Submitted by
Itay.teshuva
a Weekend Warrior
from Agoura hills
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2010
Strengths: EVERYTHING suspension will take up every thing but theres no bob the frame is missile proof gears are flawless and easy to adjust suspension
Weaknesses: nothing other then its a bit heavy but nothing you cant get used to
Bottom Line:
ITS AWESOME. i have ridden bikes worth twice as much as this and not 1 of then is close to being in the same league. i was looking for a bike that can keep up with hard tails on the way up and beat up DH on the way down and thats exactly what i got. if you want to take that 10 foot drop but also do the 20 mile xc course this is the bike for the job
Bike Setup: stock other than race face handle bars and octopus tires
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Submitted by
Mr.Enigma
a Cross Country Rider
from UK
Date Reviewed: June 26, 2010
Strengths: Oh golly, Barley any bob, beautiful geometry...it's endless
Weaknesses: Heavy, but then what do you expect from a down hiller
Bottom Line:
Fantastic bit of kit. I got an Eibach on it before I used it as the old shock had it so I'm reviewing it modded, BETD rear gold arms to compliment and
loads of goodies. A very very smooth bike. Tad heavy but perfect, all black and gold for looks and with 8 inches of travel I'm a very happy man lol. It's certainly a fantastic bike with a beautiful geometry. I only use it for general mud,
which is a bit like using a fezza to go to the shops in.
Bike Setup: Giant AC2 w/tora forks, pro deluxe rear shock with an Eibach comp uprated spring. Full X7 SRAM drive and Truv kit all over
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Submitted by
toecutter1
a Cross Country Rider
from knoxville,tn,usa
Date Reviewed: May 6, 2009
Strengths: Geometry, weight, Rides anywhere NO BOB!
Weaknesses: None thus far
Bottom Line:
This may be one of the most underestimated frames I've seen. Why giant discontinued this line I'll never know. I'm not in the habit of spending 2K or more on a bike. Found it on Ebay $$cheap$$ Built it up using all xt and some lx components. Tuned the suspension (new spring coil for the rear swinger and an old 02 z1 fork) It's not a DH bike I'd put it in the "lite" freeride category. However, with the right components and set-up it's a perfect balance of suspension and weight. Perfect for spirited DH runs in those places you were too chicken on your old xc Good all round aggressive XC bike. Bobs less than my old NRS! I had to kina "choose a line" with other XC bikes but no need now. I have ridden other bikes in this class and none have the climbing characteristics of this bike. I was initially afraid of the extra weight but I'm abeliever in that sacrifice now. You CAN take it XC and keep up with your hardtail buds but you're not going to win any xc races with it. The fun factor is the clincher though.
Similar Products Used: Giant NRS,hardtails, single speed
Bike Setup: XT,LX, Marz Z1, swinger 4 way
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Submitted by
Slydee
a Weekend Warrior
from Slovenia
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2008
Strengths: Good for trails and techy stuff, perfect bike to learn on. It can take quite a lot of beating.
Weaknesses: More on the heavy side, some original components are crapy (hayes brakes, RF bb..). I totaly destroyed the rear rhyno lite but its known not to be the most durable rim. 2 bearings had to be changed, no more problems with the industrial bearings in.
Bottom Line:
Heavy for uphill, but the downhill part outweights all the suffering.
Similar Products Used: Tested kona dawg, scott nitrous, commencal supreme miniDH
Bike Setup: Sherman 150, swinger 4-way, XT brakes, mavic 721 on xt hub rear, bbb FR stem and flat pedals, 2.5 high rollers
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Submitted by
Carlos
a Weekend Warrior
from Miami, FL, USA
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2007
Strengths: well made with strong welds and great overall design and geometry. The standard 6 inch susp. from manitou is awesome. Never had any REAL complaints aobut the frame. Can be used for practically all types of writing (obviously not DH).
Weaknesses: Depending on how you build it up... it can get heavy
Bottom Line:
great overall frame... not problems really. Great rear susp. comes standard. Can get heavy depending on the components you put on.
Submitted by
Gus Tamayo
a Weekend Warrior
from Raleigh, NC. USA.
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2006
Strengths: I did put top of the line XTR and Fox components on this frame. It is just a great bike and made a big difference on my riding. I usually go ride on weekends and use a trainer on week days. I get very anxious to get on my bike and hit the trails on weekends. I do some down hill and the bike just wok awesome as well as when I climb up some hills. This bike is very strong and it is very easy to control. It has truvative cranks.
Weaknesses: It was a little har to get the right shifting group for this bike since not all the dirailleurs are good for it. Finally i got all XTR group and they work perfect.
Bottom Line:
This is a very durable and sweet bike. No bad comments at all for this beauty.
Similar Products Used: Specialized, Treck, Iron Horse, Kona.
Bike Setup: XTR (shifters, derailleurs, chain), Avid liquid 9 carbon brakes, Thompson stem and seatpost, Mavic 717 with Crhis King hubs and DT Swiss spokes, truvative craks with truvative Isis BB, Rock Shoks SID rear suspension and Fox F100 fork.
