Submitted by
azonicist
a Downhiller
from Hell Paso, TX Date Reviewed: January 7, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Roughrider Canyon
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Purchased At:
4everBrokenBikes.com
Strengths:
After a year and a half of riding Freeride/DH trails in Cali, AZ, and TX, this bike has remained super stiff and super reliable. While friends bikes end up in the shop after each ride, I am out doing some urban at the local skate park or XC rides. This bike does it all and makes my other 2 bikes collect dust!
Weaknesses:
The only weakness is that I have to change my tires to accommodate the ride cause this is the only bike I ride.
Similar Products Used:
Kona Stinky & Stab
Cove Playmate
Astrix Huckster
Iron Horse SGS
Azonic B-52 & Saber
Giant Glory & Faith
Santa Cruz Nomad
I would highly recommend this bike to anyone who rides hard and long. I love to just hop on and ride without thinking about it and occasionally take it by the bike shop so people can ogle it. It's nice to finally ride a bike built by riders who know what's up. Five chilis totally!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
samanderson4
a Downhiller
from Orange, CA, USA Date Reviewed: November 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
All of them
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1499.00
Purchased At:
Online
Strengths:
Stiff, Bullet Proof, and everything else
Weaknesses:
Seat clamp
Similar Products Used:
All bikes and frames
Bike Setup:
Blitz II, Race Face cranks, 50/50, Avid 7's, 66 forks, all the good stuff.
Bottom Line:
This is an extended review, over a year on the bike.
Uphill??
Versus really didn’t design the Blitz II to be pointed uphill, but it is a more-than-capable climber. On my first few ascents, the weight of the 9+ lbs. frame was noticeable, but after a few rides, to my surprise, the weight seemed to disappear and the bike started to feel more like a 27lb All-Mountain bike than a 34lb freeride machine. Riders won’t win any Cross Country races on this bike, but it will get you to the top with more than enough energy to burn bombing the downhill.
Downhill
The downhill is where the Blitz really shines. With little reservation I took it out on my favorite DH run, which I usually reserved for my 9” DH beast. I thought about taking it easy on my first run but ended up bombing down the hill in a personal record time. The bike just felt right on this type of terrain, downhill, fast, rough, technical with a few drops and jumps. The steering was snappy in the tight technical turns, and the rear was SUPER stiff while railing around larger turns. When I got to the drops, I launched them with 110% confidence. I ended up hitting a 5 footer, then stepped it up to a 10 footer and ended with a 15 foot drop and still never bottomed out the 170mm of travel. The Blitz felt right at home when it took flight. In the air the bike was stable, responsive and gave me more confidence than I have ever had in the air. The sloped top tube makes doing tricks easy. Overall, this is where the bike excels. In my opinion, this frame could be built up to be a worthy light weight downhill race machine.
Please go to www.actionsportstrader.com to read the review in full.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cupton
a Weekend Warrior
from Missouri Date Reviewed: September 5, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Monarch Pass in Colorado
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
used on line
Strengths:
geometry,needle bearings, frame stiffness, frame detail, compliant suspension and the best customer service in the bussiness. Herb and Viv are the best..
Weaknesses:
None, nothing, nada
Similar Products Used:
Blitz 1, Intense Tracer, Lenz Lumberjack, Titus Motolite All great bikes
Bike Setup:
Rockshox Totem, Mavic 819 with Hadley hubs 20mm front and 10mm thru in back, Avid Code, Wicked Racin Dualrailleur ( RIP Mark), PUSH'ed DHX 5.0 coil w/ titanium spring, Sunline stem, X9 shifters, Azonic DH carbon bar, ODI Intense grips with Dangerboy bar ends. Te-he,te-he ( that's my evil sinister laugh)
Bottom Line:
I love this bike. It will go anywhere up or down. It's a little heavy for all day climbing but it will climb any technical section without slipping. It takes to flight like it has wings and feels super stable in the air. It corners with incredible balance and grace and clears rocky, rooty sections as if they are not there. The more technical the better the Blitz 2 shines. It will make you a better rider..
I have a few nice bikes but find myself reaching for my Blitz 2 for about everything except the flatess XC rides.
