New for 2003 and designed around the Curnutt XTD technology, the FXR is the first bicycle frame ever produced to utilize a 'position sensitive' damper in a cross-country application. Perfect for 'epic rides', rough terrain XC, or for those who need a bit more suspension in their trail riding adventures, but don't need the weight or brute strength of a freeride style frame. Travel is adjustable from 5 to 5.75 inches. Also available with Fox 'RL' coil spring/lockout shock.
Submitted by
Andy Duong
a Weekend Warrior
from Anaheim, Ca, USA Date Reviewed: December 23, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Aliso Woods
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Adrenaline Bikes
Strengths:
Attention to detail, nice welds, awesome curnutt rear shock-minimal pedal bob, long plush travel, strong/stiff frame. Most important, the chics dig it!
Weaknesses:
Rear tire clearance which was fixed the year after I bought my bike! sucks! Minor cable rub. Nothing that I should cry about because "it ain't no big deal".
03 Marzocchi Z1 FR, Curnutt TI, Mavic 717 - High roller 2.35 tubeless, Thomson x4 stem, Raceface carbon Next, SDG I-beam SL. Sram XO rear & X9 shifters, Hollowtech 2 cranks and a cool bright yellow sticker on the downtube*
Bottom Line:
Well thought out bike, designed with form and function in mind. I found out that putting on a lighter TI spring weight and increasing the air preload (80-90 PSI) makes the rear super plush yet still able to climb without bob-(best of both worlds) Handles great around the corners with awesome climbing ability. It descends with great control giving you the confidence of going a bit faster each time. The Magic of this bike is the Curnutt XTD rear shock, best freaken shock ever made! My bike weighs in at 32.8 lbs, little bit on the heavier side but still climbs great - don't really notice the weight too much because I am always trying to keep up to John and Luke! (speed goats) I will catch up to you guys someday! If you're looking for a bike that does everything then ride all the other bikes first and then go buy a Foes FXR.
P.S I'm not jealous of the 06 FXR - still like my 03
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chuck D
a
from Oaktown-CA Date Reviewed: February 6, 2005
Favorite Trail:
too many to list
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Pro-deal
Strengths:
Plush, great handling, great climber, looks frickin great.
Weaknesses:
They could do a better job of routing the front derr cable housing. Could be a little lighter, but that would probably sacrifice some rigidity
Similar Products Used:
Giant AC1, GT Idrive, Kestrel Rubicon
Bike Setup:
Marzocchi All Mountain 1, Chris King wheels, WTB Weirwolves, CK headset, Alpha Q carbon bars, Sram 9.0-8 speed, bunch of cool expensive stuff
Bottom Line:
This bike rocks! I have ridden it up Mount Diablo (4k' climb), Downieville (16 mile DH) and everything in between. I don't need any other bike - this thing does is all.
If you ok with a 30 - 33 lb bike. And want one that can handle just about anything, this bike should be considered.
It's not a racer, unless you do Downieville-type races, but it is a great all-rounder. I don't think Foes customer service is a factor, I doubt I'll ever have to leverage the warranty (unlike my GT's and Giants)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Albuquerque, NM Date Reviewed: July 29, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Tunero Canyon, East Mountains Albuquerque
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$4500.00
Purchased At:
Fat Tire
Strengths:
Best rear shock available, rigidity, build quality, handling
Weaknesses:
I can only afford one so anytime it is in the shop I have to use a much inferior bike--still enjoy the ride, but keep thinking "if I only had the Foes".
Similar Products Used:
Titus, Ellsworth
Bike Setup:
Full XTR with discs, Crossmax wheels, Conti Gravity tires, FSA oversize carbon bar; Fox Talas fork
Bottom Line:
After my Titus Switchblade was stolen, I wanted another one, but the LBS didn't have one in stock and the next one wasn't due for a few weeks. The manager talked me into buying the Foes with the caveat that if after two weeks I didn't like it, I could return it and he would turn it into a demo and get me a Titus. A short way into the first climb on my first ride I realized I was running three gears higher than I had on the Titus and had zero bob. Every pedal stroke was pushing me forward. Knew then it wasn't going back. Unfortunately on the first long downhill I got going a bit too fast--the shocks were soaking up everything and I got over confident--and I missed a turn and broke a couple of ribs. Once I was able to ride again a couple of weeks later, I have had a blast ever since. I am going faster both up hill and down. None of my friends can keep up with me anymore on the technical downhills. The bike is simply amazing and every ride is a joy. Highly recommended for anybody looking for a do just about anything bike--climbs great, descends better, makes me a better rider. I thought I loved the Switchblade, but it was merely infatuation; the Foes is true love. BTW, I was at first hesitant about getting the XTR integrated brake/STI levers, but it took me about five minutes to get used to them and there is no going back.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
El Macho Mancillas
a Weekend Warrior
from Okinawa, JP Date Reviewed: July 17, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Spider Loop, La Louge
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1329.00
Purchased At:
Jenson's
Strengths:
Impecable welds, anvil solid, awesome suspension(curnutt titanium). MADE IN THE USA.
Weaknesses:
Tire clearance in muddy conditions(height not width} running 2.2 kenda kinetics tubeless.
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Heckler
Bike Setup:
Foes FXR ano gry w/ crntt ti sping, Vnlla 125 rlc, Tho st post & stem, xm819&chrs king hubs, Hys mag 8" rtr
Bottom Line:
I bought this frame during the great Foes frame giveaway at Jenson's. When I rcvd the frame I was amazed at the build quality and the attn to detail of the frame, also it was lighter than the Santa Cruz Heckler frame I had previouly owned, Made In Tawain s@cks( there was no comparison between the two, the fxr just blew the heckler out the water in build quality). Riding this machine is just a blast, including going uphill, but the down hill is where this machine makes it's mark, it completely annihialates the trails! This is THE ALL MTN BIKE! When you completely, absolutely must conquer everything or anything in your path, ride no other than Foes. I like it that much. During the evolution of posting this review I drank a 12 pack of Orion, so I must saey "I LAouVE THIS BaiKE! The servsce does sock, but I guess the well paid pipole @ Foes are the welders/frame builders.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Christopher Gaunya
a Cross Country Rider
from Wallingford, CT Date Reviewed: July 1, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Pudgy's Loop Lennox MA
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
$2500
Strengths:
See my previous post
Weaknesses:
None
Bike Setup:
See previous post
Bottom Line:
I just put a Curnutt Ti on the bike and it is a completely different bike. This Shock is AWSOME!!!! It feels like a hardtail until I hit a bump and then the shock sucks up everything. The stable platform on the Curnutt is so easy to adjust. It even handles out of the saddle efforts much better than the Romic. With the Romic D, I only had compression and rebound settings and the compression knob was problematic at best. After 30 hours or so of riding it would lose its nitrogen charge and start spewing oil. I bought the Curnutt at Richards bikes and they gave me a great deal. (100$ off). Once I get the Romic back it will play back up to the much superior Curnutt.
If you are getting a Foes get the Curnutt with it. Don't waste your time or money with any other shock!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Christopher Gaunya
a Cross Country Rider
from Wallingford CT Date Reviewed: April 25, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Pudgies Loop in Lenox MA
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA
Strengths:
Durable, well designed and ultra stiff frame. Amazing handling, does everything well. It is a continual joy to ride this bike.
Weaknesses:
None that I can see. Maybe wheel clearance on the 2003. I am now running Kenda Kinetic Stick-E's 2.35's with Stans No Tubes and have not really had a problem. I ride in mud quite a bit and surprisingly have not had a lick of trouble with mud jamming up the wheel. I still resent the cost of the derailluer hangers. The MSRP on the foes website says 11.99 and every bike shop that has them is charging a minimum of 20 bucks ( then add on the shipping!) I went thru 2 last season. Foes needs to sell them directly to the public!!!!
Similar Products Used:
Stumpjumper FSR
Bike Setup:
Fox Vanilla RL 125. Romic Double D, All XT, Mavic 317's Thomson Stem and post. Avid mechanicals. Upgrading to the Curnutt this season and am eager to compare with the Romic.
Bottom Line:
Love this bike! After the first full season the bloom is still not off the rose. Best money I ever spent. Switching to the Kenda's and the Stans No tubes improved an already great handling rig. In New England mud and wet roots and rocks are standard fare and the stick-E kendas improved the already amazing climbing ability of this bike.
I have to agree that Foes needs to work on the the customer service but that is a minor quibble so far. I would recommend this bike to anyone looking for a do it all ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James Howery
a Downhiller
from Prescott, AZ Date Reviewed: April 21, 2004
Favorite Trail:
6-shooter and others
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1399.00
Purchased At:
richards
Strengths:
Stiff. Stiff. And Stiff. Short-manuverable geometry, while keeping a fairly slack head angle and low bottom bracket height for stability.
Weaknesses:
2003 only fits about 2.2" tires. Curnut shocks are expensive :D
Similar Products Used:
Yeti AS-X (has a swing link and solid rear end like this), various 6" travel trail/light freeride bikes.
Bike Setup:
Shiver SC. XT cranks, derailer, bb. 9.0 front derailer. Mavic F519 rims on XT rear hub, marzocchi 20mm front. Thomson post, ritchey stem, azonic CF-1 bar, different tires depending on condition, hayes mags, legeater pedals.
Bottom Line:
The guy below is pretty out of line. It is not a "design flaw" that it was designed for 2.2-2.3 tires in 2003, that is simply the way it was designed. I have this bike, and I like it a lot. $500 for a new rear triangle is not outrageous, it is a pretty normal amount. It's a matter of making a pretty "short" bike, (take a look at the asymetrical stays and the way the pivot clears the BB area) with 6" of travel and a swing link. They improved it for 04.
I've really been enjoying this bike. We did 4300vert shuttles (each run) last weekend, and it took it very well. Tracked very well, and I was only held up by the downhillers in front of me that couldn't make the switchbacks and such. I've gotten some good miles on it already, and I am pretty happy. It's also nice to be able to lock out both ends of the bike for the occasional road or whatever.
I put pretty trail/XC oriented parts on it, and it's about 28.5lbs when I have it set up with the XCish tires and legeaters.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh
a Downhiller
from Salt Lake City Date Reviewed: April 20, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
beyondbikes
Strengths:
This is a follow-up review. First review was posted about two weeks after final build-up in late September when the bike was new.
I agree with most people here that the swing-link is incredible. Amazing stiffness, tracking, and plush suspension. Tough frame, awesome quality.
