Submitted by
Dennis
a Cross Country Rider
from California, USA Date Reviewed: December 20, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Strengths:
Good price, good components for the money, nice brakes, excellent frame. Lightweight for a hardtail at this price. A great example of a good entry-intermediate level XC bike.
Weaknesses:
Fork is too soft for most riders; the seat initially hurts your ass LOT before you get used to it.
Bike Setup:
Completely stock except for bar ends.
Bottom Line:
I got this bike used in near-mint condition. So far, it's done completely what I expected it to do. I had just gotten into biking and I was looking for a lightweight, no-frills cross-country bike that could handle moderate trails. This bike can do that pretty well.
A lot of people who have paid MSRP (around $500) say that they've gotten an excellent deal. After I got this bike, I looked around the major bicycle manufacturers who had bikes around this price and the IguanaSE seems to have a better setup. Since I paid just $300, I think this bike was more than worth the price (if you get this bike now, anyways, you'll be paying less than I did). You might (and could probably) get or build a better bike for around $500 if you looked around LBS's and such, but you won't get a better bike with an original MSRP of $500.
The brakes are great and firm. The rear derailler [sic] is fine but the front Alivio, being a lower-end model, has some trouble shifting to larger chainrings sometimes. Still, nothing too serious. By far, I think the best thing on this bike is the frame. It's light and is relatively stable (at least to me).
The two gripes I have about this bike are the fork and the seat. The fork is lightweight and I have not had any problems with it. However, it's really soft. The preload works fine for me and I can make it pretty stiff, but I'm 118 lbs. so this has not been a problem for me. I think that if you're anything over 165-180 lbs. you would want to get a different fork as the preload on this fork acts like it gets exponentially ineffective as your weight goes up, as my 180-ish lb. friend found out when he was riding on my bike. The second thing is the saddle: it hurts. It has Kevlar sides but the "nose" part of the seat is really thin and protrusive and your ass gets sore pretty quick. I got used to it after just a couple rides, though.
For cross-country riding, this bike is great. It's light, responsive, and climbs well. If you're a light guy like me, I think you'll appreciate the fork. This bike is good for fire trails and such, but it's definitely not made for really rough stuff. The frame I have trust in; the fork, I don't for heavier riders.
Please do not take this bike freeriding with the stock Manitou Magnum. It'll smack itself silly. I saw reviews saying that the fork bottomed out or blew the top cap after going of 6' drops or the like. One guy even used it downhilling. Aaah! No, no, no! I don't recommend getting too aggressive with this bike but if you do, dump the fork.
I use this bike as city, get-around bike now, with lightly-aggressive street tires. It's great for that, too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Asher Zoomers
a Cross Country Rider
from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Date Reviewed: April 15, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Chocolate bhuda
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Riders Cyclery
Strengths:
Raised hangers
Weaknesses:
Frame cracked in half behind front headset, in the exact same spot that my friends iguana did. Luckily no one was seriously hurt. Only a broken rib and lots of bruises. Very Dangerous Frame!! Warranty sucks and won't cover it.
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher, Giant Yukon
Bike Setup:
Stock except for deep V back rim.
Bottom Line:
Nice bike untill the frames crack and try to kill you. Won't buy another Giant if their service and products continue to be total crap. Very dissatisfied and can't find anyone who seems to give a damn. If anyone does I would like to hear from them. Thanks
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
George W.
a Cross Country Rider
from Poway,CA,USA Date Reviewed: February 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Big Laguna + Daley Ranch
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$580.00
Purchased At:
B + M Bikes
Strengths:
Good bike for the money. Durable frame. Decent hillclimber.
Weaknesses:
Stock seat. BB went South in 3months. Trued the front wheels twice in 2years. Broke a bunch of spokes in the rear[$26 to repair]
Similar Products Used:
none at the time.
Bike Setup:
Stock Iguana
Bottom Line:
Good bike for the money.It never fit me quite perfectly but it did everything I asked of it within reason.AS I got better the bike rewarded me.The stock tires were OK, they were replaced with Velocoraptor on front,Panracer on rear after the first year.I put on 750 miles in the 1st seven months At that time I had a complete tune-up done[including a fork rebuild],this cost $60.The bike worked a lot better,and I started to really enjoy riding it.The Iguana is a recreational bike that has endured two years of hard ridng [no abuse,but numerous crashes].
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pete
a Weekend Warrior
from Hopewell, NJ, USA Date Reviewed: September 4, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
this bike climbs sumwhat decently and flows well.
Weaknesses:
the fork... is heavy and unresponsive, the components are pore for doing any kind of hard biking. the bike is very unbalanced, with a heavy front and lite rear. the saddle could couse seriouse injury to the ass.
Similar Products Used:
Kona caldera, specialized rockhopper, trek
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
I barrowed this bike from a friend when my bike was being repaired. I took this bike to a very rocky place and it performed less than i would have liked. this bike is great for a beginner who is doing easy trails or using it to cruise the city. For your own sake don't try anything to hard with it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Max
a Weekend Warrior
from Baltimore, MD USA Date Reviewed: July 5, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Robert E. Lee park
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Bicycle Connection
Strengths:
seat, brakes, rims
Weaknesses:
fork, rear derailure, gears, shifters
Bottom Line:
I got this bike on sale in 2001 since the shop was clearing out for newer models. The bike is an all-round good bike, but if you intend to ride it really hard (eg. my friends KHS Alite 2000 or my brothers Schwinn Moab Elite) you'll run into problems. The caps on the forks keep blowing up at my chest (3x), my quikshift shifters keep jamming. The brakes are good, and don't need to be tightened that much. The bike was worth it, but it needs frequent tuneups and fixes. Don't take this one to the Grand Canyon, but for the average mountain joyride, its good.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Colin Osborn
a Cross Country Rider
from Carbondale,CO,United States Date Reviewed: June 30, 2002
Favorite Trail:
all of them
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
Ajax bike and sport
Strengths:
rims
Weaknesses:
Fork's bushings
Similar Products Used:
none
Bottom Line:
This bike was a good bike. I beat the $hit out of this bike. I rode it hard for two years and only replaced the rear deraillieur, Tires and got the fork bushings replaced by Manitou.The bike shop that sold it was great, I was going to sell it but one night i was riding, bunnyhopped a curb and the frame broke. I liked the bike, but it is not for a abusive rider. It was a good bike though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wade
a Downhiller
from Carbondale,CO,United States Date Reviewed: May 19, 2002
Favorite Trail:
The one i haven't riden yet
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$650.00
Purchased At:
Ajax bike and sport
Strengths:
Stong Frame
Weaknesses:
Manitou Magnum fork
Similar Products Used:
none
Bottom Line:
This is built well and works good, the fork the manitou was easilt broken, i replaced it with a Marzocchi z.1 fr and the bike felt like it could take anything. The front derailluer wore out quick also but i then replaced it with a MRP chain guide. It is now my screw around , dual slalom race bike, I love it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Krazy Kid
a Downhiller
from Cranbrook, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: May 12, 2002
Favorite Trail:
anything rad and fun!
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
Kimberly Ski hill
Strengths:
Every thing
Weaknesses:
peadles, seat
Similar Products Used:
Nothing
Bike Setup:
Its all stock exept for the seat, and peadles.
Bottom Line:
This bike rocks! I have the small frame so it lookes like a jump rig. I can't break it! I broke my full suspension 3 times and the hardtail won't bust! I Can go huge on this bike! Get it for awsome rides, Awsome times!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jay
a Weekend Warrior
from Salem, Or U.S.A. Date Reviewed: March 2, 2002
Favorite Trail:
urban/Dallas
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
mountain bike outfitters (washington)
Strengths:
cheap, strong, great fit
Weaknesses:
cranks are junk, seat rails bent, fork is down-right dangerous!!!
Bike Setup:
set up for freeride. lx cranks (splined), marzochi djII fork, 2.3 inch tires, lx brakes, riser bars.
Bottom Line:
i bought this bike because it was the best value and it was all i could afford. i have replaced several components out of neccessity. the cranks bent, so i bought LX splined cranks. the manitou forks blew up and shot the cap into my face, so i bought marzochi djII. i also bought better brakes, bigger tires and a new seat because the rails bent. i ride this bike EXTREMELY hard. alot harder than it was made for. i do 4 1/2 foot drops on concrete and it has held up better than i ever expected.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ethan T
a Weekend Warrior
from Raleigh, NC Date Reviewed: January 11, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Bottom Line:
If you can possibly see yourself as becoming a regular mountain biker, don't get the Iguana. Get something better.
The Iguana is a great bike for the money, but the components are low grade and will soon wear or start to disappoint you. You get what you pay for though, and Giant is a great company. I recently had to return a bike frame to them for replacement. No hassle!