Buy this bike if you want compliant suspension, superb handling, super frame stifness, one of the best all around trail and freeride bikes on the planet and the best customer service on the planet.
Skip it if you ride mostly smooth single track and like to keep your wheels on the ground.
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Submitted by
kcomo
a Cross Country Rider
from Chichester, NH Date Reviewed: June 24, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Revolutions
Strengths:
Geometry, craftsmanship, detail in design, frame stiffness, Versus customer service.
Weaknesses:
You have to be picky to complain about anything on this bike but I would have liked to get this bike in black annodized. Color choices are limited. I purchased matte black that is more blue but a very nice color.
Similar Products Used:
I have never ridden any bike like this.
Bike Setup:
medium frame with dhx coil, marz 66 rc2x, mavic 823's with dt 440 hugi's, 2008 avid codes, thomson stem and post, king headset, maxis minion tubless 2.5's, easton bars, wtb seat, sram x9 drivetrain, fsa afterburner cranks, e13 bash guard. I am 5'8" and the bike fits like a glove.
Bottom Line:
This is an amazing bike. With the build described above the bike weighs 40.75 pounds. I had it built before at 37.7 pounds with a z1 fork and different tires and brakes. When I originally purchased this bike I thought it was more of a trail bike. My mistake. This bike is hard core and built for serious abuse. The first few months that I had the bike it was ridden as a trail bike and performed pretty well. I have recently changed it over to serve more as a lift service bike. I have to say though that I have been doing some 12-15 mile cross country rides on it and it rocks. The minion tires slow it down but the bike pedals very well and handles likes nothing else. I can climb anything on this bike, just not as fast as I can climb on my lighter fs rig. The bike feels great in the air (haven't jumped anything big yet)and corners like you are on rails. Anybody looking for a light freeride bike should look no further. This bike is a little heavy (11.25 pound frame with dhx coil) for everyday trail riding but if you got the leg then it isn't an issue. It is more bike then I bargained for though and complete overkill for my riding style but I love the bike so much I could never part with it. My intentions are to purchase a Versus Valor (new 5.5 inch travel bike) when available and use that for my every day bike. I will use the blitz more for stuff that scares the crap out of me.
There is no better customer service out there. Herb at Versus is great at answering e-mails and phone calls. You don't get this treatment from Specialized. That I know for a fact. Give him a call and he will take time out of his busy schedule to shoot the crap with you about his bikes. Versus makes awesome products.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Guilherme Renke
a Racer
from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Date Reviewed: May 14, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Balneário Camboriú
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Versus Cycles
Strengths:
Quick, soft riding, lightweight, very good in jumps and technical sections but its strength are the high-speed curves. Extremely strong and resistant to big crashes.
Weaknesses:
Until now, none that I know.
Similar Products Used:
With 7": Santa Cruz Bullit and Cannondale Gemini.
Bike Setup:
Rear shock: FOX Air DHX 5.0, Marzocchi 66 fork, Shimano and Race face setup with Mavic wheels
Bottom Line:
I used this frame as Int´l Versus Rider since I when to the Sea Otter Classic 2007. I really feel good with this bike, I really like the bike, I can do Freeride or all mountain if I want, the bike was very versatile up for major DH events.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Tanis
a Weekend Warrior
from Independence Date Reviewed: March 17, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Landahl Kanrocks Devils Den Bitter Sweet
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1400.00
Purchased At:
Trail Head Cycles
Strengths:
Perfect geometry, Attention to detail is perfection!Excellent welds. I won't even mention the bearings.... Super Stiff rear end! Peddles very well, and shoots out of turns like a rocket. Fastest bike I've ridden yet.
Weaknesses:
Not a single one so far. The only thing that comes to mind is that I didn't buy one sooner!
07 Blitz 2 frame "white" with DHX 5.0 coil, Marzocchi 66VF2, Sun Ringle MTX wheelset, Deity 31.8 bars,31.8 stem, Race Face Cranks,Hayes Mag brakes etc....
Bottom Line:
Where to start? This is the best bike I've thrown a leg over! It's stiffer than any other bike I've ridden. The over all ride of this bike is amazing! I used to use my brakes going downhill to stay on track with the trail in some sections.... Not any more!
