Submitted by
Troy
a Weekend Warrior
from Rexburg, ID, USA Date Reviewed: March 1, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Hulls Gulch, Boise
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
great components for the price, never had any mechanical problems whatsoever.
Weaknesses:
tires are a bit slippy in the corners, would recomend more agressive ones, I will be purchasing new ones this summer, mars fork is good but not as "plush" as I would like, stock pedals suck.
Bike Setup:
stock, execpt for the pedals, and some riser bars (much better for DH)
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike for the price. You can't beat it. You can beat the crap out of it and it will keep coming back for more. If you can find one around in good shape buy it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wayne
a Downhiller
from Nottingham Date Reviewed: November 1, 2003
Favorite Trail:
sssh, it's my little special trail
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Work
Bottom Line:
Ok i've had the bike for nearly 2 years now and as you can see my review below I am very chuffed with it.
I now run the bike in long travel mode, run flat pedals and Michlen Hot S tyres. I have also changed the bar for an Answer Alulite, put an Easton EA50 stem on it, had the shock serviced by TF Tuned Shox. This bike is used nearly everyday. I very happy with it and have not come acrooss any problems with it apart from the pedal hits the floor through corners. I plan to change the forks to some Manitou Blacks in the new year, respray the frame and upgrade to discs
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Robb Sirat
a Weekend Warrior
from Las Vegas, NV, USA Date Reviewed: November 8, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Bootleg Canyon, Boulder City NV
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Reliable predictable handling w/ the right tire selection. Frame feels solid on drops
Weaknesses:
1.) Poorly routed front derailleur cable. Needs a straighter cable approach to the top-pull XT. 2.)No sealed bearing pivots. No pivot upgrades available. 3.)Chain-suck = Chain-rip. Not enough clearance between granny front ring bolts and BB. I have broken chain at least 10 times because it bounced off the ring in between the ring & BB chainring bolts...on the next pedal stroke, I rip it to shreds. Have shortend and relpaced three chains. Am laughed at at the LBS because I'll show up to buy 5 Shimano pins before an epic adventure.
Similar Products Used:
none. I started MTB-ing in Nov 2000. Tested it @ Interbike's expo in Blue Diamond. The XR-4 was my first ride.
Bike Setup:
LX/XT Mars 1 (soon to be Black Super Air), SID rear, WTB Motoraptors, EA-70 riser, anything but WTB pedals (broke on first clip-in, Sun Rhyno-Lites(Taco-ed the Mavics on a 4 footer), Avid Arch Rivals & levers, stock headset, stem and seatpost.
Bottom Line:
I'm a novice rider. I learn by wrecking, then someone told me to buy Overend's book. As I improve, I understand the strengths of the XR-4. It's a tremendous value. Handles well. Strong frame and great combo of components (w/o upgrades) I don't compete. I ride 4-6 mi/ daily on a local singletrack and ride Boulder City (thanks to Bootleg Canyon's curator, Brent Thompson and crew) & Cottonwood Canyon once a week. I've beat the life out of this bike; wrecked hard & landed hard. It's a reliable ride. Similar feel to a 5 minute coast on an Intense Tracer. Wish there were sealed bearing pivot upgrades. Mars 1 is not plush enough for the DH-esque drop-off riding conditions off the beaten XC paths (west-leg, Caldera, east leg) in Boulder city and this 6'2" 200' frame. Weight is an issue only because of my fat butt. But that's not what that fork was designed to do. This is a great XC light DH bike. See you in Bootleg Canyon!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wayne
a Downhiller
from nottingham, uk Date Reviewed: March 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
sssshhhh. It's a secret
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$470.00
Purchased At:
work
Bike Setup:
Standard UK set up except for Tioga Factory XC tyres(crap), LONG seat post, Wellgo Pedals.
