Weaknesses: tight clearance for a Michelin 2.5 in back but nothing else so far.
Bottom Line:
Great black diamond bike. It looks mean, carves up singletrack, builds confidence, and not too heavy so you can climb in comfort. Definitely worth every penny I spent on it.
Bike Setup: DJ2, sun singletracks, hayes hfx-9 (8"), race face bb/crank/stem/bars, thompson seatpost, LX/XT, ODI grips, and time Z pedals.
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Submitted by
Paul McCormack
a Weekend Warrior
from Derby, England
Date Reviewed: February 25, 2003
Strengths: The girls love a Stiffee! Strong,light, climbs well, makes me want to do stupid stuff!!
Weaknesses: Stickers only weak spot
Bottom Line:
Bought frame when all i wanted was a inner tube! Had to have it. This frame is sweet n stifff. Carves like a knife through singletrack and floats over jumps. Only had it a week butkit makes wanna ride n ride n ride! Awsome. As a hardcore trail / freeride hardtail set up with lightish forks this bike ROCKS!
Bike Setup: Stiffee w/Hayes Hydros, Z1 Dropoff, Race Face everything, Rhyno Lites etc..
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Submitted by
Rick
a Weekend Warrior
from North Vancouver
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2002
Strengths: Frame stiffness and strength, geometry and handling, ability to take rough treatment.
Weaknesses: The decals are cheap. Tight clearance for 2.4 tires--front derailer rubs the nubs when riding in the granny gear, and the V-brake straddle cable rubs sometimes.
Bottom Line:
This is an update.
In the past 3 years this bike has taken everything my 200+ lb. can dish out. All my other MTBs felt too noodly, and so did all the bikes I test-rode. This one is great for Clydesdale riders. It's the only bike I like to ride out into the wilderness. It feels rock solid and gives me the confidence I'll get back home without walking. It feels like it's carved out of a solid ingot. Despite all this strength, it is not much heavier than the wimpy little noodle-bikes ridden by 140 lb. pimply-faced teenagers.
Handling is neutral. It never does anything you don't want it to, but responds quickly when you need it. Very good geometry for blasting down trails.
With the combination of big tires and flexy saddle it absorbs a surprising amount of shock in the rear.
I test-rode a dozen bikes before I bought this one. Cost didn't matter. I liked the Stiffee best by a wide margin--great handling geometry, super-strong frame.
Similar Products Used: Diamond Back Apex, Rocky Mtn. Hammer, Kona Cinder Cone
Bike Setup: XTR hubs, brakes, derailers; Mavic 517 rims; Marzocchi Z2 Bomber; Raceface cranks; Kore Lite 3 stem; Titec Berserkr Ti saddle; Syncros X-Y post.
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Submitted by
Robert
a Cross Country Rider
from North Vancouver, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2002
Strengths: Light, yet super strong. Can handle very wide tires. Can do any type of riding with this bike. Price is excellent for what you get. Weight is excellent. Did I mention strong? Yes? Well, I should mention it again, because this is an incredibly strong frame.
Weaknesses: None.
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike because I wanted a hardtail with a very strong frame. I have not been dissapointed. I'm 6'2", 230 lbs., and this frame doesn't even notice I'm on it. My setup is actually quite light. The bike is an excellent climber, and rips down trails. I put on a set of beefy DH tires and tighten up the Z5's preload, swap to a higher rise stem, and I'm ready for downhill and free ride. Change to light cross country tires, loosen up the shock, and put on a longer stem, and I can ride for hours.
Center of gravity is high - more consistent with a cross country bike. I put the seat down when descending on "droppy" trails and the bike handles very well. I don't do anything more than 5' drops, which I don't even feel as the bike/shock combo does an excellent job of absorbing.
Climbing is excellent - way less effort than any DS setup.
Downhill riding is fast and true.
I know a few very good riders here in the Cove who use this bike as their FR bike.
Stiffee is a good name for this bike, but I would have given it a name like CrossDresser.
