constructed from Cold Forged Alcoa® 7005 T-6 Aluminum seamless tubing incorporating a lower gusset on the head tube virtually eliminating torsional flex.
Features lateral rear dropouts for rear axle adjustability, double clear coated graphics and a polished finish.
Strengths: Heavy duty. Turns so very tight. Cheeeeep! Its strength is also its weakness. This bike is what Azonic says it is, and only that, a DS bike. This bike is very fun to ride once you get used to it.
Weaknesses: Its hard to 'dis' this bike since it has a special purpose. Perhaps its a bit too heavy for me. After 10-15 miles, Im done. Is not good on flat ground! It's like a snowboard, cant run on the flat & straight - but it cuts a good line through the wild trails. Yea, stock up on those little replaceable rear hangers, if they break off, as designed, your left with a silly speed bike. OH YEA - If you run disk, you have to remove the disk brake to get the wheel off with the horizontal drop outs. Makes fixing a flat a real pain.
Bottom Line:
This bike is super fun! It is very responsive, durable, and it has "character". It makes a good play bike but would not be considered by any means something you would take on an XC trip. It does DH in a pinch just fine, somehow. If your favorite trail has jumps, is twisty & rolly then this is the frame for you. I have had a love/hate relation with between the fun factor vs. its pedal-ability. Gears never helped, it is a stand up and pedal kind of bike...
Similar Products Used: Cannondale SuperV, DBR hardtail, Spot.
Bike Setup: Now its a 34:18 Single Speed, but I did have some gears on it a while ago. I used to have a 32/22 up front, which I took off. And ran a 38 w/ evil bash with 8 speed rear - until I lost a few rear deraillers. 5" Marz Z1. Mavic D521 rims. Hayes disk. 2.4" tires w/ DH tubes. This single speed is 31.4 lbs!
Strengths: Price. I got 2 years out of a frame which has never been heard of by me.
Weaknesses: Stays - Stays are now pooched. Insead of having an iside width of 135 at the dropout theyre now 147mm, and they cause me to go through hubs exponentially. I went through 2 sram 9.0 SL's in 2 days.
Bottom Line:
Not bad, Ive never had a frame last this long when I ride everyday, Ive done 6 trials demos on it, MANY 6' and higher flat drops and im 225. For the price I paid Id recommend it, but mine is now retired as I just got my new Evolution.
Bike Setup: Trials setup - Magura hs33, braided steel lines, DMR rigid fork, race face SS DH head set, 100mmX15 degree, RF DH bar, Sram 9.0 sl hub on rhyno lyte rear, and mazic x233 up front. Truvative 165mm crank, custom bash guard, 24t granny with 8mm bolts.
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Submitted by
aaron hawkins
a Downhiller
from notts.england
Date Reviewed: January 18, 2003
Strengths: can handle drop off`s despite dubious bike shop`s comments 8FT thus far incredible mid range accelaration better than ddg 4 example smaal frame light and small feel and nimble...
Weaknesses: if you do want disc brakes buy something else....if u snap u`r drop out any way your frame normally snaps as well as did my GT...tell u something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!my bike is fine and has even been hammered 2 up........
Bottom Line:
A GOOD ALL ROUNDER NOT SUITED FOR LONG HAULS BUT MANAGABLE EVEN SO FUN TO RIDE LIGHT HOPPY BRISK,EXPENSIVE LOOKS WITHOUT THE COST GOOD D HILLER JUMP/STUNT NO COMPLAINTS THUS FAR GEOMETRY EASILY OFF SET WITH LONGER STEM AND DDG SEAT POST FLEX`S WELL i.eBENDS WHEN EXTENDED BEFORE LIMIT WHEN PUTTING ONE`S SOILED BOOT DOWN.....STOP CUSSING THIS BIKE AND AV SUM RESPECPA 4 IT ALRIGGHHHT..................
