Submitted by
Snakedriver
a Cross Country Rider
from Bronx,NY
Date Reviewed: September 11, 2009
Strengths: Its An All Around Good Bike When Used For The Intended Purpose Cross Country Racing Not Downhilling, Freeriding, Dirt Jumping. The Things People Try With A Bike Not Made For Those Purposes.Considering It's An Entry level Full Suspension Bike It Excels At What Its Made For And Isnt Bad At Some Of The Above Activities. JUST NOT OFTEN.For The Average Price Of About $500 You Can't Expect The Bike To Be An All Mountain Do Everything Bike. Its Not That Sort Of Bike.
Weaknesses: The Weight Of The Bike Is A Bit Much For Being A Cross Country Race Bike. The Front Fork Isn't Good For Much Except Intended Use.Will Probably Upgrade Fork To Something A Lil Plusher Then The RST Omega 4 That's On It Due To Now And Then Having To Jump Sidwalks While Riding In New York City Dodging Marauding Yellow Cabs
Bottom Line:
Used As Intended The Warp DS2 Is An Excellent Entry Level Bike To Build Skills On If Your Aspiring To Ride More Technical Trails In The Future. Minimal Upgrades Maybe Needed Depending On Where And How You Ride. I'd Definitely Recommend Upgrading To Avid BB7 Disc Brakes If Nothing Else On The Bike. Could Never Have Good Enough Brakes On Your Bike No Matter Where Or How You Ride. I've been Bounced Off City Buses, Yellow Cabs Hit By A Speeding Ambulance Had A Few 5Foot Or Less Drops And In The 4+ Years I've Ridden No Frame Damage. Bike Is Very Very Durable.I Wish Giant Still Sold The Frames. I'd Love To Buy One Then Build My Own Bike from The Ground Up.
Similar Products Used: Raleigh M30. Some Pacific Piece Of Crap That Lasted About 6 Months.
Bike Setup: WTB Dual Duty Freeride Wheels, Versatrac 2.0 Kevlar Belt Tires, Slime Tire Liners, Slime Resealable Innertubes,DB4LW Speedometer, Avid BB7 Disc Brakes,Topeak Fenders, Cats Eye Back Light.
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Submitted by
Wyobiker
a Weekend Warrior
from Laramie, WY
Date Reviewed: March 7, 2009
Strengths: Great frame for xc/all mountain biking
Weaknesses: All components must go! Wheel set, tires, shifters, derailleurs, brakes, crank, grips, saddle, stem etc...etc...
Bottom Line:
To re-iterate what I and has been said plenty times before on the DS2, the frame is great but the components are...well, yeah. I've put a good amount of money into this bike to make it a sweet all-mountain ride. However, if you don't know what you want to pair with this frame nor spend the money and a good amount of time having a half complete bike sitting around, buy something else.
Bike Setup: Marzochhi JR-T, Hayes Hydraulic discs, SUN Ringle MTX 20mm through axle wheelset, Maxxis Minion in front, High Roller in the back, SRAM shifters, shimano xt derailleurs, ODI lock on grips, Wells pedals yadda yadda yadda
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Submitted by
pulidof4i
a Weekend Warrior
from Los Angeles, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2008
Strengths: Very good frame, easy to handle, strong XC/All mount. bike.
Weaknesses: All the components:
Fork, brakes, cranks, derailleur, shifters, etc.
Bottom Line:
I like the bike. It's a very good beginner bike. I've had it for 7 years and it has done me very well. I've taken it to Tahoe (North Star), Mammoth, and the local San Gabriel mountains.
Favorite Trail: I live in a National Park... can't pick just one!
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At: my pal
Bike Setup: Stock.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Eddie
a Cross Country Rider
from Snohomish, Washington, USA
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2008
Strengths: Tough as hell!
Weaknesses: Stock tread sucks.
Bottom Line:
Great bike my first mountain bike, has already outlasted all my others by years!!! definatly worth the money. i like to bike alot of XC, and downhill, the bike has lasted me through everything, definatly would suggest to anyone who finds it and is a beginer or interediate, IT IS WORTH THE MONEY!
This bike is a blast! By far the most fun you can have with $550.00. It is a little on the heavy side. Well, let's face it, it is heavy. But with a good fork up front and properly set-up, this bike can hang with machines that cost MUCH more. If you can get a hold of one, do it! You can't beat the dollar to fun ratio with this bike.
Bike Setup: 18 inch frame w/ Duke SL fork. Only other upgrades are Sun Rhyno Lite wheels with disc hubs and Kenda Nevegal tires. New LX crank/ SRAM chain and rear cassette. Looking to upgrade to some inexpensive disc brakes and new fork.
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Submitted by
Tyler Kas
a Downhiller
from Byron center, MI, US
Date Reviewed: May 10, 2007
Strengths: great bike
Weaknesses: Handlebars are to far ahead. My back kills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Strengths: Price, good parts spec, solid feel, single pivot=little maintenance, strong nice looking frame...no dumb Y design, very upgradeable, perfect bike to learn to freeride and DH on. Hardly scratched after a whole lot of abuse.
Weaknesses: uncomfortable...well mine was a size small because it was the last one left on sale. Lots of pedal bobbing on climbs, shocks weren't great but better than the previous models...and anything else in that price range.
