Strengths: THE FRAME IS SOLID AND VERY STIFF. THE WEIGHT IS GREAT BUT NOT AS LIGHT AS NEWR BIKES
Weaknesses: COMPONENETS ARE LOWER END DEORE/STX COMBO ON MINE.
Bottom Line:
MINE IS A 2000 MODEL YEAR. I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW IN 1999 AND HAVE BEEN ROMPING ON IT SINCE. I HAVE MAINTAINED THE BIKE WITH PROPER CLEANING AND LUBE. I ALSO GET A PROFESSIONAL TUNE UP EACH YEAR. PEOPLE SERIOUSLY UNDER ESTIMATE A PROFESSIONAL TUNE UP!! SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BIKE SHOPS AND HAVE AN AWESOME RUNNING BIKE FOR YEARS TO COME! I HAVE RAN THROUGH FOUR SETS OF TIRES, AND TWO SETS OF CABLES ON THIS BIKE. HAVE REPLACED THE GRIPS WHEN THEY GET HEAVILY WORN, AND A FEW SETS OF BRAKE PADS AND THE WHEELS ARE STILL TRUE AND IN GREAT SHAPE. I HAVE CHANGED THE OIL IN THE SHOCK EACH SEASON ON MY OWN. THIS YEAR I REPLACED THE ORIGIONAL FORK SEALS WITH THE ENDURO BRAND, FAR SUPERIOR THAN THE SEAL/WIPER COMBO THAT CAME STOCK. THE INTERNALS OF THE FORK DO SHOW WEAR, BUT I FIGURE I CAN GET A COUPLE MORE SEASONS OUT OF THE SHOCK. NOT BAD CONSIDERING THE AGE OF THIS BIKE. I RECENTLY PURCHASED MY WIFE A NEW TREK 6 SERIES. I HAD A LITTLE BIT OF "NEW BIKE" ENVY AND WANTED A NEW ONE, BUT I LOVE THIS KAITAI TOO MUCH AND CAN'T JUSTIFY A NEW BIKE. THIS BIKE IS THE BEST DEAL IN MY OPINION. I SPEAK FROM NEARLY 11 YEARS ON THIS BIKE. I DID THE RIGHT THING AND PURCHASED A BIKE I LOVED AND STILL LOVE TO RIDE. SIMPLE MAINTAINANCE AND YOU ARE GOOD TO GO!
Bike Setup: ALL STOCK, DEORE/STX COMPONENTS, ROCK SHOX JUDY C LONG TRAVEL, BONTRAGER EVERYTHING ELSE
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Submitted by
og
a Weekend Warrior
from Omaha, Nebraska
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2010
Strengths: (2010 Model) - really cool matte blue-ish/silver-ish color, great disc brakes, smooth shifters (they all are when they're new), all around nice bike.
Weaknesses: none thus far
Bottom Line:
this bike replaced my 2006 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc, which I found to be too heavy for street/path/road rides. I have never taken any bicycle I've ever owned off road. Granted, the Kaitai is no road bike, but for a larger guy like me (width-wise), this is a happy medium, and a lighter one at that.
Right from the get-go, I added a Bontrager Trip 4w wireless cycling computer and swapped the stock Bontrager LT3 700x38 tires for a pair of Bontrager H2 700x35 hardcase tires. That made all the difference in the world, as I had a much smoother tire for path & street riding.
I broke the bike in by riding it on the pothole-riddled streets of downtown Omaha, and it performed flawlessly. I like the fact that you can lock out the front suspension, but I'd leave it unlocked on urban rides, as you will need the shock damping for going off curbs and through potholes you cannot avoid.
I have yet to have any issues with this bike, and I have put some mileage on it. I won't be taking this off-roading, so I can't comment on that. I do plan on taking it on RAGBRAI this year, so we'll see how it performs on the open road.
Weaknesses: Weight is about 14kg.
It is a little bit heavier than I expected.
Bottom Line:
I was searching for a new bike to replace my old 26inch MTB.
I liked the design of gary fisher,so I decided to get kaitai.
At first I was impressed by the smoothness on the uneven road,and then I felt some heaviness when I speeded up.
KAITAI was 1kg heavier than my previous one,so I'm going to
upgrade the parts to reduce the weight.
Handling and suspension is very great,and it's fun to ride.
Submitted by
efont10
a Cross Country Rider
from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2009
Strengths: Extremely versatile. Really comfortable on and off road. Fork has lockout to maintain efficiency on road. Disk brakes work extremely well. I get lots of complements on the looks too.
Weaknesses: NONE! Love this bike
Bottom Line:
For the rough terrain of our busted Louisiana streets and daily riding, this bike kicks major butt. I have taken off road and I easily navigate steep climbs / descents. With the Thudbuster St. seat post and Suntour front fork, I am able to remain seated comfortably. I should also mention that it can take a spill and keep kicking. Overall this is a well made strong bike.
