Gary Fisher Piranha XC Hardtail

4.34/5

(91 Reviews)

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MSRP : $929.99

Product Description

Frame: Gold Series 6061 T6 aluminum, G2 Geometry, butted and hydroformed tubing, cold-forged dropouts & BB
Wheels: Shimano M495 hubs, Bontrager Ranger disc rims, Bontrager Jones XR tires
Componentry: SRAM X.5 front derailleur, SRAM X.5 rear derailleur, SRAM X.5 shifters, Shimano FC-M442 crank, Shimano M486 hydraulic disc brakes
Suspension: RockShox Tora SL, 100mm travel, custom G2 Geometry 46mm offset crown

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Reviews 1 - 15 (91 Reviews Total)

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Overall Rating:

Value Rating:

Submitted by ViperGuy

Date Reviewed: September 17, 2012

Strengths:    Read my full review below. Great components for the buck. Provided years of use. Best brakes for the money. Decent fork and wheels.

Weaknesses:    Squeaky brakes, though doesn't affect performance. Slightly heavier than others.

Bottom Line:

I have owned and operated the green 2008 GF Piranha since I purchased it in May 08' for $740 new. As of this writing I have probably put over a thousand miles on this bike. The trails in my area have intermediate technicals with logs, moguls, and downed trees. Average trail ride is 10 miles.

This bike has been the best bang for my buck. The components have lasted five seasons and still perform great. In fact, I still have the original Bontrager tires! I only recently needed to get a tuneup, the SRAM X5 really has held up well with minor adjustments from time to time. The parts I have replaced were both done this year, an inner tube and a chain. I actually snapped the chain a couple years ago but was able to fix it and it went this long before snapping again. I'm a big, tall guy, 250lbs, so I changed the seat immediately. I do put more than average stress on bikes because of my weight and the only component other than the chain that may need replacing five seasons later is the crank bearing. It still works fine, just clicks a little. I don't know why other people are complaining about the tire, I have tried other people's bikes with supposedly better tires but I don't notice a difference. I get great grip and phenomenal wear. The Shimano brakes are incredible, I actually had to wax and polish the front rotor because it stopped too well and I have actually flipped over the handlebars! I have never had to change the brake fluid or the pads, it still stops as good as the day I bought it. The Tora 302 fork is actually better than the Dart series that was offered at the time on other bikes. To upgrade from this, I would have to spend $1500 or more before I'd get a noticeably better bike. I just tested out several sub $1600 bikes and I can't justify the upgrade other than saving a couple pounds of weight. To buy a bike with similar quality components today, you would have to spend over a grand. I may retire the bike after next year, but only to get a 29'er.

It's too bad Trek quit making this bike with all the great stuff it had for the price.

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Submitted by Chad

Date Reviewed: July 18, 2012

Strengths:    Durable Frame, Nice Geometry, Great Brakes, Nice Grips, Decent Suspension

Weaknesses:    On the Heavier Side, Ugly Paint design (I had a 2006 though --and paint- who cares? Lol), Terrible Tires

Bottom Line:

I had a 2006 Piranha and loved it. It was my first MTB and held up very well on numerous agressive single-track and off-road runs. After one season of riding just about every other weekend (mostly about 10 miles/weekend on single-track) it required a tune-up (mainly brakes), but this can be expected. As others have reported, the tires weren't the best, but the brakes were excellent --until I needed the tune-up. Overall, I would highly recommend this bike to other riders.

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Submitted by Zach Hansen

Date Reviewed: May 16, 2012

Strengths:    Price, brakes, drivetrain

Weaknesses:    Weight, wheels

Bottom Line:

The best part of this bike is the price it is hard to find a sram drivetrain and shimano brakes

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Submitted by Ape Doctor a Cross Country Rider from England

Date Reviewed: June 21, 2011

Strengths:    Great value, very solid. Bought late 2005 (when the 2006 version first came out), and its survived everything. It's fairly light weight, and a similar spec bike now costs nearly double!