Weaknesses:
Rear tire clearance is a huge issue for me. Note that it's not the width - my 2.25 IRC Trailbears, which were recommended by Foes for this bike, clear width-wise just fine. But vertically, there is virtually zero clearance--the tire is too tall for the frame! This just doesn't make sense to me.
Last fall I was riding a gravelly DH at Deer Valley and a baseball sized rock was kicked up and dented the frame near the BB--I was surprised at the damage but not sure any other frame would have held up to that hard of a freak rock hit. Seems to be holding together...praying for no cracks there in the frame down the road.
Similar Products Used:
Blur, Big Hit, Dawg, Heckler, Enduro
Bike Setup:
See review below. Just weighed my bike and it came in at 34 lbs.
Bottom Line:
See above comment about weight--I was shocked! I'd been sure since riding this bike that it had to be max 31 lbs...because it climbed like a 28-lb or so bike should. Unbelievable. Anyway I don't notice the weight at all and this thing climbs so well I can't even believe it weighs that much. I've gotta credit the ETA lock-down on my Z1 FR fork too though...that thing rocks.
When I transitioned from my slack-angled freeride bike to the FXR I felt like the Foes was too XC-oriented for my tastes. I was wrong. I've now got it really dialed in and feel totally comfortable blitzing the DH's about as hard as I ever did on my old Big Hit.
This is an incredible bike and by far my favorite frame I've ever ridden.
Which is why I'm so upset with Foes. In all honesty I know I don't *really* need to run a bigger tire than 2.2 or so. BUT, my 2.2, while it rolls, jams up instantly with the tiniest bit of mud, constantly pings little pebbles off the frame that it picks up from the trail, and even rubbed a bit when the tire was new. This is unacceptable. So, I asked Foes what I could do about getting an '04 rear triangle. Now I know again that tone is very hard to convey in an email, but every communication I've had with them has been curt, if not outright rude.
They continue to subject their customers to a price of $500 for a new rear triangle. Plus, you have to ship the bike to them, pay for shipping yourself, AND pay for a $60 installation fee. THEN pay for return shipping. THIS is the kind of treatment I get for purchasing a nearly $2000 premium mountain bike frame??? Not to mention this is to fix a design problem.
So I find myself in a bind--I certainly won't dish out over $600 for a new triangle. I LOVE riding this bike but I HATE supporting a company that treats its customers in this way. I'm tempted to sell it and go with a Ventana or Titus, both of whom make excellent bikes and have sterling customer service reputations.
Anyway it's something to consider before you drop 2 grand on a frame from Foes. 2 chilis for service and value, 4 overall because this is just a sick frame.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Klein
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago, IL, USA Date Reviewed: April 9, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Palos Forest Preserves
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Purchased At:
RICHARDSBICYCLES.COM
Strengths:
Well constructed w/ excellent trail handling geometry, excellent finishes, superb pedal-bob damping from Curnutt.
Weaknesses:
Restricted rear tire clearance only on a 2003 model tire size only up to a 3.0. It was adjusted in 2004.
White powder coat finish, Curnutt XTD rear shock w/ 500lb ti spring, Fox Talas RLC fork, Easton: EC70 seat post with Monkey Lite XC handle bar connected to Easton’s MG. 60 stem, SRAM X.0 grip shifters and rear derailer, Shimano: 2003 XTR crank set w/ bottom bracket, front derailleur and cassettes, Hayes HFX Mag Plus disc brakes w/ Goodridge line set, Crank Bros. Candy SL pedals, WTB Rocket Pro Gel Seat, Avid Sealed Cables, Wheel sets: Bontrager Race Disc, Mavic X3.1 disc w/ Hugi 240 hubs, Mavic EX823 disc/ w/ Hadley Downhill hubs setup with 9mm thru axles, and 2004 Mavic CrossMax SL.
Bottom Line:
I’ve purchased y FXR during November and rode this bike all winter to the present. I experienced all types of trail conditions, along with some rode riding. I rode the forest single tracks near my home, through snow and ice on studded tires. When the snow became to deep to navigate the single tracks, I headed to the multi-use trail, and rode with snowmobiles on a frozen canal and the tow path, which runs parallel to each other. Traveling was usually slow when riding on the snow & ice, the bike sometimes bogged to a near stall. However, even during these events I was amazed with the FXR handling, along with power the transfer to the rear wheeled credited to the Curnutt. With a will to pump the pedals, I’m almost always able to pedal out of a near stall situation.
Recent, the single tracks surfaces had dried to near ideal racing conditions. My last two rides were on the single tracks where the FXR is at home. Again, I was amazed wit how near to perfection the FXR handled all riding situations that can be accounted at the single tracks.
Downhill the FXR kicks ass! I found myself traveling at speeds that never achieved with my other bikes. I noticed I was braking later and had less of tendency to brake, thanks to the FXR’s ability to hold a line and banks turns predictably, even when steering on rough surfaces.
Ascending is the FXR’s greatest strength. The slacker steering geometry allows climbing at a crawl without steering wobble. The FXR steers uphill, straight where it’s pointed, with great balance and control, as the Curnutt shock sucks up the bumps and allows delivery of leg power to the rear wheel without pedal-bob The FXR is constructed with reinforced gussets at the head tube, beefy aircraft bearings in the rear end pivot, along with an additional swing link to add lateral strength to the rear end. These features enable the FXR to handle all of the other trail demands such as log ramps, rock gardens and maybe allow for some light freeride, but the FXR still remains agile, nimble and power transmission to the rear wheel is excellent. I haven’t had any experiences with mentioning with deficiencies, like brake jacking or ghost shifting recognized on other bikes with single pivot rear designs.
I recommended the FXR to any degree of serious rider that is in search of a great, do-all long travel mountain bike which is up to the challenges of trail biking, but pedal efficiency and weight still allows for an occasional cross country trek. I also recommended to spend a little more money for the Curnutt shocks and a good 125mm or longer fork. This chasse was designed for these items and will not perform as well with any less. I gave a four chilles rating to the 2003 frame because of the rear wheel clearance. I’ve seen the 2004 FXR and the clearance correction is well engineered. I give five flaming chiles for the 2004 FXR.
I purchased my FXR, all components and accessories at RichardsBicycles.com. The folks at Richards also assembled my FXR for me. I’ve been shopping at Richards with great satisfaction for nearly two years now. They’ve provided me with good prices, but more important, they provide a high level of expertise for customer service. I’m always treated with friendless, courteousness, and respectfulness and a conviction to please the customer attitudes from all of the staff at Richards.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
patrick smith
a Weekend Warrior
from canada Date Reviewed: April 8, 2004
will only fit some 2.3 tires on the back .paint but that may be my fault as i had a frontfender that was rubbing the cables onto the head tube now i have a bare spot there.
Similar Products Used:
rocky mountain , norco, giant nrs
Bike Setup:
all xt thompson avid psylo sl mavic 317 [standard xt kit from jensons plus a psylo sl.]
Bottom Line:
after a long hiatus from riding i figured i needed to get back in shape.[ mountain bikes certainly have changed in ten plus years]. after a buying and selling {and giving away] 5 bikes in the last year. i`m finally happy with my foes. this bike easily out climbs my giant nrs with the awesome curnutt shock. smooths out the roughest trails. as im new [again] to riding icould have done alot worse on a mailorderbike and probally not much better. in canada this bike retails for about 1200 more than i paid.{still not cheap though} do yourself a favour and get one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
fred dread
a Cross Country Rider
from blah Date Reviewed: March 18, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Strong, flex free, very little bob, geometry
Weaknesses:
curnutt damping adjustment difficult, front derailleur routing, bottle mount, weight.
Similar Products Used:
loco moto
Bike Setup:
fxr with ti curnutt, fox talas rlc, hope /x3.1 wheels,irc tubeless, xt 9 spd triggers /derailleurs with xtr crank, thomson bar/stem, hope mono 4 discs.
Bottom Line:
First of all , this frame does NOT weigh 6.7 lbs as stated by foes,with shock, it's around 7.9 lb. With the above kit this gives a trail bike that weighs around 30lbs, which is about right.WHy the discrepancy?? Ask Foes. Fortunately this bike is fantastic. It climbs really really well, with no perceptible bob, and works great on technical rocky climbs. You can climb out of the saddle no problem. If you want to see the rear bob, you can set the SPV pressure really low, and mash the pedals standing up, then it will bob. Set up normally ,climbing is like a hardtail, no joke, but the suspension is still very compliant over rocks , roots or whatever.I'm climbing better on this bike than on my Loco ,thanks to the extra traction. The geometry with a 5 inch fork is spot on for a trail bike, quick enough for cornering, but not too steep or nervous for dropping into chutes and for technical downhill sections. The curnutt shock is very large, around 10 inch eye to eye and the link pivot area and associated bearings make the rear very stiff, so the rear should stay slop free.The extra hole mentioned in the post below is for the shorter romic or fox shock, which you'd not want on this frame anyway. If you can only have one bike this would be a fine choice. I'm toying with the idea of putting an avid rollamjig on the front derailleur brazeon, to get rid of the housing loop. Well done foes.Mine is a 2003 frame so little rear tire clearance, hence 4 chillis.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Lopes
a Weekend Warrior
from South Kingston, RI, USA Date Reviewed: December 31, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Acadia-Breakheart
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1475.00
Purchased At:
Jensonusa.com
Strengths:
Everything! It's amazing how well this bike climbs and descends! The Curnutt shock that is made by Foes is so beefy/heavy duty and has controls that are easy to use! No other rear shock on any competitor's bike compares to this one! Compare for yourself and you'll see the difference!
Weaknesses:
The rear derailer hanger is made out of butter. I ride some pretty rough terrain and keep wrecking the hanger to the point it's ridiculous. Otherwise no other complaints. In order to get 110% out of this bike I can't help but mention that it would be nice if there were forks using Curnutt technology with 5.75 inches of travel. Of course more tire clearance in the rear would have also been nice but isn't a major issue since I'm running a 3.3 in the rear.
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Heckler, Ellsworth ID, & Mountain Cycle San Andreas.
Bike Setup:
Fox Talas RLC, Avid Mech. disc's, Mavic Crossmax UST,Race Face prodigy cranks & Diablous stem, Thompson post, Selle Itallia Flite Ti Seat, Shimano XT for everything else...
