Strengths: Lightweight, well built, cool looking damper thingy.
Weaknesses: Doesn't have lots of travel, bumper makes sound similar to loose headset when it is active.
Bottom Line:
I rode the XC Team (904R) for a year and never got used to the pedal bob. I had this frame on my wall since 2005 and wanted to see if it was worth the money I paid for it. Turns out it's a nice blend of give in the rear with the lateral stiffness and hammer-ability of a steel frame. It's way lighter than any full suspension not priced in the stratoshphere and you can hammer on it like a hardtail and not feel like you're riding a pogo stick. I think this is my new favorite rig for racing. If you're going over 4 hours or racing 24 hrs, I'd stick with an XC full suspension. Great for XC racing, however.
Bike Setup: Reba Race with lockout, TruVativ Stylo cranks, SUn XC Flea rims with Ringle hubs, Sram XO all 'round, XTR Front derailler, Maxxis Larsen TT tires, XTR pedals, Avid Juicy 7 brakes.
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Submitted by
Wade McCormick
a Weekend Warrior
from San Marcos, California, USA
Date Reviewed: June 17, 2007
Strengths: Price, Design
Weaknesses: Cheap looking dropouts, Begs for redesign of Power Tools damper. Air shock?
Bottom Line:
Extremely comfortable ride over xc terrain. A great lo cost alternative to make a unique bike for less than most framesets. Maintains momentum better than FS. Much lighter than most. Between the shock absorbing UST tires, damper, carbon post, and springy saddle it's giving 2 inches of travel, plenty for going fast and taking chances. You cant go wrong with this frameset.
Similar Products Used: Full Suspension and Hardtails
Bike Setup: Specialized BG 443 saddle,Full Ritchey WCS Carbon cockpit with 31.8 riser bar, King HS, Avid Speed Dial SL levers, Black Box Ultimate w/ceramic rim brakes. Marzocchi Marathon SL fork, Mavic Crossmax XL wheels w/New Python dedicated tubless tires/Stans sealed, SRAM Attack 8 speed twist shift, Odia Ruffian locking grips, Full XTR drive train, 180 cranks, Crank Bro's Eggbeaters
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Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: July 27, 2006
Strengths: The frame is very light. It takes the edge off the trails. Great climber.
Weaknesses: the frame flexes from side to side.
Bottom Line:
I bought the frame and transfered the parts from my Klein Palomino. The palomino handle well but felt to bulky. I wanted something that would absorb some of the trail but not feel like a tank. This frame was perfect. It is fast and efficient. You get the hardtail handling and climbing but you are not fatigued from the trail abuse at the end of the ride. Buy this bike if you like the hardtail idea but not the hardtail abuse. It takes just enough of the edge off.
Similar Products Used: trek 9800, santa cruz chameleon
Bike Setup: XTR dual control shifter/levers, XTR crank, rear derailuer, xt front, bontrager race x lite wheels, bontrager xxx lite riser bar, race face seat post
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Submitted by
Sam
a Cross Country Rider
from Valrico, FL USA
Date Reviewed: May 4, 2006
Strengths: Light, fast, durable
Weaknesses: none that I have noticed
Bottom Line:
Bottom line? I wanted to write this for folks looking to buy a frame or bike that will travel up a hill with no problems, fly down a hill enough to make you say, "oh !@#$$#!" And take anything you can pretty much give. and it has that little PowerTool shock on the back (that really works). I take jumps, bumps, berms, drops (I am 38 of course, so I don't drop off roof tops anymore - hey, I got kids!) I am 5'8" 160 lean pounds, and this ride set up works just fine. I came off of a KHS FR2000 bomber, and I would take this frame any day (I also have rode MKIII Ironhorse and till like the KHS). It's just a wonderful bike, loose, fast and able to climb like a mofo. Its made for cross country riders who like to get a little squirrelly every now and again and at Alafia Trail in Tampa, FL (Florida's best kept MTB secret), it eats it up.
Bike Setup: Everything carbon fiber (Easton) that can be; Shimano XT; MRP Downhill chainguide; 9 gear Shimano XT cassette; Salsa Chainring front; Bontrager Race wheels, GEAX Tires; Hayes hydros; FSA carbon cranks...the ride is schweet
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Submitted by
Luis T. Toro
a Cross Country Rider
from Ponce, Puerto Rico
Date Reviewed: October 9, 2005
Strengths: Light weight, confortable ride, very stable and fast ride.