Bottom Line:
O.K I bought this bike cause I needed a bike that I could train, Ride XC and commute on. For what I paid for this Bike I have got a bargin(the Uk model retailed for £2300 and was top of the range). It is well spec'ed with SID SL's, XT/XTR, Avid mag brakes, Fox Float with Lock-out. It is a great bike to ride: sprints well, climbs like a Jet Fighter and has very plush rear suspension. Bad points are that it is heavy for a top of the line bike (27.5lb), it is a bit flexy and the bars and grips make my right hand go numb. On the whole I am very chuffed with my bike and I am looking for suitable upgrades in the future.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Haggis
a Weekend Warrior
from Cincinnati, OH, USA Date Reviewed: March 22, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Hueston Woods
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1400.00
Purchased At:
West Chester Cyclery
Strengths:
Great components. Very nice wheels. Of all of the bikes I compared it to it had the best components for the price.
Weaknesses:
Top tube and wheel base a little long for single track. The bike was really designed for cross country riding.
Similar Products Used:
Jekyll
Bike Setup:
Added some Tomac riser bars which made the bike a little shorter.
Bottom Line:
One of the best values I have seen in a MTB. Great components and great wheels/hubs. A long bike, which you may or may not like.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Terrence McCargish
a Weekend Warrior
from Chanler Arizona USA Date Reviewed: March 4, 2002
bottom line this is a pretty darn good ride for the money. When I was shopping for a fs bike, I rode them all!! I liked the gt team fs better, but did not have $3000. I have been pretty pleased with most aspects of the bike except for the pedals. Very hard to dial these pedals in. You are either coming out of them, or they have a death grip on your feet!!! Over the last year have had zero mechanical problems with this bike, and think that most of the people that have had mechanical problems can blame the bike shop they bought it from for not properly assembling and lubing the bike before sale. Have found that the rims are a tad bit heavy, particularly the rear, but are definately tough. The weighed in somewhere around 27lbs out of the shop, and when I bought this bike, you couldn't even get close to this weight and quality for 1100 bones from any other bike manufacturer. The mars1 shock hasn't exactly been impressive. Was pretty scratchy from the getgo and my lbs put quite a bit of time into dialing it in for me. Has never really met my expectations and I am considering dxing it for something else??? Overall though, this bike is excellent, and I am a picky picky son of a gun. Climbs good, descends good, looks good, geometry is good, handling is great. I have beat the crap out of it so durability is good. Probably a little heavy for xc, but I still use it for xc, and free ride. Buy it and enjoy!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian the kalahari surfer
a Weekend Warrior
from Marin County Date Reviewed: January 31, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Solidly made. Good over rough terrain.
Weaknesses:
Tires not that great.
Bottom Line:
This bike has been great! Not a single problem in 1.5 years of ownership. Felt that I needed to put a review out here as my next bike will probably be another Diamondback.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
david the teckno-grouch
a Weekend Warrior
from Jax, Fl Date Reviewed: August 22, 2001
Favorite Trail:
any trail on your buddy's bike
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
Scott paid for it. Sweet dual suspension, just right for trails. Handles quick. Great price!
Weaknesses:
I can't take it home with me
Similar Products Used:
All my friends' bikes
Bottom Line:
This bike is nice, but Scott is only an average rider and not up to the potential of the Diamondback. Rick and I whipped him Saturday on our old hardtails. He came coasting back with the chicks. Not the bike's fault though. I'm just jeolous because I spent more money on a hard tail. Check one out. A lot of bang for the buck.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Weekend Warrior
from Fernandina Beach, FL USA Date Reviewed: July 14, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Hanna Park, Jacksonville, FL
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
Fernandina Beach Cycling & Fitness
Strengths:
Everything except anything that has Koski on it!
Weaknesses:
Anything that has Koski written on it. It's not that Koski's all that bad, I just don't like it.
Easton EA70 bars, Titech Big Al Stem, Terry Ti Seat, Huchingson Mosquito Gold 2.0
Bottom Line:
I'm the only Diamondback in a pack of Cannondales and it's the fastest bike. It's not just my opinion, the Cannondale riders have gotten their best times on MY Bike. It handles great in the turns and soaks up the bumps. It weighs under 27 lbs (stock) and climbs like a beast! Do yourself a favor and buy one of these bikes today!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeffrey Jones
a Weekend Warrior
from NC Date Reviewed: May 28, 2001
Favorite Trail:
hog run sharon harris nc
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
bikesale.com
Strengths:
this is a great bike. I like the mars fork and sid air shock . I like the bike for the price and the mavic rims. It rides like a cadilac over rough terrain
Weaknesses:
I had a problem with the lx deore holltech crank , I chiped a tooth . I also dont like the the handle bars and tires. I dont like the clipless pedals that come with the bike.
