Similar Products Used: cannondale f900, specialized stumpjumper
Bike Setup: Fisher gold frame, shimano lx / deore, bontranger :( for some reason my bike came with a marzocchi mx pro horray
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Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Silver Spring, MD, USA
Date Reviewed: April 15, 2003
Strengths: Light, sturdy, and handles well.
Weaknesses: Derailer (see below)
Bottom Line:
Here is the deal. There are many posts about replacing the rear derailer on the Big Sur. I figured, "hey, I might was well replace the front one as well". The problem is that the XTR front derailer doesn't fit exactly right on the Big Sur frame. The shop I bought the bike from didn't tweak it right and I had shifting problems. I took it to College Park bicycles in Maryland and they set it up right. I can now shift fine on all gears and am completely satisfied with the bike. I would just get the rear derailer replaced if I had to do it over again.
Bike Setup: Stock plus Shimano XTR front and rear derailer
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Submitted by
Craig
a Weekend Warrior
from Logandale, NV
Date Reviewed: December 30, 2002
Strengths: Everything execept the seat(ouch)
Weaknesses: Wheel flex and of course the seat!! Could use some better components
Bottom Line:
Awesome bike however I wish the cable runs were under the top tube. Had to do some major adjustment on deraillers but finally got them to work OK. Plan on upgrading to XT components. Have not had any other problems- brakes work good, BB seems to be fine. The front wheel flexes too much and causes the brakes to rub, but the rims seem tough. However already bent the rear on a small jump - flat spot but otherwise nice. Plan on upgrading components!!
Bike Setup: Stock -clipless pedels- Gel seat. Thudbuster on order
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Submitted by
Maxime
a Cross Country Rider
from Quebec city, PQ, Canada
Date Reviewed: December 25, 2002
Strengths: Beautifully generous, gracious and strong frame. Nice welding job ; amusing hidden sticker under bottom bracket and the funny sentence graved on the headset cap. The most serious fork (marzochi z5 aria made in italy) for the $. Nice pair of wheels never needs truing (but ...). the best tires for climbing : Wtb Velociraptor
Weaknesses: The cheap brakes : you have to upgrade or, at least put cartridge pads. Doulourous seat !!! I'm changing it this spring for a Selle italia with titanium rails. Other than that : weak hubs ; the pieces are loose inside, the tech solved this by forging the inner pieces of the hub and opening the freewheel to glue some things inside ... but it works like new now !!
Bottom Line:
Once you get rid of the original stoppers for serious brakes everything zen ! a smile on your face, wind in your face and a fast singletrack down the tires !!
Get a Fisher if you want to spend around 1000$ CDN, 700$us
Similar Products Used: kona blast, marin palisade trail, diamondback zetec
Bike Setup: derailleur : Lx/Deore, seatpost/stem/handlebar/crank : Bontrager, pedals : bontrager re-2, wheels : Bontrager superstock, fork : marz z5 air, seat : wtb sst.x (im changing it for a luxurious selle italia piece of leather), Brakes : Avid Arch Rival with Avid speed dial Ti levers (oh that's the sweetest part , braking power : mmmmm !!), Tires : wtb 2,1 velociraptor/front ; wtb 2,1 motoraptor/rear, chain : shimano hg, cateye computer
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Submitted by
Maxime
a Cross Country Rider
from Quebec city, PQ, Canada
Date Reviewed: December 25, 2002
Strengths: Beautifully generous, gracious and strong frame. Nice welding job ; amusing hidden sticker under bottom bracket and the funny sentence graved on the headset cap. The most serious fork (marzochi z5 aria made in italy) for the $. Nice pair of wheels never needs truing (but ...). the best tires for climbing : Wtb Velociraptor
Weaknesses: The cheap brakes : you have to upgrade or, at least put cartridge pads. Doulourous seat !!! I'm changing it this spring for a Selle italia with titanium rails. Other than that : weak hubs ; the pieces are loose inside, the tech solved this by forging the inner pieces of the hub and opening the freewheel to glue some things inside ... but it works like new now !!
Bottom Line:
Once you get rid of the original stoppers for serious brakes everything zen ! a smile on your face, wind in your face and a fast singletrack down the tires !!
Get a Fisher if you want to spend around 1000$ CDN, 700$us
Similar Products Used: kona blast, marin palisade trail, diamondback zetec
Bike Setup: derailleur : Lx/Deore, seatpost/stem/handlebar/crank : Bontrager, pedals : bontrager re-2, wheels : Bontrager superstock, fork : marz z5 air, seat : wtb sst.x (im changing it for a luxurious selle italia piece of leather), Brakes : Avid Arch Rival with Avid speed dial Ti levers (oh that's the sweetest part , braking power : mmmmm !!), chain : shimano hg, cateye computer
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Submitted by
Al
a Weekend Warrior
from Hudson, New Hampshire
Date Reviewed: November 12, 2002
Strengths: Strong, light frame. Genesis Geometry makes this bike decend and climb like a mountain goat. The shocks are great.
