USA-made MAX Backbone frame, patented FSR suspension with adjustable travel and geometry, sealed cartridge bearings at all pivots, Fox Vanilla R coil over rear shock with adjustable rebound damping.
Strengths: super stable in rock fast straights. 10" hanbrink world cup fork makes it feel like a chopper yes but learn to ride it and it is the fastest most stable bike you will ever ride. super beefy frame with renenforced head tube and specialized MAX Back Bone(2 big ribs that run along the inside of the frame. 12 adjustable rear shock positions and the hane brink fork ir also adjsutable. u can raise and lower the legs through the crown almost 4" up or down and it comes with external adjustments and speed sensitive damping)
Weaknesses: can be hard to handle if your not used to such a long wheel base especialy in turns, the seat post that comes with the frame sucks beacuse it contanly slips so you have to get a new one.
Bottom Line:
this bike can be alittle hard to handle at first if you have never ridden a bike like this before but it is a great bike and super sable and fast, ready for any world cup course!
Weaknesses: Paint/stickers, full length cable housing, shock takes different width springs than other FSRs!
Bottom Line:
This bike is killer. More plush than Konas, and more responsive than Uzzis. Although Im sure you can set up ANY bike to the way you want it. But the frame is super beefy which is really cool. The rear end is wider than other/older FSRs to accept bigger tires (finally! thanks!). I dont know what the hubbub about a longer wheelbase is--people were even complaining about that with the new Big Hits. Unless you ride your bike more than 12 hours a day, 365 days a year, there is now way you will tell the difference. There is no "washing out"--unless you are tiny and dont know how to ride a Shaq-diesel bike.
Component wise, (I know this isnt part of this review, but I have to mention it) I would go with a Boxxer on this. You can DEFINITELY tell the difference in weight. I have a Boxxer on my FSR Elite and the front end is so much easier to handle, wheelie, etc.. A Shiver makes it a big hit bike, but a Boxxer makes it more managable for freeriding for the mere mortals (ie., Im no 10'-wheeliedropper).
Im giving this pup 5 flamers, even though I have not ridden 98% of the great bikes out there. I have no idea how an M1, RM9, S8, etc ride, but compared to the Konas and the Uzzis I have ridden, this thing is just as good or better.
Submitted by
Allan James
a Downhiller
from England
Date Reviewed: December 14, 2001
Strengths: This thing ROCKS!! I've had it for about 10 months and had NO problems!!One of my friends has had problems with the older versions (snapping at the join between the main frame and the seat tube.)But mine is fine.Very overbuilt good for confidence.Rides smooth, 7 and a half inches of fun.
Weaknesses: Paint chipps at contact points (pivots and disk mounts). nothing???
Bottom Line:
I am impressed with this bike.. No problems at all.One guy said that the wheelbase is real long! Well then don't buy X-large!! I have a medium and it is perfect!!Not too expensive either.If its good enough for Palmer then it's good enough for everyone!
Bike Setup: 01 s-works DH frame, 01 Shivers,AC chain device,XT,Hope 04's on big 'un hubs, mavic 321.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Peter
a Downhiller
from Connect i cut
Date Reviewed: September 11, 2001
Strengths: Instense M1 with out the M1 price tag. Super stiff four bar linkage, all kinds of adjustments, head angle, travel, and shock rates. Bad ass chrome stickers, with cool pearleasrnt rear swing arm. Disk brake cable guides, and you can run full legnth der. housing.
Weaknesses: Lame clear coat paint praticlly falls of on its own. Long wheel base, good for fast course but not tight ones. Needs wheel base adjustment like Intense
Bottom Line:
Good fast DH bike, slow in the tight stuff if you dont know how to ride other wise its awsome. Dont expect the paint to last long, but the sweet stickers will. Buy the bike and send the money you saved over the M1 on beer and chicks.
Similar Products Used: Rocky Mountian RM6 DH Intense M1 SL Iron Horse SGS DH
Bike Setup: Shiver, Hayes 8", Mrp w/race face crank & 44t dh, Sun MODO, Intense 2.7 Sticky Rubber,XTR der, XT shifter, Sram PC69 Chain, Titec Bezeker DH saddle, ODI Lock on Grips
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Brett Thorne
a Downhiller
from Orem, UT
Date Reviewed: August 29, 2001
Strengths: The bike has very few strenghts. The stickers are top notch and the paint is a cool pearl white. Plenty strong as far as welds and material.
Weaknesses: Wheelbase. 48" on the XLarge. What the hell is up with that? There in no other downhill bike made on the market to date that has that long of a wheelbase. Seat post creaks like a son of a b@#!$. The seat post that it comes with (Ritchey) is about worthless. It is constatly shifting and sliding down. Its very difficult to find a BB and chainguide that works. Headtub is so tall that you have to use an inverted fork and when you do the bike is so raked out in the front end that feels like your riding a damn chopper. 7.6" of travel feels more like 5 - 6".
Bottom Line:
I don't know what the ass below is talking about and why the hell he's waisting our time with that crap but here is my honest opinion on this frame. Don't waist your money. It is true that you get a well built bike for $1500 new. And no the 2001 models do not break the same way the 2000 ones did. The problem with the bike is the wheelbase. Its very difficult to corner without washing. At highspeed fire roads its as stable as they get, but thats not the way most of the downhill runs are built. There fast, tight and technical. This bike does not have the ability to compete with any other bikes out there. If your hardup for a new downhill rig, save up the extra ponies and buy a Turner DH or Karpiel DV or any of the other highend bikes out there.