Similar Products Used:
I also have a gary fisher tasarjaria with xt cranks.
Bike Setup:
I have changed the cranks and cassette to xtr shimano . I changed the tires to more aggressive tread. I changed the handle bars to carbon fiber risers and I changed the pedals to atac clipless pedals I really like them .
Bottom Line:
I really like the bike for the price and durability. I think you will like this bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Oakland Date Reviewed: May 14, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Anything
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
Supergo.com
Strengths:
Component mix for that price. Looks damn good. Light. Very strong frame.
Weaknesses:
Tires. Pedals. Paint job.
Bike Setup:
Changed to Shimano DH clipless pedals. Panaracer. Got some clear tape at ACE hardware to protect paint job, works magic, haven't had a chip yet after 300 miles (off road only rides)
Bottom Line:
Changing tires will really get your blood pumping on tight turns. Can't beat the components at the price I paid. Great on killer climbs. After the bike arrived I took the bike apart and applied my own lube, and made sure there was enough. Had no creeking sounds and its very smooth now. Great bike!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a Cross Country Rider
from Arizona Date Reviewed: May 10, 2001
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$960.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Okay components for the price. Shifters are good.
Weaknesses:
Pivots creak, frame is heavy, wheels go out of true, rear SID loses air by end of ride, pedals are death-traps, paint chips easily, tires don't work well in mud.
Similar Products Used:
Klein Mantra.
Bike Setup:
Stock LX, XT mix with Mars upfront and SID in back.
Bottom Line:
Is there anything I like about this bike? Well, the seatpost and Koski stem haven't given me any problems. I swapped the tires for some Fire XC's and replaced the brakes with a set of Avid Mechanicals. It rides better now, but there are better F/S bikes out there that you can get a deal on. It's too heavy for a XC race bike, but good for a weekend warrior. Since I've had problems with the shock and pivots, I can't recommend it for downhill or freeride. Others may have had better luck because the other postings are favorable (one reason why I bought it).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg C
a Weekend Warrior
from Fairfax Va Date Reviewed: May 4, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Shafer in MD
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1040.00
Purchased At:
Galyans
Strengths:
I used to race a Diamondback Pro back in the glory days of BMX so 15 years later I got another DB. This bike kicks butt for the price. The rear shock alone costs a few hundred. Fairly light. GT makes an I drive bike for about $140 less than I paid for this. Cant remember the model but it is the flat black one. I took the GT out and the parts were inferior and it weighed a ton, maybe 5 pounds heavier than the diamond back, and needed a shock upgrade. The Diamond Back -Great parts for the price. If I spent less on a bike I would have had to settle for the fox shock on another bike and would not have been happy.
Weaknesses:
Tires are not too good. Paint of frame does not look like it will hold up. Pedals- couldnt get me feet out of them and wrecked a few times. Put some ritcheys on. All minor things.
Similar Products Used:
Have a Specialized stump jumper which I love.
Bike Setup:
stock except for the pedals. will get new bars also and tires
Bottom Line:
Cant beat it for the price. If you are going to go spend $600 on a bike, save some bucks and get this. You'll end up upgrading a cheaper bike, spend more than this DB costs and have a weaker bike.
If you eat 6 times a day, get 30 grams of protein each meal and a starch the size of your fist, drink plenty of water, lift weights, do cardio 3x per week and ride this bike, you will be totally unstoppable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Yosuke Yamamoto
a Weekend Warrior
from Corvallis, OR Date Reviewed: April 25, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$938.00
Purchased At:
shop in pennsylvania
Strengths:
The bike has a very strong (but heavy) frame, along with very nice components for the price I paid. A light wheelset along with solid shimano components round out a "smart" speced bike.
