Submitted by
Kevin Kitura
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary,Alberta,Canada Date Reviewed: August 25, 2001
Favorite Trail:
venom
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1.00
Purchased At:
Falcon Cycle
Strengths:
Light weight! Fast Bike without question! Nothing else can touch it if properly set up. Currently my bike is sitting at a durable 23.5 lbs. But I have plans to wittle below 21 lbs. Based on a parts attrition bases.
Weaknesses:
This bike is a high performance vehicle and requires a little more a TLC then some other bikes but that little extra TLC rewards the ride with speed and perforamce unmatched thus far by any other Chasis
Similar Products Used:
To many to mention! Why did Horest have to sell out to specalized and Mercedies and stop product development.
Bike Setup:
XT across the board! With a really relaible Risse air shock! Panaracer Kevlar SK front and rear and XT Vbrakes. Less they squeal. But who cares I am listening to my walkman and way!
Bottom Line:
Fast and so far reliable and the lightest 5" travel frame available. Unmatached and Unbeaten with the only possible down side is that it requires a little more TLC. But then again don't all Jet fighters?
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Submitted by
Rodney
a Weekend Warrior
from Halifax Date Reviewed: June 27, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Wrandees
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
frame from a friend
Strengths:
Efficient rear suspension design.
Weaknesses:
Way, WAY too flimsy overall. This bike (esp the rear shock) is good for only the lightest of riders on easy terrain. The rear shock has a nasty tendency to fail way too often!!!
Similar Products Used:
Tried others but didn't buy any, instead I jumped straight into the freeride segment with a NORCO VPS 3 (mucho upgrades)... now, there's an excellent usage of the Horst Linkage !!
Bike Setup:
AMP B5 frame, with AMP shock and SID fork. Full XT drivetrain, Mavic 517 wheelset on Michelin wildgripper rubber and an assortment of high-end componentry.
Bottom Line:
I am NOT impressed with this bike overall. It has great potentiol but really needs a little beef added to the rear triangle and a MUCH better shock. Until this happens I suggest you purchase any of the far superior FS XC bikes out there (Fisher Sugar line, Trek Fuel sries, etc.)
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Submitted by
Rodeo King
a Cross Country Rider
from Hopkins, MN, USA Date Reviewed: May 20, 2001
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$3800.00
Purchased At:
Adrenaline Bikes
Strengths:
Once in a while a company like Amp-Research comes by and forces bike companies to stop and gasp for air! This bike as a whole even with it's little quirks still remains an industry paradigm. Amp pushed forward and made their own components that no one would make for them and as part of the learning curve they found that some parts were severly underdeveloped. This was after the bike was already in production. The Amp-Research B5 had as much of an impact if not more than the Schwinn racer of the 1930's on the future of bike design to follow.
Weaknesses:
Take note: Only those with large amounts of play money should purchase one. If I had the money I would buy another one just to display for the pure design. Amp no longer makes these bikes and the brakes are not standard mount so you are SOL if they decide to stop making pads. After much debate I decided to step back and switch to good old fashioned Paul Motolite cantilever brakes. The result was astounding for a flat land CC rider because these brakes are superior to the Amp disc. The local wheel builder whipped up a great set of Chris King hubs and Mavic rims for me because amp used disc specific rims too. The front fork is pure nonfunctional beauty. This fork looks like a million bucks but it performs like a Yugo compaired to any telescopic fork. You should save yourself the time and start with a telescopic instead because the difference this made on my bike was so amazing that it feels like it rides on rails. The Amp rear shock should be substituted with an adjustable Risse air/ oil shock if at all possible. The difference the Risse makes is mind blowing.
