Submitted by
eddie kryk
a Weekend Warrior
from Houston Date Reviewed: October 18, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Any that challenges you
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Off of MTBR Marketpl
Strengths:
Quality frame Point and shoot handling Can be built up to a
lightweight bike if desired
Weaknesses:
Stand over height but that has been changed for 2010
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Superlite Ventana El Feugo Titus Racer X
Bike Setup:
08 frame F100RLC Crossmax SLs Magura Martas XT and Sram Thomson post and stem King headset and Monkeylite bar
Bottom Line:
I have an 09 racer x that is a helluva bike in its own right The Ellsworth is a bit quicker in tight singletrack
and climbs as well as the Titus The Ellie loves to go fast
and is pretty stable at speed I have just ordered a 2010 Truth with full Xtr so after some miles I will review that
bike
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
semalmberg
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Springs Date Reviewed: April 17, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Anything in Moab
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$4500.00
Purchased At:
Wrench Science
Strengths:
Great customer service in my opinion. Great all around bike. Can be configured as a decent trail bike OR a XC racer just by swapping wheels/tires. Very smooth, efficient suspension. Never used lockout on the rear - no need, especially with pro-pedal.
Weaknesses:
Haven't found one yet. Great bike for it's intended purpose.
Similar Products Used:
Diamond Back, Univega, Raleigh
Bike Setup:
XT, XTR, Fox TALAS, Fox Float R Pro-Pedal, Thomson, TRUVATIV, Kenda
Bottom Line:
My warranty story: This is my 2nd Truth frame, which I just got replaced. My 2003 frame broke low down on the seat-stay. In 2003 Ellsworth still had a lifetime warranty. They replaced it with a 2009 model (front triangle) which has seen MUCH evolution since 2003, all for the better ... higher BB, angles a smidge relaxed, more standover, longer wheelbase. The whole ordeal, from the time I sent in my broken frame until I received the new frame from Ellsworth, took all of 10 DAYS!!! I couldn't believe it! I got great personalized service from everyone I dealt with at Ellsworth AND Wrench Science. This is a great all around bike that does almost everything well at ~25 lbs. It's not a hard-core trail bike so don't expect it to be. I highly recommend this bike, and based on my experience it seems their customer service is much improved over some of the other posters here.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
michael9218
a Cross Country Rider
from Alpharetta, GA USA Date Reviewed: March 21, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Chickopee, Blankets
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
IE Bikes
Strengths:
Incredible riding XC bike. Does everything well. Light and nimble, soaks up bumps and climbs like a hardtail. Very nimble.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Replaced a Schwinn Homegrown Factory Team hardtail.
Bike Setup:
Vintage 8 speed XTR, Rockshox SID Team, Avid Arch Supreme V brakes, Speeddream custom wheels(Chris King hubs). 23.5 lb bike.
Bottom Line:
I've been riding this bike for 5 years with no issue. I couldn't be more satisfied with this frame. The bike is an absolute joy to ride. Hopefully I won't have an issue with the frame strength. If it does, I'll replace with another. This frame is too good to replace.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jonstoops
a Weekend Warrior
from Waco, TX, USA Date Reviewed: March 9, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Vortex
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1400.00
Purchased At:
craigslist
Strengths:
Light, fast, great geometry, about everything you can think of...
Weaknesses:
none yet.
Similar Products Used:
Giant NRS 1, Specialized Epic
Bike Setup:
Fox Float 100 RL, Hayes 9 Hydros, XT/XTR crank, shifters & derailleurs, Rockshox MC 3.3 (came OEM and I love it), Nevegal in the front, Crossmark in the back, Mavic/XT wheelset
Bottom Line:
Best bike I've ever owned. I'm a faster and more capable rider on this bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Simon
a Weekend Warrior
from Canberra Australia Date Reviewed: February 7, 2009
Favorite Trail:
The one I'm on
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Bike Culture
Strengths:
The way it climbs, the way it descends, the way it makes me look like a better rider!
Weaknesses:
None yet
Similar Products Used:
Fisher Cake, Fisher Hi Fi, various hardtails and my Surly 1x
Bike Setup:
Fox F100RLC 15mm, XTR / XR, King headset and rear hub, Hadley front hub, Thomson seatpost, Ritchey carbon bars etc
Bottom Line:
I was worried when I read these reviews just after having taken delivery of the frame. Thought I was going to have a broken bike and bad warranty issues, but six months of lugging my 95kg on Stromlo, Majura etc on average 3 times per week and not one issue, Nothing.
The bike makes me look good, and is by far the best dually I've ever owned. I couldn't do last years 24 hr, and a fast riding mate broke his bike right at the start. he took the Truth out and thumped out fast laps. On an unfamiliar bike.
I don't jump or do drops, and I chose a bike that didn't need to meet those requirements. maybe that is why it is still running sweet.
Friend with an Evolve loves his and has zero issues with it, and he does like a bit of air under him, and has had the bike down the world class downhill course.
I'd like to say that perhaps skill is the missing ingredient, but then I have very little and my bike is fine.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cleptich
a Cross Country Rider
from El Centro Date Reviewed: September 19, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Anything Dirt
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Purchased At:
Finish Line Pro Bike
Strengths:
Smooth suspension that works. Sealed Bearings last forever and require no maintenance.
Weaknesses:
Broke the frame back in 2004 (after four years). The frame cracked on the seat tube below the gusset. Factory and LBS (Finish Line Pro Bike Shop) worked together to resolve the problem.
Similar Products Used:
Klein Attitude circa 1990.
Bike Setup:
Fox air up front and out back. Plush
Bottom Line:
Back in 2000 when I was researching a bike that worked and wasn't someone's (any other brand) experiment. The Truth stood out with the four bar linkage and Horst Link. Now look at the industry, everyone has some sort of copy.
This is a race bike meant to be light and fast. Not heavy and bomb proof. If you treat it right it will last some time.
It is unfortunate what I read about the customer service at Ellsworth. I haven't had the same experience. Maybe Ellsworth should improve and maybe customers need to remember that customer service reps are people too.
See you on the trail.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sammy Al-doory
a Weekend Warrior
from Akron,ohio USA Date Reviewed: December 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
towpath
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
3500 beyond bikes
Strengths:
climbs well
Weaknesses:
hard to get good fit poor customer service. company allows questionable shop to carry its products
Similar Products Used:
fisher sugar
Bike Setup:
xt
Bottom Line:
When I bought this bike,The rear derailluer/cage was too small.andthe rear wheel was not dished properly. Beyond Bikes Made me pay for the shipping on the derailleur and never reimbursed me for the money I had to spend on the wheel dishing.Also, during the sales pitch, Kerry who I believe is a sales manager,says to me "Ellsworth is the only frame in the shop that I will buy back fom you if you don't like it" Right. When I mentioned this, I heard a tirade you wouldn't believe. Needless to say this never happened. I can't ride thisbike on anything but general use trails and for errands. There are too many stories about broken frames and dishonored warranties. I don't want to have to deal with their customer "service"
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd Smith
a Cross Country Rider
from San Antonio, TX Date Reviewed: November 2, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Anything in Hawaii
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
Manufacturer
Strengths:
Solid Welds, Light, Frame Design and Customer Service
Weaknesses:
None yet...
Similar Products Used:
Litespeed, Trek and Kona
Bike Setup:
Fox 100mm Terra Logic, XTR, Chris King
Bottom Line:
Wow.. I can't believe those slams on Ellsworth CS. I bought a 05 Truth on Ebay and then I found a crack at the top tube/seat tube. Called Ellsworth CS and the warranty guy Kevin gave me a RA# for a "No Fault Replacement". This was a week before the Interbike show! Ellsworth received the frame on Friday the day before Interbike. Then I receievd my frame with a new front triangle for the grand total of $500 3 weeks after I sent it out. That's with the shop shut down for one week to attend Interbike. Tony Ellsworth even emailed me back a few times regarding my frame, super fast replys too. GREAT COMPANY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE..... O Ya, it rides awesome too!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott Adams
a Racer
from Ahwatukee, AZ, Maricopa Date Reviewed: October 21, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Mormon/National
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$4700.00
Purchased At:
Airpark Bikes
Strengths:
Suspension efficiency, superb handling under varied conditions
Weaknesses:
This is my second Ellsworth, the first was stolen and I stayed with the Brand but was subject to Absolutely Horrible customer service at Ellsworth, I actually got called an F**ker by the warranty x 208 him for asking about a warranty return on a bent Shock stay after 5 rides and a minor crash to my second Ellsworth. It took over 6 weeks for Airpark and Ellsworth to get me the crash replacement even though the factory stated that it should be "a couple of days" and the shop had several medium frames on the wall they could have poached the part from. Tony Ellsworth totally ignored my voicemail as well, I won't buy another $5000 bike from Ellsworth and can only hope to run into Tony or Cust svc. at a race to give them some personal feedback.
Similar Products Used:
Titus Racer X
Bike Setup:
Full XTR, Mavic SLR's, Avid Juicy 7, Manitou R7 Platinum,
Bottom Line:
Find another brand ! Seriously dissapointed in spending $5000 on my second Ellsworth and getting cussed at by customer service after 6 weeks to replace a part??? come on Ellsworth get it together or just license your suspension to someone who appreciates those of us who are willing to drop $5K on a bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Frank
a Cross Country Rider
from New Mexico USA Date Reviewed: October 17, 2007
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$4400.00
Purchased At:
Santa Fe
Strengths:
Chameleon-like personna. The near-perfect blend for xc racing, weekend trails, endurance events. Smooth and easy. Makes an average guy better.
Weaknesses:
Dialing in the set up was more involved than I've experienced on any other machine. Fine line between euphoria and frustration.
Similar Products Used:
Usual suspects.
Bike Setup:
XT this, XTR that
Bottom Line:
I am amazed to read the many recent posts regarding frame breaks. I checked mtbr before purchasing the Truth in '04 and (wrongly) figured the frame issues had been adequately resolved. It happened to me in August this year: full on seat tube crack. Took 2 months and many calls/emails to get the replacement. Initially, Ellsworth sent a used frame. I sent it back with assurances that sloppy seconds isn't my thing. From what I gather, I should consider myself lucky the new frame came in as quickly as it did. In the meantime, I returned to my '00 Fisher Sugar, which remains bulletproof despite numerous epic rides and races. Seriously considering the purchase of a Cannondale Scalpel. Test rode one recently and found it remarkable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Oliver
a Cross Country Rider
from Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: October 2, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Three Stage
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$3500.00
Purchased At:
Airbomb
Strengths:
Light, fast, excellent suspension, anodized paint is durable, good customer service at Ellsworth
Weaknesses:
Frame strength
Similar Products Used:
Epic, Stumpjumper
Bike Setup:
XT, Thompson, Avid juicy carbon, Mavic 317
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent XC racing bike. It handles singletrack beautifully. The suspension, when compared to an Epic, is superior on descents and rocky/rooty sections, but lags slightly on the climbs, due to Specialized's Brain platform.
My bike was an '02, but after five years of hard riding, the frame succumbed to fatique and cracked first at the swing arm by the bottom bracket, then at the brake welds on the seat stay, and finally on lower down tube. All cracks occurred in the 5th season within a short time of one another. Ellsworth customer service responded with excellent service, and parts were sent within a couple of weeks. Due to '07s redesign, I had to pay approx. $280 for the Fox Float shock replacement, which I believe is quite reasonable. The new frame colours (mine is red velvet), are simply gorgeous.
If you're a racer looking for a sweet ride and don't want a McBike, the Truth is a fine choice. Ellsworth customer service is excellent. Of note, however, is the warranty has changed from lifetime to two years, so be certain that your riding style suits the frame, otherwise you'll be out a large chunk of change. If you're a heavier rider who likes small drops or jumps, go for the more multi-purpose Epiphany.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Albuquerque, NM Date Reviewed: September 27, 2007
Favorite Trail:
why
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Strengths:
horst link
Weaknesses:
Broke top tube in 2 months. 4 months after frame returned, still don't have frame back.
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale, Niner
Bike Setup:
Fox, some Sram, some Shimano, Hope, Mavic
Bottom Line:
A number of my friends have Ellsworths. I bought one. The frame cracked in 2 months, sad. Worse, Ellsworth first sent the wrong size in return. Now? I still don't have the bike after waiting 4 months. There is some serious incompetence going down. I have since built a new ride that is not an Ellsworth. I don't recommend Ellsworth. I gave it a 1 for value because a frame should last more than 2 months. I gave it a 1 overall because the company has been disappointing to deal with.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alex
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City, UT Date Reviewed: September 14, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Little Creek
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
Wrench Science
Strengths:
1) Performance, handling, weight. Bike rides like a dream, as practically all other reviewers have stated. 2) Ellsworth honored warranty for frame & linkage.