You can push this bike faster, and faster, without ever going off line. I rode a trail I knew nothing about. I had never ridden any part of it, and this bike would just hold it's line no matter where it went. I thought I would have to slow down at some point on the trail, for a sharp turn, but this bike just asked to be pushed on every one. It got faster as the day went on, figuring out just how to corner this bike comes natural. Just lean back, and use the outside crank, and it will shoot you out of turns.
This bike is very balanced, and felt stable in the air. I rode a couple drops, and the bike just 8 up the landings. Super smooth all the way. I rode a couple sketchy skinnies, and the bike was so balanced over them, I never thought I was going over. It climbs very well for a 6.7" travel bike and rips Downhill better than any bike I've ridden.
It pops off jumps due to it's shorter chain stays,and when in the air is very flickable. I was able to kick the bike completely sideways off jumps, and bring it back for the landing. I never felt off, on this bike. This might be the one bike that can improve the over all style of a rider, as it makes you feel overly confident!
This is the best MTB purchase I've ever made. If you ever have a chance to test one out, you'll be amazed at how well it rides.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Vish
a Weekend Warrior
from Hawaii Date Reviewed: December 15, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
versus direct
Strengths:
the whole thing.
Weaknesses:
some seat rub to back tire when you boost jumps.. its an easy fix.. just turn your seat post 180 degrees and stick your seat back on... slide it forward a bit and boom.
Similar Products Used:
Demo9, ironhorse yakuza, transition bottle rocket, santa bullit.
Bike Setup:
Marz 66 RC2X, Race Face cranks, transition wheel set, 5.0 air.
Bottom Line:
honestly.. HONESTLY this bike is pretty darn sick.. it's mainly a trail/Dh bike.. i would'nt want to ride anything else down my local trail.. it definatly has that X-factor in mtb frames.. you just have to get on one and ride it you'll see. you can set it up for freeride.. it feels safe and stuff.. but if your my height (6`2) get a Large.. that was a mistake i made. i'm just waiting around for the slopestyle bike to launch.. its taking a good forever. its good for SSG's too http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y293/thevish/scorp.jpg
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Tricoli
a Racer
from San Jose, Ca Date Reviewed: November 23, 2007
Favorite Trail:
still searching
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1375.00
Purchased At:
Passion Trail Bike Shop
Strengths:
Just about everything on this bike is perfect. I'd say the leading difference between this bike and it's competition is the needle bearing pivits with grease ports. I am looking forward to this winter session knowing I have nothing to fear. Even with a DHX 5.0 Coil I can climb up anything my legs can handle. The weight is prefectly balanced.
Weaknesses:
I have yet to find one, though the way mine is set up I won't be racing crosscountry on it.
This bike has pushed me to another level. I couldn't be happier with the purchase.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Racer
from Santa Rosa,CA US Date Reviewed: July 19, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
versus direct
Strengths:
everything you cant find a single thing wrong with the bike it will take ever single thing that you throw at it. with the dhx air you can make the bike have absolutely no bob witch is absolutely amazing for a six and a half inch bike. Not only that but it will keep up with lighter smaller travel bikes when i race it xc
Weaknesses:
nothing i can find unless your a weight weeny and even then you can get the bike down to all mountain bike weight
Similar Products Used:
vp free, sx trail three,
Bike Setup:
fox talas 36/dhx air,chris king headset and hubs, mavic 729 rims, saint cranks, Thomson post and stem, xtr derrileur, gamut guide
Bottom Line:
this bike rocks!!!! you cant find anything better thats it. Its a little expensive once you get everything said and done i have had no problems with this bike and will have it forever you just cant find anything the rides better.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David
a
from pinole Date Reviewed: June 22, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1600.00
Purchased At:
Versus Cycles
Strengths:
Square TT, many CNC'ed parts, beefy rockers, needle bearings with Zerk fittings.
Weaknesses:
Built too well.