Bottom Line:
One of the best bikes I ever had. It was an amazingly capable, cheap fs bike I could do almost anything with. I had some issues with the front RS Pilot xc fork a few times but it was on warrenty so got it fixed for free. Other than that it held up really well through lots of abuse on the shore and even in whistler!. I rode it in all weather conditions, through mud and snow, down insanely rocky sections at full speed and almost never cleaned it after rides, but it was ready for more day after day. I finally had to get rid of it as my skills progressed and I concentrated more on DH. The frame was also too small for me to upgrade. I got a Bighit 2 and after a few months riding the new rig (which rides like a bucket of bolts compared to the Warp) I'm actually starting to miss the DS2. Sure I can go big with the Bighit and my skills have progressed more than ever, but it doesn't feel as sturdy as the Warp did...and cost three times as much! All in all if you are a bigginer or even intermediate and can get your hands on any Warp ds models...then do!...just make sure you get disks on it.
Strengths: Super bike. This bike can take abuse. I ride 2-3 times a week mainly local advance trails. I needed a fast bike that could handle rough terrain. This bike is very responsive once you adjust the suspension. You can mess with the rebound set on the fork and the rear shock to your liking. You can also set the travel possition from 4' to 5'. I got mine on 5' and it still climbs good.
Weaknesses: Factory breaks are not the best, I upgrated to disc and it's made a world of a difference. I recommend looking into discs for this bike. With a few changes you can have a top line mountain bike. Some one suggested getting better wheel sets, I also ordered some clips.
Strengths: extreme what a ride!!.. I purchased one a weak later one for my wife. Best of its class on this price range. The 2004 DS2 is one of giants best projects. A well bild and stable frame.
Weaknesses: The saddle came loose at first, I re tightened it and its been good since.
Bottom Line:
Best for the price. I strongly recomend it. I have'nt had any problems with eather bikes. These are good all mauntain bikes, they handle good in any terrain and trail. The stable suspencion add to the handeling. A+++
Strengths: The bike is pobably great for a two year old who hasnt even taken off the training wheels. This bike is terrible for any more air than a curb.
Weaknesses: I snapped the front forks in half, i sanpped the derailer twice, i bent the back rim, and the brakes are terrible, they stopped working after about a week. I am really disapointed with this bike and my dealer. I thought i was buying something decent but i wasted $550 that could have gone towards a nicer bike. Dont get me wrong this bike is great for fartin around in the street but if like to push your limits and actually jump the beans out of a bike please pass this bike up!
Bottom Line:
I probably could have upgraded it but for the money that it would cost to get it up to speed i could have bought a decent bike. If you like jumping and downhilling then do not purchase this bike!
Strengths: this bike all around is a decent bike it has a good frame, exelent handleing, smooth ride for the most part, and for the average weekend worrior is a great bike.
Weaknesses: the forks are to soft and theyt blow easily, recently snaped my swingarm. stock bottom bracket eats the cranks away after alot of riding, and i also snaped a crank off. by fault.
Bottom Line:
this bike is great for a begganer or a weekend worrior or anyone who is all about cross-country. but for anyone one who wants to jump or do down hill this is not the bike for you unless u invest some money into making it stronger i dont recomend jumping this bike over 4-5 feet other wise u can cause damage. this bike is great for the buy but like i sais it is a cross country bike. if you are look to jump or do street go with the giant STP model or go to speacailized and pick up a P series their jumping bikes. but all around i would recamend this bike to the average rider expecail for this price you cant beat it. thanks and have fun
Similar Products Used: i dont really ride other bikes but for the price there are some nice specialized bikes
Bike Setup: i recently purchased marzacuchie bommers all mountain3 forks witch work like a chame but are a little to big. shamano cranks with a bash gaurd. a redline custum bmx neck and a brand new swingarm.
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Submitted by
Brendan Yohn
a Weekend Warrior
from Darnestown, MD, USA
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2005
Strengths: Strong Frame, Rims, Cassete
Weaknesses: Front Shox, Front and Rear Derauiller
Bottom Line:
Nice Bike for the price.. I plan on adding new derauiilers, disc brakes, and rims. I have already added bar ends, wireless computer, new fire tires...
Submitted by
Nitzan Manteka
a Cross Country Rider
from Israel
Date Reviewed: April 29, 2005
Strengths: the frame is strong, for whoever cares, the paint comes off easily and makes the bike look bad. okay front fork, rather have something better. good back shock, easily adjusted. have the bike for 5 years anf the only things that i replaced where the wheels (1 time) and the chain( 1 time).
Weaknesses: front shocks are weak, they give a cracking sound when i land hard on them. everything else is ok.
Bottom Line:
for users who want to get maximum 5 feet without ruining the bike. frame is strong, if the bike had better front shocks the frame would handle 15 feet. i enjoyed it for a really long time, i would recomend this bike to people who want a good bike for a low price and want to ride either in the city or medium terrain.
So looking for a warp for my first FS bike. Have 2 that i am looking at purchasing used.
One is about 300$ and its a DS2 and another is a DS3 and is only 250$. The DS 3 (see photo Read More »
Looking for a bike I can ride a little bit around town and on x/c trails, but mainly take to the mountains and downhill. I am new to mtn biking, but have been renting for the last Read More »
I had to sell my trek 4500 to pay some bills and my roommate has offered to let me use her gian warp ds-2. It seems kinda cheesy looking and seems to have mediocre brakes. But it f Read More »
G'day people. I was just browsing the lovely ebay GIant pages and come accross this -
[url]http://cgi.ebay.com.au/SUPED-UP-GIANT-WARP-DS-2_W0QQitemZ330113852004QQihZ014QQcategor Read More »
hi there.
I want by a Warp DS2 for 320$.(it works a few)
do you recommand it?
it is my first giant.
I am not a professional user but I want have good choice.[img]http://www.k Read More »
