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Submitted by
buzz advert
a Racer
from Mid West
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | All of them | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Geometry. Suspension. Frame. Seatpost & seat. Brakes, except as noted below. Paint job and general style points for sharp piece of industrial design.
I love the bike. Can't say enough about it. Only RIP, as the 2009 model, which I have, is the final one of its type. Given how great the bike is--and how popular the Sugar models were, which this seems to be the closest remnant of--it seems there should have been a bigger market for it. Certainly Fisher is turning toward 29ers and eliminating bikes such as this. But also consider how mine is the first review of this bike since a 2007 model (or possibly older). Not sure they were flying off the shelves. Well, they should have been, by gum!
The bike is very fun to ride. It's nimble turning and supple suspension make you try things you wouldn't do on another bike. It's not too heavy for a not top of the line dual suspension, at 25.8 lbs. I'm still getting used to a different weight distribution than my old hardtail--with a heavier front end (the Fox fork) and a lighter back end (carbon rear triangle). (The Fuel 100 was like this too.) This only affects jumping, incidentally.
The Bontrager XDX tires are a decent all-purpose tire and grip nicely on hard pack. They do better than expected on sand too. They bite less well in dry, dusty conditions; going uphill on ground up, thick dirt or gravel; and certainly they're not for mud. They weren't too hard to convert to tubeless and have performed nicely as such so far.
The G2 geometry has a number of differences with a short headtube, a custom made fork due to its unique angle, and a longer top tube. You have to come farther forward to lean into steep uphills. Slow hairpin turns have created a bit of a learning curve too. Otherwise, the ride was great out of the box--intuitive and easy.
Fork and shock both have lockout, which is a necessity. You really can't stand up on dual sus bikes of this vintage, which is a loss, and it's tough to watch the small yet constant pedal feedback. But see the Velo news report of July 2009 for a good test that showed dualies as often faster than hard tails. After a hard ride at your favorite trail you'll forget about the feedback and know you're faster and have a back that didn't go through hell. | | Weaknesses: | Well, mine came with Shimano peddles. Pretty pissed about that. Actually, prior to purchase I didn't get why the bike came with peddles at all. Bikes at this end of the spectrum are usually, of course, peddle free, since people are particular about peddles and probably already have them when they're dropping this much cash. But please, GF, Shimano mountain bike pedals? If you're not going to spring for the Egg Beaters--the only mtn. bike peddle worth owning--at least send some Times or Speedplays.
The LX parts--front derailer and shifters. Though I'd rather have a carbon seatpost than XT parts here, for example, so these choices may actually be savvy. It's just difficult to say what Fisher did give the bike instead of having an entire XT grupo.
The Wide Sweep handlebars are a bit much, though they've grown on me. They're about 3 1/2" wider than what I was using before. At first my hacksaw was licking his chops as it was only a matter of some free time before the bars were his. However, now I like riding with them, except in tight singletrack. It does give you pause between tight trees, and I have knicked them once hard when other bars would have gotten through cleanly. The grips, btw, are better than they, at first, look.
After readjusting it several times, I still haven't gotten the front disc brake to stop rubbing a little.
| | Similar Products Used: | Trek Fuel 100 | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | They may still have a few left at headquarters. Order one now. If you can find one used, do same. I award 4 chilis for value because I just can't believe how much people like us drop on bikes; are they really worth this much? | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
krice
a Cross Country Rider
from Flagstaff, AZ, US
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | fast, handles incredibly well, flys down hills | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | Trek Fuel, Gary Fisher Race Day, Santa Cruz Blur, Gary Fisher Cake | | Bike Setup: | Full XTR, Bontrager Race X Lite, Fox F100 | | Bottom Line: | This bike is one of the most naturaling feeling bikes I have ever ridden. It is great for racing, and just seems faster all around than other bikes. I felt way more confortable going down hill on this bike compared to my previous race day, cake, and fuel. Awesome bike all around. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
GELO
a Weekend Warrior
from Italy
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$230.00 | | Purchased At: | a friend | | Strengths: | Genesis geometry, stiff, lightweight and stylish. | | Weaknesses: | weak paint, no disk brake adaptors | | Similar Products Used: | carraro husky | | Bike Setup: | Bomber Z2, mavic crossroc and shimano XT | | Bottom Line: | I love this bike. Stiff but confy, and i love the genesis gemetry. You can use a shorter stem and have a more sensible control of your bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pete Jones
a Cross Country Rider
from UK
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Fast through the singletrack once you get used to the long top tube. Good warranty backup. | | Weaknesses: | Frame 1 - http://www.btinternet.com/~peteajones/bikes/super_crack.jpg
Frame 2 - http://www.btinternet.com/~peteajones/bikes/scal-weld2.jpg
First frame felt very floppy in the bottom bracket area, second was much better. Bolt on disk mount. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 8000 | | Bike Setup: | Pace forks, Hope hubs/disks, XT transmission | | Bottom Line: | Nice race frame if someone is sponsoring you, but not durable enough for trail riding; one frame cracked within 6 months, the second lasted just over a year. Good no-quibble warranty backup though. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ace
a Cross Country Rider
from Orange County, CA
Date Reviewed: November 25, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | Great finish, decent weight, durable. | | Weaknesses: | Geometry sucks if you're used to an agile bike. | | Similar Products Used: | Many. | | Bike Setup: | XTR, etc. | | Bottom Line: | I moved from a Manitou HT (which broke), to this Supercaliber frameset. My only gripe with this frame was their "Genesis geometry." It seems like a fancy way of saying, "this top tube is so damn long, you have to lay flat to reach the bars."
