Submitted by
Cameron
a Weekend Warrior
from Athens, GA, USA
Date Reviewed: January 16, 2012
Strengths: Great components for the price! I have ridden it numerous times in the past month and I have had not had any problems. I am a big guy too, and everything has held up way better than expected.
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
I have ridden this bike on four different types of trails. One primarily downhill, the other really rough and sandy, the other had a lot of obstruction, and the other was a little bit of everything. This bike has held up exceptionally well. I could not have asked for a better bike; I mean it truly is one of the coolest thngs I have ever owned.
Submitted by
S-WorksLewis
a Cross Country Rider
from Nebraska
Date Reviewed: December 26, 2011
Strengths: SR Suntour XCT-V3 fork works well and does it's job on the trail. Shifter's work amazing as well as the crank and f/r derailleurs. Cool looking Frame and I haven't had a problem with any of the components.
Weaknesses: None, considering the price.
Bottom Line:
Great Trail Bike first race with it is in a few months.
Bike Setup: Everything it came with except I switched the stock pedals out for my eggbeaters
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
wbrookes520
a Cross Country Rider
from chard,somerset,england
Date Reviewed: July 10, 2011
Strengths: frame is very good and stock headset is amazing for handling.
I would recommend this bike for a cross country trial but its not good for jumping.
Weaknesses: stock pedals are rubbish and cranks are very heavy.
Bike Setup: most stock but have changed wheels and derailliers and pedals.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
jan jakoubek
a Cross Country Rider
from Clonme,Ireland
Date Reviewed: June 4, 2011
Strengths: frame, breaks,weight
Weaknesses: shifters,front derailleur and absolutely terrible SADDLE
Bottom Line:
Great looking bike with nice design and very good price for model 2011. Dont even think to go far with original saddle because this need to be replace immediately. Front derailleur is not great and together wit shifters should be replace. But for this price is this great bike because all series Q is using the same frame. So,you get components exactly how much you pay ;o))
Submitted by
mcarrasc
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA, US
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2011
Strengths: Solid frame. Excelent for street and recreational xc. Price is fair for what you get.
Weaknesses: Considering the price, none
Bottom Line:
Bough this bike because I didn't know how serious I wanted to ride. As soon as you start to get into technical riding such as climbing, DH, and long rides you will se the parts you need to upgrade.
First, the fork isway too heavy.
Saddle too hard
drivetrain is just 8 speed and crank is also way to heavy
tiers are not good for cornering
wheelset also heavy
and I could go on with each and every part.
So now I jus have the original frame, which I like, but I practically have changed every other part.
This iis a good bike if you want to upgrade later or for light xc rides.
I'm not sure why this bike is priced so low. The Components are great, the weight is Ideal and the geometry could not be better. I could have easily spent more than $1000 on a Trek or Specialized but this bike won me over.
Submitted by
FuzzLinc
a Weekend Warrior
from Cairns, Qld, Australia
Date Reviewed: January 7, 2011
Strengths: The frame lines look awesome and the colour is great (black and red). Good components for entry level bike. Brakes are excellent for mechanical. Shifters work a treat. Tyres are a good allrounder. Strong and stiff.
Weaknesses: Forks aren't the best, grips started slipping after a few rides, no QR seat clamp.
Bottom Line:
Awesome entry level hardtail. Frame is a great base and I have already started upgrading. Could have easily bought a whole new bike to upgrade but I love this frame. Rockshox Sektor forks, Deore hydro brakes and shifters, SLX rims and Maxxis Ignitor tubeless tyres and I now have a rocket. Did my first eva race (Triple R, Cairns) and bike excelled. Could not have asked for a better bike to start off MTB. I'm hooked on the sport because of this bike. If you wanna start off on the right foot, the Q520 fits perfectly.
Bike Setup: As is but changed grips to Maxxis lock on after a few rides.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Bob S
a Weekend Warrior
from Miller Place, NY US
Date Reviewed: September 18, 2010
Strengths: great disk brakes, strong frame
Weaknesses: shifters could use an upgrade - doesn't hold alignment as well as I'd like
Bottom Line:
bought this bike in the spring when I decided to get back into the sport and don't regret it for a second. tried a few better-known mountain bikes before settling on the q520 - it just fit me really well. love the disk brakes & balance front to rear. read a lot of negatives on the fork, but it's fine for me right now. if anything, I'd plan on upgrading the rear shifter first. great bike for the money
Similar Products Used: G.T. avalanche 2.0 felt q720 06,
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Will728
a Weekend Warrior
from Murfreesboro, TN
Date Reviewed: September 14, 2010
Strengths: Great frame. Bike looks sick!