Bike Setup: Bomber Z5 100mm. Race Face stem, headset, bars Hayes mechanical 6". Formula disks hubs with Sun Rhino Lites Maxis High roller rear, Maxis Mobster front Race Face cranks, BB, XY seatpost XT derailleurs LX shifter pods
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Submitted by
Mike Flacke
a Downhiller
from Salt Lake,Utah
Date Reviewed: December 11, 2001
Strengths: Very Strong Great Ride
Weaknesses: None anymore
Bottom Line:
This is a follow up. I love this bike even more. Cove is a great company. I emailed them with a question about a problem with their deraileur hanger I was having.(see my last review) Andrew from Cove is sending a free hanger out right away. Good deal, I'm happy. This bike has surrvived a lot of abuse. Dirt jumping and Urban riding a lot of crashes and a lot of flat landings. And I love this bike on super twisty rollercoaster single track, boy is it fun.
Bike Setup: Fox Vanilla RLC Fork,Mavic D321/Hugi,Titec,Raceface,Hayes.
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Submitted by
Jimmy Hsu
a Weekend Warrior
from Richmond B.C. Canada
Date Reviewed: November 16, 2001
Strengths: its a super strong frame. its a stronger frame then the rocky mountain reaper, i know cause i broke one b4. i love the gepmetry on the stiffee. its a super nice bike.
Weaknesses: NONE
Bottom Line:
the bottom line is that this is a super sweet frame. i recomand to everyone that wants to or needs a strong hardtail frame. its a cheap frame and its a strong frame.
Similar Products Used: Rocky Mountain Reaper, Balfa Minuteman, Azonic DS-1
Bike Setup: Cove Stiffee 15.5 inch 01 Jr.t modo front rim 26" doublewide back rim 24" hayes hydro's front/back raceface cranks
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Submitted by
Mike Flacke
a Downhiller
from Salt Lake,Utah
Date Reviewed: October 31, 2001
Strengths: Very Strong Frame. Great Geometry.
Weaknesses: Derailleur Hanger "tab" is too small. Can't get the two largest cogs to run smooth.(It really isn't a big deal)
Bottom Line:
I came from riding FS for the last five years. I couldn't afford the FS frame I wanted(Bullit) so I got a hardtail. I wanted to improve my skills (Urban/Trials). This bike tooks some getting used to coming from FS but I love it. Dirt Jumping, Wheelie Drops, DH and DS it's got it all. I like to run a lot of sag with my 130mm Z1 w/Extra Stiff springs and 20wt. oil. It keeps the head angle quick like w/ a 100mm fork. Great bike for hard core riders that want a hardtail.
Bike Setup: '99 Z1 130mm QR20, XT, MavicD321/Hugi, Titec, Hayes 8/6.
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Submitted by
Ryan Hunter
a Weekend Warrior
from mississauga, ontario, canada
Date Reviewed: October 16, 2001
Strengths: everything, i can't find a weak point in this bike everywhere. I'm top 20'ing crosscountry races and doing 10 foot drops on the exact same bike. it climbs, jumps, a super tight, ego inflating ride. and decends like world cup dwonhiller!
Weaknesses: stickers peal but who gives a F@$!
Bottom Line:
Done like only a canaidian can! try your best and you'll still lose, u can't beat ridin a STIFFIE! it's the most versitle tool in a riders kit. it does it all, and with class. if u wanna learn a lesson in ridin, come to vancouver and they'll show ya where it's at. COVE BIKE RULES!!!!!! and it's a wicked price too. this bike is not for the faint of heart, it's meant to be used. by used i mean drops, jumps, log rides, and steep, steep, fast, twisting, tight desents, it laps up the technical and will get ya back to the top quicker than any of your buds.
Strengths: This bike is a rock.....I bought it as a beater/climber ...I keep beating it up it keeps taking it.
Weaknesses: frames run a little small, but thats my weakness( a weakness of choice)so there are none.....
Bottom Line:
This bike is going in my will-I will pass it down for generations to come,and if my family members sell it-I will haunt their ass for life- Listen---- this bike is pretty strong-Im 6'3" I weight 215 it climbs good and decends like its on rails.this bike is a steal at 650.00 if you want a great bike at a unbeatable price go to www.covebikeshop.com I will be soon to pick up a g-spot...5fierypoops
Similar Products Used: spooky,konas- nothing compares
Bike Setup: z1-20mm-all xt incl disks-rf cranks-ditchwitch wheel-king/hs-hubs-kore stem/bars/skewers.