But seriously, go for the XTC SE 1 or 2 because of the mere fact that you will want more than just the Iguana. However, for pure recreational riders, the Iguana is worth it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben Johnson
a Weekend Warrior
from berne, IN, US Date Reviewed: October 28, 2001
Favorite Trail:
any one i can go on
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$325.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
great bike for beginer. this bike has good demensions, and can be raced
Weaknesses:
hardly any at all, except for the brakes, and the cranks. my only other gripe is the stock seatpost
Similar Products Used:
Kona caldera, others
Bike Setup:
mostly stock, except for tru-vativ firex cranks, and easton ea50 seatpost. i plan on replacing the brakes soon
Bottom Line:
this bike has been working out great for me. its stable, and can take lots more than what it was made for (trials type stuff). one of the only major problems i have had with it was the stock cranks which flexed quite a bit,and bent easily. but after i bought new firex's, the bike is like brand new. i plan on buying new brakes soon though, because the stock ones are cheap and don't have very good modulation. all in all, this bike is great for value, and possibly racing(as i plan on doing this comeing summer)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Olivier B
a Weekend Warrior
from San Mateo, CA Date Reviewed: September 22, 2001
Favorite Trail:
El Corte de Madera
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Sonma Mountain Cyclery
Strengths:
Incredible bang for the buck! I love the way it handles around corners. Great Manitou Magnum fork that will take just about anything... Mine came w/ LX components, can't complain, can I?... Great aluminum frame, super rigid.
Weaknesses:
The seat is way hard, but once broken in, it's just fine. The tires suck... Brakes tend to fade in long downhills... Just wish it were a Full-Suspension!
Similar Products Used:
1992 Giant Boulder ATX
Bike Setup:
Just added bar extensions for climbs and thinking of replacing the toe-clip pedals w/ clipless.
Bottom Line:
I've ridden this bike for almost 2 years now on all kinds of trails and I haven't had to change anything on it! The value is incredible.
It's a great bike for beginners and intermediate riders. Once you get into hard MTB riding, you'll probably want to upgrade to a Full-Suspension, but remember, your Iguana SE made you love it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
danny
a Racer
from Oakville, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: July 9, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$850.00
Purchased At:
Da Cyclepath
Strengths:
Frame
Weaknesses:
All the components
Similar Products Used:
Nothing
Bike Setup:
QR20, Hayes front& rear, mavic D321 Disc rim, mrp chainguide, profile bars, raceface cranks, xt components, and intinse tires 3 front and 2.4 rear.
Bottom Line:
Great bike to do up for dual and downhill.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Columbus, Oh Date Reviewed: June 15, 2001
Favorite Trail:
steep ones
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$449.00
Purchased At:
BikeSource
Strengths:
The bike is a good start to an even better bike. It has a very good frame and fairly good components throughout.
Weaknesses:
The brake levers are the lowest quality component on the bike. Wheels are strong but heavy.
Similar Products Used:
Giant XTC DS2
Bike Setup:
Kore stem and bar, Mavic Crosslink wheelset, xt brake levers, and everything else is stock.
Bottom Line:
There are a few major upgrades that this bike needs to become an xc racing bike. The Suntour crankset has been through a lot and is still in good shape. This is an excellent starting bike for someone considering racing and is easily (not affordably) upgradable to an awesome bike. I recommend upgrading the brake levers immediately which gives the brakes an entirely different feel. This bike is worth the money for someone making a minimal investment in becoming serious in the sport. Don't buy this bike if you plan on racing it stock. Upgrading is fun!!!(and expensive)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a
from Edmonton Date Reviewed: May 19, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Price obviously Frame can take alot of s#*t Fairly good components
Weaknesses:
None really, cept this bike made me want to do more, and fork out the $$$
Similar Products Used:
Alot
Bike Setup:
Stock Except for: LX Bottom Bracket, Bontrager Comp Cranks, 1664 Pedals, Club Roost DH Bar, Bomber Z5 100mm Fork, Getting Rhyno Lite rims soon
Bottom Line:
The Bike itself does what it was designed to do, do cross country riding, except I got bored with that and went to freeriding. All the upgrades/conversions have made the bike a DS machine. It can also battle with the best of hardtails on drop offs, thanks to the new fork.
A couple of complaints though. First of all, I bent the stock riser bar and I had to get a new one. I also demolished the stock BB in a race. I went through the stock cranks and they were replaced free of charge because the chainrings warped. I got a new Shimano A crankset free which worked well till I started freeriding. I did a stair gap of about 6 stairs and my feet slipped to the outside of the pedals and I landed. The crank torqued sideways ALOT. The new cranks set me back about 100 dollars. The stock pedals are also junk. With the upgrades this bike is easily a 5, but without its about a 3 or a 4. The value is something you can't beat.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andi Baumgartner
a Weekend Warrior
from Berne, IN, USA Date Reviewed: March 17, 2001
Favorite Trail:
alot of them
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
nice frame/ fork combo for the price, brakes are NICE when properly tuned. Nice rims and hubs for the price.
