Weaknesses: WEAK WEAK Frame and no product support for a used frame.
Bottom Line:
this bike was in clean perfect condition when I purchased it from a shop owner. it had no dents and no scratches (except chainstay). i weigh 200lbs and have ridden other bikes of less praise than this one gets. i did a small 3' jump at 25-30mph and broke the frame between the bottom bracket and the link pivot. the tubing was thinner than a dime and not the same thickness all the way around. ellsworth said to bad buy a new frame from us at a discounted $1800.00. WHY would I if it is only going to break in 2-3 years. shouldn't the manufacturers of these aluminum frame high dollar extreme bikes let everyone know that if you use this frame throw it away after 1 hard season. this frame is $2300.00 or so retail. if that last 1 year that is almost $200.00 a month for a frame. i could buy a nice used car for that monthly payment. i am not sure but i also think i could go buy a 1981 yz 250 for $700.00 or less jump it off some big jumps for 2 years and not break a thing. that is messed up..
Bike Setup: sun mammoths, hope c2 discs, azonic 454's, hannebrink zzyzx, mofo dh 2.3 tires.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
YaMon Lee
a Weekend Warrior
from Jamaica
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2002
Strengths: Looks great, I have never bottomed out this bike.
Weaknesses: Weight, but it is bulletproof.
Bottom Line:
This bike is amazing. I have ridden it for over a year to give it a proper review. I have setup my bike for light freeriding. I weight about 150 pounds and do not do any drops over 4 ft. The bike weights an amazing 26 1/2 pounds and could be lighter, but......what is the point in switching the Stratos, Zokes and Maguras. Since the weight of the Disc's have come down, I may replace with the new Spinergy wheels and the B4's or Martas w/ AL Disc's. That should bring it down to about 26 pounds. Anyways, the frame weights around 9 pounds and that is the small. It climbs with minimal bobbing and if you do not mind the weight...is probably one of the best all around bikes out there. The fun part is when the trail turns downhill, this thing is sooo smooth and cushy. It will elevate your riding 2 notches. If you can find one, buy it. I got lucky and bought one used from a guy that must have ridden it 3 times. He was from LA and must have been a poser because it had a teeny little scratch on the anodized rear that a magic marker took care of. It was PERFECT and I bought it for $1,000. Man...what a deal. I also have a super light Klein mantra, it weights about 23 pounds and is just sitting in the garage. It has all the good parts....CK wheels, lots of Carbon and Ti. About the only time it gets ridden now is if someone new wants to ride and does not have a bike or if the Dare is absolutely dirty and I need to ride NOW. Anyways, the bike is perfect in my mind.
Strengths: light (for a dh rig) but strong. air assist rear shock gives mega adjustability (no need for multiple springs). awesome build quality and attention to detail. rides like most other 7" dh rigs plush as a plush thing. u can set this bike up for hard out dh racing or make it a massive travel freerider. with the right set it could be ridden up not to badly.
Weaknesses: the pivot bolts bolt directly into the frame. so... if a bolt comes loose and u dont pick it up for a while the frame threads can be damaged. wide lower swing arm stays make fitting a chain guide difficult. ( i had to hack into my mrp to make it fit) max rear tyre 2.5. could be a little slacker heas angle for dh.
Bottom Line:
i have this bike set up for dh hill racing not freeride. so... its super soft with big tyres at low pressure (10-15 psi).
i have tried a several other downhill bike and havent ridden one that feels better than this.
dammit writers block!
if u want an brillaint dh frame and something thats a little different buy one of these it wont dissapoint.
Similar Products Used: specialized dh shaun palmer fsr. giant atx dh, foes slammer kiwi (like a turner) gt lobo
Bike Setup: 7" boxers, hayes hydro, dee-max, race face, 9 speed, mrp. intense 2.7 and maxxis high roller 2.5
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Steve Abbott
a Cross Country Rider
from Sun Valley CA USA
Date Reviewed: January 3, 2001
Strengths: Climbs pretty well Great downhill
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
Best all around free ride bike I have ridden from the list above. It climbs as well as the GT in most situations and alot better then the Mountain Cycle and Intense. As far as downhill it's better then all the bikes I've owned. The rear end is softer and the steering is very precise with a 5" fork.
Strengths: This is a review on the 2000 model Ellsworth Dare. I figure it is about time for the review.