Weaknesses: I bought frame only, so the only weakness is a "clack" sound when the shock activates. But it doesn't affect the ride. I think a design with a better shock could be a hit for KHS.
Bottom Line:
This bike has an awesome and confort ride. It feels practically like a hardtail, so you don't lose any energy in pedal induced things, but with a SOFTER ride. It is fast and with an incredible stability. I recomend it for those XC riders that are afraid to jump to full supension bikes. If you are a hard core downhiller or freerider don't buy it, it doesn't absorb big hits, even medium hits. It is perfect for long endurance rides or races, like the Puerto Rico Survival MTB Challenge where I was 9 hour 42 minutes in the saddle.
Similar Products Used: Giant MCM Team Carbon frame,Giant XTC Team frame(aluminum with rear carbon)
Bike Setup: Old XTR (46 ring)crankset,SRAM shifters, SRAM 9.0 rear and new XTR front derailleurs, Mavic Disc CrossMax,IRD mechanical disc brakes. Hutchinson Python Tubeless Tires
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Submitted by
Phil
a Racer
from newmarket,ontario,canada
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2005
Strengths: light weight quik strong good tires
Weaknesses: pedels/chain front berrings
Bottom Line:
awsome good quality bike with good components, pick up one today at havy's bike shop. only serious riders should buy this bike, dont buy it if you suck.
Bike Setup: rok shox sid world cup xtr sprockets/chain/cables shimano deor lx front berrings shimano pedels
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Submitted by
Vance Nall
a Cross Country Rider
from Shelby Township, MI, USA
Date Reviewed: April 14, 2005
Strengths: Quick bike with fast responses to your actions. It is light and the parts are top notch.
Weaknesses: The only weaknesses that came with the bike were the pedals and the chain.
Bottom Line:
This is a very light bike that provides great Cross Country performance. I was a little nervous at first in purchasing this type of bike but it was money well spent. I didn't need a bike with a lot of travel but wanted to be able to take the edge off. This bikes does just that and comes in very light. The components are very good and I have rode the bike about 8 times on the trails and it has performed nicely. I would definitely recommended this bike for someone looking to get a little give in the back without sacrificing weight.
Bike Setup: Stock except for the Dura-Ace Chain and the Xpedo SL/CR pedals
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Zach Handler
a Racer
from Minneapolis
Date Reviewed: April 10, 2005
Strengths: Light, snappy, better comfort and control over washboard and rocks and roots compared to hardtail.
Weaknesses: Lack of rebound damping. A sudden bumb doesn't jar your back like a hardtail, but it can "bounce" you. Softail mechanism squeeked until I lubed the bolt attaching it to the seat tube; no problems since.
Bottom Line:
I love this bike. I feel very fast on it. I think the softail helps it hold a hard leaned corner without skipping or washing out. Noticibly more comfortable than a hardtail, especially over washboard at speed. This is good in a long rough race course as you can spend more time in the saddle powering the wheels. The softail Cushions drops a bit too. Make no mistake though, this rides much more like a hardtail than an FS bike. Get on a duelie and it feels very cush compared to the KHS. The softail is a rare breed, so people ask questions and are curious to ride it. The bike is sold with a riser bar. I find it rides more like a trail bike with the riser bar - good over obstacles, easy to get the front wheel up. But the extra width and height makes it slower around tight corners and slower up hills. If you want the race bike feel i'd go with a flat bar.
Bike Setup: Bought frame and then built up for speed. Skareb super, Avid mechanical disk brakes, XT shifters, ultegra rear deraileur and cassette, Sun Ringle disk jockey wheels, IRC Mythos XC tires.
Hey boyz. We're back in town and will probably ride Little Creek tomorrow, and maybe a short one on Saturday before packing up and flying out of Vegas Saturday evening. Anyone up Read More »
Homers in Kanada! In conjunction with Boo Cocky Crew of the Phoenix area, we will be going up to Whistler around July 26th-August 2nd. We'll have the final dates by middle of Read More »
Hey Team Sanchez would like to let any individuals or parties in the neighborhood for interbike that we'll be riding either the Barrels, Zen (possibly both....dos mesas) or the AMA Read More »
Hey Team Sanchez would like to let any individuals or parties in the neighborhood for interbike that we'll be riding either the Barrels, Zen (possibly both....dos mesas) or the AMA Read More »
I'd like to put together a corporate team for the 25 hour Frog Hollow race. Please know in advance that this is a "for the fun of it" evolution.
A corporate team must have at a Read More »
