Strengths: As a word of clarification, I am actually rating a Pacific YX 9500. This was as close to that as I could find. As far as actual strengths, I am having a hard time seeing them since it just broke. It is a full suspension bike, and was nice on downhills.
Weaknesses: It broke. The rear suspension arm snapped on a small bunny hop. The front shock was too soft and I was able to bottom it out on a few landings.
Bottom Line:
It broke. Even though there were a lot of nice components on it, the frame wasn't up to the job. I wish I had bought a higher quality bike.
Similar Products Used: Diamondback Outlook, no suspension. Brief playing on a friends Kona. That was a sweet bike.
Bike Setup: RST Gamma XE front fork, RockShox Delux coilover rear shock, Formula Activa front disc brake, Shinamo XTR rear brakes, Delore XT derailers, carbon fiber handlebar
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Submitted by
ritche
a Downhiller
from paranaque, philippines
Date Reviewed: November 4, 2001
Strengths: light frame for racing/free riding, can handle 5 to 6 ft drops,eats rocky sections (grotto), stair cases (glorietta,picc,shangri-la),4 bar linkage, cheap version of m1 intense,bomb proof.
Weaknesses: orange, one size , sometimes top of rear wheel touches bottom of the seat when the bike compresses.
Bottom Line:
this is a light downhill racing frame, also good for street /trail free riding and can handle abuse from 6 to 5 ft drops.recommended for free riders and occasional racers. can be bunny hopped high/easily if your fork is light/telescopic.
Strengths: The Long wheel base makes it like a REAL MISSILE in long straight paths, FR linkage makes a soft bike, very agile if you are a cool and agile rider and know how make it turn well, light frame (my entire bike is not but I understand that since a prefer more DH than free ride), 4 shock possitions (one cannot be reached if you use a large shock), aviable in a reforced version of the 2001 year and really cheap for a beginer.
Weaknesses: EXTREME Long wheel base makes that the pilot needs to be very smooth and agile to ride well, so "old downhillers " (nothing personal) cannot take it to the maximun (i dont know wy but I just love cornering with this thing, and a friend of mine who is older than me hate it in this!), the real problem with this frame is that in the jumping sections you will allways drop your rear wheel to the xtreme (HO CRAP!), its like you allways have to jump doing buny hopes to control it, but even so is a really good frame , by the way I have heard that they brake up, but I just know a one only real case of that. and please if we are talking of DH bikes......"any one brakes"
Bottom Line:
Exelent frame for a young downhiller who is not a jumping lover, it"s like the dessigners wanted to make a bike that never left the ground and could go fast in any terrain (is a really good frame in rocky seccions), I really recomend it for any one who is not a racer but likes to ride like one.
Similar Products Used: many Free ride frames frames nothing like this before
Bike Setup: krit FR frame (polished by my self! I have photos if you want!), whithe brothers UD180 (98), chain tensioner like MRP hope brake disk, LX, XT, XTR components
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Submitted by
Chris Davies
a Downhiller
from Cape Town, South Africa
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2001
Bottom Line:
I boughth the frame and added components - forks RST High-5. Its a good learner frame for me (I'm 200lbs and am learni9ng DH) but has a long wheelbase compared to Giant ATX DH so steering is less precise. Rear travel ~6.5" but one of the adjustment positions cannot be reached by the shock. Recently I've fitted a DNM USD180 fork, much better than the shorter High-5. DNM shock has a annoying fault of the damper head unscrewing. Overall - good and competitive but not top-class.
Submitted by
Jeff
a Downhiller
from Pittsburgh, PA
Date Reviewed: January 20, 2000
Strengths: Light for freeride/dh cheap in Taiwan lots of quality travel lots of adjustablility
Weaknesses: develops play
Bottom Line:
Similar to Intense's Uzzi design. Rides better than I expected, but still not up to Intense quality. Four of my teammates in Taiwan ride and race this bike now.
Bike Setup: Marzocchi Z1 BAM Shimano LX Spinergy Rev X
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Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Nu York-Cubao
Date Reviewed: September 13, 1999
Strengths: Fully adjustable, cool 8 inch of travel, sealed bearing linkage
Bottom Line:
The frame responds well. Very sturdy, can be adjust from 4, 6 and 8 of full rear travel. The rear shock (DMN-Clicker)controller mounted on the handle bar makes it so user friendly, you softened/hardened while riding. Cool 4-bar linkage FS bike you can rely on. I really havent got a negative reaction on the bike yet.