In April, my SC. Bullit got stolen. That was one of the best things that ever happened to me. Home Owner's insurance covered it and I got what I always dreamt for, the Dare. My bike set up for DH w/ chain guide over 10lbs heavier than my bullit still outclimbed it!!!! I have made it up some scetchy accents and it weighs in around 38 lbs (DH wheels and tires) It is the best freeride bike out there as the only other one that might come close is a Turner RFX. It can indeed go down too! Not saying it is a world cup racer but it does decend awesome. The wheelbase is nice and tight with the proper fork. It can handle drops as well (did a 10footer at mtn creek) Brake jack? Nope. the way the linkage is designed there is no noticeable brake jack. I rode it this summer downhilling and did well in sport class-first year racing. After the season I started riding on my XC nite rides and kept up my buddies on 24 lb hardtails and my bike weighed 38lbs! Well, total rubber-tubes/tires is over 7.5lbs. Ellsworth Customer rocks too! Michael and George are awesome to deal with. I always end up talkin with those guys for at least 10minutes just shootin the poop.
If you want a bike that you can ride with your XC buddies during the week, Race or freeride on the weekend then buy a DARE!! Read the ultimate freeride bike.
I am getting the 2001 model for next years DH season, can't wait.
Similar Products Used: S.C. bullit-extensively ridden a S.C. Super8, Chumba... but nothing besides the Bullit over 6 months in its class.
Bike Setup: DH-Hope O2, 321, RF NS cranks, Helix Expert, Superstar 8.0 for DH racing Freeriding (season is over) Still DH tires but with a Marz z1Qr20
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Adam Stein
a Downhiller
from Holbrook, NY, USA
Date Reviewed: October 11, 2000
Strengths: Nice looking. Light
Weaknesses: Swingarm is practically made of tin foil
Bottom Line:
The bike has a good ride, but the rear swing arm is extrememly fragile... not good for a DH bike.
The worst thing about the bike isnt the bike at all, its the customer service.
I was forced to pay over $300 for a new seatstay arm for my Dare. The customer service representatives I talked to were extrememly unhelpful and unwilling to hear my side of the story. The first person I talked to even went so far as to say someone might have kicked or hit my frame with a hammer. What type of customer service is this? I pay $2500 for someone to mock me. I even showed the arm to some LBS and they said that any other company would warranty that part, and take a loss if they had to just to please their customers...not ellsworth. Not only that they charged me $225 for this part!!!! It has no bearing on it, and the derailluer hanger was fine. They even made a profit off of my bad luck.
To make a long story short, I layed the bike over while riding, I was moving sooo slow that I landed on my feet. The bike falls over and I pick it up to continue to ride, and the seatstay arm was dented and kinked so badly that my wheel wouldnt spin. And all the bike did was fall over.If this is normal for a Dare then the material they use is extrememly weak, and I do not recommend this frame to anyone who rides even remotetly hard.
So... if you want a bike that will bend and kink easy, and get the worst customer service available... get an Ellsworth you cant go right!
Similar Products Used: Super 8, BMW, Clifcat, Cortina
Bike Setup: Dare, Monster T, Profiles, etc.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Robert Lombardi
a Downhiller
from San Jose, CA USA
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2000
Strengths: I love downhill but I don't have the luxury of a lift where I go. This bike doesn't hold you back. Uphill is a breeze. The rear end can go through it's entire travel and you wouldn't even notice. The only reason I lock out the rear shock is for super technical climbs or very long and flat uphill when I want to be super efficient at pedalling, otherwise, I just leave the awesome Stratos rear shock on and enjoy the comfort of over 7 inches of rear travel. The Dare is extremely versatile, you can put a light medium size 5 inch fork on the front, and light XC parts and enjoy a XC bike that'll tear through single track and allow you to travel cross country trails in comfort all day. Or you can deck it out with massive downhill equipment and flatten the mountains as you scream downhill. You can buy two Dare's and have the best of both worlds. Or mix it up a little and have some heavy downhill equipment and three chain rings on the front, which is what I did. One of the best features?, the Bike just looks awesome. The pictures on the web or in magazines do not do it justice. The anodized finish, the machined rear of the frame, the thick fat tubing, and artfull welds are extremely impressive. The bike will give endless hours of visual enjoyment to both owners and onlookers. Of course, an exceptional bike would not be complete without exceptional customer service. The guys and gals at Ellsworth are extra friendly. I even recieved a courtesy call shortly after recieving my bike. They wanted to know that I was satisfied with the bike! Now that's service. The monday of the 4th of July weekend my Race Face bottom bracket was moving around while I was pedalling. I feared the worst, that my frame's threads where stripped up. There wasn't a single Ellsworth Dealer open, but Mike at Ellsworth was not only there to help, but had the experience necessary to help me solve my problem. As it turned out, it wasn't the frame, it was the bottom bracket. I threw a new BB in and was riding the next day. Can't forget the Newsletter, this company periodically sends a newsletter with tidbits of interesting info. For example, this year they are having a Moab trip. I hope to be there. Hope to see you there too! It's always fun to see how others have their Dare setup. and to try out different configurations.