Similar Products Used: DDG BLACKJACK,HITMAN.CANNONDALE M1000,700,GT,BARACUDAETC
Bike Setup: full lx set up except the shifters which are old school deore silver capped top shifters,azonic gold dh bars judy c forks mavic 517sups unbreakable richey logic stem tioga/richey tyres pshycho frnt/z max rear.tit sad,xt hubs,v/sml frame my hunny bunny......................
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Submitted by
Gregory Cain
a Weekend Warrior
from Wales
Date Reviewed: January 11, 2003
Strengths: Looks good, rides beautifully, jumps very well, cheapish, strong, fast stable
Weaknesses: No rear disk mount, Non-replacable mech hanger, Wont take even my tioga DH2.1 on the rear with dropouts right in unless I cut off a bit of the tread.(I have the 16 inch version) nothing too important
Bottom Line:
This bike is great for anyone no mattrer what type of riding your into. Honestly. Buy this bike it wont let you down. I love the bike. But get a snappable rear mech bolt because there is not a replacable rear mech hanger. So if it snapps your in trouble. Top frame.
Similar Products Used: Identity Jekyll, Da Bomb something Loads
Bike Setup: Marzochi Z4, DS2 16 inch, Hope mini front, Mavic d321 on bulb front, Mavic d521 on lx hub rear. rubbish v brake on the back. Dmr saturn ring and v8 pedals. Azonic world force bar and stem (top kit) Useless seat and post. Useless power pro cranks, Shimano LX and Deore transmission. Shimano headset.
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Submitted by
chris leonard
a Weekend Warrior
from manchester
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2002
Strengths: it is a great strong bike good for street and trail
Weaknesses: nothingh iove it
Bottom Line:
i think its a good all round bike the rider must have some skills and knolage about the art of riding. it is my own
Bike Setup: ds2 frame bommers front disk brake magura for the back and single speed conversion kit hot seat and some slack peddals also453 3 piece cranks and tioga bars that about raps it up
Weaknesses: The decals are stickers you can peel off. NO REAR DISC MOUNT.
Bottom Line:
This bike is usless. Save up and buy something else. the frame is no good to upgrade on unless you can weld. i've seen loads bend. and take big old dint's. If you ride slow and like jumping with fear that your bike won't take the landing then take this bike.
Weaknesses: it broke until 6th month (i ride once a week)
Bottom Line:
it broke near the guesset during a small jump (i feel that smt is wrong & stopped before a jump) I broke the frame with my hands in 2pcs. Great stiffnes but i tough i will never break it. DAMN. BUT IT WAS A GOOD BIKE
Strengths: I always wanted to have 2.6 tier in the back of my ds-2 but no way u can fix 2.6 it the back so what I did is I made an adopter for from 26 to 24 and now I have 24" wheel with 2.6 tier and v brakes next project is 2 put disk brakes in the back if any body interested in what i did I can send u pic of my adopter
Andrey
Weaknesses: I always wanted to have 2.6 tier in the back of my ds-2 but no way u can fix 2.6 it the back so what I did is I made an adopter for from 26 to 24 and now I have 24" wheel with 2.6 tier and v brakes next project is 2 put disk brakes in the back if any body interested in what i did I can send u pic of my adopter
Andrey
Bottom Line:
I always wanted to have 2.6 tier in the back of my ds-2 but no way u can fix 2.6 it the back so what I did is I made an adopter for from 26 to 24 and now I have 24" wheel with 2.6 tier and v brakes next project is 2 put disk brakes in the back if any body interested in what i did I can send u pic of my adopter
Similar Products Used: I always wanted to have 2.6 tier in the back of my ds-2 but no way u can fix 2.6 it the back so what I did is I made an adopter for from 26 to 24 and now I have 24" wheel with 2.6 tier and v brakes next project is 2 put disk brakes in the back if any body interested in what i did I can send u pic of my adopter
Andrey
Bike Setup: I always wanted to have 2.6 tier in the back of my ds-2 but no way u can fix 2.6 it the back so what I did is I made an adopter for from 26 to 24 and now I have 24" wheel with 2.6 tier and v brakes next project is 2 put disk brakes in the back if any body interested in what i did I can send u pic of my adopter
Andrey
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Submitted by
Robert Kuhn
a Downhiller
from Escondido, CA (USA)
Date Reviewed: September 24, 2001
Strengths: Lightweight yet very strong (excellent welds) and rigid.