Weaknesses:    Tyres, utter rubbish. Very little grip, clogged up far too easily. Front mech could be better. The Manitou forks are pretty bad. I rode them into the ground over the six years, and finally gave way earlier this year. Replaced with some OnOne carbon's, and it feels smoother, more comfortable and a lot faster.

Bottom Line:

Very solid bike. The frame is decent, and plenty of chance to upgrade. I've upgraded tyres (a must!) cranks and front mech. The rest is holding solid. The fork isn't the best, but is survivable!

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   More than 3 years

Price Paid:    $450.00

Similar Products Used:   Various similar and better bikes

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Submitted by dramsay1996 a Cross Country Rider from Maine

Date Reviewed: April 8, 2011

Strengths:    Awesome Geometry, Tough, Down Tube Blocks Mud, Handles Very Well

Weaknesses:    Heavy, White Set Gets dirty

Bottom Line:

This is an awesome bike, bought a 2009 for 699 and got everything I was looking for. Durable bike with a great fork and hydraulic brakes. Very good price for something with hydraulic brake. The G2 geometry is great for high-speed handling. It has a big cockpit and a short rear triangle which gives you better handling downhill while keeping the wheelbase fairly short. Also it is tough bike. Its taken quite a beating since I bought it about a month ago and everything works fine. The hydro formed down tube is extra wide, and blocks mud coming off the front wheel (not sure if trek intended this or not, but works!) The one downside is that the bike is quite heavy. I'm 15 years old and I can do a substantial bunny hop on it, but nothing huge. I'd rather have a heavy, durable bike than a light, delicate bike, so it works for me. I'd recommend this bike to anyone looking for a durable mountain bike at a good value.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Essex Street Woods

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Price Paid:    $699.00

Purchased At:   Bar Harbor Bicycle (

Similar Products Used:   Gary Fisher Tarpon

Bike Setup:   2009 with stock

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Submitted by kb100 a Weekend Warrior from Oneonta,AL

Date Reviewed: February 20, 2011

Strengths:    Frame,great looks,handling,stopping power.

Weaknesses:    pedals

Bottom Line:

AWSOME bike.I know more experienced riders could probably pick my bike apart with things they don't like but,this is my first mountain bike from a bike shop.When you go from a "retail giant's" bike to a quality bike from a bike shop the difference is amazing.I agree the pedals are not great but,that is the only complaint I have at this time.Lightweight,smooth,and a front fork that actually works !
I know the components aren't the best out there but ,if it ain't broke then why change it ?

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   TRussville

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Price Paid:    $700.00

Purchased At:   WigsWheels of Annist

Similar Products Used:   nothing similar,all "box store"bikes up until this point.

Bike Setup:   All stock,added a Trek incite 8i computer

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Submitted by Tree_Wrapper a Racer from WI

Date Reviewed: July 11, 2010

Strengths:    Solid Frame and great stopping power

Weaknesses:    Aside from the brakes all components are trash, had entire rear components rip off of bike while riding to the trails.

Bottom Line:

Great frame for your buck, components need to be disguarded.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   John Muir La Grange WI

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $729.00

Purchased At:   Sheboygan Bicycle Co

Similar Products Used:   None

Bike Setup:   Stock, just replaced entire back end with XT cassette, SRAM X9 rear, and XT chain

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Submitted by Rex4599 a Weekend Warrior from BC, Canada

Date Reviewed: June 20, 2010

Strengths:    The frame is strong I use the 2010 version for some dirt jumping
It's a great bike for what you pay for.

Weaknesses:    The seat is horrible it hurts my tail bone soooo much
the fork is a bit heavy

Bottom Line:

A very solid bike I recommend it!!!

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Silly beaver park

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $800.00

Purchased At:   Trail bycicles

Bike Setup:   WTB Jaxon v dirt jumping seat

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Submitted by gregarfish a Cross Country Rider from New Jersey

Date Reviewed: June 1, 2010

Strengths:    Good durable components, good geometry

Weaknesses:    Tires are junk and the saddle hurts the more your break it in. Brakes might need some fiddling to get working properly.

