Submitted by
David Cole
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle, WA, USA
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2007
Strengths: - Frame geometry has long top tube. I LOVE it. Very stable, comfortable - Good mid-level components and wheels, Have abused them, still works - Great frame in general - You'd never notice it's a hardtail, handles bumps and drops like a pro.
Weaknesses: - I can't think of any. I love this bike.
Bottom Line:
Great bike. I love it. It makes me very happy. I abuse the hell out of it, jumps, drops, rocks, mud, roots, freeride stuff, even trials riding. I've never had to take it to the shop, never had to repair anything except a bent R dearailleur hanger (I hit a stump), and usual home tune-ups like brakes and shifter adjusments. People are always amazed that this is an $800 bike. I love the way it climbs and descends, the geometry is not normal, it's long and it feels great, adds confidence and stability. Looks good. Great bike.
Similar Products Used: I've had a few mountain bikes. Don't like Treks as much as this one. Loved my GT XCR5000.
Bike Setup: Stock everything except I sometimes use SPD pedals for XC rides.
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Submitted by
Mike Pedersen
a Weekend Warrior
from Vienna, VA 22181
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2007
Strengths: Handles like a champ, smooth ride on long hauls; ability to lock out front suspension
Weaknesses: A bit heavier than expected but way lighter than old rigid Trek
Bottom Line:
I selected the Fisher (after owning a Trek 930 for like 17 years) due to its slightly more aggressive frame set up. Both are superb bikes, local store was high on both, but select Fisher as it just "felt better". Both are winners.
Submitted by
Lori D
a Cross Country Rider
from Nashville Tn.--USA
Date Reviewed: February 9, 2005
Strengths: Excellent climber and fun on descents.The Genesis Geometry is very noteworthy!! The IRC tires stick to the trail like glue.
Weaknesses: The Seat (of course) is NOT comfortable. I dont understand putting a racing saddle on a bike that isnt raceworthy. The Pilot shock had to be pumped several times last season, and I am a female rider so weight on the shock isnt an issue.
Bottom Line:
I have ridden my friends New Specialized Epic w/eggbeater pedals (SWEEEEEET), so I dispell no illusions of the Tassajara being the greatest bike out there. I do believe however, that I would rather spend 290.00 as opposed to a grand or more for the XC riding that I do. I believe it would be hard to put together a better package than Gary Fisher has with the Tassajara. I most definitely will be upgrading to a Thudbuster W/shim of course due to the 29.2 oddball seatpost size. I will also upgrade to a different shock in the near future. And a new seat is definitely on my list of upgrades. Some people complain about "chainsuck" w/this bike. I say it is rider error, because I have yet to have a serious issue with that in the 2 seasons of riding it.Do buy this if you are an avid XC rider a couple of times a week. Do not buy this if you want to race seriously. It is too heavy and would require too many upgrades. It would be the ol' "taking a knife to a gunfight" move!
Similar Products Used: 94 Specialized Hardrock, 04 Gary Fisher Tarpon, Older Specialized Rockhopper, Wal-mart Mongoose Junk!
Bike Setup: Stock except for clipless pedals
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Submitted by
Tak
a Weekend Warrior
from Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2004
Strengths: Aluminum Frame, Fisher Geometry, Durable for a weekend trail riding. Disc brakes actually work. OSB Corvair rims are good. They are very strong and will not cause the tire to wobble after hard riding.
Weaknesses: RockShox XC is not up to par. I'd get the Duke if it isn't being discontinued.
Bottom Line:
Let's face it. This bike is a great bike for a 140 pound 5'8" guy. I don't do crazy 10 feet jumps, just weekend trail riding. Sure, I jump over rocks and go down steep hills and jump over moderate hills and let the bike do its thing, and it holds up. Only complaint is the rockshox xc fork. This fork was a great fork, but it is starting to get stiffer for some reason. Maybe get a decent shock.
Now if a 200+ pound guy is riding this and jumping over stuff and taking it to the limit, this bike will probably not be the best bike, as it comes with a so-so rockshox xc. This shock will probably fail under hard riding 200+ pound rider. But everything else is awesome. Strong Corvair OSB rims and frame. I changed my seats and pedals to clipless ones, and this bike is now a great bike.
I got the one with the discs, and they do squeal from the dust on the trails, but clean it afterwards and it should quiet it. There are no disc brakes out there where it will never squeak no matter who rides it and where.
Bike Setup: Stock with Clipless pedals, Specialized racing seats.
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Submitted by
Daniel
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago, IL
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2004
Strengths: Great bike for the $$$.
Weaknesses: Not a big fan of the red and blue "look at me" colors, but a nice coating of mud will take care of that.
