Submitted by
Michael Rosa
a Racer
from Milpitas, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: January 24, 2003
Strengths: All I own are full suspension single pivot bikes. Some have 4", 6" and 7" of travel. This is my first multi link suspension bike and it rocks! The rear of this bike tracks like it's on rails. It can be tune (through all the adjustments) for virtually any time of riding. Which is why I bought it, to do it all!
Weaknesses: After a year of hard riding, none. In one weekend in Downieville, I did 12 runs down the Downieville DH trail (appx 192 miles of the best fastest, big rock trails) and the bike perform flawlessly.
Bottom Line:
I was looking for a "Do Everything" bike. After reviewing all the races I had done the previous year, I was confident that the Uzzi SL was more than capable of accomplishing that. With the right tires, no one has dropped me on a downhill run yet. Change the tires and frame setting and I can go XC racing, or free riding with the bud's. It was alot of cash, but the smiles more than make up for it. No regrets. If your into some downhilling, free riding or just want to go do an epic ride, this bikes for you. IF not look elsewhere.
Similar Products Used: Santa Cruz Bullit. I have a 6" (2001) and a 7" (2002) model.
Bike Setup: Easton MG60 stem, EC70 Monkeylite DH carbon riser bar, Sram XO shorty shifters, Chris King headset, Magura Louise FR disc brakes with the 170mm coversion on the rear, Rock Shox Psylo SL fork, Easton EC70 Carbon seatpost, SDG Satelite Saddle, XT cranks, Shimano 959 pedals, XT Front derailleur, Shimano 7700 Chain, SRAM X0 Rear Derailleur, XTR 12-34 Cassette, Gore Rideon Cables (for the shifters), WTB Mutano Raptors 2.4 Race mounted to Chris King ISO Disc hubs laced to Sun Rhyno Lite XL rims with 14ga DT spokes, and held on by Salsa Skewers.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Hank Sola
a Weekend Warrior
from Newton, MA
Weaknesses: STEEP, SLOW CLIMBING SUFFERS. THIS IS DUE TO THE LONG-TRAVEL (130MM), SQUISHY, Z1 FORK AND THE WEIGHT OF MY SETUP.
Bottom Line:
IT IS WORTH THE MONEY! THIS HAS TO BE THE MOST VERSATILE BIKE IN THE WORLD - HENCE THE BEST FREERIDE BIKE. THE ADJUSTABLE WHEELBASE, ADJUSTABLE REAR END HEIGHT, AND ADJUSTABLE SEAT TUBE ANGLE, ALLOW YOU TO SET THE BIKE UP WITH A 4" FORK FOR XC OR A 5" FORK FOR THE HEAVY STUFF. IF YOU RIDE IN VIETNAM (HARDCORE, NORTHEAST, BRUTALLY-ROCKY, WOODSY, SINGLETRACK) THIS IS THE BIKE FOR YOU. MY BIKE IS SET UP WITH A 5" Z1 AND I RUN THE REAR END IN THE HIGHEST POSITION TO KEEP THE HEAD ANGLE UNDER CONTROL. THIS MAKES THE BOTTOM BRACKET HIGH WHICH HELPS CLEARANCE. I HAVE USED THE BIKE AT SKI RESORTS IN VERMONT AND IT WAS AN AWESOME DOWNHILER WITH A TIRE SWAP.
Bike Setup: MARZOCCHI ZI BAM (130MM); HAYES/HUGI HUBS; RYNO-LITE RIMS; 2.3' CONTINENTAL TIRES; XTR DRIVETRAIN/SHIFTERS; HAYES HYDRAULIC BRAKES; AZONIC SHORTY; BONTRAGER XXX DH CROWBARS; XTR CRANKS WITH SHIMANO DH PEDALS;
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Borja
a Weekend Warrior
from Foothill Ranch,CA
Date Reviewed: February 5, 2001
Strengths: GOOD CLIMBER - EXCELLENT DOWNHILLER FOR A FREERIDE BIKE!
Weaknesses: PRICE!
