Submitted by
Jon
a Cross Country Rider
from Tulsa, OK, USA Date Reviewed: June 5, 2009
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
Good all rounder. Not too heavy, but still stiff. Handles and climbs well, works the technical comfortably. Price is right. Suspension is just active enough to work well, but not overactive where it affects the efficiency of your pedaling.
Weaknesses:
BB is a little low compared to what I rode previously. Seatpost clamp is kinda funky but it still works. May upgrade the rear shock to something a bit more adjustable over time, but for the price it's working just fine... lockout is not needed on this bike.
Similar Products Used:
Jamis Dakar (99-2002), Giant AC Air (2002-2008). Also demo'd and ridden. SC Bullit, Specialized Enduro, and Trek Top Fuel SSL.
Bike Setup:
05 Marz AM3 AIR (130) fork, Raceface Deus Crank, Cane Creek Zonos Wheels, Avid Elixir brakes, Nevegal Tires, Speedplay Frogs, Sram Shifting... Everything else is Titec Hellbent Prolite.
Bottom Line:
I'm coming off several years of riding nothing but a Giant AC air which was basically a trail-bike with free-ride leanings. I wanted something that still had all mountain capability but was a little more on the XC side... and that's exactly what I got.
The BMC is a good all round trail bike. It can be built up fairly light, has trail-bikeish travel (5"). It handles and turns in like an XC bike but still has the capability to bomb through technical sections without being too twitchy or rough. Climbs fine, suspension does not compress very much at all from pedaling even the steepest stuff. Very impressed with the efficiency of the suspension under power.
I'm 6' tall pretty average build guy 175lbs. 19" frame fits really well with a 100-110mm stem. Head angle is just right with a 130mm fork. Any less and it'd be too twitchy, and more and it wouldn't turn in as well.
For the money I cant imagine finding a better frame so value = highest.
If seatpost clamp was not integrated (thus replaceable) or at least functioned better as a QR clamp I'd give it the highest rating overall, but they integrated it and you have to crank the bolts down to eliminate slippage thus negating the fact that it's has a QR lever.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ramrod
a Weekend Warrior
from florida Date Reviewed: September 21, 2008
Favorite Trail:
santos trailhead
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2900.00
Purchased At:
cycle shop germany
Strengths:
bikes tracks awesome!no flex,able to take on any trail i throw it to,specially singletrack...
Weaknesses:
paint chip to easy,rear shock need to upgrade to rp23,after the upgrade on rear shock,bikes rides much better than stock xm180
Similar Products Used:
giant trance x1,stumpy,weyless xp,yeti 575
Bike Setup:
2008 fox f32 rlc,xt driveline,dt swiss wheelset,rp23,magura marta brakes,carbon handlebar and seatpost
Bottom Line:
bike is worth spending all the money,no cheap component like other bike,you have to pay $5000.00 to get a decent component
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric Foltz
a Cross Country Rider
from Lake Forest, CA, USA Date Reviewed: March 7, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Gooseberry Mesa
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At:
Adrenaline
Strengths:
Light (frame & shock, 6 lbs), great climber, stable descender.
5" version, Fox RP23, Rock Shock Pike 454, Race Face Deus Crankset, X9 Twist Shift, RD: X9, FD: XT, FW: Ringle Abbas/Sun SOS, RW: DT Swiss 340/Mavic 321, Bar/Stem: TruVativ, Seat/Post: Kore Enduro/SDG I-Beam
Bottom Line:
I demo'd a bunch of bikes before trying this one and have to say that this is exactly what I was looking for. A 5" bike that is light and fast like a XC racer but sturdy enough for long epic trail rides. The relaxed head angle and ability to take a 140mm fork make this a dream bike for technical singletrack. It is an extemely efficient pedaler making me wonder if I wasted money upgrading to the RP23. On my first ride, I took 4 minutes off my best time on one of my regular 23 mile rides and I wasn't even trying. Handled the technical downhills great and climbs even better.
Who should buy: Riders looking for an efficient all-day trailbike.
Who Shouldn't buy: Rider's looking for something to take to a bike park.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Darin
a Racer
from La Canada, CA U.S.A. Date Reviewed: June 23, 2007
Favorite Trail:
El Prieto
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Purchased At:
Pasadena Cyclery
Strengths:
This bike is amazingly fast uphill and squirrely but surprisingly controllable on the trail. This bike is light, looks good, and climbs like a beast.
Weaknesses:
Not the best bike for drops, better suited for fast XC trails and climbs. Not as solid during drops as the Foes FXR.
Grea bike for XC trails with not many drops. Sram shifters annoying but those are changeable so it doesn tmatter. Overall this bike is light, fast on the hills, steers perfectly and is a great XC bike. It is not my choice since I enjoy drops and hate climbing but it is an excellent choice.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doug
a Racer
from Pittsburgh Date Reviewed: January 22, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Trizilla.com
Strengths:
light bike, quick in and out of turns, rear suspension was better than the blur and other bikes. comfortable seat positions, adjustable rear shock, super wheels, disc brakes and tires!
Weaknesses:
2.5 maxxis tires unneccessary, handle bars too wide for set up- single track. would be even better if stocked with lock out fork up front.
Similar Products Used:
santa cruz blur, kona, cannondale prophet, gary fisher fat possum, and giant reign
Bike Setup:
all stock, except maxxis 2.5 tires.
Bottom Line:
a great singletrack speedster and climber, smooth feel from front fork, no "BOB" from rear suspension, take the bigger hits and still climb back up hill to repeat and roost downhill again and again! it will be my all mountain bike so i can get rid of extra cross country bike since is light enough to do both.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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