Bike Setup:
Blitz II with Marz FireFly, WTB DH wheel set, Answer ProTaper 2.0 riser bar. Race Face, Maxxis, Lizard Skinz Grips, Formotion Gauges
Bottom Line:
Going from the original Blitz to the II it is night & day. The II with the needle bearings & Zerk fittings is superior to the standard ball bearings at the pivots. Versus went to the very expensive needle bearings that are laterally solid over the less expensive ball bearings that are more common. The bearings themself are not the pricy part as much as the extreamly close tolerances of the area the bearing is pressed into, strict labor = higher pricing. Ball bearings are housed between a inner & outer race that allows side to side flex causing bearing bind. Custom CNC'd parts that also should increase the price of the frame. One can go on & on about the beautifully built frame & state of the art design. As mentioned earlier the cornering is awesome launching off every corner making every run faster & smoother with absolutely no flex. Just as in the beginning the Customer Service is the Best, it's nice knowing the owner of a company builds & checks over your frame before shipping. The unknown hero that orchestrates the whole operation is the Goddess of Versus with the patients of a Angel Vivian, she is the glue that keeps the whole operation working properly.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joel Yang
a Weekend Warrior
from Issaquack, WA Date Reviewed: June 7, 2007
Favorite Trail:
sticks and stones, Tahoe & Dirt Merchant
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
Versus Cycles direct
Strengths:
Super Solid feeling when riding and landing from squaking in the air Needle Bearings with grease ports that are super tough in the rainy Pac NW Weather Rear end is Super Tough Engineered with lots of thought Can be built heavy like a freerider or lighter like a trailbike Probably the most truely versatile FR Trail Bike I have ever ridden
Weaknesses:
Versus needs to finish up their Seatpost clamp! because I hate Bolt ons, and you have to angle stock QR's I would have been a much better rider if I had this frame 3-4yrs ago
Similar Products Used:
Banshee Scream Kona Stab Transition Dirtbag Transition Preston
Bike Setup:
66RC2X, Saint Cranx, Gusset Slim Jim pedals, Truvativ Holzfeller stem and bars, X7 drivetrain, 8" Hayes Mag stoppers with GRC levers, Titec Pyro Seatpost, WTB Power V sofa, Halo SAS wheelset, and Maxxis Minion & highroller skins
Bottom Line:
When you first look at this bike - you would probably think to yourself - now why would we want to have another Turner 5spot Kona Stinky- Banshee Scream - Transition copy cat 4 bar walking linkage bike. We have seen this design a million times and why would this one stand out among the rest?
Well to an untrained eye you will probably notice the super machined boomerang linkage arm, but then upon taking a closer look - you will also catch the fact that there are super well though out details such as the Yoke around the BB and how it interfaces with the chainstays - Next up you will see that the pivots are NOT single sided but also have a grease port in which you can very easily service your needle bearings (and for wet riding - this badboy does not creak at all!) and then lastly the standover height it awesome - shorter riders and Ladies take not of that one!
How does it RIDE??
Well first of all if you are looking for an XC type bike then this is NOT the bike for you!
If you have a bike for all occasions but have always wanted to build up a bike that truely is a DO-It-All Freerider that can pedal - Trail bike - then this ride is for you!
This Frame's versatility is just awesome in the sense that I can build it up to be a descender, hucker, DIrt Jumper, Shore Freerider.....but also a trail bike is just awesome. As you can see by my component setup, I built this thing more on the FR heavy side - but that is also due to the fact that I weigh 210lbs and I don't always land smooth.
For those who don't always have shuttle privileges and need to climb to get to your descent.....this bike climbs about a third lighter than it weighs. I do not have the hop up to lower my fork height as I have the Burley 66RC2X, but if you had an ECC or an ETA - this thing would climb even better.
As far as descents go....this ride will make you regress to about the age of 5 - when you first learned how to ride a bike, and took flight for the first time on your home made ramp made from a plank and a brick - you will be smiling from ear to ear!
You will be flowing down trails like you never have before. The rear end is stiff - but not over burley like my former Banshee Scream where the rear end was so overbuilt that it can feel like it's dragging due to the weight.
The design of the MASS CENTRALIZATION is something I thought was just a jumble of techno jargon until I rode the bike. It truely does feel centered and well balanced......and with that being said - very confidence inspiring!
I took off almost 6 months from riding as I have to geek out and work on snowboard boots all winter - so much of my Winter riding is devoted to being on a board and testing boots - so when I built this bike up and got out on the trails - like most people, I was anticipating much rustiness, and was going to give myself some time to catch up to hitting jumps and riding like I used to before the snow fell.
