Submitted by
CLIFF ID
a Weekend Warrior
from SANTA CALRA Date Reviewed: May 30, 2006
Favorite Trail:
none
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Great design and excellent welds. Great suspension design with anodized finish should last for years. I like the pivots with sealed bearings.
Weaknesses:
Terrible rear cable routing. Very bad rear disc mount design on 01 models seatstays as you can't use Hayes mounts w/o modifcations/special adaptors. I ended up with Avid Juicy 185mm with a lot of shaving/grinding of the adaptor plus a washer on the mounting bolts to get clearance...a nightmare. Reading in other reviews a weak seatstay and Ellsworth has replacement upgrade for a moderate cost. Rear deraillar hanger setup not the best. Steep and hefty price/dealers that think the product will sell themselves and are finicky about giving you service after purchase.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized FSR/Stinky/Blur LT
Bike Setup:
17 2002 ID with 01 stamped left rear dropout/Juicy 185mm/Raceface Evolve XC triple/ Fox Vanilla RLC/FSA bars/stem/headset /x7/x9(shifter/der)/XT wheelset
Bottom Line:
Bottomline: This bike is great, alittle bobbing on the ride but I'm still in the setup cycle. Romic shock in the rear is the best with a Fox Vanilla setup. Looks and feels very solid and should last for years. My only complaint is I think Ellsworth should exchange the 01 rear seatstays for free and give a better warranty service for a frame only that cost almost $2500 new.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave Pirog
a Cross Country Rider
from North Brunswick, NJ Date Reviewed: August 2, 2004
Favorite Trail:
the one not paved
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
Galyan's Trading Company
Strengths:
Excellent craftsmenship, unbelivable ride, scratch-resistant finish, very little "bob" while peddeling, excellent service.
Weaknesses:
Cable routing is inconvient. And this bike is a tad expensive.
Similar Products Used:
Rocky Mountain Pipeline, Santa Cruz Blur/ Superlight, Iron Horse Hollow Point, and various hardtails
Bike Setup:
17" Red Anodized Frame. Romic Shock with 600# spring. '04 Z1 Bomber SL (130mm travel) Cane Creek Wheels, Race Face Cranks/ Bottom Bracket. SRAM X.0 shifters and rear der. XT front der. Avid Ball Bearing 185mm disc brakes. Tompson Elite Stem/ Seatpost. Cane Creek Headset. Johnny T Kenda Tires. Answer pro-taper bars. Crank bros peddles.
Bottom Line:
If you can justify the cost of one of these it will be the best bike you have ever ridden. This is an all mountain machine that is not afraid to climb up or bomb down anything. The suspension stays active and it climbs like a cross country racer. If you want to elevate your entire mountain biking experience GET ONE OF THESE!! This is not the lightest bike but unless you are a feather weight you will never notice. Hands down the best bike I have ever ridden
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mike z
a Cross Country Rider
from mammoth, ca Date Reviewed: May 26, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$5700.00
Purchased At:
richardsbicycles.com
Strengths:
solid and stable, very light, climbs like a dream. I got the ID with top of the line components. I never new a bike could ride so smooth. I have always hated strange noises coming from my bike. All I hear from this bike is that clean sound of the chain spinning through the derailer. It is a beautiful thing.
Weaknesses:
I have not found one yet.
Similar Products Used:
specialized fsr. specialized "s" works m5.
Bike Setup:
richardsbicycles.com was great. My bike arrived perfectly in 3 days. talk to mike richards and let him help you chose the bike size and best componets for you. they did me right.
Bottom Line:
on my first test ride I was going down slopes that I was scared to on my old bike. the stability is increadable. I am still getting in shape since the snow is still melting here and I can already climb better on this bike than ever before. I am thankful that I am in a position in my life to be able to afford a bike of this quality. I always wanted to get the best but never new it would be this fun. Any one who enjoys this sport should, at least once while still able to physically apriciate it, get one of these bikes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lee
a Weekend Warrior
from Laguna Niguel Date Reviewed: May 25, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$4600.00
Purchased At:
The Bike Co., Then some upgrades...
Strengths:
Read the other reviews. They are all telling the truth as I see it. I think the early-dated guy was in a bad mood...
This bike does everything you can want for a heavy duty all mountain bike. I weigh ~ 205lbs and have thrashed this bike for 1 year now, starting with a 4 day trip to Moab including Porcupine Rim, Amassa Back, Spring Racecourse Loop and Slickrock Trail. The design was reportedly inspired by Tony Ellsworth's rides at Moab and the great handling, travel, lightness and high BB all fit that terrain very well.
After about 450 miles horizontal and 77,000 ft vertical later, the Id still keeps impressing me. It climbs like there is a winch drum attached to your crank set, relentlessly tugging you up any terrain, as long as you can twist the cranks around. No sensible bobing, no fussing. Downhill you can either choose the point-and-shoot method actoss the "tops" of the bad stuff, or use the nimble handling to fast-weave the good line between the nasties. Go ahead and take to the air anytime things get too wierd, and you will be rewarded by an uneventful, hooked-up landing ready for the next move. You can get lighter XC bikes, but not with the travel/design/features of the Id, and if you do not weigh 150lb, you may also break them 20 miles from nowhere. Even XC bikes are heavy when they are carried.
The Romic shock is sweet for this type of bike. 6 clicks in from wide open for climbing steadiness, 3 clicks in for downhill suppleness and washboard immunity. Ti spring for 1/2lb weight reduction if you still have $200 laying around. I would also recommend disc brakes for this class of bike. The added braking capability will allow you to really use the framset to it's potential.
Weaknesses:
You will be poor after buying this bike. You will probably not be able to ride a lesser bike and be happy. You will not be able to go into the bike store and drool over some other frameset. Your friends may think you are now a bike snob.
I cannot say much about the Ellsworth warranty, as I have not needed it, and the only thing better than a good warranty is a good product (or both). Maybe I should have put this in the strengths section...?
Similar Products Used:
Many spins on buddies bikes, most recently my old GT Idrive. Ridden various stuff & things since a a Redline parts bike and a Mongoose Moose bombing fire roads in the Hollywood hills and central California in the late '70's.
Based on buddies bikes, I would say the Santa Cruz Blur is the closest thing I have seen.
Bike Setup:
Gold Ano. frame, Romic shock, Dave's Speed Dream Aeroheat wheel set, King ISO hubs, King headset, 7" Avid mech's, Fox Vanilla 125RLC, 8 speed XTR F&R (I like the stability of adjustments...), Race Face Next LP Crankset, Rings and BB, Shimano 525 pedals, Easton EA70 riser bars, Salsa skewers, WTB Power-V saddle (AKA the BarcoLounger)...