Weaknesses: Lack of rear disc brake mounts and the decals do peel off (not that I consider that to be a huge weakness).
Bottom Line:
I have the 14 inch frame and it climbs, jumps and accelerates very well. I did run into a slight problem with respects with my chain guide in that I had to use a 118 x 63 bottom bracket in order to get the BlackSpire to fit properly and reduce the amount of chain bend when it was in the granny gears. I originally used a 113 x 63 that I had and it was just too short for my setup. The chain ring came very close to hitting the frame. A 122 x 63 stuck out too far ~ it not only increased the chain bend but I was forced to slip a thicker washer for the tension wheel. I also found that I had just enough gap in the chain guide (with the 122) where it could (and did once) fall in between (and man did that suck!).
Otherwise, I am very pleased and happy with the frame even though it lacks rear disc brake mounts and the decals does peel off ~ no matter because I already stickered it up with other decals. :-)
As for the lack of rear disc brake mounts, I also have a '99 Specialized M4 FSR frame where I purchased a rear-disc brake mount kit from Specialized ($50 US) and I think I can adapt it to fit this frame.
Aside from that, it's a great frame! I ride mostly pavement with this bike and it's just rock solid! If you want a fun bike to jump or just goof around on, select this frame!
Strengths: i like the polished look.. great welds.. price.. i think the drop outs are great.. some people dont like them.. i love the shape and light weight.. stiff.. its a great jump, drop and fun bike.. its my play bike!!
Weaknesses: so far none with the frame.. because thats what im reviewing.. (just the frame) maybe no disk ready clip.. but who cares about a duel slalom with disks.. it looks neat to have disk brakes on this frame.. well the ds-1 i mean.. but for what you are going to use the bike for its not worth it anyways.. its a duel slalom not a downhiller.. (or maybe im just not disk friendly) ;)
Bottom Line:
Well i have done some work on this bike and i think if you want a great jump, drop, maybe race(but i dont race it YET!!) looks, feel, and lots of fun.. this bike is for you.. great price, cheap.. and thats always the best price.. well i think im going to be a Azonic rider for life, unless i can some how find a bad thing about this bike.. you pedal it goes, what more do you want, oh ya a frame that wont brake.. well i cant brake it!!
Similar Products Used: p.3a, trek bruiser two, arrow dss, god i could go on and on.. any hardtail duel slalom
Bike Setup: Maxxis. 2.35 rear wheel Kujo 2.35 front. Mavic rims, pinchflat tubes, xtr v-brake, lx front and xt rear hubs, an air z5 bomber, norco dh stem, azonic bars, lx arms 42t ring with AC chain guide, xt rear derailer, no name seat stem, crappy seat(soon to be Azonic Lounge dh saddel) lx shifter, no name levers, (soon to be xt combind 9 speed shifter and brake lever) sram pc69 chain, dont know the bb, or cassette.. and some cheap grips
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Submitted by
Craig Henry
a Downhiller
from Edinburgh
Date Reviewed: July 13, 2001
Strengths: This is a very small ,nimble bike that jumps well and goes exactly where you put it. Cheap as chips, nothing else came close for the same money.
