Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle, WA, USA Date Reviewed: May 10, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Lake Sawyer, Tiger Mountain, Tapeworm
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1600.00
Purchased At:
Cycle Therapy
Strengths:
Frame, shocks, bike balance, value
Weaknesses:
Rims, weight
Similar Products Used:
Hardtails
Bike Setup:
Ergon Grips, Kore Durox wheelset, 8" front disk, MTB V saddle, Mallet pedals, Kenda Nevegals
Bottom Line:
The Alex rims it comes with suck. They are soft and noodly, had to be trued after every ride. After bending them both on a 4' drop, switched to Kore Durox wheel set. It made a huge difference in the feel of the bike. I weigh 200# and am an aggressive older rider. I ride every hazard up to 18". I've destroyed 3 chains in 1800 demanding miles. The bike is perfect for technical terrain and single diamond down hill. It's a little porky on uphill climbs at roughly 33# as set up. The 22/34 granny gear gets a lot of use. The frame is very stiff and feels solid. The balance is nearly perfect for all aspects of riding. Minor saddle changes are all that's required to get the right tire to bite. With Nevigals, it will climb 20% loose or muddy dirt hills just fine. The Ario 2.2 with lockout is a must for long climbs and is very well balanced with the Tora 318. I felt it was a better shock for my riding than the RP2. I had a little air leakage the first week. Now I check shock pressure every 4-6 weeks. The bike is very easy to set up and make adjustments on the fly during riding. It does logs, jumps, baby heads and roots very well. Loose rock and small washboard translate a little to much vibration. Crown dampening adjustments would be nice on the fork.
This bike does everything I need it to do. It would be perfect if it weighed 25#. Chuck the Alex wheels ASAP.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
What's New
»
BEST OF MTBR - Check out the highest rated bikes, parts, & gear!
»
LED BIKE LIGHT SHOOTOUT 3 - We test all the newest products and latest light and battery technology in this comprehensive guide»
$
Overall Rating:
