Submitted by
Gene V
a Cross Country Rider
from Lihue,Hawai'i,U,S.A
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2010
Strengths: The Ground Control is at the very least THE STANDARD that all Mtn. bikes should be.The quality of the frame and components are solid.
Weaknesses: The only weakness I see is the RED color of the frame.At least its not yellow :)
Bottom Line:
Great low center of gravity. I'm 6 feet tall and the medium frame size fits me perfect.maybe I like my frames smaller than most.I was shocked when I pulled up to do a wheelie on it,the front end seemed so light.I love the balancing point of this bike.I'm Sold! Get 1 if you can find one.I saw this bike on craiglist while I was still in hawaii.this bike was all the way in Washington state!By the time I got to washington.I couldnt believe the bike wasn't sold ($150)yet.Maybe it was because this lady lived in the bonnies,lol. I'm glad i took the 2 hour drive ONE WAY!,It was well worth it. Aloha
Similar Products Used: Wicked Fat Chance and Merlin Titanium
Bike Setup: Almost OEM except for a pair of Marzocchi forks
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Submitted by
aluciano
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego CA
Date Reviewed: May 8, 2010
Strengths: it's got a decent frame and it's not very heavy
Weaknesses: this bike is designed for a smaller person- which is why I bought it for by brother. The problem is that it sits lower to the ground then my mt. bike. It's center of balance is lower then it should be.. Suspension isn't that great
Bottom Line:
if you can get this bike used for around 100-150 bucks it's probably worth it. A pretty good reliable beater bike. I wouldn't pay anymore then that, but for this price its not bad
Submitted by
JayOwen70
a Cross Country Rider
from Clovis, California
Date Reviewed: May 8, 2010
Strengths: Solid bike with great control. Spins better off-road but is a good road bike. I have used this bike for trails and commuting. It is a great cross-training type of bike. I can say that it has held up very well after 13 years of hard riding. I have not had to replace any parts nor has anything broke. I'm still on the original tires after tons of miles of riding on dirt and asphalt. I would not think twice about riding it anywhere. It has become my daily commuter to work. Wonderful bike.
Weaknesses: Lots of squeaks. Front & rear shocks not very effective.
Bottom Line:
Great bike I have owned since 1997. Very reliable. Nothing has broke in 13 years! Very reliable and solid bike. Do I buy a new bike or rebuild this one? I think I'll rebuild this baby, she has never let me down on a ride, ever. This says a lot about the quality and construction of the Specialized Ground Control.
Similar Products Used: I have ridden other mountain bikes in addition to this bike.
Bike Setup: OEM
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Submitted by
Sean Haugen
a Racer
from Anacortes,Wa,USA
Date Reviewed: November 1, 2008
Strengths: EVERYTHING>except
Weaknesses: i wish i could mount a larger coil in the rear, and also disc brakes in the rear.
Bottom Line:
my brother raced factory for specialized, and he gave this to me and it is a great bike! idc what nayone says but this bike domintes the FR, DH, and AM/XC world.It is the best bike and people dont know thattill they ride it!!
Similar Products Used: Specialied stumpjumper
Specialized hardrock
Specialized Rockhopper
Bike Setup: S works carbon bars
Full XTR
Race face bashgaurd w/22t-36t rings
Specialized freeride stem
Lock on grips
WTB velociraptor tire set
Spinergy RevXRoks carbon rims <----not good for DH they kinda cracked so i must buy Mavic CrossMax
Fox Vanilla rear coil
Manitou TiSX fork
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Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from Tucson, Arizona
Date Reviewed: March 1, 2008
Strengths: Nimble, handles beautifully on tight trails, reasonable weight, tough frame and paint finish
Weaknesses: OE rear shock bad on early production Front Judy SL - needs upgrade w/oil damping
Bottom Line:
This is a great handling Mac-strut F/S bike that should have gotten more press and riders. Unfortunately Specialized dropped its entire line of Mac-strut FS Ground Control bikes after only a year in favor of the FSR rocker-arm FS models.
