-International Standard disc brake mounts and replaceable derailleur hanger
-4 or 6" rear travel
-Extruded aluminum one-piece BB/pivot unit
-Shot-peened, anodized finish
-Compatible with up to 6" travel forks
Submitted by
Treetrimmer
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, TX USA
Date Reviewed: March 24, 2011
Strengths: Confidence oozes from this geometry, digs on the climbs and floats on the descents. Customer support has backed up this '04 frame with credit via RMA. NO issues there.
Weaknesses: Rear shock setup for xc 6.5"X1.5" Vanilla Coil over seemed hard to balance out. Did not try other shocks. Eventually cracked on weld in front of bottom bracket.
Bottom Line:
This AM/FR geometry can work for XC. Off line? no worries, use the whole frikn trail and then some. I actually made 3 podiums with this bike with one 1st place and 3rd in 7 race series. T.E. made this bike bomb proof, I just had the unfortunate bad weld near the BB, but he took care of me. Now I have to choose Enlightment or Evolve :0. Four Chili's - Five before the crack.
Bike Setup: Fork: Marzocchi 66 RC2X, Shifters: XT, Derailleurs F/R: XT/Saint, Rear shock: Fox DHX 5.0, Breaks: Hope M4, BB/Crank: Atlas AM, Stem/Handlebar: Hussefelt/Evolve DH, Wheels F/R: Saint/King Earl, Pedals: Big Earl, Seatpost: Vise, Saddle: Pure V
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Submitted by
Pastor.Kevin
a Weekend Warrior
from Augusta, Maine
Date Reviewed: November 30, 2009
Strengths: Solid, strong, unique, good value, simple, reliable, plush ride but still climbs, versatile--XC to AM with ONE bile! ...never been disappointed on any trail. Either this bike is amazing or, well, maybe I am just a really good mountain biker. I really like the finish (anodized) and the quality details--you can feel the quality and see it; this bike is better than others at this price. An additional strength is the company: Ellsworth is a great guy who responds to questions with patience and helpful grace. Like with our Turner you can always eMail Tony E and get a helpful answer. And if you're a moron with malice and stupidity in your demeanor he might just point that out. I like that, because I see that some of the reviewers are haters. Stop it.
Weaknesses: I have not found ANY weaknesses at all! I'm 225 and really ride hard...nothing has bothered me. No cracks, no broken welds, no issues. Whatever swingarm issues I've heard about never surfaced here. A+. But every bike has "quirks"--in 2 years I've found some quirks: Limited shock options--it's tricky to fit most "PiggyBack" shocks in there! the 8.5" i-2-i shocks will all scrape the top tube somewhere. With the adapter the 7.8" shock is perfect...but I squeezed an 8.5" into it. Main pivot bolt came loose one time on a ride; I tighteneed it and put on some thread-lock...never happened again. It won't take a tire bigger than 2.35. It might be heavier than other newer 6-7" bikes (but I'm heavier than most other riders!). It's a "do-it-all" bike and therefore not "perfect" for any one single application beyond FreeRide, so it's going to be too heavy somewhere but too flimsy elsewhere... but that's what I wanted: one plush/tough bike that I can take anywhere & everywhere.
Bottom Line:
Great ride, reliable, tough/strong, and great value. I compare this bike daily with other/newer high-end bikes and this is my daily trail bike. It's set up with about 7" of travel F&R and it goes everywhere. No problem. There just aren't many 7"-travel bikes on the tails out there. I'm giving this a 5-star "Value" rating because you can find these real cheap on eBay & PinkBike; the 5-star "Overall" rating is because I have checked it out thoroughly, experienced A+ customer service from Ellsworth, never had a problem with the frame, and only had awesome rides from square-one. Thank you, T.E. Keep up the great work and great service.
Similar Products Used: Turner 6-pack, Intense Tracer, GT-LTS, McMahon Boom-Shaka, Santa Cruz Heckler.
Bike Setup: Marzocchi 66 (180mm); Manitou Swinger, FoxRC, Fox DHX5.0, R/S Pearl rear shocks (still trying to find the best suspension! ...having fun playing around); Sun/Ringle AM wheels w/Nevegal 2.35 tires; Hayes mag brakes w/203's, XT shifters & derailleurs, Thomson & RaceFace bits-pieces-&-parts.
