Submitted by
jefwilli
a Weekend Warrior
from Garner, NC
Date Reviewed: October 31, 2008
Strengths: Frame is SOLID. Good for a beginner to build on.
Weaknesses: Components are what you'd expect from a sporting goods store bike. Seven speed drivetrain is outdated.
Bottom Line:
Great Bike to build up and build experience on. Good blank canvas to fill as experience and budget grow. It's a good bike for someone who's just starting out and isn't sure how much time or money they'll have to invest in the sport. Definitely great value frame to build on while still riding. Holds up well to short thrashings by this 200 pounder.
Bike Setup: Marzocchi MX-Comp w/ETA 100-120mm Fork
Titec Hell Bent bar
Titec Rip 3D Stem
ODI Ruffian Grips
Avid Single Digit 7 brakes
Race Face Evolve XC Crank and BB
Black Spire Big Ring Protector
Sun Ringle Zu Zu Platforms
Kalloy Uno Seat Post
Panaracer Fire XC Pro
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
That guy
a Cross Country Rider
from Maryland
Weaknesses: shifting is iffy but I have had the bike for about 6 years and have never gotten a tune up or attempted to tune it or oiled anything
Bottom Line:
I use this bike for mountain biking, road biking, and trail biking, i've taken 2ft drops with it and bombed steep rocky trails, I am also well over 200lbs, the bike has held up great and my only complaint is that it didnt grow with me and is now a size too small. I like the solid frame and it is easy to throw around. just ride far back if you are bombing hills and absorb with your knees.
I dont even remember what my parents paid for this bike. im not trying to say it is the best bike ever but for the money it is amazing
Strengths: $265US, it cost me $530 in Australia - anyway it has a really strong frame and is light enough - brakes are great it's almost perfect for everything (providing you do everything pretty well)
Weaknesses: gears are pretty cheap, and is prone to flipping ppl over the handlebars(or is that just me?)
Bottom Line:
Its a great bike for starters, and the frame is indestructible, it is useable for pretty much anything, but be careful if you want to jump with it, the wheels get *fudged* really easily. Plus it looks great - even when you have bald tyres, and no grips, else the git who stole it today wouldnt have. Also it could be a bit cheaper, cos now I need a new one...
Similar Products Used: Specialized, Avanti and Raleigh - but I like this one best, It's why I bought it?
Bike Setup: not modified
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Jordan
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2003
Strengths: Strong, fairly light, good brakes and gears.
Weaknesses: Handle bars have a tendency to fall off. Wheel tend to warp with hard impacts. Short handle bar stem.
Bottom Line:
I use this bike for everything while at university. Getting groceries, going to campus, visiting people etc. Saskatoon can be a very snowly place, and only on one occasion was the snow so bad I couldn't bike.
The bike handled very well in the snow. The tire track actually grips ice better than my shoes. However, they did warp slightly after heavy impacts. The frame is still perfect though.
All the biking around, going over curbs and popping wheelies did take its toll. I have to fix the brakes, tighten the handle bars and adjust the gears every month or so.
Other than that this bike has performed extrememly well condidering the heavy use, harsh conditions and low price.
Submitted by
big cliffs
a Downhiller
from lake forest, illinois, usa
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2003
Strengths: frame is strong as hell, nice components, love the gears, cant scratch the paint, and frame is strong as hell.
Weaknesses: not compadible with anything, front shox are soft
Bottom Line:
it is a really good bike. i loveits reliability, but i have destroyd the wheels from dropping big cliffs, and overshooting jups. but overall it is a great bike.
Submitted by
Denis Fraser
a Cross Country Rider
from Gatineau, Quebec, Canada
Date Reviewed: January 19, 2003
Strengths: Undestructible frame, just won't die no matter what you throw at it. Excelent beginner bike. Good looking. Very good value for the price. Very reliable.
Weaknesses: Frame is very heavy, but you can't destroy it because of this. Low end components. Stock fork has no adjustment.
Bottom Line:
Bought this bike new from my LBS in 1999 (from Sports Wrightville, now closed after more than 40 years of excelent service), it came with a front suspension that isn't adjustable and has only 63mm of travel (sigh!), added full lenght front/rear fenders (yes I know, my bike is butt ugly with the fenders, but no matter what the weather, I don't eat mud and water!) and I got a very cheap used 1998 Rock Shox Judy XC fork (that IS adjustable and great). I've been riding this heavy sucker ever since in the Gatineau Parc trails through alot of pretty rough terrain and mud and it still has to let me down. The only thing that broke on it are the brackets for the fenders??? (I blame bad/cheap design, but I made some new ones out of 304SS, I'm a machinist)
I tried to destroy the suspension and the frame, but after 4 years of abuse and almost no maintenance the bike still looks like new and performs like one. The only downfall of this bike is the weight and the low end components, but for the value and reliability it's great for a beginner/early novice bike or if you're on a tight budget like I was when I bough it.
Overall, I'm very satisfied with my purchase. If you don't mind the weight of the frame, up-grade the components and you'll have a very decent bike that can't be destroyed. If you want a light weight bike with better components and if you have the funds by all means, go with something else.
N.B. I based my overall rating with a beginner's point of view, but to someone who has experience with riding, it would be a 2 Flamin'Chilis. The value rating remains the same.
