Submitted by
Logan
a Cross Country Rider
from Renton, WA
Date Reviewed: April 3, 2004
Strengths: Pedals, weight, brakes, wheels and hubs are good if used and maintained properly, fork is light weight and adjustable, I like the bars and stem. Seat seems alright, especially for long distance. Shimano drivetrain.
Weaknesses: FRAME!!! WARRANTY!!! Rock Shox seatpost only works if you sit on the front part of the seat, which isnt exactly comfortable or healthy. Tire clearance totally blows. Why would anyone want an all-mountain hardtail that barely even fits 2 inch tires. Fork is kindy flexy. Cranks.
Bottom Line:
I really expected better things from this bike. I used it for about 2 months of XC and trail riding (no "freeriding") and was pretty happy with it, but then one day I was just riding along slowly with my little cousin and all of a sudden my drivtrain just locks up. So I look down and think "oh, my chain just probably jammed up or somthing," until I see that my derailure is jammed in the rear spokes, and my drive-side dropout is twisted up and disturbingly bent!! Ok, so I start thinking "whats the point of having a replacable derailure hanger if the frame still bends?" So, after I carried my bike back to my car (the rear wheel was jammed up into the frame and everything was kind of just a big twisted mess), I take the bike back to Bicycles West and they are in shock and say they'll see what they can do. So, I hear back from them a couple days later and they say that it cant be covered under warranty because it is "my fault," but they can fix it themselves. They fix it and Im happy until I realize that the wheel now sits crooked in the frame. This causes VERY limited tire clearance and an awful chainline. After 8 months of just living with the downfalls, the drivetrain finally stops working at all. So now I have a bike that doesnt even pedal!
After this I just say screw it and put down the cash for an XTC frame and some other new stuff. I have been using this for about 2 months and its awesome!
A good bike isnt all about the frame, it's about the components too. I cant complain about the component spec for the price, but the frame and warranty sure were dissapointing.
OVERALL, I AM REALLY DISSAPOINTED IN SPECIALLIZED. THEY SHOULD HAVE COVERED THIS ISSUE UNDER THEIR WARRANTY. I DON'T PLAN ON BUYING ANY MORE OF THEIR PRODUCTS. I SUGGEST YOU DO THE SAME!
Purchased At: Bicycles West (or should I say Bicycles Worst)
Similar Products Used: Schwinn Rocket 88 Stage 3, Giant XTC, Speciallized Epic, Cannondale Jekyl, and more...
Bike Setup: Was mostly stock until the frame failed! Bought an 04 Giant XTC ht frame, xt crankset, enduro pro 2.2 tires.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from Sherbrooke
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2003
Strengths: Solid frame, fork is fully adjustable, disc brakes are very responsive, XTR and XT... Once you cut the handles to fit your size, the driving is very quick and responsive. For the price, it's a incredible machine that climb nearly everywhere. Mavic weels are light and strongs. Nice paint job too.
Weaknesses: Pedals... The fork lost little oil... The crankset is noisy. Always need tightening. Like all disc brakes , they are sometime noisy, but it's the compromise to have a aggressive stopping power in almost all conditions.
Submitted by
Dusty
a Weekend Warrior
from Lyman,Wa USA
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2002
Strengths: This bike not only looks awesome but will handle just about anything you can throw at it. Hayes discs work like a champ- very predictable- THEY WILL STOP YOU!!!!!!! The frame is burly enough for some serious punishment. The Psylo Race fork gives you plenty of on the fly adjustment and enough travel to soak up the hard hits. XTR/XT drivetrain-need I say more? SWEET paint job and graphics layout.Top notch craftsmanship throughout the entire bike.
Weaknesses: Get rid of the TIME atac pedals, they will cause you much pain. The Maviv 317 rims are sweet but are not strong enough for downhill use. I dented the rear rim on a down hill course run due to a pinch flat occurence. I dont think these rims were built to handle downhilling to begin with. The damage was minute-still using the rims.
Bottom Line:
This bike will take you where you want to go and bring you back without disappointment. It will handle any single track, fire road, moderate freeriding or insane epic ride that your body can handle and beg for more when you're done. I bought this bike at a year end/discontinued model sale for less than half of its MSRP. Some of the best money I have ever spent on a bicycle. The Enduro handles like a dream, climbs like a goat, and descends like a meteor. If tou can still find one, YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.
Submitted by
Sashea Brown
a Cross Country Rider
from Montreal,Quebec, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2002
Strengths: Amazingly responsive and comfortable frame for a hucking, xc bike. Does everything well and is super light and strong.I really like the fork, brakes and tyres and the bike climbs like a banshee. Out of all the bikes i was looking to buy, this was a steal and i wouldnt trade it for anything else!
Weaknesses: It creaked at at the headset and the BB but i sorted that out quick. The cranks are crap and i broke the crank retaining bolt on the drivetrain side as well as two of the bolts that hold the middle chainring on. I replaced them with steel items and sofar so good.I piled a few times getting used to the time pedals, doing a flip with the bike attached to my feet was not fun.