Strengths: the frame handles corners and quick turns well...very well.The Romic equiped rear end sucks up everything(I'm 5'10 at 155-160)from small baby heads to small roll offs(off my stairs at 3ft)and medium (off a small ledge about 4.5ft).That's all I had to test it on 'cause I had to get to work so I just had to eye a few things to test it off of.(This week end I'll do soooooo much more.)The frames Geo reminds me of a supped up BMX with cheese.Other than that you pretty much have to keep in mind how you have it set up.(Re:components)The Frame is dope..and my set up is ill=DOPE!
Weaknesses: NA...But set it up for your style,needs and preference...or you'll pay(for what you don't need and then again when you ride)
Bottom Line:
This bike is Dope!!!The frame ROCKS!!Most definitly Kicks A,lot of stuff.Set it up and go!Hills,Drops,hard turns,STREET,WHAT!!!?!!!It moves..apply skills=EVERYTHING YOU NEED!or..at least for me..(when you buy a bike,consider what you need and want to do with it..)Oh,I also commute on this thing too.10miles to and from work and then some more just kickin it on trails and 'round town..Like i was on a XC and sht,bro!Peace,Unity and RIDE!oh...watch AMN.
Purchased At: Bicycle Sports Shop(Big UPs to CLAY!!)
Similar Products Used: Tested a bunch
Bike Setup: 17in Ellsworth joker frame/Romic,Marzochi Z1fr 20mm,Thompson seatpost & 70mm stem,Avid mech. 8frnt+6r,Avid Ult.Lvrs and Flack jct cbls,Sram X7 Der.+shft, Idr blk cass+chain,Saint 3rng cranks,odessy pltfrms,prym gripps(FKNDOPE!)and Atomic lab DHR's +Hugi FR hubs+Dt swiss spokes on Panaracer fr 2.4 fr tire and Kenda 2.4 rear(I LOVE THIS BIKE!!!TEARS...)and Brooklyn Machine Works saddle.
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Submitted by
Rich
a Weekend Warrior
from Sacramento, CA
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2004
Strengths: sturdy, craftsmanship, travel, little if any pedal bob (depending on how you ride i guess).
Weaknesses: nothing other than they're hard to find sometimes.
Bottom Line:
this is a great all around bike. i'm a pretty heavy guy (190 lbs) and i have yet to bottom out this thing (except i have bottomed out my duke's, but that's not what i'm reviewing). i was a bit worried of bottoming out and pedal bobbing since i bought the small frame with the fox shocks. luckily i have had no problems in those departments.
going downhill on this thing is a blast. it feels really stable flying down hills and soaks up all the bumps and ruts that get in it's way. i've gone down the same hills with my friends cannondales and specialized bikes but neither of them felt as sturdy and aggressive as my joker. maybe it's a mental thing, but being mentally secure about your bike is almost as imorptant as the bike itself.
i would definately recommend this bike if you're looking for an "all-around" type bike. i have busted my cranks (not the truvative) and bent my rims and the frame is still in tack. it's worth spending the extra money on getting the parts you want and not settling for "cheaper" gear. you'll be glad you did. i know i was.
Similar Products Used: cannondale jekyll 500, santa cruz bullit
Bike Setup: sram x.7 everywhere, truvative cranks, sun rhyno lite rims, thomson, duke sl.
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Submitted by
Joe
a Weekend Warrior
from Victoria BC
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2004
Strengths: Truly a great bike, pedals amazingly well, travel feels bottomless, versatile to all riding styles. Really good customer service. Durable finish.
Weaknesses: Older swingarms but thats fixed now. Occasional bent bolt on pre 2003's.
Bottom Line:
I still ride my 2002, I broke 2 rear swingarms in the same place. The first time I had an RA# straight away and got a swingarm back in a jiff. Second time I was offered the same thing but decided to wait for the upgrade and got a new modified rear it took quite a while to come but was worth it This is still the best bike I have ever ridden. Customer service from Jim and Kathy specifically was what makes Ellsworth different from the many other companies. Thankyou
Strengths: This is a well rounded frame. It can handle anything from light downhill to cross country depending on the setup.