Bottom Line:

I'm reviewing the 2008 model. Stock, this is a great lower end bike for the most part. The components are solid and reliable. My only complaints are the tires, saddle and brakes. The stock Jones XR tires are heavy, don't grip, and pinch flat like crazy if you run them below 35 PSI. The saddle is plain uncomfortable, and seems to get worse the more you ride it. The brakes work well, but might squeak and sometimes don't work that great. I don't know the specifics, but they're finicky. Overall though, this bike is a great bike, and I highly recommend picking one up.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Price Paid:    $800.00

Purchased At:   High Gear Cyclery

Similar Products Used:   Older cannondales, fishers, wal-mart bikes

Bike Setup:   Kenda Excavators 2.1, Eggbeaters, WTB Rocket V saddle, FSA bash guard, ODI Lock ons, X9 rd

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Submitted by patrick2cents a Cross Country Rider from new bern, nc

Date Reviewed: May 21, 2010

Strengths:    great components for the price! geometry is awesome and overall it is a very solid bike.

Weaknesses:    a personal preference, but I wasn't a fan of the saddle. Everyone is going to change pedals for clipless so i can't fault them for cheap flats....

Bottom Line:

awesome bike for the price! it will take about anything in the xc realm and a few drops/jumps to boot! I've loved it. I'm not quite sure why everyone hates the Jones XR tires; if you run more than 30-35 psi you have it pumped up WAY too much. I don't get pinch flats and I run it hard. Just my luck I guess!

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   pirahnna pit

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Price Paid:    $800.00

Purchased At:   the bike shop, jacks

Bike Setup:   Egg Beater pedals and a new saddle is the only swap so far!

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Submitted by jaredr68 a Weekend Warrior from Mount Pleasant MI

Date Reviewed: April 30, 2010

Strengths:    Pretty much everything besides the tires and pedals, although I definitely wouldn't mind upgrading the rear derailleur in the next couple months from the sram x5 to the x9 but not in a rush to do that

Weaknesses:    The bontrager tires blow, I read all the reviews about how people were getting flats the first day on very basic riding and thought that wouldn't happen to me but sure enough the day I get the bike my rear tire goes flat while doing some regular riding on a very plan trail. The pedals kind of sucked too, only one side actually had grip on it so if your pedals ever slipped off you have to make sure that they are set up the right way.

Bottom Line:

I love this bike, it was a huge step up from my GT Avalanche, I am no longer nervous hitting really technical trails or worried about my bike not being able to break or take a couple foot drop. I love how this bike feels and looks, the G2 geometry is pretty nice it puts you a little more forward which is nice for me because I ride a crotch rocket during the summer too so I'm already used to being in that position. This bike is a great buy for the money I would highly recommend it

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Highland Rec

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Price Paid:    $750.00

Purchased At:   Terry's Cycles

Similar Products Used:   Not really in the same category at all but a GT avalanche

Bike Setup:   All stock besides Mosh Half Step pedals (have so much better grip) and WTB Velociraptor front and rear tires

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Submitted by SadikOne1 a Cross Country Rider from Athens, Ga

Date Reviewed: April 29, 2010

Strengths:    G2 Geo, Stability, cornering, handling, sturdy, very nice intermediate components, fast despite weight, mineral oil disc brakes!

Weaknesses:    tires suck, fork squeaks like a bat-outta-hell, stock pedals are garbage

Bottom Line:

what a bike. no seriously, this was my first TRUE mountain bike and I gotta say, I am truly impressed. From the cornering capabilities to the ride quality, this is a great bike for an even better price! despite the fact that I've owned this bike for 3 months, I've put a decent 100 miles on it for sure and it has not let me down!

however, the tires suck. there's no getting around that but that an easy fix. I could be a lot faster if I trusted my tired but I really don't so I'm more cautious when going fast which is something I'd like to change. But nothing annoys me more on this bike than the Fork. DAMN this thing squeaks!!!! I need to change it ASAP and I'm looking to go FOX for sure.

The rest of the bike however, component-wise, is pretty legit. Don't let the intermediate category of the X-5 setup hold you back because these are pretty legit shifters! I need to adjust mine but that is because I ride this bike like hell and in the 100 miles I've put on it, I haven't had them adjusted once. Now that's a sign you got a great bike here. Seat is also pretty nice! but needs to be broken in and that happens at around mile 50.

over all, this bike is AMAZING for a hardtail but it definitely needs to be broken in. Also, make sure that you get the right frame size because that can make a world of difference! with the right frame you will be IN the bike, not ON the bike ;]

5/5 all around for this awesome Fisher!!

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Ft. Yargo State Park

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Price Paid:    $850.00

Purchased At:   The HUB in Athens (a

Similar Products Used:   specialized fsr, cannondale f8, univega 550 alpina

Bike Setup:   stock except for Wellgo clipless pedals

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Submitted by Odin Bane a Cross Country Rider from Brainerd, Minnesota USA

Date Reviewed: April 25, 2010

Strengths:    G2 Geometry, frame in general. Its very strong. Spectacular components for what your paying, hydraulic disc brakes.

Weaknesses:    Tires are kind of sketchy sometimes and wear out odd. Pedals are rubbish, but thats just how bikes usually are so no biggy. I personally don't care for the grips, so i just wear gloves. That's being super picky though.

Bottom Line:

Very good bike for the price, good low intermediate bike. It's a really good starter bike because it comes out of the box good, and you can upgrade as you get more into it and finding what your demands are. It is a good XC bike, that can take some abuse. Very good especially if you like tighter twistier trails and if yoy like boming down a fast trail too because the G2 gemoetry actually lives up to what they say it does.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   anything

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Price Paid:    $995.00

Purchased At:   LBS

Similar Products Used:   Trek 6500, Scott Aspect 45

Bike Setup:   Stock, just Time Atac clipless pedals.

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Submitted by zigs16 a Weekend Warrior from Wexford, PA, USA

Date Reviewed: March 21, 2010

Strengths:    No major problems at all. Great cross country bike. Climbs well and is very responsive, but I don't recommend bringing it to a freeride park. It got pretty shooken up and everything need to be readjusted.

Weaknesses:    Shimano disc brakes tend to squeak on steep declines, stock pedals aren't very good.

Bottom Line:

If you're into a lot of xc, this is your bike. Unless you know what you're doing, I do not recommend this for any drops or big jumps.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Price Paid:    $750.00

Purchased At:   Trek of Pittsburgh

Bike Setup:   Wellgo B-103 pedals, stock everything else

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Submitted by Red_Bellied a Weekend Warrior from CLT

Date Reviewed: February 17, 2010

Strengths:    frame, brakes, ultra responsive, great components package for price

Weaknesses:    TIRES SUCK

Bottom Line:

Just feels great! So responsive -G2 is the real thing! I felt instantly confident on it, I chose it over a '10 Cannondale F5. I've beat it up pretty good on it's first two outings. Fork feels good setup loose w/ quick rebound. Front brake makes an awful sound wet, but works just as great. As far as first impressions go, this thing's awesome!

BUT, tires are horrible! They roll fast on concrete and hard packed ground, but loose dirt and clay/mud are it's kryptonite. Bontrager Jones XR came w/ bike. Trade them at point of purchase! I'm going back to Trek this wkend to ask for a trade -Kenda Nevegals work.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Price Paid:    $699.00

Purchased At:   Trek Charlotte

Similar Products Used:   Giant Yukon

Bike Setup:   '09 Piranha, factory + bar ends + chain guard

Reviews 1 - 15 (91 Reviews Total)

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Gary Fisher Piranha XC Hardtail

Product Description

User Reviews

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