Strengths: Handles well, adjustable travel and angles, geometry feels spot on.
Weaknesses: Cracked my frame in the same place they all go - just above the BB (Got it welded back up good as new though). Only 1 year warranty. Rockshox shock blows easily. Price
Bottom Line:
Good frame, handles well, pedals quite well. Cracked the frame but got it welded (made of 7020 Alu, so can be welded to be as good as new). Standard Rockshox shock blows easily, replaced it with stratos which is crap. Feels nicely balanced with Boxxers on the front. 1 year warranty seems pretty bad on such an expensive frame (cracked mine after 3 years)
Weaknesses: It broke in the same damn place they all do, the bottom bracket. One week after the warranty expired.
Bottom Line:
A beautiful bike and i wish i still had it - as a wall ornament.
Inherent defects that are widely known are not acceptable in modern bicycle designs, and certainly not when they are dangerous. Tested on the public? I reckon so.
Strengths: Plush, plush, looks sweet, adjustable, great after sales service
Weaknesses: Fiat stickers on team issue frame
Bottom Line:
Awesome. Fully adjustable, enormous root eating capacity, takes drops so well, everyone who has ridden it wants it. The little back wheel makes it accelerate like a hardtail but it loses none of its rider appeal. For flat out riding this bike cannot be better. Cheers to the Fridge for the great service and Corstorphine Hill rules!!!
Similar Products Used: ATX1, Santa Cruz super eight, Kona stab, Orange 222 and Patriot, Marin DH
Bike Setup: Rotwild RDH04 team issue, RS pro deluxe, Boxxers, STX stuff (!), 24" rear, Hope enduros
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Submitted by
Brian Someone
a Downhiller
from Windhoek, Namibia
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2001
Strengths: Looks Cool, tons of adjustability. Rear shock
Weaknesses: My bottom tube caved in from the stress the rear shock put on the tube. After paying so much money for a frame I would have at least expected the thing to hold up to the stress of free riding and one, yes ONE, downhill race. The race was an easy one at that, no serious drops or leaps.
Bottom Line:
This bike is awesome if you ride cross country, but if you're any kind of a downhill rider and do drops any higher than about a foot, then this bike is not for you.
Buy it if you want a bike that's going to sit on you're trailer and look pretty, not if you're gonna actually ride it.
Go with a Santa Cruz, it costs less and performs much better
Similar Products Used: Kona Stab Primo, Giant DH Team, Santa Cruz Super 8, Intense M1, KHS Dominatrax
Bike Setup: DeeMAX, XTR, Monster, Hayes, Azonic, MRP, All top of the line
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
monkey
a Weekend Warrior
from slovakia
Date Reviewed: July 19, 2001
Strengths: wery stiff looks cool
Weaknesses: well - the price and the rock shox pro deluxe damper - but the frame has no weaknesses
Bottom Line:
well, the rotwild freeride is one of the best bikes you can buy. the 13.5 cm travel on the back are for my riding enough, but I can also put a long travel damper to get 15 cm.
the Idea of changing the progresion on a frame is not new, but on the rotwild you can change also the geometry. I broke the old damper within one month. I bought a new Benest oil, coil, air damper with a marzocchi spring and it works better + You can maintain it easy - the seals cost about 3 dollars and instead of nitrogen u can use air. That means - you can service it at home.
the frame is not cheap, but it works great!!! also, the ADP rotwild company has a great customer service., the kona stinky works almost the same - even with one pivot, the system works super active!!! I can recomend the frame to everyone, who wants to have a perfect freeride bike - the only problem could be to get it in the US, cause Im not sure if ther is a dealer for this frames. ohh, and one more thing ppl, you can only buy a frame kit - means every bike will be an original... PS, check out the web > www.rotwild.de
Similar Products Used: kona sex too, stinky frame, rotec DH
Bike Setup: rfr 01 freeride frame, pro deluxe - not any more, bomber z1, shimano XTR with XT froint disc and magura quick silver rear, race face, roox, fizik,
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Submitted by
Alex Gunn
a Downhiller
from Northants, England
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2001
Strengths: Super strong, plush, adjustment, looks, tracking, ride, EVERYTHING!
Weaknesses: Price, have to work to hard to afford it!
Bottom Line:
Best full sus dh i have owned, even though the price. Takes everything, slippy roots, wet rocks, boulders, drops, jumps, world cup courses (if your that good). Briliant frame, so much adjustment, could last you a life time, as long as nothing silly happens, (e.g 50 ft drops). If you have the money, get out there and get one now!
Similar Products Used: Santa cruz bullit, gt i-drive, scott f-x DH, Orange patriot, Intense uzzi dh. si's beast of a darkangel
Bike Setup: rst 8-inch upside downs, hope dh4's, hope hubs on D521's, xt, mrp, tioga, azonic bars, yeti etc.
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Submitted by
patrick adamson
a Downhiller
from stockport,cheshire,england
Date Reviewed: March 23, 2001
Strengths: Stutter bumps through corners,off camber sections covered in roots,huge compressions,this bike will take you where you want to be as fast as you dare go
Weaknesses: Rider ability!!!!!
Bottom Line:
Many bikes have a lot of travel but this is the first bike to encourage riders to overstep the mark every time out and get away with it and with the warranty Rotwild have in place this is a serious weapon to take into the hills with you.Suck it and see,you'll love it!!!
Strengths: lots of travel, adjustable head angles, solid swingarm, only 1 set of bearings to be replaced, lifetime warranty if it snaps they fix it or replace it
Weaknesses: only thing gone wrong was the main triangle cracked on the gusset just above swingarm mount, this was welded up by rotwild to be stronger, and they even repainted the frame
Bottom Line:
if you can afford buy now,buy,buy,buy and dont sell
Similar Products Used: gt i drive dh, gt lobo, super 8, yeti lawill, straight 8 ,atx one , nicos v proccess bike(not for sale unfortunatly) and many others
Submitted by
Tony
a Downhiller
from Northwich, England
Date Reviewed: June 24, 1999
Strengths: Thats It. Strength. It is gusseted everywhere. It does not flex at all. Low C of G means you can jump and throw it anywhere. Sprints well from the line and out of corners. Adjustability. 18 combinations of travel, BB height and head angle.
Weaknesses: The wait I had to endure to get one.
Bottom Line:
This bike rules. It inspires confidence. This makes you fast. Thats what its all about.
Favorite Trail: Nannerch DH, Fox Ultimate Dual, Stroud
Duration Product Used: less than 1 month
Similar Products Used: K2 Animal DH, Super 8, Coyote DH, Kona Stab, Marin DH
Bike Setup: RDH 03 frame with RS Super Deluxe shock. Boxxers (with drop top crown to get head angle back) Hope Big Un Hubs,Hope Disks, Mavic 521, Azonic, Tioga hardware,XT, Rotwild own Chain Device (MRP style)
Strengths: This frame rules in every way - it's tight, responds well to rider imput, and is just SO controllable. The geometry is excellent and it looks godly This frame is bombproof with huge gussets. Everyone who's riden it says the same as me -
