Dekerf Tuning Fork, SS setup 32/18T, Race Face Deus Cranks, Thomson Stem & Seat Post, SDG Bel Air RL SaddleChris King Ti Headset, Jones H-Bar, Avid Juicy Carbon Brakes, Hutchinson Spider UST Tyres, Mavic XM819 Disc, X717 Disc, Chris King Wheels.
Bottom Line:
This is the best hardtail I've ever ridden, bar none, bettrer than most full suspension bikes too and just as confidence inspiring, rigid or not! The bike climbs like a mountain goat and goes down like a Franch hooker, it's one amazing bike! Even setup SS this is the fastest all round bike I've owned and ridden. Compared it to Tracers, Genius's etc and there is no comparison the Dekerf out handles, out climbs, out corners and out descends them all. Blows me away whenever I ride it!
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Submitted by
achawalla
a Cross Country Rider
from Dali, Yunnan, China Date Reviewed: January 21, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At:
Chris Dekerf
Strengths:
Where to begin? The looks, the feel, the way it rides, handling, everything, in which case I could blab on for ages.
Weaknesses:
I feel guilty when I take out my other 'bike' which I carry my baby son around it because it can fit a handlebar mounted baby seat, but my Implant cannot, good in some ways but still I'll love to cruise around with my kid on it.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Stumpjumper, Kona Kula, Made in Thailand mama style cruiser with banana seat in back complete with footrest for passenger, cheap Chinese 'mountain bike', Merida made in taiwan junk, Japanese mama chailinko for junior high school kids.
Bike Setup:
Shimano XT(love/hate relationship with Shimano), Saint disc, Mavic XL rims and hubs, Race Race Diablos, Race Face seatpost, WTB rocket, Easton Monkey Lites, red DX platform clipless, IRC Mythos
Bottom Line:
It's really niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice, as all you Implant riders out there already know. As somebody mentioned before, it's a bike that grows on you and you on it. I've ridden Japanese mountain trails in Kyushu, city gridlock, Chinese fireroads with tons of sharp rocks, cobblestone streets and my baby, she's so sure and nimble and fast and oh so sexy. Man, she brings a smile to my face everytime I see her or even just think of her. I have to give major thanks to Chris Dekerf for crafting such art, functional art that is. I'll recommend Chris' work to anybody (too bad you cannot get it in China where I live now, would love to have an Elysium or Solitaire). Support Canadian craftmanship, which I'll say among the best in the world. Ok, got to go sleep and wake up to ride my baby in the morning. New day, new trails. Stay safe.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David Dowse
a Weekend Warrior
from Cardiff Date Reviewed: October 20, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Afan Argoed
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
direct from factory
Strengths:
Hardcore looks, fine attention to detail, build quality, paint finish and durability! It's made of 'zingy' steel and not too stiffee!
Weaknesses:
Too Long head tube/high front end & high bottom bracket which makes 16 inch frame feels big. This type of frame should come with a quick release seat clamp.
Similar Products Used:
Previous bikes include 2 steel Konas, a FS Kona and a Dekerf Team SL
Bike Setup:
Bomber MX Pro fork, XT discs/group set, Race Face and Easton finishing kit
Bottom Line:
The Implant replaced a much loved and hard ridden and eventually broken '99 Team SL. The team's handling on tight singletrack was super sharp and hard to better. The Implant is a very different beast, built to take more of a beating than the racy SL eventually failed to handle. The Implant's comparitively high front end and slow steering took a little adapting too. At first the Implant seemed slower on the tight stuff with a much stiffer but less forgiving ride. It's a holigan hardtail that calls for an more agressive weight forward riding style. I've adapted and am now starting to get the best out it. It climbs suprisingly well, eats up rock and root feasts and decends fast with great security and precision. The paint finish is superb and so far is extremely chip and scratch resistant - a big improvement. I warm to my implant more with every ride.
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Submitted by
Captain Hardcore
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago Date Reviewed: December 22, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Deep Lake
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
from Chris
Strengths:
how can steel acelerate like this, it blows my ever lovin mind. frame weight is right on, just enough to know you got something that can take anything I can and still light enough that climbing is borderline enjoyable, which is also thanks to the geometry that is somehow divine, my god just look at those chainstays...
Weaknesses:
my only problem with the frame is the tire clearance, I love the Tioga 2.1 DH in the rear and it rubs the chain and seatstays, oh how sad it makes me...
