Submitted by
Moabrider
a Cross Country Rider
from Bjelovar,Croatia
Date Reviewed: September 21, 2011
Strengths: Beautifull geometry,very strong frame and FEELING when riding this bike,guys...
Weaknesses: Fork-I bought my with Rock shox Jett-awfull!!!
Bottom Line:
OK,Iam begginer in biking but so far my moab gives me only trills...All my friends are crazy about this bike,very cool red-white colours and as I said ,excellent feeling driving this bike...And,yes,I did some crazy downhills,rough terrain filled with mud,deep forrest trials and so far Moab NEVER dissapointed me...
Similar Products Used: Cube Analog,Specialized Rockhopper,KHS Alite,Diamondback Peak...
Bike Setup: Shimano LX,Alex rims,Amoeba parts,WTB Seat,WTB Weirdwolf tires
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Submitted by
Seth Berman
a Cross Country Rider
from United States
Date Reviewed: September 26, 2005
Strengths: Stron frame, I have taken it through some extreme rocky trails. Came with a few good components.
Weaknesses: Bad Rims, bad tires, not to good of a crank set, and not the greatest fork, ended up replacing all these components.
Bottom Line:
Strong Frame, just needs upgraded components, as in better rims/tires, stronger crank set and a fork with more front suspension. Then you got your self a good mountain bike for Cross-Country biking. The overall cost will be about $1500.00 to make it a much better bike
Purchased At: Towner Bike Shop in Rochester, New York
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Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Seven Springs, PA,, USA
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2003
Strengths: This bike does an efficient job out on the trail and has yet to really let me down. It climbs hills well and is able to stay relavtively stable on the downhills. Despite the hardtail design the tail is quite stable on rocky terrain. This bike feels very stable underneath the rider and never feels unbalanced.
Weaknesses: As a mechanic I'm able to keep the bike in good running shape so things like derailers and such aren't that big of an issue to me as I have mine finely tuned and adjusted. The biggest complaint I have is the bikes handling in muddy corners. With a 2.1 tire and running a lower air pressure of about 30-35 psi would leave you running smoothly on any other bike the Moab 3 tends to swim in mucky corners and the tail end seems to kick out sideways when trying to corner a turn in these conditions. Coming down wet hills such as ski slopes can leave the bike in a particularly difficult situation and sometimes out of control. Front shock is also a little soft and will bottom out in some situations.
Bottom Line:
The 99 Moab 3 is an oustanding bike. It handles incredibly well through tough terrain and is very solidly built. While some complain about the weight I've worked on a ton of products that are quite considerably heavier. For how solidly built the bike is it could easily weigh a couple pounds more. In comparison to the rest of the market it rides much lighter than any comparable hardtail. While the derailers aren't exactly top of the line they do work as well as the Shimano Deore if tuned properly. The saddle isn't the most plush part of the bike, but as a cross country rider you shouldn't need exactly a granny seat. A pair of padded bike shorts easily takes care of the issue. The only thing that I've had to replace on the bike in the last 4 years was a middle crank which bent on me after some tough rock riding. For what you pay for this bike, you easily get a high quality product that competes with anything on the market.
Submitted by
Phil
a Weekend Warrior
from Fargo, ND, US
Date Reviewed: October 10, 2002
Strengths: Frame, Value
Weaknesses: Some weak components
Bottom Line:
I have ridden this bike for over 3 years with few complaints. The front derailer was junk from day one, I bent the middle chainring just powering through some mud, and the back wheel has had to be straightened out a couple times. But that's what you get at that price. Everything else has held up very well. Still a solid bike, excellent frame for x-country (for a hardtail) and worth upgrading.