Similar Products Used:
Super Tanker GT Karakoram. This was my first mountain bike and I had it for 10 years but when I went to test ride other GT's they weighed even more. :-[
Bike Setup:
AMP B5 Frame, Marzocchi Atom Race Fork, Chris King Threadless Headset, Thomson Stem, Easton CT2 Bar and Seat Post, Paul Love Lovers, Paul Motolite Brakes, Chris King Hubs/DT Spokes and Mavic Rims, Serfas Seat w/ Sack Vent, XTR Pods, XTR Front & Read Derailer, Profile Carbon Cranks, SpeedPlay Frogs, Race Face Rings, Maxxis TT Larsen Tires.
Bottom Line:
After spending alot of time reseaching and purchasing components on the internet I have a true rocket bike. This bike is so fast and responsive that I improve my riding every time I go out. Even though Specialized bought the basic frame design and then put a hundred stickers on it they can't come close to the performance because of thier choice to spec all compents from the big S. After I upgraded to the components mentioned above the very same trails changed in the most amazing way. The same way a corvette turns the road into a roller coaster my Amp changed the trails riden before into an amazing experiance. As I mentioned before this bike is slowly going away but I will forever remain a fan because of the design and the quality of ride it provides for those who own one. This bike Rules!!
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Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson, Arizona Date Reviewed: January 14, 2001
Favorite Trail:
It's a secret
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$950.00
Strengths:
Extremely light, long-travel, multi-pivot, fully independent & does not lock up under braking or under power, pivots are light & self-lubricating, still hi-tech after 4 years of production; cable setup is fully protected by outer casing 100% to derailleur, so no shifting problems
Weaknesses:
Not price competitive unless built from frame
Similar Products Used:
1997 Specialized AimPro
Bike Setup:
Personally hand-built from frame up: XTR/XT shifters, LX crankset, World Class Ti BB, Kore seatpost, Avid levers, XT V-brakes, 4.5" travel fork, hand-built wheelset with 9-speed (8-speed XTR cassette plus 10T small cog) offset rear wheel & custom lacing, XTR rear hub, White Ti front hub, Ritchey ti pedals, total weight 23.5 lbs.
Bottom Line:
I purchased this frame direct from AMP in 1998, then built it over a period of two months using the best parts bought on closeout via mailorder. When I was done I had spent $2,200 total for a bike that would retail for $4,400 (saved $200 on sales tax alone). This is the only really way to buy an AMP without spending too much money.
Though I am 6' 1" & weigh 204, I just got the heavy coil spring for the frame & have never had any problems with either the rear shock or frame. No leaks, no problems. I did take the time to properly adjust compression/rebound/preload. 2 years later, still no problems with either shock or frame. I purchased the standard full-aluminum frame with setup for ordinary V-brakes since I live in the dry southwest and didn't trust glued-together Carbon Fiber construction, guessing that the carbon fiber & disc brakes were just problems waiting to happen (apparently I guessed right from the below reviews) I didn't buy an AMP fork but used a standard model, I've seen few positive reviews for these linkage jobs. Pivots have never needed maintenance and frame is still tight after hundreds of rides. Have no plans to retire the bike, next I will be buying a more modern 100mm front fork. The AMP is still 4 years after intro the lightest FS cross-country frame on the market, and one of the best available.
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Submitted by
ericgreenfeather
a Cross Country Rider
from Sedro-Woolley, WA, USA Date Reviewed: August 18, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$800.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA
Strengths:
4.7# for the Carbon frame. Nice looking, simple, CnC linkage. Snappy for 5" travel. A real eye-catcher. A simple seat-mast change can take the bike from a small to a large size. (Not real useful, but still a nice design).
Weaknesses:
I noticed the carbon stays seem to flex in deep mud, causing the rear wheel to "wash" from side to side. Will the squeaking ever stop! (Unpreventable noisy pivots). There is no good brake routing unless you are running discs.
Similar Products Used:
Amp B3, Amp B4.
Bike Setup:
All custom. Mostly XTR and Syncros. Spinergy Spox. AMP F4 in front. ArchRival 50s for stopping.
Bottom Line:
First of all, I'm just reviewing the frame here, not the whole bike as I built it up myself.