Weaknesses: Crappy paint and stickers, no rear disk mount, flat rear drop outs
Bottom Line:
For a bike frame that cost less than the forks then it's a bargin. It rides well and the geometry is sorted for jumping. It takes a bit to get used to the flat drop outs which i seem to have a habit of wrenching the wheel out when trialsing. A fine steed and it keeps my girlfriend off my Bullit. You have to watch when jumping if you have the wheel set up at the shortest wheelbase point, you jump and the bike does it's best to come out from under you, nothing a change in technique wont solve
Similar Products Used: None, never had a small jump bike before
Bike Setup: Zi drop off, Azonic Bars + stem, FSA Hset, LX + XT drivetrain, Hope Hubs on 121 rims (it's all the bits i had left when i built my SC Bullit)
Strengths: ***Very zippy. Accelerates like no other. ***Great jumper. This thing flies without effort. ***Price. I got it for $499 complete with Psylo SLs. (same deal from airbomb as the guy a few review below me) ***Strength. This frame will hold up to lots of dirt jumping and slalom riding. If you like 10 ft drops to flat concrete, get a Planet-X or something.
Weaknesses: None. frank lucckham doesn't know what he's talking about. His wheel is obviously out of true. I can fit Tioga 2.3s with 3/8" of clearance on both sides.
Bottom Line:
This is a very capable frame. I have a bombproof setup, which can be duplicated for less than 1 grand. If you like dirtjumping but don't want a 20 incher, this is your ticket. It jumps like a BMX but has nice big 26" wheels that can hold very grippy tires like the Michelin 2.5s, and the fork saves your ass when you make a mistake and land funny. 5 chilis overall, and I'd give it 10 for value if I could.
Favorite Trail: Calabazas jumping park, my street/giant wooden ramp
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid:
$499.00
Purchased At: Airbomb.com
Similar Products Used: Various other hardtails including Planet X, DS1, etc. I bought this because of the price and am glad I did.
Bike Setup: 14" frame (I'm 6' tall), psylo SLs, stock SRAM 7.0 drivetrain and koski brakes/levers, odyssey seatpost, azonic loveseat, profile chromoly cranks, homemade chainguide, sun/ringle pedals, Sun Rhino Lite rims, XT hubs, Azonic PDW riser bar, powertools stem. I replaced a lot of the stock parts by swapping them with the heavier duty parts on my GT STS. Final cost was about $530.
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Submitted by
stan
a Cross Country Rider
from arcadia
Date Reviewed: May 1, 2001
Strengths: light for the strength you get, nice sizes you don't see too often, just about everything except...
Weaknesses: for the clear coat that covers it and the cheesy stickers. I konw that the coat protects the frame, but it starts coming off pretty easily and begins to look bad.
Bottom Line:
Obviously not for weight weenies, although the frame itself is rather light (lighter than my XC frame, i believe). with all the stuff i've put on it though, it easily weighs in at >30 lbs, but that's the price you pay for durability. it handles a dual crown fork well thanks to the downtube gusset, so if you're looking for a cheap freeride machine this is it. The horizontal dropouts come in handy when fitting a 2.4" uneven tire on the back, but have come out once when i didn't bother jumping a curb at low tire pressure- my fault, the QR probably wasn't tight enough.
Similar Products Used: only an XC- mrazek w/ SID XC
Bike Setup: noleen chubby LT, azonic, titec stuff, avid arch rivals, XT stuff, primo super tenderizer platforms, LX hubs on F519 rims (have held up well to stairs and such) and a terry liberator (for the occasional XC trip)
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Submitted by
Joe
a
from Representin Ntown, Novato, Ca
Date Reviewed: March 23, 2001
Strengths: PRICE!!! I got this complete with the brand new Pyslo sl and koski parts. GReat bike, Handles beautifully, takes jumps and drops great, even performs well x-country.
Weaknesses: not disk brake compatible
Bottom Line:
When i got this bike i was jus entering mt biking. This bike enabled me to enter the sport on a budget(im 13) but still enjoy a high quality bike. On this bike i can ride anything-Urban assult, xcountry, trials,DS, Its awesome. Airbomb gave me a great deal, there still selling it ut have raised the price. check it out.
