Weaknesses: Cracked the frame yesterday at that bottom pivot point of the swing arm. I also cracked and broke the swing arm.
Bottom Line:
An absolutely wonderful bike. I've loved every minute on the trail with this bad boy. I've always gotten looks from it and compliments on how hardcore it looks. On the downhill, it's destroys any trail. You can fly with it even on a single track that's extremely rocky. Shift your body weight back over the saddle and get low and let the bike do the rest. It's amazing! I'm just extremely sad that I've cracked the frame and snapped the lower joint for the swing arm.
I gave it 4 chilis b/c of the lower joint cracking and breaking.
Submitted by
Casey Corbett
a Weekend Warrior
from Marietta,Ohio
Date Reviewed: December 6, 2003
Strengths: -Excellent Bike. I have one of two in town -Smooth Ride -Very Versatile -Very fast (i have recieved a warning from the police for exceeding the speedlimit... didnt know this could happen but did ) haha
Weaknesses: -Some disc brake problems, locking up -Blown a tire one time while riding =(
Bottom Line:
Extremely nice bike, very sturdy (even though the tires do bother me now) with very little maintenance. I did have a few probelms with the disc brakes but overall nothing major. I would reccommend this bike to anyone who has the $$ purchase it. Just remember please obey the speed limits posted on te roads or you will get warned liek i did =O.
Weaknesses: Needs better routing for the rear hydraulic brake line.
Bottom Line:
I love to ride this bike. It's super plush and takes whatever I throw at it. Even though it's quite a bit heavier than my XC mount (a Kestrel CS-X), you really don't notice the extra pounds because it's just so smooth. One of the last great bikes that Yeti Cycles built for Schwinn, so it wasn't cheap by any means, but the best things rarely are.
Favorite Trail: Blue Loop at Kettle Moraine State Forest, WI
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At: Schaumburg Schwinn
Similar Products Used: GT I-Drive
Bike Setup: Purchased as a bare frame and built from scratch. RS Judy Race fork, RS SID rear shock, Hayes hydraulic discs, Azonic CNC-shorty stem and Profile bar, Cane Creek sealed headset, Shimano Deore XT 9-speed drivetrain w/ SRAM Attack shifters, Shimano 646 pedals, Real disc hubs laced with DT spokes to Sun Rhyno Lite rims, Tioga Factory DH tires. No-name seatpost and Giant saddle.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Ken
a Weekend Warrior
from windsor ca
Date Reviewed: May 24, 2003
Strengths: lawill supension design, hayes disc brakes
Weaknesses: hydrualic brake hoses could have been routed better, had to buy a new front caliper when I replace tha manitou fork.
Bottom Line:
Well I have only had the bike for a couple of months and so far so good. It rides smooth and climbs just as good or better than my S-20 that I had before this bike. I had to send in the Manitou x-vert fork in for warranty since it had a potential bottom out problem. Since I only had the bike for a week when I sent the fork in, I found a Marzocchi on ebay and put it on the bike and it has been smooth sailing ever since. Bummer part was that I had to buy a new hayes caliper since the Manitou was a 68mm direct mount and the marzocchi is and IS mount. The combo that I have now, 5" in front and 4" in the rear is awesome. I am verry happy with it. If you can find one of these bikes get one.
Weaknesses: bottom bracket feels too low, I feel to high on bike.
Bottom Line:
Excellent bike on any terain from the steepest ups to the opposite I've found the rear & frt shocks to be very adjustable my bike is a medium I'm 5'9'1/2 it feels a little tight but i'ts so sweet.The bike weights 28lbs I know with a few bucks I can bring it down between 26 & 25 lbs maybe even 24 then I'll be in BLISS>
Favorite Trail: anything that goes up down & all around with dirt
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At: treadbikeshop.com
Bike Setup: easton carbon hb, chris k hdst, crappy strong arm crnk, xtr v brake frt, xt disc rear, easton carbon st pst, xt fr der, esp 9.0 rear der, grp shift shftrs, time crbon pedals, sid xl fork, azonic disc rim rear.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Victor
a Cross Country Rider
from Rocky Peak, Calif, USA
Date Reviewed: January 4, 2001
Strengths: Verticle travel rear suspension. Does not travel in an arch or cause the wheelbase to become shorter at any time. That translate to control in the worst of conditions.
Weaknesses: I've read here the "mechanics" complaining of a rear squeek. The first day I got the bike (Dec'98) I heard the squeek, loosened one bolt 1/16th" turn and it has never made a sound again. I don't describe myself as a mechanic but that is hardly a "defect".
