Submitted by
John McNally
a Downhiller
from Milford NJ, USA Date Reviewed: August 17, 2007
Favorite Trail:
rough rock
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At:
Adreniline
Strengths:
Alot of ajustability, super nimble, easy to throw around, balanced, hevey duty, strong frame,
Weaknesses:
stock chain set up throw out!!
Similar Products Used:
FSR, KonaDawg, Orange Patriot
Bike Setup:
Earl bars and headset, Bontreger seat and seat post, Mar shiver front fork,fox vinnila back shox, race face cranks, shim 9,0 back derail
Bottom Line:
if you have not found that bike that you can beat the snot out of and it still bombs down the hairy trails like a dream... then you found it. this thing i toke off a road gap that was 27 ft up and you had to jump 30 ft out and the lead in was flat and this thing pretty much accelirated its self. the smoth ride of this rig is unmatched thus far. If you put the right components onn theis thing you will not need to buy a new bike until somone steals it cuz they are jelous.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chad Thomas
a Cross Country Rider
from Lancaster, PA, USA Date Reviewed: June 30, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Backside of Mt. Gretna - governer dick, #4 I think
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1700.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Super strong frameset with zero flex. One of the best looking bikes ever made. Will last a lifetime. High bottom bracket height clears rocks and logs like a pro.
Weaknesses:
A DISAPPOINTMENT OVERALL. Regular size frame is way too large for cross country or all-mountain (I am 5'10")- very hard to mount. It is possible to get a smaller top subrame, but that is expensive, and the frame would still be large overall. Not very efficient at all. Pretty heavy, and exhausting to climb with. Not nimble - difficult to throw around. Despite my ambitions this design really is outdated.
Similar Products Used:
Giant Reign 2 - a way better choice, Specialized 01 Enduro FSR, GT LTS 2, Pro-Flex
Bike Setup:
Marzocchi MX Pro Fork, Cane Creek Cloud Nine rear shock, XT all around, WTB dual duty rims, WTB Mutanoraptor tires, Thomson Elite Seatpost, Weyless Riser bar and stem.
Bottom Line:
THIS IS THE 1 BIKE THAT I DREAMED ABOUT GETTING FOR 10 YEARS. I HEARD NOTHING BUT GREAT REVIEWS FROM EVERYONE I TALKED TO. It came time to purchase a new bike, and after much research I decided to purchase a Specialized 01 Enduro FSR; you can read my review and others at (http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/olderfullsuspensionbike/product_72856.shtml). This was a very good bike, and soaked up the hits while feeling extremely nimble. The only downside was the low bottom bracket.
However, after more searching I found a 2004 MOUNTAIN CYCLE SAN ANDREAS XC on ebay for a reasonable price. Being the bike I had always wanted, and given it's near perfect reviews I decided to sell my FSR even though I really like it, and purchase the San Andreas.
From the moment I first rode this bike I was very disappointed. The fork dove like crazy, and the rear suspension seemed far from amazing. So, I went about much time and cost investing $800.00 in parts on top of the $900.00 I had paid for the bike in the first place. I bought a new front and rear shock, upgraded the shifting and brakes, and added several other expensive parts (the parts are listed in the setup above). After all of this I was still disappionted.
The frame (size regular)was way too big for my 5'10" body. It was hard to mount the bike, and it felt awkward being that high up. The bike was not near as nimble as the FSR, and I felt like the bike was in control, rather than me. It was a very inefficient bike, and while the suspension worked I had to carry a high air pressure in the rear due to the suspension design. The Cane Creek Cloud Nine was brand new, and received the best of mtbr award. However, I felt like the bike design was limiting the shocks performance, and the bike shop agreed. My one flaw in this review may be the front suspension. Even though the MX pro received very good reviews I felt like it may have been misperforing a little bit. On a similar note, make sure you get at least 120 mm of front suspension - this will make the bike higher, but it feels very unbalanced otherwise.