Weaknesses:
1) It's a light frame, people ride them frequently and hard, which means you might break it. My frame broke clean through on the seat tube, just below the gusset supporting the rocker linkage. 2) Though my warranty experience turned out great, I did experience a bit of who's-on-first when dealing with Ellsworth... 3) Ellsworth has been criticized for a policy on "planned obsolescence" that can negatively impact the warranty experience. Though my warranty experience turned out great, I think there's some validity to the criticism.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized FSR Enduro, Litespeed Unicoi
Bike Setup:
SRAM X.0/XT, F100RLC, Cane Creek Cloud 9 XTR/517 wheels w/V-brakes
Bottom Line:
I have been, and continue to be, very happy with this bike. I did experience a frame break this year (while climbing!) and when I stripped the frame, I found a hairline crack in the linkage. Ellsworth replaced both in a reasonable time frame (about 4 weeks door-to-door). My LBS (Hyland Cyclery of Salt Lake) was outstanding. Turns out Ellsworth no longer makes anything V-brake compatible, but LBS swapped my warranty frame for an in-stock 2005 V-brake compatible frame. Without LBS help, I would've faced a pricey upgrade/tough decision, but the fact is that Ellsworth honored the warranty for both frame and linkage, no questions asked. In the reviews below, you'll find 2 reviews from earlier this year, both with the exact same break as I experienced. I contacted both reviewers: one had an excellent warranty experience, with a total 2 week turnaround. The other has had a very bad experience, with no replacement for a few months (though it's unclear how much of the problem is Ellsworth, and how much is his LBS.) Bottom line: it's a great bike, but they can break, so best if you work with an LBS with a rep for above-average service.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon Cooper
a Weekend Warrior
from Surrey UK Date Reviewed: September 13, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Staen street, Box Hill
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
Frame only - Freeborn
Strengths:
Looks, Smooth ride
Weaknesses:
None I have found yet
Similar Products Used:
Dekerf Generation, Rocky Mountain Vertex TO, Rocky Mountain Equipe, Pace F8, Kona 7in travel
Bike Setup:
XTR, Pace forks, Race Face cranks, Xlite bars
Bottom Line:
Smooth as silk - no-nonsense bike which has increased my ground speed considerably.
It is v.comfortable and doesnt get clogged with mud ...
Highly recommended.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Earl Hunt
a Cross Country Rider
from Wilmington DE Date Reviewed: August 28, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Brandywine
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2395.00
Purchased At:
JB Mountain Bikes
Strengths:
This is a professional bike! I have become a better climber and more confident rider on this whip!
Weaknesses:
I’ll get back to you on that when I find it.
Similar Products Used:
Superlight and Flux
Bike Setup:
* Frame: Large Red Velvet * Fork: Fox F100 RLC * Shock: RP23 * Brakes: Hope Mono Mini, Floating Rotor * Cranks: 07 XT * Shifters: '07 XTR * Front Derailleur: '07 XT * Rear Derailleur: '07 XTR * Pedals: Carbon ATAC XS * Stem: Thompson X4 100 mm-10 rise * Handlebar: Easton Monkey Lite XC * Seatpost: Thompson * Saddle: Tioga Spyder Saddle * Bottom Bracket: 07 XT * Cassette: SRAM * Chain: SRAM * Headset: Chris King * Grips: Salsa * Front Tire: Fire XC * Front Rim: DT Swiss XR 4.2D * Front Hub/Skewer: Industry Nine/Salsa Skewer * Rear Tire: Fire XC * Rear Rim: DT Swiss XR 4.2D * Rear Hub/Skewer: Industry Nine/Salsa Skewer * Cables: XTR * Overall Weight: 25.7 lbs
Bottom Line:
This is a really fun machine, as I stated above, my confidence has soared. I can go for 15-20 miles on this bike and have less fatigue because of the positioning of my body as it relates to my pedal stokes. 6”0 on a large fits me perfect. I’m now climbing what I use to walk, descending much faster and moving up in the pack real fast. The bike cost some scratch, so if your interested don’t think you can cut corners. This build cost me $5200.00 and it was worth every penny.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
hoyo
a Weekend Warrior
from corte madera, ca,usa Date Reviewed: July 30, 2007
Favorite Trail:
any trail near home
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
second hand
Strengths:
Very stiff bike for the weight. Super efficient climber.
Weaknesses:
expensive bike
Similar Products Used:
Sta Cruz Blur, Specialized Epic, Hardtails
Bike Setup:
xtr ft/ xo rear/ xo grip shifters Fox F100/ Fox float R FSA crank, Avid sd rim brakes, Crossmax XT, Eaton E70 post & handlebars
Bottom Line:
An absolute joy to ride. Climbing is more efficient than hardtails because there is virtually no bob and rear traction is phenomenal. Rolling singletracks are a dream. The bike is not all-mountain, but it cruises down most slopes confidently. The bike behaves between a strong racer and an All Mountain "lite". I still get chills riding it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
hoyo
a Weekend Warrior
from corte madera, ca,usa Date Reviewed: July 30, 2007
Favorite Trail:
any trail near home
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
second hand
Strengths:
Very stiff bike for the weight. Super efficient climber.
Weaknesses:
expensive bike
Similar Products Used:
Sta Cruz Blur, Specialized Epic, Hardtails
Bike Setup:
xtr ft/ xo rear/ xo grip shifters Fox F100/ Fox float R FSA crank, Avid sd rim brakes, Crossmax XT, Eaton E70 post & handlebars
Bottom Line:
An absolute joy to ride. Climbing is more efficient than hardtails because there is virtually no bob and rear traction is phenomenal. Rolling singletracks are a dream. The bike is not all-mountain, but it cruises down most slopes confidently. The bike behaves between a strong racer and an All Mountain "lite". I still get chills riding it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
scott stocking
a Cross Country Rider
from lake havasu az Date Reviewed: July 18, 2007
Favorite Trail:
all trails
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$6000.00
Purchased At:
rbikes
Strengths:
nice lite stiff bike awesome
Weaknesses:
none
Bike Setup:
xtr
Bottom Line:
my new truth is awesome,my wife will be racing one next season,this bike is probably the best bike that I have owned yet,probably will stay with ellsworth for a long while,i will let my buds ride it so they get one also
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
scott stocking
a Cross Country Rider
from lake havasu az Date Reviewed: July 18, 2007
Favorite Trail:
all trails
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$6000.00
Purchased At:
rbikes
Strengths:
nice lite stiff bike awesome
Weaknesses:
none
Bike Setup:
xtr
Bottom Line:
my new truth is awesome,my wife will be racing one next season,this bike is probably the best bike that I have owned yet,probably will stay with ellsworth for a long while,i will let my buds ride it so they get one also
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roelof van Huyssteen
a Cross Country Rider
from Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa Date Reviewed: July 13, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Tokay
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
Fritz Pienaar Cycles
Strengths:
The ability to pick a line and stick to it while keeping the rear wheel grounded over technical sections. Great climber!!!!
Weaknesses:
PRICE!!!!
Similar Products Used:
Spesialized Epic
Bike Setup:
Same as mentioned in previous review.(01/09/2007)
Bottom Line:
In my previous preview I mentioned that I'll do a follow up after having completed the 2007 Cape Epic and also after the amount of replies that I have received.
After riding 900kms over 8 days with a total of 16 000 meters of climbing I only have praise for the Ellsworth Truth. What an amazing bike and ride. It climbs like a champ and decends like a bullet! This is a super solid ride and you might frown at the price but you'll soon see why it's money well spent. For any XC rider this bike is a dream and it doesn't make a difference if you race it or just enjoy it as a "social rider". With this bike you'll think you can and you'll soon know that you can!
Happy riding!!!! I'll write another review after my 2008 Cape Epic!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roelof van Huyssteen
a Cross Country Rider
from Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa Date Reviewed: July 13, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Tokay
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
Fritz Pienaar Cycles
Strengths:
The ability to pick a line and stick to it while keeping the rear wheel grounded over technical sections. Great climber!!!!
Weaknesses:
PRICE!!!!
Similar Products Used:
Spesialized Epic
Bike Setup:
Same as mentioned in previous review.(01/09/2007)
Bottom Line:
In my previous preview I mentioned that I'll do a follow up after having completed the 2007 Cape Epic and also after the amount of replies that I have received.
After riding 900kms over 8 days with a total of 16 000 meters of climbing I only have praise for the Ellsworth Truth. What an amazing bike and ride. It climbs like a champ and decends like a bullet! This is a super solid ride and you might frown at the price but you'll soon see why it's money well spent. For any XC rider this bike is a dream and it doesn't make a difference if you race it or just enjoy it as a "social rider". With this bike you'll think you can and you'll soon know that you can!
Happy riding!!!! I'll write another review after my 2008 Cape Epic!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Fran Murphy
a Cross Country Rider
from Wayne, PA, USA Date Reviewed: July 12, 2007
Favorite Trail:
middle run
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1999.00
Purchased At:
JB's Mountain Bikes
Strengths:
design,suspension,
Weaknesses:
can be diffciult to clean in some areas, but haven't seen a FS that isn't, literally nothing.
Similar Products Used:
trek fuel
Bike Setup:
Sram X-0, Truvati Nior 3.3, fox X 100, mavic rims, hope disc breaks / hubs, chris king HS, hutchinson tires, WTB devo
Bottom Line:
Note: I'm reviewing the 07 frame not the 08. I love this thing, it eats everyhting in it's way, it is fast, responsive, I can take it off 1 to 2 foot jumps, and climbs better then my hard-tail does. I'm 5'11 180 and the large has been perfect.
You won't regret this purchase.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lyle Evansiano
a Weekend Warrior
from Seattle Date Reviewed: July 6, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Preston Railroad
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
The look, suspension, the craftsmanship
Weaknesses:
Like anything of quality, you have to learn to use it.
Similar Products Used:
Intense
Bottom Line:
I'm only writing this review after reading about others saying theirs have broken. My reply, $#*&^ happens but don't blame the builder. I'm a big guy, 6' 1" 220 and an aggressive rider who truly pulls the torque. This bike handles me on a variety of terrain like a dream and I've never had an issue that I didn't cause. When I needed help, the company backed up everything. I just purchased The RIDE to ride with my kids on a commuter trail called "Foothills" and this Ellsworth machine is worth every penny I paid. My brother in law recently bought The Truth and as XC bike he says he's never ridden a better machine period in his 15 years plus of competition. Handcrafted, American Made, and a true bike value. Ellsworth rules.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Charles Gallegos
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Gatos, CA, USA Date Reviewed: June 27, 2007
Favorite Trail:
overgrown
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1600.00
Purchased At:
Summit Bikes, Los Gatos
Strengths:
Great looking bike. Seemed to have everything I needed. Liked the design.
Weaknesses:
The frame broke today on a wimpy single-track trail. I was with my buddy (who was on a Cannondale recall lefty bike). What an embarrasing day for Ellsworth. After all the hype I put out there about this frame and to just finsh an hour hike back to my office. Shame! The seat tube broke just below the heavy gussets supporting the rocker assembly. Shame! I use this bike about 3 times a month. Terrible!
Similar Products Used:
Trek 8500 - I use this bike 4-5 times a week in all weather and on all XC trails and Road training. I just sold a Trek Fuel 98 frame to help pay for the Ellsworth.
Bike Setup:
XT Drivetrain and Brakes, Thomson seatpost and stem, Easton monkey lite bars, Shimano pro SPD's, custom Chris King wheelset from Trail Head Cyclery (thanks Ford! awsome wheels!), Chris King headset, etc...
Bottom Line:
I only broke one other bike before - my Motobecane Columbus SLX racing frame when I collided with a car. I dented the girl's car pretty badly. How in the world did the Ellsworth break! I'm not a technical decent guy, I don't even ride down stairs or huck curbs. What the heck?!?
I'm going over to Summit Bikes right now to see how much of a mess this is going to be. Not happy!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Stiver
a Cross Country Rider
from Leesburg, Virginia Date Reviewed: April 30, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Gambrill
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1995.00
Purchased At:
Wrench Science
Strengths:
see previous posting
Weaknesses:
This is a follow-up posting to my 2006 review. As noted in that posting, my 2003 Truth developed a crack at the seat tube-top tube junction after about 3 seasons. Ellsworth replaced my front triangle with an identical 2003 model despite the fact that they had corrected this obvious weakness in more recent versions. Well, today I was riding along on one of my favorite trails on this new frame and the seat tube snapped in half just below the rocker arm gusset!!! Thats one-point-3 seasons, folks - pretty shabby statistics, I'd say. I will let you all know what comes of my next warranty action with Ellsworth. Will the third time be the charm? Maybe Santa Cruz is the way to go after all... For the record, I know a lot of serious riders and none of them have had this kind of issue with any other frameset. Enough said. Time will tell.
Bike Setup:
same old stuff
Bottom Line:
If I get the runaround on round 2, Ellsworth is going to lose a customer and gain a real pain in the ass
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ian Parker
a Cross Country Rider
from North Vancouver Date Reviewed: April 12, 2007
Favorite Trail:
All of them
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Reasonably well designed, light weight, first class materials for the frame and parts.