Bottom Line:
The bike gets better everytime you ride it. I have hammered it. It has not hammered back. It just seems to become transparent under you, and you really just think your way down the trail. The bike just seems to takes your "big picture" wishes and works out all of the small details for you (like maintaining traction off camber, over washboard, while under braking...)
So nice...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mike hall
a Cross Country Rider
from aliso viejo ca., usa Date Reviewed: March 20, 2003
Favorite Trail:
da full shredder
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At:
mtbr
Strengths:
beefy construction,the suspension linkage (how it works) and the geometry
Weaknesses:
none to speak of. I've heard of people comlaining about the bb being a little high.? I think they are the ones that are a little high. More clearance? BRING IT ON. tight turns at slow speed? The rider can handle. The bike is way to nuetral to actually feel some sort of center of gravity issue.
This bike is the bomb. I did a 2yr search, spec'ed them out, test rode them all. When all was said and done the ID was the one that had it all. You sit nuetral on the bike, not "in" or "behind" the bike, there's none of that sloshy goosh of excess travel gone wild or that I need to pedal hard to get on top of it feeling. At speed you can either drive the bike hard or just hang on. The bike feels nimble and quick but ooooo so stable. Going dh is rock solid and predictable and it will air out. Climbing is a dream. The linkage combined with the romic allows you to climb anything your fitness will allow. It doesn't bob wallow or wander, it merely hooks up. Riding along you feel as if you have 2" of travel rather than 6" because the pedaling dynamics are so dialed. THE BOMB.I have ridden for the cycle. Fully rigid, frt susp h/t, fullsusp, big frt susp h/t,full susp. I've gone 2-12 hrs on the bike, steep&deep,rolly & twisty, nasty&sweet. This is the bike that will free your mind.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Timothy Freund
a Cross Country Rider
from Thousand Oaks Date Reviewed: March 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Dead Cow/Suicide/Backbone
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Universal Cycles
Strengths:
remarkable pedaling efficiency, high bottom bracket
Weaknesses:
slack head angle
Similar Products Used:
GT iDrive
Bike Setup:
125 mm Fox RLC, Chris King hubs and head set, Monkey lite bars, Thompson seat post, Serfas Ti seat, XTR except: XT Cog set, Race Face Cranks and rings, Hayes hydrolic, Mavic 317, 957's
Bottom Line:
This is a follow up to an earlier review at the 1 month stage. This bike is everthing you could want. The main thing you have to ask yourself is, what type of riding are you doing? If you are really bombing hard, it probably is not heavy enough for you. And if you are a pure cross country rider, you probably want the Truth. But if you are like me, an XC guy that likes a plush ride on a good downhill, this bike is the ticket. It pedals better than anything. It responds like a hard tail. You pedal, it goes. There's no hesitation or wasted effort. As I said in my first review, the slack head angle makes the bike tend to pull up too much on the front, but I have learned to compensate by keeping my chest low, elbows out, and ass in the air...wait that's how your suppossed to ride! It does it all and really is the rock star on the trail. Few people have them so they turn their share of heads. Hell, for $4-5000, let's be honest, it's not just about the ride. One last thing; I broke the bolt holding the Romic shock, and Ellsworth sent me both the top and bottom bolt for free without any hassle, they've been great to deal with.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Downhiller
from State College PA Date Reviewed: February 23, 2003
may cause inability to ever ride a lesser bike ever again
Similar Products Used:
none this cool
Bike Setup:
XT derailuers and shifters, Truvativ firex cranks, Atomlab Aircorps rims laced to hayes superlight hubs, thomson elite post, hayes comp brakes, king headset, planet-x stem, profile designs tenacious-d bars, Marzocchi Z.1 FR SL, Romic twin tube rear shock.
Bottom Line:
This bike is simply the coolest thing I've ever blown all my money on. I'm giving it 5 chillis for value because it is worth every dime you will spend, and once you buy a bike like the ID, you can't nickel and dime the componentry. Do yourself a favor, go buy one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
z z
a Downhiller
from Mill Valley Ca Date Reviewed: January 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
zig zag, indian fire trail
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At:
used
Strengths:
Great for every thing, you can ride urban, cross country, and downhill in the same day. This bike will handle alot more than what everybody says, it han handle 8 foot roof drops to flat, 51/2 hour cross country rides, and dh courses. Great bike, glad i chose it over the bullit. The ID is light and strong, thats why its great.
Weaknesses:
the triagle pivot arm in the back suspension, and the small amount of play in the pivots. The head toob angle, you cant fit a double crown fork without messing up the angles.
Similar Products Used:
stinky dee-lux, giant ac air
Bike Setup:
red Id, fox fork 125 rl (soon to have the new z1 6"), mavic D 321 discs, xt disc breaks 6", fox rc rear shock, chris king hubs, chris king headset, scandium risers, odi lock ons, wtb weirwolfs, xtr crankset, xtr casset, xt derailer, xtr shifters.
Bottom Line:
Fantastic bike for all around, handles everything.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Bench
a Downhiller
from American Fork Date Reviewed: January 14, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Moab
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$4600.00
Purchased At:
BeyondBikes.com
Strengths:
Super smooth rear suspension. Romic has no B.O.B,makes the bike climb like an xc racer, but turn it downhill and it is buttery feeling... ShotPenned hard Ano doesn't scratch and stickers are lazer etched so they don't come off...
Weaknesses:
None so far..
Similar Products Used:
Sugar.. And Various hardtails
Bike Setup:
Fox Vannila 125 RLC..Mix of XT, RaceFace Cranks, and Thompson Parts....
Bottom Line:
This Bike Rips... I love the ability to hang on the climbs with my buddies on their lite XC bikes and then smoke them on the downhill... I have way more confidence now with 6 inches in the back, I can do drop offs and high speed rocky sections with ease now. I have to give props to the guys at Beyondbikes.com, Super knowledgeable staff and they hooked me up on the price. Being able to watch my bike being built on their webcam was awesome!! Thanks Beyond...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Springs, CO Date Reviewed: January 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Palmer Park Network
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
Just Riding Along, Manitou Springs
Strengths:
Head-turning trail appeal, flawless welds, beautifully machined rear triangle, toughness, all-mountain capability (technical sections, climbing, fast single-track carving), and outstanding factory support and communication.
Weaknesses:
Absolutely none.
Bike Setup:
Romic, Psylo SL, Hugi, 517s, Hayes, XTR, Specialized Enduro Pro 2.2, Monkey Lite Riser, Thomson, Fizik, 959s.
Bottom Line:
I've had my Id for eight months now and to simply say that "I love this bike!" would be the understatement of the century. The experience of owning this bike has been and continues to be tremendously satisfying. As an Id owner, I'd like to offer a couple of observations for those who may be interested in the bike.