Going from the Manitou's aggressive geometry to this long beast of a bike was like going from a Ferrari to a limousine. I could barely manage to life the front end up becasue it was so much longer. It was nice and stable n descents, but I felt vulnerable because I no longer had the agility to bob and weave like I did with the Manitou.
A great HQ frame, but not the one for me. If you're unusually tall/have a very long torso and arms, then maybe you should give this a look.
FYI, I'm 6'1" and rode a Large. The Medium was just barely too small, and this Large was too big. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Simon Connell
a Cross Country Rider
from Berkshire, UK
Date Reviewed: June 14, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Any | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Secondhand | | Strengths: | I am 6ft 4in, and 165lbs. I was previously riding a Large Specialized FSR XC, which was too small for me. I picked up an XL Fisher Procaliber from some online classifieds about 3 months ago. What can I say? I had ridden other XL bikes looking for something that suited me, and had felt the top tube was always too short. One spin on the Fisher and I was sold. I love singletrack, and this bike excels in it.
The frame is very light considering the size. It is truly a singletrack demon, floating through tight gaps between trees and carving berms with consumate ease. Also, it does not beat me up like most of my other alloy bikes do/ have done. All I can say is I love it, and the only thing I would swap it for would be a Seven Sola with the same geometry! | | Weaknesses: | The gaudy paint colours are a bit too much for me, I plan to get mine sprayed black to match the rest of the kit on the bike. Also, the paint on mine does not seem to stick to the metal very well, chunks of it have fallen off around the dropouts where on other bikes it would just have chipped. Finally, I would have preferred an international standard disc mount to the Hayes one, I don't run discs but if I ever do I won't run Hayes. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Stumpjumper hardtail, Ellsworth Sub 22, Kona Explosif, Saracen Kili 853, Specialized Rockhopper, Cannondale hardtail. | | Bike Setup: | Rockshox SID SL's 01, Bontrager Racelight wheelset (w/Kings), XTR gruppo, Middleburn RS8 Duo chainset, USE Alien carbon post, Easton Monkeylite Risers, Avid SD brakeset. | | Bottom Line: | Fast, light, and a true singletrack demon of a bike. Fits me like a glove. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tyson kaman
a Racer
from amherst, mass
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | competitive edge | | Strengths: | awsome climber, geometry hard to beat if your riding in a strait line (up&down), lazer mitered tubing really cool, makes for really strong frame. | | Weaknesses: | gometry feels wierd sometimes, rear derailure hangar doesnt get the pully far enough away from a 34 tooth cog(shimano only/sram ok), 73mm bb=no good chainline for splined (shimano) 2x9, cable routing not favorable for traditional front derailures(e types ok, and only a problem in small and med sizes). | | Similar Products Used: | specialized m4, cannondale caad 4, merlin xlm | | Bike Setup: | xtr, sid race, king and thompson wherever possible, racelite wheels, easton bar, onza stubbies | | Bottom Line: | ncs machine.
great for those all too common ride up the access trail and to the top and then turn around and do it again things norba thinks is the best format for an xc race.
but in a rolling technical race....
as for all the tech prob. i had- they are cuz im very peticular, and they ca easily be avoided. e.g. the stock set up will have none of them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nik Johnson
a Cross Country Rider
from Paisley, Scotland
Date Reviewed: February 14, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Anwhere in The Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Spokes and Saddles, Malvern, Worcs (R.I.P.) | | Strengths: | Lightwieght, robust, responsive, Genesis Geometry, every other bike I've ridden just doesn't quite match (closest was a CAAD4, but that had a headshok - just doesnt cut it in the UK) | | Weaknesses: | Original paint flaked, but I think that's been sorted by Fisher. All other bikes don't quite match up to Genesis Geometry?? | | Similar Products Used: | CAnnondale, Marin, Sunn, specialized. | | Bike Setup: | Er, singlespeed, Middleburn cranks, rigid (P2), big ass bars. hope stuff, and some control tech. | | Bottom Line: | One of the best frames I've ridden, so good it's coming out of (relative) retirement, and replacing my Sunn as the XC steed. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
josh travis
a Racer
from boise
Date Reviewed: January 9, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | corals | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1449.00 | | Purchased At: | Georges cycles | | Strengths: | #1, for those of us around 6 foot and up this genesis geometry does work. Theres no doubt in my mind. I had a huge grin on my face descending the steepest, stepiest, section of trail in Boise the day I first rode it. No fear, and it left me wanting more. Also the thing accelerates better than anything this side of Cannondale.