Bottom Line:
I waited 6 months in order to write this review because I didn't want to jump the gun... Well, I'm still every bit as satisfied as I was when the bike arrived. Everything they say in the magazine reviews about this bike is true! For me it's the perfect geometry along with the heavy duty Curnutt custom made by Foes that makes this bike as great as it is.
I weight 210lbs so I wanted to make sure I found a heavy duty bike that was still light and performed well. Initially the Ellsworth Id was my first choice but, after test riding one and hearing about how frequently people crack their frames I chose to wait and try the FXR. Whew, am I happy I compared the two! I mean it's a night and day difference... I also tried the Santa Cruz Heckler which just didn't feel as sturdy when I rode it (but was still better than the Id), not to mention it's no where near as good looking as the FXR. The San Andreas (with 5th element) was also very worthy competitor but, was just too heavy for me.
After 6 months the suspension works great and I haven't had any problems with the frame. The people over at Foes have given me outstanding customer service the few times I had to contact them with questions or to exchange my coil spring.
The people at Jenson tried their best to give me good customer service but, unfortunately it ended up being a hassel dealing with them since they seemed to have limited knowledge of the bike and components that match it. Although, after extensive price shopping, no one else was able to match their price or even give me a competitive price for this bike with all the components I wanted (trust me I checked ALL the others). So Jenson get's an A+ for salesmanship and a C for product knowledge.
If you get this bike (which I highly recommend) I don't recommend the Race Face cranks due to clearance issues. Also, be sure to get a few derailer hangers to keep with you because they have a tendency to twist into abstract art forms. Although this bike cost's a lot, after you ride it you'll know why!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kirk
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland Date Reviewed: November 29, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Any South Shore trail - TAHOE
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
E-Bay
Strengths:
It's a FOES! Handling, Climbing, DESCENDING!
Weaknesses:
None. Zero.
Similar Products Used:
Previous Bikes were FOES FXC, Jamis Daker Expert, GT LTS
Bike Setup:
Curnutt!, Chris King, Raceface, X.O, Avid Mechanical Discs, Fox Vanilla 125 Fork
Bottom Line:
This is my first bike review on MTBR, and it will be my last, because I'm never getting rid of this bike! My FXR is freekin AWESOME. I rode my 3" travel FXC for a season but there's not enough travel for hard trail riding. I'm no Huckster, but I love to go as fast and as hard as possible. And thanks to my FXR, I'm going faster than ever, expecially over the rough stuff. 5" of travel makes all the difference, especially on my FXR that had virtually no lateral flex. As for climbing, even though it's a couple pounds heavier than my FXC, it's WAY easier becuase of that sweet Curnutt shock that doesn't move at all while climbing, but somehow still compressed when I hit a root or something. I don't understand how it can work so good. I rode a Heckler with a 5th element air shock and it wasn't nearly as sweet. Another reason it climbs better than my FXC is the bottom bracket being higher. I don't hit my pedals on the ground anymore while climbing over roots and rocks. Bottom line is I can't believe every serious rider doesn't own this bike. I'm probably the only FXR owner in Portland and that's crazy! Not that I mind, just don't ask me to wait for you at the bottom.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Utah Date Reviewed: November 25, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
This frame both climbs and decends incredibly well. The Curnutt rear shock does a great job of smoothing out the rough, yet making it pedal like a cross country bike.
Weaknesses:
Frame may catastrophically fail at any time after several months of use.
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Bullit and Heckler, Devinci Magma, KHS Witchdoctor, Azonic Saber, Foes Fly.
Bike Setup:
All that matters is that the bike was not set up extremely heavy duty and the first thing to fail was the frame.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is mixed. Up until the frame broke it was the best bike I had ridden. After four months of riding, the downtube snapped in half right in front of the bottom bracket. I did not do any large drops on this bike, though I do ride aggressively. When working with Foes on the warranty replacement frame I was treated like a total idiot by Eric, who charged me for new bushings, spacers, and return shipping. A properly designed and built frame should not wear out bushings and spacers in 4 months. Unfortunately Foes' customer service has gone downhill as of late due to the recent acquisition of Eric and his poor people skills. I'm forced to give this frame the lowest rating, as there is no value to a frame that can't be ridden, and my overall rating of the frame is also 1, due to the way I was treated by the company.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Justin
a Cross Country Rider
from norcal Date Reviewed: November 12, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Forest Hill
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Richandsbicycle.com
Strengths:
Everything... Climbs like a banshee with no bobing completely stable on the decents your nerves only stop this bike.
Weaknesses:
Rear tire clearance (fixed for 04'). More colors would be cool.
FXR Anodized grey, TALAS front shock, Curnutt TI, XT cranks and derailers, Hayes hydualic disc, Richty OCR rims, Chris King HS, easton bar, Thompson Seat post, OCR Grips
Bottom Line:
I wanted a bike that can perform exceptionally when needed on any trail that am riding on. For the last month I've been trying to dial in the bike but suffice to say that even w/o any adjustment Richards set it up very well!! Out of the box it performed at or above my expectiations. As many others I spent about a year on my exhausting research for the one and only bike....I found it!! So I'm still working on getting more confidence up as this bike does it all cross country to a good bumpy/rocky downhill and all in between. Acending is not problem the curnutt doesn't move much and I just crank my TALAS down to 80mm and crankup...even passed a Blur on the way up yesterday. On the steep decents it tracks and is so stable. That was a major concern given I love to climb not problem even w/ 30Lbs. of bike but I find it easier than my old hardtail.
As far as dealers Mike at Richards provided great service and was very patient in creating a parts list for my bike. We worked for almost two weeks w/ his suggestions and my needs. He made several price quotes depending upon the componentry list. After talking and finalizing he always called back and made my order the most imnportant. I received the bike packaged up all completely protected, even found a few goodies in it!! You can tell this shop is a true customer oriented and really shows w/ thier enthusiasm. Thanks again Mike for all your help then and now!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ronnie B.
a
from Stow,OH USA Date Reviewed: November 11, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Richard's Bike Shop
Strengths:
Reasonably light weight.Awesomely stabled platform efficiency with the titanium Curnett.First-rate build quality.
Weaknesses:
To be honest,none really except for maybe cable routing underneath the bottom bracket and possibly rear tire clearance though I have yet to try to squeeze in a 2.3" Kenda but it looks like it might be close.
Similar Products Used:
First full bounce investment.Got sick of riding Snowshoe on my Cannondale F800 hardtail.
Bike Setup:
Psylo SL fork,Easton carbon bar and post,Ritchey stem,headset,and OCR Girder rims with oversized hubs,Truvativ Stylo Team cranks,Hayes disk and full XT shift group.Anodized frame with titanium Curnett.
Bottom Line:
Just got this bad-boy a couple week and a half ago and I've been out 4 times so I'm still in the early stages of my review on this Foes but my initial reaction to it is nothing less than extremely pleased.I researched and researched and had a number of high-end trail bikes in my sights but after reading all these posts and dealing with numerous shops,I've settled on the FXR because of it's great rep. for being on top of it's game and that is no joke.This thing climbs as good as my F800 and my Dale is built to climb fast.I find myself purposely searching for roots,rocks,jumps,and drops and this bike handles everything with authority and intent on getting you there faster and more comfortably.Reasonably light weight(30#) for a 5 inch trail hoss which is very important to me since I'm only pushing about 125#.Got a set of custom set of Sun/Chris King hoops and some lighter rubber on the way for XC riding which should knock another 1-2# off the initial weight of the Ritchey Girders that came with the bike which I'll use for more extreme riding/hucking destinations than I have around NE Ohio where I locally ride. I do want to add that I got this bike at Richard's Bike Shop in Illinois as a result of all the good feedback I've seen on this site about them and what a great sales experience.Mike at Richard's actually follows up with calls and keeps tabs on the shipment from day one and does all he can to be sure the researching/buying experience is personally covered from day one.The bike was perfectly adjusted and packed unbelievably solid and safely for shipping and I felt like their only customer from day one.Great shop!! Thanks Richard's. Asise from Foes high sticker price for the bare frame,this thing rocks.If you got the cabbage though,you can't go wrong with the FXR.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adam
a Downhiller
from Auburn, CA Date Reviewed: November 11, 2003
x3.1/hope wheels, Z1-FR, XO drive train,hayes, Easton & FSA carbon here and there.
Bottom Line:
I wanted a bike that climbed well, desended well and had moderate weight. Eveything else I tried could do one or the other but not both. In fact, some of them did niether.
I'm a downhiller used to 8+ inches so when I say this thing desends well I mean it desends WELL. My point of reference is not some flexy hardtail. It climbs (pedals) way better than my Bullit (w/5th) and is soooo much stiffer.
Tire clearance is a bit of an issue but there is plenty of good rubber availble in the 2.2" range and frankly if the back of your bike remains aligned with the front (read:no flex) you don't need as much contact patch to stay hooked up. Outstanding performance, outstanding build quality. Buy it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Zator
a Weekend Warrior
from Tinley Park, IL Date Reviewed: November 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
The Dungen
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$3600.00
Purchased At:
RICHARDSBICYCLES.COM
Strengths:
Annodized finish. The Romic Shock. The swing link does a lot more work than I ever imagined. Its unbelievable. The head tube is super beefy. Zero lateral flex in the rear. The frame design is well thought out. I definitely agree with people that say the Foes FXR is a better bike than the Ellsworth ID or the Santa Cruz Heckler. It is the best .
Weaknesses:
Been riding it for about 6 months now. Everything is perfect. No weaknesses that I've found.
Similar Products Used:
Trek 8500, Schwinn Rocket 88, Trek Fuel 80
Bike Setup:
The bike setup is excellent. Psylo Race w/ lockout button. Bontrager race disc wheels, w/ DT Swiss hubs, and spinergy disc wheels. Thompson seat pole. WTB stealth seat. WTB weirwolf 2.1's tires. Thompson stem. Monkeylite downhill bars. Sram XO shifter & rear deraileur. Front deraileur is XTR. Azonic headlock bolt. Just about the best of everything. Its awesome.