First, read all you can about the Id; factual objective data as well as subjective opinion (positives and negatives), then get on one. Take it up hills, down hills, through rock gardens, pick your way through your favorite technical section, then fly through your favorite fast single track section. When the "Oh My God!" smile finally subsides, go buy one and enjoy it. It's as simple as that. Once you own it, let your friends ride it...you'll get to see what your smile looked like.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
fattttt
a Downhiller
from canada Date Reviewed: December 28, 2002
Favorite Trail:
down
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1.00
Purchased At:
all round
Strengths:
its ablility to climg drop hit smack bend turn fly balance perform sprint huck jump take my slaps and curses and on the trail and when I take her out in the town at night she dresses up so sexy for me and my frends and I dance with her all night ride hard like she loves it she never complains or embarrases me and she always comes home with me and in morning when I wake she has made biscuits and she says hey baby what you wanna do today..
Weaknesses:
I cant ride anything else she gets way to jelouse
Similar Products Used:
big hit --I drive--- stinky--- bullit---ac-1 they were all good but I only played on them not owned em..I did abuse a kelly IG for three years stiui have it
Bike Setup:
cris king ft hub & head stet Azonic stem Easton monkey lite bar XTR deraillers & cranks & rpd fire shifters 521 d in the ft sunn double trk 24 in the bk hope hub in the bk arrow racing tires
Bottom Line:
I cant leave her yet I think I am in love .. my wife is very jealous of her .. its the best I have owned to date
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
SCOTT DAVALOS
a
from SAN CLEMENTE,CA,USA Date Reviewed: December 23, 2002
Favorite Trail:
SAN JUAN TRAIL/SO. BOUNDRY
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$4500.00
Purchased At:
BEYOND BIKES
Strengths:
ability to perform in all required situations
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
truth
Bike Setup:
romic shock, 2003z1fr, chris king hubs mavic rims,conti tyres, hope mini's, thompson stem and post, easton bars, sdg saddle.
Bottom Line:
this bike will make a bad rider good, a good rider great, and a great rider unbelievable. i've tested just about every top bike out there and there is no bike that does more things better than this one. The guys down at Beyond Bikes are the best around, bar none. The service and knowledge of the staff is the best in the business on ellsworth's bikes
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
benny
a
from PHX, AZ Date Reviewed: December 18, 2002
Favorite Trail:
?
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
light weight, quality construction, plush, climbs
Weaknesses:
derailier hanger, cable routing, no iscg mounts, tire clearance, price
Similar Products Used:
bighit, super v, dare, ac-1
Bottom Line:
good for everything from epic xc rides to dirt jumping to downhill to urban. very plush with the romic, and the frame size is perfect! (the medium should be the largest size).
to fix the derailier hanger problem. take off the rear mech and screw in the tension adjuster from the inside to increase the surface area. needs alot of tension. also this bike pretty much requires a roll-a-ma-jig for precise shifting.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from London, UK Date Reviewed: November 26, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Freeborn
Strengths:
Beautifully constucted frame, flawless welds, intricate machining, and shot peened finish. Plush ride yet climbs like an XC bike. Good 'compromise' handling...
Weaknesses:
Tolerances on seat tube means you cant use QR, high bottom bracket, high standover, rubbish derraileur hanger, no tyre clearance when using large tyres (2.3"+), mounting issue when using Hayes brakes.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Enduro, Santa Cruz Superlight, etc
Bike Setup:
Z1 FR, Chris King Headset, Hope Bulb hubs, Mavic FR rims, RF XY post, Thomson stem, RF bars, XT drivetrain, Hayes brakes.
Bottom Line:
This is a follow up to a past review. I have had the bike now for almost a year and have used it for everything from urban commuting (OK that was a waste!) to French alpine DH courses (thats more like it!).
There are no manufacturers making a long travel, lightweight trail machine of this quality. It is not a DH bike, if you bought it expecting a 6" travel freeride bike you were sold the wrong machine. It is a hardcore trail bike that allows you to hit downhills hard, but climb easily to the top. Indeed it climbs better than most other bikes over real technical stuff!
The 4 bar style linkage keeps the rear end bob free and active under sprints and hard braking. With a Romic it is plush yet controlled and offers plenty of adjustment. (My Romic leaked all its oil on the first ride and it took weeks to get a replacement. I hope their service issues have been resolved....)
It does that neat trick that quality suspension bikes accomplish where it almost feels like it isnt doing much because it does it without any fuss. You just find yourself staying seated through the rough stuff, and putting the power down over any terrain seated or standing!
So those are the good points, I do have some major reservations though and for a bike costing this much you need to beware of this prior to handing over your hard earned pennies..
The BB issue is not a design flaw, read other reviews and people either love it or loathe it. I am a bit divided on the issue as I appreciate the extra clearance but do feel it compromises the handling and stability a little for technical slow speed and singletrack stuff. I would drop it an inch.
The top tube needs to be lowered, dont care how they do it but it needs to be 2- 3" lower for a bit of confidence..
A £1899 (UK) frame should be perfect, but Ellsworth it seems had some problems with one of their subcontractors fitting the wrong size seat tubes. Result is that the post will not fit properly, you have to tighten the bolt real tight to stop any slippage and you can forget about fitting a Salsa seat clamp (the only one that fits) I have heard of riders fitting home made shims.... if they are happy with that then great. Ellsworth apparently have issued new Thomson seatposts to people with this problem. Not confirmed but if this is the case then that represents superb customer service. I will post a further review if they sort me out!
The rear mech hanger is just an awful design. Go to Speedgoat.com and get one that works. It does not allow the tension adjuster to sit flush with the surface, it is only a matter of time before mine will round off. Dont dare to adjust it for perfect shifting as it will only survive a short while longer.
The brake mounts dont allow the Hayes caliper converter to fit without filing. The store where I bought it did not file it resulting in really uneven pad wear. Extensive filing to get it to fit then led to failure of the converter. I have also suffered from an incurable resonance under certain conditions which my store will need to look at.
My last gripe is my main one in some ways... NO TYRE CLEARANCE. How can Ellsworth produce a bike with such limited clearance. For UK riders this means the bike may as well hibernate for the winter, and for riders wanting to fit 2.4" tyres, all I can say is I hope your rims are true!
All in all it is a superb bike that need to be modified in a few small but important ways to create what is one best of the new breed of do it all bikes. What other bikes will hapily do DH courses and 24hr XC in the same week!