Weaknesses: None, it's worth every penny. Oh wait, there is one problem, All your friends will hate you for having this bike. I have two friends that sold their Santa Cruz Bullits and bought a Dare. One of them loves his Dare soo much that when he crashed, he was focused more on the safety of his Dare than on his very own body.
Bottom Line:
Anyone that wants to have a fulfilling and new experience with a Bike should invest in the Dare. This bike has it all. Functionality, Durability, Comfort, Style and Character just to name a few. Take Care.
Similar Products Used: Santa Cruz Bullit, ProFlex Beast.
Bike Setup: Medium size Black Anodized Dare, Mavic D321 Rims, Hope 4 Piston Disc Brakes, Hope Bulb Hubs, XTR 9 Speed Drivetrain. Race Face Triple Ring Cranks, Azonix Love Seat, Stratos MX6 Front Fork.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
George Wisell
a Downhiller
from Winooski VT USA
Date Reviewed: March 2, 2000
Strengths: Being able to smoke my friends in rock sections, cornering. Its lightweight, and I especially like the jealouse looks from all the people who realize they made a mistake and bought something else
Weaknesses: you can never ride anything else again. My first Dare was stolen last year, so I had to buy another. The only problem I've ever had is a loose bearing, which is an easy fix, and some custom "cnc" mahining I had to do to make some parts work
Bottom Line:
nothing can touch it from any standpoint. Nothing is built like it, nothing else rides like it, nothing else looks like it, although alot really try. Truly a work of art. Buy it now!
Favorite Trail: anything at Jay Peak or Killington
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Similar Products Used: Yeti Lawill 6/8 GT STS1 DH, Kona Stab, MOuntian Cycles Shockwave
Bike Setup: Manitou x-vert carbon, Sun Double Wides, MRP, Hayes, Sram, Raceface Cranks, Easton bars, NOKIAS BABY!!!
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Budha Bomber
a Downhiller
from City by the Bay
Date Reviewed: February 29, 2000
Strengths: EVERYTHING!!! It's a DH'r, Trail bike, All mountain, Freeride, XC(not racing though), Bad @ss mamer-jammer!!!!
Weaknesses: ??Price???- not if you concider the fact that this is the only bike you'll need though.
Bottom Line:
Bottom line? It rocks!!! What else can I say about a bike that does it all (and well for that matter). I can still climb w/ my hardtail buddies and when the trail starts to point down... It's all over. They get SMOKED!!! Top quality construction. One of the best designs. Great on big hits and stutter bumps. real tight steering w/ my setup. This bike really shines on tight twisting DH singletrack. The only place other DH bikes are any better is on REAL steep chutes/drop-ins b/c of the high BB and less slack head tube angle on the Dare.
Similar Products Used: Lots-none No other bike is like this @least that I've tried
Bike Setup: All Tricked out (Triple chainring in front and a medium length stem- ie. 100mm X 20 degree oh... and a fox instead of the helix it came w/ )
This bike is fast, plush, and light. This bike doesn't like to go slow. Mine is very light for a DHO. weighing in at 29 lbs. You can go off 15 to 30 foot drop offs with ease. A blast to jump. BEST DHO BIKE MADE!!!!!!
Bike Setup: Stratos Helix, RST, Sram 9.0sl, AC, White Industries, Mavic
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Randall Keegan
a Cross-Country Rider
from CT
Date Reviewed: August 30, 1999
Strengths: Light wght, sturdy construction w/ plenty of travel. Sucks up drops and steeps on demand - best at high speeds. Climbs as well as any XC bike - in fact better than most!!