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Submitted by
tom lee
a Downhiller
from agoura hills ca. U.S.
Date Reviewed: September 15, 2006
Strengths: this is a good all round ride. Depending on how you set it up.
Weaknesses: I have not fond one. I rode it the wa its supposed to be ridden all mountainor mild freeride.
Bottom Line:
This bike rocks on tachnical singletrack you feel like your in it not on it/had to add stiffre spring for drops to flat. spv front and rear workes excellent
Strengths: Weight, strength, and adjustability. If setup right you can never bottom out on agressive xc trails.
Weaknesses: The original fork that comes with this bike is crap. I switched it for an 04 marzocchi freeride 150mm sl(so sweet). I did this right outta the box after demoing the bike for a day. The original fork is just too weak to be on this otherwise burly as hell freeride/aggreeeeessive xc bike.
Bottom Line:
This bike is awesome if you really know how to ride it. With the new fork on for about 3-1/2 months I have taken it to its limits and back again with now problems. The Manitou 4way swinger is ideal for someone like me who does a little bit of everything - from mediocre freeriding, dirt jumping, downhilling, and very aggressive xc. It handles everything with confidence and great control. I've taken it off off 10 footers with no problems, and pedaled up some very grueling uphills for some very fast and furious downhill rewards. Bottom line: this bike was a steal because it was left over in the back of supergo and they brought it out 2 years after it first hit the market.
Weaknesses: a lil bit too heavy for xc but not quite strong enough for freeride
Bottom Line:
if ur lookin for a freeride bike id go for something a little bit stronger with better/stronger components. i first got this and took it off a 4 foot drop (small drop) and the fork bottomed!!??! and i only weaigh 130 lbs. so i upgraded the fork. i dunno i still dont feel very confident taking this off anything higher then 5-6 feet. i always use my friends stinky for the bigger stuff. if ur looking for a xc bike this may be a little bit too haevy for u, and too much rear whell travel, with bobing. if ur looking for a bike that can handle some little jumps u make and get u over rough terrain, and handle small drops(1-3 feet), and do bridges, this bike is for you. i am probly going to return mine to get a stinky or maybe a gemini, so i can stop using my friends. i just dont feel safe doin anything big on this. not that its a bad bike or anything, just not my type of riding.
Similar Products Used: 2004 kona stinky dee-lux (this bike pwnes) coiler, stinky, gemin, banshee scream
Bike Setup: stock except platforms, and a junior t
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Submitted by
Palis
a Weekend Warrior
from Rockwood, Ontario
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2004
Strengths: Everything, except perhaps the wheel/tyre weight and the brakes which are noisy and have a tendency to leak at the reservoir.
Weaknesses: Above.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike for riding over very rough terrain. It cuts through rock gardens and big roots far better than a hardtail or fully suspended cross country bike. I use mine for aggresive cross country riding, but try to avoid large jumps and drops since I don't like expensive repairs! Not that this bike couldn't handle those, but it takes it's toll on any wheelset and the Psylo fork is really better suited to aggresive cross country (which it handles superbly). If you enjoy heavy duty cross country, or light freeriding, you'll like this bike, but if you like to ride on fast singletrack as well you might find yourself being left behind, especially on the long uphills. Make sure you keep your nimble hardtail for those types of trails. My only gripe about this bike involves the brakes. These do squeak a lot when wet and are fiddly to adjust. I would have preferred something more reliable and quieter (avid mechanicals?) in exchange for the hydraulic power that I don't really need for my type of riding, though downhillers will no doubt appreiciate it. (I had to have the brake reservoirs replaced under warranty because of leaky seals). Overall though, I really appreiciate the bikes durability and the fact that it's capable of getting me over just about anything ridable on the trail. (The tyres rock too!) Great!
Bike Setup: Stock except attached lizard skins to protect front and rear shock seals. Platform pedals.
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Submitted by
Rockett
a Downhiller
from Calgary AB, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 25, 2004
Strengths: great component spec. Love the geometry of the frame. A time proven 4-bar linkage. Unbelievably strong welds. Adjustable travel.
Weaknesses: Little problem with it skipping gears when I first got it but when the cables stretched to where they were gonna stay and I got things adjusted, it was fine. Oh,, and the Rockshox Phylo is cr@p!!!
Bottom Line:
This is actually a reveiew for the 2002 model but I didn't see that as an option anymore. Love this Bike!! I heard a lot of people say that the Rockshox Pro Deluxe is a cr@p rear shock but I have to disagree. I have beaten on this shock over the past few weeks and I'm still doing great with it. I'm a bigger guy as well @ 225 lbs and I'm hitting 5 footers to flat no prob. If you're hucking this thing off you roof (12 footers +) you should be riding a beefyer bike anyway. The Phylo has to go, its way to soft. All around great all purpose bike but you really want to have a trail that has more downhill then up.
