problems and explaining that local bike shops were stumped with the cause. Tony Ellsworth replied to my email the same day. He offered that if I would ship the bike to them they would do whatever they could to remedy the problem.
They tore the bike down, built it back up, tested it, identified that they think the rear derailleur cabling was the culprit, replaced the cables and housing then shipped it back to me all at no cost. All the while I was getting updated from Tony along the way. Admittedly I was a bit skeptical about their cutomer service after reading some of the posts here but first hand experience tells me otherwise. The service I was given by Tony and several others at Ellsworth has been excellent. I have ridden the bike several times since and it seems the problem is solved. When you buy a bike this expensive you expect first rate performance, support and service. I have received all three. Still, if you thinking of buying a Truth call or email Ellsworth with any questions and see what kind of support you get before you are a customer, that should be a good indicator of what to expect when you are a customer. A small company like this lives and dies by reputation and word of mouth and the internet makes it easy for the word to spread, good or bad. Seems that Ellsworth knows this, they even mentioned how the few negative reviews on mtbr have really stung, I believe they will do their best to keep these reviews as positive as they can, they have to.
Overall, this bike is an awesome cross country bike for racing and most light trail riding. I am about 185 lbs and wouldn't go hucking it around, its just too expensive and light weight for anything hard core. After a year I can say this bike is about as good of a full suspension design as you will find.
Bike Setup: 2001 Truth, XT/XTR, RF cranks, Monkey lite bar, XTR shifters/brakes/levers, chris kings w/ valiants, selle italia, thompson post and stem, AD12 shock, White Bros AT4 fork.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Bill Reasor
a Weekend Warrior
from Buford, Ga, USA
Date Reviewed: December 18, 2001
Strengths: Handles very well, beautiful finish, light, climbs well.
Weaknesses: I broke the seat tube in half going thru a deep ditch after approx 4 months of ownership. The folks at Ellsworth said that it might have been caused by the rear shock pressure.(I don't have lockout). I had the tech at Galyans check the pressure and He said that it was correct for my weight. I weigh 216 lbs. Ellsworth replaced my frame and the cust service at Galyans has been great. I have purchased a titus switchblade for trail riding and moderate free riding. In the future I will only use my Ellsworth for xc racing. I think Ellsworth needs to add support to the seat tube to prevent future problems.
Bottom Line:
I love the way the bike handles but now I am wondering how long it will be before it breaks again. Hopefully never.
Bike Setup: Full xtr, mavic crossmax, kendra tubeless tires, rapid rise, thompson stem and seatpost, monkeylight highrise bars,Marzochi X-fly 100.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Patrick Mattingly
a Cross Country Rider
from Palmdale, Ca
Date Reviewed: December 3, 2001
Strengths: Light Wieght, Good geometry, little pogo.
Weaknesses: Expensive, frames tend to crack, stickers come off
Bottom Line:
First let me say that the folks at Speed Goat have the best customer service around. As you'll see they handled my cracked frame with aplomb. Also they build the best damn wheels areound - whatever else you do - get your wheels built at the Goat.
This bike was great for 850 miles, then the frame cracked. I was riding in an area we call the rollers - which are long swooping roller type hills - nothing extrmeme. The frame cracked right above the front derailler on the seat tube. I didn't deal with Ellsworth, because I wanted the experiance of the Goat behind me. So I didn't have any trouble with them. I ended up upgrading to an ID. I did this because the bike is, in my mind, an excellent design for the way I ride( aggressive all mountain style riding). So I'm willing to give them another chance. They charged me another $400.00 for the ID - which was Ok, but really the folks at the Goat made the deal by wrenching all my other parts off and putting the new ones on the Id. They did an excellent job, these folks know what they are doing. I also switch over to a black elite are 120. What a fork, it puts the bomber to shame. I've got about 100 miles on the id now and it's been great. The only thing that kinda ticked me off, was Ellsworth's excuse for why my frame cracked, which they said is due to the Fox lockout shock. Really ?? even so then why did they let me buy a bike with it in there. Personally, and I don't knwo this, but I think it's a basic design flaw with the frame. Perhaps they need extra strenght tubing in that portion of the seat tube to prevent the bearing from cracking the tube. Also the Id wne with the lazer cut for the lettering, which should be done on a frame at this price.
Similar Products Used: Diamond back DBR V-8, Specialized Rockhopper
Bike Setup: All XTR, excpet Race face next cranks, and bottom bracket, Avid vees, XT front derailler, monkey lites. Bomber Xfly 100
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Vaughn Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from Oroville, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: November 29, 2001
Strengths: Comfortable riding compartment, more upright head tube angle than pre-2001 Truths make it right quick in twisty singletrack.
Weaknesses: Running a rear Fox Float R, wish I had a choice of a 'lightweight' coil-over for plusher downhill runs.
Bottom Line:
A follow up from previous review. I have been quite happy with my ride. Relatively light, longish top tube makes for good climbing even with my 1 1/2 riser bars, responsive in singletrack. Durability has not been an issue yet. The Truth fits my riding style. I enjoy daylong fireroad and singletrack climbs with blazing fast swoopy singletrack with smattering of technical rocks/roots, creek crossings, etc. I would not be taking this bike and mindlessly bombing in through Tahoe rock gardens or airing it off ledges and fallen trees. For one I am not skilled enough to ride like I'm on a north shore video, for another, I can't see beating the snot out of any bike in this price range.
I have not had any further trouble with my swingarm bearings at the rear hub. Blue loc-tite did work. The 2001 setup looks nice, but I think I like the look of the clevis type joint from pre 2001 bikes.
I can't offer a real rebuttal to the previous disgruntled reviewers. But...after over a year of riding this thing, I would still buy this bike. It definitely is over priced, so I can't give it a full score on value rating, but overall with the excellent riding manners I have to give it full score.
I'm looking at purchasing a used (not cracked) 2001 Truth. I know they have breakage issues, this one isn't cracked or damaged. I'm wondering this: If I purchase it and it subse Read More »
Hi all,
I just got a new SRAM X.0 rear derailleur and X.0 grip shifters for my 2001 Truth. I also got a SRAM PG990 (34T) cassette. Will I need to swap out my rear derailleur h Read More »
Wonder what it is worth to Bid? Is there much difference between this 2001 and the newer editions?
[url]http://cgi.ebay.com/Ellsworth-Truth-MTB-frame-w-Fox-float-RP23-shock-LOOK_W Read More »
Lost my ellsworth truth on my way to Quick silver.
Drove on Camden then almaden express way.
It happen today Sunday dec. 4th afternoon at around 4pm.
Very unlikely that it w Read More »