Bottom Line:
I've had this bike now for 6 or 7 months. I felt compelled to write another review at this time. So far everything has been working perfect. I've been running the Romic Shock with no problems. Before I bought the FXR, I was more of a cross country rider, now I feel like I've grown some balls. Doing 3-5 foot jumps doesn't seem quite as intimidating. Back to my Foes FXR. So far the frame, all the pivots, all the componentry has all held up better than expected, being that I'm a 250 LB guy. RICHARDSBICYCLES.COM asked me to bring my FXR back for its free check-over, and again, I couldn’t believe their service. They made the bike look like new again, even after riding it for 6 months. The guys over at Richards treat me like I've bought a Mercedes off them when I walk in their door. I would recommend the FXR to anyone who’s interested in an aggressive trail riding bike!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mtbmike
a Cross Country Rider
from upstate ny Date Reviewed: November 5, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Bottom Line:
Follow up on my review at the beginning of the season... So far, my Fxr has been great! I have logged plenty of tough miles on it without one problem. Even with my usually good maintenance sadly lacking, nothing has gone wrong. All pivots are good,and I have not had one single problem with the cable routing, or fitting a 2.3 vertical pro in the rear. Even though I run the suspension way softer than my old fsr, The curnutt system has way less bob and can scale anything. I am the type of guy that usually loses fondness for a bike after I have had it for a while, but this thing still does not cease to amaze me (and other riders). Nothing beats flying past all of your buddies down a chute full of basketball size rocks after beating them on the climb!
Adressing gripe lists:
I think that Foes routed the cables in a function first manner. I have not had one problem with ghost shifts, hangups or the like. Ft. derailleur: no problems, in fact, better than fsr for trouble free shifting. Standard cables with the occasional shot of wd40 after a wash. (Sealed cables just seal in the gunk rather then let it pass through.) Buy it cheap and change it often is way better than spending 50 bucks on cables that are suposed to last longer. It is all about the lining in the housing wearing anyway, not what is on the cable itself. So far, 1 set for the entire wet-assed season we have had.
Tire clearance issues: I have run both conti vertical pro and velociraptor 2.3 tires in wet and muddy conditions with no problems. Maybe it is due to the narrow crossmax rims, I don't know. Narrow? yes, but not as narrow as my buddy's Blur.
If I could change one thing, it would be a larger diameter seatpost. It runs at a pretty slack angle, and I can see some bending in my 27.2 thomson post, but this could be the post. I have had history with thomsons bending,and or crushing at the clamp. However, the massive 31.8 pipe on my fsr never had a problem and didn't really interfere with my inner thighs like I thought it would. That is my only gripe.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
G Y
a
from Ca Date Reviewed: November 5, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
NONE
Weaknesses:
EVERYTHING...Foes has horrible warranty program, don't take my word for it. Just try to warranty something on your 2500 dollar frame
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz, Intense, Trek, Ellsworth
Bottom Line:
Foes has a horrid warranty... its a "2 year" up to there discretion. No carsh replacment. They are too busy making some silly swingarm for an XR50 ???? what a waste.Santa Cruz has a 2 year warranty and a life time crash replacement. Trek has a 5+ year warranty. Ellsworth liftime warranty...FOES SUCKS I will never get another one. I will spend my 2000 bucks on a Santa Cruz or Ellsworth frame
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, Texas Date Reviewed: November 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:
reno bear flag deadmans
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
simple, strong, curnutt ti shock
Weaknesses:
four of them. Front deraileur cable routing is poor, rear tire clearance is horrible, can barely fit a 2.1" tire, only water bottle mounting is under the downtube, and foes customer service is poor at best.
Similar Products Used:
Titus switchblade, Rocky Mountain Element TO, various hardtails
The best riding bike I have ever been on, and I have ridden most. Makes riding really easy, both long distances and with technical riding. Climbs better than any bike I have ever been on and decends almost as well as a four bar. You will experience a little brake jack but not a big problem. The frame rides and climbs better than my switchblade, which says a lot. Not as fast from a racing standpoint as the Element TO, but not far behind. While it wouldn't be my weapon of choice for a race, I could get decent results on a technical racecourse on this 30 pound bike because of the efficiency of the Curnutt.
Problems: As with all bikes, there are a few. (1)Front deraileur cable routing is poor. You have to route the housing under the bottom bracket which forms a gravity loop. Wash your bike or get it in the rain and you will rust out cables as water will enter the housing and stay there. I used a sealed cable system to take care of this. (2) The only water bottle mounts are under the down tube which is unusable. You must use a camelback with this bike. (3) Worst problem - rear tire clearance is horrible. They say it will hold a 2.3 but it doesn't. Mine wouldn't hold a verticle pro or a 2.25 Geax. Barely holds a 2.1 Explorer Pro UST. That's a joke for a 6 inch travel bike. The 2004's have addressed this (supposedly). (4) Foes customer service sucks. They have a real attitude about their stuff. Before buying the frame I called foes and asked about the clearance problem and was assured a verticle pro would fit. I complained after getting the frame and they responded to "buy a "04 swingarm or complain to my LBS." Its a shame an otherwise great bike is handled by people like that.
Build quality is perfect. Frame is strong.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom Dibley
a Weekend Warrior
from Winchester Date Reviewed: November 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Tunnel, Santa Barbara
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1400.00
Purchased At:
Beyond Bikes . com
Strengths:
Strong frame, stiff frame, positive suspension, good paint, good cable routing. Hmm, good everything.
Weaknesses:
Fox shock, if you don't go for the all out Curnutt.
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Heckler, Giant AC, Specialized FSR elite.
Bike Setup:
Fox vanilla RL forx, fox vanilla RL shock, Sram x.o rear mech and shifters, XTR front mech, Kore B52 stem, Easton carbon DH bars, Race face post, XT cranks and B/B cos i needed to save some money somewhere, chris king hubs and headset, xt discs etc
Bottom Line:
I needed the best bike possible to do all my riding needs on my Hols in Cali. It needed to decend like a DH rig with plenty of travel, rail the odd flight of stairs, handle drop offs and jumps in the trail, but definately climbs with the best of them. The Foes FXR seemed the best. It did however, cost a fortune, so I had to opt out of the Curnutt w/Ti spring and stay with the Fox, which I know oh too well. Even with the Fox shock, this bike has surpassed my expectations. The lock out on the shock makes climbing even easier. I weigh 15 stone at just 6 foot and ride hard, my mavic x317 rims are feeling the pain, but nothing else. I'm even doing quite well XC racing this season on my beloved Foes.IT ROCKS!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jay
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles Date Reviewed: October 21, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Grandview Loop, Snow Summit
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$3200.00
Strengths:
Great balance, can easily lift the front wheel from any body position (and at any speed). Tremendous tracking, by shifting weight ever so slightly to the rear, bike tracks steady and true through soft sand, whether at high speed (on a crazy descent) or at snail pace while pedaling uphill! Bottomless suspension, Curnutt gives the feel of a great downhiller when smacking into roots, rocks or off drops!! Nice finish, great looking bike, solid frame.
Weaknesses:
None of any real importance. If you use quick release hubs, wish the rear mount allowed you to place the lever in a more protected position instead of in an exposed forward (and slightly downward) position. And some of the bike stickers are terrible (so I just peeled them off). Like I said, not any weaknesses of importance!
Similar Products Used:
Giant
Bike Setup:
XT, SRAM, Hayes, Mavic, Azonic
Bottom Line:
A great bike! This bike makes me a far better rider. I can take corners faster, easily (too easy) take rocky trails at speed, lift the front wheel over small obstacles, crank uphill, and go airborne off small jumps. And I'm still waiting for the big crash! All this speed has gotta make for a really gnarly crash soon. Plus I can keep up with the downhillers at Mammoth or Snow Summit! If this bike is that good, imagine what I could do with a Foes FLY!! Maybe next year!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Will Bradford
a
from Denver Date Reviewed: October 20, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Gime me a minute
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Purchased At:
DEMO - Poison Spider
Strengths:
Very versitile. Stable at Speed. Crazy fun to ride.
Weaknesses:
Frame - None! My component setup - Sucked
Bike Setup:
Medium Frame, Marzocchi Z1, Stinky Avid Mechanicals.
Bottom Line:
My first experience with this bike was the ascent and descent of Amasa Back, South of Moab. First impressions of the bike were ones of frustration becuse this was a demo bike from poison spider. The drivetrain was in horrible shape and I was plagued with AVID mechanical Disks. After a little wrenching of my own I got 'er dialed in and was ready to ride. I chose Amasa back because I felt it a trail that would test both the abilites of the bike and also how well it suited my size and riding style(160lbs, badass) Climbing, under the watchful eye of the curnett, rear shock was unreal. I was up and over almost anything I attempted. Anything I failed to get over was a result of rider skill and not bike performance. The weight was a little on the hefty side since this bike was set up for more FR than XC. But extra lbs came in handy when on the way back. Amasa presents one with a nice variety during the descent. Rocky techical stuff, Loose rocks, sand, slick rock and speedy double track. The FXR was well suited for all scenarios. Easy to maneuver and held well in the turns. My only pain in this area would be the AVID mechanical disks....CRAP,FADE,NOISE,MODULATION,UGLY,DONTSTOPFORPOO.
Brakes aside...Nothing I've ridden to date rode as well as this bike. I might have to buy one if I can conjure the $.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mark
a
from Sandpoint Idaho Date Reviewed: October 17, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2700.00
Purchased At:
richards bicycles.com
Strengths:
Very solid ride. Low standover. rear shock can be adjusted to suit several different situations.Frame geometry is very comfortable. This bike wheelies really easily.
Weaknesses:
Dampening adjustment on shock hard to change. because of the location of the rear shock it's hard to lower your seat all the way down. I've trimmed off a couple of inches on the seat post to make up for this. Had to sand down the bushings on the rear shock so that I could move it into the 5.75 setting.
Similar Products Used:
kona coiler, specialized enduro,
Bike Setup:
race face cranks, ryno lite rims, manitou black comp, xt rear xtr front, hayes disc
Bottom Line:
This bike is unbelievable. It really is as good as they say. I've been riding it for almost a month and have taken it on epic x country, dirt jumping, northshore ladders and tetters, backcountry game trails. It is so well suited as an all around bike. It can rock up technical climbs or crawl up never ending fire trails. It rails really nicely and rolls drops with ease. I have the shock at the 5.75 setting with 65 lbs of pressure and one turn of the dampening nob. this is a very nice all around setting but if I was heading out on a x country I'd probably jack up the pressure to 75-80. the 5 inch setting on the rear shock was bottoming out occasionally so I moved up the setting. I purchased this bike at RICHARDS BICYLCLES.COM and I would definetely recommend them to anyone who doesn't have a foes dealer in there home town. They allowed me to change a bunch of things in the build package without adding to the cost and they were very prompt in swapping out items that I wasn't totally satisfied with. Mike at richards really likes making people happy and with the foes fxr it's a relatively easy job.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Weingast
a Cross Country Rider
from Broomfield, CO Date Reviewed: October 1, 2003
Favorite Trail:
The Crows Nest
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2599.00
Purchased At:
RICHARDSBICYCLES.COM
Strengths:
First I'd have to say the anno finish is great. Second, I would have to say the curnutt shock w/ the TI spring lives up to all of its hype ! It pedals just as good as any of the hard tails that I have owned in the past, and the back wheel stays glued to the ground on climbs. When you take some big hits, the shock handles with no problem. I haven't bottomed the shock out yet, or even come close for that matter. For a single pivot bike, it sure has a lot of sealed bearings. I noticed that Foes has 2 bearings on every mount, instead of just 1. As far as the workmanship, welds, and the whole design of the frame, its like nothing else I've ever seen.