Weaknesses:
Lots of creaking noise, but I guess that's to be expected of FS bikes? This is my first full suspension. I moved the rear suspension to 6" of travel, so in the process got rid of the Mars fork and put some Z3 air forks on their to give me 4" up front. It feels like a pretty good match, although the bike is now very heavy. The bike was heavy to begin with (27.5lbs I believe). I also didn't like the flat bars, I put some risers on their. The tires also were not very grippy, so I went with FireXC pro's. For the strength and weight of the frame, I think it was a stretch for diamondback to market this as a XC bike. It's more of a mix of XC/Freeride bike, and it works for that. Just remember it's heavy though. Also I was skeptic about the "thermoplastic" pedals...so I got rid of them for $55.
Similar Products Used:
Other mt bikes I've owned: Trek 8700, Trek 830, Diamondback outlook. First full suspension bike.
Bike Setup:
DBR XR4 frame, stock everything except for: Z3 flylight air ('00), Shimano PD535 pedals (4 to 5 years old, i love 'em), Koski riser bar, Panaracer fire XC Pro 2.1.
Bottom Line:
This is a very fun trail bike. It's so comfortable that it's well suited for extended hour rides. It's not light, but light enough to be ridden with enough speed up the hills, and the travel helps in bombing down the hills. The component spec is very excellent and if you can find a deal on one still, jump on it. A bike that originally had a MSRP of $1750 can be had for less than $1000 now, and that in my mind is a great deal.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
raffy o.
a Weekend Warrior
from AR Date Reviewed: March 19, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Atilla the Hun
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
very good component mix good fork decent color
Weaknesses:
heavy bike pedals paint job chips tires could be better saddle does not fit well for me
Bike Setup:
stock at this time. will get panaracer fire xc tires,atac pedals, better saddle, and a riser handlebar.
Bottom Line:
best bang for the buck bike. imagine having a manitou mars fork with mavic xrides and XT /LX components for the price.
the bike is heavy but it does not seem so when riding.im just a weekend warrior and not much into racing anyways so this bike suits me just fine.If im thinking of upgrading later if i like to do racing, ill get a chameleon frame and put the DBR components on it.
if you are racing ,other bikes will be better but if you are just fond of riding and would like a bike that rides good , will last and is upgradable , get this bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Luke Ty
a Weekend Warrior
from Baltimore Date Reviewed: March 15, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Loch Raven
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Great bike at a great price. This bike feels fast, climbs well, handles great and looks good. Nice wheelset. Great breaks. LX/XT works perfectly. Mars 1 front and SID rear shocks. Strong frame and not too heavy. Good geometry
Weaknesses:
There is not a lot of saddle height adjustment (only around 2-3"). I'm 6'2" and still had to cut 1.5" off the seat post on the large frame. The saddle was uncomfortable for me. The tires are light, but no good on anything but dry hardpack. The pedals are pure crap and could be dangerous. I had lot's of trouble with the pedals. Luckily they broke on the 5th ride and I had to buy some new ones. SID rear feels good, but looses air on every ride. The Mars 1 is light, but not stiff at all. Heavy skewers.
Similar Products Used:
Trek 8000, Giant Rainier SE.
Bike Setup:
Terry Fly saddle, Time ATAC Alium pedals, Panaracer Fire XC Pro tires, SKS fenders for the mud. Otherwise stock.
Bottom Line:
Lose the tires and the pedals ASAP. I could not get my feet unclipped when I wanted to and wrecked a few times before the pedals broke. The WTB Stealth's were my first clipless pedals. I did not know how bad these things were until I installed some Time ATAC's on the bike. I was nursing this bike around the trails scared to death every time I approached an obstacle with the WTB Stealth's. I am now 100% confident when I clip into my Time ATAC's. The Time's are much easier to clip into and out of, and feel better riding unclipped due to the bigger footprint.