Bike Setup: Bought a stock 1999 GT Palomar with front suspension from my LBS. Now has a 1998 Rock Shox Judy XC fork, FSA Orbit XL II headset, Maxxis tires, 4mm tubes(can't remember the brand), full lenght front and rear fenders, V-brake and derailleur up-grades are comming soon... :-)
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Fatman
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney,Australia
Date Reviewed: February 11, 2002
Strengths: Great Beginners bike.Looks pretty good,at least it must have to the guy that stole mine!
Weaknesses: Components aren't the best and it is bloody heavy but you only get what you pay for.
Bottom Line:
I bought this as my first bike and it didn't disappoint.In hindsight I would have gone for a better GT to start with but you have to learn the hard and expensive way.The frame was really strong and components are lineball with other bikes of this price range.If you think you might get into serious riding this machine is not worth the upgrades to do so.Accept it for what it is and you will be happy,it can take some serious punishment and will look after you but the components will let you down over time.It's a great value bike for beginners but obviously not a huge performer.
Similar Products Used: Giants,other GTs,Cannondales,Avantis,Sintessi,Merida,Litespeed,I spend too much time at the local bike shop.
Bike Setup: Stock for the first year and then replaced almost everything for better parts as my bike addiction grew.RST 381's ,Riser bars,stronger rims,suspension seatpost,threadless headset and spd's,V-Brakes.
more for beginer bikers. this bike has a strong frame but comes with crapy components. i have had this bike 2 years and by the first year my deraileur had bent into my spokes and my crank fell off. so if u do decide to buy this bike i advise u to buy new componens for it right away(like the day you buy it then have sombody put them on right away). im giving this bike a good rating for its price ONLY!!
Strengths: STRONG FRAME...did anybody else say that already (hehe)? Great product for the money. Strong brakes.
Weaknesses: Heavy...no front shocks.
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike when I was a freshman in college with very little money. Nevertheless, I was able to do what my friends did on their middle-end GTs with front shocks. I have been meaning to replace it with a higher-end GT but I feel guilty because the d@mn this will not die. I have fallen off it...easily 20 times and all but one time I would get up (bleeding) and continue riding. The one exception it screwd up my back wheel. But, for those looking for a good, startup bike, this thing is mean mother.
Bike Setup: Stock...don't want to replace anything because I am replacing it soon (d@mn thing does not die)
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Anne
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Cruz, CA
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2001
Strengths: Very strong and durable bike. I've got over 6000 miles on it so far (road and Mountain)!! The frame is STRONG!
Weaknesses: Never really shifted properly, you sit kinda high up, and I've had some difficulty replacing parts especially the crankset. It seems like it's almost cheaper to just get a new bike than to replace worn-out parts on this one!
Bottom Line:
This is a GREAT bike for the price and a great bike for the beginner. I've actually worn the points off the gears, replaced the crankset and the cluster, and I'm still riding it!! The addition of shocks and a different shifting system make this a great bike for only $250!!!!
Bike Setup: Stock: grip-shift, v-pull brakes and no shocks
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
BeerBoyOne
a Weekend Warrior
from Lindley, ny
Date Reviewed: March 24, 2001
Strengths: The frame is strong as hell. I took a bad spill. Ripped my face open, folded the front rim over, bent a rear axel even busted the saddle but the frame and stock fork were still in perfect alignment.
Weaknesses: The components aren't really up to par. the derailer had to be adjusted after every ride. and the bottom bracket wore out prertty quick.
Bottom Line:
It's a great beginners bike. It's especially good to learn how to trouble shoot problems. i learned a hell of a lot about maintaining and fixing bikes.
Submitted by
Steve Pokorra
a Cross Country Rider
from Bathurst, Australia
Date Reviewed: March 15, 2001
Strengths: Tough as nails, hangs in tight and doesn't buck as much as last few bikes
Weaknesses: NFI, this one seems to have been heavily modified before I swapped it. Right now, no sealed bottom bracket, scummy ratio's, bottom routed cables
Bottom Line:
I swapped this for a Mongoose BMX. Would appear mine was a lot more modified past stock than I'd assumed. Love it how it is, thinking of getting something a lot lighter and full suspended and using this as a road bike instead
Similar Products Used: Colorado Trail Blazer, Avanti GT Pro, Haro XTreme Full Suspension
Bike Setup: Avid RapidFire Shifters & levers, XT Cantilevers, Avid Derailures, no-name alloy crank, stock wheels & headset. O`neil Azonic handle bars, Kore ChainReactor, Velo Watchdog seat, Tioga bottle racks, RST Team Series front shocks, alloy seat post & bar ends
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Charlie
a Cross Country Rider
from Colombia
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2000
Strengths: Strong Frame.
Weaknesses: Components suck. Very heavy.
Bottom Line:
Can't get much for the money. Only good thing is the frame. If you are a weekeend, paved road, soft rider, this bike will do; if you're looking for something to go off-road, save some more money and buy a better bike. This was the first MTB I owned (about 4 years ago) and completely wrecked it after a couple of months; had to set up the gears after each ride, changed the brakes for Dia Compe 737 V-Brakes, put on a suspension fork, and then I realized it would just be cheaper to buy a new bike. I also got the rims bent pretty bad after attempting a 4 foot jump. If you are a begginer but plan to go off-road, get some more money and buy a better bike from the start, otherwise you might get dissapointed.
Last weekend a freind mine who just moved down from NorCal and I hit up a route that had been on my local to-do list for a while. The High Point Truck Trail that goes up the north Read More »
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For those who visit the dark side!
A fantastic, scenic ride in San Diego county's back country. Ride distances from 24 to 62 miles. Hillclimb challenge too up the East Grade of Read More »
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