Bottom Line:
BEST FREERIDE BIKE! PERIOD! THERE'S NO COMPARISON. CLIMBS GOOD AND HANDLES EXCELLENT DOWNHILL FOR A BIKE WITH 4.5" OF TRAVEL. BOUGHT IT WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT IN 97. USED IT TO RACE NATIONAL AND AMATEUR CUP DOWNHILL RACES WHEN 4.5" OF TRAVEL WAS ENOUGH AND HANDLED EXCELLENT. IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO PUT A BIKE TOGETHER AND WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE, LOOK NO FUTHER. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING IN COMPARISON. THERE IS ABSOLUTLY NOTHING. PAY THE PRICE AND HAVE THE BEST FREERIDE BIKE EVER BUILT.
Bike Setup: ALL RACE FACE COMPONENTS, HAYES DISC BRAKES, ROCK SHOX DHO FORK, SDG BIG BOY SADDLE, SPECIALIZED FEAR MASTER-FEAR CONTROL TIRES(2.2'S), MAVIC 317DISC RIMS.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
hunter morrison
a Downhiller
from durango, colorado
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2000
Strengths: best bike i have ever had. handles like a ferrari and cost about the same. i am selling do to yz 250 fever, but will get another before winter is over. best pivots, bearings, adjstments, and style.
Bike Setup: x-vert-r med fork,magura hydro brakes, fox rc 700lb, cane creek ti wheels, maxxis and intense 2.35 tires
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cram Grebsivlas
a Weekend Warrior
from San Rafael, CA
Date Reviewed: August 19, 1999
Strengths: Never broke, never left me stranded Handled extremely well, stable at relatively high speeds. Frame strength helped keep high speed downhill control and probably helped the bike stay a better than average shifter over the years worth of riding that I got to do - 2x per week - winter and summer. Even though stable at high speed, the Uzzi was one of the best bikes I've ever had for low speed, awkward maneuvers - where you should probably get off and walk... Goes well off cliffs, with or without rider. Very forgiving is maybe the best way to describe the handling - sometimes I'd open my eyes and find out that it all wasn't over yet and I hadn't crashed and I still had to steer and keep going. Other strength - for riding on the side of hills with narrow trails, the 13.5 crank height helped keep the inside pedal from bottoming out and launching you off the cliff to the outside....
Weaknesses: Umm... I'm thinking... Yes! I broke the Ti swingarm pivot bolt. I made a new steel bolt so I could go riding in 15 minutes and they sent me a free replacement the next week. Good people there. That's it for Intense related problems.
Bottom Line:
Is this sick? Lost the bike at World Superbike 99, Laguna Seca. Waited a week and decided it was time to get another bike. Rode a bunch of bikes. This is the second sick part - I couldn't find another bike that handled as well, was as comfortable as or looked as good as the Uzzi....So... Here I sit in front of the laptop, with a mostly spent insurance check and a pile of parts - all ready for the replacement Intenze Uzzi SL frame that, will be here any day now.
Favorite Trail: Mt.Tam, China Camp, Boy Scout camp
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Similar Products Used: Had a Santa Cruz Tazmon, med frame. Another bulletproof bike Really strong frame that flexed very little under high stress. I thought that bike was pretty good with the reworked Risse shock and a set of Z1's. Had some other bikes before that.
Bike Setup: Fox Vanilla, 700# spring (could use 750#) Marzocchi Z1 Bomber, stock springs w/ different, higher oil level Crossmax wheelset Avid Arch Supreme, rear Shimano LX V brake, fr WTB SST seat
Don't have one but thinking about it. Would some of you UZZI owners cough up the goods and let us know if they are worth the bucks. Trying to get the ball rolling. Please differentiate between SL and DH models.
rebuilding an old (01? or 02? /) Uzzi sl frame and need a new chainstay. The old one has hairline crack. Looking for either an old one without crack or do you think the chainstay c Read More »
Just to let you guys know there's two nos frames on the bay. Pretty expensive but damn nice to see some new ones ready to be built up.
I have nothing to do with the sale but I k Read More »
Hi all. I found a good deal on a 04 Uzzi SL. Is this a good bike for newb? I'm close to Jack Brooks park and The anthills here in the Houston area. Thanks....... Read More »
My wife is in need of a FS ride to replace the Wahoo. We came across this interesting ride, but know nothing about it.
It fits her fine and the frame and components are in excep Read More »
