Submitted by
Greg
a Cross Country Rider
from Ketchum
Date Reviewed: May 8, 2002
Strengths: customer service, beautiful work
Bottom Line:
This review is about the customer service @ Moots. I bought this frame a couple of weeks ago from a classified ad here on mtbr.com. the ad said that the frame was in "Very Good" shape. When I talked to the bonehead selling it, he said everything was in great shape and made no mention of having clipped the derailleur on something hard enough to undoubtedly "air mail" his ass to the ground very quickly and almost rip off the derailleur hanger. When I received the frame, the first thing I noticed was the severely tweaked derailleur hanger and the egg-shaped hole that the derailleur bolt is supposed to thread into. This is a 2000 frame and does not have the replaceable hanger, so I thought that the only option would be to cut it off and weld a new one on. I called Moots and spoke directly with the person that performs such repairs. He said that in 99% of these cases, he can fix it without replacing it. So, I sent it to Moots, it was received, repaired, and shipped back out in the same day. Cost me a whopping $25. That's about as good as customer service can get. Thanks Bruce!
Similar Products Used: Marin Team Ti, Fisher X-Calibur
Bike Setup: two wheels and a handlebar
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Submitted by
Steve Marshall
a Cross Country Rider
from Steamboat Springs, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: March 11, 2002
Strengths: Everything - period.
Weaknesses: None - still
Bottom Line:
Follow-up review from July 2000 - still loving this bike - rode 1000 miles off-road summer 2001. Made some changes in bike setup since new - Zoke oil/coil, 858 pedals - but best addition was going tubeless - running the Mavic CrossMax/Hutchinson Mosquito combo - simply amazing - running 35 rear, 30 front psi it makes me a technical god on the trails - I slide up and over tree roots, rocks, everything without sacrificing handling/edging at speed around big sweeper corners.
Bike itself is still tight and I still love it - only maintenance I have had to do after 1500 miles is I replaced the soft-tail slider as recommended by the Moots/Sore Saddle guys at signs of appreciable wear (measureable mushrooming at full length of travel) - done in 5 minutes and the part costs $40.
Am thinking about the new Smoothie, though, adds a pound to the overall weight (I am at 24.5 now with the addition of the Zoke) but having dampening/rebound control of the pogo on your rear shock would be the only plus I can think of for the YBB.
If you have not tried one of these bikes, do it; this is the standard by which all other mtb's should be measured for the serious cross-country rider. It still allows me to ride serious high-altitude (10,000 ft.) 20 + mile rides almost every day - I am now 50 - and still function, work, etc.
It is not a race bike - they do have the YBB Air which seems to work well for that mode - but for most of us we are not racers anyway.
Weaknesses: It's hard to find components that are as good as the frame.
Bottom Line:
At the end of my first singletrack ride on the YBB I stopped for a few minutes to reflect on the experience - I was smiling ear to ear and my eyes were wide with amazement at how the bike literally straightened those nasty switchbacks and flattened the climb. It's a competent climber, it navigates singletracks better than any other bike I've ridden, and the combination of the rear shock and titanium do a wonderful job of taking the edge off road hazards. Others have used "telepathic" to describe the YBB's handling and I agree. Simply put - I love my bike and look forward to riding it as often as possible!!!!!
Bike Setup: 17.5", SRAM 9.0sl shifters, brake levers & rear der. Cane Creek Ti WAM wheelset w/ XTR cassette body, XTR cassette, XTR front der., XTR V-brakes, Moots Ti seatpost, stem and bars, Litespeed stubby Ti bar ends, Phil Woods Ti bb, Kooka crank, Raceface chainrings, 747s and a comfy saddle.
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Submitted by
Steve Stewart
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson, AZ
I have owned this bike for over five years now and when I bought it was worth more than my car. It hurt to shell out the dough, but I have never regretted spending the money on this bike. If you enjoy long rides over varied terrain, enjoy climbing what you decend, and you want a bike that will never hold you back... then this bike is for you. The bottom line is this: If my Moots was stolen I would not even consider replacing it with anything but another Moots - even after five years. Can you say that about your current ride?
