Submitted by
michael collins
a Cross Country Rider
from London Date Reviewed: July 19, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Tahoe rim trail, Pyrenees foothils
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1300.00
Purchased At:
Back country La. tahoe
Strengths:
Great down hill handling and easy climber
Weaknesses:
Seat sheared through the Titec seat post Rims (Mavic) bent
Bottom Line:
OK so maybe bikes aren't built for 95kilo guys who are over 6foot 4, but no one told me that. I am told mavic may not honour the warantee on the rims as I have had to tune them to keep riding. I think the seatpost design is flawed and have bought another.
I paid over the odds but it is still a great bike. Not living in Tahoe so have not been able to get these issues fixed for free and thus cost blow out is annoying.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a
from Greenville, SC - USA Date Reviewed: November 10, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$950.00
Purchased At:
Sunrift
Strengths:
This is a very balanced package. There are no obvious weak points, meaning, all parts are of a similar, high quality. The front fork is great, once broken in, and the frame is very forgiving, yet quick to respond in the turns. The rear deraileur is quite accurate. The brakes are the best I have used. The rims are staying very true, even though they needed a few adjustments after the first few rides. Good bike.
Weaknesses:
I have found no weaknesses,unless you consider tires that are tough to take off the rim a weakness. (Buy, and carry tire levers)
Similar Products Used:
Trek 7000, Specialized Rockhopper A1 comp FS.
Bike Setup:
Stock, except short Onza bar ends.
Bottom Line:
I would not trade this bike for any other in this price range, or over this price range, within a couple hundred bucks. It has taken some beatings, and just keeps getting better - ultra reliable. I dumped it down a steep hill after a wreck, and all it needed was a new deraileur cable (can't fix the dent in the frame). Buy this bike if you ride hard and don't want as much jolting as an Aluminum bike. Don't buy this if you want something flashy. If you want a quality hardtail, buy this. This frame is of Bontrager quality, easily. I give it five burning tacos, as compared to any bike under 1500 bucks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Erik
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago, IL Date Reviewed: May 16, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Great stock bike. rims, shocks, renyolds 631 steel frame is awesome, light, flexible and strong!
Weaknesses:
tires
Similar Products Used:
hookooekoo
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
This is a very good bike for the money. It rides very smooth and climbs easily. Once you properly dial in the shocks they work really well. Tires are ok. When they wear out I'll replace them with something better. They don't have the best traction, but they are fast. I had a major crash after a 15 foot jump in this thing and all that happened was I barley bent a break lever. This thing is made to ride hard. Will update this review after the summer & after I beat the hell out of it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick A
a Cross Country Rider
from Asheville, NC Date Reviewed: March 27, 2000
Favorite Trail:
north mills river
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
feel of reynolds 631 steel frame time pedals quality components
Weaknesses:
borderline weight if you count grams, though I don't notice it on the trail
Similar Products Used:
Klein Attitude comp, Stumpjumper
Bike Setup:
Stock - broke off XT rear der and replaced with LX
Bottom Line:
Excellent bike for the price. 631 steel frame is light enough and gives a much better ride than aluminum. Has held up well over the last year with minimal maintenance. Would definitely recommend this bike to anyone looking for a quality steel hardtail.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob Day
a Weekend Warrior
from Narbville Date Reviewed: January 20, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Valley Green
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Everything.... SX-R is awsome and plush... LX/XT is great Frame is plush and SWEET
Weaknesses:
none really...except the tires are impossible to take off
Similar Products Used:
ATX 860....XtC SE2....Jamis Exile
Bike Setup:
Stock, with EA70 bar and post...Syncros stem and Cateye cordless
Bottom Line:
This is an awsome ride.....it is smooth uphill and downhill Shock is great now that it is broken in...frame is super plush in rocky areas...almost as quick acceleration as my old aluminum ATX..but it handles much better and is MUCH FASTER. Stock brakes (avid arch rival 4) are amazing. Great bike. A tad heavy, so i suggest that you get a new wheelset and some lighter cockpit parts. Mine weighs a steady 25lbs from 26.5...WHAT A GREAT BIKE!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
psycho
a Weekend Warrior
from OR Date Reviewed: December 30, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Hagg Lake
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
looks,components, ride
Weaknesses:
changing tubes in tire
Similar Products Used:
big sur, hookooekoo
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
i'm updating my review. i still love this bike. i had a rigid b4 i got this, and it's a wonderful change. i had a hard time changing the tube after a pinch. if someone can give me helpful tips, i'd appreciate it. thanx. long live biking!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Akira Nishinouchi
a Weekend Warrior
from Osaka Japan Date Reviewed: December 10, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Kouya mountain
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Smooth pedaling Less fatigue from long distance ride over 100km because of the skelton.