It was not even a minute into the first decent that made me realize how much I loved to ride.... and a feeling that I had not felt for a while now since I was struggling with my last few builds and started to feel rather frustrated with bikes that had "stupid geometry - but liked mainly out of trend. I will explain more below"
Shortly after my first ride I decided to hit some jumps to see where I was as far as catching up after this long.....and the funny thing was I had a few friends tell me that it looked like I was trying to muscle my Banshee Scream, or trying to find the sweet "midspot" of my Transition Preston, for the first few rounds. And it was only until I let go, that I really began to feel what was going on........... and feel really confident in the air - to the point where that first day out - I had actually surpassed my last day riding 6 months ago!
I have ridden this bike on long epics, regular trails, technical trails, and the good ol flow park at South Seatac, and I have truly not ridden a bike that has felt this versatile. I have built up bikes in the past where I have always had a set of heavy duty components and lighter components and switched them around for different trails like wheels and tires - but this one just felt right to me since ride #1.
The geometry is just right. For a 6.7" travel bike front and rear - it feels super balanced whether pinning it on berms, gliding through technical rocks and roots ( I say glide because the rear end is so stable - you do not experience the....my pivot bolts are about to fall out sensation) or floating through the air. The super trendy thing these days is to have DH geometry on a shorter travel bike and at one point in time I thought this was also cool when I was sporting my Transition Preston. But after riding it for a while I grew out of stupid geometry like head angles of 66 degrees on a shorter travel bike just feels dumb when you are going through technical singletracks or even skinnies and you need that quick snappy handling...but you end up having to deal with choppered out bars and steering hop because you are so raked back.
The head angle at 68 degrees is setup just right for pretty much everything! to the point where after I rode this bike the 3rd time I sold my DH bikes because I really feel that this bike takes care of all of my redundant bikes.
This bike inspires much confidence for everyone. It is perhaps the most balanced bike I have ever thrown around in the air as well as had the most solid feeling on landings.
The biggest compliment I can give to this bike is when I am out riding - I actually don't ever think about the bike - this is something that is amazing to me. I forget about anything technical to do with the bike, or the setup, or what could possibly go wrong, or the fact that..........scenario and blah blah blah.......the bike simply disappears and all I think about is how much I love riding.....and this feeling is really something else! All of this crazy technical wordage I am throwing at you right now came later on after I got back from several rides and had to write notes about all of the awesome things I truly appreciated about the ride!!!!! and the rest - really is for you to experience - Demo one and you will see what I am talking about!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doug
a Downhiller
from San Antonio, TX, US Date Reviewed: May 26, 2007
Favorite Trail:
CPX
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Purchased At:
4everBrokenBikes.com
Strengths:
Every aspect of this frame shows the quality and attention to detail from Versus. Beautiful welds, machining and needle bearings in all the pivots (so stiff)
Weaknesses:
Everyone that sees my bike wants to ride it; it's easier to keep dudes away from my girlfriend than my Blitz.
Similar Products Used:
Azonic Saber Kona Stinky Cove Playmate Astrix Huckster Iron Horse SGS
This bike is the baddest bike I have ever ridden or seen and seems to have added 3 courage points to my riding. After I saw my Blitz II built for the first time, it looked a little smaller than I had wanted for the urban, dh, freeride, monster that I had imagined. I wanted a bike that could handle a 10ft drop (from not the smoothest rider), feel stable on the steepest dh course and still be able to ride around my local trail xc style with my chic. But as soon as I through my leg over this bike, I knew it was perfect. The compact yet stable feel of the cockpit combined with the lateral stiffness makes cornering with the Blitz feel like you’re on a rail. I have only had this bike for 3 months and the more I look and ride this bike the more I love my Blitz. This is a bike designed for hardcore riders who want a bike that can be ridden hard. I recently raced DH on the Blitz at Cloudcroft, NM and could not believe how this bike handled every aspect of the course with authority that I could not match. Even on the steepest terrain this bike felt stable and relaxed. I am totally giving 5 chilis for this revolution Versus calls a bike for its build quality and its pimping looks! Also I give 5 chilis to 4everbrokenbikes.com for the awesome deal I got.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
don
a Weekend Warrior
from anahiem Date Reviewed: February 12, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1499.00
Purchased At:
adrenaline
Strengths:
incredible lateral stiffness that makes the bike feel much lighter than it really is. overall fit and finish of this frame is amazing. the rocker look like they're from a high tech. fighter jet. the rocker arms along with the bottom bracket give this machine the ability to point and shoot in any direction over any terrain with confidence. the bumpabsorption is incredible once the rear schock is tuned. feels bottomless but not sluggish. very responsive to the slightest pilot input.