Similar Products Used: Kona Stinky Deluxe, Kona Dawg,, Trek Liquid,,, Rocky Mountiain Switch
Bike Setup: Stock... but I'm switching the Phylo to a Sherman as soon as I get the $$beans$$
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Submitted by
Danny
a Downhiller
from Ottawa Ontario Canada
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2004
Strengths: Swinger, Components, Solid construction, Excelent pedal, looks good, price, xt, Raceface, Hayse, Sun, All good components.
Weaknesses: RS Psylo definatly not a shock suited for this frame what were they thinking?, never even mounted it sold it right out of the box and strapped on a JRT, When every other company is going with longer travel Giant shortens theirs from 6.5 to 6.3 Why Why Why??? The swinger makes up for it though but the stock 450 lb spring is extreamly light.
Bottom Line:
The weaknesses I mentioned are nothing a little customizing cant fix, I think Giant needs to take a step back and re think the marketing on this bike when they do not provide a balanced suspension and void the warranty if you put a triple clamp on it. With the beefy head tube I have never known any body who has snapped one with a triple, what does that say about their faith in their product? But despite all that it is the best ride for the money.
Bike Setup: Stock with 2003 JRT and 550 lb spring, MEC Bash ring, Flats
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Submitted by
Clay Schaefer
a Weekend Warrior
from Claremont, CA
Date Reviewed: April 15, 2004
Strengths: The SPV coil 4 way works as advertised. Confidence inspiring. No bob at all. Plush 5-6 inches of rear travel. Decent all around geometry.
Weaknesses: It is a little heavy to push up the long climbs so I usually ride with my clipless pedals (I know it's sacreligious). Also, the integrated headset worries me a little bit as far as durability goes, but I think they might have changed the setup on the 04.
Bottom Line:
This is my first full suspension and I cant wipe the grin off my face. It hooks up on climbs better than my hardtail, but the weight penalty slows me down a little. I love to bomb on this bike. It feels solid underneath me and rolls right through the stuff that would have knocked me off line and into the woods on my old ride. I have cleaned several sections that I had been unable to get through before and I rode drops (10-12 ft rollers, a 4 ft stage etc.) that I wouldn't have considered on the old rockhopper. If you can only afford one bike and like to go really fast on it, you should check this thing out. Good for anything on dirt short of full on downhill or hucking and light enough (I guess about 34lbs but not sure) to avoid cardiac arrest on climbs.
Similar Products Used: Truth, Y-5, Scalpel, various Rocky Mountain.
Bike Setup: Psylo XC (stiff kit), Avid Mech disks, XT hubs, Rhyno Lite rims, Race Face prodigy xc cranks, XT der, egg beaters, Panaracer Fire tires.
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Submitted by
Bob O'Bryan
a Weekend Warrior
from Logan, WV USA
Date Reviewed: December 3, 2003
Strengths: I posted a previous review after riding for a few months, and thought I would update. This bike will take you anywhere you want to go. It has rear suspension that feels endless; I’ve yet to bottom out. It is sturdy, and designed for a Clydesdale like myself. Over the last 6 months or so, I’ve put many, many miles on this bike, and I have had absolutely ZERO problems. I’ve any had to true my wheels one time, and trust me… lesser wheels would be taco salad after that day. It has a very nice stable platform that really doesn’t hurt you much when you really lay down the juice.
Weaknesses: The Psylo. I got the heavier springs and it made a very big difference though... I like the fork much better now. Before I installed the springs, I was seriously eyeing a Z150 FR though... Also, this bike should never have come with clipless pedals. I got some Mosh platforms, and that problem was solved as well.
Bottom Line:
You wanna go big? You wanna take some of your favorite trails to the next level? Get one.
Strengths: Rear suspension is sooooo sick you can't beat it. The breakes never quit ryno lite rims my be cheap but there strong QR 20 hub and axel is sick
Weaknesses: the seal blew on the psylos after the third month.
Bottom Line:
This bike is soo sick it looks gawsome especially with a cople good stickers on it . the 4 way swinger is awsome it holds up to the 10 foot drops no probem i've bent the ryno lites a couple times. and blowin the seal kinda sucked but he go big or go home. If u wanna chat about bikin wit me jus add me on msn at Purerush@hotmail.com
Similar Products Used: ac3 devinchi guzzler devinchi magma rocky mountain edge king pin
Bike Setup: xt front and back derailers lx shifters 4 way swinger rear shock psylo's race face bash ring and prodigy dh crankes hayes hydro with 8 inch rotors titec ringleader handle bars titec big al stem titec speed v seat titec seat post ryno lite rims octopus front tire and ninja dh and the back
This bike is offered to me. Can you tell me if this is a good bike and a good deal? The reviews looked good on this bike. its an 18" frame, i'm about 6'0" or 6'1", 165lbs
This Read More »
So my Rock Shox fork seals are gone, it was under sprung in the first place, and I think it may have lead to my dislocated shoulder,. :madman:
(Probably bad riding was the caus Read More »
I am getting a new wheelset for my Epic Comp 29 (2011). That means I need a rear hub that can use the X12 Thru Axle system.
I have three offers
DT Swiss 240 hub with crest rim. Read More »