Weaknesses:
Poorly assembled, welding and frame alignment is very poor.
Similar Products Used:
Norco, Yeti, Santa Cruz, GT.
Bottom Line:
From what I have seen for the design of the Truth, it is first rate. Materials and concept are excellent. Jus the execution that is an issue. The #@$% idiot that assembles these needs some basic training. I had to replace the swingarm and rear rocker bearings right from the start. The wheel alignment is very poor and this is not just the Truth model. I have seen other Ellsworth frames that are as bad or worse. My cure was to install off-set bushings and different size bearings in the main swingarm pivot. Offset of 0.040 each side straightened it out to an acceptable degree. Ellsworth was totally un-interested in the problem. Probably explains why the original owner of the frame gave up on it before he even rode the thing. I should have taken note. Who should buy.... not recommended. There are better built and less expensive bikes out there. I have had this one for two years and will probably have it another two, but then I have other bikes to ride when this one ticks me off enough.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mijndert groenendaal
a Weekend Warrior
from Warrington, uk Date Reviewed: March 4, 2007
Favorite Trail:
germania, Potter county, usa
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Purchased At:
Rbikes.com
Strengths:
solid, smooth, stable, superfast
Weaknesses:
expensive
Similar Products Used:
-
Bike Setup:
XC style
Bottom Line:
The Ellsworth Truth is a superb bike. since owning the bike now for 6months, I have taken part in 3 off road duathlons, and came in the top 10 each race. GREAT !
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roelof van Huyssteen
a Cross Country Rider
from Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa Date Reviewed: January 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Tokay, Cape Town
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
Fritz Pienaar Cycles
Strengths:
Great climber and a very "solid" bike to ride. Bike tends to make up for the flaws of the rider and keeps the rear wheel on the ground through technical sections.
Weaknesses:
Very high price but worth it after spending a couple of days in the saddle with stage races!
Amazing bike to ride if you have been throuh a couple of XC bikes and you know what you are looking for in a dual suspension XC bike! Using the Truth for stage races and doing the 2007 Cape Epic on it where she'll be tested over 900km's in 8 days, a very indept review will therefore follow in April!!! Great solid ride for XC lovers and if you have the money to spend, worth every buck! Enjoy it! If you are into free riding and playing around with lots of jumps, rather go for a bike with more travel on the rear but for XC riding this bike won't let you down.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Arik Levin
a Cross Country Rider
from TEL - AVIV , ISRAEL Date Reviewed: January 1, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Jerusalem mountains
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$5500.00
Purchased At:
Rosen & Meents - Tel Aviv
Strengths:
Light, very efficent, good small bumps absorbtion, stiff and the looks of it is something else
Weaknesses:
Well, all bikes in the price range are good , there are some cheaper options (santa cruz, titus, intense) but none of them looks like it got the same attension to details as the Truth. I wish they would offer build kits that will lower the prices.
Similar Products Used:
my freinds santa cruz blur xc, and intense spider. the vpp is efficent under chain loads, but it lacks the traction that the Truth gives.
Bike Setup:
X.Os easton parts, dt 240s laced to 4.1d rims, Rock shoks w.c, juicy carbon.
Bottom Line:
Perfect. I'm giving it the highest score for value only because the fun of the ride, I really think that you can't look on boutique bikes like the Ellsworth Truth and compare it to mass production brands and ask it to be valuable by price.
I know that some says it dents quite often, I also have a small dent, but i guess it is coming from the war on every gram that doesn't must to be there. If you want the lightest, than you must understand that it has to come from something!!! You will enjoy it for sure.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh M
a Weekend Warrior
from Carlisle, PA Date Reviewed: September 8, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Gooseberry Mesa
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Small bump compliance, straight line handling
Weaknesses:
Quality of construction, pedaling efficiency, sluggish handling for tight singletrack
The feeling of the Truth over small bumps at speed is delightful. It is very plush and keeps the back wheel in contact with the ground at all times. The handling is slow and not really appropriate for tight eastern single track. You may want a shorter travel fork if you ride the tight stuff.
The marketing of this product does not match the performance. The bike does have quite a bit of pedal bob and no amount of marketing spin will convince me that this is anything other than wasted energy. Additionally, after years of tinkering with setup I never quite felt as comfortable on this bike as I did immediately on my Santa Cruz Blur.
My biggest problem with the Truth is the quality of construction and the lack of support from the company. I weigh 190 pounds, I ride once a week, and I do not do drops or jumps of any kind. That being said I have never had a major malfunction on any other frame I have ridden. The first thing that happened was the chainstays snapped. Ellsworth quickly sent a replacement. The next problem occured while I was pedaling up hill miles from my car. The seattube split into two and the front triangle collapsed. This time Ellsworth refused to send a replacement!!! We called a number of times to try to get it fixed and every time they gave us a different excuse as to why they would not honor the warranty. In my opinion they have a design that doesn't allow them to be competitive with weight unless they use tubes that are too thin to last more than a couple of seasons.
So I replaced my frame with a SC Blur and I am now a huge fan of that bike. The bike is twice as efficient, handles much better and is much more rugged at a similar weight. The trade off is the plushness.
If you can afford to replace this bike every couple of years and you don't need the efficiency, you will love flying through the bumps on it. If you're like everyone else, buy something else.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave Snapp
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairfax, VA Date Reviewed: August 8, 2006
After getting blown away by riding my buddy's '05 Specialised Stumpy, I had planned to get one of those or an Epic. But the idea of parting with about $2800 hurt so when I saw '05 Truth frames on sale for $1200 I jumped on it. I can't judge the Truth like I did the Stumpy by riding the Schwinn then the Stumpy on the same trail because the S-10 donated all it's parts to the Truth, but I got pretty close. Two days ago I rode Duncan Hollow and climbed through stuff I didn't think I'd make. Today I rode Fountainhead Regional Park and cleaned all but one climb and I did not even try that one as I was winded and chose to walk. I normally have to walk about 6 of the climbs on the S-10. This is with all the parts off of the Schwinn. Awesome climbing ability! Which is what I really was looking for in a new bike. I still need to dial in the shock settings as my back wheel was coming off the ground on downhills while braking. Hope I don't dent it anytime soon. I LOVE THIS BIKE!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tommy
a Weekend Warrior
from Murfreesboro, TN Date Reviewed: June 17, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Hamilton Creek
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
Online
Strengths:
Perfect geometry, handles very well, light weight, very plush
Weaknesses:
Thin tubes that dent easily, bottom bracket shell has to be chased, expensive
I love how this bike feels. I've had a Schwinn S-10 and Trek Y-11 for a while and this bike blows them away. I usually ride my Litespeed Obed hardtail and the Truth handles as well as my Litespeed but yet this is a FS bike. It climbs as well as my Litespeed (Litespeed climbs like a mountain goat). The rear suspension doesn't feel springy or anything. I don't notice any loss of pedaling power (have to get the air pressure right to achieve this). The cornering and control is amazing on this bike. The head angle is perfect because I have a 120mm travel on my front shock and it still feels great (80 or 100 felt perfect though but less travel). I feel like I have total control of my bike at all time.
Now the bad news. I wreck on this bike for the first time today. It wasn't even a hard wreck and there wasn't even any rocks around. But I got a huge dent on the top tube. I didn't even see it till I got home. I didn't even think a small wreck like that would put a scratch on it. But my heart sank as was washing my bike and saw that dent. I tapped on the tube and just realized how thin the tubes really are. I feel so ... I don't. What do you call that heart sinking and gut wrenching feeling when you find out that your $2000 frame is pretty much worthless now? I'm pretty sure the warranty won't cover accidents so I'm pretty much stuck with it. I just hope the dented tube will remain stable enough to ride. I'm really disappointed that this frame wasn't a little more durable. The anodized finish looks good but it scratch just as easily as paint or sticker.
Overall: great frame but not so durable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Las Cruces, NM, USA Date Reviewed: May 30, 2006
Favorite Trail:
SST, I suppose
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
Ellsworth
Strengths:
Great for climbing, handling, slow and technical riding
Weaknesses:
No roadside assistance program
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher hard and softail (years ago)
Bike Setup:
Chris King, old Marzocchi(?) fork, Bontrager asym rims, XTR, etc.
Bottom Line:
Well, I think that I owe them (Ellsworth) a review because I like the bike. I can't compare it to it's competitors like Turner and Titus because I haven't tried them out. I have the feeling that when you spend this much on a bike, you probably aren't going to find too much wrong with it, but maybe I'm wrong after looking at some of the other reviews. The bike is very well suited to the kind of riding I prefer, which is slow and very technical climbing and descending. Note: I don't take dropoffs more than 2-3 feet high, I weigh 160 lbs, my bike is set up so that the brake handles won't gouge out a piece of the frame if I crash and I'm very careful not to dent the frame on anything. You shouldn't buy this bike if you go over the handlebars lots - you'll dent it; get a downhill frame instead. I haven't noticed any trouble with momentum over obstacles like a previous reviewer and I do have experience with single pivot designs. The 4-bar linkage is very tried and true, it does everything well. So, my advice is don't fall for the gimickry. Anyway, the frame is a work of art, but the bike is also a joy to ride. I can't really add anything new about that. If only I could find some tires that didn't wear out after 2 rides.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Leesburg, Virginia Date Reviewed: April 17, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Gambrill blue trail
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
Wrench Science
Strengths:
Light, excellent handling, eats up the bumps, handles technical east coast single track with ease, fits me perfectly and looks very cool.
Weaknesses:
2003 and earlier frames are prone to stress fractures. Warranty replacement and repair is done to the letter of the law (as interpreted by a bevy of blood sucking lawyers) and no more. Kind of cheap on their part when you consider how effin expensive these rigs are!
Similar Products Used:
97 Stumjumper comp hardtail - A load of crap by comparison
Bike Setup:
All the usual high-end stuff
Bottom Line:
I really love this bike! The balance, handling and ride quality are beyond comparison. Having said that, I've got a few bones to pick with Tony E and company. Unfortunately, these frames are built light to win races in the year they were produced and not to last. After 3 seasons, mine developed a crack at the seat tube and top tube junction (and yes, my seatpost was inserted more that 4 inches). To their credit, Ellsworth replaced the front triangle under warranty and I'm back on the trail again. However, they replaced it with another 2003 - the same model I had before, not the redesigned 2004 or later models that have corrected this problem with an added gusset at the seat tube-top tube jct. That kind of chapped me because the good folks at Ellsworthia knew this was a weakness and took corrective action, yet they took the low road and replaced my frame with another 2003 "breaker." Shame on you, Tony - You would never have noticed the roundoff error in your bottom line if you had given me the new model and you would have earned a loyal customer for life. If this one also breaks I'll demand a current year replacement. Until then, I'll keep riding this sweet machine as much as I can.
I give only three flamers for value because of the breakage and cheap warranty action but 4 overall because the bike is such a sweet ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Droffats
a Racer
from Milwaukee, WI Date Reviewed: April 2, 2006
I have raced and ridden this frame for over 2 years & loved it the whole time. This was a hard choice with so many excellent XC bikes on the market now. I wanted fully active suspension, so the Specialized Brain bikes were out, the SC Blur XC is a little lighter, but doesn't have quite as much traction in the knarliest climbs, and the Titus Racer X is subject to a little brake lock out.
But now Ellsworth has all these new colors out and I might just buy a brand new Truth, same size and everything, just to nail one of these sweet colors. My local shop has them and it's KILLING ME (www.corythebikefixer.com). I like the new tubesets, aystemtrical chainstays, and more standover height, but it is really the colors. Check out these pics and you'll see what I mean (http://www.corythebikefixer.com/Featuredbikereal.html)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from CA Date Reviewed: March 17, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Black Diamond Mines
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Anodized finish,lightweight,outstanding climber,great all day ride, really the cream of the crop
Weaknesses:
lightweight means tubing that dents easily,bottom brackets can be difficult to install and must have threads chased prior to install.
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Blur, Specialized Stumpjumper, various hardtails over the last 18 years
Bike Setup:
Mostly XT with LX cranks, Thomson, Cane Creek, no stupidlight components or carbon just stuff that really works well. No XTR or XO stuff, its a waste of money for me and my riding style.
Bottom Line:
This is the second Truth I've had and I sold the first one about 2 years ago thinking that there was a better bike out there. I wish I never sold it. I've spent the last 2 years riding bikes from Santa Cruz, and Specialized and they don't come close to the Ellsworth in Quality or the Wow factor. Every time I ride this bike as I'm riding up to my car I smile to myself and say under my breath..."Wow", none of the other bikes have ever done that and many have been a major dissapointment. You pay out the snout for quality bikes like the Ellsworth or a good Yeti (my other bike), but I'm old and I know a good ride when I find one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Daniel
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairfax, Va Date Reviewed: March 13, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Gambrill State park
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Staight from Ellsworth
Strengths:
Very stable frame, climbs like a Billy-Goat. L@@ks SWEET! The suspension works how they say it will!!