Weaknesses:
Totally none.However, I was surprised at its cost in the USA. In Japan, it costs almost 2000$.
Similar Products Used:
GT Avalanche Le
Bottom Line:
In Japan, Professional rider named Takuma Dan uses Jamis. So this bike is rather common in this country. I rode this bike more than 2700km for this one year. I still do not tire of it.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
psycho
a Weekend Warrior
from portland,or Date Reviewed: October 30, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Hagg Lake
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
xt drivetrain looks handling abilities strength
Weaknesses:
haven't found any yet
Similar Products Used:
hookooekoo big sur
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
i love this bike!! it handles perfectly on the trails. it zooms up the climbs alot better than my last rigid bike. i got it for 850. i shopped around a ton, and this was by far the best deal. i strongly recommend it to whoever is reading this. c-u on the trail
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matthew R Hunt
a Cross-Country Rider
from Plattsburgh NY Date Reviewed: September 16, 1999
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
how it was made the comp. and the price
Weaknesses:
there is only on weekness I found is top of the shock hits the bottom of the fram it turned all the way but that is minor
Similar Products Used:
Zigornot (Gary Fischer) Speclized M2pro
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
all I have to say is SMOOTH!! I am a bike racer and have been for 4 years now and this is by far one of the best bikes I have owned. It is very fast and can handle the speed on the trails.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JB
a Cross-Country Rider
from NY Date Reviewed: September 7, 1999
Favorite Trail:
It's all good
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
-SX-R Manatou fork -Divetrain (lx/xt) great for the money -titec stuff -GREAT FRAME -Everything
Weaknesses:
After looking over the entire bike I can't think of anything that is weak for the price range.
Similar Products Used:
A few decent bikes in the price range.
Bottom Line:
I know you've heard it before but this is an excellent bike for the price. Love the drivetrain, the fork and the frame, I was shocked when I found that this bike had these components with the price I had to pay, unbeatable. A must have, if you are going for a bike in the thousand dollar range, search no more this bike is what you want. This bad boy get five flaming chili thingers.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg L.
a Cross-Country Rider
from San Jose, CA Date Reviewed: August 11, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Full LX (w/ XT Rear Derr) Titec Stem & Bars Manitou SX-R Shock Avid Arch Rival 4.0 V-Brakes Light Reynolds 631 Steel Frame (As light as aluminum, without the stiffness, plus it's twice as strong!!!)
An Awesome Bike!!!! Handles the best out of any bike I tried, the light steel frame is awesome. Components are great, wheel are great (Sun Sub IV). The whole bike is awesome... definitely worth the money. I tear everything up with that bike. This bike should have been bike of the year... the Giant Xtc is pretty bad. The frame on the Xtc is really weak, the downtube is like aluminum can, it flexes in you fingers.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob Day
a Weekend Warrior
from PA Date Reviewed: August 2, 1999
Favorite Trail:
valley green
Duration Product Used:
tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
reynolds 631 sx-r time pedals xt stuff
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
atx 860 fisher xtc se2
Bike Setup:
stock w/ easton bar
Bottom Line:
cool bike....great deal
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Schreiber
a Weekend Warrior
from Grand Haven, Michigan Date Reviewed: May 16, 1999
Duration Product Used:
tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
The ride was amazing, the way it handled it felt like a $2000 bike and it just has awesome components for the money. I am a big guy and the suspension stayed stiff even over the big jumps. It handled my 260 pound frame well.
Jamis exile [not bad for begginers] cannondale f1000 giant Xtc se1 [PHAT]
Bike Setup:
stock w/ front XT derailuer
Bottom Line:
amazing bike..great handling...great shock..light simply incredible for the price.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dangbert Doodleneck
a weekend warrior
from Canberra Date Reviewed: December 26, 1998
Bottom Line:
Maybe it's the long wheelbase. Maybe it's the tight head angle. Maybe it's the low bottom bracket. I don't know what the reason is but I do know the result: this is one sweet handling bike. Especially when you get the SX R adjusted correctly and get used to the feel of the compression and rebound. It feels very predicatble and solid - not jittery like an Alu bike. One complaint is that the Sun Sub IV rims came a couple of mm out of true after just a couple of small 1-foot dropoffs. (But that might be because because they were built badly.) If you want a high-end chromoly hardtale for medium dollars, I recommend it.
Overall Rating:
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