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Submitted by
G
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston, Tx, USA
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | Sun n Ski Sports | | Strengths: | Excellent adjustment versatility | | Weaknesses: | The chain the chain the chain | | Similar Products Used: | Trks, Diamondback | | Bike Setup: | All LX, upgrade to Hellbent bars, set up stiff | | Bottom Line: | I use this bike as a full time police patrol bike. I wanted something to cover every surface out there. For get up and go, the full suspension bites but that is to be expected. If I know I am on hard pack I max out the rear shock to make it a hardtail, for cross country I soften it up with no complaints. It is also my recreational bike and with the normal chain issues I have no other complaints. Once you know when the chain is going to wrap itself up just change stride and it works fine. Not for racing though. Good bike going on 3 yrs and I love it. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Reijo
a Weekend Warrior
from Finland
Date Reviewed: October 20, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Lamminpää | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | R-Tech | | Strengths: | Very climber and very silent on downhill | | Weaknesses: | None (exept the chain suck problem, which seems to be solved now) | | Similar Products Used: | Marin Shoreline Trail (my previous bike) | | Bike Setup: | I bought only the frame and the rear shock and the rest of the parts were taken from my previous bike (the frame of which got broken). So it's a combimation of Shimano XT and Sram Esc 9.0 parts, including Rock Shox Judy Race front suspension and Selle Italia Flide saddle. | | Bottom Line: | An extremely pleasant bike to ride both uphill and downhill. The no-bob suspension works perfect, also. With this bike I have forgotten the back aches I used to have with my previous FS bike. I have solved the chain suck problem (which takes place when changing from the middle chain ring to the small chain ring) by a zip tie setup (of which I have some pictures, if someone is interested). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Amanda
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: September 14, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Ravenshoe, Albion Hills | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | Toronto Bike Show (Brodway Cycle) | | Strengths: | Geometry
Light (relatively)
Climbing | | Weaknesses: | Occasional chain suck
Stock saddle/tires/pedals
Handlebar seems long
| | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Rockhopper | | Bike Setup: | 16.5" frame (Small)
Crank Brothers Mallets
SDG Bel-Air saddle
Bar ends
Geax Sturdy 2.25 rear tire
| | Bottom Line: | I have only had to deal with chain suck a few times (~once a month on average) but its been rather nasty. I've found that straightening my rear derailler on a regular basis and keeping the drivetrain *very* clean/lubed has virtually eliminated the problem - but its a hassle. Part of it is rider error Im sure but my old Specialized hardtail was much more forgiving.
Otherwise, I love this bike! I found the saddle to be a bit wide in the back and couldnt 'get over it' SDG fixed that, I wasnt crazy about the Shimano pedals (We get a fair bit of mud up here) and I found the crank brothers to be an more appropriate design with less maintenace required. Disc ready hubs would have been nice as that is the next planned upgrade. I also find the handlebar to be a bit long for me could take 1/2-3/4" off each end easily but, being a riser bar may be better off swapping it out.
Climbs like a goat and once broken in is a very smooth ride with virtually unnoticeable bob uphill (I ride the rear shock at 2.5" and rather hard ~80% of my weight) the rock shox shock was too stiff for me at first but after about a dozen rides I love it. The 100+mm travel is wonderful. The geometry is perfect for trailriding but I find it awkward on flat pavement.
All in all a great ride. Excellent value for the price :)
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pam
a Cross Country Rider
from Dillon, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: May 12, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Strengths: | Great suspension. This bike made me much faster on the downhills. | | Weaknesses: | Horrific Chain Suck. Every other ride, the chain ends up mangled between the frame and the chainrings. I have to break the chain to free it. It has been back to the LBS many times for adjustments. Even under the best shifting conditions - no load on the pedals, clean and lubed drivetrain - the chain has sucked and mangled. | | Bottom Line: | This would be a wonderful bike if I did not get stranded in the middle of no where every other time I rode it. The chain suck is horrible. The LBS has looked at it several times and keeps "adjusting" it with no improvement. The LBS initially blamed me for shifting poorly. But,it has even sucked on flat pavement while I was pedaling slowly with no load during the shift. My husband, on a tip from this site, tried a shorter chain and no difference.