Join the Ellsworth group at
ellsworth-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Richard
a Racer
from Palos Heights Date Reviewed: November 15, 2002
Favorite Trail:
New Trail
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$3900.00
Purchased At:
Richards Bicycles(Palos)
Strengths:
Suspension, Finish/color, durability, Fun all-around bike, will handle anything
Weaknesses:
No cable guide inside rear triangle (cable must be fed through arm)
Similar Products Used:
Trek Y-Frame, Schwinn Rocket-88
Bike Setup:
medium frame, 03 xtr cranks, X0 shifter and derailer, New hayes hydraulic, Marzocchi ZR1 FR SL, 03 psylo SL w. lockout, 00 psylo race air, 01 psylo race sl w. firm kit (fork used depends on riding conditions), King headset, Hugi hubs, comp spokes, Tubeless Mavic rims, Spinergy Xyclones (Wheels also depend on riding conditions), Ruffian lock-jaw grips, Azonic Headloc, Easton CT2 carbon seatpost, Easton Monkey Lite Bars, Easton MG-60 stem, salsa seat clamp, WTB laser-v DH kevlar seat, Teflon coated cables, IRD aluminum shifter housing, 03 xtr front derailer, CicloSport CM-14 computer( its bad to the maximum level) with altimiter and PC interface
Bottom Line:
This bike is bad the maximum level! It will take anything you throw at it, it climbs as good as any fs bike, descends excellently, crashes well also = ) ! If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim Freund
a Cross Country Rider
from Thousand Oaks, Ca USA Date Reviewed: November 7, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Dead Cow/Suicide
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Universal Cycles
Strengths:
Plush Downhilling, fantastic climber, light weight, awesome travel, high bottom bracket, Rock Star good looks
Weaknesses:
Top tube is a little high at the head set
Similar Products Used:
G.T. iDrive 1.0
Bike Setup:
Black Id with Romic Coil, Fox Forx 125mm RLC, Red Chris King Hubs and Headset, Mavic 317 Rims, Hayes Hydrolic Brakes, XTR Rear Derailler, Chain and Shifters, XT Front Derailler and Cog Set, Black Race Face Cranks, Rings and BB, Thompson Seat Post and Monkey Bars Lite, Serfas Ti Seat, Ellsworth Ti Skewers, Salsa del Fuego grips, Shimano 959 Pedals, Panaracer Fire Pro 2.1 (should have used 2.3's)
Bottom Line:
What can I say? It's a dream ride. Mike at Universal Cycles made the deal so sick, he asked that I add $1,000 if I ever posted the price (so I didn't). His service was great, so I highly recommend my Portland Bruthah. But about the bike...It climbs better than my iDrive which I never thought possible. It sucks up every bump so that it makes some of the more difficult downhill rides almost easy. It came in at 28.5 lbs, so on long climbs the only thing holding me back is my lungs and my legs. I'm an intermediate rider who likes to bomb a good downhill now and then and the 5-6" of travel make me that much better. The criticism of the Id's high bottom bracket is unfounded; in fact it is one of my favorite features. For those of us who have to ride over the sh-t instead of bunnyhopping it, the high bottom bracket allows me to pass through deep ruts and over rocks, and still pedal. In middle ring this bike is a monster at climbing. So what are my complaints? The main thing is the geometry is totally different that an XC bike like my iDrive. The 125mm front fork and the head tube angle, make for tough tight cornering while climbing - the front wheel wants to lift up, and I either have to stand or fold in half to pedal up the steep technical bits. For you more advanced fellas, you would just jam. For me it has been a big learning curve, but it's getting better with every ride. There's a fair share of chain slap while bombing in Big Ring/Little Cog, and at 5'9", the high top tube makes me glad I had kids before I bought the bike. All in all though, it's really a bike that allows me to go faster and harder than ever before, and with the King hubs, it really is a head turner on the trail. If you can afford a top of the line ride, it's really hard to imagine a better bike than this one, it really is pretty perfect.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Benjamin McQuiston
a Cross Country Rider
from Newark, DE, USA Date Reviewed: October 16, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Fair Hill, MD
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At:
Dreamride
Strengths:
Rear suspension and frame strength. Romic Shock is awesome.
Weaknesses:
None that I found yet other than the $2300 sticker price
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher Suger+3, Klein Pulse
Bike Setup:
Chris King headset, RockShox Pslyo SL, Easton Mg-60 Stem w/ Azonic DW Raiser Bar, XTR components, XT HollowTech Crank, Avid Disk Brakes, Thomson Seat Post, and WTB saddle.
Bottom Line:
This bike is amazing. I don't know why some people complain about the higher bottom bracket, I love the little extra hight. It gives you the clearence to run over just about anything in your path and the Romic shock makes it feel like nothing at all. I've never had so many people stop me on the trail to check this thing out either! If you have the extra cash to blow on an awsome bike and are looking for an aggressive XC ride, buy the Id.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bruce Jacobs
a Cross Country Rider
from Boonton, NJ Date Reviewed: September 8, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Mahlon Dickerson
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At:
Dreamride
Strengths:
Extreme stable over all kinds of junk. Lots of clearance for Eastern singletrack riding.
Weaknesses:
LT fork makes it a little slow in the very tight turns as compared to my 98 Truth
Similar Products Used:
1998 Truth
Bike Setup:
Sram 9.0SL, XTR cranks, American Classic hubs with Avid discs, 317 wheels, Hutchinson Python Gold, Z-1 Freeride (130mm), Romic rear shock, Chris King, Thomson, etc.
Bottom Line:
My wife got her Id right after our May trip to Moab. She was born to ride this bike. She thought nothing could be better than her 98 Truth, but it was. I was hesitant. I had finally become "one" with my Truth. I am not a great rider but manage pretty well. At her urging I got a frame and fork from Lee, swapped over my parts from the Truth and suffered for two months to the point I was ready to quit on the bike. With no pun intended, the truth is that it is not a Truth. Seating positions, stem heights, rebound and compression settings are very different with a LT bike. Handling the short rocky uphills on my Truth were a whole different story with the Id. With Lee's guidance and patience I kept working to dial in the bike. Shock and fork settings are critical as is stem height. Fortunately, we left extra stem length above the stem in the initial set-up so I could play to get it right. Raising the stem one inch changed DH chutes from a prayer meeting to a neat experience. I am what is known as a "saddle boy" rider. I don't stand and hammer, but my balance is pretty good and I have no trouble riding logs lengthwise or on narrow bridges. The bike feels very secure. I am learning to use the ECC which really helps on climbs but I wish it could be controlled from the bar. The bike is heavier than the Truth, 28-29 lbs, but it is not an issue. The Id is really fast. We are returning to Moab in November and am looking forward to trying the bike where it was born. My only other advise is to check the standover. I am about 5'10 1/2" but am only a 30-31 inseam. The Id fits more like a road bike and it likes big tires so be sure on the fit. I am happy with mine but would have dumped it if it had not been for Lee's help.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ced
a Cross Country Rider
from atlanta ga Date Reviewed: September 6, 2002
Favorite Trail:
any singeltrack
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Singetrack handling; ICT suspension; craftsmanship; five inch suspension setup for trail riding.
Weaknesses:
Rear derrailler hanger tab not large enough and rear seatstay tire clearance too tight.