Similar Products Used: Various hardtails and FS bikes
Bike Setup: XTR and Race Face Components
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Submitted by
Lee Sindet
a Cross Country Rider
from Harmony, New Jersey
Date Reviewed: March 13, 2001
Strengths: Beautiful craftmanship, rigid and compliant at the same time.
Weaknesses: NONE
Bottom Line:
I have had the pleasure of owning many high end bikes (Brew 200 Proof, Indepedent Fabrication Deluxe, Mountaingoat Wiskeytown Racer, ect.) but none have come even close to my 2001 Moots YBB! My first ride was a religous experience. The whole ride felt like the bike was five feet ahead of me. It wanted to go but I was holding it back. Going over rough terrain was like riding over water. When riding twisting singletrack, it felt as if the bike was on rails. If you can afford one of these go out and buy it today... heck, even if you can't afford one, buy it! The ride alone will justify your purchase.
So, about three years ago I moved to a used Moots YBB -- a really old one, probably one of the orginal titanium frames. I thought I had died and gone to heaven -- what a great bike. Once I put a decent shock up front, it was a dream. For various reasons, I hooked up with a brand new YBB, a 2000 model. It's a whole new ballgame -- the new Moots is even better than the old one! The major difference is the lateral stifness of the frame -- it's just as vertically compliant (it smooths out the trail), but it tracks like nothing I've ever before experienced. The bottom line -- it goes where you point it, and it goes there fast. It's not for everybody, but it sure is for me.
Why is the YBB right for me? Well, I like to ride long distances. I like to ride up what I ride down. I like a bike that requires minimal maintenance. I like a suspension system that doesn't break. I like a constant seat-to-pedal distance when the suspension is active. I like investments that last for years and years. I like works of art.
Bike Setup: '99 Sid XC, Ritchey crank, Phil Wood bb, 8 spd XTR, Moots bar and stem, King headset, Bebop pedals
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Submitted by
Dustin Ridgway
a Racer
from Overland Park, KS
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2000
Strengths: rides fast and comfortable, climbs with ease, it's titanium with perfect welds and a perfect finish, custom bike
Weaknesses: weight, the frame is around 4lbs. for a 19"
Bottom Line:
the bike weighs in at 21.5 lb. with all the choices moots gives you with stems and seatposts its a perfect fit. rear travel is just enough to ease the big hits. very few people own them. ouch! six grand on a bike to race and beat up! no it will not make you a better rider, it will just rule out any bike related excuses. buy this bike if you have extra cash to burn and love to ride, or your not afraid to pay for serious quality.
Similar Products Used: 99 homegrown fractory team 00 trek STP 97 k2 pro flex
Bike Setup: SID race, racelite wheels, hutch. air lite tires, avid single digit mags, rf next lp cranks, rf ti bottom bracket, xtr cass, deraliers, chain, and shifters, speedplay ti frogs, king headset, moots ti post and stem, and moots carbon bars.
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Submitted by
Steve Marshall
a Downhiller
from Steamboat Springs
Date Reviewed: July 10, 2000
Strengths: Everything! Silky ride, you flow like water down the roughest trails.
Weaknesses: None that I know of save the price.
Bottom Line:
You truly get what you pay for! Wonderful machine. Living in Steamboat you are surrounded by people riding Moots' and I resisted for years because it seemed like a cult bike vs. a real mountain bike.
I had a full suspension GT LTS-1 which I sold to a friend and I still get to ride - that bike is a HumVee on the downhill, but the YBB is just a dream to ride for all-round riding and the (lack of) weight on the uphills - 23 lbs. vs. 28 lbs.- certainly makes a difference. Highly recommended.
I have been riding mountain bikes for 10 years and this is the best ride I have ever owned - not a competition downhill machine, but neither am I. At 48 I like to ride a 20 miler, up and down type trail and then go home. This bike keeps me from taking up golf!
Similar Products Used: GT Xizang, GT LTS-1, Specialized M4
Bike Setup: XTR Gruppo, Mavic CrossMax Wheelset, RaceFace Next LP Crankset, Moots High-Rise Bar, Stem, and Seat Post, Shimano 747's, Bontrager Seat, Panaracer Fire XC Pro's, Marzocchi Z1 XFly Front Shock.