Weaknesses: saddle needs to be replaced immediately. Grips. Fork.
Bottom Line:
I love the look of this bike. It has a great frame that I'm looking forward to upgrading. The first time I rode the bike, the saddle couldn't have been more uncomfortable. I'd highly recommend this bike for a new mountain biker.
Bike Setup: stock except for WTB Speed V Comp saddle
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
BikeMaster
a Cross Country Rider
from west Bend WI, Us.
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2010
Strengths: The Frames is a Nice, reliable frame, and the overall bike has no objections to being bunny hopped over a log or two. The disc brakes are a plus.
Weaknesses: The Tire choice is an odd choice, seeing that The Rear tire bobs on rocky climbs, and gives me high road resistance. Also, the grips Suck And the fork could do withreplacing.
Bottom Line:
The q520 is a reliable, mountain bike sutable for Off and on road. i say to buy it and back it up with 2 thumbs up.
Submitted by
NerdSpecialK
a Weekend Warrior
from Rochester, NY
Date Reviewed: July 1, 2010
Strengths: Inexpensive, decent parts, solid frame, good base for upgrading
Weaknesses: Decent parts aren't the best (front fork could use a replacement), Little heavy
Bottom Line:
This is a solid bike to build upon over time. The stock parts are decent, but you can swap them out over time. It's the same frame as the higher level Felts in the Q-series. I personally couldnt afford a higher end bike up front, so I am upgrading what I want, with what I want over time. Eventually, will probably swap out this frame for a FS, and build this one back up, and hang onto it as a loaner/back up.
Similar Products Used: Tried a friends Specialized 29er with front susp. (Dart 3)
Bike Setup: 2010 Marzocchi 44 RLO, Avid BB7, Blackspire Ring God
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
jennie_b
a Weekend Warrior
from cordova, tn
Date Reviewed: April 21, 2010
Strengths: agile, jumps well
Weaknesses: frame is not as strong as I would have expected, parts are chipping away after less than three months weekend use
Bottom Line:
I'm not sure I'd buy this bike again. It isn't holding up as well as a cheap hybrid I purchased from Target some years back that I used for a number of years on the same trails.
Submitted by
fluffy95
a Weekend Warrior
from Milwaukee, WI, USA
Date Reviewed: March 6, 2010
Strengths: Very nice bike for the money. Gears shift easily and brakes are good. I like the tires because they're not to knobby for riding on the road but knobby enough for dirt and offroad. Very fast and again brakes provide a very safe and slow but not to slow stop. I also like that both tires are quick release.
Weaknesses: The seat is kind of hard. Hard to adjust seat height.
Bottom Line:
A very nice bike all round. More pros than cons. An american name. Great for the money.
Bike Setup: Maybe a softer seat for those people with sensitive butts
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
allen.coulson
a Cross Country Rider
from Chelmsford UK
Date Reviewed: December 13, 2009
Strengths: Solid and does well over reasonable cc trails. Excellent fat tyres make wet off road a bit easier. Excellently set up and kitted out by the shop - street legal. Gears just snap in straight away even when wet and muddy. Good seat. Looks good. The touch up paint included is a nice thought!
Weaknesses: Front sus is not much good. It collects mud rather than throws it off. Brakes are not very good - they certainly work but I'd prefer blocks rather than disks as it would mean a bit more safety without the added cost of better disks. Would have preferred an 18 inch frame but actually the 17 1/2 was good!
Bottom Line:
I cycle CC a lot in Gambioa and have returned to the UK and needed something to keep me fit! This bike is excellent value for money but the brakes are not up to much. I enjoy the ride - I take it out for a couple of hours every day and enjoy.
It is a low cost option but a good bike for the price.
im looking really hard on these two bikes. i was wondering if either of these 2 can take some punishment and still take me home at the end of the day. i will b going up and down t Read More »
Hey everyone,
First time poster here. I am looking to get back in to bike riding. I used to ride trails and BMX, but haven't really ridden seriously in well over ten years. W Read More »
Hey Everyone - I bought my Q520 the beginning of this year and have 200-ish miles on it and really want to upgrade the front fork. I rode some buddies Felt cycles and they have aft Read More »
The 2012 Q520 is up on the Felt website. I really like the new color. The price is about $50 higher than the 2011. It looks like some of the components are upgraded a bit, but the Read More »