Bottom Line:
Unbeatable value for the money, If you can find one for sale, buy it and you will never look back. It does everything great and looks sexy doing it!!
Strengths: found the frame new on ebay and built it up to my liking(and budget) The frame is incredibly stiff, on my first ride i cleaned sections of boulder strewn trail that i had only had about 25% success on before. I came from an old cromoly frame to this rocketship, I can bunnyhop 50% higher and longer than the old bike. The frame is suprisingly light for the strength, i don't know the exact weight but it doesn't flex under my weight (250#) and abusive ride through it style.
Weaknesses: probably can't go over 2.3" on the rear tire
Bottom Line:
There are some available on ebay from time to time for the price i paid i can't even get a huffy these days. Anyone who wants a good strong frame to start with look no farther. This frame is a 2001 model (the last year they made hard tail enduros) and you can probably still find some complete bikes on close out but hurry.
Bike Setup: 2002 z.1wedge, truvativ hussefelt dh cranks and bb, avid mechanical disc brakes, easton riser bar and stem, thomson seat post, flight saddle, XT and XTR drivetrain,(with gripshifts), rhino light rims
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Dan Mayer
a Cross Country Rider
from Hilton Head Island, SC, USA
Date Reviewed: December 24, 2001
Strengths: The frame is bombproof and the components work great when dialed in correctly. The shock works very good, and the brakes provide plenty of stoping power. I weigh 160lbs and have found no flex in the wheels. When the fenders and suspension seat post are removed, the bike is very light for a free-ride hard tale. This bike is bad to the bone and reccomend it to anybody if they can get their hands on one. The brakes are extremely powerfull and feel great. Try to find another bike w/ XT/XTR components, Pyslo Race fork and a center fold frame for under $2300 - YOU WONT ! (i got a close-out deal and a hook up from the dealer for $1500)
Weaknesses: The Specialized cranks and stock bottom bracket are very bad and should be replaced right away. I am not a fan of the Rock Shox suspension seat post. It creaks and adds alot of weight. My bike came with a defective Psylo- I sent the fork back and Rock Shock took care of the problem (came w/ bad bushings). The brakes are very good but have a weird wear in period and can be a pain to get dialed in - no matter what anybody says - disc brakes will make noise. Those problems may seem big, but really they are not. I have no true complant about this bike. I keep my bikes perfect and expect nothing less and those are my few very very picky complants.
Bottom Line:
THIS BIKE ROCKS - and mine weighs 26-27lbs w/ 125mm of travel and a freeride center fold frame! Once the querks are taken care of, this bike is unbeatable. If you patience and money - i highly recommend this bike
Favorite Trail: McDowell Mountain State Park - Fountain Hills, AZ / Tom Tripplet Community Park - Savana, GA
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At: The Bike Doctor
Similar Products Used: 2000 Specialized Stumpjumper M2 (race set-up) Gary Fisher Sugar 3+
Bike Setup: Full Shimano XTR drivetrain encluding Crankset & Bottom Bracket. Easton CT2 bars, Thompson Elite seatpost. Fenders removed. I also use a Specialized Speedzone Pro computer and a Specialized Fireballs Comp light and tailight.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Patrick
a Cross Country Rider
from Amarillo TX.
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2001
Strengths: Strong frame, good group,
Weaknesses: They are not making them anymore, I believe that 2001 was the last year for this bike. I don't like the crankset that came on the bike. That is what after market is for though.
Bottom Line:
I like the way the bike climbes it fits me and the way I ride. The one big problem I had was the Time pedals, I was never able to kick out of them quick enough and busted my ass a bunch of times because of it. I have my Shimano's set so that if you do anything but lift up on them you will disconnect. picture a P.3 on a diet and you have this bike. I believe that this is the best hardtail you could get to fill both your XC and medium drop needs. I would change out the wheels if you were going to do alot of abusive riding though. I can only give it four chilli's because there is always room for improvement
Going back to a hardtail after all these years getting lazy on a squishy bike. Had to learn to be a precise rider again. This bike rocks! Goes where it's pointed and doesn't wallow around. Watching the front fork flex after many years riding a Headshock has taken alot of getting used to but man what a bunch of travel. Absolutley no gripes about anything. Black is cool. 5 smokin piles. Hardtails are back!
Strengths: The FRAME is the Strongest hardtail I have owned. The Fork is Nice (RS Psylo RACE) The XTR reat deraler is the best seires I have seen(Rapid Rise) The XT Shifters are better than I throught they would be. The (Hayes Disk) WELL about 90% of the bike is strong.
Weaknesses: The Rims suck (Mavic 317 Disk) (I REPLACED THEM WITH SUN RYNO LIGHT)
Bottom Line:
Very nice bike. I do a lot of freestyle jumps and DS. The fork is the best. The bike is just wonderful (just have to lose the mud guards).
Similar Products Used: To many to list. But a nice Cannondale, just to complicated to build
Bike Setup: Every thing that came with the bike except the (Race Face Hubs on Rino Light SUN Rims. The XTR BB and XTR Front DR, and set it with an XTR Crank.