Weaknesses: Geometry makes some extreme technicals and singletrack a chore at low speed...momentum never meant more.
Bottom Line:
Much better all mountain ride than I ever imagined. Hardtails leave u behind only on the most technical ascents, but they're all just rocks on the trail as u mow them down on the decent!!! Handles steeps, and dropoffs better than anything I've ridden - but beware slow speed is ur enemy! Momentum never meant so much.
Favorite Trail: anything fast & tight w/ hidden drops
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Similar Products Used: Kona Stab and Stab delux (too heavy), Intense Uzzi (weaker handling), Santa Cruz Heckler (can't take the beating), Rocky Mtn Element T.O. - great for less extreme XC.
Bike Setup: White UD150, King H-set, Race Face riser/cranks & rings/post/stem (90x15), XTR d-train, Ringle Hubs laced to WTB 25mm Laserbeams w/ 14 guage spokes and stainless nipples, hayes discs, Tioga 2.3 dh fr, 2.1 XC rr, Stratos Helix pro rr shock. (12/32 XTR ti rr, 20/34/44 fr)
Strengths: Suspension is amazing. Super plush on bumps, even under braking. Takes big hits and ripple bumps equaly well. Yet it can still climb and sprint with little biopacing. Lightest downhill rig around.
Weaknesses: Expensive. A little too heavy to be a cross country bike. Hard to get, I waited 5 months to get mine.
Bottom Line:
Simply amzing, a downhill bike that you can ride anywhere. My cross country bike sits at home while the Dare goes trailriding with me! Sounds like hype up you need to ride one to understand.
Similar Products Used: Lawell straight-8, Intense UZI and M-1, Foes slammer, Ventana El Habrenero
Bike Setup: Stratos Super Star fork, Stratos Pro Shock, XTR stuff, Hayes brakes.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ND
a Weekend Warrior
from Cerritos, CA
Date Reviewed: July 13, 1999
Strengths: Super plush going down, super stiff going up. Beautiful product.
Weaknesses: odd size (15 or 17). Front der. shifting.
Bottom Line:
Awesome piece of machinery. Although my setup isn't super light (about 31 lbs), the bike climbs as well as my hardtail. Very efficient pedalling and it feels like a cadillace on dh runs. Five jalepenos easily with the exception that I can't get my front der. to shift perfectly.
Bike Setup: Stratos FR4 (awesome fork!), Chris King, Hayes, RaceFace cranks/rings.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Searl Tate
a Weekend Warrior
from Beverly Hills, CA
Date Reviewed: June 25, 1999
Strengths: Incredible climbing ability-- I know this is a downhill bike, but this is perhaps the most pleasant surprise I encountered. Great suspension travel and the non-torque reactive suspension geometry truly make the most treachorous stuff seem tame. I reach my limits far before the Dare throws in the towel. No dreaded bob or wasted energy. As is true of other Ellsworth bikes, I find the quality to be top-notch. I marvel at the beautiful welds, shot-peened and anodized finish. Everywhere I ride people are full of suspension questions and the funny thing is I don't feel weird at all letting total strangers experience the incredible suspension first-hand.
Weaknesses: Cost. About the only thing I can fault a Dare for is the bucks required to build a lightweight setup.
Bottom Line:
What seemed to me a bunch of marketing hype complete with new buzz-words has made me a believer! This is a do-everything kind of bike-- I can ditch my ancient GT cross country bike. I just bought a Nissan Pathfinder since I need a place to store my Dare during my after-work rides in the Santa Monica mountains.
Anyone want to have some fun on Saturday?
Let's pull some checkpoints out of a hat at 9am at the Fish Hatchery.
This is not a group ride. You are on your own. All I'm gonna d Read More »
Hey Everybody! We are in need of a few good Double Dare employees. Send me a PM or email (pisgahpro@gmail.com) if you're interested.
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Pisgah Productions Presents the 2011 Double Dare results:
26 teams started day 1. 14 teams started day 2.
1st. Adam Penny / Mark Sacket - 19.5 CP
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Hey Everybody! The permit came in today so registration is NOW OPEN for the 2012 Double Dare.
What is the Double Dare? Teams of two riders will race to reach up to 10 checkpoint Read More »
