Submitted by
Tom
a Downhiller
from Delaide Australia
Date Reviewed: June 22, 2003
Strengths: great plush strong dh frame. this bike has perfect angles making it a great handler.
Weaknesses: Rear shock is weak and has blown twice on me (rock shox pro deluxe). also the AC chainguide suck without the bottom half!!
Bottom Line:
This bike is a great performer out of the box and forever after. it is a low maintainence machine that has ample plush and active travel, and it handles great too.
Similar Products Used: Avanti D8, Craftworks 205, Intense M1, Rotec, Specialized Big Hit, Specialised S-works dh.
Bike Setup: RST Sigma 7 inch forks, Hope disc on front and shimano rear, deore derailer, azonic bars and seat, primo pedals, ac cranks, syncros chainring.
Weaknesses: its 7.5 travel rear shock is nothing compared to Dhi's 9 in rear shocxk but it works for downhill not extremefreeeride. It pedals ok out of high speed corners with the iDRive. whats is up with grip shift i dont like its seat
Bottom Line:
i dont like this bike as much as the DHi because its more expensive even though i dont pay, but for other riders i would recommend a Dhi cause it pedals better, its lighter, it has trigger shifters, and it has more rear wheel trave
Bike Setup: boxxer front fork, maxxis mobster dh, hope dh4 disc breaks
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Submitted by
Leigh Moses
a Downhiller
from Hobart Tasmania
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2001
Strengths: Lush as! Can't beat it, seven and a half inches of plush as travel! Smooth and accurate, not all that heavy. Picks up the chicks! Cost me $9500 AUSTRALIAN! But that don't matter! The Rock Shox shock works fine, no probs yet!
Weaknesses: None that I can tell at the moment!
Bottom Line:
Sweet as bike! All I need is better forks and it would be sweet as! If you have the money and don't care about it, buy this bike, can't beat it! All you have to do is look at what it has won, that will make yer mind up fo' you!
Bike Setup: 2001 Jr. T's, XT hubs, 24" rear wheel, Dice 26 - 24 rims, XT running gear and shifters, F.U.N.N. pedals - bars and stem, all tha good stuff!
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Garett
a Downhiller
from Coquitlam, B.C, Canada
Date Reviewed: June 1, 2001
Strengths: Very, Very smooth ride. Handles well in tight technical sections. Lots of travel and sucks up anything you throw at it.
Weaknesses: None that I can think of. The AC chain-guide works quite well actually and I have never had it fall off once.
Bottom Line:
If you want a bike that can do it all this is the bike for you. Doesn't weight too much so it is eash to throw around in the air. World Cup DH rig. Bulit To Be Ridden.
Strengths: The Frame, WOW, so Plush. A little better than the '99. The Fork(RS Boxxer) 8 inches(travel) Rear(RS DH ed) 8 inches. The Hayes, gotta love em. "Man, Its just a beautiful Down Hiller."
Weaknesses: The Deraler (Grip 9.0) Skips a small bit
Bottom Line:
It's a racer! Its the most beautiful Bike I have ever raced! Please, If you have one, do it a favor, and push it as hard as you can.
Strengths: Man this bike is SICK, The frame is just so good,great for tight windy technical Downhill courses like we have over here in Australia,8 super plush inches of travel in the rear 7' in the front.
Weaknesses: I really cant complain as i get mine for free, But if i was paying i'd be a little concerned about the pivots-Mine squeel like hell,and i'd also get rid of the AC chainguide cause that thing SUX ...
Bottom Line:
If you race or want to start raceing Downhill get this bike.
YOU WON'T REGRET IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've givven it five flammin turds because i get em' for free, and that's the best part.....
Similar Products Used: Mongoose NX DH, Intense M1, Santa Cruz super 8and even the New Giant AC1 which i got as a freeride/training bike from GIANT...
Bike Setup: ATX 1,2001 Boxxer,pro deluxe,XTR rear mech and right shifter,Raceface north shore DH Crankset,Wellgo DH cnc pedals,race Face air alloy riser Bar,race Face System,race Face DH Stainless steel headset,hayes 8' hydraulic discs F&R,Hadley hubs,Mavic D321 rims,SDG Big Boy seat,
Strengths: very rigid frame, excellent in the air, spec'd great, can take anything you can throw at it
Weaknesses: Sram!!!!!!!!!!!!!! gotta hate that gripshift crap!!!!!!