Weaknesses:
I've been riding it for quite a while. It just seems to keep getting better & better ! In other words, no weaknesses yet.
Similar Products Used:
Trek 4900, GT i-Drive 2.0
Bike Setup:
My bike setup is geared more towards cross country. First I have a Manitou comp LTD fork w/ everything, such as rebound, dampening, adjustable travel & lockout. The fork has been great so far. The drive train is XT & Hussefelt w/ and ISIS bottom bracket. New Hayes hydraulic brakes w/ 6" rotors. The wheels are Mavic w/ Shimano hubs, w/ Mavic 317's. Shimano Deore Mega 9 shifter pods. Richey pro bar, stems & seat post. WTB Speed V Saddle. WTB Moto Raptor's, 2.14's. Shimano SPD Pedals. Great parts package, and most of all a great price. RichardsBicycles.com offers a great FXR for the $$$.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is, I was looking for the best aggressive cross country bike I could find, and I look at them all. There's no doubt that the FXR is the best on the market. The curnutt, the anodized finish, the workmanship, the price, its got it all. I've been saving for 2 years to buy this bicycle. I shopped all over and ended up at RichardsBicycles.com. I talked to them on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday. I had the bike by Friday. Need not to say, I was surprised. They went above and beyond what I expected. I thought I would have the bike a week or 2 later. Besides that, the bike came almost completely assembled. All I had to do was pop on the front wheel, pedals, seat & stem, and I was ready to ride. Need not to say, the bike was perfectly adjusted. The guys over at Richards did a great job. I would highly recommend the Foes FXR and their service to anyone. P.S., I'll write back in another month or two and let you know how its going. The Foes FXR is a great bike !
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh
a Downhiller
from Salt Lake City, UT Date Reviewed: September 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Wasatch crest? many more
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Super stiff, incredibly well-balanced. Unbelievable cornering.
Weaknesses:
A little too XC-oriented. Foes sent me a tire fit list, and the IRC Trail Bears, while sweet, rubbed the frame for the first ride. I hope Foes will offer a cost-replacement for the new '04 rear triangles which should fit larger tires...?
Similar Products Used:
Spec. Big Hit, Bullit, Blur
Bike Setup:
Curnutt w/ steel spring, Z1 FR, FSA Afterburner crankset, FSA Ti bottom bracket, Hayes HFX-MAG 6", XT everything, Sun Ringle rear hub, Rhyno Lite rims, XT front hub, Ringle post and stem, FSA bars, ODI lock-ons, IRC trail bear 2.25s.
Bottom Line:
I've only put two rides on this bad girl so far, but thought I'd drop in a quick review. First ride was a 6,000-foot vertical descent shuttle which includes about 1,800-feet of SERIOUSLY steep climbing. Locked down the ETA on the Z1, and ground my way up 'puke hill' with less than the usual amount of pain I'm used to from pedaling my 41-lb. Big Hit up the thing. This sucker can climb! And at more than 10-lbs lighter than I'm used to, it saves me a ton of energy. I also rode my local loop, about 1 hour, 10 miles, and ~1,500 vert of climbing. Absolutely amazing bike. The Curnutt is somewhat harsh on flat pedaling with small rocks in the trail, but when are you really doing that? Here in the Wasatch it's usually straight up or straight down. Otherwise the shock is incredibly plush--much more so than the 6" travel Vanilla RC I had on the Specialized.
Most notably, this is the best-balanced, neutral handling, confidence inspiring bike I've ever ridden. Still getting used to it/dialed in, but I'm VERY impressed so far. I did get nutted on a techie DH b/c I couldn't lower the full-length seat tube enough...easily cured by cutting off a couple inches of the post however. Still...OUCH! And it doesn't have the laid-back DH geometry I'm used to for the really steep and tech. I have a feeling as I get used to it I'll be able to ride close to the ability I had on my Big Hit however. Sum it up: exactly what I wanted--long travel and freeride-enough to take some big drops and fast techie DH's, but XC enough to make the climbs a LOT less miserable. 5 chilis for value cuz I got a great discount on the frame--I wouldn't have been able to afford it tho if I'd had to pay full pop...ouch!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MATT ZATOR
a Weekend Warrior
from Tinley Park, IL Date Reviewed: August 28, 2003
Favorite Trail:
The Dungen
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$3600.00
Purchased At:
RICHARDSBICYCLES.COM
Strengths:
Annodized grey, curnutte shock is without a doubt the best shock i've ever had. The welds are flawless. The swing link has 6 sealed bearings in it. Its unbeleivable. The head tube is super beefy. Zero lateral flex in the rear. The whole frame design is definitly the best agressive cross country frame made. I definitly agree with people that say the Foes FXR is a better bike than the Ellsworth ID or the Santa Cruz Heckler. It is the best .
Weaknesses:
NONE that I have found
Similar Products Used:
Trek 8500, Schwinn Rocket 88, Trek Liquid 80
Bike Setup:
The bike setup is excellent. Psylo Race w/ lockout button. Bontrager race disc wheeles, w/ DT Swiss hubs, and spinergy disc wheels. Thompson seat pole. WTB stealth seat. WTB weirwolf 2.1's tires. Thompson stem. Monkeylite downhill bars. Sram XO shifter & rear deraileur. Front deraileur is XTR. Azonic headlock bolt. Just about the best of everything. Its awesome.
Bottom Line:
I need not say a lot. Its the best bike I have ever had, and thats saying a lot. I'm a pretty big guy. The Romic Shock holds me up with no problem. The rest of the bike has been problem free. I couldn't be any happier with the Foes FXR, with the Romic Shock. Mike over at RICHARDSBICYCLES.COM told me that the FXR is the best agressive trail bike on the market. I am very happy that I took his advise, and even more satisfied with the service they provide. Thanks to Mike over at Richards Bicycles, I think I got the best bike possible at the best possible price. Thanks
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zach
a Weekend Warrior
from Providence Date Reviewed: August 19, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Great build quality. Awesome welds. Very stiff rear end triangle. Curnutt Shock!
Weaknesses:
The cable routing under the bottom bracket without a guide is terrible. Two rides and the cable is digging a gouge in the shell, any looser, and it is going to cath on something.
Similar Products Used:
Enduro Pro, Uzzi-SLX (demo)
Bike Setup:
XT w/ Disks, Z1 freeride, Thomson bits and pieces, Grey ano w/ Curnutt and steel spring
Bottom Line:
This bike awesome. I was looking for something that was able to handle my weight (230lbs)and agressive riding style without having to lug my Big Hit around all over the place. I seriously considered an Uzzi-SLX, but the built weight of that would have been no less than the Big Hit so why bother?!
I have put about 100 miles on the bike so far and the rear shock is awesome! I have never felt anything that was so plush yet did not bob around. 80 lbs of air with max allowed preload, and the rebound set 1 turn from full fast.
Not being able to bunny hop like a Fox will take a bit of getting used to, but wow? Who would have know that a bike that costs this much would actually be worth it?
I love the grey color. The rear shock mouting positions are a real pain to change and take a good deal of patience to get set up correctly. Additionally, the bottom braket cable routing for the front D is really F*$%!ng up the frame. Foes should either supply one of those stupid little plastic guides and give you a hole for the screw or change the front D to an E-type with a top pull. I have a heavy vinyl protecting sheet on there now, but pleae do yourself a favor and start out with one when your frame is brand new!
Overall this bike is everything I wanted and expected. The only problem now is what to stare at and dream about next? The options get pretty slim once you get one of these.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott W
a Cross Country Rider
from Sandia Park, NM Date Reviewed: August 18, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1689.00
Purchased At:
Go-Ride
Strengths:
Nice build quality, very stiff rear end, good standover clearance,Curnutt shock is awesome.
Weaknesses:
Rear end does not allow use of tire over 2.3 Would not be a good bike for muddy riding. More color options (like Santa Cruz) would be great. Foes lists incorrect frame weight.
Similar Products Used:
Uzzi SL, GT LTS 1, assorted hardtails.
Bike Setup:
Med red FXR frame with Curnutt Ti, Fox Talas fork, King ISO/317 wheels w/Stans, Avid disks, Thomson post/stem, monkeylite bars, SRAM 9.0, XTR cranks, XTR front der, Conti Vert Pro 2.3's, Time ATAC's
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike to replace my 99 Uzzi SL. I had liked the look of this frame since I saw pictures of the prototype 2 years ago. I was happy with the ride of my Uzzi but felt the frame was getting old. The idea of a stable platfrom shock was very appealing, I had a vanilla RC on my Uzzi and although it soaked up bumps great it did have a good amount of bob. I was concerned with the feel of a single pivot vs a 4-bar. I was also concerned about the claimed 68.5 head angle. Like most riders I climb up before going down and didn't want a bike that was too slack.
I spoke with guys at Foes as well as Go-Ride and a few people on this board who had the FXR. One of the more intersting statements made was that I would feel the increased stiffness of the FXR over my Uzzi. I really didn't believe I would since the Uzzi is such a stong bike.
I ordered my bike (the guys at Go-Ride are great and I highly recommend them) plus a few parts I needed to build it up. I built the bike up myself (I'm a decent wrench) as well as a new set of wheels. When I got the frame I weighed it on 2 different digital postal scales. I initially had the steel shock spring and frame weight was 8 lbs 5 oz. When I got my Ti spring in it dropped 1/2 pound off the bike weight-well worth the cost but it did irritate me that Foes published a bogus weight. Final built up weight is just under 30 lbs. Now for the important part-the ride.
