Strengths: Steel is real, great geometry, comfortable for general XC but i'd imagine it would be good for other uses as well
Weaknesses: None that I can see yet beyond the stickers which I'm assuming will fall off pretty quick and the sightly flawed paintjob. Cable routing for disks only not Vees, boo.
Bottom Line:
Nice bike, great for Epic XC riding with its stretched out cockpit, generally compliant and comfortable. Responds well and is just generally the dogs bolax for hooning around on. I thought my Explosif was good until I got on this - never ever will I ride anything else. The stickers suck right enough but I can see past that ! I use ot for XC riding but I'm sure a smaller frame (mines a 19") would be good for more general uses like DH etc.
This was the bike I have been looking for my whole life. The frame knows what I am going to do. It pushes me faster and faster.
I'm not sure where the Matt dude, 2 reviews down, picked up his information. I'm pretty sure there is more to how he broke his frame. There are quite a few good bike frames out there with the compression in the front of the seat tube.(A 96 GT Avalanche was built that way. And it was the same frame as Backwoods)And they are amazingly tough. Besides, that's the beauty of Cove's lifetime CRASH Replacement.
Don't let that change your mind. This bike will do you no wrong.
Strengths: Handling, ride quality/feel, and, I would assume, durability.
Weaknesses: Stickers, but... I don't really like stickers anyway, so it's nice they just peel off. Especially the 'handjob xc' ones they put on the top tube... I think those are gay.
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike at the tail end of a wonderful relationship with a '99 Kona King Kikapu. I had extremely high expectations and was a little disappointed at first. Then I adjusted the cockpit, put the Bomber from my Kona on there (please forgive me for trying to put a Manitou on there, surely I was stoned), trimmed the bars a little, and have never looked back. It rides like a dream. The steel frame is just right... compliant in the rough, accelerates like a twin-turbo ceiling fan with nitrous (pretty fast), and handles like a speeder bike. I rode it down steep, loose, rutted, SoCal trails, and now we're on the east coast tackling the roots and zipping through the trees... It handles both situations perfectly. I was disappointed at first but now... now I have seen the light! Hallelujah! Oh, and I like the guys at the shop, too, except them being Canadian and all. Cheers to a great bike.
Favorite Trail: Somewhere in Pisgah Nat'l Forest, North Carolina
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid:
$390.00
Purchased At: Deep Cove Bike Shop
Similar Products Used: Konas mainly, but I demo'd many a Cannondale, GT, Schwinn, and Trek at the last bike shop I worked at.
Bike Setup: I have a 19" 2001 Handjob, 4" Bomber with XT components and the obligatory Race Face cockpit controls.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Albuquerque
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2002
Strengths: Cheap steel frame. Hard to find a steel bike these days at this price. Geometry is perfect for aggressive riding.
Weaknesses: The compression slot for the seat tube is facing front. Weak design, because every time your butt hits the seat, you put front part of tube in tension...will eventually cause stress fracture.
Bottom Line:
Sorry to offend the Cove worshipping crowd, but this bike is the result of "bike shop engineering". The frame was put together and designed by people who know how to ride, but obviously do not know how to design a bike. After 6-months of hard riding, I cracked the seat tube radially at the base of the compression slot. It was a stress fracture that formed after a 5-hr. ride of some pretty technical trails....... however, my aluminum frame has been handling it for years.
I am not a big guy --- 185-lbs--- and the seat post was inserted at least 170mm into the tube. Cove just got this one wrong. I did a little research and talked to a few custom builders...all stated that they do not put compression slots in the front, and as long (32-mm) as Cove did.
Bottom line is good geometry, excellent price, but no engineering in the frame. Weak product, and I cannot recommend.
Cove did refund my money for the frame however..so give them props there.
Strengths: Geometry and Fit, smooth "like buttah" ride, Looks, inexpensive, great steel ride.
Weaknesses: cable guies came with the middle one set up for disc brakes, and I run v-brakes. I rigged it up to work easy enough though. No clear coat on stickers. I also fixed that easy enough. I used this stuff that is basically a big clear sticker to cover the sticker allready on the bike. You can find it at most motorcycle shops.
Bottom Line:
I am assuming the are referring to the Cove Handjob for this review section. After riding and racing the Aegis for 6 years I finally decided to get a bike with a 1 1/8" steerer. I wanted steel and didn't want to pay a ton. I looked at Gunnar, Jamis, and Cove. I chose the Cove Handjob mainly because nobody else around hear has one and the it was the least expensive. The ride is like a dream. I just feel faster on this bike (it may be because of the slightly long top tube). The two things I listed as weaknesses are easily fixed and the stong points more than make up for them. So if you are looking for an inexpensive nice riding steel hardtail, I highly suggest you check out the cove. For the price and ride it gets 5 flamming turds.
Strengths: great durability, takes everything you throw at it. great for any type of riding. i've put some stressful forks on it and it stick through it all.
Weaknesses: frame dents easily but its nothing to worry about. its also very flexy but i guess that helps for the rough landings.
Bottom Line:
this bike KICKS ASS!!! anyone and everyone should own this bike.
Bike Setup: lx bottom bracket, raceface northshore xs cranks, xt rear derailer, big mammith fat rear weal with a lx hub and dt spokes, sstx seat with an average seatpost, raceface headset, radical ingot stem, a husky handlebar, raceface grips, marzocchi z5 2001 with M arche, stx rapid fire shifter, lx brakes and levers, blackspire chainrings and chain guard, satch chain, sunrim front weal with a xt hub and dt spokes, xt quick release front and back.
Strengths: looks geometry warranty the actual guys at deep cove bikes price stiff but- actually gives a little in the back tire clearance tt clearance nice lust factor being that not many people outside b.c. have it basically, out of this world
Weaknesses: cheap decals but once you ride the bike you WILL NOT CARE!
Bottom Line:
this is my second review on this bike. MIne is 19" and i could'nt sing praises enough. I ride in the streets of new york simply BLAZING through traffic, not a flinch. Drop offs; 2,3,4,5 feet and more, not a whimper. wheelie drops, chutes, stairs, ledges are pure pleasure. Oh yeah, and it is the best trail bike i feel you can find, seriously. I may sound crazy, but a bike of this caliber does it to you. geometry is amazing, providing an extremely comfortable,balanced and beyond predictable ride. I have 2.3" tiogas and have the same clearance most hardtails have with 1.9's.Stiff when pedaling yet rides so smoooooooth. coupled with my maguras this is an all around trails/trials/downhill/singletrack dream. before the cove i always lusted a different bike than whAT I HAD. i waNTED A DOWNHILL, xc, trials, whatever. This bike is literally all the bike you'll need. it is so versatile it makes me sick. The guys at the shopare real cool and they will actually talk to you and help you make the best choice. I work in a freakin bike shop and got the cove regardeless! I could go on for days so i'll shut up now and say two things: 1.my email is MayV@aol so if anyone wants to ask anything,go riding or say what a wacko i am feel free. 2.Basically,you can't go wrong man. alright three: 3.i have a feeling the guys at cove wrote the entry for this review so great bike.Great bike