Bottom Line:
For what I paid, this is a great bike. I only ride recreationally and participate in amateur comp and this bike is worth every dime of what I paid for it and maybe a little more. My brakes don't squeek, they stop me plenty effectively, the shock is sufficient to handle my weight (160lb) and I even like the seat-I wear padded shorts. Bottom line is this: If you want something that rides like a $2500.00 bike, you gotta spend $2500.00. If you enjoy a good ride every once in a while, but your life doesn't revolve around your bike, this bike will suit you just fine.
Purchased At: Johnny Sporckets in Chicago-highly recommended
Similar Products Used: Jamis, Giant, Specialized
Bike Setup: Upgraded a few components, but essentially stock.
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Submitted by
John Askew
a Weekend Warrior
from Gloucester, VA USA
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2004
Strengths: I am 270lbs. I have only ridden this bike 30 miles so far. 6 miles of trail riding. The breaks work great. They gave me great control going down fairly steep downhill streches. Remember I am a novice rider so steep is relative. I have really enjoyed riding this bike. I think it will be able to handle some punishment. I was running 18 mph down some hills hitting roots and bumps along the way. I put around 45 psi in the front shock bike did not seem to bottom out really bad. It did bottom out some but not hard like a pure spring suspension would.
Weaknesses: The seat is the only complaint so far. I replaced it right away.
Bottom Line:
I will write a review in 6 months to a year from now. Sooner if anything breaks besides me. I am looking forward to hitting the trails again. The trail near my home is hilly not many jumps for a guy my size. I dont get off the ground to easily. I am 5' 9" but bought the 19" frame. It makes turning a bit more challenging but I dont have to worry about hitting the wheel with my foot riding at slow speeds, and when breaking down hill the back tire has been staying put on the ground. I did some uphill riding, the only improvement that could be made would be a lockout for the front shock.
Similar Products Used: Test rode Trek 6700, Navigator 200, Giant Yukon. I liked all of them but the Tassajara seemed to shift really well and the cable driven disk breaks give me a comfortable breaking control when going downhill
Bike Setup: Stock except for seat and added wireless computer
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Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Pacific Northwest
Date Reviewed: January 3, 2004
Strengths: Nice bike for light trail riding.
Weaknesses: Does not hold up well to rough conditions.
Bottom Line:
The bike has not held up well to a couple hundred miles of fairly hard riding on muddy trails. The bike would probably work nicely for a small person doing light trail riding, however I weight 210 pounds and ride rough trails with lots of large rocks and roots.
The shock sucks. Add a few hundred dollars to the total cost of this bike because the Rock Shox Pilot is total junk. I can't rate this lousy thing low enough.
The tires are downright dangerous in mud. Lots of lateral sliding. An old set of nearly bald Specialized ties work much better. I replaced them with Panaracer Dirt+Dark with good results. If you plan to run in muddy conditions plan on changing the tires. The stock tire were fine on non-muddy trails.
The brakes are turning out to be maintenance problems. They don't seem to handle being used heavily in muddy conditions, which is, of course, the reason to use disc brakes in the first place. I doubt the brakes are going to last.
The seat is a medieval torture device.
A few of the components are cheap - the brake levers, front derailer and pedals, for example. Other components, while not high-end, seem appropriate for the price of the bike.
Overall, I'm disappointed. Replacing the shock, seat and tire alone kills any thought of this bike being a good value. If the brakes fail to hold up as it looks like they will that will add several hundred dollars more to the true cost of the bike.
Bike Setup: Stock with new seat and Crank Brothers pedals.
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Submitted by
John Juzbasich
a Cross Country Rider
from Fort Collins, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: July 12, 2003
Strengths: Price performer. Frame quality; The welds are art-worthy quality.
Weaknesses: Componentry.
Bottom Line:
The bike is very heavy. There is a lot of aluminum on this bike, which could be replaced to lighten the weight considerably. As for an entry-level mountain bike, this is a good price-performer. In order to bring it to a competitive level, it would be necessary to replace the fork with a Marzocchi or a Fox FLOAT, as well as XTR Drivetrain and shifters, XT rotors, and UST Tubeless tires. A carbon fiber seatpost, such as an Easton CT-70 would do well also. I am not a fan of Gary Fisher's "Genesis geometry", as it places the rider extremely far over the rear wheel, by means of an incredibly long top tube. It is difficult to achieve a lot of power from this setup. If Gary Fisher had shortened the rear triangle & chainstay length, wouldn't it accomplish the same goal (putting rider weight over the rear tire) as lengthening the top tube? Ascending on this bike is practically impossible, due to the long top tube. In order to ascend, you must lean incredibly far over the chassis, and place the nose of the saddle right in your ass to drive the rear wheel into the trail for traction. I would not recommend this bike to entry level beginners, but to beginners who are looking to make the next step into mountain-biking. This is an intermediate level frame; you must have good skills to manipulate this geometry.
P.S.: If you look at Fisher's hard-tail lineup, the frame geometry, does not change throughout the entire lineup. Only the component list, and the types of brakes change. Gary Fisher uses the same frame for all the hardtail lineup, only interchanges the components. An interesting business strategy...
