Submitted by
Jason Sheeley
a Racer
from Hurley, NY, USA
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2004
Strengths: I have a Merlin with the YYB softail from Moots--very close to a Moots. Looks great, smooths out the trail just enough, climbs like a hardtail, very light, super-strong, flexes just enough to not beat you up like aluminum.
Weaknesses: I got a steal on a 3 year leftover, so none for me. But if I lived in the northeast I'd drive to Seven in MA and get a full custom frame for about the same price.
Bottom Line:
Totally kicks ass. Period. I'm 6'2' and 225 lbs. and I love it. The bike is easily a pro level race bike so any faults of mine as a rider cannot be attributed to the bike. Want to meet people on the trail? Ride a carbon and Ti bike---Specialized Epics are cool, but EVERYONE loves to talk about Ti bikes. Buy one slightly used, you save a bunch (but don't get the factory warranty....) and get a killer ride. Can't praise it highly enough.
Similar Products Used: KHS Alite 3000 hardtail and FXT Pro
Bike Setup: Full XT, carbon seatpost/bar, rim brakes, Velomax Climax with Stans, Wellgo Mag/Ti pedals, Lightspeed OEM ti rail seat, 3 year old rock shock sid race (demo bike, came with it)
Strengths: (Re: 2003Smoothie Ti Frame) Lively frame,vibration damping,plush,telepathic handling,lightweight(Same as Turner 02),stiff where it matters,exceptional attention to detail,build quality,craftsmanship,artwork.
Weaknesses: Absolutely none
Bottom Line:
I have been fortunate to own and ride several great mountain bikes as listed above, however,the Moots Smoothie Ti is hands down the best mountain bike I have ever had the priveledge of owning.The Smoothie Ti frame is alive/real,genuine not numb or deadend as is the feel of the aluminum Turner, for example, once you have had a chance to feel the difference of the Smoothie.The handling is exceptional, the travel is plush.Long/epic rides are rewarded with comfort. Rock,root and log infested single track is its specialty. Set up with the Fox FX80 it descends with aplomb and climbs like a mountain goat. As far as quality of build goes, the Moots is absolutely in a class by itself. The attention to detail and craftsmanship is beyond belief when compared to anything else out there. I have had the opportunity to view the Smoothie Ti side by side with the best of them,including Merlin and Litespeed. In fact I would go as far as saying that when compared with the weld quality of the Moots my Litespeed and Merlin road frames almost appear as if they where assembled in Taiwan. Don't get me wrong ,I have gained much enjoyment from other bikes owned past and present. Turner and Titus in particular. Simply put, the Moots Smoothie is in a class by itself.
Similar Products Used: Turner 02,Turner XCE, Titus RacerX ,K2 Evo,Gary Fisher,Ventana.
Bike Setup: Fox FX80,Fox Vanilla Air Propedal,Sram XO(Shimano Killer),Moots post & stem,Hope Disc,KingISOHubs,Truvativ Team Stylo, Monkey Lite,etc.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Darius Mark
a Racer
from Chambersburg, PA
Date Reviewed: March 30, 2004
Strengths: Stiff and precise. I am a 200 lbs cross country racer riding in the technical (read: rocky) singletrack of central pennsylvania. This frame has less chainstay flex than the Titus or the Litespeed hardtails I have previously owned. Nice combo of lightweight and strength. Titanium will put you everywhere you need to be when picking a line quickly. The YBB has none of the "noise" or lateral chatter of a full-suspension bike. I demoed the Titus Racer X and the Ellsworth Truth. The Truth was a fine bike, but still noticed too much rear end lateral movement, not bob, than I would prefer. I sacrificed travel for control.
Weaknesses: There is small amount of bob when climbing hard in the saddle due to softtail. Noticeable since I'm coming from a long string of titanium hardtails. If you ride full suspension now the YBB would probably be less movement. This is not a full suspension cushion in the woods unit. The YBB takes the edge off and lets you run a little faster than on a hardtail through the rocky chattery stuff.