Similar Products Used:
SC superlight, FSR XC
Bike Setup:
Medium frame with romic and Z-1 freeride, XTR drivetrain, Hope brakes, mavic 317's tioga xc 2.1 tires.
Bottom Line:
Before I got this bike, I was concerned that it was going to be a freeride pig that would be slow in the trees and the front end would float on technical climbs. All my fears were alleviated upon riding this machine. IT is just like what the other reviewers have said it was. The ID is a trail riding single track beast. Anytime you mention a bike with 5-inches of travel people start talking about hucking and dropping it off your momas garage. This is not a big boy freeride bike. MAybe smaller folks could get away with jumping it, but not the heavyweights. But that is ok, since this is a trail bike. I tend to pedal it (almost sprint it) through the rough stuff (going up and going down) and it takes off like a rocket.
The romic and Z-1 work well on this bike and are nicely adjustable. With suspenion setup, I kept increasing the front and rear dampening until the suspenion turned too slow, then came back a 1/4 turn on the fork and one click on the shock. At this setting it eats everything up and is not sluggish.
Oh yeah, when the MBA boys say the bottom bracket is too high, just ignore them. No doubt that the bike sits high up in the air, but the bottom bracket height is just right for trail riding. On the east coast, we go over many, many down trees and the extra clearance is very nice. I used to complain all the time about how my hardtail (litespeed) with a 11-7/8 inch bottom bracket height was too low in the technical stuff. No more BB height problems with the ID.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew McNiven
a Weekend Warrior
from RSM Date Reviewed: August 22, 2002
Favorite Trail:
San Juan plus any single track
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$3400.00
Purchased At:
The Bike Company
Strengths:
Quality! and weight for travel
Weaknesses:
None for me.
Similar Products Used:
Specilised Enduro, Intense Tracer, Elsworth Truth and Joker, KHS made the last two bikes I purchased.
I love this bike, I have been riding it for 7 months and it suits my need for a heavy duty trail bike that I can ride anywhere here in Southern California. Elsworth made a real quality product! The Romic works really really well! The Psylo SL is good, I use the lock out [or just increase the comression a little if rough]to help the bike climb, and for long climbs use the U turn to lower the front, [would like to try a FOX, but the travel adjustment helps, so will wait for the next generation of Forks]. The bike climbs really well, but not as well as some low travel light weight hardtails of course. Avid Brakes work great. WTB tires work well in the conditions here, but a little heavy. Bottom Bracket Height, a little high, but the extra clearance helps on many trails,I can ride over stuff I had to walk before. Had to improve my balance [try rollers!]it does effect the handling a little on high speed fire road corners, bottom line, I would like to try a set up with 1/2" lower if Elsworth come out with an update. It would help with the cross bar clearnce, a little close at only 5'9". Tire clearance, OK here, but if back in England in the mud, not so good. Weight is good for its travel, always could do with less, so may try to lose a little, new hubs, ti spring for the Romic? new pedals and different tires sometime, but I like it the way it is! Want to give it 4.5 Chilis, but settled for 5.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
voodoo chile
a Weekend Warrior
from So. Orange Cty. , CA Date Reviewed: August 21, 2002
Favorite Trail:
San Juan and Big Bear/Snow Summit
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2250.00
Purchased At:
The Bike Company
Strengths:
Finish, welds, travel, ROMIC, weight
Weaknesses:
None that I can find
Similar Products Used:
Mountain Cycles, Specialized, Intense, GT I-Drive
Bike Setup:
XTR, Chris King, Hayes, Manitou, Race Face, Thompson, 2.3 DH Pro Panaracers (despite many people saying it can't be done)
Bottom Line:
I love this bike. It soaks up everything I can throw at it, and it climbs as well as any other FS I've ridden. I bought one of the first ones available at my local shop, and I have put many many miles on it, with no disappointments. No creaks, groans, moans...this bike is the bulletproof bomb that other bikes wish they could be.
The Romic helps make this bike so plush, and it is the only way to set this bike up.
Buy this bike if you want to have one bike, for many jobs. The rock star factor is cool on the trail, with many people stopping to drool. I'm not Lance, but this bike makes me fast....Thanks, Tony!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
s d
a Cross Country Rider
from Asheville, NC Date Reviewed: July 23, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Mills River trails
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2200.00
Purchased At:
used
Strengths:
weight.. for the travel.
Weaknesses:
Bullsh seatpost collar (no QR). Seat stay with little clearance (although Ellsworth is supposedly building a replacement for those of us who wish to ride fatter rear tires... and you know this won't be for free!
Similar Products Used:
Ellsworth Truth, blah blah blah
Bike Setup:
hope brakes, Z1 MCR, continental VP, XTR,
Bottom Line:
I love this bike. I free ride and my only concern is that evry now and then it wants to break my neck (fling me over the bars) Something about the geometry, but I feel like it needs a LONG travel fork to keep the rear down/ you from going over the bars. That sort of blows the whole "cross-country/ free-ride concept" that Ellsworth raves about. Still, I'm tempted to swap out my fork and see what happens. I've been having ALOT of fun, in any case. Everyone also, wants to stop and ask you about your bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from London, UK Date Reviewed: July 23, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Tahoe
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Freeborn
Strengths:
Great looking frame, beautiful finish, tough for an XC bike, great do it all machine that climbs as well as it descends.
Weaknesses:
Poor rear mech hanger, cable routing, tyre clearances, high bottom bracket.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Enduro, Santa Cruz Superlight, plus various bikes tested.
Bike Setup:
Hayes discs, Hope hubs, Z1 Freeride forks, mixture of Race Face/XT etc etc
Bottom Line:
Half a year on this bike has not disappointed me overall. I still get a buzz out of having an extra couple of inches of travel on a bike that outclimbs hardtails in rough climbs! It is a long travel trail bike in the true sense of the word. Anyone thinking they are getting a 'Freeride' bike will be disappointed as you wont get a tyre bigger than 2.1" (Tiogas tested) in there. One of my biggest disappointments with the frame actually.
The issue with the high bottom bracket is just down to personal preferences as far as I care. I like being able to clear logs, rocks and small children but obviously find it a hindrance on slow speed stuff. Overall I think it is better to sacrifice a bit of stability for clearance....
The rear mech hanger is a bit fiddly and could do with an extra couple of mm on the tab for the tension adjustment screw but it isnt something you notice on the trail (unless it goes wrong!)
Only other thing I would change is the top tube height. With the high bottom bracket it doesnt leave a whole lot of clearance which kind of goes against the hard core credentials of this bike....