Similar Products Used: Cannondale, Specialized, Yeti.
Bike Setup: Stock frame and components, but I changed the factory installed Rock Shox Pilot for a Manitou Super 6, (extra 20 mm of travel), as well as a CP Pavé Black Titanium - MG saddle. Ritchey clipless pedals.
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Submitted by
Tim
a Cross Country Rider
from Oregon
Date Reviewed: July 10, 2003
Strengths: The frame and geometry are great. Components are okay for the price point, shock is decent if you follow the recommendations for air pressures, and the hayes disc brakes are incredible after they are burnished in.
Weaknesses: The only complaint that I have would be the promax levers. They are kind of cheap feeling and a little sloppy, but that is a pretty cheap upgrade.
Bottom Line:
I honestly think that there are few products that can make you a better rider. That said, I think that this is one of them. After riding just about every bike in this price range this is the one stuck out from the start. If you are looking for a bike, and your price range is $700 to $1000 I would defiantly recommend this bike. Not only is it a great bike you can also save a couple of bucks in the process.
Similar Products Used: Kona Nu Nu, Kona Cinder Cone, Cannondale f 600, f400, GT LTS 3, GT I-drive, Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo, Jamis Dakota and Dakar Sport.
Bike Setup: Stock except for Ritchey Clip less pedals
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Submitted by
Timber
a Cross Country Rider
from Alameda, CA
Date Reviewed: June 4, 2003
Strengths: Fun to ride and I can't stop riding it!, good components=easy maintenance, disc brakes work great, everything I wanted in a bike!
Weaknesses: No coffie cup holder.
Bottom Line:
This bike it just a damn hoot to ride. I've had it for a month now and put about 90 miles on it. It climbs like a champ and just keeps on going. Good bang for the buck!
Similar Products Used: My cannondale and Trek 6500. Long live the hard tails!
Bike Setup: Shimano Clip in pedals, cateye computer, blackburn pump, lucky cat foot!
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Submitted by
Juan Lee
a Weekend Warrior
from Los Angeles
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2003
Strengths: Disc brakes! Tires. Great frame. Smooth shifting. Decent front air shocks. Pedals feel good. Good components.
Weaknesses: Don't care for the color scheme- red/blue. A little bit on the heavy side for a bike of this caliber. Saddle could be more comfy.
Bottom Line:
I've only had the bike for a few days, but I can already say the bike is terrific. The only real drawbacks are the three I listed above- which are all pretty minor. The disc brakes are wonderful- so much in fact that I'll never go back to regular v-brakes. But the geometry of the bike is what sold it for me- it just felt right. Also, I recommend Cycle World. These guys were helpful, considerate, and even gave me a great deal. I ordered the bike Monday, they had it in and assembled by Wednesday. Plus, if you're not a wrench nut, they throw in free lifetime maintenance.
Strengths: Excellent to climb with. Disk brakes are great. Great in muddy and snowy conditions.
Weaknesses: If you are larger like me(230lbs.) you will need to put more air in the front shock. Also the disk brakes were new for me and needed some adjustment. Wish it had a stronger fork for the price paid.
Bottom Line:
Kick ass bike!!! Would recomend it to someone that is starting out racing.
Submitted by
Arnold
a Weekend Warrior
from Woodmere, NY
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2003
Strengths: Very durable with good components disk brakes for a very nice price.
Weaknesses: Pedals
Bottom Line:
Rides very smooth and quiet. I went out riding for 2 hours this weekend and really did not want to get off the bike. I just wanted to keep riding even though it was a cold day and I was freezing. Bike is very comfortable and I was not in pain at all in any part of the body especially in the butt area as far as the seat goes.
Similar Products Used: Specialized Stumpjumper, Giant Rainier, Trak 4900/6700
Bike Setup: Stock
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Submitted by
anthony
a Weekend Warrior
from easton, pa
Date Reviewed: April 5, 2003
Strengths: Gary Fisher Quality, Genesis Geometry inspires confidence, disc brakes, color, tires DID I MENTION GENESIS GEOMETRY?!?
Weaknesses: fork makes a bit of a noise, seat will probably bother my butt in the future, promax levers work, just don't like them- got to get used to rapid fire shifting- miss the grip shifters
Bottom Line:
what a great bike- bummed about spending almost 800 for a 600 level bike- but disc brakes rock! bike weights 30.1 lbs, but it doesn't feel like it. Bike has a BMX laid back feel to it (genesis geometry puts front wheel out a bit...but I feel so confident when riding this bike- never once do I feel like I am gonna go over the bars
Bikeline was great- other shops with other brands were trying to find the right stem, bars and frame combo to fit me, but the fisher without any modifications fit me perfectly- wish I could afford a Sugar, but no regrets with the tass- and its Made in the USA!!! It looks so nice I still have yet to take the reflectors off!!!