Weaknesses: Rear tire clearence is only about 2.3
Bottom Line:
I love this bike. It suits my riding style perfectly. I prefer downhill riding but to go down you must go up first. This bike is barely over 30 pounds with the set up I have so it goes uphill fine and handles the downhill with the ease of 6 inches of rear travel. If you want a well rounded bike this is for you.
Bike Setup: Manitou Black Elite 100/120 fork, race face crank, xt derailers, xtr shifters, Hayes Hydro brakes, xt hubs with mavic 317 wheels, azonic shorty stem, thompson seat post, selle italia seat
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Submitted by
Brooks Carter
a Cross Country Rider
from Moab, UT, USA
Date Reviewed: December 17, 2003
Strengths: The bike is a great combination of climber and bomber Rock Solid Frame feel Light Weight (relatively) Reasonable price for a quality frame Overall performance
Weaknesses: The clown picture - gimme a break Jury is still out on the Megablaster tires
Bottom Line:
This bike is sweet . . . really sweet. My buddy who has a nice FR rig got on it for 30 seconds and said he had to have one - it has a great feel. My instructions to Jonny at Moab Cyclery included the weight being no more than 32 pounds - he got it down to 32.5, and yet have parts on it that were beefy. He found the combination!
I weigh 140 and was looking for a bike that could take some serious hits on the downhills yet still climb well. It's a winner in both categories! I have shied away from single pivot bikes in the past to avoid a lot of bobbing, but was convinced by other owners reviews and Jonny that this set up was efficient - they were right. When I reviewed my 03 Specialized Enduro Pro on MTBR I talked about what a great climber it was and how it could climb anything my stumpjumper could climb. I took the Joker on a long hard climb on Sovereign that I had recently done with the Enduro and found that the Joker climbed it just as well! and I was wheezing about the same at the top (even though the Joker weighs 4.5 pounds more). Frame design and shock technical advances have made bob a non-issue. This bike really climbs.
Then I started looking for jumps to see if the bike could hold up that end of the bargain. On 3 - 4 footers on solid rock the bike soaked up the landings like they were nothing, and if I was a little out of position (which did happen a time or two) it totally ironed out the problem - so cool! The value of the 1.5 head tube, big Sherman fork, beefy bars and thru axel were proven a couple of times when I really missed the line off the jump. I found myself flying off the trail into an ugly, ugly boulder field that would have eaten most bikes I have owned, but the Joker rolled over everything like a tank.
Oh, and on the technical parts of the single track, the bike was all about precision (brakes, handling, etc). I am 5' 8" and ordered a small frame to help with maneuverability both on the ground and in the air. Right now it seems like a good decision.
What else could a biker want? A great climber and bomber enough to take anything I'll throw at it. Wooooohooooo! This bike will take me to the next level.
Favorite Trail: Porcupine Rim, Sovereign, Amasa Back
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Purchased At: Moab Cyclery
Similar Products Used: Bullit, Yeti ASX, Cannondale Gemini
Bike Setup: Small Black Frame (actually 04, but there was no 04 category)w/1.5 head tube, Romic D Shock, Manitou Sherman Breakout (6"), Hugi FR thru axel hubs, Mavic 519 Rims, FSA FR 200 stem & FR-270 Riser Bar 31.8mm, Thompson seatpost, Hays hydraulic discs, all XT, Time Z Control pedals, 22/32 w/bash guard, 11/34 cassette, Panaracer Megablaster 2.5 tires
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Submitted by
Jim Sladeck
a Weekend Warrior
from Foothill Ranch
Date Reviewed: December 11, 2003
Strengths: 7" of Travel via Romic shock, lightweigth @ 7.2 lbs. Super plush suspension - 1.5 headtube
Weaknesses: NONE
Bottom Line:
This bike is the best I've ever ridden. It's as plush as a DH rig, climbs as well as a 4" bike and can handle whatever you throw at it. I was amazed at the stiffness of the frame and how active it is. The Romic on the rear works perfectly, thanks Jimmy/Romic for tuning it for me. The 1.5 system with Sherman is the way to go.