Weaknesses:
Can't find one.
Similar Products Used:
Giant NRS, Klein Mantra, And the never going back to, hard tails.
Bike Setup:
XTR rear and front, XT shifters, Monkeylite handelbars, 05 Reba team fork, custom tuned fox in the rear, Cane Creek wheel set. Race Face Deus XC crank. Hayes El Camino brakes
Bottom Line:
I wish more people could afford to build one up, hands down for me it is the best with 4in. of travel. I ride often and hard, it just keeps asking for more.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Flagstaff, AZ Date Reviewed: February 9, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Wasabi
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Lightweight, it baisically climbs itself up hills, and looks SWEET. An incredibly fast and very stable bike. Handles and corners like my Stinky Dee-Lux, but without the 50 billion extra pounds.
Weaknesses:
No one can keep up with me anymore.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized FSR, Gary fisher
Bike Setup:
Chris King Hubs/Headset, full XTR(except Race Face Evolve XC crank, my favorite) Cane Creek AD-7 rear shock, SID up front. Easton CT2, locks ons, FSA platinum pro BB. Hutchinson Pythons(best tires ever)
Bottom Line:
In my opinion, this is the the best overall bike on the market today. It corners bettthan er any other XC bike, can climb better than any other, and can go faster than any other. Baisically, it is as close to perfection as you can get. The rear suspension is incredible; I used to swear by hardtails and mock those who rode FS XC, but now I have seen the light. My Truth climbs much better than my hardtail ever could, and is about the same weight. This bike has made me a much faster and more confident rider. Of course, I built mine with full Chris King, XTR and Easton CT2 components so take that into consideration. If you're thinking about getting one, do it. It will be the greatest decision of your life.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Chattanooga TN Date Reviewed: February 2, 2006
Favorite Trail:
oh my...
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$2200.00
Strengths:
The first hill I climbed on it sold me. The wheel was stuck to the trail over roots, rocks, etc...Descending is great even with heavy braking. Flats are very fast with no bob and it handles and tracks great in all other situations i've encountered.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
FSR's, Sugar, Intense Spider
Bike Setup:
Full XTR(old style), Bont Assym Rims w/xtr hubs,
Bottom Line:
Love the etched font and anodized finish. I love that its fast enough to race, comfortable for epics, and even strong and supple enough for the occasional huck(and i do them all). If you can't have different bikes for the wide spectrum of MTB, its a great all around bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
brett
a Cross Country Rider
from england Date Reviewed: January 30, 2006
i'm 6.1 200lbs rider,this bike goes like a rocket, handling is perfect[to me anyway]the rear wheel stays planted over whatever you are rideing.the rear travel feels bottomless[got fox ava shock]and you never get the feeling it's out of it's depth..bottom line this is the best bike in its class[you need more chilis for this one]
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dennis Solomon
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego, CA, USA Date Reviewed: December 21, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Daily ranch, Vail Lake
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3400.00
Purchased At:
beyondbikes
Strengths:
WOW climbs great, pretty light, active suspension, frame is solid and very stable in the single track. As a xc full suspension frame, it lives up to the name of high end and well made bikes. This is one of the best XC bike that I’ve have ridden and lucky enough to own.
FSA headset, stem, handle,Crank V Drive, Sram 990,F X.9, R X.0, FOX RL100, Crosslan wheelset, AVID mech BB7
Bottom Line:
Even thu I had this bike for only a month now with about 300 miles ride time. The bike handles like a Dream. Very responive and stable. Unlike my NRS, I can ride this bike much longer with its active suspension and not sacrifice one bit on the climbs. I will do a follow up in a few months. Til then.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Pacific Beach, CA, USA Date Reviewed: December 19, 2005
Favorite Trail:
The National (Phoenix)
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Beyond Bikes
Strengths:
As an engineer, I can see the true beauty of the physics behind Ellsworth's patented ICT 4 bar linkage. (Think of it as rear suspension on demand.) It's there when you need it, not when you climb. The bike hugs the trail like a sports car in the flats, climbs like a hard-tail and feels in control throughout the descent.
Ellsworth's budget build kit - SRAM shifters, Rock Shox REBA team fork, American Classic wheelset, Avid Mech Disc, Fox Float Rear (customized for the truth)
Bottom Line:
If you've read anything on the truth you have already heard...Here is one more vote for the best XC bike on the market.... Amazing! No bob! I thought I was riding my wife's sub-22! This bike is THE XC machine that changed the sport. Anyone serious about the sport should take a ride to see for themselves.
The folks at Ellsworth have created works of moving art out of Aluminum. I have just seen the new Ephihany built up. It looks unstoppable. 5 full inches of rear travel and just about the same weight as the Truth.
Everyone I have dealt with at Ellsworth over the past few years have been extremely helpful. It is a class operation and I look forward to seeing what new innovations they come up with next.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Carlsbad, Ca USA Date Reviewed: October 26, 2005
Favorite Trail:
La Costa Switchbacks
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2800.00
Purchased At:
I.E. Bikes
Strengths:
Great handling and relative light weight.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Similar Products Used:
My first dual suspension bike. Upgraded from my Ti hardtail which has been converted to my "cruise to the grocery store" bike.
Bike Setup:
XTR, XO, Fox F100X (awesome fork), just replaced wheels and brakes with XTR discs, hubs and 717s. Kenda Nevegal and Blue Groove Lite.
Bottom Line:
I ride my Truth a lot and every time I do, I like it more. Handles great. Climbs great. Eats up the bumps. Trails that used to be a death wish are now routine. Quite a bit heavier (26 lbs) than my old hardtail (22 lbs) but what an upgrade as far as ride quality on loose rocky trails. The wheels and discs made it even better. Enjoy the Truth and don't look back.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marcus
a
from Los Angeles, CA Date Reviewed: October 10, 2005
Favorite Trail:
chessboro
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
Bicycle Johns
Strengths:
Stable platform works, cool ano finish. pretty lightweight.
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Enduro, Marin Wolf ridge.
Bike Setup:
TALAS fork, manitou 3 way swinger shock. Full Shimano XTR, Answer Protaper carbon handlebar, raceface dauce stem, thompson elite seatpost, CB mallet pedals, Mavic Crossmax wheelset and WTB Laser saddle.
Bottom Line:
I was looking for a XC frame that is stable platform based for climbing. This been a perfect combination of XC speed machinae and rugged durability. This improved my climbing ability significantly. The stable platform design of the frame is incredible, no bobs and I can stand pedaling with ease. I'm also a big rider (200lb) and stable platform handles my weight easily. I got the grey ano. with black rear triangle very cool!
Its pricey but its American made with uncompromising quality! Its well worth it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Troy
a Weekend Warrior
from Laguna Niguel, CA Date Reviewed: September 30, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
San Clemente Cyclery
Strengths:
Very Lightweight, Great Handling.
Similar Products Used:
Trek hard-tail, Specialized FSR, Kona Dawg Deelux
Bike Setup:
Fox F100 RLT Fork + Fox Float R + Shimano XT + SRAM X9
Bottom Line:
After abusing my little brother's Trek 4500 twice a week for almost a year I decided it was time to invest in a serious mountain bike. I researched for several months and test-road several bikes. The Truth made a material difference in my ride the first time I tested it. I was able to climb much better than I had been able to on other friends' and shops' bikes. While it is silly expensive the difference between my complete bike price was not substantially higher than a comparabley equiped Specialized or Trek and I have been able to avoid the post-comsumer depression that comes with buying a bike that is "almost the best". Maybe some day when I have money I don't know what to do with I will upgrade to XTR/XO, but I will never need to upgrade the frame. John at San Clemente Cycles was great to deal with and has been great with the follow up service and questions. I highly recommend the shop and the bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pat Choy
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago, Illinois, USA Date Reviewed: September 19, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Crystal Ridge, Franklin, Wi.
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3500.00
Purchased At:
Richards Bicycles
Strengths:
The fit and finish of the bike is top notch. The paint job looks spectacular. The geometry of the frame is wonderful, its gives the rider a smooth and comfy ride but with a lot of road feel as well.
Weaknesses:
The price may be out of reach for some folks!
Similar Products Used:
Test road the Specialized Epic Marathon, the Santa Cruz Blurr, Kline Palamino, and Jamis XLT 2.0 but I liked the Ellsworth the best.
Bike Setup:
Primarily Shimano XT components, Mavic Wheels, Race Face Cranks, Scorpion Tires, etc.
Bottom Line:
I bought my Ellsworth Truth from Richards Bikes in Palos Heights, Illinois. I dealt primarily with Mike Richards (the owner). He was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. He spent a lot of time with me, and allowed me to "test ride" various bikes at the store. My purchasing experience was smooth and flawless. After the purchase, I brought it in for the final setup and tune up, including cutting down the handle bars, etc... They did it on the spot for me while I waited. Their service department is excellent. The bike rides extremely smooth, is well setup, and is a lot of fun. The guys at Richards Bikes are easy to deal with and really take good care of their customers. I would recommend them without hesitation. I wouldn't want to bring my Ellsworth to another store for any future maintenance other than Richards Bikes. Thanks Mike, great job.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
phil
a Cross Country Rider
from clio, ca Date Reviewed: August 17, 2005
Favorite Trail:
anyone where riders don't skid!
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Purchased At:
wrench science
Strengths:
As stated before, attention to detail and quality craftmenship.
Weaknesses:
none yet.
Similar Products Used:
trek fuel 100, santa cruz blur
Bike Setup:
fox rlt 100, mavic crossmax sl, hayes hfx 9 brakes, chris king headset, ritchey wcs stem, fsa bars, tompson elite post,sram xo rear/shifters/chain, xtr front derailuer/chmpagne cogset, race face dues crank/chainrings, wtb stealth saddle
Bottom Line:
now that i have had ample time on the bike i can give honest feedback to my review in april.
it appears to be just as intended, a 4" xc bike. the active suspension climbs extremely well and progressive in the spring rate, i recommend the ava wide open. i would probably(next bike) put a fox terra fork on to get a firmer ride without pumping the rlt up to get the same(eliminates travel and ride qualities). still, the rlt 100 is light years better than any sid or similar.
i purchased this bike through wrench science. i cannot say enough, they seem to be very non-biased and honest about all the products they carry and why they do. the only complaint is i used their online fit guide(along with their input) and it is not exact unless you are a clone of a standard build. i ended up getting a size large-which is small and should have gotten an xl which is a large by most manufacturers. i have basically had to get longer stem and post to fit. on the flipside, the slightly smaller frame is so much more responsive in technical terrain so this is a tradeoff.
the bottom line is this bike promotes exactly what is intended, a fully active, yet responsive, 4" xc bike that is great for the epic singletrack-maybe not for norba buffed trails. what is funny is how many riders will say such and such design is the best and i always ask, for instance,"if that bike is so good, how come the suspension doesn't work when you stand or while descending or better yet how come the rear wheel comes off the ground when you brake-that must be an awesome design?"
a little bit of advice, don't get too serious when reading mba or mountain bike. They seem to always promote certain companies-never a bad review. get out and ride, try your buddies bike if there isn't one in the shops. paid propoganda is too much of a goof when these bikes are this costly.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jacques Morvan
a Weekend Warrior
from Ontario Date Reviewed: August 16, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Red Trail at Mansfield Ontario
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$4200.00
Purchased At:
Silent Sports
Strengths:
Fast, smooth, efficient, durable
Weaknesses:
bushings often need grease to prevent squeaking
Similar Products Used:
Specialized FSR
Bike Setup:
98 Z1 BAM coil/oil fork, fox coil/oil shock, avid mechanical disk brake front, proshift v-brake rear, shimano xtr 8sp cassett, XTR derailers, king hubs, race face cranks, grip shift shifters, mavic rims
Bottom Line:
This bike is 9 years old and I still love to ride it. Good for fast cross country rides with the occasional log jump and 2ft drops.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Johnny Sweetwood
a Cross Country Rider
from Oakland, CA Date Reviewed: August 5, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
The CL
Strengths:
Light
Weaknesses:
Light
Similar Products Used:
Everything worth testing
Bottom Line:
I think a lot of people here are gaga for their Ellsworth. My opinion is that this is probably the pinnacle of FSR/4 bar linkage type suspension and its a pretty good race bike. Its not the best all day bike though.
First off: ICT is crap. They show you this image of lines drawn forward that intersect way in front of the bike...to make you believe that is where the pivot point is. The pivot point is right behind the bottom bracket - don't try to fool anyone. It is probably in the best spot for this type of suspension...right inline with the chain torque line, however, parallelogram linkage like the rocky mountain ETSX (or the VPP bikes) blow ICT away. When you hit a bump it doesn't stop your momentum. The Truth folds in half. I actually own both bikes and I can say that the hookup on the ETSX is way better and descends much more smoothly. I think the Single pivots are the next best suspension design and the Distance is an incredible bike...again the best in its class for single pivots. So 4 chili's for best in class FSR/4bar but its not the best.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Amos Gery
a Cross Country Rider
from Cupertino, Ca Date Reviewed: July 18, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Corte Madera
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3500.00
Purchased At:
JB Mountain Bikes
Strengths:
Great suspension for all types of terrain, from climbing to downhill. Excellent handling on tight singletracks.