Bottom Line:
Heavy people who race and break things should take a hard look at the YBB as a low-tech, low-maintenence option. The Fox fork replaced a SID Team that was light but no where near stiff enough for someone over 185 lbs. That is a fact. Unless you ride canal paths, and roads. The SID goes to my wife's bike and I got the Fox 80RLTs. Moots have great attention to detail and the frame seems quality in every respect. Tubing diameters are larger than the other titanium frames I have owned. Speedgoat did a fine job transferring my parts over to the new frame. They are highly recommended. You will pay top dollar for the frame, but then all good things have a price (read: lasts forever).
Similar Products Used: Titus Full Custom Racer, Litespeed Obed
Bike Setup: Full XTR w/V brakes,Fox 80RLT front fork, Race Face cranks and rings, Mavic 618 rims laced to Chris King hubs, King Headset, Easton EC70 carbon bars, Thomson seatpost and San Marco Era K saddle. All said-just over 25 lbs in a 20 inch.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Randy
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco
Date Reviewed: March 6, 2004
Strengths: Frame quality, stiffness, low weight, low maintenance, superb handling both up and down.
Weaknesses: None.
Bottom Line:
As an older (my wife would say old) rider with a taste for rocky fireroads and rutted downhills, I was tired of beating my kidneys to a pulp on aluminium hardtails, but didn't like the disconnected feel of the fs bikes I tried. The YBB changed my grimace into a grin without deadening the ride. A year and a thousand miles in the saddle have confirmed that this bike is just plain sweet--a beautiful blend of craft and design and a perfect cross-county tool. It's not as soft as a full-on fs, but has the right combination of stiffness and control for the kind of cross-country riding I do. There can be some bob when riding over a series of evenly-spaced ridges, but this is rare and easily countered with a little body control. In the end, the climb will go faster because you're not worrying about how soon you're going to have to see the proctologist. And because of Moots reputation for quality, buying a used frame is a good investment.
Strengths: Light, beautiful, perfect welds, climbs like a helium balloon.
Weaknesses: Nowhere near being a full suspension bike- this is a hardtail with a bit of give
Bottom Line:
This is a race bike. Its not a free-ride bike, its not "everyman's" X-country bike, its not a suspension bike and it aint no downhill bike! Its for X-country race geeks like me. Having spent many years racing a Specialized S-Works hardtail, I can attest that this bike is a superior point and shoot weapon to an aluminum bone-jarring ride. But don't be fooled into thinking the 1 inch rear suspension allows you to "float" over stuff- it doesnt. You still need to stand over harsh stuff just like a hardtail. I weigh 168 lbs- and I compress at least half of the rear travel ( known as sag) when just sitting on it. That leaves about 1/2" of travel- which really just takes a slight amount of harshness out of a bump. You still have to deal with the bump just as you would on any hardtail. The workmanship is the best I've seen on a titanim bike- I think its even better than Merlin. I've had it since beginning 1998- have raced it and pounded it mercilessly, and it looks as good as the day I bought. If you get as much pleasure from owning a fine piece of art as well as the ultimate race bike- Moots is your ride.
Bike Setup: XTR, Sweetwings cranks, Moots stem, bars, post, Mavic Crossrocks tubeless, Amp fork (switching to Fox F100X for 2004 race season)
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Greg
a Cross Country Rider
from Wisc. Rapids, WI
Date Reviewed: November 15, 2003
Strengths: ride quality, durability, low maintenance, doesnt rust, no paint to scratch or chip off (refinish service is like 200 bucks, and the frame looks brand-new again!)
Weaknesses: some would say the cost$$$, but I have had it since 1998, and plan to keep it indefinitely, so the annualized cost is very reasonable.