The overall ride and handling of this bike is fantastic. My concerns about head angle were completely eliminated as this bike climbs great--I can make climbs on my Foes that I couldn't make on my Uzzi. I think the fact that the Curnutt doesn't settle into its travel on the inclines really helps here. The other thing I noticed right away on descents was how much faster I was-even my riding buddies commented on it. I attribute this to how solid and stable the bike feels. I guess the comments about stiffness vs the Uzzi were right.
A lot has been said about the Curnutt in other reviews and its all true. This is an amazing shock, great tuneability and plush travel. With the stable platform and single pivot rear end it can be harsh over small bumps if you run the air pressure high. I have 65 psi in the shock and I never notice pedal bob and I am not bottoming the shock. This setting also matches the Talas up front nicely. On jumps or drop offs this bike always feels like its landing on a pillow.
This is my first bike with disk brakes and they are fantastic. I will never use rim brakes again. The Fox Talas is an excellent fork. I do most of my riding in the 5" mode but occasionally shorten it up a bit for long steep climbs.
My goal when buying/building this bike was to get a solid trail bike that I could ride anywhere. Most of my rides last a few hours +/- 15 miles with the occasional epic thrown in. My Foes has not disappointed me. If you want a true mountain bike you found it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill Heilman
a Downhiller
from Frankfort, IL Date Reviewed: August 14, 2003
Favorite Trail:
None
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
richardsbicycles.com
Strengths:
The FXR Frame is very well built. The new annodized grey is really cool. The curnutt shock with the TI spring works better than any other full suspension bike I've ever owned. For a 5-6 inch travel bike, it sure climbs well, but it flys downhill. For the price I got the bike for, it was better than antying else I could have possibly bought. I'm very happy with the Foes FXR.
Weaknesses:
None that I have found.
Similar Products Used:
Schwinn, GT, Trek, Ellsworth Truth
Bike Setup:
Shimano XT der., Hayes hydrolics, manitou comp w/ 100 - 120 travel, and the fork has all the goodies on it. Lockout, damping, rebound, adjustable travel. Wheelset. Shimano XT hubs, rhinolite rims. Richey pro post, bars & stem, ODI lockjaw grips. WTB Speed V Seat, and WTB 2.14 kevlar tires. I also have the azonic head lock bolt for the fork which is really cool.
Bottom Line:
Its the best bike that I've ever had, and rides better than anyting I've ever riden. The frame is very well made. The annodized grey is super cool. I am very happy with the curnutt with the TI spring on it. I would reccomend buying it from richardsbicycles.com. Those guys at Richards were very knowledgable about all the Foes products, and I think I got the best price from them. The bike came built perfect. I am very happy with the purchase. I'll write back and give another review in a month and tell you more about the Foes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe Bregan
a
from Palos Park, IL, USA Date Reviewed: July 15, 2003
Favorite Trail:
3 ravines
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2999.00
Purchased At:
RichardsBicycles.com
Strengths:
Great trail bike. Awesome suspension. Great paint job. Bike handles perfect. The curnutt shock is awesome!!!
Weaknesses:
I havn't found any weakenss in this bike yet!!!
Similar Products Used:
Trek
Bike Setup:
Schwinn
Bottom Line:
I would reccomend buying this bike from richardsbicycles.com. Great service, great price, and best of all, they knew what they were talking about. I would buy another bike from them in a heartbeat!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob C
a Cross Country Rider
from Westminster, CA Date Reviewed: July 13, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Chutes
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Purchased At:
Adrenaline Bikes
Strengths:
Everything, beautiful welds, nice powdercoat, rear triangle is VERY stiff, handling is great, plenty of travel. Curnutt shock does wonders for climbing.
Weaknesses:
NONE
Similar Products Used:
Diamond Back XSL Race
Bike Setup:
White FXR med., w/ Curnutt Ti, Talas RLC, CK ISO/317, Thomson, XTR, Avid 7" mechs, Truvativ Stylo Team cranks, Answer protaper carbon riser...etc.
Bottom Line:
This is an update, I've had the bike since May now and have gotten plenty of ride time on it. First of all, get the Curnutt rear shock and the Ti spring...the climbing ability of the bike with this set up is amazing. Virtually no bob (it does sacrifice small bump sensitivity), but feels great on medium to bigger hits. This bike handles very very well on tight single track, it amazes me how I can be going to fast and turn a second too late and the bike just carves the turn without incident. With a stiff fork, the steering and handling is great! This bike truly does everything well, it has plenty of travel for the downhill and hitting some jumps. I have yet to bottom the rear shock with the ramping knob only turned in 1 turn. My bike weighs in right at about 30#, and I'm in no way wanting to lighten the bike at all. The price of this frame will scare a lot of people away, but if you an amazing bike that does everything well....look no further! On top of that Foes is an awesome company to deal with. I love this bike, and will have this thing for many years to come.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dylan
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego Date Reviewed: July 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
still searchin'
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Adrenaline Bikes
Strengths:
solid-built bike, beautiful to look at, laterally stiff
Weaknesses:
It takes some time to adjust the Curnutt properly. The documentation on the Foes website is not that great. (But they have answered all of my emails quickly.) Cable routing could be cleaner, but then again I am comparing it to my Klein.
Similar Products Used:
Klein Adept
Bike Setup:
Large white FXR w/ Curnutt Ti, Marzocchi Z1 FR SL, Monkeylite lo rise, Thomson neck and post, X3.1 w/240's, XT drivetrain, Louise discs, Panaracer TrailBlaster 2.1s, Serfas dd vado saddle
Bottom Line:
I got this bike because I was looking for something I could take anywhere...a true cross country bike. I had to fiddle with the front and rear suspension quite a bit to get it to feel right. Once that was done, I needed to adjust my riding style to fit this bike. It seems as though you need to ride this bike from the middle and not to the rear. I ended up losing traction up front on the turns until then. The Curnutt is phenomenal. I don't feel any bob on the climbs unless I am murdering the pedals...(but that's not the best way to climb anyhow) The descents are amazingly fun now. I like to fly downhill and the FXR doesn't flinch or feel slippery under you. (That's partly due to the Marzocchi as well.) I like to take jumps when I can and the travel feels endless on the landings. I definitely avoid obstacles on my Klein where I cruise over them on the Foes.
If you are in the market for an all-purpose trailbike, or an aggressive trail bike, this is it. I don't know about the other shocks available, but if you get this frame, you need to get the shock it was built around. The CURNUTT!
Weight weenies need not apply. The frame is spec'd at 6.7 lbs WITHOUT shock. My bike comes in at about 29lbs total. But I can take it anywhere...
I am 6'1" and 160lbs. Marzocchi Z1 FR SL - 43lbs +; 140 - (air chambers) Curnutt (450lb Ti spring) - 80lbs air; rebound is 1/2 turn out from full fast; damping is 1 3/4 turns out from hard.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Upstate NY Date Reviewed: June 30, 2003
Favorite Trail:
The one that makes work go away
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1700.00
Purchased At:
123 bikes.com
Strengths:
Fantastic quality, well designed, great stregnth/weight balance
Weaknesses:
Huh?
Similar Products Used:
GT LTS, FSR pro, Homegrown pro, Rocky Mtn. Giant etc. etc.
Bike Setup:
Xmax disc, Psylo race, Xtr, etc,etc.
Bottom Line:
Purchased the FXR sz.LG.W/Curnutt Ti, and Anod. grey finish. I was immediately impressed with fabrication quality. Welds are top of the line. The shot peened titanium grey ano. finish is cool.(123 bikes did a special order on the finish fast!.I have to plug them as being the best to deal with.)Decals are tough, replaceable, and offer good protection. Anyway, The Curnutt shock is massive, and pretty light w/ti spring). Tuning is easy and actually works well. My first drop off an 8" curb sitting down felt like silk, then things got better from there. I don't care that there is a small sacrifice in small bump feel (although, this is adjustable to some point) that is what fat tires are for. Almost 6" travel was easy to get used to in a week. It doesn't bob nearly as much as my FSR did and I tend to run it soft. Downhill, IT IS WAY, I SAY WAY STIFFER! the rear triangle and mounting pivot are bombproof. Easton ultralight main tubes are sweet. 100% confidence on the tricky descents. For the weight, (at most several pounds heavier than my FSR) it climbs with great efficiency. Tracking and climbing improved more when I replaced my lightweight buid Hugi 240 Disc wheels with stiffer Crossmaxs'. The frame needs stiff wheels to appreciate it. Steering is very good with Psylo set at max travel. Cable routing hasn't caused any problems,has proven to give precise shifting, and doesn't rattle or rub much.(if housing legnth is cut correctly) I can't make the same claims about my past f/s bikes. The probability of hitting the cable by the bottom bracket is also mighty slim. I think the odds are better you'd snag the rear derailleur loop on something first. How often does that happen? For seven weeks I have put it through it's paces on nasty Adirondack trails, and a week of western N.C. hammerfest. (in the rain naturally) Nothing has gone wrong yet. Bottom line: My hardtail is now for racing only, I don't miss my FSR, and this bike rocks! it is easy to set up, easy to maintain, and easy to ride. I get lots of milage out of it's looks and the fact it stands out in the sea of S.Cruz (also great bikes) The best compliments have come from shopowners that sell the "other" brands. Until they come up with the bike that defies gravity, i'll keep this one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Simon May
a Weekend Warrior
from Old Woking, Surrey, UK Date Reviewed: June 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Nant yr Arian
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$6750.00
Purchased At:
Summit Cycles
Strengths:
Smooth
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Ellsworth Id, Uzzi SLX, Tracer
Bike Setup:
Curnutt XTD Ti, XTR, Fox Talas RLC, King, Thompson, Monkeylite, Mavic, Continental Vertical Pro tubeless
Bottom Line:
This bike rules! Only ridden once, literally just picked it up. Rode on the Summit Cycles trail in Nant yr Arian, Mid Wales, and it just felt the best. The guys at Summit keyed-me in perfectly and the bike rode beautifully straight away.
Will write a fuller review later when I've taken in some more miles.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Christopher Gaunya
a Cross Country Rider
from Wallingford, CT Date Reviewed: June 3, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1199.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
Climbing and Descending. This bike will role over anything. The "no bob" damping on the Romic shock really works well. Endless travel compared to my Stumpjumper FSR Pro. Bike is well built beautiful welds through out.