So, in the end I was disappointed with this bike. It was not at all what I has expected all those years. In 1995 it probably was the best thing available, but today this bike sadly really is outdated. My Giant Reign 2 outperforms this bike in nearly every area, and I would never go back. It peforms better, and ascends and descends better, and makes biking more enjoyable overall. I wouldn't purhase the San Andreas unless you ride downhill or freeride, or are able to purchase the new San Andreas design. The Fury seems like a really good bike, but it's still super heavy. Good luck.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Johnson
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix, AZ, USA Date Reviewed: March 28, 2007
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
Rage Cycles
Strengths:
Adjustability and ability to aapt to any tye of riding.
Weaknesses:
Spongy with wrong setup - but can be corrected easily with todays shocks
Similar Products Used:
Turner 5 spot, Specialized FSR, Santa Cruz Heckler
Bike Setup:
XT, Stratos Helix, AM3 forks, Race Face cranks, Bontrager..
Bottom Line:
Best bike I ever had before some scumbag took it from my garage. I think it should be listed as a All Mountain, but who am I to say. I decided to look for a different bike to replace it and found exactly what I wanted - the new MC San Andreas DNA which I will reveiw after I get a chance to ride. Looked at Specialized, Santa Cruz, Turner and Titus and could not find one that fit my needs. I would highly recommend this to anyone that wants a bike to do everything well and then some. Spend some time and money to get a good rear shock setup and you will never want a different bike. Do not get this bike if you want to avoid attention.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Reece
a Cross Country Rider
from Asheville, NC, USA Date Reviewed: February 5, 2007
Favorite Trail:
reecmark@hotmail.com
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
Adrenaline Bikes
Strengths:
great value seems indestructable i like the adjustable geomentry.
Weaknesses:
Rear tire clearance.
Similar Products Used:
Orange Patriot
Bike Setup:
nixon fork, 3 way rear shock, magura brakes, 3 rings, xt ish
Bottom Line:
My home trails have enough anual rainfall that they are just short of being a rainforest. The rear tire clearance is a deal killer here. Mud is scraped from the tire by the frame and piles up eventualy a rock will get stuck inbetween the tire and the frame and lock the rear wheel if it does not lock it is like pediling with the brakes on. If you live in a dry area it would make a perfect bike. if not you may want to think about anouther bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Weekend Warrior
from Henderson Nv. Date Reviewed: February 2, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
Adrenaline Bikes
Strengths:
Can set it up for any kind of riding except XC racing.
Weaknesses:
None so far after a year of hard riding. Some people think Mountain Cycle has gone chapter 11, even though they have not.
Similar Products Used:
Jamis Dakar XLT. (A terrible bike)
Bike Setup:
Swinger 3-way and minute two. Rhyno Lite wheelset.
Bottom Line:
I love this thing, its a great bike for someone that can only afford one bike, but wants to thrash the trails.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pedal Shop
a Weekend Warrior
from Ashburn VA Date Reviewed: December 5, 2006
Favorite Trail:
freeridey
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
www.pedalshop.com
Strengths:
rides nice, good weight, clean lines, you can't break it...
Weaknesses:
where in the world did Mountain Cycle go?
Similar Products Used:
none really...
Bike Setup:
semi bling, nearl top end SRAM, Zoke 66, all the right stuff.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the bikes I started to use when dipping my tow into the freeridey water. It's has what it takes for sure. fun bike to ride but, I'm really pissed off about the constant turn over at MC headquarters. It's getting old. I have been selling them off and on for several years and they have changed hands I think 3 times now. What's up with that? I have a MoHoSliX I'd like to warranty but nobody wants to pony up and commit. I tried calling them but the phones always kick into voice mail... none of the email addresses work except this one and although I did get a couple messages back, lately, I have gotten nada from them: not a "hey sorry we're busy getting set back up", nothing, not even a peep out of them. You look at the MC website, you'd think they are up and running, kicking new products out the door. NOT here... I'd like to give them a higher rating but if you can't put out even a hint of follow up, who wants to deal with that?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Neslon
a Weekend Warrior
from Athens Greece Date Reviewed: August 31, 2006
Favorite Trail:
The.. 10, Agios Georgios, Mola trail, Parnitha
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
Cambria
Strengths:
Strong simple frame, functional suspension, lots of different setups are possible. Light weight frmae (if you intent to go for a light bike).
