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Submitted by
Big Kuya
a Weekend Warrior
from PA
Date Reviewed: October 29, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | weight to strength ratio of frame. adjustable seat tube angle and seat tube tower. first of its kind. Easton tube main triangle, gusseted heatube junction, greasable pivot fittings,active rear horst link, square welded chainstays and seatstays. | | Weaknesses: | limited production | | Similar Products Used: | specialized fsr, kona stinky, | | Bike Setup: | fox 32 vanilla up front, fox rp23 at back, avid brakes, | | Bottom Line: | unique frame. Elusive in its debut at the turn of the century (frameset sold in limited producion). I believe Im the 3rd owner (rebuilt from frame up)an its still a strong ride. Fine tuned the bike geometry with an adjustable seat tower (71 - 65 deg). Head tube at 69 degree with 5 inch travel fork. Gusseted in key areas before other frame manufacturers followed. Rocker link is short and tight but suspension is supple with Fox RP23 and 5 inches rear travel. All the fine tuning adjustments allow rider to center to middle of the bike. Amazing climber with respect to age and pre-freeride frame heritage. smooth descender with the fully active Horst link rear suspension. Out of the bikes I've had built & owned this is one of the smoothest and comfortable bike frames I've ridden. Definitely a keeper if you can find one around. The geometric adjustability to your custom fit will make it one of your favorite bikes around. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
I LIKE TO RIDE BIKES
a
from I LIKE TO RIDE BIKES
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | DOUBLE O SEVEN | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$899.00 | | Purchased At: | mammoth mtn. sporting goods | | Strengths: | THIS REVIEW IS FOR A "02 KHS FXT RAGE
4.5 TRAVEL.
LIGHT WEIGHT
GOOD HEAD ANGLE
LOW STAND OVER HEIGHT
O.K. B.B. HEIGHT
TAKES IT ALL AND KEEPS GOING
| | Weaknesses: | LACK OF BEARINGS IN THE REAR END. (WHAT IS UP WITH THAT)
TO LIGHT OF A SHOCK SPRING (RED ONE)
THE CRANK AND B.B.IS A COMPLETE JOKE
THE BOLTS POPED OUT OF THE STEM/HANDLEBAR CLAMP WHEN I WENT OFF A CURB.
THE RIGHT FORK LEG STARTING LEAKING AFTER 3 MONTHS
| | Similar Products Used: | "02 K2 BUMPY MONKY
AZONIC HARDTAIL
'99 ROCK HOPPER | | Bike Setup: | SOME STUFF | | Bottom Line: | OVER ALL THIS IS A GOOD CROSSCOUNTRY/TRAILS BIKE. IT IT WOULD LAST A LONG TIME IF YOU DID JUST THAT. I RIDE IT LIKES IT'S A FREERIDE BIKE. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE/UPGRADE TO: RACEFACE PRODIGY DH CRANKS W/BASH G., PRO TAPER HANDLEBARS, TRUVATIVE DH B.B., 110 MM X-STEM, IRC KUGO 2.65 FRONT TIRE, TIOGA DH 2.10 BACK TIRE, THIS FRAME HAS TAKEN A LOT OF POUNDING AND IT KEEPS GOING. SURE THE BACK END HAS LOOSEN'D UP A LITTLE BUT THATS EXPECTED 'CAUSE IT DOSEN'T HAVE BEARINGS. THE BIKE IS HOLDING UP NOW, I RIDE IT EVERY DAY. I DON'T THINK I COULD HAVE GOT A BETTER BIKE FOR THE MONEY. ONCE I BUY A FORK I THINK I'LL BE SET. IT HANDLES GREAT AND LOVES TO JUMP. I REALIZE THAT IT CAN'T DO THINGS THAT A QUALITY BIKE WITH 6" CAN DO, BUT I STILL HAVE FUN. BOTTOM LINE, THIS BIKE IS A STEAL AT 899, UPGADE A LITTLE BIT IT WILL LAST YOU, IF YOU RIDE TRAILS AND "GO OFF" SOMETIMES. IF YOU LIKE DOING DROPS AND JUMPS ALL THE TIME, DO YOU'R SELF A FAVER, AND BY A BIKE WITH AT LEAST 5" OF GOOD TRAVEL. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
darwin k
a Weekend Warrior
from ontario
Date Reviewed: February 6, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | ernies knob | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | theguywhogotanewframe | | Strengths: | pedals just as good as most other fs bikes costing a s**t load more, adj travel, uses same r seat & chain stays as the norco vps line so no shortage of parts. | | Weaknesses: | khs still lists the frame in their catalogue but try an get one. its takin too long to get my 6" rockers. | | Similar Products Used: | khs dominatrax (FLEXY PIECE OF S**T) norco vps, olt khs fxt team, brodie diablo bla bla | | Bike Setup: | mx 6 fork, 9.0 r der & r shifter, race face cranks and hd set, rhyno lites, grimeca sys 4 brks, sdg, profile, tioga dh 2.3s...... | | Bottom Line: | hey why bother spending up to 3500 cdn on some overpriced frame that doesnt give anything up to this cheapie? u can get up an mash the pedals without the thing bobbing like some other bikes and still have a full 5 or 6 in of travel. if youre cheap like me and still want a bombproof freeride bike try an track one of these down while u still can. if u want an even better ride pop a rhomic or a progressive shock on it and go. peace out yo | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason
a Weekend Warrior
from Trabuco Canyon
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | The Luge | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | The Bike Company | | Strengths: | Strong Frame, No flex, Great looking frame.