Weaknesses:
Rear tire clearance. The seat stay is seems a bit asymetrical. The upper brake cable braze-on would get in the way if I wanted to go with a wider tire. (I run 2.1 Panaracer Fire XC's) Seems like a poor placement. Difficulty finding replacement Derailluer hangers. On the Foes website they give a list of dealers, I contacted several that were listed as near me and they said they didn't carry the product line! FOES, get your info updated on your Website!!!!! You should sell replacement parts directly to the public.
Similar Products Used:
Stumpjumper FSR Pro
Bike Setup:
Thomson Stem and Seatpost, XTR rear, everything else XT. Avid mechanical discs. Fox Forx Vanilla RL 125 and Cane Creek headset.
Bottom Line:
Awsome ride! This is the best riding bike I have ever swung a leg over. I originally ordered a Santa Cruz Heckler but they kept pushing back the delivery date and so I ordered the FXR from Jenson USA. I had the frame in two days and other than a few problems getting the correct front derailluer from Jenson USA, it was a relatively painless experience. Jason at Jenson was great and their customer service was responsive to my endless phone calls. Thanks.
I ride mostly in CT and MA 2-3 times a week. Lots of rock gardens and very techincal single track. Typical New England stuff. The FXR, so far, just roles through the stuff. I love the higher bottom bracket. I'm not smacking my cranks everyother peddle stroke like on my FSR. The bike is very balanced under me and respondes to subtle weight shifts. It handles beautifully and really inspires confidence. I love the simplicy of the single pivot design, the rear end on this thing is mega stiff laterally. (a problem on my old FSR which developed endless shifting problems due to frame flex). I will up date this review in a month or two after logging a few more miles.
If you are a hard core techincal XC rider who likes to huck on occasion, or who likes to do epic rides this is the bike for you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Martin
a Cross Country Rider
from Livonia, MI Date Reviewed: May 26, 2003
Favorite Trail:
too many...too little time...
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1560.00
Purchased At:
Beyond Bikes
Strengths:
Second to none craftsmanship, no pedal induced bob, no-flex rear end, & tuneability of Curnutt shock.
Weaknesses:
Bad cable housing routing to front derailer (cable housing starts on down-tube and wraps around bottom bracket shell)
Similar Products Used:
I don't think there is anything similar to this bike!
Bike Setup:
Anodized grey large grame, Fox TALAS RLC, Curnutt, XTR, RaceFace, King, Sun-Ringle SUV, Avid mechanical disc.
Bottom Line:
Let me just start by thanking Cary at Beyond Bikes for hooking me up. I originally ordered a Foes FXC, but the delivery time was too long for an upcoming trip, so they hooked me up with a FXR with a Curnutt. I was a bit worried that it would be way too much travel for me, especially here in Michigan, but I spend alot of time on the West Coast riding, so this bike is perfect for that. Most of the riding I have done on this bike so far has been local, and it handles the flats & the climbs just as good as any other bike I have ever owned.
With the Curnutt shock, the rear end doesn't bob up & down at all when you are at a decent cadence. You will notice it a little bit if you are in the wrong gear on hill & are cranking at a low RPM, but it doesn't bother you at all.
This bike climbs like a billy goat as long as you keep the cranks spinning, and it decends like a banshee! Wherever you point this bike, it will go there, no questions asked.
I went straight from a hard tail to this bike, so if there was anyone that should be very critical of a long travel trail bike, it should be me. For you weight weenies, this is not your bike. I am 6'3" & 205 lbs, & I have come to appreciate a little durability at the added cost of a few more grams. My hardtail was about 4 lbs lighter than this, and I can't really tell a bike difference in climbing or handling. Truthfully, I think this bike climbs better & handles 10 time better than my last hard-tail.
I'm still toying around with the Curnutt trying to dial it in some more (the same goes for my TALAS!), but the adjustability of this shock is amazing. There is a ramping adjustment knob that controls the bottoming control in the last 30% of shock travel (I've been running mine on turn from firm), a pre-load adjuster (spring), a rebound adjustment knob (I run mine at the fasted rebound speed), and of course up to 100 psi air pressure to adjust the compression threshhold (or anti-bob). I'd like to try a stiffer spring in the near future (available from 250-400 lbs).
Bottom line: For an all around trail bike, you can't go wrong with this bike (as long as you buy the Curnutt). The craftsmanship is second to none, it handles & climbs just as good if not better than most full-bounce XC frames on the market. This is the bike that made me wish I bought a full-bounce frame a long time ago!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stu Pedaso
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego, Ca. USA Date Reviewed: May 14, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Which one?????
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1650.00
Purchased At:
Beyond Bikes
Strengths:
Accelerates and handles like no other mid to long-travel bike that I have experienced yet still handles the rough stuff pretty well.
I bought the frame last week. After assembling it I noticed that the rear tire was really close to the disc hose guide (Not too cool for a $1650 frame)(And yes, the wheel is dished correctly). I sent the frame back today and will repost when I get the frame back concerning Foes customer service. Until then, I will not give this frameset a rating. Please disregard my ratings as I only entered them because it is required to post. I don't know much about the Curnutt, but I have a Joker with a Romic and am so impressed with the shock, that I really don't care to try another.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John LeClair
a Weekend Warrior
from Carlsbad, CA, USA Date Reviewed: May 8, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$4200.00
Purchased At:
Adrenaline Bikes
Strengths:
Frame and shock engineered to maximize rider efficiency and trail riding FUN. The Curnutt Stable Platform technology is second to none.
Weaknesses:
As noted in previous reviews, the cable routing tab on the rear swing arm will limit the size of the rear tire. This is not an issue for me.
Similar Products Used:
Ellsworth ID, Santa Cruz Heckler
Bike Setup:
Small FXR, Ti Spring Curnutt, Talas RL, SRAM X.0 RD and shifters, Chris King ISO disc hubs, Mavic 317s, WTB Mutanoraptor 2.4, Hayes HFX-9, Chris King headset, Thomson post and stem, Easont Monkey lite XC riser, WTB Laser V Ti, Truvativ team stylo cranks, Race Face signature Ti BB, SS eggbeaters.
Bottom Line:
AWESOME BIKE! It is perfect for me. I ride 3-4 times a week. Mostly technical single track/trail stuff. I upgraded from a Specialized FSR and was looking for a long travel trail bike. I narrowed my choice to three excellent bikes and chose the FXR based on fit, style, company reputation, magazine reviews, and last but not least THE CURNUTT!
The bike ascends like a champ. As advertised the Curnutt does not bob at all and yet absorbs trail hazards effortlessly. The engineering is truly astonding.
The bike descends like a missle. I have found the cornering on the FXR to be rock solid and its most noteworthy benefit on descents.
I know that the weight of the FSR is a mystery to riders out there. My bike weighs just under 28 lbs.
It was hard to give the bike 5 Flamin' Chilis for value. After all how can a $4300 bike be a good value? However, after each ride the sticker shock is subdued and I realize that I would rather have one Foes FXR over three Specialized FSR's that the same amount would get me.
If you are looking for a do it all long travel trail bike. Look no further then the Foes FXR. If you are wise enough to choose the FXR, be sure to opt for the Ti Curnutt! It is worth the extra $$.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Justin
a Cross Country Rider
from California Date Reviewed: May 6, 2003
Favorite Trail:
too many to list
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1995.00
Purchased At:
123 bikes
Strengths:
The bike is flawless strong welds, attention to detail is amazing. Adjustable Travel, Curnutt shock, grat climber, even better decender.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Tracers, Uzzi sl, Ellsworth Truth, Orange sub 5, Santa Cruz Blur, Turner XCE, Etc.
Bike Setup:
Fox Talas Rl, 03 XTR group, Mavic wheels laced to Chris King hubs, Chris King head set, Thomson seatpost and stem, Answer Pro taper carbon bars, Selle san Marco Era seat.
Bottom Line:
This bike is excellent it climbs very well thanks to the Curnutt shock. This shock has got to be the best out there, it has so many adjustments you can dial it in in so many ways. The ride is second to none the Foes decends on rails and like I mentioned before it climbs like a billy goat. I have ridden my fair share of bikes all of which are superb trail bike slash XC bikes but the foes edges them out in just about every field. if a trail bike climbs well it does not go down hill as well or have good handling, and if it decends well it most of the time is to heavy to back up. Not so with the foes my bike weighs in at around 27 Lbs it clims very well due to the parts I put on it but it handles and climbs with no effort. I would reccomend this bike to trail riders or four crossers but with the Curnutt it is better if it used for trail riding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Francisco _
a Weekend Warrior
from Monterrey Mexico Date Reviewed: April 21, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$4600.00
Purchased At:
123 bikes.com
Strengths:
Very fast and fun bike. You can ride it really agresibly on the technical stuff and climbs incredibly well. I have riden this bike for a few days but I feel Ive had it for years!
Weaknesses:
None
Bike Setup:
Anodized Medium Frame with the Curnutt Ti, Fox Vanilla RLC, Mavic X 3.1, Continental Vertical Pro UST, Chris King Hubs and Head Set, XTR 2003 everything, Thompson Stem and Seat Post.
Bottom Line:
The best bike I have ever ridden! This is the kind of bike I have always wanted. It Climbs great, you can ride it through the most technical stuff and inspires you to be more agressive than any other trail bike out there. You can use this bike for long climbs and also do drop offs on the way down! If you are an agressive rider looking for an all around bike GET THIS BIKE! Sure there are bikes that climb better, but they are very bad on the way down, and there are bikes that descend better but its impossible to pedal them up the hill. This bike can do it all.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob
a Cross Country Rider
from Westminster, CA Date Reviewed: March 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Chutes
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3500.00
Purchased At:
Adrenaline Bikes
Strengths:
Excellent climber, frame build quality and stiffness, just an overall awesome bike with plenty of travel.
Weaknesses:
As stated below, the rear disc brake cable guides will limit the size of the rear tire (not a problem for me). Possibly the front derailleur cable routing, the cable must stick down below the bottom bracket an inch or two, but hopefully this won't be a problem.
Bike Setup:
Curnutt Ti, Talas RLC, CK Iso w/317's, Avid 185 discs, 03'Truvativ Stylo Team cranks, XTR fr.& rr. derailleurs and shifters, XT cassette, Thomson stem and seatpost, Answer Protaper carbon, WTB 2.4 Mutanoraptor fr. WTB Velociraptor rr etc.