Weaknesses:
haven't found any yet. for the price it's unbeatable. climbs better than any other freeride machine.
Similar Products Used:
rfx,sunday
Bike Setup:
fox 36 up front , double barrel in the rear.
Bottom Line:
superior fit and finish,unbeatable for the price. one of the best thought out frames out there. descends better than a lot of dh rigs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rabi Guthrie
a Weekend Warrior
from Brighton, England Date Reviewed: January 17, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
Stiff, snappy and responsive. It pedalled well on the trail, and performed well when pointed downhill. It shot me out of corners, and laterally felt very stiff. Once airborne the bike felt light and easy to flick, and upon hitting landings, never bottomed out and felt solid (even when my landings got abit sketchy). My initial impressions are that it would perform as advertised, as a Slopestyle bike and a very good do-it-all bike. It had enough travel to handle freeriding, yet still pedalled well, and had confidence-Inspiring, responsive handling. The needle bearings with grease ports are a positive detail to anyone tired of creaking pivots or having to replace bearings regularly, and the CNC and overall weld quality of the frame is definately boutique.
Weaknesses:
Nothing I could find after a day-demo on the bike.
Bike Setup:
All Mountain/Freeride
Bottom Line:
Are you someone who needs one bike that you can pedal to the top, point it downhill, and can still handle anything you can throw at it? Or do you need a stiff, maneuverable, full-suspension bike for Slopestyle? Think about this bike. I haven't ridden anything better...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Britt
a Downhiller
from Corte Madera, CA Date Reviewed: January 16, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Versus Cycles
Strengths:
Very responsive suspension to all types of bumps. Bottomless Manuverable Stiff Strong Great attention to detail.
36 Van, DHX Air, 8" XT brakes, XT cranks, Single Tracks laced to Hadleys, e.13 DRS
Bottom Line:
This is an updated review since I have now been riding the bike several times per week for six months now. The bike still feels like it is new. The greasable needle bearnings are great. I went for a ride in the rain and thick mud, and afterwards my friends' bikes creaked horribly, while the Blitz remained silent. I took a grease gun and lubed up the pivots to push any water out and it worked great. I've tried many other bikes looking for the bike that can pedal uphill but still descend like a DH bike and the Blitz is it. This is an awsome bike that gives you confidence and you'll never have to worry about breaking it. The suspension is great on small bumps, but it also sucks up hard hits very well when you are riding through rock gardens fast. The bike is also extremely manuverable and flickable which makes staying on a line through a rock garden much easier. The bike rails berms and accelerates quickly and is fun to DJ on too. I've had two friends now who were looking at buying an SX Trail and a Reign X, but after riding my Blitz have both purchased one, because it rode so well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sam
a Downhiller
from Orange, ca Date Reviewed: October 15, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1400.00
Strengths:
Everything. Needle bearings, super stiff rear end, low top tube, great geometry, can actually pedal up hill.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Bighit, Iron Horse 7.7, Intense 6.6, VP-Free, and about every other bike under the sun.
Bike Setup:
Blitz II, 66SL, Avid Juicy 7's, and a few other good parts.
Bottom Line:
This is a 2 month review. I have ridden this bike for two months and it gets better with every ride. The fork and rear end are finally broken in and they feel awsome. This bike is pretty much the one bike I have been looking for for the last 7 years. The bike climbs like a damb goat, rails like its on tracks and jumps better than anything I have ever ridden, besides my DJ hard tail. I think it is funny that I can beat most riders that are on DH bikes on the downhill. They think it is an all mountain bike until I fly past them on the DH. Buy one and support a small company.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Will
a Downhiller
from Marin, ca, US Date Reviewed: September 17, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Anything fast and flowy
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Everything Britt said. Strong, rails corners, the geometry is spot on. The suspension design is awesome!
