Submitted by
Mandomixer
a Cross Country Rider
from Lyons, CO
Date Reviewed: May 10, 2009
Strengths: fork, rear shock, durability
Weaknesses: previous owner had to fix the rear triangle, but no problems for me.
Bottom Line:
Amazing bike. I have ridden this bike countless times and totally love it. My friend bought a bike for twice as much...and it does not come close. This is the greatest bike ever. 5 chilis for Tomac.
Submitted by
olefgarp
a Weekend Warrior
from kingwood,TX,
Date Reviewed: April 16, 2009
Strengths: light on front,very stable platform
Weaknesses: hard to adjust brakes, too high in croch area
Bottom Line:
Great bike,floats over roots,logs and other bumps. I'm 75 and have had many bikes. This bike is a trail burner, my son-in law wants it when I expire. Not my plan. Enjoy!
Submitted by
Ivan
a Cross Country Rider
from Essexville, Michigan
Date Reviewed: September 7, 2004
Strengths: superb manitou black elite, can handle anything. great shifting. the bike can be thrown pretty hard into corners. you can rocket through the soft stuff with no worries.
Weaknesses: Every part on the bike makes cracking parts, eventhough serviced and well maintaned. Doesn't climb with lock-out engaged. too much bob even with 20 psi more than my weight in the shock. first full suspension, and i'm not impressed. supergo wouldn't hold up warranty to the bike, it came with a junk shock, which took a half a year to get serviced. it also lost one of its compression setting and some of its bolts and controls, which i had to find for myself.
Bottom Line:
this is a great bike to buy if you geta different frame along with it. i will never buy another full suspension xc bike again. i become embarased when i ride past some one and my bike makes cracking noises. i have a 2002 alpina 600 thats modified darastically into a hardcore xc bike that will smoke the tomac. also, it's a more comfortable ride, and it's a hard tail.
Bike Setup: stock with sette ixa gell saddle, 2004 julie wave rotor, welgo downhill bear traps.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Mill Valley, CA
Date Reviewed: June 14, 2004
Strengths: Stiff Frame, Great climbing, Lockout
Weaknesses: None detected in frame, seat is hard as a rock
Bottom Line:
Great cross country bike. Raceable. It's really not my style though. I'm looking for more of a 5" trail bike but this thing was great for hitting some single/double track/paved for a weekend in Tahoe. The lockout is a nice feature for the climbs even though the thing pedals great uphill if you stay seated or have a smooth pedal stroke.
Similar Products Used: Trek Liquid 20 (tested), Specialized Enduro Pro (on its way!!!), Diamondback XSL (Rented on same trip), Klein Palomino, Cake (tested), Rocky Mountain Slayer (tested), Marin Wolf Ridge (demoed), Marin Mt Vision (tested), Giant NRS 2 (tested)
Bike Setup: Stock
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Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, AZ
After 750 miles of moderate riding, including small drop offs, lots of technical stuff, and basic trail riding, I cracked the frame where the seat tube and bottom bracket come together. I like the bike overall. It is faster than my GT was, not quite as manuverable though, not the greatest climbing out of the saddle either. I am not sure what will happen with the warranty... will keep you informed.
Bike Setup: Stock, except for Seat, WTB Weirwolf 2.5 in the front
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
opie
a Cross Country Rider
from bellingham
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2004
Strengths: The bike handles well as a decender. It can handle the roots and stabilizes wet conditions. It has minimal bob when climbing and the geomoetry alows you to climb moderate angles. I find it gets tippy and I cant get far enough forward on a real grinder, but thats the trade off for a well positioned downhill ride.
Weaknesses: This bike has been broken 3 times. It takes a long time for Tomac/Litespeed/American bicycles to get a new one. My friend who sold it to me broke 2. They did upgrade 78 to a 98 after the second. He sold it to me and now I've done the same. Drive side chain stay by the front weld. I have had this bike for under 6 months and ride twice a week tops on the mountain. I weigh about 200 lbs and ride the large
Bottom Line:
If you are a light rider, dont do drops, will sacrifice a little downhill bombproofednes(?) to lessen weight and climbing ability, get it. If you like something a little stouter with the same kind of climmbing, seek the Truth.
Strengths: Super plush suspension. Reliable component package.
Weaknesses: Just a little more rear wheel bobble then I would like, but it has a lockout when I really need it.
Bottom Line:
This bike made mountain biking fun again. I was almost ready to hang it up and become a full time roadie. I can ride this bike all day and not be beat up like I used to be. It is strong enough to handle some moderate jumping also. I would recommend this bike to anyone.