Weaknesses:
A bit heavy with the XT kit and the XT wheelset. It is much heavier than my hardtail Cannondale with a similar build kit.
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale S2000, Santa Cruz Blur
Bike Setup:
2005 Frame with Fox float R and a full XT kit, XT disc brakes and hubs
Bottom Line:
The frame is an absolute joy, the best handling I experienced in a XC bike, but you have to spend a lot on XTR to keep it light. Don't buy at JB Mountain bikes. They sent me a bike setup that didn't fit me and never responded to my emails once I paid them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Justin Wilson
a Cross Country Rider
from California Date Reviewed: July 18, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
attention to detail in frame construction, weight, climbing and decending ability, lazer etched decals.
Weaknesses:
None yet
Similar Products Used:
Intense, Titus, Specialized, Yeti, Turner, Etc.
Bike Setup:
Fox terra logic 100mm fork, XT drive train, CK hubs laced to mavic wheels, Thomson seatpost and stem, CK headset, Easton carbon bars, Maxxis 2.0 Ranchero tires.
Bottom Line:
This bike is an amazing climber and decender, The climbs are made simple with this bike. I feel that I can climb anything that I point the front wheel at and decending is just as good. Most of that is because of the 4-bar suspension in the back. I would reccomend this bike to anyone who is a XC rider-racer who wants one bike that can race one day and trail ride on a epic ride the next. My only concern is what some of the other riders have mentioned about the frame breaking, hopefully they have worked out these bugs on the newer models.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Racer
from Richmond, VA Date Reviewed: July 17, 2005
Favorite Trail:
X-TERRA course-Richmond
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Cobblestone -Ashland, VA
Strengths:
See below.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Several Klein Attiudes 1993 to 2003 's. Raced on a 2004 MT FUJI last year.
Bike Setup:
2005 Truth-custom tuned Fox Float R. Up front, started with a SID, recently switched to a 2006 Fox RLT F80.(hugh improvement)."Old School" XTR 9 speed shifters/levers and rear derailleur ( I can't wear this stuff out), 2005 XTR front derailler, 2005 XT Cranks, Eggbeater-S's. Avid Single Digit Ultimates/ Black Ops V-breaks. 1993 Syncros seatpost. Easton EA70 stem w/ Monkey Lite SL bar. S.I.Flite Gel saddle. Wheelsets-Mavic ceramic 517 's with XTR hubs and Mavic Crosslands,with Maxxis Swampthings and Larsen TT's.
Bottom Line:
What a ride!! Each time out I continue to be amazed how fast and responsive it is. No front end lift when climing, stays planted even over the most tecnical sections. Climes better than the Kleins, and that says allot. I am between 5'9"/5'10" and the medium Truth fits me like a clove. I was a hardtail holdout because of the weight difference, and I believed most of the trails and race courses around here did not justify a full susser. Oh,how wrong I was! My 51 year old body thanks me at the end of each ride. I do not notice any bob interference,front or rear, and as stated in other reviews, I see no need for lock-outs. Chainline seems perfect. Knock on wood, but have never had any chainsuck or shifting problmes. The Truth is no more than the best cross country Full Suspention, light weight frame out there . It should not be used for anything else.
I also want to give props to the gang at Cobblestone Bicyles in Ashland and Chester VA for the expert build, attention to detail, and service after the sale. I do not hesitate to give the bike and the shop 5 flamming turds!!
Future upgrades will be Sram XO rear derailleur and XO trigger shifters. I am still on the fence about disc breaks. My Avids seem to be doing the job. But would like to aviod the rim wear.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Tenn Date Reviewed: July 4, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
I love everything about it. It's the best all around bike i've riden.
Bottom Line:
I love everything about it. It's the best all around bike i've riden. Unlike other bikes i've riden you can feel the strength everytime you ride. Other bikes i've riden you cant give everything you've got because of the way it's made and the fear of the frame cracking in half.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kees Veninga
a Cross Country Rider
from Harlingen Date Reviewed: June 23, 2005
Favorite Trail:
various
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1995.00
Purchased At:
Cambria Bicycle Outfitters (where else)
Strengths:
Great cross country fully. A bike with really active suspension that works when it has to (that is always)
Weaknesses:
At first I wanted to name the price, but considering the great details on the frame and the ride it's actually not that expensive after all, compared to other high end frames of course.
Similar Products Used:
Ventana Marble Peak (HT and FS) Mantis Pro Floater, Intense Uzi SL, Tomac Buckshot, 3D hardtail, GT's etc etc...
Bike Setup:
05 XTR, Fox F100RLT, Race Face Deus cranks and headset, Am Classic Wheels and Ti seat post, Old school Ringlé Zooka, Dean Ti handlebar, Avid SD Ultimate V brakes, Schwalbe tires
Bottom Line:
This bike handles very well. Compared tot the other fullys I have owned, the feel of this bike is unmatched. You actually think that it has more than 4 inches of travel. The lock out adjuster on my Fox fork is plain useless. With this active rear suspension its better to leave it also on active mode. Personally I am not in favour of the unlimited use of stable platform shocks on every fully you see. I think this bike rides better and more active than anything I have ever seen or ridden. This bikes climbs better than my hardtail and really delivers on downhills. Also the long top tube helps when riding singletrack. I can understand that in a lot of reviews the high price of the frame is mentioned but when I compare the finish and the construction of the Truth with other high end bikes. I think the price is justified. Just look at sturdy but lightweight construction, the shot peened and ano finish and the laser etched logo's. Normally you get $1500 and up bikes finished of with lousy stikers that aren't even coated . Talk about cheesy. A Titus Racer X for instance is also aroung $1800 and you still get stupid stickers on it. Even a Giant has beter finishing than this.
Cause I have this frame for only a short while now I am wondering how it will hold up during a few seasons. But I guess that I don't have to worry about this.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Larry McKenzie
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston, Texas, USA Date Reviewed: June 21, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Smithville
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
Richards Bikes
Strengths:
Weight and climbing ability. This bike isn't for your weekend warrior. If you have a chance to buy one I would highly recommend it. Pure butter on the rough stuff and even better on the climbs.
Weaknesses:
Price.
Similar Products Used:
Fisher Sugar, Intense Spider, Santa Cruz Blur.
Bike Setup:
XTR Package with disc brakes and XTR wheel set. Easton monkeylight bar and EA60 magnesium stem.Thomson seat post with Giro Fizik saddle. Eggbeater titanium pedals. Chris King headset. FOX 100 fork with terralogic valve. Fox AVA pedal pro rear shock. Salsa seat post quick release clamp. Hutchinson Python tubeless tires.
Bottom Line:
Alot of bike for alot of $$$$.Great bike. Super climber and super light.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rathbone
a Cross Country Rider
from Poway, CA USA Date Reviewed: June 21, 2005
Have been a Truth owner since 2001. The 2005 model with the custom tuned Fox rear air shock and revised rear suspension is amazing. This bike is so much faster and quicker than the previous 01 and 03 Truths I have owned.
Dont hesitate to upgrade to the latest model if you own an older Truth and can swing it. It might be expensive but man is it worth it!! The 2005 is blazing fast by comparison, rides plusher, and is way more fun to ride, plus one can now stand up and out of the saddle and peddle with no suspension motion.....rigid as hell.
If your in San Diego check out North of the Border Bicycles just off of 805 on Mira Mesa Blvd. Great service, very fair pricing, and first-hand knowledge and experience with Ellsworths. It pays bigtime to go with a good local shop, and they are by far one of the better ones in SD! They rock!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Chandler
a Weekend Warrior
from Lawrencevill, Ga, USA Date Reviewed: June 20, 2005
I traded in my 2001 Truth for this 2005. (I never had one problem with that frame. 5'10" 175lb guy. No 3' drops. That's what a dare is for.) Wow this is even better than the 01. The custom valved Fox rear is GREAT. Very controlled yet quick ride. NO pedal kick under any condition. Ride hard brake hard - you still have suspension. Get a ride if you can. Call Singletrack Factory they'll take care of you. If you want a quality ride experience and you don't plan to huck it, do what you have to do to (legally) get this frame!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Rust
a Cross Country Rider
from Suwanee, GA Date Reviewed: May 10, 2005
Favorite Trail:
bull mountain
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Very light, excellent in turns, downhills and uphills, great all around bike
Weaknesses:
Frame on older models can crack. NO other weakness
Similar Products Used:
Also own Ellsworth ID and Klein Adroit Race
Bike Setup:
XTR rapid rise padel shifters and components, mavic SSL cermac v brack, fox talas, romic d coil
Bottom Line:
I love this bike I want a new one..... On May 11th while riding the 5th annual Ranger ride in Dalhonega GA I was 10 miles into the race when I hit a 1 foot drop and CEEERRR snap my frame broke just below the gussets on the down tube. It is a 2002 frame so the reinforcements hadn't been implemented on this frame. I took it to a local bike shop and they said not going to warranty it since your not the original owner. OHHH sh@$. I have the original owner name So I am going to try and send the frame to him and get him to take it in for a warranty replacement. The people at ellworth were nice but DAMN I own two of these fu#$ing bikes give me a break. The guy on the phone also told me that it sounded like an unusal break...... WHat an idoit read some reviews the older frames all break in this spot. The new frames have a counter measure so the frame shouldnt break. Dont every buy anything expense off Ebay unless you get the warranty card. BUY an ellsworth even thought this frame broke the bike handles incredibly. I will update you and let you know if I get a new frame.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
steve
a Cross Country Rider
from arroyo grande ca. Date Reviewed: May 1, 2005
Favorite Trail:
lopez
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
cbo
Strengths:
great climber&descender. smooth,great design&construction.fully active suspension. doesn't rely on chain torque.
Weaknesses:
straight gauge tubing on 2001 model
Similar Products Used:
FSR
Bike Setup:
psylo race ,race face cranks xtr shift&braking,king hubs&hdset.
Bottom Line:
my 2001 frame broke just below the shock gusset. i was content with my bike and planned on riding it forever.i took my frame to an ellsworth dealer that i didn't buy the bike from,"Pedal Power in santa maria". ellsworth replaced the front triangle,rocker arms , used my old parts in the rear,replacing all bearings&bolts. i paid cost for the 05 fox shock, and chuck built my bike for free. i did replace my drivetrain though. that new 2" stroke fox shock is the s#it. feels like a coilspring. ellsworth completley changed the tubeset, i'm complety happy i broke my old frame.PEDALPOWER IS THE BEST !!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
phil
a Cross Country Rider
from graeagle Date Reviewed: April 27, 2005
Favorite Trail:
any one with no people
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Purchased At:
wrench science
Strengths:
craftmanship, efficient suspension especially while pedaling.
Weaknesses:
none yet, maybe brake bosses for hydraulic brakes
Bike Setup:
trek fuel 100
Bottom Line:
eventhough the frame is on the expensive side, the craftmanship and technology aren't gimmicks like many of the designs out there. if this bike is used, as it is intended to be, it appears to be an awesome bike. wrenchscience was great to work with and their depth of knowledge was outstanding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Racer
from Denver,Co,USA Date Reviewed: April 17, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
not singletrack!
Weaknesses:
None but Singletrack Factory
Bottom Line:
Big Business brian had tacked on an extra $500 for his 'troubles' on the warantee deal from Ells.His earlier review tries to justify this but,I don't know Brian since all you did was mail it(for an $80!)seems kind of excessive.GREAT bike but you might want to get it somewhere else.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rafael
a Cross Country Rider
from San Juan, PR Date Reviewed: April 6, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Monagas
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Geometry, Anodized treatment survives everything I've thrown to it, Great Climbing, Very comfortable, Cable routing is great (came ready for hydraulic brakes), very stiff, Very efficient
Weaknesses:
Price, seat post diameter.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized FSR
Bike Setup:
Fox 100rlt, Marta SL, CK hubs/headset with Stans Olympic rim (built by Dave), Thomson stem/post, race face cranks, crank bros. eggs...,etc...
Bottom Line:
This bike has really changed my level of riding, I can now climb hills I previously could not do. Downhill I can clear sections were I would loose control previously and the switchbacks are now fun... I do not do jumps (apart from an ocassional 1 footer), I do a lot of pedaling, rock garderns, tight single tracks through dense tree cover and thick roots, plus som short but nasty downhill sections... This frame feels like it really transfers the power forward and at the same time keeps the front wheel with enough weight to keep control. I'm not concerned about the warranty noise since I purchased from an authorized dealer that has sold MANY of these (the owner rides one), and as I understand the frames have been updated and I do not do jumps...
I'm 205lbs 5"11"...