I've jumped and dropped this bike in Utah, climbed up Harding truck trail 11 miles with 5,000 feet of gain, gone down the backside of Aliso/Laguna trail and it just gets better and better. The value is unreal and unmatched with any other frame. 7lb frame with 7" of travel for $1,300. Too good to be true.
Similar Products Used: Intense Uzzi SL and SLX, Tracer, M1
Bike Setup: Manitou Sherman Breakout 1.5 6" single crown,King hubs,3.1 tubeless,thomson post, WTB saddle,RF cranks,FSA bars,stem,h.s.
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Submitted by
Martin S
a Weekend Warrior
from Edmonton, AB, Can.
Date Reviewed: October 26, 2003
Strengths: Geometry, anodized finish is cool, Romic, 1.5 headtube, has a waterbottle mount for light battery, machined (instead of forged) derailleur hanger,long toptube, reasonable weight, warranty/customer service, cable guides are finally hydraulic friendly.
Weaknesses: Cable routing is so-so, but that's a single pivot thing. Not a prob with the bike, but Ellsworths website desperately needs an update.
Bottom Line:
I chose to do the upgrade thing with Ellsworth when I broke the stays off of the left hand side of my old beat up '01 frame (first failure) and it was totally worth while. Now I've got a 7" romic equipped machine with the option of running a 1.5 steerer and Ellsworth gave me an adapter so I can use my old Fox RC as a backup when I send the Romic in for it's regular service. The anodized finish looks killer, and I don't have to use cable adapters to run Hydraulic lines. The Romic shock is pretty cool, it's very noticable on the climbs, I can't wait to get the SPV Breakout to match the rear. Ellsworth has redesigned the machining on the swingarm, gone is the weld that produced many of the failures of the old design, and the pivot on the mainframe is pared down and allows a larger weld surface for the downtube. The new machined swingarm yoke also reduces the stress raiser the old style had on the swingarm where the chaistay is joined, where I broke mine. Other than that, rides like my old one, which is awesome. Like the guy below I'm 6'3" and the long toptube is perfect.
Similar Products Used: '01 Joker, Bullit, Stinky, RM 6/7, ID
Bike Setup: Hayes, Raceface NS, '00 Z1 to be replaced with Breakout Plus, XT thumbies,disposable rear Derailleurs
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Submitted by
Nelson Sommerfeldt
a Weekend Warrior
from Copper Harbor, Upper Peninsula, Mi
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2003
Strengths: Gorgeous anodized finish Very light considering travel and strength Stiff, stiff rear swingarm Perfect pivot location
Weaknesses: A bit pricey, but worth every single cent!
Bottom Line:
I am a very firm believer that there is no best suspension or frame design. It's all subjective, and what feels best to you, may feel like poo to the next guy. With that said, I'm writing this not to quantify this as the greatest bike of all time, but as the perfect fit for my riding style and personal preferences. I've riden pretty much every suspension design out there, so this review is for the rider that hasn't and is looking for an honest look at where this bike stands, and if it's right for them.
I'll start with everyone's favorite debate, the pedaling. I truly think that Mr. Ellsworth has found the perfect position for a single pivot design. This bike climbs like a mtn goat. For fast, cruisin climbs, the middle ring has virtually no bob. For steep, technical climbs, the granny gear pulls the rear wheel down, helping you get a little more traction. Now I can talk all day about how there is little or no bob, but honestly, most of that has to do with the rider, not the suspension. If you are Joe Chugsalong, and mash down on the pedals in pulses, of course you're gonna bob! Smooth power delivery makes a huge difference in any suspension design. Think cicles right? Well thats the key to making this suspension perform its best; smooth, constant power delivery. And like I said, I've ridden almost every suspension design out there, and the only one I feel does a better job of reducing bob is the lower travel VPP's (rode the new 8" travel VP-Free, not as good, good for being 8", but not really in this category either). Not even the Id, which is supposed to be the technically superior Ellsworth design felt as good. The weakest point in the pedaling comes with the big ring. If you are spinning like you would in the middle ring, bob is about the same, just in suspension compression instead of extension. The reason I say its worse is because if you sprint in the big ring, the compression effect gets worse, where as in the middle ring the reaction is much less. And this isn't to say its a problem, cause it totally isn't. The design just doesn't perform as well in the third ring.
