Submitted by
SpecialEric
a Cross Country Rider
from Windham, NH, USA
Date Reviewed: December 2, 2009
Strengths: Great entry level full suspension mtb. Great components besides the Judy front fork. Haynes brakes rock! XTR is nice. Not too heavy
Weaknesses: Judy front fork. Bike creeks on intense uphills. Bottom bracket is at a good height.
Bottom Line:
Got this bike after it being used for 8 years. Rode it hard all summer and have no complaints. Specialized makes a great bike and i would recommend this bike to a friend.
Bike Setup: Boxxer double crown front fork, custom bash gaurd, kore stem
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Submitted by
Hank
a Cross Country Rider
from Espoo, Finland
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2002
Strengths: quality, durable, easy, light and airy, adjustable, stylish, breaks
Bottom Line:
I just love the bike. Mostly I drive in a rocky technical trails with small drops, but also tried DH. I use the bike also in winter in snow and ice. Like most I flipped the rear susp link to avoid the low BB. As you noticed from the setup I changed the driving position a lot from XC to FR. Next I'll update the fork to 5" and may update the rims to a bit stronger to hold bigger drops.
Bike Setup: RS Judy Race 4"; RaceFace headset (from my old bike); Wheeler 10deg 4" stem; Azonic DW 1.5" bar; PD-M858 SPD pedals; Selle TransAm saddle; Conti Vert Prot rear; Nokia Extreme for winter
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Submitted by
dale
a Cross Country Rider
from ottawa,canada
Date Reviewed: September 30, 2002
Strengths: fun bike for all-round use. plush suspension in the rear shock.HAYES HYDRAULIC BRAKES
Weaknesses: front shock sucks-upgrade right away.low BB is annoying. sizing is important - this may sound obvious but I'm 6' and I feel cramped in a large
Bottom Line:
bought this second hand - hardly used. I had to replace the BB already, this may be due in part to the abuse the crankarms take bouncing off rocks.I'm still friggin' around with the Judy Race shocks, not impressed. the overall set up of the bike is sweet super all round bike.Downhills are fun and climbing is way easier with a FS.Don't ever let weight deter you from purchasing a bike.this weighs 30 lbs., 4 more than my old hardtail and climbs much easier (in technical stuff)
Weaknesses: The low Bottom Bracket. I don't know what Specialized was thinking about when they made this bike, it had to be obvious them even before the bike went into production. My Specialized seatpost clamp broke on my very first ride. I had no idea the parts were so cheap!
Bottom Line:
Ya, I've upgraded just about everything on this bike over time. I could have just saved my money and gone out and bought a new bike at a later date, but I just felt I could make this bike alot better over time. I'm prob. going to sell my Manitou Xvert and go with a 5" Marzocci Z-1 & that will be it. All Specialized had to do was put a little more thought into the frame design & rethink that rear link. Incidently, the link from BETD costs about $150.00 shipped from the U.K. and you can p/u a used Vanilla R coilover these days for under $100.00. Alot cheaper than the Mountain speed solution (which they don't even make anymore). I am extremely happy with the changes I've made. My previous post suggested flipping the rear link, which does solve the low BB height, but I never, never felt as though I was getting the 4.6" of travel the bike is supposed to get.
Bike Setup: Ryno-lite wheels, Manitou Xvert, WTB Seat, Pro-Taper Riser Bars, ODI/Yeti grips, Race Face Next Cranks, Sram 9.0 gripshift, Ritchie Seat post and stem. Real Rings,Fox Vanilla R, Coilover,Hayes brakes. Replaced the rear link with the BETD link from the U.K. Has settings 4, 5, & 6" of rear-end travel. This by far the wisest change I've made to my bike. The 6" travel setting is unbelievable. Make sure you Get your spring weight down however. I'm 160lbs and had to go with a 750lb spring.
Submitted by
Sly
a Cross Country Rider
from Ottawa
Date Reviewed: July 1, 2001
Strengths: Great all-rounder, well balanced, flexible (in its uses - not frame flex!)fun! I like the Hayes dics (obviously!) alot, and the bike has an all round nice feel. The price didn't hurt either!
Weaknesses: Low bottom bracket, lack of lockout on shock (but that can easily be fixed), and if I'm feeling real nit-picky, cable routing...
Bottom Line:
I've used it frequently in all kinds of conditions - urban assault, technical single track, long flat "fitness" rides, a 24hour race, muddy conditions, rocks and roots, drops etc and the only problem I've encountered is the stupid low bb height - but they've fixed that for 2001 I hear. I find this bike handles well, is comfortable and not too heavy. Specialized left room for some key upgrades (front and rear shocks, hubs, stem, bb, handlebar, grips etc...) but that's why it wasn't too expensive...