Great Free-ride frame
| | Weaknesses: | The frame is a little on the heavy side.
My mistake, I purchased the wrong size frame.
Got a medium frame, should have gotten the small.
| | Similar Products Used: | DBR X2 | | Bike Setup: | 6" rocker arm kit, DNM VTS-90 5.5", Fox Vavilla R & spare Stratos TR1 Shock, BB UN72 XT, Seat Post Tranz X, SDG Comp Seat, front derailleurs XT , rear derailleurs XT , shiftpods LX, crank LX, rims Sun Ringle Rhynolite with LX hubs, tires F=Ritchey AlfaBite SC 2.1 & R=Panaracer Pyro 2.5, brakes Avid 1.0.,Wellgo clipless & Wellgo BMX pedals, Profile Design grips, Kalloy riser handle bars 1" x 26", Topo 4" / 10 stem, FSA Orbit DL headset, THE front fender
| | Bottom Line: | Great free-ride frame.
I am selling the bike for $1100.00 and hoping I can find
another KHS FXT LT3 in a small frame config.
Anyone interested drop me an e-mail.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
adam
a Downhiller
from quebec(canada)
Date Reviewed: March 22, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | tac tac | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Strengths: | VERY plush and flex free rear end.
high quality pivots and machined parts.
very strong frame.
pedals very well. | | Weaknesses: | its being discontinued | | Similar Products Used: | mongoose dh
balfa bb7
dominatrax | | Bike Setup: | boxxer
axiom chain guide
full lx parts
6 inch rear conversion plate
hayes hydro
sdg big boy saddle
titec post | | Bottom Line: | Awesome bike for any price range a do mostly dh with it but can also be used for extreme freeriding with front derailleur. The fully active suspension is great in rocky sections. But the strogest trait of this bike is the way it handle in corners it feels like its on rails. I think this bike was a sleeper and alot of people miss its potential.
To bad its being discontinued if i were KHS i would bring this bike back with 9inch of travel. In its current state with 6inch plates it blows the doors of the DOMINATRAX.
see ya on the trails fellow FXTers | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rigby
a Weekend Warrior
from Orillia, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: January 28, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Bromont | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Nice price. Strong frame. | | Weaknesses: | RST Disc brakes are horrible.
Too bad the Fox Float RC shock won't fit this bike. | | Similar Products Used: | KHS FXT Comp, GT I-drive | | Bike Setup: | White Bros air fork, RST cable actuated disc brakes, LX Deore drivetrain, Mavic disc rims | | Bottom Line: | I bought this bike after riding its predecessor for 5 seasons, and am happy with the new version. I'm a Clydesdale and I rode this bike hard, and had only two complaints, neither of which is the fault of the bike itself. First, RST disc brakes are terrible. They don't stop well, and they are fiddly, fragile things. Just try getting parts, or pads for that matter. Also, the stock spring in the rear shock (Vanilla R) didn't suit me, but that's minor. The old KHS needed new bearings regularly, but the new version with the needle bearings are good as new after a year of hard riding. After riding this bike for a year, would I buy it again? Yes.
