Submitted by
paul perowicz
a Cross Country Rider
from erie, pa, usa Date Reviewed: August 10, 2001
Favorite Trail:
the breaks - gainesville, tx
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
cycle spectrum - dallas, tx
Strengths:
solid and stable downhill at speed; responsive in turns; components
Weaknesses:
a little heavy; front is a bit lively on quick climbs, but you get used to it
Similar Products Used:
cannondale raven; dean ti; voodoo sobo
Bike Setup:
shimano xtr f&r; manitou spyder f, fox r
Bottom Line:
great ds bike for the cash; bike's stability inspires confidence on descents; proves that an athletic rider doesn't need to spend thousands; other brands i've or friends have owned are very nice too, but much of their inflated prices are due to the manufacturers' high advertising and marketing costs, i.e. - cannondale, trek, gt; i reccommend this bike for the novice and experienced rider alike
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt harney
a Cross Country Rider
from manchester, england Date Reviewed: July 28, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Lake Districts england
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
pauls cycles, norfolk
Strengths:
fun to ride bike, easy and controllable
Weaknesses:
cranks creak, front shock was only a jett and is not too good on the small stuff, rear rst shock rebound adjustment is negligble
Similar Products Used:
proflex 856, gt xcr3000, a few others
Bike Setup:
jett front, rst rear with rebound adjustmen,, stc-rx/ lx , alex rims
Bottom Line:
thought it was good for the money (i got it at half price). very lively bike that is easy to throw around, but not too stable at high speed cornering. Tends to tip or slip when climbing. downhill single track is easy and fun,, the suspension needs a bit of speed and boulders to really make a difference.. overall a fun bike that will make you smile but not worth the RRP
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mike
a Cross Country Rider
from olathe, ks. usa Date Reviewed: March 8, 2000
Favorite Trail:
poison spider,portal trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
none
Weaknesses:
horrible components
Similar Products Used:
univega dual action pro
Bike Setup:
rst rear shock
Bottom Line:
bottom line is that univega sucks, they replaced my 600.00 dual action pro frame with this junky ds-950, my fox alps 5r was worth more than the whole frame. dont buy univega they dont honor their warranties. I couldnt even get the old frame back. BOTTOM LINE dont do business with univega.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Victor
a Weekend Warrior
from Ajax, Ontario Date Reviewed: January 5, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Greenwood
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Great value and ride.
Weaknesses:
A little heavy.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Rockhopper Giant ATX
Bike Setup:
RST Mozo Pro FS Stratus Helix Expert rear shock
Bottom Line:
The trails I ride are mostly cross-country with some very steep, rocky downhills. This bike can take all the punishment I give it. Very, very tough. I have had no problems with the bike so far. If your a weekend warrior I can't think of anything this bike won't do for you. If your a pro and are competing then why are you reading this review???
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Nowicki
a Weekend Warrior
from Mesa, AZ Date Reviewed: November 2, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Hawes, TRW
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Great bike for the $700 spent. Good reliable components. Handles the rocks well and easy to shift for the ascents. Good enough for me.
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Univega 600-S
Bike Setup:
XT rear derailer, Manitou Spyder front fork, RST rear suspension
Bottom Line:
For a weekend warrior that does not want to spend $1000's on a bike this is a very good deal. I'm sure there's better out there, but I'm perfectly happy with what I have. Beats the old hardtail I was riding for 6 years.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JERRY WHITE
a Weekend Warrior
from KNOXVILLE Date Reviewed: July 8, 1999
Favorite Trail:
HAW RIDGE
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Strengths:
GOOD FOR ANY TRAIL
Weaknesses:
LITTLE HEAVY IN FRONT END
Similar Products Used:
CANNONDALE RAVEN
Bike Setup:
INDY XC
Bottom Line:
GOOD BIKE FOR THE MONEY, BUT I RECCOMEND UPGRADE OF COMPONENTS TO AT LEAST LX.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Takashi
a Weekend Warrior
from Denver, CO Date Reviewed: June 28, 1999
Favorite Trail:
County Open Spaces (a dozen)
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Cheap(er). Can take some nice technical downhils in ski resorts in Colorado - rocky, bumpy, steep, muddy, river crossing, gravelly...).
Weaknesses:
Tail sinks as I pedal, especially on uphill, although it's not that annoying. A bit chunkier than hard tails for XC. Rear triangle not rigid enough to hold up hard brakings (ok with a bridge). Not for a hardcore downhills - frame (especially rear) doesn't hold up the yaw (side force) momentum over 30 mph.
Bike Setup:
Indy C front suspension, Shimano V-brake, aluminum rear brake bridge
Bottom Line:
Good bike for the money. Especially here in Colorado, XC trails are mixed with steep adn rocky downhills and good ascend, making this relatively lighter full suspension bike valuable. I used to get sore arms after good 15 minuets downhill from braking hard and vigorous vibration, but now I don't. In the future, I want to upgrade the rear shock to the one with adjustable damping unit (rear a bit weak with RST setup).
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Richard
a Weekend Warrior
from Edmond, OK Date Reviewed: May 29, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Arcadia Lake
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Smooth ride and gears.
Weaknesses:
A little soft at times but with a little tweak may be better.
Bottom Line:
A solid bike for the money, you do get what you pay for. Dont let the monkeys that complain about this bike bother you, they want to pay $800 and demand that they get the performance of a $3000 bike, WAKE UP! If your out to have a good time, smooth ride and save some $$$ then this is the bike for you. I ride mostly trails and the bike handles it well. 150 miles of trails in two months and it still rides like a champ.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David Baker
a Cross-Country Rider
from Kirby Vermont Date Reviewed: May 22, 1999
Favorite Trail:
East burke trails
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Good xc bike not too heavy. Great for doing some down hill
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
DS-900 FSR-pro
Bike Setup:
rst 281 manitou x-vert R
Bottom Line:
awesome have a lot of fun with it. Your a monkey if you don't like this bike
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon Taylor
a Cross-Country Rider
from Chattnooga, TN Date Reviewed: May 20, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Tsali, NC
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
NOTHING
Weaknesses:
you said it
Similar Products Used:
Litespeed Owl Hollow MTS
Bike Setup:
98' SID
Bottom Line:
Can you say SUCK!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David Mason
a cross-country rider
from Chattanooga TN Date Reviewed: January 15, 1999
Bottom Line:
I think that the Univega DS 950 is a plain out piece of junk. I hate that bike so bad that I am going to smash it if I can get a chance I will smash it
Overall Rating:
What's New
»
BEST OF MTBR - Check out the highest rated bikes, parts, & gear!
»
LED BIKE LIGHT SHOOTOUT 3 - We test all the newest products and latest light and battery technology in this comprehensive guide»
$ 869.99
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