Submitted by
CHRIS
a Cross Country Rider
from HIGHLAND, IL
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2002
Strengths: I AM 6'6" AND 260 LB AND THIS BIKE HOLDS UP WELL EVEN UNDER MY WEIGHT. BIKE IS STURDY AS HELL AND SOLID .. CAN TAKE ALL OF MY ABUSE AND HARD RIDING AND STILL KEEP TICKING WITHOUT A PROBLEM
Weaknesses: THE ONLY PROBLEM I SAW WITH THE BIKE ARE THE RIMS ,,, THE SPOKES ARE THIN AND NEED TO BE THICKER FOR MY SIZE(HAVE POPPED MANY) BUT CHANGED REAR RIM TO A MAVIC AND 3X SPOKE PATTERN AND HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS SINCE
Bottom Line:
THIS IS A GREAT BIKE FOR A BEGINNER ,,, IF YOU ARE GOING ANY FURTHER IN RACING ETC PROBABALY GOOD FOR TRAINGING BUT NOT FOR RACE DAY
Submitted by
Tim
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2002
Strengths: PRICE and the frame. Same frame as the Moab2 and Moab1. 23" model is offered for TALL riders (me).
Weaknesses: Components are beginner quality. Wheels go untrue/bend easily. A bit on the heavy side.
Bottom Line:
Good bike for beginners or casual riders. As a beginner, I rode it MTB singletrack most every weekend for two years. Bike is still in good shape. If you need a 23" frame, the choices are very limited. Whatever size you ride , the frame is really good for the price.
Similar Products Used: Jamis Dakar Pro, Schwinn homegrown, Spccialized Stumpjumper
Bike Setup: Stock STX stuff except for seatpost and shifters (both XT) replaced du to damage/wearout.
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Submitted by
Brandon rider
a Cross Country Rider
from Bolivar
Date Reviewed: January 9, 2002
Strengths: I have been riding this bike for two years, and I have upgraded it alot, but the frame and the original seat post are still as solid as ever, This bike has a great frame, its durable and the angles are setup great for any condition.
Weaknesses: only wweakness is the original wheels and drivetrain
Bottom Line:
This bike is by far a great deal, and its too bad that pacific bought out schwinn, and Gt, now is a great time to buy a 1999 schwinn moab 3 because of it, This bike is awesome, i have had no problems with the frame, and only minor problems with the original components!!!!
Similar Products Used: Big Sur, not comparable, even though its priced higher.
Bike Setup: I have updated my moab recently, I have sun 0 degree rims, and tidi spokes, sram 9.0 drivetrain with XT crankset, RaceFace riser bar, time pedals, irc tires, judy c fork, and control tech stem.
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Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Portsmouth
Date Reviewed: December 15, 2001
Strengths: !!!Please disregard the following review!!! - it was accidentally entered into the 1999 category. It is meant for the 2001 model.
Weaknesses: !!!Disregard the following review!!!
Bottom Line:
The review below contains information for the 2001 Moab 3. This review was written for the 2001 model and accidentally entered into the 1999 category. While the 2001 model is a very nice bike, i have had no experience with the 1999 model and cannot speak for its performance or reliability. Sorry for the mix-up.
Similar Products Used: !!!Disregard the following review!!!
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Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Portsmouth
Date Reviewed: December 15, 2001
Strengths: Almost everything - Everything was great, especially considering the price. Nice frame, good rear derrailluer, cool paint job especially if you can get it in silver.
Weaknesses: ???? - Maybe tires, pedals if you race.
Bottom Line:
I am very happy with this bike. I took one look at the seat and expected it to be uncomforatble. Surprisingly, I have kept the seat, as it seems comfortable to me. I have raced and gone on week-long treks with with the Moab and have had no major problems with it. This bike has taken tons of abuse and has held up fine. If you want a bike that you can ride hard and not worry about, this bike is for you. If you race regularly and are on a tight budget or if you only ride when you get the chance, i would recommend this bike. 5 flamin' chilis in each category.
Similar Products Used: Shwinn Mesa, various GT's. Also a Gary Fisher, and a couple treks while looking for a new mtn bike before finding this one.
Bike Setup: Shimano 536 clipless pedals, Mavic Crossride Ceramic wheelset, Avid arch rivals, Thomson seat post, stock everything else.