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
max
a Weekend Warrior
from san diego
Date Reviewed: November 18, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$850.00 | | Strengths: | take take anything | | Weaknesses: | everybody else says its heavy, but its fine for me, the frame is about 8 lbs | | Similar Products Used: | hardtail (i broke the frame) | | Bike Setup: | jr t, shimano stx-rc (off the hardatil), ryno lites, lx hubs, club roost handlebars, kona tires | | Bottom Line: | this bike kicks ass. its not really as heavy as people think. it can take any drops, stairs, or jumps i dish at it and does them with style. looks cool, performs awesome and is perfect for the freeriding/urban assualt that i do | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Boy
a Weekend Warrior
from North Carolina
Date Reviewed: July 7, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Dickey's Playground | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Plush ride. Beefy construction. Price. | | Weaknesses: | HT angle slack w/ a long travel fork | | Similar Products Used: | none - first bike of this type. | | Bike Setup: | Z-1 Drop Off
XT - V-brakes, bb, deraillers
Sachs Extreme Shifter
SRAM 7.0 levers
Sun Rhyno Lites w/ IRC Backcountry tires
Titec - Hellbent bars, Big Al stem, seatpost
King HS
636's | | Bottom Line: | This is definately not your ordinary mass produced frameset. KHS definately does their homework, as I spoke with someone there while I was researching some frames who told me that this frame was beefed up from the '99 LT2 version as they found out a lot of people where buying this bike to freeride, as it has 5" of travel. This bike is made to take whatever abuse you can dish out. Whether you choose to set it up as a cc rig, freeride, or recreational dh, you can't go wrong with it's plushness, durability, strength and stoutness. Mine is set-up basically for the latter two and probably weighs in at the 30+ lb mark. For me, I take it to the mountains when I know there is some sweet reward of a downhill after some not too severe climbing. Otherwiswe, I'm on my titanium ht. Surprisingly, it does climb pretty well, but pushes even worse when the going gets tough. My only compaint so far is, it already has a pretty slack ht angle (69), but with a long travel fork (mine is 5") it slackens it even more (probably to like 67.5 or 68). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ed Jackson
a Downhiller
from England - Nottingham
Date Reviewed: March 6, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | General woody downhill sections | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | EXTREMELY plush rear end travel (5")
Improved reinforced gussets on 1999 version.
Lower yoke pivot axle rides on 32 German needle bearings.
Large pivots and bearings which require minimal servicing.
Easton Elite 7005 tubing. Seat stay pivots allowing riding geometary to be changed.
Fox's exellent Vanilla R constant rate coil over, with rebound adjuster shock.. SUPER PLUSH... | | Weaknesses: | A little heavy, but rather heavy and strong than light and weak..Very hard to get hold of.. If you've got one your very lucky and even luckier if its painted official team colours like myne... | | Similar Products Used: | Aeon Isis
Kona Stinky Dee-Lux
Giant Box One
Giant ATX
Specialized FSR ground control
99 trek VRX 300
| | Bike Setup: | 2000 LX groupset
RST mozo 3.5" travel
Mavic X517's
Ameoba stem, club roost riser bars Kevlar seat
2.3" Kenda tyres
HOPE... | | Bottom Line: | The bottom line is that if you havent tried the FXT LT3 you havent lived, go out and trie one today wether it be a brand spankin new one or just an old edition your friends got in the back of is garage.
"It doesnt belong in the back of your garage by the way"
Ive been all over the place on myne since I got it and its soaked up everything I've put in its way. It loves the big drops but is equally capable of soaking the little bumps up to...... At this price the competition can't even come close..... An Extreme machine well ahead of its time....