If there is one thing I miss the most about my bike when I ride someone else's is the braking. I'll contribute most of that to the brakes though. I love the XT's. And once I got the 8" rotors on, there has been no going back. I've yet to find brakes that I like more than my own. But enough about this, I'm not reviewing brakes right? So the rear swingarm makes the most of the great brakes. My last bike was an RM6, and that thing was terrible at braking. Grabbing the rear brake even moderately hard pretty much locked out the suspension, and was very noticeable in bumpy sections. This is due to the caliper positioning on the disk relative to the pivot. Geeky engineering stuff I wont get into. The important thing is its never an issue on the Joker. I've read other reviews mentioning brake jack, but I've never noticed any. If my engineering knowledge serves me right, this suspension should squat under braking if anything. Techno mumbo jumbo translation is it brakes awesome!
When plush comes up in conversation, this bike will not be the first mentioned. This sounds bad, but let me explain. My RM6 was crazy plush, by far the best big hit absorbing suspension I've ever felt. However, it lacked in handling all the small, stutter bumps of trail riding and downhilling. Kinda like an off-road truck made to bomb through big holes. The Stinky suspension does a very good job of taking small bumps and big hits, great suspension design. However, it isn't very responsive. Think of the it like a Cadillac. Great, smooth ride, but not very sporty. Now think of a Joker like a Porsche. You'll feel everything, but the control and response is amazing. Some of that can be attributed to the Romic shock as well. The suspension stays firm in the corner, making turns quick and snappy. This isn't to say a Stinky can't rip like a Joker the way a Caddy wont keep up with a Porsche, because it certainly will. Here, more than anywhere, its all about what you think suspension should do and how it should perform for you.
Finally we come to geometry. Ellsworths are known for having long top tubes, and I personally love it. I'm a tall dude (6'3"), and having the long top tube gives me the ablitiy to move around the cockpit and get positioned for cornering. It also lets me run a short stem for more prescise steering without sacrificing body position for xc riding. I find the head angle is perfect with a 130mm fork. I replaced the fork that the previous owner had with the new 150mm Z.1 this spring when they came out. It slacked the steering enough to where I couldn't get it to snap around corners anymore. I gave it all summer, but have gone back to an '03 130mm Z.1 (fantastic fork). Ellsworth measures the Joker with a 180mm fork now, which jacks it back to 67 degrees. General rule of thumb is about a degree per inch of travel (25mm). You can do the math. I personaly like 69 degree head angles, and it really works with this bike. Other reviews have mentioned the bottom bracket being high, I totally disagree. Its only 13 inches, almost XC range, but not too low. Perfect in my book. Besides the long top tube, the other somewhat unusual dimension is the wheelbase, very long as well. I haven't had any problems manuvering around corners, trees, or skinnies, and it's super stable downhilling, so I see it as a good thing. To sum it up, of all the bikes I've ever ridden, none have had better geometry than the Joker. Jen at Barnett's agrees. :-)
So who buys a Joker? I own one because I like to do everything. I XC race it. I trailride it. I dirt jump it. I freeride it. I downhill it........You get the idea. Sure, it isn't the best in each category (except trailriding, its perfect there), but it does so well covering all bases. If you don't have the money for a quivver of bikes, I highly recommend this one to do it all. On the word of my roomate, the new Kona Coiler DeeLux is another nice bike that fits this bill if you can't put out the cash. The Joker costs a lot, but its worth it. The anodized paint and lazer etched graphics are engineering art. The most beautiful collection of metal you may find.
I know this review is lengthy, but I feel that it gives you a true review, a good idea of what its really like to ride this bike. I hope it was informative, and happy trails. :-) Oh! And if you are looking for the best riding in the Midwest, look up the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. More specifically Copper Harbor. I promise you, it is the best. Check out www.keweenawadventure.com for more. Peace. :-)
Similar Products Used: Kona Stinky DeeLux, Rocky Mountain RM6, Ellsworth Id, Intense Spider 5.5 VPP
Bike Setup: Light freeride/trailbike: Marzocchi Z.1 QR20 (130mm), XT disc to Alex Supra D's, 8" Shimano XT Discs, Race Face Next LP's, 2.4 WTB Motoraptors, Thompson post, Easton Mag Stem, Easton Monkey Lite bar, Odi lock ons, XT/XTR shifters and derailleurs. Total setup comes to 34 lbs
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Submitted by
Andrea F.
a Weekend Warrior
from Biella ITALY
Date Reviewed: October 14, 2003
Strengths: Single pivot design,simple and efficent! The geometry of the bike fit me as a glove. Light enough to pedal in all situation but still rock solid.