This bike is the shi*!!! Go buy one, absolutely awesome, perfect! I wish there were more chilis to give it. Anyone that likes to do a little of everything, should get this bike. Don't believe all of that industry BS about all these fancy new suspension designs. Just get what works and is backed up by a cool company, not a bunch of people who just want ur money. Seriously don't have any doubts, these bikes are impossible to break!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Damon Sauve
a Downhiller
from Pacifica, CA Date Reviewed: September 15, 2006
Favorite Trail:
A-Line
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3500.00
Purchased At:
custom-built bike
Strengths:
Solid, no worry frame. Pedals uphill and bombs back down. Carves berms like a sports car. Jumps and lands like a cat. Huck it and forget it.
Weaknesses:
Top-tube is on the long side (an inch longer than my similar-sized AS-X). On medium & small frame sizes, the seat post collar can hit the rocker arm if not adjusted properly (a Hope QR-collar fixed that). The DHX Air rocks on the trail but bottoms out on medium-to-big jumps--I'm still looking for the sweet spot.
I rode a demo version of this bike on my local trails and was so impressed, I vowed to sell my Yeti AS-X and buy a Blitz. Eight months later, I did.
The AS-X is a great bike, but the Blitz is better: the Blitz's burly linkage and suspension design makes the AS-X feel like a fold-a-bike. I'd go big on the Yeti and the landings would scare me silly. The Blitz lands like a cat on all fours, stable and solid.
The Blitz ain't no penny-weight XC bike, but at sub-40 pounds, with a bling build, it's 3 pounds lighter than my stock AS-X.
Running a single 36T ring, a fat Marzocchi 66rcx2, and 2.5 Kenda Nevegals, I built the Blitz to ride all mountain (like Downieville), hit the local DJs, and shuttle DH runs.
After one month of riding, I'm totally pleased with the bike.
If you're looking for a well-built, super-strong bike for freeride and downhill, but don't want to pedal a dinosaur, the Blitz is it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sam
a Downhiller
from Orange CA Date Reviewed: August 20, 2006
Vp-Free, Intense 6.6, Iron Horse 7.7, BigHit, and have demoed every other bike under the sun
Bike Setup:
Verus Blitz II with 66SL's up fron and alot of good stuff all around
Bottom Line:
This bike is sick. I had 3 different bikes to do All-Mountain riding, DH and Dirt jumping. I sold all of those and now only need this one. It does every thing and it does it better than the catigory specific bikes. This thing DH's better than my VP-Free, climbs as good as my 6.6 and is insane on the dirt jumps. I don't want to sound like everyone else, but this thing can rail!!!! It is so stiff and sturdy you feel like your on a motor cycle. It will trip you out. I was very hesitant in buying this bike, simply because there was not much information on it, but this is a diamond in the rough. Lastly they have the best customer service in the industry. i would email Herb at 11PM and he would get back to me within 5 minutes with all of the info I needed. I'm not talking about a 1 line answer, he would write down every little detail. Bottom Line BEST DAMB BIKE MADE
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gabriel
a
from Livermore, Ca Date Reviewed: August 12, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Northstar
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
SOLID BOMB PROOF. Needle bearings with grease ports, stiff rear end, very low standover height, awesome CNC'ing, spot on geometry, and looks to kill.
Weaknesses:
none so far, but i'll update if i find something.