Similar Products Used:
nothing really similar, but my fiance rides a Kona Hot, that frame while cross country light and thus kind of noodlely for my tastes, sold me on 853 as material of choice
Bike Setup:
X.O, forx vanilla RLC, singletracks laced to XT hubs via double butted wheelsmiths-hand built, Avid discs, Race Face Turbines, Thompson stem and post, and Titec HellBent Ti bar
Bottom Line:
This thing is my all rounder, set up somewhere in the middle at around 29 lbs no lightweight yet its no boat anchor either. I cant believe how well this frame feels everywhere; urban assault in Chicago, wall rides, stair set after stair set, tightrope walkin on those scary as hell narrow ledges, mid flight dirt jumping, downhill at speeds so fast time ceases to exist, accelerating out of corners like every aluminum bike wishes that it could, climbing hills that I have no right to, on and on. Toxic Harold turned this near sentient piece of steel into something that has a pulse that you feel every time you touch it (Black frame with custom Blue Flame job, that just kills me stone fox murders me just for lookin at it wow this dude can paint a cycle). I couldnt believe how stiff it was where I wanted it, yet how forgiving it was where it mattered. I cant say enough about how well this thing rides. No other frame I have ridden has ever approached the ride quality that the Implant delivers. Graceful like the swan, hard hittin like a rusty pipe wrench...
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Submitted by
K Chew
a Weekend Warrior
from Newcastle, UK Date Reviewed: August 28, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Anyway in North of England.
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$997.00
Purchased At:
one of the UK distributor in London
Strengths:
Strong frame. Nice geometry. Almost everything really ... love it to bits. Reynolds 853 tubing ... good stuff.
Weaknesses:
Nothing really ... well paint job if you want to complaint ... but not a big issue so long as it does not rust and melt the frame. The built quality outweigh the paint chip.
Similar Products Used:
95 Mongoose IBOC Team SX 100% Bonded Carbon Fibre frame. Good bike but not for "high" jumps.
Bike Setup:
Hope C2, Raceface - steam, headset, seat post, Middleburn RS7, Mavic 618, Panaracer Fire Pro 2.1, Time Attac, Shimano XT taper BB. 2001 Bomber Z3 100 air.
Bottom Line:
This frame rules. I feel so comfortable riding it either uphill or simply all over the country side the whole day. The geometry and the entire set up make this bike such a wonderful piece of work. I set it as XC/FR bike and the only limit is my pair of lungs. .Very responsive and balance. Just point and shoot. Yes, I wish the paint last longer and don't get chip easily ... well again it might be my riding style.
Oh ya, I bought this from the Distributor in London ... a Demo frame. Way too expensive at £650. Should have ordered it direct from Dekerf. I will buy this frame again in future for hardtail choice.
Anyway, I think it deserves 5 Chilis ... the paint quality material (not the art work) deserves 2 Chillis ...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick
a
from Tauranga, New Zealand Date Reviewed: June 14, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Dunno -- lots of good trails down here.
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$750.00
Purchased At:
via manufacturer
Strengths:
Solid and top-quality build (you get what you pay for eh) Great geometry for all-round riding Big-ass gussett, will take D/C forks no probs.
Weaknesses:
Tire clearance at rear is a bit tight for anything greater than 2.25-2.3 BB shell was bent during shipping, get them to thread in an old BB to prevent this
Similar Products Used:
VooDoo Shango, bunch of other XC HTs.
Bike Setup:
XT mainly, XT discs, Psylo SLs
Bottom Line:
Great ride. No probs so far. Awesome frame and being light steel get the best of both worlds - ie strong and stiff thanks to big diameter tubing, and great ride quality from the tubeset. And the angles are primo. Set it up to 5" travel and you can still sit up and ride it up hills without being parked over the rear hub. Good BB clearance too. People moan about the DeKerf paint, and its thin, but hey, as below - if you ride your bike, it will get scratched. Dealing with the company was a little difficult - probably due to me being in NZ and not able to just front up to the shop and get things sorted - but got a great deal so can't really complain (retail in NZ is about US$1500, frame only!!!!!) If you're after an all-round trail bike that can take the hits and want something a bit exotic, this is the ticket.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Beaux
a
from UK Date Reviewed: April 23, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Surrey Hills
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$620.00
Purchased At:
Riders Cycles BC (imported)
Strengths:
Strong! Stiff! Incredibly well built with fine attention to detail.
Weaknesses:
Paint.
Similar Products Used:
Kona Cladera
Bike Setup:
Marzocchis MXC, Hope discs, Shimano Race Face prodigy etc.,
Bottom Line:
I've not found the limits yet. It does everything fine, feels great, tough as you like it. Paint wears away easily but if you're going to use a bike pretty hard and fall off occasionally it's gonna get beat up any way. Allways rock solid were it matters but with a nice balance when it gets tricky. Although touted as a freeride bike, buy one for the DeKerf workmanship and the indestructable build and use it for any thing you please. I love it and will keep it for years. Come on Implant owners, Post a review!
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