My bikes not got the best componentry but it rocks the competition, and i go out on it every chance I get.... Wether you have a really expensive bike or not Go out and enjoy all the obsticles nature and man can through at you on your own bike which to you will be the best bike you've ever had but not the best you could have..... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael
a Cross-Country Rider
from Los Angeles, CA
Date Reviewed: November 15, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Plush but not flexy
Strong
5 travel (rear)
Well built | | Weaknesses: |
Somewhat heavy
Tough to find | | Similar Products Used: |
GT XCR-2000
Specialized FSR Pro
Trek VRX
Trek Y
Manitou FS
Marin Rift Zone
Marin Wolf Creek | | Bike Setup: |
XT w/ XTR front derailler
Marzocchi Z2 Atom Bomb fork
Fox Vanilla R (Fox Alps 5R) | | Bottom Line: | This frame is a bit heavy for cross country, although not bad for trail riding (as built, it weighs about 27-3/4# -- switching to lighter wheels and fork would bring it into the 26's.) On the other hand, I weigh over 200# -- I'm not worried about breaking the bike.The previous model (1998 and prior years) were more flexy and less strong.This bike is great! It's responsive and plush. The suspension is very active, yet doesn't biopace. After borrowing and/or test driving several different bikes, this one worked the best for me. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joel
a Weekend Warrior
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: September 2, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
baldy | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
-very affordable price
-full easton main triangle
-needle bearing main pivots
-super stiff and built to last
-adjustable seat tower +or- 3 degrees
-perfect travel of 5 inches of travel
-disc brake tabs
-replaceable drop out
-beefy head tube braces | | Weaknesses: |
-a bit on the heavy side, frame weighs in at just under 8 pounds
- can't lower the seat below the seat post tower, it will hit on the suspension | | Similar Products Used: |
-devinci contact
-kona stab delux
-mongoose nx 9,7 | | Bike Setup: |
-noleen chubby lt with speed springs
-rockshox disc brakes front and rear
-xt/xtr deraillers and shifters
-avid 2.0 levers
-white industries cranks and disc hubs
-mavic 321 downhill disc rims (same as deemax)
-xt coggs, sachs pc 91 chain
-platform pedals,
-amoeba shorty stem and 5mm downhill bar
-ati grips | | Bottom Line: | This bike is super plush! The five inches of travel is amazing and feels like a lot more when ridden. The bearings are super smooth in the likage, making for a squeak free ride! A little bit heavy, but rather that and be strong than light and weaker. It corners well, bites hard and is very stable at speed, Lots of fun as a play bike or reacreational downhill rig. Mine was extremely hard to get ahold of, I work at a shop in canada and the distributor ran out of them and I got the first one that came into canada about the last week of august. Didn't think it would ever get here, but was well worth the wait! Definately worth the money! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Maple
a Downhiller
from Canada
Date Reviewed: July 25, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
any | | Duration Product Used: |
tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: |
PLuuuSH !
no flex
upgrade 7 kit
4 bar linkage | | Weaknesses: |
not monocock front triangle | | Similar Products Used: |
Norco VPS-1
Intense M-1
SPEC FSR Pro Custom | | Bike Setup: |
Mr-t
Hayse disk
King discotech, DT, Sun mamo Tioga Fat 66
Cook Bros
Buttlet bros...ect
xtr | | Bottom Line: | This is a sweet ride... it's a friends bike and it's sweet ... a lot better than my DH rig ( 4.5 front and rear ) but he offered to sell me frame and fork ... and I will buy it if I can get the $$$ for it... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
darwin
a Weekend Warrior
from sudbury ON
Date Reviewed: May 13, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
wesses ass | | Duration Product Used: |
tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: |
All of the strengths mentioned above. Also, for a dually the old FXT handled respectably in very tight situations and did a damn good job while doing trials. | | Weaknesses: |
There are not any frames in stock in Canada at this time. | | Similar Products Used: |
KHS FXT TEAM (97)
Norco VPS 1
Rocky RM 9
Balfa DH | | Bike Setup: |
On the FXT Team that I now own I have a Vanilla R. The bike has been very good to me exept for two instances. 1. I blew up the original fmf shock. 2. Most recently I cracked the main swingarm. | | Bottom Line: | I am trying to get ahold of the new FXT frame to replace my old one so if anyone has any info e-mail me. The old frame was very decent but the new one is a hell of a lot stiffer in the r triangle/bb area | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Troy
a Downhiller
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: April 27, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
CA: Noble canyon, UT: Blowhard Mtn | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
-Stout.
-Needle bearing pivots.
-Good geometry.
-Custom sizing via an adjustable seat tower.
-Well manufactured.
-Travel upgrade kits available that are very affordable.
-Easy to pedal, i.e.
doesn't bob on climbs
yet remains entirely active.
-Very affordable! | | Weaknesses: |
-A little on the heavy side, but thats ok - would rather have the weight than have it break. | | Similar Products Used: |
-MC San Andreas
-Intense M1
-trek Y bikes
-ellsworth Truth
-Specialized FSR
-GT LTS | | Bike Setup: |
I currently use:
fork - WB DC 118
component - XT/XTR
tires - Tioga Factory Dh 2.3/2.3 | | Bottom Line: | Awesome frame and for the price it would hard
to beat!
I have ridden some of the most abusive trails
and technical terrain upon which I have trashed
many components. The bike handles awesome,
soaking up the gnarliest of the rocky sections.
It corners very neutral - just sit back and lean
it hard. With a tad bit of body english you
can through it into some awesome powerslides
without having to drag rear brake.Rear travel can be modified from 5 to
over 6 by simply swapping out the
rocker.Great tech support and customer service too!
| | Overall Rating: |
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