Strengths: Comfy ride, not too much pedal bob in most gears
Weaknesses: Felt wallowy, lots of ghost shifting, crap brakes.
Bottom Line:
I rented this one for day and took it for a pretty tough ride on some up down fire road and some technical singletrack with lots of roots. At home I ride an XC setup hardtail so this may skew my view, however,in terms of feel, I thought this was one of the worst bikes I've ever ridden. I'm not sure whether it wa due to flex in the linkages or floppy suspension or something else but the whole bike felt very wobbly going downhill at speed, even on smoothish fire roads, like the whole bike was about to fall appart. It made me stop several times to make sure everything was properly connected. While climbing the bike felt heavy and pedaling out of the seat was not an option with the bike boucing like a bouncy castle. While seated however pedaling was smooth in most gears with surprising little pedal bob. I also suffered from alot of ghost shifting under power, I check gear alignment several times and could not figure out the cause of this. On techincal singletrack the bike was comfortable and easier to handle at low speeds however, I found the bike hookedup badly on roots I'd normally roll over. At first I thought this might again be due to the suspension's travel path but since it happened on both front and back wheels perhaps it was the tires. Final complaint was with the tektro mechanical disk brakes which had notably less power than the Avid rim brakes I have at home (in dry conditions). Both discs started dragging halfway through the ride and the rear disc warped for no apparent reason (didnt crash). At this price point, I think cheap and cheerful rim brakes are definitely a better choice over cheap and nasty discs.
On the positive side the ride felt very plush and with its limited pedal bob reasonably climbable dispite its weight, I think it might be good for someone looking for a very relaxed ride at a reasonable price but instablility at speed makes it unsuitable for anything else.
Submitted by
Michael Nagro
a Weekend Warrior
from Orem, Utah, USA
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2005
Strengths: K-2 replaced my cracked 2003 Attack 2.0 frame (it got a hairline crack at the seat post) with a 2005 frame for free and it hardly took 2 weeks. The new design has been reinforced at the very spot the old one split. Special thanks to Park's fro awesome service and K-2 for the quick turn around and the wisdom to recognize their original design flaw and fix it.
Weaknesses: Although I'm incredibly pleased with the new bike even more than the old one, it's still a bit heavy. However, I'm not willing to shell out an extra $1000 or more for a lighter frame.
Bottom Line:
It still appears to be the best bike in its price range.
this is a good bike for someone wanting to take the leap to full suspension without a lot of money. everything on the bike is fairley solid and works as advertised. If you are looking for a full suspension bike to race or to to take big drops look somewhere else. If you are looking for a good entery level full suspension bike and aren't worried about weight this is a good place to start.
Great bike for beginner riders. Offers the ability to upgrade if you become a more serious rider. Can be built into a light XC bike for less than $400. Mine is well below 30lbs - after the new wheelset and shock probably about 25ish. Still have spent less than I would have on a bike with the same components/weight from another company.
Similar Products Used: Other K2 bikes (monkey series)
Bike Setup: Attack 2.0 - rebuilt. XT RD, SRAM Rocket triggers, SRAM X-Gen FD, PG-970 Cassette, Avid SD Ti/SD MAG brakes, Rock Shox Duke XC, Easton EA70 Stem. Future additions will include rear air shock, new rims, new seat post, and handle bars.
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Submitted by
danielle wordell
a Weekend Warrior
from methuen ma usa
Date Reviewed: April 21, 2005
Strengths: you'll not find a better beginer dual suspension for this price
Weaknesses: its very heavy, and as a 120 pound girl, it can be a lot to get up a hill. but hey, it sure makes you stronger! the low end disc brakes tend to rub and need to be adjusted frequently.
Bottom Line:
this is an excellant bike if you are looking to get something better than what they sell at walmart, but not yet ready to shell out over $1500 for a bike. if you plan on really getting into the sport, like i did, then you'll want to upgrade after a year. but, if youre a weekend warrior, then this bike is really all you need. i thought about upgrading the components on it, but really, now that i am more into the sport, it would be better to just sell it and get a better bike, due to the fact that the frame is so much heavier than a more expensive bike. but going from a target hardtail to this bike improved my riding so much, that i can hardly complain about it. its heavy, you'll feel that, but once the season gets underway and you get stronger, you wont notice until you ride someones $1500 range bike and youre like man this thing is light! if i had to do it over i'd buy this bike again. if you want a serious heavy duty mountain bike this is not for you, but if youre a beginer or a weekend warrior then take one for a spin!