Weaknesses:
It looks different than the .. forest of the tubular frames, so prepared to answer to lots of questions.
Similar Products Used:
GT LTS TEAM (the very first model), IDEAL VSR, Prototype carbon bike (ok, this is not simmilar at all!)
Bike Setup:
Now. Manitou SHERMAN, FOX Vanilla at the rear, Full XT drive train (no large disk fron, custom bashring there), Old (first generation XT 4 piston disk brakes, DMR stem, DRM saddle, Titec seatpost (tunable - 2 pieces), DMR fron hub, Mavic 317 rims, NOKIAN NBX 2,5 rear, GAZALOGGI 2,6 front. Cris King headset.
Bottom Line:
This bike may seem like.. history, and you'll be right. Mountain Cycle was there at leas 10 years before the rest. The bike's suspension is working beautifully. Once you get used to the chain feedback then you're able to use it (never truse a review from a editor that rides a different bike every month of a "heretic" roady that will try to hammer up the hill a FS bike!). The bike is responsive and handles great. Tight turns in hig or pow speed are pure fun. The bike climbs really good, as soon as you have masterd it's way.
I would dare to say that this bike has reached it's highest evolution stage. Not more upgrates nessesary. The last one, where the lowest mount of the shock is placed inside the arch of the suspension arm, is all it needed. I do like the clasic version more (that's what i have anyway)
Mountain Cycle was very responsive to my request for a new deraileur hanger, i needed a few months ago. Their cuctomer support is very good....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hammer
a
from Novi MI Date Reviewed: August 24, 2006
Favorite Trail:
poto
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
adrenaline bikes
Strengths:
durability, adjustabililty of frame settings, versatility on varied terrain, rarity on trail, old, but highly refined design
Weaknesses:
weight, high BB in some cornering situations, UNCERTAIN future of Mountain Cycle
04 frame w/vanilla r, 07 vanilla 140r, 8" cable avids, full XT, 2.5" timberwolf race on Bombshell fatboy, king HS,
Bottom Line:
Third review for this bike. Still the best money I've ever spent on a bike (out of about 10 mtn bikes over the last 20 years). Frame's ability to handle different setups: Boxxer ride with 8" discs and 2.7's for DH and huck, Fox Vanilla 140 with 2.3"s and triple ring for all mountain/trailbike, Psylo with 2.3"s kenetics and lightweight xc parts for 'regular' trail rides. Can do anything.
No problems with pivots, bearings, cracks, damage (besides scratched paint) after 4000miles on all types of trails.
More active and stiff than several 4bar bikes i have ridden or owned, and gives the confidence that you can jump or drop through anything and still have an intact bike. Rims might get whacked though.
Can build it down and light for a XC race one weekend and win, and build it up and heavy for DH/FR the next weekend-Snowshoe Yo!
Half the price of others, and twice the performance and options with one frame. Bullitt comes close, but no ability to build light with less travel and correct geometry with a shorter fork.
The original an still the best.
Hope MC gets their shait together to give us more perfect bikes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mark klimaszewski
a Weekend Warrior
from worcester ma Date Reviewed: August 18, 2006
Favorite Trail:
ma trails
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2400.00
Purchased At:
adrenaline bikes
Strengths:
strong frame looks killer
Weaknesses:
cable routing
Similar Products Used:
uzzi slx vpp free rm6
Bike Setup:
marzocchi/z1/out law fsa/truvative/dh fox dhx 5.0
Bottom Line:
this bike is the best all mountain /trail bike you cam buy for under 2500 its as good as any bike out there that coast almost twice as much it does it all great bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric W.
a Weekend Warrior
from Henderson Nv. Date Reviewed: June 14, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Bootleg Canyon
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
Adrenaline
Strengths:
It just plain works almost anywhere a person points it, and that includes uphill or downhill. At least 100 times better than a Jamis Dakar XLT!!! Handles tight single track or downhill speeds with ease. Tall bottom bracket lets a person pedal through rock gardens and over obsticles with ease.
Weaknesses:
None that I've found yet in 6 months and several hundred miles of riding.
Similar Products Used:
I had a POS Jamis for 18 months that constantly broke things.