Back to the bike. I love it. It feels really great. I think I got the deal of the year. For $1000, this is a lot of bike. The shifters, derailleurs and brakes are all top notch. The wheelset is still true after about 100 miles and a few wrecks caused by the WTB vice grips.....uh, pedals. Overall, I'm very pleased with this bike. I give 5 chili's for value, but only 4 chili's for the overall rating due to the tires and really crappy pedals. More seat height adjustment would also be nice.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dimitri Keares
a
from Lancaster, PA Date Reviewed: February 7, 2001
Favorite Trail:
I ride everything
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
SUPERGO (my heaven)
Strengths:
Price/ Component selection is difficult to compromise, but I felt this was the best deal anywhere for a similar setup. Heck, just the frame, Wheels, and Forks, retail @ $999. Hands down this bike handles well, is fairly light, and is great out of the box. I, like some immediately added risers.
Weaknesses:
Tires, and Pedals. Pedals will be sold on ebay ASAP!
Similar Products Used:
'98 GT Avalanche/XTR/SID/King, 517
Bike Setup:
Stock XR-4 except, Crowbar Riser, King Wheelset, 747's
Bottom Line:
If you are looking for a great out of the box fun machine, which can still be used in competition, this is it. This is the same exact frame used for the XR-8. I was dreaming about this bike for a while. Shocks didn't take that much time to dial-in. *** should own a shock pump wit this bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rhino77
a Weekend Warrior
from Okinawa, Japan Date Reviewed: February 5, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Spider Loop
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
SuperGo
Strengths:
Price. Component Selection.
Weaknesses:
As everybody has said, pedals and tires.
Bike Setup:
Stock except for MonkeyLite bar and PanaRacer FireXC tires (F & R). Time ATACS will be added soon.
Bottom Line:
Go to SuperGo and buy this bike. To find a similar set-up you would easily drop twice the $$$. The tires would be fine for hard pack, but the PanaRacers added grip to keep up with handling of the bike. The WTB pedals are light, but a bar of soap shoved on a spindle would be too and you'd get about the same performance. At six foot and 200lbs the bike performs well for this clydesdale; the large frame was just about right after adding the risers and the CrossRide wheels and suspension are holding up just fine. Everything else about the bike is spot on. Sure there are some minor weight savings to be found by spending a whole lot of money on upgrades, but for this price don't quibble. If you want a quality ride and still need a little money left to feed the kids -- this is your bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Parks
a Cross Country Rider
from Huntington Beach Date Reviewed: December 11, 2000
Favorite Trail:
El Morro Canyon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$899.00
Purchased At:
Supergo - Fountain Valley
Strengths:
Great frame design Components for price of bike
Weaknesses:
Bontrager pedals and cranks Tires
Similar Products Used:
Spec. FSR XC & GT XCR 4000
Bike Setup:
Shimano pedals, Shimano XT Cranks (a must) Panaracer tires (also a must)
Bottom Line:
Bottom line....it's a great bike. Suspension travel is plenty for the not so picky people ot there, but the best part is there is no bob. I used to be a hardtail guy until I rode this bike. Now I dont know why I ever was. It climbs like a champ and handles any technical section with ease. The weight is nice for the price. I give it 5 for value & 5 for overall considering your still looking at the price tag.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA Date Reviewed: November 14, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Mt. Fortuna
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1250.00
Purchased At:
Black Mountain Bikes
Strengths:
Agile yet stable on fast fireroads. Climbs well. Great fork. Good component mix. Looks fantastic!
Weaknesses:
1-2lb. heavier than an FSR. WTB pedals. Powdercoat frame would be nice.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized FSR (demo only)
Bike Setup:
Stock except for Panaracer FireXC Pro (Kevlar) tires Easton MonkeyLite riser bar.
Bottom Line:
This is my first FS and my first decent MTB and I am finding this a fantastic bike! The more I ride it, the more I find the bike can do. I was originally set on a Specialized FSR and bought the Diamondback to save some money. I think this is the better bike. While it's not quite as light as the FSR, I'm finding the handling is as good, maybe a better balance of quickness and stability. I've got it set up in the long travel mode. This increases the steering angle slightly and makes the bike a little more agile on tight single track while the basic geometry and length make it very stable at speed without being twitchy. It's light enough to climb well and descends a lot better than I do. If I stand and hammer on the pedals, I can make it "bob." However, at that point I'm exaggerating my technique to make it happen. Everything I've read says to be smooth and pedal in circles when climbing. If I do this, the bike remains solid and climbs over anything I have the muscle for.
The XR-4 has been in production for several years and I think the 2000 has the best mix of components. I added Panaracer FireXC's (Kevlar) because I didn't think the stock tires were aggressive enough. An Easton MonkeyLite bar was added to give myself a more upright position. Other than that, it's stock. The Mars fork is beautiful, once I got a shock pump and the Manitou tuning guide, I got it dialed in to where it is supple on fast ripple and handles XC terrain very well. I don't consider 2' a "drop" but the fork handles these without any problems. Likewise with the SID shock at the rear. I've had riders argue that nothing feels as smooth as coil & oil. They're probably right but I think you'd have to ride a lot harder and faster than I do to feel the difference. Some day, I may experiment with a Fox Vanilla but until them I'll save my cash (and some weight) with the SID.
The Mavic CrossRide wheels look beautiful on the bike and are solid and true after more than 400 miles on them, all on dirt. Not a single spoke has loosened, so not only are they well designed, they are also assembled with care at the factory. The Avid V-brakes are easy to adjust and perform great. They have good stopping power for XC and modulate very well. The Shimano LX/XT drive train performs just as you would expect. And the money is in the right place witht the XT derailleurs. I do notice some creaking from the bottom bracket while climbing. From what I've read, some grease on the splines of the crank arms would cure that. I can't say I'm in love with the WTB pedals but they are working okay. They are a little difficult to set up but seem to be working consistently. Pedals are such a personnal choice I don't consider this a negative aspect of the bike.
Overall, the bike is a great buy. A big thanks to Black Mountain Bikes for steering me toward this bike and for their support. I would guess I'd have to spend another $1000 to improve significantly on the weight or the components. A world class racer could probably find a lot of faults in the XR-4 but I can't. This bike deserves 10 chilis for both it's overall performance and it's value. And with them being on sale right now at SuperGo and others, they're a fantastic buy.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stewart Louis
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary, Ab., Canada Date Reviewed: October 19, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Prairie creek
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Purchased At:
Single Track Cycle
Strengths:
Excellent climbing ability, light and still agile, great component mix, love the wheels. Kept the rear travel at the max and had no need to change to the less amount of travel. Infinite tunability with both the front & rear shocks is a great thing. So reliable that both shocks never needed to be pumped up as they never leaked (6 months)(Rock Shox Sid rear, Manitou Mars C).
Weaknesses:
rear tire and pedals (over rated) rear tire is great on hard packed, but when it comes to mud as the bike should be ridden it lacks traction. Pedals are light which is great but that doesn't help the difficulty of getting in and getting out. Pedals were replaced with Time (excellent pedal).
Bottom Line:
Definitely a great bike, handles and tracks incredibly. Braking always reliable and dependable. Highly recommend this bike as a X-Country bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
AL GRENERT
a Weekend Warrior
from FT MILL , SC Date Reviewed: October 16, 2000
Favorite Trail:
"THE GREENWAY"
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
COLLEGE CYCLES ROCK HILL, SC
Strengths:
LIGHTWEIGHT, CLIMBS GREAT, NICE SUSPENSION (TIGHT), DURABLE FRAME AND COMPONENTS, LOOKS GREAT! LOTS OF COMPLEMENTS!
Weaknesses:
TIRES AND PEDALS. CHANGED OUT REAR TIRE ONLY. NO GRIP OR TRACTION. PEDALS HARD TO ADJUST, THEN LOOSEN AFTER JUST A COUPLE MILES ON THE TRAILS. OUTSIDE OF THAT NO OTHER PROBLEMS!!!
Similar Products Used:
NONE. FIRST NICE BIKE I'VE HAD.
Bike Setup:
STOCK EVERYTHING ACCEPT REAR TIRE.
Bottom Line:
OUTSIDE OF THE TIRES AND PEDALS, IT'S BEEN A GREAT BIKE. I'M 6' 165LBS AND BIKE FITS WELL.. DO HIT FRONT POST WITH KNEES WHILE CLIMBING, BUT PROBABLY MORE ME THAN BIKE. (STILL LEARNING)! MAY NEED A LARGE FRAME IF YOUR OVER SIX FT'.. WELL WORTH THE DISCOUNT PRICE I PAID RELATIVE TO OTHER FS BIKES ON THE MARKET!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ricardo mountainbomb
a Weekend Warrior
from Cary, NC, USA Date Reviewed: October 14, 2000
Favorite Trail:
challenging
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Excellent bike for the dollars!!! This is my first FS bike (still have my Bridgestone MB2 HT- my 3rd MB since 1989). Amazing set of components for $1100 smackeroos- tracks and climbs very well once dialed in. Love the Mavic cross-ride wheels and Mars1 fork and Hollowtech crankset. Geometry fits me very well after getting used to it (I bought the small size- am 5'-7", 190 lb).
Weaknesses:
tires, pedals, longevity of RS bushings questionable.
Similar Products Used:
First FS owned, but test rode GF Sugar, Trek STP, Specialized FSR
Bike Setup:
Stock, but with Specialized Team Comp tires, Shimano 747 peadls, Trek OCV CF bar-ends. Stock tires sucked for my conditions. Gave the WTB pedals a fair chance after I found out what they list for (~ $140), but found them difficult to set-up (stripped one adjusting screw), hard to clip into, and they released at in-opportune times (hopping logs). Bought some 747s from Supergo for $88- they actually don't seem as easy to enter as my original 747s, but are definitely lighter. Set rear SID shock at around 190 lbs both sides and rebound in the middle- seems to work pretty good. One word of warning- after 2 rides, I discovered the RS linkage bushings were loose- I tightened and after 2 more rides they were loose again. I dissasembled and discovered there was no grease or lubrication in any of them. I greased and reassembled with blue Loctite. So far, so good.
Bottom Line:
For the money, this is one sweet ride- Mavic Cross-ride wheels, Mars1 fork, SID RS, XT deralliers, Avid 25/1.9, LX Hollowtech crank on splined XT BB, reasonably light bars/stem/seatpost etc. (about 26 lbs total) effective 4 bar linkage (bushings may be a concern longterm). Climbs better than my HT, once I got used to it (much lighter in the front), and XC and down hill runs are much faster. For $1100, I haven't seen anything else that even comes close.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Weasel Freestone
a Cross Country Rider
from Littleton, CO Date Reviewed: October 13, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Deer Creek
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
BYU Outdoors Unlimited
Strengths:
Price, component set, wheelset, colors
Weaknesses:
Grips, Mars 1 is nice but I had several problems with mine. Decals peel off easily.
Bike Setup:
Basically stock except switched pedals to Time, switched grips to Bontrager.
Bottom Line:
Can't beat the price. Best bike for the money! I love riding this bike! I still treat it like it's brand new and I hope to ride it for a while! Note: my ratings are based on how well it performs according to its price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Kipper
a Cross Country Rider
from Carlsbad, Ca, Usa Date Reviewed: October 7, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Mammoth Mountain
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Frame is strong rear sid is nice i like the feature of giving more travel by flipping the link around overall componet selection is great wheel set is pretty light but strong colors are great Mars 1 is ok climbs like a dream
Weaknesses:
The bike comnplete is around 26 or 27 lbs. could go to jenny craig but when riding is doesnt feel heavy at all. I havent had troubles with the mars1 but its not that plush. i weigh 130lbs so maybe if i put lighter springs in it will be ok. also no boots but they say you dont need em.
Similar Products Used:
Tried the Gt I-drive but heavier and more money. Stumjumper but not even travel. i chose this becuz i do some jumping and it looked beefy for that.
Bike Setup:
Stock excpet for yellow panaracers fire xc pros also want a computer and bar ends
Bottom Line:
I love this bike to death. It climbs sooo much better than my old hardtail. if you pushing hard it will bob a tiny but when sitting not at all. My review below about when i rode it at mammoth was over the summer. i liked it soo much i bought one. Ill also put another review in a couple of months. if your a xc rider with somefreeride like or do some jumps this is the bike for :)
Good Dirt Matt
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
steve
a
from maui, hawaii Date Reviewed: September 28, 2000
Favorite Trail:
west maui
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
south maui bikes
Strengths:
component selection, overall quality, and the lifetime warranty on the frame were the deciding factors. The yellow Mavic hubs look nice too.
Weaknesses:
stock tires and pedals were the first to go. mars 1 fork should have come with boots. Lizard Skins dont protect well enough. Lost fork rebound adjuster knob on first ride. chain gets stuck too easily between bottom bracket and chainring when thrown off. Red, blue and yellow would have not been my first choice of colors.
When I was riding my 12 yr old Trek hardtail I used to say "It's not the bike, it's the rider that counts." After I got my XR-4, my riding improved immediately. I found myself out climbing and out descending more experienced riders on their hardtails. I still say "It's not the bike, it's the rider", with a big smile on my face as I pass my friends on the downhills. The bottom line is this bike rocks! Buy this bike, then take all the credit.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MAtt Kipper
a Cross Country Rider
from Carlsbad, Ca, USA Date Reviewed: August 7, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Off The Top at Mammoth
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
Sweet looking frame design front shock is manitou mars 1 wich is sweet and ajustable rear shock is air and can change to 5 in. instead of 3 in. by flipping it around!! total paint job is great. lightweight frame, rims are lightweight and strong and cool color
Weaknesses:
tires suck no boot on fork could use risor bars rear shock could use lockout for climbing
Similar Products Used:
diamond back xr1
Bike Setup:
i tested it it down mammoth
Bottom Line:
i only tested at mammoth mountian. the suspensions is really great and its air too!! still the tires suck. i went down mammoth mountain with no problem at all. very light bike. if your a climber or or cross country ride or a little downhill buy this bike!!! i give it a 4 becuz of the tires
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan
a Weekend Warrior
from Athens, Ga, USA Date Reviewed: May 21, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
plush ride. My first FS, so they all feel pretty good to me. Good component spec, though some things are not as listed in the catalog (see below). With just a few changes mine, size small, wieghs in at 25.5.
Climbs well if you have a good spin.
Looks like a million damn dollars.
Weaknesses:
Some of the below is merely observation; not complaint.
Seatpost and tires are those that are spec'd for the XR1 - wire beads, not kevlar as listed. Changing the tires out saves quite a bit of wieght. Tires are fine for flat hardpack, but I ride where there are actually rocks and roots. IRC's are lighter than the stock tires anyway.
on my small frame, the negative spring valve on the SID rear actually hits the frame with the linkage set up with the long arm attached to the frame.
Speaking of the linkage, there is no manual to tell you which way is which, shock set up, etc.
Actually comes with a MARS 1, but it has performed fine so far.
Bobs when standing to climb, but thats the price you pay for active suspension.
Low bottom bracket causes inside pedal to hit if you pedal while carving turns hard.
Similar Products Used:
Tried out GT I-drive, Fisher Sugar
Bike Setup:
Mostly stock. Added a Ritchey stem for lower rise, my WTB saddle, SRAM 7.0 shifters and rear derailleur, lightwieght tubes and Mythos tires
Bottom Line:
I wrote a lot in the complaints section, but some of it is nitpicking and some is just inherent in FS. My big complaints are the valve hitting the frame (easily fixed, but you lose the "dual duty") and the heavy tires. It's really an excellent bike and I would buy it again. It's a great all around bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doctor Payne
a Cross Country Rider
from Provo,Utah Date Reviewed: April 28, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Gooseburry Mesa
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Lighter than last years, SID on the rear is good. Geometry is more aggressive. Light front end. mavic Cross Rides are descent.
Weaknesses:
Put boots on the Mars shock up front, the seals don't keep the dust out. rear wheel is heav for the price. WTB thermo crap-plastic pedals broke the second time I rode. Shimano's ol' trusty.
Stock except I changed out the pedals. and put boots on the Manitou.
Bottom Line:
Price is competitive, setup is aggressive...Great bike, the needed to do a little more work on the WTB pedals. WTB was cool and took care of me, the said they were fixing the problem. I'd but the bike again. I've won every race I've entered on it...I give it 4 because of the problem with the pedals, and the heavy rear wheel. Fun ride...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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