Weaknesses: the bottom bracket height could be a little lower but this depend also from the rear shock.
Bottom Line:
the Bottom line is that the bike do is Job of beeig a real freeride bike in the best way! I take no lift to go uphill,so i need a bike that pedal as good as possible because I'm not John Tomac! The Joker is super efficent in climbing,very rigid laterally and light enough if you consider that is a 150mm rear travel. I guess is one of the lightest in his category. YEEEES my friends, now is time to go down!!! Bombing down fire roads and singletrack is a blast on the Joker, very balanced on jumps too,in a word inspires you confidence. I was afraid to sell my old San Andreas which is a superbike too, but the Geomety of the Joker in the large size (I'm 189Cm Height)fit me better. If you're serching a do it all bike,rock solid ,with no manteneance problems buy the Joker, I'm sure there are more sophisticated suspension systems out there, but the single pivot of the joker works great. Thank you Ellsworth.
Similar Products Used: Specialized Enduro/Mountain Cycle San Andreas
Bike Setup: Fox vanilla RC rear shock, XT group,XT hydraulic brakes (good but not great,better deore),Bergman Alice fork 150mm dual air(it's an Italian company not well known that work great)
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Quentyn Seamster
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas, Texas, Dallas
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2003
Strengths: Light, strong, looks great, pedals like a dream
Weaknesses: none so far
Bottom Line:
I am posting a follow up review on my 03 Joker. The reason for the new review is that I have gone from a 7.5 eye to eye fox rear shock to an 8.5 eye to eye romic, and the bike is totaly different. It's hard to believe that a bike can get less bob and a better ride by adding more rear travel, but the Joker did! I had 5 1/2 inches of rear travel on my Joker when I wrote my first review. The bike had a fox rear shock with a spacer to hold the 6.5 eye to eye shock in place. I added a romic 8.5 eye to eye shock and took out the spacer, and I couldn't believe the difference with the correct shock in place! Before, I compared my Joker's ride quality to that of the Yeti ASX. They felt very similar. However, since adding the romic shock in the rear, the ride quality had surpased that of the Yeti. (By the way, both bikes are equipped with similar gear. The Yeti had a 5th element rear shock.) The ride quality is much smoother while pedaling. When I stand on the pedals to sprint, the rear of the bike dosen't dip down, in fact it firms up! Awsome bike, fun to ride. 5 little peppers for the Joker!
Bike Setup: chris king hubs & headset, easton bars & stem, Thompson seatpost, sella flite seat, xtr shifters, xt front/rear derailleurs, Time Z-control pedals, fox vanilla r fork, mavic d321 rims, Hope M4 brakes, truvativ Hussefelt 28/38 with bash ring, Nokian Gazzaloddi dual 2.3's Romic shock
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Submitted by
Tony Ellsworth
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, California
Date Reviewed: August 4, 2003
Strengths: Strengths: Low center of gravity really carves technical singletrack. Stiff chassis tracks better then almost anything I've ridden. Better then any other single pivot, and better then almost any linkage bike I've ever ridden.
It's lighter then most, without sacrificing stiffness or durability--IMHO.
The Active Forward Pivot location provides excellent pedal efficiency for exploring the mountain, with or without a lift...
The one piece BB/Pivot precisely locates the pivot so that the motion ratio and leverage ratio of the bike doesn’t change with the frame size.
I also love the anodized laser etched frame finish. Mine looks wonderful after three years of muddy woodsy, and often loaned out as a demo use.
The Joker is a huge performer for a relatively small price tag considering it's capability and features.
Weaknesses: As a single pivot design, it's often overlooked as conventional and passé. Although I would rather has a conventional tried and proven design executed with quality and attention to detail and performance, then the latest "greatest" idea executed with naïveté and marketing gimmick and hype.