I am getting tired of the 'lets try this and see what happens' attitude of the LBS. The bike is going back tomorrow and I will make sure the LBS contacts Gary Fisher this time.
My husband has a Sugar 1 frame that also has occasional chain suck issues. Based on our experiences, we cannot comprehend buying another bike from Trek/Gary Fisher.
| Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tiger stripes
a Cross Country Rider
from California
Date Reviewed: February 5, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Tsali, and any good singletrack | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | This is a follow-up review to what I had earlier. | | Bottom Line: | A year later, and this bike is still great. I've upgraded the fork from a Manitou Mars (I'm too heavy for those so-called "women's forks.. *sigh*) to a Fox Float RLC, and that has done wonders for the ride.
Most of the standard Bontrager crap is gone replaced with XT/XTR mix. The only thing I would be happier with if there was a disc brake option. I've also thought about getting tubeless, but this is not at all related to the review.
Awesome bike :) Seriously, I don't think I'll ride anything else on the dirt until I destroy this bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tiger stripes
a Cross Country Rider
from California
Date Reviewed: May 30, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Tsali, any great singletrack | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | I love the Genesisters geometry (had a Big Sur GS before, but was getting backaches from the hardtail). Fairly light for a duallie, and no bobbing. For the cost, it's hard to beat for a decent FS. | | Weaknesses: | Stock Bontrager parts suck. The Big Sur GS even had better stock parts than the Sugar 3+ GS, and that's supposed to be a better bike. No disc brake option, which would have been nice. No quick release on the seatpost collar (easily replaced, so this is a minor gripe). | | Similar Products Used: | 2000 Specialized Enduro Pro FSR (rode like a sofa), 1999 Trek Y-22 (not bad, but had structural problems) | | Bike Setup: | XT/XTR mix components, Bontrager Superstock wheels, Panaracer Fire XC Pro, Race Face Cranks (older taper bb), getting the 959 (I think?) pedals, the 515s are so-so. | | Bottom Line: | Being one who really is hestitant for a full suspension after the previous two I rode, I figured it was time to give it another shot after riding a hardtail for a year. I love my hardtail, but my age and my back can't hack it anymore. I was riding a Big Sur GS, which is an awesome bike (with the same setup as this bike, moved over the parts). I figured it was time to try the Fisher FS for women.
The only option is the Sugar 3+. Great bike for a full suspension. Here's the first ride experience (will post more in six months):
The best technical climber of a bike I've had. Things that would bounce me around on the Big Sur, the Sugar just rode over without any hestitation. Turning was just like the Big Sur, so that didn't require anything to get used to. Descents nicely.
The thing I did notice about the bike is it seems to go a bit slower on everything. I'm not sure if it's because the handlebars are higher up, or if it's because the grease in the bottom bracket hasn't been broken down yet. :) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
lynne
a
from pennellville, ny, usa
Date Reviewed: December 15, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | highland forest | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1400.00 | | Purchased At: | local bike shop | | Strengths: | great handling, adjustable front and rear travel, easily tuned to my riding style, decent component mix, no real noticable pedal bob | | Weaknesses: | gs model not available with discs and fisher didn't mention that it takes an extra piece to put rear disc brake on | | Similar Products Used: | fisher 293,devinci dragonfly, specialized stumpjumper fsr comp- demo'ed only | | Bike Setup: | stock except speedplay frog pedals, xtr rear derailler, hayes hydraulic discs with bontrager race wheelset | | Bottom Line: | everyone always raves about the specialized fsr suspension but i liked the feel and responsiveness of the fisher and the devinci far better. bottom line in decision was that the comparably equipped fisher was $1000 cheaper than the devinci with a similar ride. i am little so the 29 inch wheel bike was not really an option and that is also why i bought the genesister model rather than the sugar 3+ disc. i have only put about 20 hours of single/double track riding in on it but i am very happy with my first full suspension so far and am very much looking forward to the snow melting. i think it will make a big difference for the 2003 xterra race season over the hard tail i raced in 2002. all non-stock equipment on the bike so far was stuff i already had. i may sway out the handlebar for a monkey lite and the seat post but really about the only thing that would make it much lighter would be a sid race fork. however, the bike is not heavy as is and the sid fork isn't adjustable from 63-108 mm travel. about the only time i would run the lighter fork would be for races and i'm not sure it is worth it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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