Bottom Line:
This bike is sweet!!!! I've raced on season of DH on it and done some freeriding on it and it can take any abuse that I can throw under it's wheels....(15 foot drops included) this bike can be beaten to the max and it still lookes for more!!!!
Similar Products Used: Giant ATX 1100 and Giant XTC AC1(not quite yet on the AC1 but soon)
Bike Setup: basically stock...XT deraileur and shifter pod,welgo clipless pedals
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Submitted by
Lars Rune
a Downhiller
from Bergen/Stavanger, Norway
Date Reviewed: September 23, 2000
Strengths: Very stiff frame, great standoverheight, good, active suspension, big pivots, ok for pedally courses, but great for turns and twisting courses
Weaknesses: For some, the top-tube may be a bit short,even on the 18.5" The Chaindevice should be something better(MRP?)
Bottom Line:
Awesome and great handling, active and sideways stiff DH bike, I rode my Giant first time at a race and even though my chain fell off halway I came in third in my class!It is a bike that can be used on any course, it is a bike that I would recommend to anyone in search of a do it all DH bike!
Similar Products Used: many,many...Scott vertigo lsd, Vario Techno, Cortina dh-8, Cortina extreme-8, Guess fc-999, World force vr1, Cheeta dh, etc,etc.
Strengths: Handles great! strong frame, jumps great
Weaknesses: Hard to find springs for the rear shock or a new rear shock
Bottom Line:
I posted in April and this is my follow up. I have done all types of riding on this bike dh, street, freexc. It does it all and does it well. I really love this bike! I have it set up for trails and street now but can return it to full Dh in about 40min. Great bike, proven under the WORLD DH CHAMP!
Bike Setup: was stock until last mo. then I added MX6 fork and a Helix rear shock. Also have xt shifter/der, odi lockjaws and have 636s as spare peddals
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Submitted by
Frank
a Downhiller
from Toronto, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2000
Strengths: Plush, Plush, Plush. This bike handle and corners, like no tomorrow. Rock Pro Deluxe works really well, I am very impressed !
Weaknesses: AC Chianguide has to go, Blackspire has a specific Giant chianguide.
Bottom Line:
Amazing DH bike for the money, World Cup proven by Myles, Rob Warner.
Strengths: It came in a huge box, and my shop where i work was amazed at how completely it was set up. The part spec is basically the same as the worldcup team, and its actually reasonably priced for a downhill bike.
Weaknesses: Squeaky pivots, and a useless chain tensioner. The AC chain tensioner is a piece of junk and it I have seen one owner who modified an MRP chainguide, so i plan on doing that soon!
Bottom Line:
this bike can take anything, its great in the air, but a tad difficult to pedal on flat ground, but with 7 inches front and rear is that not expected? I'd suggest this or the santacruz super 8.
Unfortunately I got the last one in Canada! *My value rating may be slightly off because i work at a shop and got it on pro deal!
I had a chance to test this bike before it was available in the US. The frame feels awesome. You can feel its rigidity once you hop on it. The compoenets aren't my favorite, but I'd give it a five chilli just for the frame itself. Giant is a company originated in Taiwan. They really had some great stuff for the past couple of years. Sick, very sick.
WOW what a great bike. smooth as butter. if you dont have one get one. oh yea i got the last one sorry. other than the grip shift i have only good things to say about this bike. i am a happy camper.
Strengths: Smooth pivots, strong frame, great parts spec. Hope brakes! Great wheelset. Plush 8" of travel!
Weaknesses: Rear shock spec? RF cranks Weak as sh1t.
Bottom Line:
This bike is great. It soaks up anything in its path. I am very happy with it, the quality of travel is great. It is very active so it does bob when I hammer. But if I spin smoothly it does not bob much. It jumps very well and has good control in the air. I was very happy with the wheelset, I have a set of DeeMax wheels but I'm going to save them incase I destroy these. I'll post again after I have put more time in on this bike.