Bottom Line:
Had the chance to do downhill runs with a couple of groups of friends that just happen to find themselves up at Big Bear the same weekend I was up there with my staff supporting "Women's Only Weekend" at Snow Summit. That's such a great event, if your a women, I've never heard a women not have a great time there without a bunch of testosterone charged significant others bugging them.
If you’re a guy! What can I say, Big Bear and three hundred active healthy cycling gals! Not to mention a great place to spend the day riding with your buddies.
Anyway, I spend most of my time riding my Truth and my Id. But there are a couple of terrific times I've had a chance to bond with the Joker.
1. I was in the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada for about three months; I had to take one bike. I took the Joker. I rode the North Shore with Dangerous Dan and his pals, Tyler, Eric, etc. I had a great time. Stayed off MOST of the circus, but did my share of bridges and a few low wide logs... But the Joker was an able ride there. I also rode the Mackenzie River Trail in Oregon and some great stuff in Washington while I was there. I rode the most pristine single track I've ridden in 20 years on various deliberately unnamed islands in the Puget Sound. The entire time I was on a wide variety of terrain from drops jumps ladders and logs to smooth narrow technical singletrack, and some big fast logging roads. The joker was a ton of fun the entire time. I found it to be simple, versatile, light, stiff and strong. I found the suspension to be stable, yet plush enough fro anything I wanted to tackle.
2. a couple of weekend ago in Big Bear. I hadn't planned on really doing much riding, like I said; we were there to support the ladies of Women's only Weekend at Snow Summit. But my staff had it handled, and I've been a little stressed and overworked, so they pretty much kicked me out and handed me my helmet and the Joker. I was riding with my buddies with full DH rigs and gear, full blown DH bikes; again, I was so pleased with the nature of the joker. Not once did I need to hold back to stay with these guys. In fact, after the first few runs, I just lead out.
Sometimes the best tool isn't the biggest tool. And that's I guess what I have to say about the Joker. It's the right tool for so much riding I've done and will do. I had a great time on the DH runs, aired out the Joker many times, in my own little 4-6 foot way. It was pointed it down through loose steep wooded singletrack, and out across the wide open steeps of the mountain. I had a GREAT day riding that bike. It's truly one of my favorite bikes.
I'm pretty sure you'd enjoy one too.
Ride well, ride safe, and if you can't be perfectly safe, REALLY ENJOY the rush, and reel it in before anything truly bad happens.
Tony
To James above have to say:
I'm bummed about your bike breaking. I'm bummed that you’re making really disparaging remarks about my business, too.
I'm really bummed about your bad luck with the Joker. I can understand why you have such a poor assessment of my work if it’s failed without provocation multiple times in the same place. While odds are against you having it happen multiple times, it is possible, it is a mechanical thing. When this happens we try to get resolution within a week of receiving the broken parts. Hopefully we get the problem taken care of as fast as possible and get the rider back on his bike with the minimum amount of money and time off the bike.
Our policy on broken frame parts for frames owned by the original owner is to replace the broken part. If it’s something that is even super recent, and clearly a glitch in manufacturing, and clearly not due to abusive use, EVEN if you’re not the original owner, we make a point of being very liberal and often promptly replace the part at no charge for polite and nice customers. But generally the warranty covers the original owner, and it’s a repair or replace with like part or frame, for as long as that frame is in production in that state.
The only time a repair would require you to pay is if it is deemed a crash replacement or consequential damage. So I don't know why you'd have been told it would cost you money, unless you wanted to upgrade? Your review comments don't make complete sense to me; I'm not sure what's going on. But I’d welcome the opportunity to try to sort through it and come up with an equitable resolution.
This I know though; MTBR has clear rules for posts, and one of them is that the post has to apply to the product you’re posting under. When you post in the 2003 Joker area, and it’s clearly not a 2003 Joker being reviewed, they sort through those to keep their site organized. And you can bet many happy and loyal Ellsworth owners will bring it to their attention.
But listen. I’m not some overpaid CEO that makes a mad wad of cash making 2,000 frames a year. I do it because I love to ride, and to me, the Joker is a great bike. Every frame I make, I personally feel, brings something to the bike world that is unique and worthwhile. I ride my frames; my frames are ridden by my family, and by my friends. Not to say that mistakes don’t happen, but if there was a problem as egregious as you have alleged the Joker has, I’d stop making the bike.
