Submitted by
Gearking6
a Cross Country Rider
from Malden
Date Reviewed: July 8, 2003
Strengths: Shimano parts and JR. T
Weaknesses: Who ever assembled the bike f*cked up.
Bottom Line:
The moron that assembled my bike overtightened the crankset. Had to drill the bolts out to replace bad BB. My Hayes squilled like a pig, could not retract enough thus causing drag. While riding on an abandoned railroad track in VA, one of the rear torx bolt on the rotor came loose and wore down the dropout. Bobs like crazy. Sold most of the parts on Ebay to help pay for my new Intense Uzzi SL.
Submitted by
Dave Q
a Cross Country Rider
from Tokyo, Japan
Date Reviewed: February 22, 2003
Strengths: Light (for it's size), awesome fork, components, etc.
Weaknesses: It's not hotter than Pamela Anderson or Brittney Spears :)
Bottom Line:
For six bills, you can't beat it with a stick! I had to replace the seals (a pain) and buy a new shock (the previous owner messed up the first one). I'm actually the third owner, so all things considered, it kicks a$$! I use it for dirt/trail/urban jumping, so it's a great all-around bike. I've also bit the dirt a few times and am impressed with how well it's held up.
Strengths: This bike rocks , dont listen to all them stupid people that tell you this is a xc bike, look at some of there set up, xc forks on a dh bike yeah its stupid cause xc riders are stupid and wear lycra, buy this bike if its good enough for palmer its good enough for you.
Weaknesses: Yes that people dare to call this a FREERIDE bike
Bottom Line:
If its good enough for palmer its good enough for you, not a FREERIDE bike its a dh world cup bike that a number of people that have said they would rather sell there tuner for one .
PLEASE DONT PUT XC PARTS ON THIS BIKE IT LOOKS GAY
Bike Setup: manitou dorados, azonic bars, race face cracks,fox shock, hope hubs, and brakes, and comp 16 tyres
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Submitted by
Nick Guiod
a Downhiller
from Walpole, MA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 1, 2002
Strengths: FSR suspension, Fox shock
Weaknesses: Derailleur blasts into the frame, chainslap, e-type
Bottom Line:
As far as i can tell, this bike kicks ass, the e-type derailleur and the high chainstay make it a pain in the ass but a piece of old tire and a healthy rashion of zip ties is the solution to that problem. If you want a good freeride frame, this is it.
Bike Setup: Specialized gave me this frame after i broke my rockhopper freeriding. Its worth AT LEAST twice as much. Thanks specialized! Planet X cockpit, Marzocchi Z.1, Sun rims, XT disc hubs + discs, XT rear, LX front (damn e-type), TruVativ cranks + bb, black spire bash gaurd, Tioga Factory DH 2.1 rear, 2.5 front, and those new pedros dice grips. So Cool
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Submitted by
Will Norton
a Downhiller
from Perth W.A. Australia
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2002
Strengths: Really lite and strong I did jumped 13 stairs on it and soaked it up really well.
Weaknesses: needs more travel and disc brake adaptor
Bottom Line:
Good freeride bike also alrite for a bit of dh and xc. If you want a bomb proof bike that you can do any sort of riding on get this one
Strengths: great feel srong as sh*t not to heavy looks
Weaknesses: bb hight 500 lbs spring having to buy disc adaptor
Bottom Line:
bought the bike compleat from a bike shop. it came with the '01 z3 qr 20 and lx vee brakes. put the super t on and hope discs. had to buy a disc adaptor from specialized for 50 bucks. over all this bike has been able to stand up to what ever i have given it (including a 60 ft fall of a chair lift). feels great when landing drops and bombing down the dh trails. great bike.
Strengths: takes berms awesome plush f + r suspension drops like a dream is very light for the srenghth. the warrenty and customer service!!!!!
Weaknesses: pivot bolts the metal grinds on the threads in the top two pivots they loosen even with lock tight! tire clearence
Bottom Line:
it rides awsome i love the fsr feel but pivots are just to low qualitie other then that i am very impressed with the ride and the customer service rocks! 5 days to get a frame warenteid and i got something waaaay better yay!!! i love the ride very dependible 5 chilis
Strengths: 4-bar rear linkage, adjustable geometry, Jr. T fork is ultra plush and reliable.
Weaknesses: Not enough tire clearance in back. This bike is basically an XC bike with freeride/DH parts on it so you are limited to tire sizes (the largest I can fit is a Maxxis 2.5 and that's pushing it), also the rear end, is not too stiff. Once again this is an XC rear end. But it has held up so far, so I really shouldn't complain.
Bottom Line:
Overall I am happy with this bike. I have owned it for about a year with no major problems. It is Specialized's first attempt at a real "freeride bike" and I think they did a good job. The Jr. T fork has been awesome, and the rear has held up, even though I was skeptical at first. I haven't done any insane drops (only 8-footers) and I ride it DH, so it serves me well. The bike also jumps nicely and feels stable in the air. Sweet bike, but I am thinking about checking into a new big hit, its a lot beefier.