A riding buddy tried the Truth (after I told him that it gave me an advantage over his Gary-Fisher Sugar) and within 2 weeks he purchased one, what a difference, I used to have to wait for him everywhere that was technical (he is in way better shape than me and can pedal forever), now he can more than keep with me and started doing competitions!
If you can afford it and spend many hours on the saddle, you deserve one of these... Before I would ride every weekend, now we are doing night rides during the week as well....
(remember to get a great fork, the Fox is incredible...)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Connors
a Cross Country Rider
from Bozeangelas, Montana, USA Date Reviewed: February 8, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Purchased At:
Stark Raven Cycles
Strengths:
ICT is amazing, and with the new shock tech. pedals even better than it did just two years ago. very fast descender, perfect bike for cross country riding. The key is to set this bike up right
Weaknesses:
Costs a lot of duckets
Similar Products Used:
My Enduro Expert.
Bike Setup:
Fox Float 100RLC, Pro pedal Float R, cross max xl, panaracer fire xc, full xt with dual control(Bloody Awsome) Thomson seat post, and stem, Easton EA 70 riser bar , wtb rocket v ti, oury grips of course.
Bottom Line:
This is without a doubt one of the three best all around cross country rigs. Very plush and fun on the downhills and climbs even better. I'm a big guy 5'8' 195, and it treated me well over 900 off road miles and one full year of riding. I've even rode and mostly cleared all the blk.diamond trails at BIG SKY resort. All though the truth will never return to that sort of abuse, I have another beast for that. This bike was built for Moab also, four inches is enough to pick good lines up and down the gnar in moab, I spent a little over a weak there with this bike, performed wonderful, but in order to have more fun next time i will bring my longer travel bike in order to take more direct lines in UTAH.(FUFMO) I WOULD RECOMEND THIS BIKE TO ANY ONE WHO CAN AFORD IT!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a
from Washington, DC Date Reviewed: January 13, 2005
Favorite Trail:
San Juan Capistrano
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
LBS
Bottom Line:
Quick update to my review below. I promised to post if I had to deal with Ellsworth customer service. I recently had to get a Joker frame replaced. No problem folks, these guys worked through my LBS (not a dealer) and came through with a replacement in no time. I can't complain...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Indiana Date Reviewed: December 22, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$3400.00
Purchased At:
rbikes.com
Strengths:
The frame looks and rides great. The welds are flawless and the anodized finish looks spectacular.
Weaknesses:
Just the price, but with all things you get what you pay for.
Bike Setup:
Fox AVA R ProPedal, Float 100RL, XT dual control levers, XT derailleurs, XT hydraulic disks, XT hubs, Mavic X223 rims, TruVativ Stylo crankset, Truvativ ISIS Gigapipe SL, FSA sealed headset.
Bottom Line:
I love riding this bike. I have the suspension setup firm so I can feel the trail, but the suspension still absorbs the big stuff and climbs over roots without breaking traction. I plan on keeping this bike for many years. I also have to commend Richards Bicycles in Palos Heights, Illinois for there customer service while purchasing the bike and also in buying small parts and getting service performed. I tore the rear derailleur off on a log and they repaired it within a day and only charged for the new derailleur.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian Isakson
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO Date Reviewed: November 23, 2004
Favorite Trail:
buffalo creek
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1995.00
Purchased At:
The Singletrack Factory
Strengths:
plush, light, low maintenance
Similar Products Used:
maverick, turner, yeti, rocky mountain
Bottom Line:
There has been some healthy discussion about ellsworth warranty handled at a dealer. Let's clear the air. It's true. A person bringing in a warranty frame to an authorized ellsworth dealer can be a new customer, in most cases at our shop we do and have helped many people who brought in warranty frames, and they have become great customers. The owner of a warranty ellsworth frame wants the service (communication with manufacturer and customer to come up with solution depending on frame age, compatibility with current shock strokes, etc). In the majority of cases, everything goes off really well - everyone is happy. You don't hear about these experiences on MTBR. But when there are unique circumstances with how a particular case was handled, the negative stuff is published. As it is always good for the dealer to wear the consumer's shoes, it is a good idea for consumers to wear a dealers shoes. It's not unreasonable for a business to want to charge for time spent or work done getting a warranty done. It is unreasonable to expect that a dealer will do warranty work for free because "it's lifetime warranty and the cost of work done should be covered by the manufacturer and the dealer". Any reasonable consumer will understand that if the bike was not purchased in the same place you are getting a warranty, a charge for work done is fair. The dealer is not compensated by the manufacturer for warranty work. It is also important to note that sometimes, as there are bad dealers, there are also bad consumers. Customer Service is a two way street where both sides have to give a little and get a little. Thanks for reading, and let us know how we can help at The Singletrack Factory.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Mc
a Cross Country Rider
from Missouri Date Reviewed: November 22, 2004
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$3500.00
Purchased At:
Touring Cyclist
Strengths:
Light weight Plush, efficient suspension. Just aobut doubles my range over rough trails compared to my HT cannondale.
Weaknesses:
Will eventually break if ridden hard enough or long enough - the price you pay for being a light weight 4 inch FS bike.
Similar Products Used:
Fisher Sugar 1, Klein FS, SC Blur
Bike Setup:
Mostly XT (new XTR RR rear derr), old 4 piston XT discs, Rock Shox Psylo Race, Spinergy Xcyclone wheels.
Bottom Line:
A followup rating. I've owned mine now for 3 years and still love it, and although I might just buy a SC Blur or Intense Spider if buying a new XC FS bike at this point in time I still love my Truth. It's faster in all but a few situations than my hardtail F3000 C'dale (and in the majority of those situations, my cyclocross bike would be faster than the C'dale!). I can still go roughly twice as far over rough trails compared to the hardtail - less thumping results in less fatigue, all while still going up hills as efficiently as the hard tail does (and actually better than it if it is a rough climb).
I've heard lots of horror stories about the customer service department at Ellsworth, and to be honest there probably is a little flame underneath all the smoke regarding the retroactively applied new warranty standards. And I can understand people getting bent out of shape when their free 'warranteed' part also needs a very expensive other part to match it (talking model differences between front triangles and rear triangle parts).
In my case, however, I am still a satisfied customer after having broken two parts and spending a total of about $500. In the first case, after about 3500 miles (all pretty rough trails) the chainstay cracked in the CNC'ed area near the bottom bracket. It didn't strand me on the trail, just got a little waggly in the rear end. Ellsworth immediately sent out a replacement part and I was out $0 and only about a week and a half later I was riding it again.
Then about 6 months later the front triangle broke (top tube, about 1/2 inch behind the head tube). Luckily I was just warming up and was able to walk back the 1/2 mile to the car, all the while wondering what would have happened if it had happened a week earlier when I was bombing down some hills in Colorado at warp speed. In this case I got caught by an incompatibility with the my rockers and shock (only about a month old, dammit!) and spent around $500 on new parts to match the new free front triangle they supplied.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Washington, DC Date Reviewed: November 1, 2004
Favorite Trail:
San Juan Capistrano
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Incredible suspension performance Great lateral rigidity, tracks very well over rough stuff Lightweight and efficient Very high attention to detail
XT components, Avid 6" mechanicals, Fox Float air shock w/Pro-Pedal, Thompson post, Easton Carbon bar, ODI grips, XTR Levers, Manitou Super(old but great), 2.3" Continental Vertical Pros w/Stans
Bottom Line:
NOTICE: Ok, take all your pivot bolts out and locktite them! Problem solved. (just the end of the threads people, use the blue stuff) It's standard practice for most people that ride their full-suspension bikes relatively hard. If you don't, you're asking for some stainless steel hemorrhoids hanging off your rear end that can lead to future discomfort. REVIEW: Great bike, I got a deal on her so it was definitely worth it. I'm white, 6'0" 170lbs and the Medium fits me perfectly. Trails I mostly ride are typical tight eastern singletrack sprinkled with many roots, logs and some nice rocky sections. I ride very aggressively and this bike excels here, I throw it around just like my hardtail but only faster. It keeps a much better line over off-camber bumps. I just demoralized my friend on his Litespeed softail the other day. He used to be just as fast when I had my hardtail. The increase in speed is definitely noticeable in that type of situation, but the biggest improvement over my hardtail is the fact that I can ride for almost twice the amount of time (less riding fatigue). I have the least expensive fox float shock that they make and it seems great (w/pro-pedal). It has not had any problems, even though I have abused it a couple times at Big Bear. I would probably get the romic if I had to do it again, just because it's a coil. As far as people complaining about breaking them, I’m optimistic. Why? I don’t use it to hit jumps, drops, or downhill, I’m not full figured, and I know how to ride fast with finesse. Definitely buy a beefier bike like a Joker or Heckler if you intend on riding on rougher stuff. I probably will add a 6”+ bike to my garage soon. But if you’re a decent rider, not fat, ride mostly XC trails, and want a bike that will impress you every time you ride it with its efficiency, speed and stunning good looks, then get a Truth. I have not had to deal with Ellsworth customer service, but if/when I do, I’ll post about it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jonny
a
from Littleton Date Reviewed: October 28, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Ellsworth does make a good product. The bike is designed well and rides great with a Fox rear shock and not a piss poor Progressive 5th Element
Weaknesses:
Ellsworth needs to consider different shops they are dealing with. They are killing there own name by just opening any shop that will sell there product.
Similar Products Used:
Foes FXC cross country frame with 80mm of travel, Titus Racer X
Bottom Line:
Ellsworth is a great company when you deal with them directly. If you have to deal with a shop usually the shop is all bent out of shape if did'nt buy the bike from them. What I think these shops fall to understand is that you bring a NEW customer into your shop -yes maybe all they are doing is sending a frame in for warranty- but that NEW customer is there and if treated well can become a RETURN customer since they have to come back to pick the new bike up. This is a chance to develop a relationship with this NEW customer and sell them something they may need to rebuild the bike -new cables, brake pads, maybe pressing in the old headset cups or even upgrading to a new haedset. All the while they are looking around the shop to buy something else maybe. Not just saying whats in this for me ? There are to many shops around with attitudes likes this. I hope Ellsworth and there BAD dealers read this and hreat people a little better.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian Isakson
a
from Denver Colorado Date Reviewed: October 27, 2004
Favorite Trail:
white ranch
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1995.00
Purchased At:
The Singletrack Factory
Strengths:
the truth is one of the best bikes around for plush ride and great climbing.
Similar Products Used:
Intense spyder, Maverick ML-7, etc.
Bike Setup:
Manitou minute fork with sram drive train
Bottom Line:
If you read Scott Carley's review of The Singletrack Factory you should also know what Scott left out - he never bought anything from us - so really he can't complian at all. We'll take the higher road by saying sometimes there are two sides to any story - sorry that you have problems Scott! For everyone else - let us know how we can help you setup one great ellsworth.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Rosney
a Racer
from RSM, CA USA Date Reviewed: September 2, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Single track anywhere
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Purchased At:
Saucelido Cyclery
Strengths:
It looks good and the suspension design on this frame is awesome. Climbing is excellent with no bob at all. The aluminum tubing is real strong. The paint is tough as nails. And you get all this in a bike that's as light as can be.
Weaknesses:
I expected this frame to launch me onto the podium, but I'm still working on it six months later. I'll get there with the Truth.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized S-Works
Bike Setup:
SID Carbon fork, XTR everything plus Avid 7" mechanical on the front, Thompson Stem, LP Composite Bars, King Hubs with Mavic 221 rims and DT Swiss spokes built by Gravy Wheels, Salsa Titanium skewers, Easton carbon seat post S-Works saddle, Chris King headset, S-works grips, Egg beater twin-ti pedals, and titanium King bottle cage.
Bottom Line:
Buy this bike if you want a great 4" travel hot rod. I plan to keep mine for years and years.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dono
a Cross Country Rider
from Berkeley,CA USA Date Reviewed: July 30, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Lawndale
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Purchased At:
mike's bikes berkeley
Strengths:
rides like a dream, climbs like a goat, stops on a dime,neutral, intuitive handling
i'm talking out of the other side of my face today.As you may have read in my earlier review, i was none too happy with my new TRUTH frame because of the problem i had with pivot bolts loosening.I'm passionate about cycling and can't stand bikes that crap out because of the little things.Since i last wrote,the problematic pivot bolts remain in their respective holes and i've had not so much as a speck of trouble with that or any other part of the bike.Alittle loc tite goes a long way.Call me a bucket-head, but i get emotional when bikes are exceptionally good or bad, hence the venom in my original review of the bike.My hardtail is collecting dust as i look for reasons to throw a leg over TRUTH.SCHWEET it is.Aloha
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Beth Weible
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago, IL Date Reviewed: July 23, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Bullfrog Lake
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$3499.00
Purchased At:
www.rbikes.com
Strengths:
I previously owned a Schwinn Homegrown bicycle before purchasing the Truth, and boy do I see a difference. The Truth is just so much more efficent in its uphill pedaling. I feel like the Truth is just a much more solid bike all around. On top of that, the annodized finish is amazing. It makes the bike feel so much more solid. I'm not as afraid of scratching my expensive bicycle as I think I would have been, had it been a normal finish. The bike is also lightweight, making the bike simple to ride on any of the trails, without fatigue. The combo between the Romic rear shock & the Psylo fork absorb all of the uncomfortable bumps on the trail, without compromising my energy. The crossmax wheelse are super light. The shifting is made effortless with the SRAM / XTR combo in the drivetrail, even under tough conditions. The bike is amazing!