Submitted by
lildog1290
a Weekend Warrior
from Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
Date Reviewed: June 30, 2008
Strengths: Light Weight, Center Of Balance Low And Evenly Distributed, Easily Menuvered (Agile), Great Components
Weaknesses: Stock Pedals Are Horrible, Rear Derailer Hanger Easily Bent, A Small Ammount Of "Play" In Front Fork (as though shock stem does not seat tightly within frame head)
Bottom Line:
Only Had The Bike for 4 days, but love it already. Its lighter and more menuverable than my m400, and in the lowest 2 gears, I almost knocked myself of my bike ( there is that much power). Great bike! Buy It If Given The Chance!
Similar Products Used: Cannondale M400, Trek (Youth) MTB
Bike Setup: Stock + New Pedals, Lizard Skin Chain Gaurd And Brake Grips, Red Panracer MTB Tires, Specialized MTB Seat, Specialized Front Axle Quick Release Pin
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Submitted by
Alex
a Cross Country Rider
from Chester, VA, united states
Date Reviewed: June 11, 2008
Strengths: Smooth ride... NCX fork with hydraulic lockout is a nice touch just in case you wanna ride the road, 29 inch tires make a fast bike, makes a great 29er if you get a different fork and 29 inch tires :-) Also owns on trail and road... big cogs up front and a tiny cog in the rear makes it road capable. I clocked in a speed of 45 MPH using vulpine tires.
Weaknesses: Gary Fisher lied about tire clearance for the rear. Bought WTB Vulpine tires and had to buy a new front dérailleur because the back tires was rubbing up against the old dérailleur. I had to wait for weeks to try to get a new dérailleur.
Bottom Line:
Fast bike. Handles tough trails. Great components for the money, but Gary Fisher is a liar when it comes to rear tire clearance for this frame.
Bike Setup: NCX fork, 29 inch vulpine tires, avid bb5 disc brakes, nexave front dérailleur, alivio rear dérailleur, SPD pedals
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Submitted by
Darren
a Cross Country Rider
from Bozeman, Montana, USA
Date Reviewed: March 17, 2008
Strengths: Durability, adaptability; a go anywhere, do anything, bring it on bike - I bought this snazzy orange bike brand new 10 years to ride the treacherous streets of downtown Atlanta. It then got packed into a box, shipped across the world and spent a year cruising the roads and trails of Melbourne, Australia. Now it lives out west and loves to rock up and down the big mountains of Montana. I ride it to work through the snow. I park it outside of bars and it gets me home, even when I sometimes forget where that is.
Weaknesses: Hard to point to many. Others on this board complain of low-grade components, but I haven't replaced a thing on this one, besides the seat that only lasted me 9 years. I got it tuned up and the brake pads replaced for the first time last year.
Bottom Line:
If you can find a Kai Tai for sale anywhere - buy it. You can't have mine, I'm keeping it forever. How can you not give 5 flamin' chilis for value rating when you buy a bike in 1998 and are still riding it hard in 2008?
Similar Products Used: I've never had or needed another mountain bike.
Bike Setup: All stock original, minus a new seat, new grips, and new pedals.
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Submitted by
andre angelle
a Cross Country Rider
from oakland
Date Reviewed: January 19, 2007
Strengths: frame geometery, somewhat lightwieght, no flex in rear triangle
Weaknesses: stock parks were fairly weak but still functioning when I bought the bike used in '06. the bike is a 96/97 model I think, so 10 years on stock parts aint bad...
Bottom Line:
I bought the bike for 120 and spent about 230 (thanks to craigslist.org) upradeing it. I wanted a "groecery getter"; but when I rode it home for the first time it screamed for abuse, so i gave it some and it loved anything I could through at it. I didn't love the 21 spd/gripshift set-up so I spurged and got all deore everything. I have a deore wheelset with slicks for on road and mavic crosland's for off road. Once upgraded I haven't looked back. both my road project and full suspension project have halted due to me being satisfied with this one bike. (that i bought as a grocery getter) It goes up and downhill really nicely which matters even more on road than off. There is no flex in the bike at all (there was a little in the headset and BB at first, but cris king fixed that); especialy when hard breaking on the rear brake, in a turn...most bikes fall over or something...this one stops. It's amazing how the geometery of a frame changes how well the brakes work (for v-brakes anyway). Gary knocked this frame out the park in my opinion. I think Gary knew Trek was gonna part this frame out with lower end stuff so he put something extra in it to make up for that. somehow he makes his frame so good that buying the bike and the parts necsarry aren't only cheaper than anything else on the higer end market, but better. The new KaiTai's are a little funny with 700c wheels and srsuntour shocks...but the classic KaiTai is definately a 5 flamer after upgrades, and I should mention that this bike so far is the only bike I have ever riden that I would give 5 flames to. I give 5 falmes for value too, but I just got a good deal personally.
this bike was sold to me as a "big boy" bike because i'm not the standard beanpole in spandex! i've seen the singletrack sights with this baby for over 6 years and still love her! performance is great. longevity of parts is great. acid tangerine (color) is fun to say. this bike takes the WV hills wild-n-wonderfully. my friends with more expensive bikes couldn't believe the features on this one! Would buy again without hesitation! She's lasted thru some bad spills. No cheap parts other than the "pie pan" on the back wheel.
Similar Products Used: giant, gt, trek and diamondback
Bike Setup: standard setup-bar ends, toe clips...loaded when purchased as a demo in 1997, added trip computer and small gel seat
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Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland, OR
Date Reviewed: March 7, 2003
Strengths: Frame
Weaknesses: Stock grip shifters
Bottom Line:
After 6 years of abuse, this bike is still great. Even with the old 7 speed drivetrain I go out and pass the $1500 new XT bikes on the trails. This is the best frame I've ever ridden. The geometry is amazing, and it begs to go up steep hills. And of course, it's MADE IN THE USA! I've thought about getting a new bike, but nothing has felt this good. If you'd rather brag about your shiny new superlight unobtanium parts, keep looking, but if you find one of these used and want to ride hard, buy it.
Bike Setup: Stock 7sp STX drivetrain & wheels Old rapidfire shifters V brakes RST Mozo Pro Fork
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Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Alexandria, VA
Date Reviewed: July 10, 2002
Strengths: Stiff frame with great handling characteristics.
Weaknesses: Cheap, flexible components.
Bottom Line:
After upgrading to RaceFace Prodigy XC cranks with ISIS b.b., Thomsen Elite stem, profile bar ends, Velociraptor tires, and a new seat, the components match the frame's inherent stiffness and quality. Original components like; Seguino cranks, generic b.b., and AHeadset stem, were very flexible when you really beared down on the bike for a climb or while accelerating. It had cheap, plastic pedals too which broke under hard riding and were not servicable. Now the bike climbs well, downhills well, and handles all kinds of xc terrain very well, it is also extremely light and fast. The geometry is great and I'm more comfortable getting this bike airborne than others I've owned. I've had this bike for about 6 years and think it's the perfect bike to upgrade. I'll soon put Shimano V brakes, Thomsen seat post, new RokShox, and Easton bars on it-it should be really stiff then. The paintjob is intact (with numerous scratches of course) and of a high quality, but the seat post creaks unrelentingly (even after lube). All in all this is an outstanding bike for the money and one that lends itself to upgrading as it'll hold up for a long time. It gets alot of attention when I'm in the various bike stores in my area and after reading some of the other reviews, I know why. My next bike will undoubtedly be another Fisher.
Similar Products Used: GT's, Cannondales, and Specialized.
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Submitted by
Nikolai Tesla
a Weekend Warrior
from Miami, Florida, USA
Date Reviewed: July 8, 2002
Strengths: Believe it or not, I bought this bike brand new late 1997 and I'm still riding it in 2002 without a hitch! Light and love the burned orange color. Strong and no creeks to listen to.
Weaknesses: Shifters and shocks could use an upgrade as well as gears.
Bottom Line:
If you find it used get it! This bike is worth every penny! I love this bike and it has helped me stay in shape! Thanks Gary for making GREAT bikes!
Bike Setup: Classic-stock. Added Cateye computer and night lights (only time I have to ride is at night after work). Light weight and MALE friendly seat.
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Submitted by
Ali Peel
a Cross Country Rider
from London
Date Reviewed: June 26, 2002
Strengths: Awesome frame, great handling, solid down hill and very very light
Weaknesses: Components were not a strong point
Bottom Line:
I bought the bike second hand from a hire shop when on holiday climbing in Colorado in 1998. Since then I have loved and loved my bike upgrading to an XT set up, switching to Time pedals, and upgrading the rims and hubs. All my mates with much more expensive bikes love it. I couldnt agree more with the reviews I have read, buy it, ride it and when you can afford it upgrade it. My forks are wearing now so I will upgrade those in the next couple of months. What a bargain £240 or $400 dollars and it still goes beautifully. Great starter bike, great long termer for upfgrade. Lovely frame. Thanks Gary
Similar Products Used: Klien, Marin, Orange, Schwimm
Bike Setup: XT, upgraded rims, hubs and cranks - pretty much everything
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Submitted by
Soc
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland, OR
Date Reviewed: July 17, 2001
Strengths: Lightweight, Goes downhill real fast!! The perfect frame to upgrade.
Weaknesses: Cheap Ponents
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike in 95 with all the sys 3 s**t on it. With an old school Rock Shox fork. Since then I go back to the shop every couple of years and ride new bikes. I have yet to ride anything I like as much. I wrecked in 96 and spent a couple of days in the hospital. I rode 6 miles home before my roomates took me to the er. I just couldnt leave my bike that is how much I love it!! When I got out all I had to do was wipe off the blood and it was ready to go. Also for all you folks buying a bike for its components dont be stupid. Find the frame thats right for you and upgrade. It is cheaper than getting the deluxe model they see that kind of sucker coming a mile away. Ride On.