Bottom Line:
Should have gone for the SID equiped model (all-mountain) as it was 4 pounds lighter, but I thought hydraulics & coils would be more reliable. Neither Schwinn, RockShox or any dealer has been able to get me a SID rear shock (they say they don't make extras). I have removed the front disk brakes/hub/wheel (replaced it with XT V-brakes), replaced the bottom bracket & cranks with '99 XTR and replaced the seat post and handle bars with Easton Carbon. Now the bike is "down to" 28 pounds.
Bike Setup: Stiff pre-load front & rear - rebound medium - rear ride height all the way up.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago, Il, USofA
Date Reviewed: September 11, 2000
Strengths: Ultra PLUSH, This bike is a bottomless pit of plush travel. Hayes brakes STOP. TIME pedals are the best on the planet. Nothin beats bass boat blue baby!
Weaknesses: It's aparent that a creaky carbon arm is a problem with all of these bikes, mine has been driving me crazy from day one. I'm a seasoned professional bike mechanic and I've tried everything to fix it and nothing has worked. A shame because the rest of the bike is so awesome. Also, I've needed to re-adjust the rear Hayes caliper EVERY time I've taken the rear wheel off, a huge pain in the A**!
Bottom Line:
This bike is the ultimate all around cross country bike IF, and i say IF, you don't really care about weight, you got the money (it's pricey), and your trails, like in Chicago, are very rough/rutty/rooty/eroded/etc. The plush suspension soaks up all rough terrain leaving nothing but fun and blistering speed. My swap to a Judy was for matience reasons and avaliablity of parts (your dealer might sell Schwinn but not Manitou so you'd be screwed) It's nothin but bommin and smiles when I ride 4-Banger, and I'm the envy of all my ridin buddies for my Goochie rig. Secretly, and sometimes vocally though I'm cursing the creaking the is everpresent in the swingarm. This bike would be a 6 on a 5 scale if it weren't for the defect. But the pain that it's been brings it down to a 4.
Similar Products Used: Schwinn sweet spot. GT XCR's, GT Lobo
Bike Setup: Stock except:Race Face cranks/rings, XTR Rapid Rise rear derr, Rock Shox Judy 100 up front
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Darrell
a Cross Country Rider
from Columbus OH
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2000
Strengths: smooth ride, weight, handling
Weaknesses: pivots(bearings)become loose easily causes problems with rear Hayes brakes and damages bearings
Bottom Line:
When you buy this bike you need to go directly to a hard ware store and buy a good torque wrench so that you can keep the pivot points tight without destroying the bike. The faster you go the smoother the ride. Love the hayes brakes but they need greater range of adjustment.
Bike Setup: stock:manitou, hayes, mavic, rs super deluxe after market:race face cranks and stiffer springs f and r
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Gene
a Cross Country Rider
from Kansas City, MO
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2000
Strengths: A super cool design that just plain works! Cool paint, cool carbon, adjustable angles, sealed bearings at the pivots are very plush, aftermarket upgrades are becoming available.
Weaknesses: Poor cable routing out of the box, make sure the cables are not rubbing the carbon swingarm, lots of pivots - how long will they last? The pivots can mean more maintenance.
Bottom Line:
This bike rocks! I've upgraded alot and will continue to upgrade until I get it right. The frame and it's design are near perfect though. I tend towards the freeriding side of things with some urban assult thrown in for fun and this frame can handle it all so far, some of the parts are not so trustworthy though,(Mavic X317's, Cane Creek headset, Titec bar, Real rear hub). It's tolerable on the climbs if they are smooth but really excels at the slow & technical, speed trials are a blast as are downhills. I'm not so pleased with the Rockshox rear damper and will upgrade as soon as possible, probably to an RCR. I've heard a 2.0" stroke shock will make this thing 5-Banger! I will crash test that theory. Mess with the ride height until you find the bike that is perfect for you and then go out and hammer it into the dirt! Schwinn and Joe Lawwill built one hell of a bicycle, I would recomend it to all and can't wait for all my friends to ride it.
Similar Products Used: Ibis Sazbo, Trek Y, Klein Mantra, old Mongoose Amp, Trek VRX, Schwinn URT.
Bike Setup: XTR drivetrain, Hayes Brakes, Marzoochi Z1 BAM, got rid of stock hubs for Shimano XT disc, Mavic X317 rims.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rich
a Weekend Warrior
from Westfield, NJ
Date Reviewed: December 7, 1999
Strengths: This is an update to my May 1 review. The 4-banger was a fantastic riding bike, plush, well-equipped and the Hayes brakes were awesome.
Weaknesses: I had creaking noises that required first a replacement of the carbon arm. When the new arm creaked again, the Schwinn factory looked at it and said it was the RS Deluxe shock. I did not have problems with the shock as others have, other than the creaking which I think was from the arm. Ultimately the carbon swingarm cracked, which is a shame because it was a great bike to ride. I am 215 lbs and used the 800# spring in the rear shock. Ultimately, I think this whole setup is quite an engineering feat and perhaps a bit too exotic to hold up to the pounding of rough trails.