Bike Setup:
Swinger 3-way rear, Minute One up front and Pricepoint's awsome and legendary Rhyno lites on XT hubs with DT spokes.
Bottom Line:
Since I built this bike in January, I haven't had to do a thing but true the wheels a couple of times and service the fork once. Nothing has come loose while riding and no bearings have shattered. I simply love this thing. I only name bikes that I really love and this one is the first one in 6 years to get a name. I named her "Donna" after the big red head in "That 70s Show". This is very fitting since her "lover's" name is Eric, He, he. This bike reminds me of an 2000 Stumpjumper FSR that I used to own ( and still miss ) except it has 6 inchs of travel. I had heard bad things about pedal feedback in single pivot bikes, but this thing doesn't have enough to bother me once it got set up with the right spring and I figured out what SPV pressures to use. If you can only afford one bike and like some rough terrain and XC / trailbiking , you should seriously consider the San Andreas. It may be "old school" but the damn thing works like a charm.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jang Shian (Yin) Chen
a Weekend Warrior
from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Date Reviewed: June 10, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Bukit Kiara, Batu Dam, Sungai Sendat & HASH Dengkil
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1850.00
Purchased At:
KSH TTDI
Strengths:
Stylist design, monocoque frame, durablity & front fork protector...Lots of CNC parts...
Weaknesses:
I am a non bias user. So far i seem everythings great & didn't found any weakness on it. But some comment is on the sub frame of the seat. Its seem a little bit difficult to adjust from 2nd hole to 1st hole point...But no problem only adjust once a while...Gap under the sub frame to adjust spring tension is too close, difficult to adjust.
Similar Products Used:
This baby is unique, unless another MC SAN ANDREAS
Bike Setup:
04' Rock Shox Boxxer,03' FOX Vanilla 'R' rear shox, 05' Sram X9 shifter, 05' X9 RD, 05' XTR Top pull RD, HOPE Mini M4 Dualport c/w 8" disc, Thompson seatpost, Ritchey Comp Riser, Cane Creek headset, Xtension short 40mm stem, Hadley+Rigle & Mavic 729 wheelset....
Bottom Line:
Finally i owned this baby. I slept together with it once a while... Is a masterpiece & a legend of mountain bike...Mountain Cycle done lots of r&d on it & doesn't compromise on quality,safety & relaiblity... Thanks "MC" well done..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Guy
a Weekend Warrior
from Manchester, CT Date Reviewed: November 4, 2005
Favorite Trail:
the one with lots of jumps
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$850.00
Purchased At:
adrenaline
Strengths:
burly frame, stiff swingarm
Weaknesses:
cable routing
Similar Products Used:
none, it's my first FS
Bike Setup:
5th element, Pikes, WTB dual duties, etc...
Bottom Line:
After the first two months of riding I noticed that there was a lot of cable rub--rubbing through the paint and starting on the frame. I figured out that if you criss-cross the cables you can get them to stick out beyond the frame and keep from rubbing.
This is my do it all bike. It's a little heavy--overbuilt--for true XC, but around here you rarely get true XC trails. I don't need to worry about hucking off rocks or bombing down nasty trails. When it comes to riding up, the bike feels like a trail bike. But when the trail points down, it feels like a DH sled. The angles are just right for an all mountain bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shawn
a Weekend Warrior
from Rocky River ohio Date Reviewed: September 30, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Ray's mtb, buckwallow
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$465.00
Purchased At:
MTBR.COM adds
Strengths:
It's beefy, looks cool as hell, and can do any thing. It's a mut! And my girl friend thinks it's sexy... ok she could cair less...
Similar Products Used:
Garys mom... sorry dood.
Bottom Line:
Good all mountain ride, if you doing Free ride, Down Hill, CX, it can be set up to meet your needs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Labboy
a Cross Country Rider
from Australia Date Reviewed: August 24, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
900
Strengths:
The frame has been around more than 15 years. What's more to say?
Weaknesses:
Pft! None. Well, OK, at the full 6" setting the bottom bracket is way high, which can be interesting if you are a little out of form.