Like everyone else, my Rockshox coil/oil rear shock soon lost its damping. After going round & round with RockShox and the LBS, I finally got the shock replaced free of charge. Ironically, the replacement rear shock works perfectly to this day. I added the (now long-gone) OTIS oil damping cartridge to the Indy SL which turned it into a respectable fork with an honest 3" of travel. Over the years I built a light custom wheelset for it and replaced components, so that the bike now weighs only about 26.5 lbs in the large (19-inch) frame.
Still handles great, quick steering, no squeaks in crank or swingarm pivots. The Mac Strut design works beautifully , just as it did when new. Too bad Specialized doesn't offer longterm parts support for its discontinued bikes like some other manufacturers - I could keep it going indefinitely.
Bike Setup: Indy SL w/OTIS oil damping cartridge, Ti sealed BB, custom handbuilt wheelset, XT rear derailleur, Sachs shifter, riser bar, 20T granny, LX crankset, carbon seatpost - weight 26.5 lbs in 19-inch frame
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Submitted by
Samuel Wakefield
a Cross Country Rider
from Cumberland, MD
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2007
Strengths: Very light compared to newer models but still very strong frame, quick steering response, nimble in corners. Did I say LIGHT?
Weaknesses: stock Indy Rock Shox is HORRIBLE, derailleurs a little sketchy, rear shock could be better, may be a little noisy at pivots
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike that has served me very well in the short time I have owned it. I have had it on rail trails, cross-country trails and even hardcore downill trails. It just keeps bangin'! If you want a good, all around bike that is light but, that can take the punishment and won't break the bank, then this is the machine for you.
Great bike after ten years of listening to the strut style shock squeak. Got a rebuild last year and the noise went away. I had to throw it at some serious rocky downhill to get that squeak back. All is well again. This bike has been reliable for my annual smoky mountain rides and only failed me when UPS bounced it off the big chain ring which required a full crank replacement. The short wheelbase and steep head tube angle make for precise handling and a wicked ride.
Submitted by
William
a Weekend Warrior
from Hong Kong
Date Reviewed: December 3, 2003
Strengths: light frame, great handling, can do what XC bike perform and freerider need!!!
Weaknesses: some squeeks in the supensions links, but it is all good. change to a risses racing rear shocks and this bike rocks!!!
Bottom Line:
this bike really kick ass. the frame is soo stiff and strong that you cannot break it. I have done 3 feet drop and it just takes it like nothing. it really impress me. this is a bike when you want the performance, lightweight and durability for a fraction of $$. 5 chilis!!!
Similar Products Used: 95' hardrock, GT hardtail, I-drive, kona hardtail
Bike Setup: zoc' boomer z3, risses racing rear shock, d xt group, x517 rim,
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Submitted by
Don Briggs
a Downhiller
from North Shore, BC CANADA
Date Reviewed: November 28, 2002
Strengths: Light (compared to most DH bikes these days), Strong (haven't broken frame yet - even on big drops), Good geometry. Also a good multi-purpose bike (DH, XC, urban)
Weaknesses: Rear shock was crap from the beginning! Like most of the reviews say, I eventually blew mine out. The rebound damping was shot from the start! Hard to find replacement.
Bottom Line:
The bike has served me very well over the years. I have ridden a lot of XC, downhill, "North Shore" riding (technical with skinny bridges and a lot of drops) and urban / trial type stuff. The bike has stuck it out through all that stuff for all the 6 years I've had it. One of the best improvements I made was putting 2.3" tires front and rear. Yeah, more weight, but NO pinch flats with a softer, more stable ride. The kind of riding I do most now would benifit from a longer travel bike with disc brakes, but I'll live with this one, since it's more affordable. I'm thinking of replacing my strut-mount RC deluxe with a Fox Vanilla R. I'm going to modify it by cutting off the bottom mounting eyelett. If anyone has info on replacing this rear shock, I'd appreciate the e-mail! Overall, I love this bike though! A few squeeks and groans, but fairly dependable!
Bike Setup: Rock Shox Jett Long Travel forks, Shimano LX Rapid Fire shifters, V-brakes, DH bars, short seat post, all rest stock
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Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from San Jose, CA USA
Date Reviewed: November 13, 2002
Strengths: Handling is really good, and it holds up to my riding style
Weaknesses: rear shock snapped on a 2 ft drop, paint chips easy
Bottom Line:
For being the 3rd owner and riding hard, this bike is good for the long run. the past 2 owners have jumped it, raced it, and done everything else with it and no dents, just some paint is chipped off.
Similar Products Used: cheap department store bikes
Bike Setup: 2002 Judy xc (80mm), Deore Lx front and rear deraillers, Dia-comp Sa-Aheadset, Deore crankset
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Submitted by
richie dagger
a Cross Country Rider
from sacramento ca. usa
Date Reviewed: November 3, 2002
Strengths: geometry,ruggedness,comfort!!!
Weaknesses: none!
Bottom Line:
this bike was purchased after test riding about 8 different brands.the ground control was the best one of the bunch ,it was also the cheapest . in 5 years of use the only parts i ever changed were a bottom bracket ,a brake arm and a cluster. this bike will go down in my books as a true winner. i first got the bike home thinking that i would change the parts as they broke.they all held up pretty well!! after 5 years of use i wanted a new specalized. to bad they cost twice as much now.
Favorite Trail: s p railyard & land fill downtoun sac
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At: city bike works
Similar Products Used: canondale v trek Y
Bike Setup: t
totaly stock setup. indy front fork ,diacomp v grip shift
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Submitted by
Muddy Trail
a Cross Country Rider
from Tacoma, WA, US
Date Reviewed: September 13, 2002
Strengths: Light weight,durable frame. It's red
Weaknesses: Original Indy shock and junk rock shok deluxe rear shock
Bottom Line:
Once I swapped out the front and rear shocks it was a whole new bike. I recently had the main bushings for the rear end changed to sealed ball bearing. Now it is smooth as you can get with 3 inches of travel front and rear (speed springs in the Manitou).Five years old and still going strong. A great all around ride. See no reason to fork out big buck for another bike until this one breaks.
Bike Setup: Manitou FS,Risse Genesis rear shock, Carbon monkey bar risers, XT rear derailer, rest stock.
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Submitted by
Muddy Trail
a Cross Country Rider
from Tacoma
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2002
Strengths: Handling, almost light and it's red
Weaknesses: Stock rear and front shocks
Bottom Line:
After almost five years of riding an average of two times a week in many times muddy conditions the bike is still holding up. I have the original bushings in the main pivot with no slop, the bottom braket is hanging tough too. I didn't know how bad the suspension was until I replaced the front and rear shocks- big improvement. It weighs in at 27.25 lbs., which is respectable. Three inches of travel front and rear does the job. I am going to try to get a machine shop to change the main pivots to sealed ball bearing, I hear it can be done. As long as it holds together I see no reason to upgrade to another FS bike only to get maybe an inch more travel and more weight.
Bike Setup: Genesis rear shock and Manitou FS up front. Easton monkey carbon monkey bars, the rest stock.
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Submitted by
DAMASTA99
a Cross Country Rider
from NORTH POTOMAC MD
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2001
Strengths: light weight frame
Weaknesses: stock parts
Bottom Line:
cheap begginer FS. im 255 and have detroyed the rear shock, but have made the bike work for my XC adn DH riding habats. if any one needs a 17.5 frame email me and i make a deal.
I don't think I can count the number of times I wrecked on this bike, but I am impressed that the frame is still in good condition. This is an excellent bike if you can upgrade to better components. When I first purchased the bike, I had a lot of problems with: brakes, suspension, cranks, rear deralliuer. However, after a few good upgrade to better components the bike handles, climbs, and performs like a champ. Unfortunately the stock components are crap, The first component that failed on my bike was the rear shock, followed by a bent crank, many chains later the rear derailluer(LX) died, and finally one of the brake sets broke. However while progessively upgrading, the bike handled much better each time.