Bottom Line:
If you are a lighter rider, maybe this bike will work for you as I've heard some good reviews of the Homegrown 4-banger. If you're over 200 lbs, I suggest you look at something more traditional (without the exotic use of carbon in swingarm) because I don't think the design will hold up for you which is a shame. I haven't found a bike as plush, but at least they are holding up. I'll update my rating to 2-star. It would be 1 because ultimately the swingarm cracked, but I'll give it a 2 because it was fun while it lasted.
Similar Products Used: VRX, Raven, Mootaineer, Rocky Mountain
Bike Setup: Stock
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross-Country Rider
from Red Wing MN
Date Reviewed: December 1, 1999
Strengths: -plush plush plush -rides a lot lighter than looks/weighs...won't rival your hardtail on the climbs though -Stops like a 911 Turbo -About the most versatile bike I have ever ridden
Weaknesses: -VERY poorly designed shock -Weak splines on seatpost -not much thought put into hydraulic cable routing -not much else!
Bottom Line:
Wonderful bike. I unfortunately had some early bad luck that was not really Schwinn's fault. The first time I sat on the bike in the shop, the splines on the seatpost stripped. Off went the Titec and I snagged a Syncros Hardcore on warranty. I must first clarify that I am not a super big (215 lbs) and I ride hard, but I also have some finesse. The Super Deluxe (boo!) Rear shock blew up at 10, 75, and 110 miles. Every blow out cost me about 3 weeks of riding time. The first blow out was on the road before I even made it to the trail. The second was doing a modest (10-12) bunnyhop in a parking lot...and the whole top end of the shock exploded. This covered me with oil, gouged the underside of my top tube to the bare aluminum, and bruised the inside of my calf. I had Rock Shox upgrade me to an 800lbs spring after that. No luck. Two rides later the head of the shock blew off again (going over a bump-not even jumping)soaking me with shock oil and putting another chip in the underside of the top tube. Needless to say I'm not a big fan of Rock Shox. I happen to work at a shop so I leaned on RS and Schwinn a little and now I have a SID for the rear end. So far so good. I believe this is a much better designed shock. IF YOU BLOW THE SUPER DELUXE...DEMAND A SID! Now for the actual ride...I swapped the Manitou out for a JR-T which made the front end super plush and really solid. The ride is the best I have ever had. The bike climbs as well as I need and goes down like a Whitehouse intern. If the shock holds up, I'll maybe be able to get more than 100 miles out of it during the summer. The only Long Travel about the Super Deluxe was me having to send it back to RockShox after every ride....and their warranty dept. is terrible. You have been forewarned.I would give the bike 50 flamin' chilies, but the poor rear shock spec brings the overall down to 4....
Weaknesses: pivots and lower swingarm being replaced creaky carbon 2 inch or larger tyre and your xverts eject you(7 stitches) o.t.b. flimsy rims head stem wrong
Submitted by
Hugh LePage
a Weekend Warrior
from Montreal
Date Reviewed: September 27, 1999
Strengths: High-Tech componentry,good design, reasonable weight for type of bike, awsome looks, feels like my YZ when I was a younster!
Weaknesses: High Cost, front disc rubbing, creaking noises and hissing from shock
Bottom Line:
While no one bike is perfect for everyone this is by far the best riding and most fun bike I have ever riden. I am a recent free-ride convert ( from X-country ) and must add that the grin factor is way high here. Hill climbing is surprisingly good for this type of bike and must attribute this to the Lawwill rear design as pedaling forces do not seem to act upon it. The front and rear suspensions really do work together and this more so than others I have tried. As for the dsc brakes they are awsome and was clearing / riding fast downhill technicals at twice the speed as on my Pro-Flex. ( must be that Girvin fork slowing me down ). All in all one of the best rides ever for fast technical down-hills and all round free riding where climbing must be kept fun.
Similar Products Used: Rocky Instinct, Spec. FSR comp Enduro. Own Pro-Flex 857 ( for sale cheap )
Bike Setup: Stock bike with Manitou X-Vert
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ed C
a Weekend Warrior
from Auburn WA
Date Reviewed: June 5, 1999
Strengths: Braking and handling is incredible. Best control on a bike I've ever had
Weaknesses: Had to re mount brake lines by drilling through cable routing and sliding through. Lots of noise from the swing arm
Bottom Line:
The best handling and braking bike I ever rode doesn't rise up in the rear under hard braking, once you get used to counter steering it you can slide around a corner at unbeliveable speed