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Submitted by
tony
a Cross Country Rider
from so plainfield, new jersey, usa
Date Reviewed: July 7, 2000
Strengths: * build quality (check out the welds) * super solid (but not harsh), no flex ride * moots customer service
Weaknesses: * glass-bead finish wears off very easily (had to find something)
Bottom Line:
ok, let's remember here, we are rating a frame, not a bike. each setup is completely different from review to review, so it is not like we bought some homogenous trek or cannondale. that being said, this is a great xc "bike."
i love the setup, the hope brakes and the zokie fork are awesome! Make sure you get the IS mounts on the frame if you are going to use the hope XC4 brakes. The moots layback seatpost supplements the short travel rear to make for a really nice ride. The XTR stuff is nice but definitely not worth the extra bucks, but may as well go all the way IMO. custom wheels combo of hope hubs, sun rims, and jones tires is super solid (forget about king hubs, too wide, if you want to use the XC4 disc brakes).
the bike has tenacious hookup on the steep climbs and tracks very well on the fast technical downhills, it actually feels like it floats over the terrain. overall, just a solid, solid feel without the harshness of an aluminum hardtail. this characteristic is probably attributable to the properties of a ti frame and the rear suspension.
A few caveats to potential owners:
1) remember that you are not buying a plush long-travel bike or you will definitely be disappointed.
2) no, a $5000 bike is not going to make you a better rider than a $2500 bike would (or even a $500 bike for that matter).
3) this bike is not a superlight; mine weight about 25lbs with some pretty light components.
4) spend a lot of time on the fit. frame, stem, and crank size are extremely important when buying a bike this expensive (to a lesser extent seatpost and handle bar). sizing is where you will see the biggest difference between a custom bike and one off the rack.
5) be very careful in your choice of bike shop if you plan on buying over the web. yes it will definitely be about $500-$600 cheaper if you purchase it online, BUT, remember that there is a lot to be said for being able to physically take the bike to your local shop for fitting, tweaking and dealing with any problems you may encounter. i bought my bike over the web and had a less than satisfying experience. if you are going to buy over the web, i HIGHLY recommend speedgoat.com. these people know their moots builds backward and forward and the people there are GREAT. they are so cool that they kept giving me advice even though they knew i was not going to buy the bike from them (one of my biggest mistakes ever, dont ask what was going through my head). check out their "customer bikes" page, these guys build a ton of bikes for people all over the world, they have an almost cult-ish following, one that is well deserved.
6) i think someone else mentioned this as well, be ready to step up your game. i feel the pressure of trying to be worthy of such a bike on every ride, whether alone or not!
Bike Setup: xtr: shifters, f&r deraileur, ti rear cogs, cranks, b.bracket
zokie: z2 xfly
moots: flat bar, stem, layback seatpost
time: atac carbon pedals (fantastic)
cris king: headset
hope: xc4 disc brakes, xc front hub, xc ti rear hub
sun: ds1 rims
bontrager: jones kevlar f&r tires
wtb: sst.98 saddle
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Submitted by
Mike Harris
a Weekend Warrior
from TX
Date Reviewed: June 25, 2000
Strengths: I got the YBB over a year ago and decided to give it a year before I put a review up. When you drop that kind of coin on a bike, you expect a lot. The Moots exceeded my expectations. You're results may vary, but for me and the trails I ride, this bike is awesome.
Weaknesses: Starting with $2,200 in an tax defered retirement account, over 20 years (at a rate of return 10% compounded monthly), you will save $16,122.
I may feel different in 19 more years, but that's going to be lots of sweet riding on my YBB. When I ride, I never think about how much it costs.
Bottom Line:
This bike really changes my rating system for this site. The YBB and the Chris King Headset are the only parts I've every purchased that deserve 5 stars.
It's that much better. Sure, there's a lot of things I haven't tried, but the Moots is in a class by its self.
Similar Products Used: I looked at and rode lots and lots of bikes before and since and some were "like a Moots", but they'll never be the real deal.
Bike Setup: Superfly fork, XMax Wheels, Chris King HS, Syncros bars&seatpost, XTR, Cook Bros Cranks, Raceface BB and some more nice stuff. I'm not sure what it weighs, but it accelerates like a scalded dog and climbs like a rocket.
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Submitted by
Matthew
a Weekend Warrior
from Glens Falls, NY
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2000
Strengths: CRAFTSMANSHIP!! allignment is perfect which translates into perfect handling.