I guess that I must be one of the lucky ones. I weigh 160# and have not expierenced any of the problems that seem to plauge the B5s reputation. I've only ridden the stock shock for 6 months, but I've put LOTS of miles on it and have had no problems with it. With my frame AMP enclosed directions (which are also downloadable from their website) on completely rebuilding the shock, so I'm not that worried.
The frame responds awesome, I have no problems carving tight or technical singletrack. Of course, the frame's weight makes it a great climber. The creaking of the pivots (which is probably more common for me because of my wet enviornment) is annoying but doesn't effect the ride at all.
As far a the quality of the frame, I haven't bent stays, broken drop-outs, or busted linkage like some of the other reviewers... and I DON'T baby this thing. Like I mentioned above, the rear stays do flex left to right when they are in deep mud (under extreme stress) which creates a control issue. However, it happens rarely and is a reasonable trade off for having a dual suspension that actually climbs hills!
All in all this is a kick-butt frame that builds into a kick-butt bike. It is not something I would use for racing, it has too much travel in the rear (look at the B4 for that), and it is not something for extreme Shore Riding (look at... well, look at something not made by AMP...) This is a bike to get if you just like riding all day in all different conditions. That's why they call it the all-country.
Value rating is really high, Overall rating minus one just for the damn squeaking... and possible shock failure later on.
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Submitted by
Navin : (
a Weekend Warrior
from Irvine Date Reviewed: August 12, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Dark Hollow, Brian Head, UT
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
If your a XC racer who needs a light F/S bike for racing and can afford a new bike after every season, this light bike is for you...
Weaknesses:
After about a month of riding, I've slightly bent the link, shock is leaking a little, and pivots are a little loose! I only weigh 145lbs.
Similar Products Used:
My old Amp B2, I had it for years with no prob.
Bike Setup:
New Bike... Storm Cycles Thunder... with almost twice the travel (measured), Fox RC shock, actual bearings at pivot points, and only weighs a lb more.
Bottom Line:
Sorry but the B5 was my dream bike, but what can I say, AMP let me down... first it was when they lied about the travel, then the rear shock started to leak, then the link bent, and now AMP sold the design to not so Specialized. So I'm guessing they're really closing up their bike department. I'm selling the bike for $1000.00 it has XT derailuers, hubs, brakes, and a Judy 100. It still rides good,If you replace the rear shock with an aftermarket one, it would be a great bike. I give it 2 chilis for being one of the first nice F/S bike, three years ago.
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Submitted by
Rick
a Weekend Warrior
from Steamboat springs CO Date Reviewed: July 13, 2000
Favorite Trail:
creek side
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
light,good hill climber, and fun on the DH. If you know where to go you can get this bike for $1,400 and some change.
Weaknesses:
I don't know where the rest of my travel is at? It does not feel like 5" to me.
Similar Products Used:
proflex 3000
Bike Setup:
judy race 100mm travel full lx with an xt rear. hell bent riser bar.
Bottom Line:
I love this bike for XC riding and it handels good on most down hills. I am going to up grade the rear shock to some thing that will put some more padding under my butt. Other than the rear shock that will never she 5" to save its life, I would buy an other one. The Judy race with 4" really make it fun on the down hill. oh ya one more thing if you get the carbon rear get a booster, it will help out a lot.
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Submitted by
Navin Poonpipat
a Weekend Warrior
from Irvine, CA, USA Date Reviewed: June 25, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Aliso woods
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light, Nice paint, good hill climber, great for XC use.
Weaknesses:
Will be too weak for heavy people, the unadjustable rear shock is wimpy. Only gets about 3.75" of rear wheel travel, kinda short since they claim 5"!
I do a lot of 10-20 mile XC riding and throw in some DH riding (steep enough for two wheel lock if you wanted to, but shouldn't because I need to steer! :) So I wanted a good handling, light, longtravel frame. I got the first two, I measured the rear tire to travel only 3.75" Look somewhere else if you need more travel. Good enough for XC riding, but I give it 4 chilis for not giving the claimed travel.
$ 2210.00
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