Well I think I've made the correct decision when I jumped up to the Truth. The workmanship on this bicycle is more than I could have ever expected. The bike handles like a dream, its lightweigh, and the pedaling is subperb to anything else I've ever tried. I feel like the bike is totally 100% efficent. On top of that, I've had no problems with the bicycle yet, and has proven to be more than reliable. The guys over at rbikes.com were very helpful and knowledgable when it came to picking out the components that would work bed around me, while keep the price reasonable. Thanks guys I guess to sum up, I would reccomend this bicycle to anyone who is thinking of getting into real trail riding. I don't think you'll find much else out there that is going to handle as well for such and outstanding price!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jerry
a Cross Country Rider
from Mpls.,Minnesota Date Reviewed: July 2, 2004
Favorite Trail:
The Blast
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Galyans
Strengths:
It climbs and handles well in tight single track as well as absorbing the bumps. It does what a xc full suspension frame is expected to do very well.
Weaknesses:
Cost, but its worth it if you love mtb biking often.
Similar Products Used:
20 years of assorted hardtails plus tried many other full suspension frames before purchase.
I can ride this bike longer and better than any bike I've ever owned. Any one that says it doesn't take the sting out of riding rougher terrain and steeper grades hasn't been punished enough on there hardtails to know better. I wish I could have had one of these bikes years ago.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Big Deal
a
from Toronto, Canada Date Reviewed: June 28, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Durham Forest
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
Silent Sports
Strengths:
Light. Stiff. Smooth. Attention to Detail.
Weaknesses:
I have broke a few.
Similar Products Used:
SC Blur.
Bike Setup:
King, XTR, Race Fcae, Hayes, Huigi.
Bottom Line:
I have been riding truth's for over 5 years now. Would I ride anything else? No. The truth is the ultimate XC racers ride. Long Enduro's, 24 hour races whatever you will be amazed by the performance. For those of you who complain about the frame breaking...Stop using the bike as something it is not (ie. freeride bike). Ride it and enjoy.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Yann
a Cross Country Rider
from France Date Reviewed: May 26, 2004
Favorite Trail:
A piece of perfect singletrakc in Vercor France.
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
UK
Strengths:
Pretty light. Active suspension on the descents un-obtrusive on the climbs.
Weaknesses:
Hairline crack appeared just above the weld on the rear disk mount. Luckily I noticed it when cleaning the bike before it got more serious.
Similar Products Used:
Marin Mount Vision
Bike Setup:
Marathon SL 100mm Forks. Full XTR drivetrain. Hope mini discs. Thompson post and stem. Easton carbon bars. Crossmax SL wheelset.
Bottom Line:
This is an update to the review I posted about 1 year ago. It's a 2003 model Truth.
Most of my riding is long epic days in the saddle with the odd endurance race. I use the bike to attack trails (sometimes pretty technical) as hard and as fast as my confidence allows and enjoy (yes I'm sick) big painful climbs. I don't do drops or anything else too technical for which I feel the bike is not designed for. I'd say I'm a pretty smooth rider with 10 years experience and weigh 70 kilos.
Firstly it's without doubt the best mountain bike I have ever owned. My confidence for attacking the descents has really grown and it allows me to cover more miles more comfortably than my Cannondale hardtail then do it all over again the next day. After one year I still feel it's the perfect bike for the type of riding I do.
However....I must say I'm a little worried and disappointed after finding a tiny crack on the frame above the rear disk mount. The crack appeared after a 3 day endurance event and if I'd have noticed it during the event I would probably have pulled out. The terrain although having a few rocky technical sections was in my opinion they type of terrain on which the Truth should excel. For the record my team mate for the event was riding his 10 year old Litespeed hardtail and suffered no problems.
I rang the shop from whom I bought the bike and they have replacement parts for the area that is broken. They are sending out a new piece free of charge so hopefully time out of the saddle will be kept to a minimum. I'll be keeping a close eye on this in the future and you can be sure to here from me again should the problem re-occur. In fact if it does they're will be a full XTR 2003 Ellsworth Truth going very cheap - watch this space.
Should just add that if all is well after fitting the new frame piece I can see me keeping this bike for a good few years - I love the ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
demonic1
a Cross Country Rider
from Wisconsin Date Reviewed: May 25, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
built well- great attention to detail
Weaknesses:
the rear deraailer hanger (fixed for 2004)- I bought my longer hanger for Shimano parts from Speedgoat works great w/ 11-32 cluster.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Epic w/ brain- felt like it lagged over bumps, especially downhill & not nearly as supple.
Bike Setup:
'03 XTR- King hubs and headset- Raceface stem, bar, seatpost- Fox RLC fork- Romic Coil shock
Bottom Line:
Great bike. Every day I ride it I like it more. It's as quick through singletrack as my Klein Attitude and climbs just as well. The finish is bullet proof- no scratches since I got it last year. The cartride bearings really make this thing stand out as far as rear end suspension smoothness and lateral stiffness. To quote Ferris Bueller" "If you have the means, I highly reccomend picking one up."
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Daniel Nemetchek
a Racer
from Winnipeg, MB, Canada Date Reviewed: May 19, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Anything @ Birch
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
Gooch's Bicycle and Hobbies Shop
Strengths:
Weight, it's not much heavier than my old hardtail and it climbs like a dream. Front wheel stays planted when climbing seated, very stable feeling in the air and at high speed.
Weaknesses:
None yet, i heard a squeek the other day from the back end, but it's gone now and i'm not even sure it was the suspension.
Similar Products Used:
Oryx HTA 650, Oryx T-Line 650, Trek Fuel 100, KHS soft tail model, and many others.
Bike Setup:
Lot's of XT, some XTR, Race Face next carbon riser, eggbeaters, avid single digit 5 v-brakes (not expensive, but light and effective). marzocchi Z1 x-fly fork and mavic x517 rims held to xt hubs with DT Revolution tripple butted spokes.
Bottom Line:
Great bike, I don't regret the purchase one bit. it's light, i haven't noticed one bit of lateral flex from the back end (which i initially expected). you can feel the ground underneath (small bumps), but you can pedal right threw it no problem with no hesitation in your spin, beautiful. even on out of the saddle steep climbs, the suspension keeps the rear wheel planted yet dosn't robb you of pedal power (which i also expected). i've taken this bike off drops (all under 6 feet), down huge flights of stairs at high speed and over small jumps, and the rear end has soaked up everything, my wheels aren't the least bit out of tru, it's an truley incredable bike.
If your considering buying this bike, do, it's totally worth it, but remember, it is a cross country bike, not a big hit, free ride or all mountain bike. everyone who seems to have a problem with it seems to mention that it's not a very good all mountain bike or some sort of crap like that. if you want all mountain, buy a moment, if you want blazing speed and bike that will put you on the podium, buy the Truth.
my one beef is with the fox rear shock, i got the frame, built the bike and tried to ride it, but the shock was loosing air like crazy, i sent it back however and it was repaired and back to me in under to weeks, and not a problem since.
oh, and one other reason to buy this ride, the frame comes with a tonne of stickers and a lizard skin, very impressed, don't let your shop steal the stickers from you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Aaron
a
from Salida Date Reviewed: May 9, 2004
I've owned a truth since 2001 and this is my second- the first freakishly dented during a bad karmic disturbance in the force. This new one is better than the last one and the first one got me thru a 450 mile race without a single crash or flat or anything.
There is a not an active 4-bar bike better than a truth for cross country and racing, be it 24 hour or 50 mile or shorter. The suspension is always active- if you enjoy a rear wheel that hooks up and provides constant traction both uphill and down under all circumstances, then this is the bike for you. With the new geometry, this bike is equally suited for 120 lb freaks and 210 lb geeks. But if you jump your dumb ass off more the 3 feet of space, get something else (moment,id,dare) and leave the truth to us xc twerps.
Ellsworth gets a bad rep- who knows why. My guess is that there are those who try to take advatage of generous warranties and lose. My own story is about love and understanding in my own time of need. Lesson: ride the truth and live an honest life, good things will happen.
Enough bs- ride one and you'll know.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dono
a Cross Country Rider
from Berkeley, CA USA Date Reviewed: April 21, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Downieville,Tahoe,Annadel,Tamarancho
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Purchased At:
Mike's Bikes, Berkeley
Strengths:
Ride quality is quite good, pedaling efficiency is excellent,handling on singletrack, fire roads of all kinds is confidence inspiring and comfortable.Great all around epic bike.
Weaknesses:
After approximately two weekends of riding both off road and on, the main pivot began to creep out, causing shifting issues and a bit of rubbing while pedaling seated. During a subsequent ride, one of my riding buddies noticed the pivot bolt at the rocker(closest to the seatpost)was also beginning to creep out.Oddly, my wife's ISIS' pivot bolt 'ejected'itself from the bike while traveling on the roof rack.We heard the noise as it bounced onto the roof and landed on the Golden Gate Bridge.The guys at Mike's in Sausalito replaced it and used loc tite to secure the threads.So far, hers has held for a year and 3 months.This cannot be an isolated occurrence, or are we just hard on our equipment?i think not.
I'M PRETTY @#*&%$! PISSED OFF but I dig the ride. For the 'supposed' QUALITY OF MANUFACTURING and ATTENTION TO DETAIL, the LAST thing i should have to worry about is whether i'll be able to finish a ride without critical components falling out or failing altogether.This is neither a HUFFY or an NRS1.i'm stuck with the bike as it sits, but if this continues to be an issue, look for a Med,Black TRUTH for sale...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Fish
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta Date Reviewed: April 20, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1650.00
Purchased At:
web retailer
Strengths:
Engineering, latteral stiffness, comfort, quality and workmanship
Weaknesses:
Price, but you get what you pay for
Similar Products Used:
K2 hardtail and demo rides on Klein, Giant and Garry Fisher full suspention rigs
Bike Setup:
XT/XTR, Romic ti rear and Fox 100RLC upfront
Bottom Line:
This thing is the rig-A-dig-dig. It climbs like a scared monkey, and just carves up single track like no-bodies buisness. I can not believe the amount of confidence that this bikes inspires when you head downhill. I originally swithced to FS due to sore back after a day of epic rides and I can not imagine a better bike. Save your money and score a Truth, it will set you free. Oh yeah and the customer service is insane!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim
a Weekend Warrior
from Sussex, UK Date Reviewed: April 16, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Freeborn
Strengths:
Build quality, climbing prowess, descending prowess, general high speed trail manners, finish, warranty, image.
I did'nt buy the bike for the kudos factor ( I truly considered it the best all-round bike of the many great bikes that I tried) but I think a few owners perhaps did and have contributed to the subtle ellsworth backlash that pervades in certain circles. IMHO if you spend a bit of time setting up this rig properly it's pretty much flawless. The thing climbs everything incredibly, is totally light agile and responsive on technical singletrack, is stable and predictable on descents, and is an unbeatably fast cross-country hack. Bottom line, if your looking for this type of bike, have an open mind and are lucky enough to have the wedge, you'll struggle to find better.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Woodard
a Cross Country Rider
from Chattanooga, TN, USA Date Reviewed: March 30, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Ocoee National Forest Trail System
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3500.00
Purchased At:
East Ridge Bicycles
Strengths:
The suspension does what it says. Excellent compliant bump absorption for a 'short' travel cross country bike. Laterally stiff from the seattube back, excellent climber, good singletrack manners once you get it up to speed, but a little 'thick' feeling at lower speeds.
Weaknesses:
Price, only three sizes maxing at 20", limited color selection, going to a two-year (not lifetime)warranty soon, a little bit of lateral flex in the headtube area on the large size, 27.2 seatpost, no rear offset allowed on seatpost per Ellsworth.
Fox Float 100 RLC, Fox AVA Propedal, Full XT Disc Dual Control, Thomson post and stem, WTB saddle, Mavic 717, Hope hubs, DT Supercomp spokes, Easton EA-50 bar, Panaracer XC tires, Stans.
Bottom Line:
This bike is not for riders looking for big travel/big hit rides. It has great trail manners, climbs well, likes to be ridden fast...only then can you appreciate the handling. The rear wheel stays on the ground which allowed me to clear obstacles easily as I began to trust the suspension. The same obstacles required a huge lunge on my Fuel 98. The Float 100 RLC is an excellent choice for this bike...stiff, plush and has adjustments that really work. I knocked between 8-12 minutes off a loop it took me two hours to ride on my Trek Fuel 98 OCLV.