Weaknesses: The breaks could be a bit smoother especially when trying to feather them in a steep decent.
Bottom Line:
I love this bike! The way the Big Sur handles tight single track is amazing! Very nimble. If this is your first experience with the Fisher Genesis Geometry, get used to it before trying to get it in the air. The front end doesn't lift the way my old bike did and there was much blood and gore the first time I tried to take it for a small 3-foot drop. For those of you that are concerned, the bike is fine. The Big Sur likes to stay on the ground and for mountain biking, this is a very good thing! The way this bike climbs is nothing short of amazing. And as for descents; I don’t walk down many hills any more! My confidence level has shot up 100%. The combination of a light, strong frame, the Marzocchi Z5 air shocks, Velociraptor tire combo and the Genesis Geometry made me a better rider almost overnight! It doesn’t hurt that this Big Sur looks great too. I can't imagine a better value in a bike.
Bike Setup: Stock except I needed a longer seat post.
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Submitted by
Sarvan Sumra
a Cross Country Rider
from North Wales, UK
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2002
Strengths: It's a VERY strong frame. I've been free riding with it for about a year and not a crack, nor deep scratch. It's only little stones scrathes and believe me, ...I've had my fair share of falls! It's also brilliant for all day trips. Get a comfyier seat though. And it's great with the Z5 up front.
Weaknesses: The Z5 was great, but it could be better with a Duke or something like a Z2 X Fly. Erm, ...to be honest, the groupset is fine, but there are better deals out there. Bontrager cranks aren't that strong either.
Bottom Line:
It's a great frame. Though here's a note to all hart tailers: "why not go for a full sus with lockout. I've switched to a full sus with lock out and disc brakes and its much better. Just try it. Seriously." This bike would suit all of those who want a great handleing cross country beast that will take a lot of abuse and still come back for more. Though, ...remember that if you want it to STAY good, ...then clean it, ...very very throughly.
Similar Products Used: Quite a few. Marin Wolfridge, Coyote, Specialized, Mongoose, other Fishers and many more.
Bike Setup: Stock.
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Submitted by
Victor Vasquez
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin, Texas, USA
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2002
Strengths: Great Fork. Marzocchi is great. Genesis Geometry is great and fits perfectly with the fork Overall great ride
Weaknesses: Brake Kit is weak. Front derailer is cheap stuff...at least could have used an LX
Bottom Line:
Bike rides well...upgrades I made have been out of desire rather than need (except for chain). Bike worked well without the upgrades.
I did experience some problems with the chain and the shifting. I have broken two chains so far and the gears skip now and then. I finally replaced the chain with a Sram69.
I must say I am very picky about my bike performing well at the trail so overall I can say it is a great bike.
I would recommend the bike for a mid level biker that likes hard trails but does not want to get too competitive. Bike will take any terrain just fine.
Weaknesses: Usually comes with clips, Seat, If you're not used to Genesis Geometry.. You better get used to it.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike. It's very light for a XC bike, great compontents(Bontrager), decent fork(Z5 Aria). I spent the better part of a year looking for a good deal on a bike, and I had settled my sights on a 2002 Hoo Koo E Koo- but I went down to my local shop and they had a 2001 Big Sur at the same price, so I picked it up instead. It's a great starter bike, my only problem is the seat. If you're looking for a good deal, get a Big Sur, it's a good bike, and a good investment, because three or four years down the line, it'll still sell for decent cash.
Bike Setup: Stock, except for 2002 Superstocks instead of 2001. Different pedals. I don't remember what brand, they were free with the setup.
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Submitted by
Craig
a Weekend Warrior
from Southern Nevada
Date Reviewed: May 23, 2002
Strengths: Everything other than Brakes, Derailer, Seat, Pedals. Nice color scheme. Frame balance
Weaknesses: The obvious - Pedals and Seat(ouch)still have a sore A$$. Front Derailer -Big POS - No GPS unit:)
Bottom Line:
Very nice bike- However it took some time adjusting to get it to shift into all gears without issues. Will be replacing the front derailer for sure. Bent rear wheel on a curb and haven't been able to find a replacement. Wish the rims at least were disk ready so I could replace the sub-par brakes. Have not had one problem with Bottom Bracket or rings as other have. Have really pushed this bike and I weight 170lbs and it has held up great. Plan on adding to the Fisher line with a Sugar. All I have to say is "Get a Fisher"
Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from Batavia, Ny
Date Reviewed: May 7, 2002
Strengths: Top - notch componentsfor the price, great fork, great geometry (Genesis), easy to ride for a beginner.