Bottom Line:
I was shocked how well it climbed when I first rode it many years ago. Handling in singletrack is first-rate, but dont put anything bigger than a 80mm fork on the front, or the front end will be too slack. Like Chris King headsets, this frame is expensive, but will last forever, and is made in the USA, by a company that undoubtedly pays its employees a living wage.
Similar Products Used: last bike was a 94 Cannondale Super-V 1000, with XT.
Bike Setup: mix of XT,XTR, and RaceFace crankset. Crossmax wheels w/ IRC Serac tires.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Boulder, CO
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2003
Strengths: Efficiency, durability, weight, comfort, low maintenance. Most importantly, this is a frame that you have a relationship with, that adds an indescribable dimension of fun to each ride.
Weaknesses: Expensive - there is no doubt the Law of Diminishing Returns is in full effect, but for the right people, it is well worth it.
Bottom Line:
If you want the best frame money can buy, and your philosophy of riding doesn't including thinking of your ride like a cell phone, to be replaced every few years by the latest technology, then Moots is for you.
The YBB is very hardtail-like. If your pedal stroke is reasonably smooth, you won't notice any bob from the pivotless suspension, and the weight penalty is negligible. It really is the best design for those who hate the thought of the weight and maintenance of FS frames. The 1 1/8" of travel is just enough to keep you seated through a lot of rough stuff that a hard-tail would force you to stand up through, and you save a lot of energy.
My frame was flawlessly produced - I have a Masters degree in mechanical engineering, with lots of knowledge of welding and manufacturing, and the welds and alignment are perfect. A previous review criticized the workmanship and customer support of Moots, but I have a hard time believing it, especially the customer support complaints. Don't be discouraged by this, if true, it is certainly a fluke. Just check out the message board at moots.com to get a sense of how many satisfied Moots customers are out there.
If you live in CO, shop at Sore Saddle in Steamboat before you buy anywhere else, ask for Mark. They really know their stuff, and they'll get your frame quicker than anyone else - they offer good prices on components once you pay MSRP for the Moots frame.
I give the YBB the highest marks, even on value, because a Moots frame will last a lifetime.
Similar Products Used: None, really - made a huge leap from from a very well used Schwinn Moab to the Moots YBB.
Bike Setup: Full XTR, SID team, Crossmax XL, Moots Ti stem, bar, and lay-back post.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Mel
a Cross Country Rider
from San Luis, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 25, 2003
Strengths: Great Riding Bike, dialed geometry, coolness factor
Weaknesses: Inconsistent quality control, expensive, better bikes for cheaper
Bottom Line:
I saved for many moons to purchase this bike, and don't get me wrong, it is a nice bike but *#$% it is expensive. I expected the frame to have out of this world quality. The welds could not be described as sloppy but are not would you would expect given previous years reviews. Do they have alot of turnover of welders or what. All of the mistique about Moots quality seems misplaced now, I wish I had bought a Dean and saved some money, or spent roughly the same for a custom seven. Also, the people you talk to at Moots seem very pleased with themselves and difficult to deal with after the sale. Dan at Moots wanted to gouge a hefty sum for a restocking fee for what I considered a Friday afternoon frame. I must admit the ride is awesome, but I wanted the whole enchilada, Moots did not deliver.Hopefully Moots will start hiring decent welders so they can live up to the reputation again someday.
Similar Products Used: Merlin Echo, Dean Duke, Ibis
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Farmington, CT
Date Reviewed: January 30, 2003
Strengths: Beautiful welds - looks good after riding it for 4+ years - no shocks to blow out - no pivets to wear out - magicial geometry that can get you through most anyting, just keep your legs moving - people will say " cool a Moots "
Weaknesses: it's not full suspension but we know that - for XC geeks only
Bottom Line:
Don't get sucked in by "you have to have a FS bike" crap. The Epic, Blur, Scapel, ect. are all great bikes, but none of them can hold a candle to a Moots. If you value, quality, reliabilty, workmanship and have the bucks then you can't go wrong with a Moots YBB.
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