Bottom Line:
This bike was an upgrade from a full suspension Diamondback XSL Race. A HUGE difference, this bike climbs amazingly well with the Curnutt. The Curnutt will ignore pedal input and small bumps and therefore it climbs like a hardtail. It has plenty of travel for the downhill and the frame is stout to take some big drops. This bike just does everything well, a perfect bike for the riding I do. It's not too heavy either, I'm expecting mine to be around 28-29 pounds. I've only ridden the bike 3 times on the trail, and am still dialing in the Curnutt. Each ride the bike makes me forget about all the money I've spent on it, it is worth every penny! A beautiful bike and an amazing ride! I'll post another review after I get more time on the trails.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Keith K.
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego,Ca. Date Reviewed: February 21, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Nobel Canyon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$4300.00
Purchased At:
Beyond bikes
Strengths:
Overall construction is flawless. Goes uphill unbelievably well,and comes downhill even better. Perfect do anything bike.
Weaknesses:
Foes calculates the spring rate for your body weight in the 5 in. travel mode. Make sure you specify if you plan on running in 6 in.
Keeps up with my cross-country friends,keeps up with my downhill friends. What other bike can do that? 6 inches that feels like 7+. Foes tech support is second to none. People are right its hard to bunnyhop/jump, thats because the Curnutt is doing its job. it sucks up anything!! Frame is incredibly light, my setup leans a little to the freeride side and is still only 32 lbs. BUY THIS BIKE YOU WONT BE SORRY!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tom
a Cross Country Rider
from fresno, ca Date Reviewed: February 11, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
flex free, cornering, climbing, tracking, versatility, very fun to ride
Weaknesses:
are minor: cable routing, access to rebound adjustment,
Similar Products Used:
2003 Enduro, Super 8, Heckler, Tazmon
Bike Setup:
see earlier review
Bottom Line:
This is an update to a previous review. Being an Engineer it is hard to give a full 5 flamin Chilis since there is always room for improvement. The scale should be from 1 to 10. I gave the bike only 4 flamin chilis on that review. Mostly because of build problems, not design problems. After going back and riding a few other bikes and experimenting with different length forks on the FXR I have really discovered the true versatility of the bike and felt that Brent Foes had put a lot of thought into this bike. I believe that it is probably the best all around bike on the market, especially for heavier riders. I had some very frustrating things happen that I am sure Foes has since become aware of. The Curnutt had a terrible clunk, they sent a new one which also had a clunk but I rode it anyway. After about a month of riding the clunk is gone, go figure. They also shipped the bike with the wrong thickness washer on the swing link, the bolt was too long and bottomed out on the swing arm and put a nice 1 inch long gouge in the swing arm. The cable routing for the rear disk brake has a cable guide welded on the swing arm that slightly protrudes into the wheel well right where the wheel is the widest, therefore I cannot get a wider tire on the bike without the tread rubbing on the cable guide. The cable guides on the frame, for both the rear brake and the rear deraillieur. should be placed just a little more (about ¼ inch) to the outside of the bike so as to eliminate the cable from rubbing on the seat stay and the head tube so much. Also, adding one hydraulic cable guide on the down tube (between the two existing ones) would eliminate the noise of the cable slapping the frame. Improving access to the rebound adjuster on the Curnutt would be nice. The geometry is nearly spot on. I have a high center of gravity and lowering the BB height ¼ inch+ would be about perfect for me (with the Curnutt). With the Romic its perfect. The MBA review says that the head angle is 70’, that is wrong, it is 68.5’. They also listed the BB ht at 13” (with a 125mm fork). My bike is 13.5” with a 120mm stroke fork. I have an adjustable 100mm-120mm fork and because I ride mostly fast single track I keep it in the 100mm setting and the Curnutt mounted in the long travel position. It rips like nothing I have ever ridden. It just begs to be ridden aggressively and slightly forward of center. It definitely does not feel like a 5.8 inch travel bike until you need to use the travel. With the Curnutt I cannot stress enough to get a heavy enough spring so that you can keep the air pressure a little lower. This allows the suspension to feel better than anything I have ever ridden. If you run a lighter spring but more air, which is necessary to keep it from bottoming, the suspension ramps up faster and feels more progressive instead of linear and the small bump sensitivity gets worse. I weigh 205 lbs and run a 500 lb steel spring, the heaviest Ti spring available is 450lb. There seems to be a breakin period for the Curnutt. The small bump sensitivity has gotten better but is still nowhere near the Romic. The Curnutt also makes the bike very hard to jump and bunny hop without aggressively and quickly loading it up, you get used to it and eventually learn how to deal with it. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the suspension felt under braking. The 65’ seat stay angle is very nice for getting the seat out of the way since you can not drop it very far, good thinking there. The bottom line: This bike is probably the most well thought out and versatile bike on the market. I would make a few very minor changes, cable routing, a slightly lower BB, easier access to the rebound adjustment and a descent manual to give it that real “finished” feel. A 500lb Ti spring would also be nice.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jesse
a Weekend Warrior
from Rowland Heights Date Reviewed: February 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Redbox / Marshall Canyon
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
La Habra Cyclery
Strengths:
Exceptional construction. Curnutt shock absorbs very well. Fairly light for a trailbike, and much more...
Weaknesses:
Hard to bunny hop.
Bike Setup:
Foes FXR with Curnutt Ti, Fox Vanilla 125 RLC, Monkelite DH, Chris king headset, Hayes hydraulic, Thompson Elite seatpost/stem, XTR Derailleur, Sun Ringle SUV wheelset and hubs, Maxxis Highroller 2.35, XT hollowtech cranks, DX Pedals, XT cassette, XT shifters, WTB Laser V Ti Saddle
Bottom Line:
I had to make a difficult decision between the Heckler,Uzzi Slx, and the FXR. All of which are excellent performing bikes. Pretty much a toss up. Decided to go with the FOES, based on good reviews on articles and people who have ridden one. I am extremely happy with this decision. The bike climbs with great efficiency, and descends with authority. Get one while you can!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James
a Cross Country Rider
from New Zealand Date Reviewed: February 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Missing Link, Makara Park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1600.00
Purchased At:
Jville cycles
Strengths:
Light (for a 5in + travel bike), Strong, excellent ride qualities, very very fast bike. Good cable routing and excellent construction.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Foes Weasel 2, Foes FXC.
Bike Setup:
Full XTR, Magura Lousie FR brakes, Psylo Race Forks, Race Face everything else, Chris King headset, mavic wheels.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line - after 12 years of riding MTB's, I have found the best bike ever made, this machine is amazing. I am trying to figure out how they have been able to produce such an excellent bike. It does everything well, it easily outclimbs my old Foes FXC and decends better than anything I have ever been on. Very stable through corners and over rough ground, it eats up terrain and carries a huge amount of speed. I was amazed at how well it pedalled and climbed, excellent weight for a trail bike. If you are considering purchasing an FXR, do not hesitate, buy one before the secret gets out and they are all taken!! A truely confidence inspiring ride. I will be keeping this machine for a very long time to come.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tom
a Cross Country Rider
from fresno, ca Date Reviewed: January 19, 2003
Favorite Trail:
anything new
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3200.00
Purchased At:
cyclopath
Strengths:
flex free, geometry, climbing, tracking
Weaknesses:
small bump sensativity, hard to reach rebound adjuster, shipped with a bad shock and wrong spring for my weight, Curnutt shock has a clunk at first. Manual.
Similar Products Used:
03 Specialized Enduro, Super 8, Tazmon
Bike Setup:
King, Hope minis, Single track rims(awesome), Thompson, Pro Taper, Fire XC pro's, XT compnents, Rocket V, Manitou Super Air
Bottom Line:
I am an Engineer and put a lot of thought into this bike before buying it. I bought it based on the geometry and strength of the frame. I am a strong XC rider and weigh 205 lbs. I broke an Enduro frame so needed something stronger. I really liked the feel of the Enduro, definately one of the best bikes out there if set up with a Romic. Going back to a single pivot design felt like taking a step backwards. I now believe that putting these platform shocks on a single pivot design is just a bandaid for a lesser design since you have to either give up small bump sensativity or put up with pedal induced bob. I ride about 50 miles each week and have spent lots of time trying to get this bike set up. I tried both the Curnutt and Romic shocks with several different springs on each. The bottom line: With the Curnutt this bike rips as an all around XC oriented ride that can take some serious abuse. It climbs great and could easily win a race. The weight is much less noticable than on the Enduro and it loves to be riden aggressively. With the Romic you get some bob and climbing takes more effort, however, once you start down hill the ride is plush and very controlled as long as you ride aggressively forward or else the bike gets away from you. So far I am not super impressed with the $1900 frame set. Why are there 3 holes by the shock mount if only 2 can be used? especially when the unused hole requires that enough material be added to the frame to make it nearly impossible to adjust the rebound. The rampup adjustment does not do much unless there is a lot if air in the shock which again reduces small bump sensitivity. A slightly lower BB bracket may help the stability on the small bumps, especially since the platform shock rides so high in its travel. This bike would rock if there was some way to adjust the small bump sensitivity. Be sure and get a heavy enough spring. I weigh 205 and a 500lb spring works very well. The web site and manual for the bike are very lacking in detail. Sag should be between .25 and .5 inches in the stroke of the shock. If someone took the same geometry and made a good 4 bar linkage with a Romic I would probably get it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Peoria, AZ Date Reviewed: January 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
South Mountain
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1600.00
Purchased At:
Jensen
Strengths:
Reliable, plush, sticks to the trail, bomb proof, turns heads.
Weaknesses:
The paint chips with the slightest ding. The bike has a hard time taking a wide tire on the back, 2.3 is the max. The disk cable routing mounts rub on the side of the tire.
Similar Products Used:
Pro Flex 856, Specialized FSR XC w/BETD 5" travel
Bike Setup:
SRAM 9.0, XT, XTR, Race Face, Avid disks (the Foes is disk only), Psylo, Romic shock, yada yada
Bottom Line:
Cool, I'm the first to review the Foes FXR. I had an FSR XC w/ 5" in the front and back but I blew the fox air shock. I got the Foes as a gift and I will never go back to the FSR. The Foes climbs as well as the FSR (thanks to the Romic shock) but can handle the down hill better, (again, thanks to the Romic). The Foes sticks to the trail as well as the FSR but corners better. I have only ridden the Foes four times and can honestly say this bike fits like a glove. There was no "getting used to the bike". It rocks, if you can shell out the bucks, get this rig. Oh, don't get the Fox RL coil over, spend the extra $$ for the Curnut or the Romic. I hear the Fox bites. I will post more as time goes on.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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