Oh well, performance machinery is never perfect!! All in all though it is a great handling bike that will take everything I can throw at it and will serve me well for years to come. Join the Ellsworth Yahoo group at
Ellsworth-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nathan Thomas
a Cross Country Rider
from Everett Date Reviewed: July 17, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Industrial Disease
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$4500.00
Purchased At:
Elite Mountain Cycle
Strengths:
Let me start by telling you why I bought the Id. My bike was ripped off and I got a check from my homeowner's insurance to cover replacement of that bike. The check was $5000 which gave me the freedom to get whatever bike I wanted. I like to ride both XC and DH races. I didn't want one bike for each, but I weigh 230lbs. and finding a bike that will do both isn't easy. My decision came down to the Id and the Uzzi SLX. I choose the Id because of the reviews I read on this site. I have been on two long XC rides on the Id and have not been disappointed for one second. The bike rocks. Strengths: bottom bracket height(I read others list it as a weakness but I love it), the Romic shock, and how well the bike climbs.
Weaknesses:
I haven't found one yet.
Similar Products Used:
Intense Tracer and Giant NRS 1
Bike Setup:
Romic rear, Z1 Freeride fork, XT drivetrain, Hayes brakes (6 in.), Chris King laced to Rhino lites, race face stem, seatpost, cranks and headset.
Bottom Line:
I have only had this bike for two rides but I can already tell you that it climbs better than either the Tracer of Giant that I have owned. And the decent . . .oooh the decent. Only buy this bike if you love to ride BOTH up hill and downhill. I like to ride both XC and DH and this bike workds for both. I have confidence on this bike do try things I never have tried in the past. If you can afford the $$ you will not be disappointed. I will try to post an update once I have had the bike a little longer. The bike receives 4 chilis because no frame that costs $2300 can be considered a value.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
N. Roman C
a Cross Country Rider
from San Rafael Ca USA Date Reviewed: June 30, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Anything
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3500.00
Purchased At:
Mikes Bikes
Strengths:
Solid feel, great tracking, stability, climbing, company employees and attitude
Weaknesses:
none as of yet
Similar Products Used:
Bullit, big hit, heckler
Bike Setup:
sram X.0, hayes 6", fox forx 125, race face turbine, mavic rims, easton riser bar, thompson seat post and stem...etc
Bottom Line:
Great ride, great climbing, swallows big hits and off center jump landings great. The People at Ellsworth are great! I ride pretty hard with little concern for the safety of my equipment and the Id(iot)is doing great! I ride it to break it! Buy this bike if you want more travel in a climber that likes to be slapped around on occasion.... Oh-yea, my wife owns a Truth, that bike is sweet too!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JOhn Burton
a
from UK Date Reviewed: June 16, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Freeborn
Strengths:
Solid build, stability and ability to hold a line downhill.Increadible clinbing ability. Speedy downhills.
Weaknesses:
Weight, but then it would be heavy wouldn't it when you consider what it is capable of. Also I do not notice the weight uphill anyway.
Similar Products Used:
None, straight from lightweight hardtail.
Bike Setup:
Medium gold frame, romic shock, Marz F1 forks. Thompson post and stem, Monkeylight bar, speedplay frog pedals, rest old XT/LX bits off old bike.
Bottom Line:
Bought the frame and had LBS build it up from bits of the old bike to keep costs down. It is my first full susser and I have to admit I am amazed at how I can ride now compared to my hardtail. It climbs as well but I find myself using a much higher gear on the flat cause the bike irons out the bumps. Downhill is just a total blast.
I really look forward to riding now for the first time in years. It gets 5 for value because I think a frame of this quality is worth paying for.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tracy Anderson
a Cross Country Rider
from Sun Valley, ID, USA Date Reviewed: June 14, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Monarch Crest
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At:
Ellsworth
Strengths:
Let me tell you my little story. To give it a little meat, you should know that I am a serious rider and I love to climb. I placed 5th mens 26-30 in the Leadville 100. I have been racing myself up a 1300ft 2.5mi rough climb. The race is between my 22.9# hardtail and my 28.1# ID with a Romic. I was blown away by the fact that I cannot climb it more than 1.5minutes faster on the hardtail. Let me assure you that I more than make up for that on the downhill. I think it is a combination of ICT (it is a real thing) and never getting out of the saddle during the climb. It is just so fun all of the way around.
If you have never ridden a FS, it will take a while to get these kind of results. You have to know how to ride a FS and I have ridden a Truth for the past 5 years. Don't pump the cranks, spin 'em.
Weaknesses:
I just did a technical climb with some tight switchbacks. It was very frustrating. The Id suffers when doing tight turns or slow trials maneuvering. This was the only place where I have found the Truth to be superior. This is not a weakness of the Id, it is a weakness of this style of bike.
Similar Products Used:
Ellsworth Truth, Specialized S-Works Team
Bike Setup:
Romic Coil 5.75", XTR, Race Face LP cranks, Easton CT-2 post, Monkey Lite XC, Vanilla 125 RLC, V's
Bottom Line:
It climbs and descends like a dream. Go Romic. It only likes to go fast and doesn't alway cooperate with doing slow maneuvers. You may question my 5 chili value rating, but trust me on the fact that it is worth every penny. Tony et. al. has not spared any expense in putting out a top quality product and that is what you get. If you want to spend less, I don't want to hear you whining about me kicking your ars every ride!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cycl_junkie
a Cross Country Rider
from R.S.M. Date Reviewed: June 4, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Ellsworth Direct
Strengths:
Looks, weight, detailed welds, technology, comfort, ability to produce prolonged ear to ear grins...
Weaknesses:
Have had some minor problems with running standard XTR Cranks [24/34/46] and XTR 12-34 cassette.
Bike Setup:
Medium Gold frame w/Romic shock, RF SYStem 120x5, Thomson post, King headset [black], Fox Vanilla 125r, Mavic 317 rims laced to Hugi 240 Disc hubs, Hayes Disc brakes, XT shifters, XTR Crankset, XTR FR/RR Derailleur, 747 pedals, ODI Lock-jaw grip [Rogue], Specialized low rise bar, Flite Ti saddle, MutanoRaptor 2.24 Race tires F/R
Bottom Line:
I LOVE this bike!!! It is SOOOOOOOOO much fun to ride. It wreaks of confidence when negotiating rough technical terrain. It laughs at super G-outs and high obstacles. It climbs hills like a hungery spider stalking it's prey. It is truly the ultimate trail bike.
I found the Romic shock to be super adjustable. The low speed compression adj. is sweet! I'm about 175 lbs. and run a #400 spring. Together with the equally adjustable Fox fork, it's just the perfect ride. I can't believe how plush it is for descending and yet still very responsive during climbs. I can haul butt up junk in granny and hardly notice any "bob". Rear feels pretty stiff. I did notice a little lateral flex when hitting rutts and junk at an angle, but the flex is very predictable and doesn't ruin your line at all.
I've improved so much in terms of technical ability since building this bike. Every ride I find myself driving back home with a big ol' sheet eatin' grin on my face! Some days I want to turn around and do another ride even though my legs are spanked!