Bike Setup: Stock except for Yeti grips and Body Geometry saddle.
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Submitted by
J. Renfroe
a Cross Country Rider
from Birmingham, AL, USA
Date Reviewed: October 20, 2003
Strengths: Good braking, excellent shifting, great suspension, good wheelset.
Weaknesses: Weight, rotors on brakes are questionable.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike. I have ridden a lot bikes, some better than others. I rode a 2002 Trek 6700 before, and even thought the component group was not even close, it just never felt like it handled the trail just right. This is my first dualie, so I was skeptical. For a bigger guy, not fat, just slightlt above average, the bob in the rear suspension is quite noticeable. Easily taken care of though: Use the rear lockout. Climbs like a goat then. On long descents, use the rear shock and you are in for a great ride. I got an outstanding deal on this bike from Supergo, and I will ride it till it falls apart. Oh, Julie rotors are questionable...
Submitted by
Scott Yarosh
a Racer
from Falmouth, MA
Date Reviewed: September 20, 2003
Strengths: Suspension works great Not too heavy for 4" travel Good geometry for me Good Ride
Weaknesses: Broke at drive side chain stay (taking 3 weeks to get new rear end) Horrible derailuer hanger ABG never has any in stock
Bottom Line:
Great ride made a pretty light bike 24.5 with a Z2 air. Bike has less than 1000 miles and broke ( i weigh about 165 pounds). American Bike Group never has stuff for the tomacs so you have to wait to get stuff like dereailuer hangers.
This review is for the 2002 model frame with the more square stays. They are replacing my back end with a 2003 hopefully that wont break.
Submitted by
Peete Tails
a Cross Country Rider
from Bay Area, CA
Date Reviewed: September 8, 2003
Strengths: Point and go, sturdy, confident, reliable ride. Great specs. Everyone has a Specialized Epic or Santa Cruz but no one rides a Tomac!
Weaknesses: Derailleur dropout is garbage. I've gone through two already and these are next to impossible to find as most dealers don't have them in stock or they're a$$holes and won't deal with you over the phone.
Bottom Line:
Retail on this is $2200. I was going to pay this much after I rented this bad boy in Moab but found someone selling used on eBay. NEVER BUY USED BIKES OFF OF EBAY! This a$$hole said the rig was ridden 4 times, never crashed. Well, I had to spend another $100+ to fix all the crap he bent only to learn that Supergo is selling it new for what I paid. Grar. Despite all this, this is still an amazing ride and I can't wait to get my replacement dropout so that I can ride it again! If you want this to be your first and last dualie, look no further.
Father's Day gift!! The paint job is awesome, the 4" rear travel feels like independent suspension on a vehicle. The terrain in Arizona can be brutal. I was a die hard hardtail diehard, Tomac has provided me with a whole new perspective on mountain biking. I am striving to make my ride as low weight as possible for racing in the near future. When comparing the component setup to other similar bikes, the Tomac excells. If your are considering a full-suspension ride for trail and racing, try the Tomac, you won't be disappointed. One of my acquaintances said I was taking a big risk because of the lack of reviews, well dude, I took it and you are still treading water!!
Like frosted flakes it's grrrrrreat! I can eaisly trasition from light to cross country at the KM State forest to the Groin-Grabbingly intense John Meir Trails. Can't wait to take this bike out to the west coast.The front Derailer doesn't always derail but i usually stay in only a few gears. I plan on racin the bike with a new fork, seat, wheels and handel bars. I love this bike and i would step over my own mother to get it.
Similar Products Used: Trek Fuel 90, Specialized HardRock
Bike Setup: Stock to the bone minus egg Beater petals, (just got it though)
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Submitted by
Andy
a Cross Country Rider
from Duluth, MN
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2003
Strengths: Great handling,smart spec,upgraded parts in all the right places. Decent weight for 4" travel and disc brakes. Great Fork!
Weaknesses: Somewhat overpriced (at full retail) for a Taiwan-made frame and a few cheap components although the build quality seems to be top-notch.
Bottom Line:
Great bike!!! If you are considering this one, I highly recommend it for trail riders. I'd race on this bike with a lighter fork and wheels. This is my first experience with disc brakes so I had a few issues getting the alignment right but once it was dialed in, I'm loving them. I emailed Tomac for rear shock setup help and the guy who replied was very friendly and helpful. The Tomac-branded parts seem to be good quality, they are holding up well.