Inconsistency in the weld of the upright on the back of the Joker caused me to redesign that rear upright so that it didn’t have that weld anymore. But by in large, in the four years of production of that rear end, a very small percentage of those revealed that contaminated weld. If you’ve been through two and you’re on your third, you may well have had some VERY bad luck—and I could completely understand why you are bitter. By the same token, it sounds like the one you have now is holding up fine?
I have bills to pay, employees to pay, taxes to pay just like you. If we both at least love to turn the cranks--even if you like your Turner better-- I can live with that. There are many happy Turner owners in the world. It’s good. I like happy bike owners; they make great riding companions.
But the disparaging remarks, they really bum me out. That's a heart felt plea to seek a resolution, rather then revenge. I'm not interested in being anyone’s focus of vengeance.
Call me at 760-788-7500 x201, and let's sort through what the problem is; let’s try and resolve it.
No question the world’s got its problems. My goal is to be part of the solution. Making bikes that are fun to own and ride, enticing folks to get outside and experience the Earth that we are all so connected to, yet live so disconnected from in our day to day lives.
Again, thanks for trying to understand. I look forward to hearing from you and doing what I can to try and make you a happy, or at least less bitter, fellow cyclist.
Favorite Trail: Sooo many good trails! So little space to list them.
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$2700.00
Purchased At: My Shop
Similar Products Used: Id, Truth, Dare mostly. I've had more then one occasion to throw a leg over pretty much everything else out there--I will spare you the list.
Bike Setup: 17" Joker. 1.5 Sherman Mavic D-max--though I think I'd do the Crossmax XL's if I did it again. SRAM XO everywhere! FSA stem bars Truvative Crank and BB. Thomson Seat Post.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Quentyn Seamster
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas, Texas
Date Reviewed: August 4, 2003
Strengths: Great looks, solid feel, strong construction, light for a big travel bike, paint is very scratch proof.
Weaknesses: None so far.
Bottom Line:
First, Let me state that the people who are posting negative reviews about the Joker are posting reviews about Jokers that are 2002 and older! Please don't post those here. The Joker was redesigned for 2003. It's easy to tell if it's a 2003 Joker vs the older ones. The 2003's have a slight curve in the rear triangle where the rear triangle bolts onto the fron of the bike. It's just above the crankset. The old Joker's rear triangle goes straight down. What does all that mean? It means that the new Joker is stronger than the older ones, and it now has 7" of rear travel instead of 6". The new 03 Joker is also avaliable in either a 1 1/8th head tube or a 1 1/5th. Now as for the Jokers ride, though I am new to mountain biking, I have ridden and tested a lot of bikes in the few weeks that I have been mountain biking, and I can truly say that the Joker has one of the best rides out there. The Joker pedals with absolutely no bob in the rear. Don't believe me? Go test ride one! The frame geometry is almost perfect, it soaks up pumps, climbs like a mountain goat, and looks out of this world. My Joker is only 34lbs. For the money, there is only one other bike that comes close to the Joker, and that is the Yeti ASX. I deffinitely recomend the Joker to anyone that is sick of the "gota have the lightest, fastest gotta win" syndrome. Get back to what mountain biking is supposed to be..... FUN, and that is just what the Joker delivers, tons and tons of fun. You can drive over just about anything that gets in your way, and still pedal uphill. With the Joker, you get the best of all worlds in one package.
Similar Products Used: Yeti ASX, Santa Cruz Heckler, Ventana
Bike Setup: chris king hubs & headset, easton bars & stem, Thompson seatpost, sella flite seat, xtr shifters, xt front/rear derailleurs, Time Z-control pedals, fox vanilla r fork, mavic d321 rims, avid disk breaks, truvativ Hussefelt 28/38 with bash ring, Nokian Gazzaloddi dual 2.3's
I am in the process of buying a 2003 Ellsworth Joker, for a allmountain/trail bike.
I was advised against it because they said it was hard to get parts to fit and alot of the n Read More »
I am in the process of buying a 2003 Ellsworth Joker, for a allmountain/trail bike.
I was advised against it because they said it was hard to get parts to fit and alot of the n Read More »