OK here is my one beef. I'm running XTR standard rings [24/34/46] and a 12-34 cassette. I originally built it up with XT [22/32/44] and never once had a problem when I used the middle ring/large cog [34] gearing combo. Now with the standard XTR rings, the chain wants to drop to the small ring all the time. Strange... I have a fix but I'm not sure if I'll continue using standard rings. I put a 1mm spacer on the free hub under the cassette. This reduced some of the chainline angle by moving the cassette over to the right. Then I took out a link so the chain runs a little tighter. So far after a couple test rides on my street it works pretty good. I'll have to see how it deals out on the trail. The middle ring/lrg. cog combo is pretty common so I was bummed when I encountered problems. No worries though... If this doesn't work I have a new RF Turbine LP compact crankset that I'll install instead... Email me if you've had similar problems with your Id setup.
I still LOVE this bike... Wouldn't get rid of it for anything!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rob
a Weekend Warrior
from pitt, pa Date Reviewed: April 27, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
speedgoat
Strengths:
i already rreviewed this bike down farther on the page but just thought i let u know how its doin.
everything on the the bike is bombproof. great looks great pedal efficinty reasurence of the ellsworth name great welds and cble routing
Weaknesses:
the high bb because its harder to blaence on logs or urban freeriding type stuff
Similar Products Used:
sc bullit
Bike Setup:
jr. T reduced to 150mm all xtr race face turbine cranks easton ct2 post profile maniac bars romic shock hope minis
Bottom Line:
i dont know if people are stupid or dont realize that the rear cable routing might be hard to get the cable through but protects it and is an awsome idea and show of ellsworths true quality
all and all the bike is awsome its takin 7 plus hits and a few races done bith very well it an awsome bike go out and get 1
hey u get what u pay for
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric Henrickson
a Cross Country Rider
from Morgantown, WV 26505 Date Reviewed: April 15, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Baker's Ridge, Morgantown
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2950.00
Purchased At:
Mt. Bike Company
Strengths:
Wicked Decent Ride!. Climbs better than my hardtail. High bottom bracket equals obstacle clearance. Bearings at all pivot points. Super comfortable riding position. The quality of construction is near perfect. 5.75" of Rear travel nicely matched to 130mm of fork travel
Weaknesses:
Rear deraileur cable routing. Will only take 22mm adaptor for hayes brakes. Water bottle cage is too high to accept large bottles. Didn't come with setup sheet for Romic shock. Worth more than both my vehicles together. Doesn't come with flip lock seat lever.
Similar Products Used:
I migrated from a 1989 Giant ATX 780. Quite an evolutionary leap in the mountain bike world. I've also tried full suspension offerings from Schwinn (Rocket 88, Fourbanger), GT I-Drive, Specialized FSR, Kona, Chumba Wumba.
Bike Setup:
MCRz.1 fork. Romic shock, XTR shifting & Derailleurs, Thompson Seatpost and Stem, Monkeylite riser bar, Hayes Hydraulic Disc Brakes, Sella San Marco Flite Gel Ti seat, XT disc hubs w/ Mavic 317 disc wheels, Truvativ Stylo Crank, Race Face Isis BB, Panaracer Fire XC Pro tires. Weighs about thirty pounds, unless I mount up the cast iron fender system for freeride bike simulation.
Bottom Line:
I came to own this bike through the excellent customer service at the Mt. Bike Company. I hadn't even heard of it, when it was offered as a substitute for an out of stock item. Serendipity! This is my first full suspension bike, and I'm convinced that a better all around bike is not to be had. I just hope that if I become a robbery victim, they steal my car instead of the bike.
This bike inspires confidence. The geometry is excellent for climbing/descending/everything. I have been able to climb anything that I could on my hardtail. The MCRz.1 shock is an excellent combination. The shock locks in a compressed position for even better climbing. The bike feels handles with a very light feel. It is a wicked tall bike, but that doesn't seem to adversely affect the handling, just standover height. I have a 32" inseam and the top tube of my medium frame is only about 1.5" from being rather gonad-traumatic. The high bottom bracket unavoidably moves the entire bike higher, as it needs to for its geometry to work with a long travel fork.
If you are into challenging yourself to a high level of all around mountain biking performance, If appreciation of quality is very meaningful to you, If you are a gear addict and you have some disposable income because your student loans are still in deferrment, buy this bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Springs, CO Date Reviewed: April 11, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Palmer Park Network
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
Just Riding Along, Manitou Springs
Strengths:
Beautiful workmanship; flawless welds. The bike is capable of almost anything. Smooth, fast, confidence-inspiring "all mountain" cross country bike. Extremely stable, goes exactly where you point it. Climbs like a mountain goat; descends beautifully. The bike simply wants to go...and fast.
Weaknesses:
A litte pricey but the old addage "you get what you pay for" certainly applies.
Similar Products Used:
Moved up from a '98 Specialized M2 Stumpjumper.
Bike Setup:
Romic rear, Psylo SL, Mavic 517s, Hugi F/R, Specialized Enduro Pro 2.2 F/R, Thomson seatpost and stem, Monkey Lite Riser, Hayes, Full XTR drivetrain, Fizik. Total weight: 28.5 lbs.
Bottom Line:
If you're looking for an all-world, do anything, all mountain, singletrack carving, hill climbing, cross country bike, this is it. It's simply the finest bike I've ever ridden. I've had more rip-roarin', yee-haa, holy smokes fun on this bike in the past two weeks than I've ever had. I can't say enough about it. The high bottom bracket comes in very handy in the technical stuff. It's exceptionally fast and responsive through tight singletrack. The balance and stability of the bike is unmatchable on any terrain. And climbing...this bike likes to go up. It climbs efficiently and smoothly with no, repeat--NO suspension bob. Just an incredible bike. Hats off to Tony Ellsworth and the entire Ellsworth team.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from R.S.M., CA - USA Date Reviewed: March 20, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Lightweight XC/Freeride design, Romic rear shock, beefy welds, good looks, sweet pivots, ICT, confidence inspiring, high BB...
Weaknesses:
Cost, cable routing for rear der., rear disc mount tab won't fit 74mm Hayes w/o grinding adaptor...
Similar Products Used:
This is in a league of its own!
Bike Setup:
Medium orange ano frame, Romic rear shock, Fox Vanilla 125R (what an awesome fork!), XT drivetrain, King headset, Thomson stem and post, Hayes brakes, Mavic 317 rims w/Stout hubs, MutanoRaptor 2.24 front and rear, ODI Ruffian grips, Specialized Low Rise bar, Flite Classic saddle...
Bottom Line:
Have about a dozen rides on my Id now. It just keeps on getting better and better. The biggest adjustment for me has been mentally accepting the fact that my bike weighs 30lbs. instead of 26lbs. Mind you I say 'mentally', because this thing rips uphill! Period! Despite the relaxed geometry and 5" front fork (and added weight, which isn't much for a bike of this caliber) it really climbs well. I haven't found a single hill that I could clean with my old ride that I can't do with the Id!