Similar Products Used:
Enduro, 6.6, Nomad, Stinky,
Bike Setup:
36RC2, DHX Air, Saint Cranks, Juicy 7's, Mavic Deetrax, Kenda's,
Bottom Line:
You can use it for all mountain, freeride /slopestyle, dirt jump, downhilling....best all around bike! You can pin it, rail it, case it, whatever....The Blitz II is built to last. Go demo one if you have the chance, you'll love it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Downhiller
from Leadville, Colorado, USA Date Reviewed: August 12, 2006
Favorite Trail:
leenawee
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
greaseable needle bearings at pivots, full length seat tube, rear shock is very accesable for adjustment, chain guide mounts,
Weaknesses:
a little heavy
Similar Products Used:
Bullit, trigger
Bike Setup:
66rc2x, vanilla rc (waiting on a rocco that will fit), fsa maximus cranks w/22t,332t, alab pimp wheel set, 12-32 cassett, maxxis advantage, sram xo, azonic b-52s, hayes mags
Bottom Line:
This is by far my favorite bike. I can downhill it, trail ride it and dirt jump it all in the same day
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Britt
a Downhiller
from Corte Madera, CA Date Reviewed: August 5, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Amazing bump absorbtion Bottomless travel Very stiff rear end Low standover Strong Frame All greasable needle bearings so no creaking pivots
36 Van, DHX Air, 8" XT brakes, XT cranks, Single Tracks, e.13 DRS
Bottom Line:
This is the fastest and best riding bike I've ever ridden. It is well balanced and responsive and corners very well. Mine weighs 36 lbs but I still do uphill without a problem and I haven't noticed any bobbing. I've never experienced any brake jack and when you hit bumps it doesn't slow down. If you want the ultimate trail bike that you can also jump and do huge drops on without any worry about hurting the frame this is the bike for you. This bike doesn't compare to any other bike I've ridden.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Von Williams
a Downhiller
from Salt Lake City Date Reviewed: July 25, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Moose Hollow II
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Demo from Versus
Strengths:
Solid construction, great geometry. Fairly low bb and short chainstays make this bike corner unreal. Feels as good hitting a good bermed turn as it does drifting around an off camber one. A bike you can abuse all day long and not worry about. My ideal ride is a short climb to the top to a long rough descent. This is the ideal bike for that.
Weaknesses:
More a fault of the mechanic, not the bike, but I had a pivot bolt fall out. Always the shop guy that can spot a bent derailleur from across the room, but can't remember to check the pivot hardware on his own ride. The bike could maybe go on Weight Watchers, maybe for just a week.
Similar Products Used:
Ellsworth Joker, Turner RFX, Foes 2:1 FXR
Bike Setup:
Fox DHX Air on back, Fox Van 36 RC2 up front. 65mm stem, 170 cranks with 2 rings and bashguard. Mavic 721 rims with Maxxis Advantage 2.4 tires set up tubeless with Maxxis rimstrips. Hayes Mag 8" brakes.
Bottom Line:
The guys at Versus were cool enough to send Go-Ride a Blitz to test. I couldn't wait to get some parts on it and abuse it. It's been ridden by both me (V-Dub) and Scott Crabill (owner of Go-Ride) and we are both really impressed with how the bike sets up. For the guys who only has one bike, it's the perfect combo of something that can get you uphill, but you don't have to worry about going to big or being to hard on it on the way down, if anything, it's maybe a little overbuilt.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ColoradoCoreMTB
a Downhiller
from Front Range CO USA Date Reviewed: July 13, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Squirrel Master
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Strengths:
Full length seattube; Massive standover; Rear linkage strength, rails. Greasable needle bearings, easy maintenance; Great manual/balance point; Pivot placement, no bob with Fox DHX Air; ISCG 05; Cnc'd BB - lower pivot interface, rigid. Great strength to weight ratio.
Weaknesses:
?hmm...can't find any. Ask me at the end of the year.
Similar Products Used:
Nomad, Session 77, Specialized Enduro, KHS AM 2000, Giant AC, Kona Stinky
Bike Setup:
Marzocchi - Maxxis - Hayes - CrankBrothers
Bottom Line:
This is the one bike that can do it all. Climbs effortlessly - Descends flawlessly. I really enoy my new rig. Gives me exactly what I look for in my bike to earn my turns. It rails in Super D competitions and is also perfect for my 20+ mile freerides. Mountain passes and north shore stunts! Lets Ride!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kashi lee
a Downhiller
from los angeles Date Reviewed: June 2, 2006
Favorite Trail:
summit county, co
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3800.00
Purchased At:
versus
Strengths:
perfect geometry, rails like a champ, strong gussets, looks great
Weaknesses:
have not found any yet
Similar Products Used:
giant rein, giant dh, kona stinky, spec dh
Bike Setup:
66rc2x, hayes mag, truvativ bars and cranks, crank bros pedals, maxxis tires, sram xo shifters and derailer
Bottom Line:
this is the new school. single crown, big hit slopstyle machine. great geometry, great price, great bike. get ya one.
$
Overall Rating:
