|
|
|
| |
Submitted by
Nicholas Thomas
a Weekend Warrior
from Barbados
Date Reviewed: March 22, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything I find | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Taylor's Cycle Centre | | Strengths: | It is a very strong and eligant frame,beautiful colour, likes to be ridden fast and fearless. Easy on the back. | | Weaknesses: | rear shock | | Similar Products Used: | xts 2 | | Bike Setup: | marozzchi z5 front shock, stratos helix expert, rhino lytes wheel set | | Bottom Line: | This bike works every where, and it works well. I would recommend this bike for any big and tall mountain biker who wants a reliable beast to do more than it's share of work. Takes 4ft drops easily (MY WEIGHT 365, height 6ft3inch) Ride cross country but prefer garvity sports. Trust me this bike is VERY, VERY strong and reliable | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Victoria Deaton
a Weekend Warrior
from Raleigh, NC, USA
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Harris Lake, New Light, any ride is a good ride | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycle Logic | | Strengths: | Value, durability, do-it-all competence, predictable handling at any speed, good spec where it's needed, rear suspension design works great. | | Weaknesses: | Cable routing to rear is a tad sloppy but not criminal. ATI grips were uncomfortable on longer rides (4+ hours). | | Similar Products Used: | Trek Fuel series, Raleigh 8000, Schwinn Rocket 88 series, Giant NRS series, Specialized Enduro Pro, tons of hardtails | | Bike Setup: | Azonic hammer stem, Azonic chubby bars, Race Face rock ring, ODI grips, Odyssey triple traps, THE fenders. Used factory settings for Z5 during break-in. I use the stock Wellgo M9's on XC rides. | | Bottom Line: | This is true sleeper, a bike for riders who want the functionality of key design features like the Horst-like rear end, but can live without a bike brand or component mix that dominates the magazine ads. Diamondback's "freeride" design bias in the XTS probably drove the parts mix for the XTS2--durability over grams and functionality over popular brands (the bars, seat post, and stem are generic)--but don't let the "freeride" designation pigeon-hole this bike. It's entry-level in pricing but not competence, beefy but not portly, a sturdy do-it-all FS bike that performs well on singletrack and will soak up mistakes and botched drops. Almost-Horst-Leitner rear-end works GREAT and is unusual at this price-point and was the main selling point for me. The 100mm Marzocchi Z5 after break-in is decent for this bike's intended use; give it some time to get over its initial stiction before passing judgement (it smooths out dramatically after 10 hours or so). If you are used to air/oil you'll miss it but given the bike's purpose and price point for the XTS2, the Z5 is a good spec. The DNM rear coil-over does its job and feels well-balanced with the Z5 up front after some dial-in. The XTS2 is beefy(31-32# as I have it set up) but increased overall speed and comfort over the day's ride makes up for it. It feels like a steamroller mated with a Hummvee, especially if you upgrade to a more upright stem/bar combo. Keep your butt in the seat and it climbs great. The bike does well on singletrack (you may want to cut down the bars if you do a lot of tight trail riding) but the XTS2 really comes into its own on descents and begs to be ridden hard and launched at every opportunity. It's confidence-inspiring and wickedly fun. I'm used to XT but the Deore group works okay and has withstood 3 months of heavy use; upgrade as you go when needed but remember that the value in this bike is in its modest-but-competent spec: it strikes a nice balance between low-price and functionality with the components, and the frame with it's 4-bar rear end won't be quickly outgrown within its intended jack-of-all-trades duty. The Koski Brake Lite Pro system works fine despite the skinny mud clearance and the Vuelta wheelset is disc-ready. Installing a shorter stem helps shorter folks get their weight back and front end up--more a "universal truth" than an observation specific to this bike, but these frames run large in this series, IMHO, so budget for this upgrade up front if you want a bit more control. My bike is a small, but I've got very little top tube clearance (I can normally ride a 16" no problem) - be sure of this bike's sizing if you're ordering one via mail-order! If you want a beefy, competent bike that will let you pound it during freeride sessions (IMHO any ride when you're grinning like a fool is freeriding--even if you haven't worked up the guts to go fall off a big log or loading dock yet), help you polish skills with its forgiving nature, yet will allow you to keep up 90% with your buddies on singletrack, this is for you. Your gram-freak buddies will sneer at it and your freeride buddies will wheelie it up and down the trailhead parking lot while yelling "Duuuude...where's a loading dock?!", but when you all hit the trails together, this bike won't fail you or embarrass you. If you want a higher-level parts mix, go for the XTS3, but the XTS2 is the killer value at $600-$700 on sale. Diamondback also provides an equally competent, high-value XC bike in the XSL line. I love this bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
greg
a
from california
Date Reviewed: July 20, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | great freeride bike. climbs ok if you have the right tire setup.tracks well at all speeds.the faster
you go the better the bike feels. | | Weaknesses: | none yet. my buddy thinks it to heavy , but he's comparing it to his to his 29 pound cross counrty bike witch is only 2 pounds lighter | | Similar Products Used: | DBR V6, gt RTS3-(this bike sucked) | | Bike Setup: | Marzocchi Z3,Avid disc and avid ti levers, xt rear,easton stem, uno riser bar, | | Bottom Line: | great freeride bike.climbs good with the right tire combo.the bike just screams for speed.the faster you go the better the bike feels.takes the hard hits know problem.
the bike comes with a marzocchi z5, i suggest upgrading the
fork.i went to a Z3 and its great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
after a few upgrades im really happy with the bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
| |
|
Photo Caption Contest
(sponsored by Maxxis)
|
Enter here
|
|
|
$ 969.99