#2,the frame is solid. It's tubing diameter, thickness, and classic simple format inspires confidence. I dont worry about riding it too hard. #3, The 2000 Mt Tam is one of the few new Fishers that doesnt look like an old Schwinn Frontier--the graphics are sharp | | Weaknesses: | I was fooled by all the hype. The Mt. Tams Marzochi Z.2, Air sprung fork is a dud. (Thanks RockShock for bringing the world the 2000 Sid SL, mines on order.) Also, the bike came a pound heavier than ideal. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Stumpjumper, Cannondale F2000, Jekl | | Bike Setup: | All stock except: LX crankset, BB (stiff, lighter than xtr, splined), swept back lowrise spec. bars. (Fit sooo nice), Flight Saddle, (cant have something as ugly as the stock wtb on my bike, would be a crime) | | Bottom Line: | The 2000 model Gary Fisher Mt. Tam is an excellent deal. It will simply allow you to enjoy your rides better, because, (yes the hype is true), you will descend faster, crash less, climb more efficiently, and accelerate faster. If only that frame could accomodate a Cann. Headshock I'd be in Heaven. (tracking and responsive superiority) Without a Headshock I cant give a bike 5 chilis, but without Genisis Geometry I cant call a bike perfect either. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
matt is the fastest racer alive
a Racer
from Salt Lake City,UT,USA
Date Reviewed: October 2, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Prostitute Butte, moab | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Golsan Cycles | | Strengths: | Light as hell. Geometry puts ctr. of gravity in just the right spot. Fisher stylishness. | | Weaknesses: | NONE!!!!!! | | Similar Products Used: | Nothing is even remotely similar!!!!!!!!!!! | | Bike Setup: | SID xc, Race Face next lp, SRAM 9.0sl, Thomson post | | Bottom Line: | This bike,coupled with my amazing speed and endurance make for a pair that is unstopable. So, in a race, if you see a yellow, red, and blue blur fly past you, it's me. Racers and recriational riders alike will agree that this is the best bike in the world. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Reid Parham
a Racer
from Salem, Oregon, USA
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1470.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | The 1470 I paid for it was for a complete bike with an excellent setup. The geometry is excellent, you'll never run out of rear end traction when climbing. It tracks the singletrack very well, and is capable in rough terrain. I own an OCLV version of the Supercaliber, its very stiff, but I'm 15 and stiff fits the bill for me. | | Weaknesses: | If setup with a long stem, it'll feel way too long. Its a stiff frame, so some wont like it. | | Similar Products Used: | Schwinn Mesa GSX | | Bike Setup: | XT/Raceface 9 speed drivetrain, 858 pedals, Monkeylight 2" inch risers, 105mm stem, Manitou SX Ti 80mm, RS susp post. | | Bottom Line: | Excellent XC Race bike, lightweight frame. Worth the money if you're serious about competition. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean
a cross-country rider
from Orange County, CA
Date Reviewed: September 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Hmmm...well, this is in comparison to a 97 Answer Manitou HT, which cracked in 4 places after LESS than 1 year of use...which led me to get the Supercaliber. I actually had no choice...I had 600 to spend, and the Fisher was 500 and change. I swapped all my old parts (XT and stuff) onto the Fisher, and took it on her maiden voyage yesterday afternoon (Sep 22, 98 I think!). Anyhow...this thing felt like a limousine compared to the Manitou...the top tube is LONG...must be a full inch longer at least (a good thing with riders who are TALL in the torso...I'm 6'1, and it felt too big.). I found I couldn't even get the front end up for a wheeelie, let alone hop logs like I used to all the time. This is frustrating...I have a 135 x 0 deg. Kore stem...and I'm trying out a 120 x 10 deg. Kore today. I'm hoping this will help. The bike took curves like a champ, though...as long as I didn't have to get the front end moving in a hurry. Very smooth on the turns...stable. Very little singletrack ridden on it so far...not enough to make a judgement. Downhill: This bike is STIFF. If you are used to a compliant rear eend, DO NOT get this bike! My kidneys were sore after the 7-mile ride. Mixed emotions. CLIMBING...Grade A...very good. Controlled. Good hook up, depsite the stiffness. So far, I like. I'm gonna put a few more laps down, and let you know then. 3 stars, only because I have the wrong size stem, and only 7 milees loggeed on the new frame. This will change, I think! Looks promising. | | Overall Rating: |
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