Similar Products Used: this is my first dual suspension bike
Bike Setup: havent changed what it came with (2004 version) except added crank brothers titanium candy pedals (funny $200 pedals on a beginer bike)
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Submitted by
Rich
a Cross Country Rider
from Sacramento CA
Date Reviewed: October 3, 2004
Strengths: Best bang for the buck that I could find.
Weaknesses: Of course I could want better components but for the price I have right to complain.
Bottom Line:
This is my first bike since I got out college(12 years ago), I started biking (04/2004) to stay in Ski shape and now I'm hooked on Mountain Biking in addition to skiing. This is a great bike for the guy who's not sure if he'll ride it 3 times a year or 3 times a week. You won't feel too guilty if sits in the garage alot and it will take you most place you want to go. I ride with guys who've spent 4 to 6 times the amount I did and I still keep up with them. Becuz of the price and what you get for it I give it 5 Chilis. Again if your not sure how into biking your going be but want a bike that can take you on most trails then this is a must see for you.
Bike Setup: Added a Sette Carbon Straight bar, Sette Race Ti seat, Sette seat post, and Crank Bros. Mallet C pedals
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Submitted by
B Nielson
a Cross Country Rider
from Salina Ut
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2004
Strengths: Good entry level full suspension. Feels solid. I like the marz mz comp fork.
Weaknesses: Shimano M475 disc brakes. I could only get 1 to 1 and a half rides per set of brake pads. I even replaced the whole set up once (caliper, rotor, pads), it was good for one more ride. I called Shimano, they said it was not made for my style of riding.
Bottom Line:
This is a fine entry level full suspension. (FINE is a four letter "F" word). I like the simple pleasures in life, like riding down a hill with a rear brake that works.
Similar Products Used: This is my first full suspension bike. I want to upgrade now.
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Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Somerville, MA
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2004
Strengths: Solid frame, good components for the money - Shimano mechanical disc brakes, Marzocchi front fork, and a Noleen rear suspension, eats up rough terrain
Weaknesses: Heavy, Average stock derailers - need to upgrade to XT
Bottom Line:
The Attack 2.0 is a great value for someone looking to ride recreationally. It offers full suspension with decent components at half the price of a Trek or Specialized. You can't beat it!
Similar Products Used: GT Agressor hardtail, the full suspension is a great improvement
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Submitted by
Brent Knutson
a Weekend Warrior
from Boise, ID USA
Date Reviewed: April 30, 2004
Strengths: Good Frame with nice balance. It has the same geometry as a higher-end trail bike. The frame and rear coil over oil Noleen shock sold me, along with a 20% REI member's discount. At $600, I couldn't pass it up.
Weaknesses: At 31 pounds it's a bit heavy. The component group is pretty low end, and I couldn't live with the eight speed rear-cassette. I spent $500 on upgrades. Also, there's no lockout on the rear shock, and it does bob under heavy pedaling.
Bottom Line:
A steal for the price. Normally, you'd end up upside-down buying a low end bike and uprgrading components, but this one's an exception. I dropped $1,100 total, and it's comparable to any $1,400 trail bike. Granted, it is a few pounds overweight, but it descends like a champ, and it is rock solid. I'm very happy with this purchase.
Similar Products Used: Giant Carbon Fiber Cadex Hardtail
Bike Setup: Upgraded to an XT drivetrain with an LX crankset and Avid brake levers. Also swapped out the pedals for Ritchey SPDs.
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Submitted by
Brian Wampler
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Osos, CA
Date Reviewed: February 3, 2004
Strengths: For a 235 pounder like me the bike feels solid. Shifting has been precise so far. Tires bite in. Dealer very friendly. 5 year frame warranty. 2 year components warranty. I like being able to crank up the fork and shock springs preload.
Weaknesses: So far I have not found one. I have done two cross-country rides so far on it. I wish the dampening and rebound were externally adjustable, but this is an $800 bike, not a $1800 bike.
Bottom Line:
If you want a Deore rear derailiur and good entry level stuff on a bike then this is it. You want XT everything, then do not buy this bike and go see Gary Fisher and drop $3k. I ride 1-2 times a week and this bike is all I need. If you think you are a pro then buy a pro bike, otherwise this is a decent choice for a bike above a Wal-Mart/Target bike!
Similar Products Used: Came off a rigid frame GT bike that is 15 years old. What a differnece suspension makes! I test rode Giant, Specialized, and Trek bike all in this price range and found this bike to be the only one that did not fell like mush with me on it.
Bike Setup: All stock. I keep the spring preload pretty stiff as I have been riding a rigid bike for years.