Similar Products Used:
I've owned custom steel, Al hard tails, and 3 different Ti duallies
Bike Setup:
FSA carbon bars and cranks, Marzocchi AM1s, Mavic 321s laced to Hope Big 'Un front hub and Rohloff Speedhub on the rear, Hope Mono Mini rear and Mono M4 front.
Bottom Line:
I rode the first generation of this frame back in 1993 and loved it - it was everything I thought it would be. I would have kept it except the shock was unable to be upgraded in '95 and the 1 1/4" head tube was a real problem. 15 years later I am back on one and wonder why it took me this long to do so.
Simply put, the bike rocks and that's all there is to it. It's what you get with a frame that has slowly been tweaked to perfection over 15 years! The San An frame is stupidly stiff, rails singletrack like a train and is very sure footed - it's a sidewinder missile at speed. It climbs well enough for a bike set up with 6" front and back and like a goat if you drop the travel a bit, plus it's so simple to maintain it's not funny. I slapped a Fox Float AVA ProPedal in it and now I have the ultimate XC bike that will handle anything I throw at it.
While all the other companies sit around and crap on how good their newest suspension system of the year is (and have done so for what, 15 years now? Isn't that right Mr Fisher?), the San Andreas just shuts up and does the job.....well. What's more, like others have said, you can tweak the setup to make it do whatever you want it to do and that is the mark of a great design.
If you want a bike that will do everything you realistically want it to do and then some, requires minimal attention to keep running, will not cost you a bomb to buy and will last more than the next best thing from who ever, then buy a San Andreas. I did, for the second time.
I'd rate the San Andreas 10 flaming turds but the best it will allow is 5.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew
a Weekend Warrior
from Warrenton, VA, USA Date Reviewed: December 27, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Adrenaline
Strengths:
This review is a follow-up to the one I posted in August. Bike is strong as hell, and takes anything the trail throws at it. It's compensated for many of my mistakes! ;)
Weaknesses:
Paint is pretty weak. Not the very best climber out there, but...
Bike Setup:
Marz Z1 FR SL, SRAM X.0 shifters & rear der, XT front der, Stylo Team crankset, etc...
Bottom Line:
I've set it up as an "all mountain" ride, with 6" of travel in the rear, and 5.1" in the front. It's a bit tall, making it hard to mount and start quickly if you're stopped on a technical trail, but that's a trade-off. The longer technical climbs are pretty painful (but I'm pretty out of shape), but the descents & technical stuff is cake. I've ridden this bike at least three times a week for the past few months, over rooty, snotty, rocky trails, with zero problems. What more could you ask for?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
eric
a Weekend Warrior
from detroit, mi, usa Date Reviewed: October 31, 2004
Favorite Trail:
highland
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
adrenaline
Strengths:
very rigid, adjustable geometry and travel, full-length housings,unique frame design and looks, high bottom bracket
Weaknesses:
attracts a lot of attention, takes a lot of experimenting to find the perfect setup, high bottom bracket
Bike Setup:
6" vanilla R rear, 130 vanilla R front, 7" avids
Bottom Line:
Follow up to last review when I was still riding in ND. Now in SE Michigan where there are a lot of suprisingly good trails
Still amazed at all the things this frame can do and handle. There are so many ways that this frame can be set-up with travel options, geometry, etc. that it really seems to be a frame for all conditions. Took a while to find the best setup since there even small changes to the shock settings, handlebar height, etc. make drastic differences to the handling Does many things well, which is cool if you can only afford one bike (like me).
Its set up like a DHS model with six inches in the rear, and five in the front, and after getting the vanilla 130 fork, it feels perfectly balanced.
with the 2.35 tires and this setup, the bb is 16" high, which I didn't like at first because I thought it would be washing out in turns a lot. However, it tracks well over everything, and the stiffness of the frame and fork really help to keep the tires rolling and on the ground. Haven't found a log pile, rock garden, or root that will catch the rings. Just cleans everything.
My last fs frame couldn't even handle a psylo with the travel cranked down (very slow and unpredictable handling), but the SA was built to run so many different fork lengths and still accomodate the geometry changes. Need to get a ski mask and go to the back so I can get a hold of a Fox 36.....