Weaknesses: Toe-clip pedals, seat takes a bit to get used to.
Bottom Line:
GREAT bike. I picked it up as a year old and got a HUGE discount on the price. I love the Marzocchi Z5 air fork, and the genesis geometry makes handling very stable and predictable. It would have been nice to get clipless with it - but Gary seems to have fixed this for his 2002 bikes. I would recomend this bike for anyone who is just starting to get serious about riding.
Weaknesses: bottom-of-the-line brakes and saddle; front der.; bottom bracket;
Bottom Line:
i researched bikes for three months before i finally made a decision and bought my fisher. i wanted a mid-entry level bike that could take the abuse that a 6' 1", 220lb guy could dish out, and keep on going, without breaking my pathetic college bank account. and in the big sur, that is exactly what i got. this bike has taken more than its share of hard hits and falls and abuse and just won't stop. not only do i attack the trails with it, but i also use it to get around on campus at UA during the week. and what kind of xc rider would i be if i didn't have to batter down all the steps i see and fly off of all the curbs in sight?
after i replaced the stock seat (WTB sst.x) with at Bontrager FS200 and brakes (shimano M515?) with an XT brakeset, i found what mtb bliss really is.
the z.5 bomber fork is buttery smooth, and attacks and soaks up everything from three inch roots and rocks to three inch curbs.i have yet to bottom it out either, and that is saying alot for a 220lb guy who likes to ride steps. it works seamlessly with the frame to provide a great ride no matter what the terrain. and what a frame it is! no fear on steep downhills here with that fisher geometry! all the hype that you hear about the Genesis Geometry from the fisher boys is not all hype - it is the truth. you can't really understand until you experience it. it gives me confidence on hills that i would never think about on any other bike.
the only major complaint i have is that the bolt on the left side of the crank does not want to stay torqued down. once again, this may be due to the stress that i put on it. i have almost replaced the bottom bracket twice due to this problem, but they guy at my lbs said that the bottom bracket was fine for now, despite its adamant protests to the opposite. i almost had to replace the crank arm due to this problem, but he took care of that with a ball-peen hammer and some rubber padding. and after a hard ride, it is often loose. i have taken to carrying the wrench to correct this problem in my saddle pack on long rides now to avoid trouble.
bottom line, big guy + big sur = love.
if you are looking for a bike that can handle a bigger size person (hey, not all of us who ride are 5'10" and weigh 160 lb) then the fisher big sur is the bike for you. i have been quite satisfied with its performance and was impressed with the value for what i paid for it. with a few minor upgrades it should last you quite a while.
Favorite Trail: Sturdivant Fire Road on Lake Martin
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$850.00
Purchased At: Cycle Escape
Similar Products Used: trek 6500
Bike Setup: XT v-brakes and levers, Bontrager FS2000 "prostate saver" saddle
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Submitted by
Paul Nagy
a Cross Country Rider
from Barrie, ON
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2002
Strengths: Great Genesis Design, Brand Name (Bontragor) Components, Stiff frame
Weaknesses: Shimano Stock Brakes...they're decent but you can always complain about something that you always want to work better..
Bottom Line:
Great bike for any type of rider...with any bike theres room to upgrade but it's totally not needed with this bike...unless you really want to. Solid frame, best paint scheme of any Gary Fisher of any year, and resonably priced.
Strengths: Pretty nimble, good feel to it, pretty much everything is great about it. accelerates well, geometry rarely lets ya down. componentry is solid enough where it counts - drivetrain. can handle a lot of abuse
Weaknesses: pedals, brakes, the back's a little flexy, wheels a little mushy.
Bottom Line:
So far this bike has kicked some ass. I use it for urban assualt and XC mostly, and the silly radial wheels have kept up. The back one feels a little squishy sometimes - not a really crisp acceleration, but that could be the frame too. The rear triangle's a little flexy - I get occasional chain rub when I'm really pushing in the big ring - and I'm only 14 weighin 145. I do little 3 foot jumps and stairs and stuff, and the rims have kept up fairly well. A lotta sand... i haven't overhauled anything yet and probably should cause it's feeling a little sluggish. probably me being out of shape though. This bike kicks ass I'll gave it all the flamin snot rockets thogh it aint perfect. definitely buy it if you're lookin for something versatile and fun.
Similar Products Used: trusty red s hardrock - i got it tricked out for speed and studded tires for the winter that never came
Bike Setup: stock, with red michelin hot in back, spd's, stubby little bar ends like the cane creek but cheaper, '01 Z3's, flashy yellow grips, red kool stop pads in front