Weaknesses:
Could use a 2 in riser bar, stem is original, and ft. der. is alivio, cranks suck balls.
Similar Products Used:
Kona Caldera, Gt LTS-5
Bike Setup:
stock, with a hutchinson light on the back, and velocorapton on the front.
Bottom Line:
This is my freind's bike, and he had gotton it really muddy, so he took it to me to tune it up. I spent 2 and a half hours tuning every little thing on it. And right now its brakes and ride is soooo much better. This is a woderful bike for the price, if you can get it cheaper go for it, my freind got his for 325 (ebay), and he's totally happy for it. Definatly get new cranks if you are going to be doing some hardcore ridin, but otherwise this bike rocks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andi Baumgartner
a Weekend Warrior
from Berne, IN, USA Date Reviewed: March 17, 2001
Favorite Trail:
alot of them
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
nice frame/ fork combo for the price, brakes are NICE when properly tuned. Nice rims and hubs for the price.
Weaknesses:
Could use a 2 in riser bar, stem is original, and ft. der. is alivio, cranks suck balls.
Similar Products Used:
Kona Caldera, Gt LTS-5
Bike Setup:
stock, with a hutchinson light on the back, and velocorapton on the front.
Bottom Line:
This is my freind's bike, and he had gotton it really muddy, so he took it to me to tune it up. I spent 2 and a half hours tuning every little thing on it. And right now its brakes and ride is soooo much better. This is a woderful bike for the price, if you can get it cheaper go for it, my freind got his for 325 (ebay), and he's totally happy for it. Definatly get new cranks if you are going to be doing some hardcore ridin, but otherwise this bike rocks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben Johnson
a Cross Country Rider
from Berne, IN, USA Date Reviewed: March 6, 2001
Favorite Trail:
any
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$325.00
Purchased At:
e-bay
Strengths:
good beginer mtb. great suspension, it has never bottomed out on me onece so far, but i haven't taken too many drop-off's either
Weaknesses:
crank is a piece, it grinds teeth easily. bottom bracket is ok, i can't realy tell that much
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
stock, except for a new crank which i plan to get soon
Bottom Line:
great bike for beginer to intermedate deffintly get new cranks when you get it, cause they are not worth anything
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bob
a Weekend Warrior
from milwuakee Date Reviewed: January 29, 2001
Favorite Trail:
california red wood trail
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$576.50
Purchased At:
wolfs cycle and fitness
Strengths:
Some good components, Supension is overall pretty goo for the price,frame is light and pretty strong. The rear delrailer is prety well design and thought out. is very strong and shifts with percission
Weaknesses:
THe cranks down right out flat sucks. Personaly when i bought my iguana i bent the crank in the first two weeks i had it and the front delrailer is kinda crappy also. the front shocks are a lil difficult to adjust sometimes they could be a lil stiffer./
Bottom Line:
Over all the bike is a good bike to start out with if your a beginner it's set up well and can have step ups available if needed or wanted. It's a good reliable bike to start out with
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Team Rush
a Cross Country Rider
from Newfoundland, Canada Date Reviewed: November 20, 2000
Favorite Trail:
White Hills
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Earle Industry
Strengths:
Light frame, fork is amazing for the money, tires are quite good, derailleurs are good even when cloged with dirt and mud, brakes are good once you tighten them up, the entire bike is very, very strong.
Weaknesses:
Crank is horrible, seat is a brick, rims are heavy
Great bike for the price, excellent bike for upgrades, I recomend this to anyone who is a begginer to intermediate biker ___________________________________________________________ Team Rush is #1
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob Paddon
a Cross Country Rider
from St.John's, NFLD, Canada Date Reviewed: November 14, 2000
Favorite Trail:
White Hills
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Earles Industry
Strengths:
Light frame, decent drivetrain, great fork (Manitou Magnum), good brakes, good off-road tires (in dry weather), excellent price
Weaknesses:
Tires are quite heavy, rims are heavy, crank is misreable, springs in forks are to soft for heavy riders
Similar Products Used:
Kona Blast, Giant Yukon, 850, and MCM
Bike Setup:
Stock exceot for XTR crank
Bottom Line:
Great bike for the price, buy it if you are a begginer XC rider
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Craig
a
from Phoenix, AZ. USA Date Reviewed: October 20, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
L.B.S
Strengths:
Most bang for the buck. In this price range the component package is the best.