I rode with some friends just the other day and they were all on 25-26 lb. XC bikes. I kept up with them on all the climbs without any problem. I even climbed better when we came across rocky technical sections that you had to motor over. The Id just gobbled them up and said 'gimmie more'.
Descending on the Id is like a dream! The Romic shock is AWESOME... The Fox Vanilla fork is so plush yet so laterally stiff... Good combo! I can't belive how plush this bike can feel while still remaining very tight and responsive. It really is the best of both worlds!
This bike inspires so much confidence! It really responds to your every movement. I love the higher BB. No more pedal dances! ICT just flat out rules! I've never seen a bike with so much travel behave like this.
Buy this bike!!! Buy this bike!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a
from Washington DC Date Reviewed: March 17, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Chutes and Ladders
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
local shop
Strengths:
does everything well, descend and goes up suprisingly well also. pretty good urban assault bike to
Weaknesses:
i guess the bottom bracket is high but i tdont notice it when i ride
Similar Products Used:
i-drive, intense uzzi-sl, santa cruz super light,
Bike Setup:
all xtr, hope enduro 4s, fox fork, thomson, easton, hugi
Bottom Line:
The best all around bike i have ever ridden, it does anything and everything well, the suspension is smoot and you roll through the nastiest rock gardes and take twisty singletrack at unpresedented speeds, i would definetely recommend it to anyone willing to drop the cash on the bike. If you like to ride all terrain, if you like to do HUGE drops, the bike isnt the best but can handle moderate (probably 5 or 6 feet would be pushing it)size drops
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a Weekend Warrior
from pitt Date Reviewed: March 4, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
speedgoat.com
Strengths:
everything its looks weldings fork rear shock laser etched graphics the nice anodized finished the machined swing arm and just having the insurence of the ellsworth name
Weaknesses:
some people say its the high bottom bracket but i think that that is an advantge bc it gets u over little logs and improves your balence so when your on another bike u have aven better balence
Similar Products Used:
santa cruz bullit, rockey mountain switch and rm7
Bike Setup:
elssworth id with romic shock,marzocchi jr t, xtr rear derailer, xtr front derailer, xtr shifters, xt cassette, thomson stem, easton ct2 seatpost, grimeca disk wheels, hope mini disk, profile design dh bars
Bottom Line:
i think this bike is one of the best availble its a mix between big hit bikes(the joker) and cross country bikes(the truth) so its really a medium travel freeride bike it rides like nbo other you can go up the mountains instead of tekin the chairlifts like the downhillers with the 40 pound bikes you can ride the downhill courses instead of taking the cross country trails. you can do the big 7 plus hits or just go ride on your local cc trails.
i fell in love with the bike ever since the day i picked it up aty speedgoat.
speed goat really treats you right they have tested just about every product there is and have custom shops that build more parts they have atleast 10 high endlines including ellsworth, santacruz, litespeed, merlin,moots,titus, kona, cannondale, khs, giant, intense, and many more if u want a bike they got it and treat you like your a king
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Whittier, CA Date Reviewed: February 15, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Leatham Hollow - Logan, Ut.
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$4900.00
Purchased At:
Dreamride
Strengths:
Excellent geometry for climbing. Point downhill and fly.
Weaknesses:
When going gets extremely steep, gets a bit twitchy - requires a bit more touch than old bike (but this is mostly due to speed). This bike makes me want to fly.
I was a bit disappointed that the bike went over 30 lbs. the way I had it set up. There are a couple of things that would have helped the weight, but after a few weeks on the local hills, weight seems like a minor issue.
Romic, Z.1 MCR, Raceface Next cranks, XTR/XT Mix, Avid Mechanical brakes and levers
Bottom Line:
Some folkes buy Porches, some snowmobiles, others Harley's. I suppose price becomes relative when doing something you have passion about -
I never thought I'd drop this kind of cash on a bike. Ellsworth's bicycles are works of art. The welds are beautiful, the machined parts are zoot, and it all comes together in a bike that is a joy to ride.
Dreamrides (dreamride.com) spec'ed out an outstanding bike; Lee Bridger's passion for Ellsworth is infectious. He has some very strong opinions about what works and what doesn't. Don't call him unless you have a credit card in hand - actually, I called him a couple of times before buying - he was very helpful.
Besides being a smooth running, nimble climber, there are a couple of things that require attention when setting up the bike. The rear derailer will slap the chain stay unless the tensioning screw is run all the way in. This may be a problem with the derailer, but I don't think so. The Next cranks didn't shift as well as my old Shimano cranks for the first few rides - I was shifting over the large chain ring. The problem seems to have worked itself out without fooling around with the front derailer.
One last thing - Mountain Bike magazine just reviewed the Id in their latest issue. One concern the reviewer expressed was the height of the bottom bracket. I have not found the bike to be unusually tall - the Romic Shock will allow for preload adjustments. Mine sags a bit, I haven't measured how much. It was set up by the shop. The compression and the dampening adjustments are simple to use and can be set up in a couple of rides.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego, CA, USA Date Reviewed: February 8, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Nobel Canyon
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2295.00
Purchased At:
BeyondBikes.com
Strengths:
Climbs Great, bombs on the downhill, super light for 6in rear travel, bomb proof paint, life-time frame warranty
Weaknesses:
None; as long as you have the dough
Similar Products Used:
None similar, but if you must know: Ellsworth Joker, SC Bullet, Intense Uzzi SL & SLX, Yeti AS-X and Rocky Mountain Switch
Bike Setup:
Romic Shock (a must), Marzocchi Z1 Freeride, XT shifters, XT front, XTR rear, Hayes (8in fr, 6in rear), Thomson seat post, WTB Lazer V Ti saddle, Chris King headset, RaceFace AirAlloy riser bar, Azonic Shorty Deluxe stem, Shimano 646 pedals, custom Chris King wheel set with Sun Rhyno Lite rims, Continental Vertical 2.3
Bottom Line:
I've only had this bike a couple of weeks, but this is the best bike I have ever (and maybe ever will) ride. I tried a lot of the high-end 6in bikes and nothing comes even close. This is the do-all bike. Uphills are better than on my old hardtail. Ellsworth definitely knows how to make bikes that fly uphill. This is the best all around bike on the market. If you like to do cross-country one day, downhill the next and some mellow freeride in between this is the bike. If you are looking for an all out freeride, big hucking bike this is not the bike for you (but the Joker is).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
What's New
»
BEST OF MTBR - Check out the highest rated bikes, parts, & gear!
»
LED BIKE LIGHT SHOOTOUT 3 - We test all the newest products and latest light and battery technology in this comprehensive guide»
$
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