Bottom line is its fun to ride, it seems to be built for the long haul, and its a decent value. And unless Specialized goes the path of the Do-do Bird (or Schwinn)- knock on wood - service and guarantee have been reliable in the past.... All in all its a good, maybe even great, all-rounder.
Bike Setup: Many differnet knobs to adjust to obtain and set up for the type of ride and style required.
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Submitted by
Robert
a Weekend Warrior
from El Paso, TX
Date Reviewed: June 15, 2001
Strengths: hayes disc brakes, lightweight frame, xtr and xt components
Weaknesses: incredibly mediocre fork, bottom bracket way too low, freakily short cockpit
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike because I wanted this to be my last bike ever. I figured I could trust Specialized and the component group looked great. But as soon as I was on the trail, I knew something was wrong. The Judy Race fork is a piece of s***. It dips and bobs and when combined with the stopping power of the Hayes brakes, it begs for an endo. Also, the hoses and cables are a mess. I've got three places where I had to use electrical tape to keep them from getting tangled in the bike or my pedal. The problem is that Specialized markets this bike as a "quasi-freeride," but that couldn't be further from the truth. It's actually just a nice, decent full-suspension cross country bike. If you're into speed and lightweight, without trecherous drops or nasty rock gardens, then this bike is fine. But if you're expecting to go bombing down a sick trail, then this bike will disappoint. I guess I could go the extra mile and try to upgrade, but I'm not patient enough. I'm going to sell.
Similar Products Used: gt i-drive, giant xtc, proflex
Bike Setup: stock
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Submitted by
corey
a Weekend Warrior
from topeka, kansas
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2001
Strengths: hayes, fox r , good all around performer
Weaknesses: low bb, shock runs low, judy bobs too much and lots of brake dive
Bottom Line:
bike is smooth. low bb height is problem in rocky areas, trying to clear logs and rocks. the ring always scrapes on any rolling drop over a foot. The judy works great until you brake, it dives so much you can barely use the front brake when going downhill, or you might endo. This bike rocks. it climbs, tracks in the corners, and gives you the confidence to try anything. you barely even notice a rock that sticks up 10 inches. only 4 chilis because of the bb, brake dive and low compression of the shock. great bike for someone who rides technical trails with an aggresive nature.
Bike Setup: dolomite wheels, sram 9.0sl, truvative stylo isis cranks, time pedals, and panaracer fires 2.1
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Submitted by
Jason
a Racer
from Portland, OR - USA
Date Reviewed: April 11, 2001
Strengths: Hayes Hydraulics/XTR R Der/Smooth Fox-R/Disc-Specific Rims/XT Shifters + F Der = nice shifting dudes.
Weaknesses: Flexy BB(try the lateral stress load test - inches of deflection), soft climber (but waydaya expect?!), low BB height takes getting used to - fixed in '01, I see. Cheesey rear caliper mount (an 2000 year MTB w/o REAL caliper mounts? Come-on Specialized...get it together.
Bottom Line:
I'm no component freak. I just don't understand you guys who buy an expensive stock bike and, rightaway, start making costly tweaks! Stock, this bike rocks (that's why I bought it) AND it's the funnest bike I have ever ridden. (Let's just say, I've ridden many.) It's comfortable. Especially for an old racer like myself. It just rides plain easy. Not super-fast - even downhill (sorry guys, I'm faster on my old hard-tail... wait a minute, maybe I just feel like I'm going faster!) Smooth. That's it. This bike is smooth. No complaints.
Similar Products Used: '00 C-Dale: Jekyll 900 SX, '00 Specialized FSR x/c Pro, Gary Fish Sugar 1 & 2, Specialized Enduro Pro.
Bike Setup: Stock. In spite of my gripes, this bike has a super-sweet ride. Lowered stem, still need to trade for longer one. I just couldn't get used to the short cockpit. It's TWO FULL INCHES shorter than my last ride. 220-230psi/60-70%damping seems to get my 170lb. butt up the hills with limited monkey motion. The front fork is another matter. Max pre-load + damping still results in Major Bob when climbing out-of-the-saddle. Sensitivity to small, high frequency bumps is preemo though. (Always a trade-off) Heavier springs would undoubtedly fix my dilema.
Strengths: The frame is great. Just try to get rid of any parts that are made by specialized. The Judy Race is OK, but I sold it and bought a Manitou Xvert. The Fox Float R works great so far. The brakes SSSSSSSSSSSweet!