At slower trail speeds it requires a little more 'body english' to get it around obstacles. It does not bob noticably, but I did notice a little slow-frequency shock compression when climbing moderately steep climbs. Overall, so much plusher than my Fuel 98 and a much better performer in my opinion.
I think the retail price is too high, especially as Ellsworth is transitioning to an industry standard two-year warranty soon (per Ellsworth).
Overall, the best <=4" travel, full suspension, XC bike I have ever ridden, including those I rode at 2003 Interbike. 5 flaming chilis.
Value? Even with the excellent package deal from East Ridge Bicycles, I winced at the price of the frame. If I had not been able to buy one with the lifetime warranty, I may not have purchased this bike.
5 Flaming Chilis to East Ridge Bicycles in Chattanooga, for patient, complete and friendly service as I chose my parts. An excellent shop.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Duncan Cook
a Cross Country Rider
from uk Date Reviewed: March 30, 2004
Favorite Trail:
coed/flume
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Freeborn
Strengths:
Very stiff, plush,solid feel, rear does not ramp up (probably due to ava shock), back end only goes up & down (not side to side), finish & engineering quality, ground clearance, warranty,
Weaknesses:
Lack of nice colours, bike feels like it is folding in half when humped out of the saddle, Ellsworths inability to fit hose guides to the main frame of a DISC ONLY BIKE, hard to clean, slower than other cross country fs bikes,
XTR, FOx Float, Float AVA propedal, thomson, easton, hope, Maviv, Sapim, Kenda, wtb etc etc 25 pounds dead.
Bottom Line:
Does what it does well but is not as fast an xc bike as a well sorted Superlight. Pity Ellsworth customer services find them selves unable of giving me some set up info to get the most from the bike. Great bike.... would I by another ???
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan S.
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City, UT USA Date Reviewed: March 28, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Anything but pavement
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3300.00
Purchased At:
Beyondbikes.com
Strengths:
First off let me say to avoid Beyondbikes.com, apparently I'm not the only person with similar feelings (see previous post). Excellent price via preseason ordering but those guys aren't the sharpest. The beautiful finish is the first thing that catches your eye. I opted for the black and am not disappointed. At 6'4" tall I was worried that this bike was going to be small, especially since I hate long stems. With a 90mm Race Face Deus stem, I'm quite comfortable despite the length of seatpost needed. This is the first bike I ridden with a 105mm fork, normally I ride with 130mm or taller and it was odd getting used to being hunched over. After a good week riding this bike straight, my Heckler feels odd and bulky. Overall I managed to get a relatively light bike without sacrificing durable components. It is quick, climbs well and hammers over moderate size rocks/bumps without having to get out of the saddle. Dropping the 26" Easton bars for longer 28" Race Face risers gave the bike excellent control. Right now my 2004 Heckler has been sitting idle as I love taking this bike out. Despite the feel and handling it is always great to have people stare and ask questions.
Weaknesses:
Price. $1995 for frame set is definitely steep, but I guess it keeps every Joe from buying one. The Marzocchi 105mm MX Pro hasn't been all that great. The lockout fades after half a minute and a metallic sound has developed in the coil side of the fork after brief XC use.
Similar Products Used:
2003 Santa Cruz Superlight. 2004 Santa Cruz Heckler that I purchased a few months prior to the Truth.
Bike Setup:
Fox AVA w/Propedal (no lockout), 105mm Marzocchi MX Pro w/ETA, 6" Avid Mechanicl disks, WTB Lazer Disk hubs w/Sun DS1 rims, Race Face riser bars, Turbine LP's and Deus stem, Thompson post, Chris King headset, Shimano XT derailleurs and shifters.
Bottom Line:
Getting the bike at a preseason price made it all the better. If you're looking for a decent price, Beyondbikes.com sometimes offers good deals but you'll pay with their service and follow up. Be prepared to deal with guys who act like they just hit the bong. The Truth is by far THE best XC bike I've ridden and am not upset with my purchase at all. Due to it's lightweight and handling I can get a quick 15 mile ride in after work before the sun goes down. Low maintanence and the respone and respect you get from other knowledgeable riders makes it worth the price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joseph D.
a Weekend Warrior
from Issaquah, WA Date Reviewed: March 22, 2004
Favorite Trail:
PoliPoli, Hi
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$3900.00
Purchased At:
BeyondBikes
Strengths:
Light, snappy, good climber and one hellava bike for smooth XC trails. I found the support from Beyond Bikes was Beyond comprehension, basically worthless once the deal was sealed, but the help from Ellsworth was great! They were very supportive and offering great help and sugesstions.
Weaknesses:
Mass rocks, roots and anything other than small bumps and smoother type trails.
Similar Products Used:
Any hardtail! SC Blur(much more plush and still a good climber) Mantra (does that count?)
Bike Setup:
Top shelf, 2003 XTR, Chris King hubs/headset, Ti where I could, cost didn't matter, basically tried to build a dream bike.
Bottom Line:
Buy it if you really still want a hardtail but want to get into full suspension that is light and snappy. I don't want to diss it, but you need to realize if what you're really after is a "trail bike" go ells-where.... Bottom line, I "truely" enjoy looking at more than riding it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Trevor!
a Racer
from Hobart, Tas, Australia Date Reviewed: February 18, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
2000
Strengths:
Strong climbing ability. Energy efficient design. Plushness. Compliant suspension that eats the small and the big. No brake induced or chain torque induced effects on the rear suspension. Quick, nimble geometry Shot peened anodized finish (Sweet)
Weaknesses:
Horrible reputation the "Warranty" seems to have on MTBR. Lack of hydraulic line guides which IMHO is totally lazy on the designers behalf to leave off the frame.
Bike Setup:
2004 18" frame, Fox F100X with Sram XO, FSA Carbon Pros, XT/XTR hydraulic brakes, Twin Ti pedals, King ISO/VXC/Supercomp wheelset with eclipse tubeless kit + hutchinson pythons, King Headset, Easton EC Seatpost and Flat bars, Selle Italia SLR, Foam Grips, FSA XC115 Stem, Ti bolts here and there.
Bottom Line:
I am roughly 5'11" and ride the 18" model. I find this to be the perfect fitting bike for me, allowing me to be relatively stretched out for racing.
The bike is complemented by the Fox F100X in the front end, which just seems to be perfectly matched to the bike.
I'll have to be honest. I never ever got to test ride the Truth but I decided to take a chance on this frame and if I didn't like it then I would get rid of it and take a look at something else. Close to six months later I am still really happy with this bike. I wouldn't want anything else. I still ride with a smile with this thing!
As I had already reviewed the bike in the 2003 section bike I thought to save time I would just copy and paste my original review of the 04 frame. Enjoy:
Ride quality aside, one of the first things I noticed on the bike, is the nice balanced feel I experience. Being into racing I like the way I am nicely stretched out yet still comfortable. The bike feels nice and responsive and quite nimble in tight single track. The geometry results in a bike that is quick and responsive while still maintaining a degree of stability and balance going down steep stuff or climbing. In contrast to my last bike, a giant NRS, I find the Truth to be very responsive and a quicker steering bike, making tight single track and fast cornering even more of a thrill.
The suspension is the part of the bike that has superseded my expectations. Continually in these reviews and on the tech-talks you here the comments of how the suspension is just so plush. I can attest to it. The suspension is so very plush, and also endless feeling, hit a rock garden and the bike will just chew it up. climbing rocky sections or heck even steps is great. The suspension will flatten it out for you and you can focus on getting to the top or to the bottom. I like rocky stuff or anything technically challenging and find I can ride stuff better thanks to the active suspension. Unlike the giant NRS this bike remains active when it needs to and keeps pretty much bob-less elsewhere, unless you happen to mash or have poor pedal technique.
I think the Terra logic fork with 100mm travel makes for a perfect match on the Truth. I wont comment on the fork but with the Truth it seems a perfect match.
Efficiency is important to me and the ICT design with the Pro pedal fox shock seems to keep the rear end bob free. You can get the bike to bob and that happens on most duallies no matter how "Efficient" they are claimed to be, but when it matters the bike remains close to bob-less, or at least I cannot see it bob when I ride. Climbing rough sections will see the suspension remain active and consequently keep the rear glued to the ground. On the flat stuff I can pedal in 44x11 and have a firm rear.
Frame construction looks great. Neat flawless welds, lovely shot peened tubing just looks wonderful and cleans easily. I Have fallen in rocks and on smooth stuff and haven't marked, scratched or dented the frame.
Love the bike, always impressed and seem to always have a smile, no matter if I climb or if I descend. I couldn't imagine ever wanting to ride another bike - The Truth is in my book the BEST out there.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rex Plunger
a Cross Country Rider
from NorCal Date Reviewed: February 7, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
Local Bike Store
Strengths:
Great suspension!!!!! TT length, head angle, BB height are perfect for me. Looks sweet
Weaknesses:
I hate the little suspension diagram on the back end of the top tube - tacky
Similar Products Used:
Superlite, Blur
Bike Setup:
XTR parts and wheels, XT disks, King, Thompson, Easton, Romic Ti, Eggbeaters, WeirWolf and Smoke
Bottom Line:
I weigh 165 and stand about 5'10". The 18" is a perfect fit.
This bike is great. Riding uphill at a good pace over patches of rocks and roots, the rear suspension absorbs everything and prevents the travel lurches and vibration from affecting the pedaling. I can get this bike to bob if I stand up and lunge on the pedals, but with a bit of rebound damping and a quiet and efficient stroke there is no bob at all.
The Romic Ti shock is impressive, the best of both worlds.
My bike is very stable - something that I was initially concerned about. With my 105mm fork, a higher bottom bracket and longer top tube than my superlite I still clear all my bumpy, low speed, tight, uphill switchbacks.
Traction going up and coming down is great. The bike just seems to stick to the ground and hold lines on off-camber turns, acrosss steep side-sloped banks, and down.
The frame is light. My bike, with more tyre than it really needs, comes to 27.5 lbs. 26 lbs is possible.
Very expensive, but if you get half as much out of the bike as I get it the money is very well spent
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Droffats
a Cross Country Rider
from Milwaukee Date Reviewed: February 7, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1995.00
Purchased At:
Cory the Bike Fixer
Strengths:
Performance, Quality Build, Great Geomentry, Lightweight.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Blur, Spider, NRS, Fuel, Maverick, Cake, Sugar, Racer X, etc.
Bike Setup:
All SRAM, Race Face, King, Thompson, and Easton.
Bottom Line:
The new ’04 Truth is really better riding than the previous generation. My favorite bike used to be the Santa Cruz Blur, but now it is the Truth. The new Truth doesn’t have the weaknesses the Blur has. First, the Truth is a way better climber. It is fully active at all times, so the rear wheel stays in contact. The harder I pedal a Blur, the less active it becomes, so climbing is like hauling a heavy hard tail up the hill. The Truth also is a half pound lighter than a Blur. Also, the Blur gets a bit of brake jack. The rear end on a Truth doesn’t lock out under hard braking. The other thing is I can remain more neutrally balanced on the Truth. On the Blur, I have to ride way back over the rear wheel on rough downhills to keep the shock working best. Now the Intense Spider, that is a tougher call, because the linkages are slightly different from the Blur, it has more of a natural neutral spot and doesn’t need as hard of pedaling to keep from bobing. Now, take all that with a grain of salt because I work at a shop that used to sell Santa Cruz, but we don’t anymore. Now the shop sells Intense and Ellsworth.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Tempe, AZ Date Reviewed: February 4, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
123bikes.com
Strengths:
Overall performance is more than I expected. The new Fox Pro Pedal in combination with the redesigned '04 geometry make this bike an unbelievably efficient. It climbs with unmatched agility and can hold a line down so effortlessly, its scary. Where the bike truly performs, however, is on single track. It is so predictable and light, that blind corners or unexpected "mini" climbs are as easy as it gets. It's appearance is also incredible. The bike is just flat out beautiful and makes me want to ride every time I look at it.
Weaknesses:
Hammering out of the saddle, I can make the bike bob. However, it climbs so well while seated I have no reason to stand. It is also not the most plush ride out there. It takes the big hits very well, but you can still feel the trail. I'm not sure this is a weakness, but if you are looking for ultra plush, look elsewhere.
Similar Products Used:
Titus RX (very nice ride), SC Blur, Intense Spyder and Specialized Epic.
I spent 6 months researching various bikes. I was looking for a cross-country / 24hr race machine. Based on the models I looked at, the Truth had the largest amount of efficient travel, was the lightest of the bunch, had a great repuatation, and just flat out performed. All of the bikes I tested had nice qualities, but the Truth simply had the best total package. If you are looking for a very efficient, 4 inch travel bike, look no further than the Truth.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
What's New
»
BEST OF MTBR - Check out the highest rated bikes, parts, & gear!
»
LED BIKE LIGHT SHOOTOUT 3 - We test all the newest products and latest light and battery technology in this comprehensive guide»
$ 1995.00
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