Weaknesses: 1+ inch of travel is not very noticeable under my 160 pounds. I know it is not a downhill bike, but I wish I noticed it a little more.
Bottom Line:
I just shipped my bike back home after being away for a while. It had been two weeks and I still hadn't heard from UPS. When I called them with the tracking number they had no idea where it was. I had had it insured for 5K, not quite enough to cover the retail value of my bike, but close enough. I started looking around to decide what I wanted for a new bike. After hours of searching I realized I wanted my YBB back. I wouldn't trade that bike for anything else. It is the greatest bike I've ever owned. It actually makes me a better rider. The next day UPS found my bike. I love that bike.
Similar Products Used: DeKerf (great bike), Merlin (the bike felt out of shape).
Bike Setup: Marzocchi Z2 Atom Bomb, Moots post and bars, LP barends, Chris King headset and hubs, Avid arch supremes and ultimate L levers, Mavic 517 CD ceramics, Ibis ti stem, WTB tires and saddle, XTR drivetrain, Time ATAC pedals.
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Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Farmington, Ct. US
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2000
Strengths: The handling is amazingly, just keep your legs moving and the bike will get you through all kinds of gnarly stuff. The front end has a super light feel that makes it very nimble and easy to get over logs and baby head rocks without sucking up to much energy. It seems perfectly balanced so you just stay seated and pedal. I was sorted of stressed about going from a real full suspension bike (Amp B4) to a soft tail, but I don't notice that big a difference. The suspension takes the harshness out of the trail. The YYB climbs like a rocket.
Weaknesses: Haven't found any yet. Remember it's not a super plush suspension bike
Bottom Line:
You get what you pay for - if you have the bucks go for it!
Submitted by
louie
a Cross Country Rider
from Half Moon Bay, CA
Date Reviewed: April 22, 2000
Strengths: customer service, product support, workmanship, material
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
After riding for a full year,I have to give my second imput. I think this is the sweetest bike out there for cross country riding, this is the last bike I will buy, the bike and rider become one, so sweet on single track, am able to stay in the saddle on rough cross country riding, great customer support. Expensive, yes, I would do it again. I do not understand the complaints about the price, you know going in what it cost.
Similar Products Used: bridgestone hardtail, bianchi RC hardtail
Bike Setup: 19.5"(now called a 19") superfly fork, xtr brakes/shifters, white ind. hubs/517 rims, revolution spokes, white ind. cranks/bottom bracket, moots stem/post, flight saddle, easton bar, Icon bar ends. 22.4 pounds
Strengths: The geometry is far superior to all the other Ti bikes I researched before purchase, I love the welding on each & every Moots I have seen & so do non-Moots owners, esp Litespeed riders. The handling on the technical stuff is Zen like, one with the bike. Moots were the first with the soft tail design which has been whored about by other bike makers. Others may lust after the trendy Ti du jour bikes - go for it. Understated. I cannot see myself buying another bike! If you can afford one, take into account all the bikes etc you will probably own, go for it & get the BEST! If riding is going to church for you, here is your cathedral! The service I found to be so consistently helpful & patient, especially leading up to purchase as I vacillated about dolling out the $ & kept calling for info, putting off the purchase etc but they were super - and I have no regrets!! The after sales service is thoughtful - the guys call often to see how things are going. When my Moots was stolen they were extremely helpful (found 2 weeks later). I have found NO people who have trouble with the service. One guy who races State in TX even traveled from Houston to Steamboat to meet the guys & visit the shop after trying out my bike at a race & buying one, now that's satisfaction!
Weaknesses: Au contraire mon ami - the service is GREAT! Maybe those who complain have some agenda & like most things in life you can't please everyone. Any reported bad service (...?..come on, I am sure every other brand POs more people in an hour) I recognize that the weakest product on the bike is ....me. A Moots is an elite bike and maybe on a lesser bike one may feel less responsibility for their potential - it's a choice.
Bottom Line:
Handmade with heart, ridden with courage, owned with soul, Stop playing with the kiddies and get something real - a Moots - you'll discover more about yourself & about cycling.
I looked in the forum and saw somthing about refurbishing, but could not tell if that had somethig to do with disc add on. The frame is in excellent shape and I am the original own Read More »