Similar Products Used: 2002 big hit(sweet!), Diamond back x-6, Kona Stinky
Bike Setup: Race Face, XTR, MRP slalom 38tooth, Mavic 521's, Maxxis Highroller 2.5's, hutch tubes, Azonic bar, stem, pedals
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Submitted by
ROBERT HOARE
a Weekend Warrior
from MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA
Date Reviewed: October 16, 2001
Strengths: JR. T'S, HAYES, XTR/LX MIX, RHYNO LITES, FOX VANILLA R, HANDLING
Weaknesses: SPECIALIZED PARTS (ESPECIALLY REAR SKEWER), TYRES, NO CLEARANCE ON REAR FOR FAT RUBBER
Bottom Line:
LETS GET ONE THING STRAIGHT, THIS IS NOT A DOWNHILL BIKE. FOR WHAT SPECIALIZED INTENDED THIS BIKE TO DO, IT RIPS! NO PROBLEMS WITH THE FRAME, BUT ALL SPECIALIZED PARTS ARE LETS SAY 'LOSEABLE'. JR.T'S ARE PLUSH IF NOT A LITTLE SOFT OUT OF THE BOX, JUST UPGRADE SPRINGS AND ADJUST OIL WEIGHTS AND ALL WILL BE PURE BLISS. NAILED A 12 FOOTER LAST WEEK WITH TRAVEL TO SPARE. TYRE CLEARANCE ON REAR IS A BIT PISS WEAK, AN EVIL TWIN SC 2.2 WITH LOW PRESSURES ON THE REAR HAS BEEN ABOUT AS MUCH AS IT COULD HANDLE. 'HAYES', NEED I SAY MORE! I PICKED THIS BIKE UP FOR $1300, SOMEONE RENEGED ON A LAY BUY, SO I PAID THE DIFFERENCE. IF YOU WANT TO CATCH LIFTS TO THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN, POINT YOUR BIKE TO SEA LEVEL, THEN BUY A DOWNHILL BIKE, FOR SCREWING AROUND AND HAVING A SERIOUS BLAST, GET A BIG HIT!
Similar Products Used: SINTESI BAZOOKA, FSR ENDURO, GT LTS1, KONA STINKY
Bike Setup: AZONIC BAR AND STEM, DMR V8, EVIL TWINS, 8 INCH ROTOR FRONT SALSA SKEWERS
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Submitted by
Jason L
a Weekend Warrior
from Snellville, GA USA
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2001
Strengths: Good suspension setup for flexibility between cross country and DH / Freeride. This bike is very comfortable to ride and handles well. It is also very stable while airborne. LX rapidfire shifters never miss and the Hayes Disk brakes are maintance free. For a big hit bike it actually climbs pretty easily.
Weaknesses: #1 Worst thing about this bike is that the way the cranks and the cassette line up. It is almost impossible to keep the chain on the proper chainring without a chainguide. On rough DH rides the chain will fall between the derailer mount and frame binding up the cranks. This will totally mess up your run! #2 I have broke 3 of these frames. On the last one Specialized decided to beef up thier latest run of frames and I have not had a problem since. My dealer hates to see me coming! #3 I have had no success in getting the headset 100% tight. No matter what I do it makes a bonking noise on the big hits. #4 The largest tire that you can fit on the rear is a Tioga Factory DH 2.1. Anything else rubbs. The rear end needs to be bigger to handle at least a 2.3 inch tire. #5 Just try to keep it squeak free! #6 The bottom bracket is too low.
Bottom Line:
This bike is a blast to ride. I know that this sounds like a gripe email but these short comings are ones that I have found after riding the bikes for 1.5 years. Overall it is a great all around mountain bike and I love to ride it
Similar Products Used: Other hardtail bikes and Scotts steed (GT i-drive carbon fiber)
Bike Setup: Stock except for odessy twisted platform pedals
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Submitted by
Ian Milde
a Weekend Warrior
from Kelowna, BC Canada
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2001
Strengths: beefy frame,great fork and shock combo, 8 inch hayes up front
Weaknesses: chianrings are super soft, tires dont inspire a whole lot of confidence,bottom bracket to low, with new tires its pushing 40 lbs
Bottom Line:
awsome bike, I love it. it tracks and handles well. I found a guy who makes a linkage to increase the rear travel to a true 7 inches. A monster t with this linkage and youve got a killer bike
Bike Setup: stock,intense comp 60 tires odi handgrips
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Submitted by
David
a Weekend Warrior
from chico CA
Date Reviewed: June 17, 2001
Weaknesses: the frame
Bottom Line:
the first day a took it on a ride i was doing 3 and 4 foot jumps getting used to the bike and on one of the 3 footers the head tube and the seat mast both cracked i havent even had the bike a week i have always riden specialized and swore by them but i wont anymore not after what happen