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Submitted by
Rowan
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Date Reviewed: October 26, 2001
Strengths: Awesome frame, components a good choice for the price
Weaknesses: rims are horrible, stx-rc just isn't good enough, and don't even get me started on the cranks, brakes or tyres. SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT A 27 SPEED!!! no disc mounts on rear. forks are also flexible and little travel.
Bottom Line:
great bike for beginners, but after two years of upgrading and constantly spending money on it its time to get a better bike. don't bother jumping on it because the angles aren't good, but trials is ok and XC is awesome.
Submitted by
Bo Olson
a Cross Country Rider
from Winnetka,IL,USA
Date Reviewed: October 20, 2001
Strengths: Good begginners bike, good price, nice and strong, sturdy, can take a lot of bumps and falls. Its nice for beggining single track.
Weaknesses: Frame is heavy, and chips easily. Components are horrible, except for the Avid brakes. Judy C's are horrible, they can't take the small or the big stuff well. Derailler is just a peice of SHlT, has broken at least 5 times. Tires have bad grip for such a heavy bike, and pinch flats come by often. Components don't last long if u intend to do anything more than leisurely.
Bottom Line:
Ok for a beginner or anyone who doesnt jump or mountain bike but is looking for a comfortable flashy bike to ride.But if you intend to do anything more, dont even consider it. After 3 years and drops no more than 4 feet high, this bike has fallen apart. Chips all over in the frame, and broken components. Good riders:Big no no Bad riders:This is for you
Submitted by
Zach Spees
a Weekend Warrior
from Zionzville IN USA
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2001
Strengths: Frame is a great design. This bike is perfect for biggner pro. It has good parts on it just from stock. It has a Manitou front shock (which it one of rocks main competitors
Weaknesses: The front brake tends to slip when it is wet, but i solved this problem by getting a better brake pad. The foot straps have both broke on me, but that is easy to fix and also cheap. The gears seam to get off track every once in awhile after riding hard constantly.
Bottom Line:
In conclusion this bike is a great bike for those who like to have fun but dont want to spend a fortune. It is also great for riding wheelies. When I purchased this bike at the castleton Galyans I had a great sales man who taught me alot so that was also very help full for my first reall mountain bike.
Similar Products Used: This is my first mountain bike.
Bike Setup: I couldnt tell you I havent memorized everything yet but it is a hard tail, and has v brakes. The suspension is manitou and it has a nice frame that is light but also stong. The welds are good not like those cheap welds wear you get big bumps in the middle of it.
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Submitted by
Nick Robillard
a Weekend Warrior
from Mississuga, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 7, 2001
Strengths: Good frame, brakes are pretty good, tires are nice.
Weaknesses: Rims, Tubes, brakes (in wet weather), Seat and seat tube, pedals.
Bottom Line:
Nice! Need some clipless pedals and maybe a riser bar, and the front deraileur is a bit weak, but that's about it.
Submitted by
Ryan Suttclife
a Cross Country Rider
from Nova scotia Canada
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2001
Strengths: Good price, Rock Shock Judy's are great, Panaracer Tires are great all terrain tires, fairly good frame.
Weaknesses: hard saddle, cheap no name seat post, front derailer is a weak at times, the geometry is a little different that most bikes, swhich people don't like.
Bottom Line:
Good bike for price, not quite race quality but can handle even the roughest terrain as well as medium drops/jumps. Needs new seat and seatpost to be comfortable for long rides, and clipless pedals to be perfect.
I've never had any problems with the rims, they've worked pretty well, but I am only 160 pounds. Also the v brakes are very good except in rainy wet weather.
The chain smacks around against the frame, makeing a lot of noise on fast rough descents, but it doesn't hurt it. (I don't think anyway)
The bottom line is, this bike is sweet new, but once you upgrade it just kicks even more a$$! I love this bike now! I bought it for like 500$ and now its worht over 1000$, which works for me. i would suggest this biek to anyone who needs a nice bike for a sweet ride. i want to move up and go to a Homegrown soon, but for now, this biek does the job in awesome fashion. But it does make some funny sounds everynow and then, and is doesnt like long steep decents, or jumping, but it can deal with it.