After riding BMX for 10 years, and MTBs for 15, I am still more happy with this frame that any other bike I've ever had.
Not worried about breaking it, but it is so stiff it shows the weaknesses in other parts (wheel flex, stem and handlebar flex, even seatpost flex)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jan
a Weekend Warrior
from Switzerland Date Reviewed: October 5, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
Greenfish (frame only)
Strengths:
Versatility, adjustability, looks, stiffness
Weaknesses:
Pedal kickback, bottle holder can't be attached sensefully
Similar Products Used:
K2 Disco Monkey, Tomac 98, Cannondale Jekyll 800
Bike Setup:
XT, MZ Z1 SL fork, DT swiss shock, Mavic 321 rims, Syntace VRO stem-handlebar unit
Bottom Line:
Apart from the kickback in the granny gears it's awesome. 150mm rear travel, 130mm Marzocchi front travel and only 13.8kg make you climb easily and a lightning on singletrails. You can make the frame fit perfectly to any riders physics and it's stiff enough to stand an 85kg man without much noticeable flex.
It's my first bike with "air suspension" and I wouldn't go back to coils anymore, to adjust it to your preferences just change the air pressure, that's so much easier than always get a new spring. It's lighter, too. Maybe you loose some small bump sensitivity (if then very little at all) and you can't do the crazy stuff, but how many do anyway?
It's not a racer, neither a downhiller or freerider but it can do it all. It's rare and I love the way it looks...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew
a Weekend Warrior
from Warrenton, VA, USA Date Reviewed: August 16, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Adrenaline Bikes
Strengths:
Light enough to serve as your everyday XC bike, but has enough travel (with either the 4.5" or 6" setup) to serve as a freeride bike. Looks beautiful, simple to maintain (except for the front derailleur), and burly.
Weaknesses:
Pretty noisy, but that's really not a weakness, right? Front derailleur is hard to get to, but, again, that's not a real weakness.
Similar Products Used:
Jekyll 800, Cake 2 DLX.
Bike Setup:
MX Comp ETA fork, Vanilla RC Propedal shock, XT derailleurs/hubs/shifters, Rhyno Lite rims, Truvative FireX cranks, Avid mech discs, Easton 1.5" rise bar, etc.
Bottom Line:
I've only had this bike for two weeks, but I've ridden it every day since it arrived. Plush, easy to ride, and fun as heck. That's what it's all about, eh?
Bottom line: A burly bike that can do everything I need it to do. Period. If you're looking for a hardcore hucker, this probably isn't your ride. If you're looking for a true "all-mountain" bike, look no further. This'll do.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
eric
a Weekend Warrior
from grand forks, nd Date Reviewed: July 8, 2004
Favorite Trail:
hamilton creek
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$999.00
Purchased At:
adrenaline bikes
Strengths:
frame strength, adjustable geometry, travel and shock options
Weaknesses:
ft. der. is a little harder to adjust than other bikes-that's not really too much of a weakness, though
fox 4.5" and 6" coils, '02 psylo sl (vanilla 125R soon), XT and raceface all-round, kinetics stick-e 2.35", avid 6" bbdb
Bottom Line:
wanted this frame for a long time-no disappointments at all so far.
4 shock mounting positions, 2 seatpost subframe mounting positions, 2 travel settings=lots of possibilities for different riders and trail conditions
little heavy for a 4.5" travel frame, but since you can switch to a 6" travel shock easily (and therefore use it as a freeride or mild downhill frame)=too versatile to complain about weight at all
handles everything from the loading docks to the log drops. pedaling does affect the suspension a little, but it is still active on granny climbs and during downhill braking more climbing traction than other'active' designs I've tried like the b5 and FSR
does not bottom on jumps-feels like there is twice as much travel as other frames with ~4 to 5", even with the 4.5" shock
frame and supsension design seems a little 'dated' to others, but its been constantly refined over the years. Also, look how many other companies have used (and still do) the same basic suspension design to this day. Santa Cruz (until VPP), Ellsworth Joker, Haro XLS, Foes Weasel, Ventana El Chamuco and Pantera,etc....
other small companies have come and gone over the years, but MC is still there, and making the original.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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