after only 8 months of having this bike - i've had serious problems with the left crankarm bolt. after long rides during some lengthy trails, the bolt began coming loose - resulting in a stripped out crank arm that ended up needing to be replaced. the front fork was never really worth it's salt to begin with, but now will be needed to be replaced due to serious squeaks and gaps in travel.
Submitted by
KayakATL
a Weekend Warrior
from Marietta, GA USA
Date Reviewed: March 4, 2009
Strengths: Looks, Decent Frame, Price, Ez fire shifters,
Weaknesses: RST Fork is total Garbabge(like really, it acts like a solid fork), Have to true wheels after every other ride, BB (Bottom Bracket)falls apart and strips out the bolt AND crank arm. No bracket to upgrade to disk later.
Bottom Line:
Ok, i like this bike, but the components are garbage, namely the crankset and the front fork. I love the frame, and i have no problems with the shifting components unless i bash up the derailleur. Granted I did ride this bike well beyond what it was designed to do, and it took the beating for the most part. I did have a day where the left side crank arm bolt came out and i was attached to my shoe,pedal,crank arm but not the bike. I solved this by finding a replacement bolt and blue loc-tite but i still have to tighten it after every ride. I will be replacing the front fork and bottom bracket so i will have this as my hard tail / backup bike. 4 because its hard to find anything decent at the price range, 3 because fork and BB fall apart.
Similar Products Used: Trek 4300, Wally World crap, Mongoose Otero Super
Bike Setup: Mavrick 1.2, Time Atac clipless
Mongose Otero Super, Time Atac clipless
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Dan Campbell
a Weekend Warrior
from Pulaski, Va. USA
Date Reviewed: June 21, 2005
Strengths: Good overall bike.
Weaknesses: The seat. I corrected it by getting a Nashbar Gel Seat. Rides a million times better.
Bottom Line:
I've had this bike for over 3 years and have never had any problems with the bike's performance. To me, there ain't no other ATB for $230.00 that can top this bike! This bike is mostly for smooth trails but I've rode this bike on moderate rough trails and it handles it with no problems. Just be sure you change that hard seat to a gel seat.
Submitted by
Adam Scott
a Weekend Warrior
from Glendale, CA
Date Reviewed: April 22, 2005
Strengths: Front shock is very responsive over irregularities in the path. Front end hardly bounces at all! Disc brakes are pretty responsive, but I'm still breaking them in.
Weaknesses: When trail riding, front end is great. But if you like to bounce around in the city... front end may be a little to soft no matter how stiff you can get it.
Bottom Line:
So far so good. I'd recommend this bike for anyone who wants a quality MTB but is trying to keep it under $500.
Piece of junk. The frame is good 6061 alloy same as any softball bat out there. The hubs goto crap after about 50 or so miles. Crank bolts come undone on med dowhill's ( fireroad). Don't try to upgrade to 9spd kit because you will need to invest more than what you paid for the bike in the first place. Maybe its just the one I got but if I had to do over again I would look at a Cove or Kona ht first.
Submitted by
Darryl
a Weekend Warrior
from Edmonton, AB, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2003
Strengths: This is my first "decent" quality bike with a front suspension. Its eye catching silver/black paint looks very good. For the price, it is a surprisingly light bike. The front shocks suck up the bumps smoothly.
Weaknesses: I've been having a MAJOR problem with the crank bearings. I'm only a weekend warrior that rides intermediate trails, so I don't put on many miles in a summer. However, I end up having to tighten the crank bearings after every ride. For some reason, they are either worn out or were defective (of course the warranty is expired). If anyone has experienced this problem, please email me - I'd like to know how you solved it. Also, the twist grips are too long - not enough area to grip the bars firmly when climbing hills. This resulted in some unexpected gear changes. I've now compensated for this, but would have preferred a shorter twist grip.
Bottom Line:
A great looking, great riding bike for the price. Perhaps the crank bearing problem is an anomaly. Either way, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Iron Horse.
Submitted by
Sarah
a Weekend Warrior
from Adelaide, SA, Australia
Date Reviewed: October 3, 2002
Strengths: A good beginners mountain bike
Weaknesses: No noticeable weaknesses
Bottom Line:
After an injury, which prevents me from running, I got into bike riding as an alternative way to keep fit. After riding an old steel ten-speed for a while I upgraded to the Maverick as a "first mountain bike". The cromoly frame saved me around $AU100 and allowed me to get more features for my price range. I am completely wrapped with the Maverick - it rides well and it handles the beginner trails with ease. I went stupid on a pine plantation last weekend and had no problems. It was a solid ride. For the price, the Maverick is an excellent entry level bike.
I needed a good bike to rehab my recently operated knee, but I could not justify a big expense (over $400 Dollars). If I get hooked on biking again and my knee holds up I can see handing the bike down to the wife (Its about time she gets a hand-me-down, she always has to have the newest car and the new stuff around here). For a "beginner" this is a win win decision/purchase. I made a good choice and for $200 bucks this is a solid bike at a great price, a bike that is going to provide some fun times in the near future.
Similar Products Used: Dept store Mongoose, and a bunch of name brand demos.
Bike Setup: Standard
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Chuck
a Cross Country Rider
from Kingwood, Tx USA
Date Reviewed: March 6, 2002
Strengths: Quality at a good price
Weaknesses: For the price, cant really say it has any justified weaknesses
Bottom Line:
For $180, this bike is hard to beat. I ride easy trails and paved paths, though I do put some fairly serious miles in. This bike is smooth, stable and has a quality feel to it. The deraileurs are OK, the brakes are excellent. The frame is fairly light, making for pretty good handling. Riding this bike after a cheap bike, it feels great. Riding this bike after riding an expensive bike, it still feels good. If you ride intermediate to difficult trails, you need a better bike than this. If your riding is for fun, with some occasional off-road trails, this might be the bike for you. Everything on the bike has a quality feel to it. And at this price, that's called value...