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Submitted by
David Blake
a Downhiller
from Sunshine Coast
Date Reviewed: March 5, 2001
Strengths: Alot of people have said and still will but this bike is the strongest frame ever built. And all the other strengths are as just as strong as the frame will ever be because the cove lets you pick your own parts when you buy the bike.
Weaknesses: Let me put it this way. THEREIS NONE.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is that if your going to buy this bike your in for one hell of a ride and will never forget it. And that this bike could took anything you throw at it and everything is warrantied. And the bike has a lifetime warrentie on it. So if they are brave enough too put a life time warrantie on that you know the bike will last.
Similar Products Used: Brodie holeshot bigshot and evolution.
Bike Setup: z1 qr20's,xt rear,deore front,Hayes hydrolich brakes,race face stem bars and cranks.
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Submitted by
kris gustafsson
a Weekend Warrior
from laNgley B.C.
Date Reviewed: January 24, 2001
Strengths: its all been said before but i'l say it again. bombproof! the problems cove has had with its g-spots is not present in this frame. the boys at the shop are hella nice and will replace your bike free of charge if you break it(you wont). i bought it a year ago and honestly have not a single complaint.
Weaknesses: none at all.
Bottom Line:
if you are looking for a do-anything bike, this is it. although i treat mine real well, ive seen them jumped and dropped from drops of up to 10 feet. easily the best riding hardtail in its class. looks good too. if any of you americans have trouble buying one, give me a holler, mines for sale at a ridiculous price.
Submitted by
Webbie
a Weekend Warrior
from Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2000
Strengths: bomb proof descender, frame design - does it all, great value $525 Cdn. (Fall Sale)
Weaknesses: Nothing - other than having to build it up from the frame - takes some time/tools
Bottom Line:
If your willing to build it up from scratch and your looking for a hardtail freeride bike that does it all, this frame is the one to buy. An excellent descender, launcher, drop in log basher, and it climbs OK as well. Oh ya, it's inexpensive!
Submitted by
dave carter
a Downhiller
from forest grove OR usa
Date Reviewed: September 14, 2000
Strengths: Indestructable comes to mind, fast down and not too shabby going back up. Amazing welding and huge gussets on the FR model
Weaknesses: the top mounting hole on the disc mount was about 2mm or so lower than it should have been so I had to ream it out so the disc would stop grinding on the caliper body. other than that it rocks
Bottom Line:
This is a bad ass frame. I built mine up after getting screwed out of another bike, but thank god! I have never ridden a bike like this compared to the kona its a couple pounds lighter. Just so you know the kona had avid v brakes and alot of in house parts like bars and stuff. It weighed 32lbs stock. where as the cove weighed in at just over 29lbs with discs and almost the same wheel set and a heavier fork to boot. My one and only complaint is that I went through Cove bike shop. It cost me $130 to get the stinkin thing to my house via UPS. when no more than a week later I go in to Fat Tire Farm in Portland and see the same frame sitting on the wall for the exact same price that i paid....before shipping. That sucked. But the guys at cove are real cool and their customer service is the bomb. It was probably worth the $130 bucks. The ride: ficken' awsome. goes very fast down hill. Its good for some trials too. dirt jumping it rocks. and nothing is better on the trail. get on is all that i have to say. you're missing out till you've ridden one of these bad boys
Favorite Trail: college campasses rock for the free riding
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Purchased At: olsons bike repair (parts) frame came direct from cove
Similar Products Used: kona roast SE It came out in the summer of 99 they are red and black, if you can get your hands on one they are the bomb. they would be my 2nd choice after the cove. But the 00 pod model just about made me sick
Bike Setup: 20.5" frame Z1 QR20 gimeaca system8 discs, xt/race face
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Submitted by
Rhett Brantley
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver,Co.
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2000
Strengths: Bombproof,Great handling, Decends like a missle, not harsh for an aluminum bike
Weaknesses: None ! ! !
Bottom Line:
If you can only afford 1 bike this should be it. It can do anything you ask, and then some. I really can't say enough good things about it. If you are looking to build a sub 23 pound race machine ( subliminal message... your a loser ) it's probably not the best choice, but it RULES in almost any other situation. Plus it is damn cheap for what you get. Only real negative that comes to mind is having to deal with Canadians to buy it ( just kidding, I wouldn't won't to upset Canada and endanger the supply of maple syrup and 80's haircut hockey players to the U.S ).