Weaknesses: Without a doubt the BB. But take heart there is a very inexpensive way to fix this!! Flip the linkage. In other words, flip the bracket so that the red chip is on the driver side of the bike. Set mine to 4.6" / 69 degrees. Lets put it this way. Before the change I could touch both toes evenly on the ground when seated. Afterwords I could barely touch either toe without leaning to one side. Was clearing Sh*t I couldn't believe on my last ride.
Bottom Line:
Got tired of watching all my F/S brothers having all the fun. I bought this bike used and am very happy with my decision to buy it. Conquered all my demons on the local trail last week, stuff I never did before. This bikes an animal and it only weighs in at around 30 pounds. If your that weight conscious, Just go out and lose 5 pounds & you'll suddenly be riding an Ellsworth! DONT FORGET TO FLIP THE LINKAGE / BRACKET it makes all the difference in the world!
Similar Products Used: Cannondale Killer-V 700 HT, no comparision
Bike Setup: Mavic disc rims, Pro-Taper Riser Bar, ODI lock Jaw Grips, SRAM 9.0sl F/D, LX F/D, Fox Float R, 2000 Manitou Xvert, WTB Seat, Ritchey Stem & Seatpost, Shimano pedals.
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Submitted by
Trevor Allen
a Downhiller
from Rocky Mnts Alberta
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2001
Strengths: Great Value for what you get on this machine Hayes Disk Brakes Adjustable rear suspension Light weight
Weaknesses: Limited on how much you can lower the seat Bottom Bracket is too low Fenders are useless and add alot of weight Rear suspension pivot (bearings need replacing)
Bottom Line:
Great value for a bike that helps increase your confidence. But how quickly it is outgrown. The Bottom bracket gets annoying when you scale anything big. Cranks squeak constantly (much needed attention). Fenders were never used. Great for a rider who is new to the Free-ride market and would still like to cross-country with the best of them. I have decided to sell and move to the Rocky Mnt Pipeline. Of course, I will be sticking with the disk brakes. They saved my life a few times.
Similar Products Used: Rocky Mnt Pipeline Kona Stinky
Bike Setup: Easton Monkey lite bars 2.3 on Front 2.2 on Back Shorten width of handle bars Welded out saddle stem stopper
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Submitted by
Christian
a Weekend Warrior
from Munich
Date Reviewed: March 15, 2001
Strengths: good rear shock, enough travel for some freeriding, great handling, good wheels
Weaknesses: creaky cranks, low bottom bracket, derailleur/ brake cable lining is stupid (get´s in contact with rear tire), bar too wide
Bottom Line:
I wasn´t sure about this multi-link-frame with it´s skinny tubes in the beginning but after a year of riding in the alps i really love the bike. No play in the rear, shock still works great an since i switched to deore cranks no more creaky sounds (and it´s even lighter for not much money, change it in the shop if you can, specialized-cranks are not worth it)!! The low bottom bracket was annoying at first but i switched to thicker continetal vertical pro tires which raised the bracket enough to have fun! Handling is great due to the low center of gravity, frame is stiff. Only rebound - knob on judy race fork is useless.
If your looking for a solid bike with really good suspension performance for long riding in changing terrain and some freeriding without dropping too deep, this is a very good bike. I ride the bike in the steep/long travel geometry-position. I think this works best for long uphills on smooth surface combined with steep downhills.
Submitted by
Tarheels Man
a Cross Country Rider
from Oregon
Date Reviewed: March 12, 2001
Strengths: Pyslo XC, Hayes discs, the Fox Float, the XTR rear
Weaknesses: None yet
Bottom Line:
I have the 2001 model with a Pyslo XC front shock. I have only had the bike for two days, but have already done a lot of dirty riding. The Pyslo and the Fox rear shock make for great riding and the bike is overall perfect. I really like the way it handles as I'm cruising down the hill and the Hayes Hydraulic discs are a great addition.
Submitted by
Joseph Meldrum
a Weekend Warrior
from Marquette, MI
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2001
Strengths: Suspension is smooth and brakes work excellent.
Weaknesses: Low bottom bracket height takes a little getting used to.
Bottom Line:
Coming off of a hardtail this bike seems a little heavy and the low bottom bracket is annoying at first. I think that the fenders are a little useless but I am sure that some people will like them. Overall though I love the way the bike rides, it handles great and the suspension is smooth.
I've got a line on a hardly ridden 2000 Enduro Expert. Has the Hayes Hydros with the purple levers; I recall hearing great things about these brakes. It's in great shape, but I'v Read More »
I just picked up a 2000 Enduro Expert that has got to have less than 500 miles and is upgraded pretty nice.
05 Marz XC600
Hayes Hyds
XTR R
XT F
New Nevegals
SO anyway- I Read More »