Weaknesses:
Sun crankset... shucked a third of the teeth off the middle chainring in the first month.
Similar Products Used:
1998 Rincon Se, GT Rebound
Bike Setup:
Stock, with the exception of a XT crank and bottom bracket.
Bottom Line:
This a good choice for the person living on a budget or who is looking for entry-level bike. Sure, there are many bikes out there with a much better component package but they all cost a great deal more. I ride one hundred plus miles a week on a variety of surfaces. Street, bike paths, trails ect. I could not be more satisfied with this bike. In six months of daily use the only problem that I have encountered was the the stock crankset. I am not sure if I received a bad one or if this is typical of Sun cranksets but it did not last a month. In the course of shopping for a bike I did find differences in some of the component packages. Mine has a LX rear derailler, kenda tires and a blue and white paint job. Shop around to assure yourself of receiving the best part package.
Five chillis for value, reguardless of the crank problems; Four chillis in the overall rating due to the crank problems.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Rolla MO Date Reviewed: October 16, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Berryman Trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$529.00
Purchased At:
Tony's Bikes, New Castle DE
Strengths:
Good drivetrain excluding the cranks and BB. I've already worn out Bottom Bracket and the cranks suck up the chain if it gets too dirty. Good fork, brakes stop well. Nice frame
Weaknesses:
Wheels are heavy as crap. Seat stinks. Cranks are like wet noodles. Bottom Bracket is weak. Tires suck too
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher, Trek, Raliegh, GT, Specialized, Cannondale
Bike Setup:
Bar Ends, Wellgo clipless, Terry 'gorung friendly' seat, Michelin wildgripper comp tires. Shimano Bottom Bracket
Bottom Line:
Good for the money. I ride 3-4 times/week in mud, dust, sand, whatever. The drive train holds up as long as you lube it when it is messy. Fork is awesome, I've done some 4'+ dropoffs and not bottomed it out (I only weigh 165lbs). Makes me mad that the bottom braket crapped out after only three months. I whip people's butts on bikes that cost 2-3 times as much as mine. Good initial investment. Eventually get Deore cranks and Deore front Derailleur. Maybe different stem, i don't like that much rise.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Weekend Warrior
from Livonia, MI, USA Date Reviewed: October 14, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$530.00
Purchased At:
KLM Bike and Fitness
Strengths:
This bike absolutely ROCKS. The Manitou Magnum fork is great, seeing as I'm 14 and only weigh about 100 pounds. The Tekro brakes are very responsive, and have a lot of power in them. Frame is sturdy and light, I think it weighed in at about 27 lbs. Shifters and derailleurs work fine so far, I haven't experienced any flaws yet. Tires grip well on both road and off-road terrain. Overall this bike is well worth the money.
Weaknesses:
Nothing!
Similar Products Used:
1998 Giant Iguana SE, 2000 Giant Rainier.
Bike Setup:
Stock, added CatEye Enduro 2 cyclocomputer.
Bottom Line:
This bike is absolutely the best you can buy for the money. The components are great for only 500 bucks. If you want to do some trail riding, not too technical, and not to pricey, get the Iguana, it is the best bike out there for the money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott C
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Ontraio, Canada Date Reviewed: October 10, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Hardwood Hills
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$520.00
Purchased At:
The Cyclepath
Strengths:
Rear derailer rocks, along with the shocks. Nice setup for a short upper body person. Shocks are easy to adjust, left side only!
Weaknesses:
Front crankset stinks - serious chainsuck from the bottom. Seat is too small, but all bikes seats on all bikes are like this. Shocks are too soft, but firm suspension package is available for $25 Canadian
Similar Products Used:
Trek 8000, Trek 6500, Scwinn Moab 3
Bike Setup:
Stock; anti chainsuck device.
Bottom Line:
Great bike! Considering it costs only $800 Canadian, GET IT. Put straps on the pedals for $10 Canadian, and add anti - chainsuck device. If you want to try to get into biking, get it, but if you want to do big drops >4 ft., and push it a - lot upgrade, or get something else. Performs well for a mountain biker, doing weekend or all week riding.
I have 1200 KM on it now and I took it into the shop twice, 1 wheel truing, and 1 anti - chainsuck device. May soon upgrade to the Shimano Deore crankset soon.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a Weekend Warrior
from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Date Reviewed: August 12, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Falcon Creek
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Price to Performance Ratio, frame, Manitou Magnum fork, Tires, Wheels
Most stock, added Cat-Eye Mity3 Computer, Titec Micro barends, and Serfas Reactive Gel seat
Bottom Line:
This is a follow-up to my previous review.
As I stated before, get a new seat before you leave the bike shop. It's a brick at best.
Now, I bought this bike mostly for trail riding (rolling, groomed trails with a relatively easy technical level, as I was not technically proficient, though I had never been much interested in technical riding. Since then, I've gotten heavy into the more technical stuff (difficult to advanced) and my opinions on the bike have altered, also due in part to the fact that I've ridden higher quality bikes belonging to friends since then (assortment of Rocky Mountains mostly).
Some here have complained about the wheels. I'm personally not into big drops, most of the ones I take on are 3' or less, but I've only had to have my wheels trued once, and that was more because my bike was at the shop anyways and they weren't busy, so I had them do it.
The derailleurs (Deore rear, Alivio front) are pretty good. They haven't failed on me, though they're a little slow at times, but their performance doesn't fall off when they become packed with mud and other assorted trail debris, which surprised me. The crankset is garbage. The crank arms are like wet noodles and the chainrings throw teeth like they're going out of style, particularly the big ring, though a lot of them are simply ground off from all the technical riding I've been doing.
The Magnum shock is great for the money, it's no Marzocchi, but it handles roots, rocks, etc admirably at speed or creeping along.
The brakes are another story. They need constant attention to keep from getting off-center. The arms have a tendency to stick if not kept well lubed, and by that I mean tearing them down every couple of weeks for a full on lube job, and they need to be centered before, after, and at times during a ride. In my opinion, V-brakes shouldn't require this much maintenance. That's the whole point of having em.
And finally, the frame. This is by far the best part of the bike. Super solid, yet at the same time rather forgiving as aluminum frames go. Considering the cranks flop around like they do, this frame puts the power down incredibly well.
For the money, there isn't a better bike out there. So my value rating stays at 5, but having discovered the glaring weakness in the cranks and brakes, I'm finding myself dropping the overall rating from 5 to 4.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Miah moyers
a
from parkersburg wv Usa Date Reviewed: August 6, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Any one you can ride
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
The whole bike is pretty good. I mean you paid $500 and you got a pretty decent bike for the company. If you wanted more of a bike you should up-grade yours or buy a diffrent one.
Weaknesses:
The tires are not the best. There fine as long as it is not too muddy. They seem not to grip when it is.
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
All you people that are wineing about the seat go out and ride more, and you will get tough.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben Boule
a Cross Country Rider
from Nashua, NH Date Reviewed: August 3, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Haven't rode it yet
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Frame, fork, drivetrain
Weaknesses:
Rims, hubs (cheapo), brakes (no the seat is not necessarily that bad)
Bike Setup:
Stock + Bar ends, computer, cages, pump, etc..
Bottom Line:
I wrote a review of this bike shortly after I got it. Since then I've gotten much more enthusiastic about MTB riding, and have started racing. I've put about 600 miles on this bike in the last 2 1/2 months.
Observations: - Seat sucks if you ride weekends wearing street clothes, if you are a serious rider and you wear padded bike shorts you might like it. I've done 3+ hour rides on it with no trouble at all. Once I got used to it/broke it in it doesn't bother me at all. (No one else will try out my bike though cause they sit on it and hate the seat.)
- Hubs are not shimano, they suck. I snapped the QR axle on the front hub already. I'll probably replace them with XT hubs next spring if they last that long. My rear hub came loose, and even after the cones were re-adjusted it still makes noise above 15mph when you turn.
- Wheels in general are very heavy and not necessarily that strong. I've had them trued twice now.
- The brakes seem fine, but the pads stink. I had them completely fail during a rainy day race. I managed to stretch the cables enough just in that race to lose all braking, and the pads leave a greasy residue on the rims when you use them in the rain. Get a mechanic to take the "idiot-proof" spring out of the red "power-adjuster" on the front brake. It hurts the braking power and is just there to keep someone from doing an endo in the parking lot while test riding the bike. I'm on my 2nd set of cables and was told the pads will only last about 1 month longer.
- Drivetrain is fine. I don't see a good reason to upgrade the derailuers right away. I've gotten it completely covered in mud and it still worked, and seen people with more expensive gear have failures while I was OK.
- Love the fork. I started riding the bike at like 195lbs, now I'm at like 180lbs. I've never had to mess with the shock so far, and never bottomed it out. (Haven't done more than about a 3' drop though) I have gotten it to understeer fairly badly on dry surfaces though.
- Frame is pretty harsh on the road, but after all it's a mountain bike. Feels awesome off road of course.
I still love this bike, it just stinks because I've now had a few times where I was psyched to ride and instead got to take a trip to the bike shop for a minor repair instead.
Go ahead and get it if it's in your price range, you'll enjoy it and if you ride enough you'll just end up getting some upgrades and/or repairs. No big deal.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joel
a Weekend Warrior
from Salmon Arm B.C. Date Reviewed: July 31, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
good body light
Weaknesses:
saddle front derailer
Similar Products Used:
norco bigfoot, 00' yukon se
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
a good trail bike but if you buy you should get a new seat or after long rides you won't be able to sit down. It is very strong, even after hard crashs all I've have to do is replace the bottem bracket.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mickey Love
a Weekend Warrior
from Brooklyn, new york Date Reviewed: June 12, 2000
Favorite Trail:
n/a
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
fork, frame- the forgiving ride, crisp brakes and shifting
Ilooked for about three weeks. Tried tons of bikes- from the a1 fs rockhopper to the trek 6000, this bike beats those puppies into the ground. Great frame- grerat handling- great fork- beautiful bike for only $500. Bike is very fun to ride- and can even handle moderate trails. Buy it now!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben
a Weekend Warrior
from Nashua, NH Date Reviewed: June 5, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Not sure so far...
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Shock, frame
Weaknesses:
Pedals, Seat, Front derailuer
Similar Products Used:
Trek 4500/5000/6000 Gary Fisher Tassajara
Bike Setup:
Added Bar Ends, A cateye Enduro 2 computer, and Shimano SPD-515 pedals
Bottom Line:
A very nice bike. I'm nearing the 100 mile mark and have been really happy so far. The frame on this bike felt the most agile of the ones I tested. It took me a while to get the seat adjusted right though. Put it up too high and you'll have wheelie problems on steep uphill sections.
I'm quite happy with the drivetrain and brakes. Of the bikes I tested, this one seemed to have the best combination of parts at this price level. The brakes work well even when muddy, although they make noise. I've had the front derailuer jump a gear once on an uphill section that was very rocky.
I haven't had trouble bottoming the shock out. (~190lbs) The seat was uncomfortable the first 2-3 rides and now it's fine. So far my longest days have been ~25 mile rides and I haven't gotten overly sore from the seat.
The stock pedals aren't very grippy and I cut both my legs on my first 2 technical rides, so I got clipless pedals, hopefully that will work out better.
Overall a very nice bike. Having this bike makes me want to ride as much as possible.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
LEVENT GOSTERISLI
a Weekend Warrior
from BLOOMFIELD Date Reviewed: June 5, 2000
Favorite Trail:
FARMINGTON RESOIRVOIR
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
FRAME, SUSPENTION, BRAKES
Weaknesses:
SADDLE, CRANK SET
Similar Products Used:
GT REBOUNDER, TREK 6000, TREK 4500, GIANT RAINER
Bottom Line:
I shoped around before buying this bike and for $500 this is the best bike out there. Feels solid and rides very nice. I had to change the crank set after 1 month, but I didn't pay anything. Frame is light and strong (respectable). Breaks are working great considering I am a big guy. You have a lot of room for upgrades. If you are a seriuos rider forget this bike and take your wallet out because you will use it. If you are a starter or intermediate rider this bike is for you. have fun.....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stephen
a Weekend Warrior
from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Date Reviewed: May 24, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Ewok
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
GREAT VALUE!!!!!! I also was one of the lucky ones to get a LX rear deraileur. The shock is also one of the best shocks I have seen come with this price of bike. very light
Weaknesses:
The rims, I bent both of them fallinf sideways (don't know how) the crankset also fell apart on me, i got a new Shimano A crankset. This is not a rare problem, it happened to my friend too.
Similar Products Used:
GT Talera (even though it is cro mo) GT Timberline
Bike Setup:
Factory (new rims, new cranks, and new bar) Shimano LX rear derailleur (i was a lucky one)
Bottom Line:
A great bike that leaves room for upgrades, try to get an LX rear derailleur on it. This is a great bike, and I would reccomend it to anybody except a Hardcore rider (takes drop offs more than 4 feet) or racer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a Weekend Warrior
from Winkler, Manitoba, Canada Date Reviewed: May 17, 2000
seat, front derailleur, seat, riser bar, seat, no disc mounts on back end, seat...
Similar Products Used:
Trek 4500, Giant Yukon SE, Rocky Mountain Soul
Bike Setup:
Out of the box, plus CatEye Mity3 computer
Bottom Line:
GREAT bike for the money. But for the love of god, replace the seat as soon as you get the bike. It is downright terrible, bordering on godawful. Hard as a rock, at the very best, nice solid mahogany. The bike is light (by my standards), the brakes are great, the shifters are smooth and solid. The rear derailleur is very cooperative with the shifts. They snap right in. The front one is another story. Downshifts are fine, but it's slow and grindie on the upshifts. Mind you, I've only had it a little over a week and haven't got everything dialed in quite yet (such as a NEW SEAT). The fork is plush and never tops or bottoms out. I don't particularly like the handlebars, which are far too wide, and the riser bar doesn't rise much, if at all, but it does a great job of controlling the bike. I'm also used to a much narrower flat bar, so this may be a case of "wait and get used to it". All in all, I highly recommend this bike. I love it, and for the money, it can't be beat. It is more of an entry level bike, as the componentry are all sub-LX, but it's a great frame to upgrade. But where are the disc mounts on the back?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dragon Lord
a Cross Country Rider
from Baltimore, Maryland Date Reviewed: May 12, 2000
Favorite Trail:
all
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Excellent frame, fork, and component package.
Weaknesses:
Saddle and tires
Similar Products Used:
2000 Yukon se, 2000 Rincon se
Bike Setup:
Stock except for new body geometry saddle.
Bottom Line:
I did a lot of research into what bikes are out there for the $500 range and after riding a bunch of different bikes the Iguana stood out among the lot of them. The frame is great and the manitou shock is great as well...but if you are a larger rider such as (230lbs) You'll find that the shock is a little too plush when in the firmest setting. The good news is you can get a firmer spring and thats my next purchase. The component package is really a draw on this bike. After looking at the Yukon it really wasn't a hard decision to make about spending another $100 to get the iguana. The only weak point on this bike is the saddle ( or should I say brick) that it comes with...if you buy this bike don't leave the store without purchasing another saddle...your cheeks will thank you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lyle
a Weekend Warrior
from Dayton, Ohio Date Reviewed: May 7, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Ceasars Creek
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Lightweight bike, great component pkg, awesome bike for the money, great looking paint/graphics, good front suspension
Weaknesses:
Too small/too hard seat, SAD TIRES, Magnum front shock a bit too soft, goofy handlebar pkg,
Similar Products Used:
Trek 6000, Schwinn Messa, Diamond Back Topanga
Bike Setup:
Michelin Wild gripper tires, gel insert seat, Profile Designs handlebar pkg, Deore LX rear derailler (see tip below)
Bottom Line:
I looked for two weeks, and for the $499 price range, I couldn't find a better bike. TIP: Some of the first production Iguana's came with Shimano Deore LX rear deraillers instead of the standard Deore. If you prefer LX, see if the dealer has one in stock with LX. The size I picked had a Deore and I found a smaller size with LX, so I asked the dealer to put the LX on mine - he did, for no charge. Get what you want on your bike (tires etc.) at time of purchase. The dealer will usually give you $$ credit for the tires etc. that they switch off.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Keith
a Weekend Warrior
from Moscow, Idaho - USA Date Reviewed: May 4, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Price, Component Package, Weight, Looks.
Weaknesses:
Crank is pretty weak, Seat is as hard as rock, The manitou Magnum Shock is a little soft for heavier riders (I weigh 220 pounds), but you can get a firm spring package for it. (which is what I did)
WTB comfort Saddle, Firm Spring package in the Manitou Magnum shock.
Bottom Line:
Ass kicking bike. Looks Good, Feels Good. Can't ask for more. Excellent Value. Got 500 Bucks? Gonna do some trail riding? Get this Bike. The geometry is more upright than the Trek, It's a little easier on my back. The Fisher was REALLY upright - like riding a Harley. The Giant is nice and light and well balanced. I rode TONS of bikes before buying this one, the giant is a seriously good deal.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Wise
a Weekend Warrior
from Nicholasville, KY. Date Reviewed: February 26, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Cave Run Trails
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Great frame and components. Bike is considerably light and is very responsive. The Manitou suspension is awesome! Of all the bikes in its price range, this one stands out by far. The others can't come close to what this one offers.
Weaknesses:
The Suntour crankset isn't the greatest especially if you plan on doing some serious riding.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Hard Rock GT Rebound
Bike Setup:
Manitou Magnum front suspension Shimano LX rear derailleur Shimano Alivio front derailleur Suntour MD250 crankset Weinmann ZAC19 rims
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is if you're in the market for a $500 bike then this one is by far the best choice. It comes equipped with an awesome frame and fork that will allow many future upgrades.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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