Submitted by
Mike
a
from Chattanooga, TN USA Date Reviewed: September 25, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1600.00
Purchased At:
Schwinn Dealer in High Point, NC
Strengths:
Super plush AND fast.
Weaknesses:
Cracked the frame yesterday at that bottom pivot point of the swing arm. I also cracked and broke the swing arm.
Bottom Line:
An absolutely wonderful bike. I've loved every minute on the trail with this bad boy. I've always gotten looks from it and compliments on how hardcore it looks. On the downhill, it's destroys any trail. You can fly with it even on a single track that's extremely rocky. Shift your body weight back over the saddle and get low and let the bike do the rest. It's amazing! I'm just extremely sad that I've cracked the frame and snapped the lower joint for the swing arm.
I gave it 4 chilis b/c of the lower joint cracking and breaking.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Casey Corbett
a Weekend Warrior
from Marietta,Ohio Date Reviewed: December 6, 2003
Favorite Trail:
North Bend Rail Trail
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
Marietta Cycle Shop
Strengths:
-Excellent Bike. I have one of two in town -Smooth Ride -Very Versatile -Very fast (i have recieved a warning from the police for exceeding the speedlimit... didnt know this could happen but did ) haha
Weaknesses:
-Some disc brake problems, locking up -Blown a tire one time while riding =(
Bike Setup:
Factory
Bottom Line:
Extremely nice bike, very sturdy (even though the tires do bother me now) with very little maintenance. I did have a few probelms with the disc brakes but overall nothing major. I would reccommend this bike to anyone who has the $$ purchase it. Just remember please obey the speed limits posted on te roads or you will get warned liek i did =O.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from Loves Park, IL Date Reviewed: June 6, 2003
Needs better routing for the rear hydraulic brake line.
Similar Products Used:
GT I-Drive
Bike Setup:
Purchased as a bare frame and built from scratch. RS Judy Race fork, RS SID rear shock, Hayes hydraulic discs, Azonic CNC-shorty stem and Profile bar, Cane Creek sealed headset, Shimano Deore XT 9-speed drivetrain w/ SRAM Attack shifters, Shimano 646 pedals, Real disc hubs laced with DT spokes to Sun Rhyno Lite rims, Tioga Factory DH tires. No-name seatpost and Giant saddle.
Bottom Line:
I love to ride this bike. It's super plush and takes whatever I throw at it. Even though it's quite a bit heavier than my XC mount (a Kestrel CS-X), you really don't notice the extra pounds because it's just so smooth. One of the last great bikes that Yeti Cycles built for Schwinn, so it wasn't cheap by any means, but the best things rarely are.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken
a Weekend Warrior
from windsor ca Date Reviewed: May 24, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
lawill supension design, hayes disc brakes
Weaknesses:
hydrualic brake hoses could have been routed better, had to buy a new front caliper when I replace tha manitou fork.
Similar Products Used:
schwinn s-20, homegrown hardtail
Bike Setup:
99 4banger with xt setup, hayes hydralic brakes, marzocchi z1 c r fork, rock shox super deluxe rear shok.
Bottom Line:
Well I have only had the bike for a couple of months and so far so good. It rides smooth and climbs just as good or better than my S-20 that I had before this bike. I had to send in the Manitou x-vert fork in for warranty since it had a potential bottom out problem. Since I only had the bike for a week when I sent the fork in, I found a Marzocchi on ebay and put it on the bike and it has been smooth sailing ever since. Bummer part was that I had to buy a new hayes caliper since the Manitou was a 68mm direct mount and the marzocchi is and IS mount. The combo that I have now, 5" in front and 4" in the rear is awesome. I am verry happy with it. If you can find one of these bikes get one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David
a
from ny,ny Date Reviewed: August 2, 2001
Favorite Trail:
anything that goes up down & all around with dirt
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At:
treadbikeshop.com
Strengths:
Im 175 it does grest for me
Weaknesses:
bottom bracket feels too low, I feel to high on bike.
Bike Setup:
easton carbon hb, chris k hdst, crappy strong arm crnk, xtr v brake frt, xt disc rear, easton carbon st pst, xt fr der, esp 9.0 rear der, grp shift shftrs, time crbon pedals, sid xl fork, azonic disc rim rear.
Bottom Line:
Excellent bike on any terain from the steepest ups to the opposite I've found the rear & frt shocks to be very adjustable my bike is a medium I'm 5'9'1/2 it feels a little tight but i'ts so sweet.The bike weights 28lbs I know with a few bucks I can bring it down between 26 & 25 lbs maybe even 24 then I'll be in BLISS>
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Victor
a Cross Country Rider
from Rocky Peak, Calif, USA Date Reviewed: January 4, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Woolsey Canyon
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$2800.00
Purchased At:
Wheel World
Strengths:
Verticle travel rear suspension. Does not travel in an arch or cause the wheelbase to become shorter at any time. That translate to control in the worst of conditions.
Weaknesses:
I've read here the "mechanics" complaining of a rear squeek. The first day I got the bike (Dec'98) I heard the squeek, loosened one bolt 1/16th" turn and it has never made a sound again. I don't describe myself as a mechanic but that is hardly a "defect".
Bike Setup:
Stiff pre-load front & rear - rebound medium - rear ride height all the way up.
Bottom Line:
Should have gone for the SID equiped model (all-mountain) as it was 4 pounds lighter, but I thought hydraulics & coils would be more reliable. Neither Schwinn, RockShox or any dealer has been able to get me a SID rear shock (they say they don't make extras). I have removed the front disk brakes/hub/wheel (replaced it with XT V-brakes), replaced the bottom bracket & cranks with '99 XTR and replaced the seat post and handle bars with Easton Carbon. Now the bike is "down to" 28 pounds.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago, Il, USofA Date Reviewed: September 11, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Kettle
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$3150.00
Strengths:
Ultra PLUSH, This bike is a bottomless pit of plush travel. Hayes brakes STOP. TIME pedals are the best on the planet. Nothin beats bass boat blue baby!
Weaknesses:
It's aparent that a creaky carbon arm is a problem with all of these bikes, mine has been driving me crazy from day one. I'm a seasoned professional bike mechanic and I've tried everything to fix it and nothing has worked. A shame because the rest of the bike is so awesome. Also, I've needed to re-adjust the rear Hayes caliper EVERY time I've taken the rear wheel off, a huge pain in the A**!
Similar Products Used:
Schwinn sweet spot. GT XCR's, GT Lobo
Bike Setup:
Stock except:Race Face cranks/rings, XTR Rapid Rise rear derr, Rock Shox Judy 100 up front
Bottom Line:
This bike is the ultimate all around cross country bike IF, and i say IF, you don't really care about weight, you got the money (it's pricey), and your trails, like in Chicago, are very rough/rutty/rooty/eroded/etc. The plush suspension soaks up all rough terrain leaving nothing but fun and blistering speed. My swap to a Judy was for matience reasons and avaliablity of parts (your dealer might sell Schwinn but not Manitou so you'd be screwed) It's nothin but bommin and smiles when I ride 4-Banger, and I'm the envy of all my ridin buddies for my Goochie rig. Secretly, and sometimes vocally though I'm cursing the creaking the is everpresent in the swingarm. This bike would be a 6 on a 5 scale if it weren't for the defect. But the pain that it's been brings it down to a 4.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Darrell
a Cross Country Rider
from Columbus OH Date Reviewed: May 17, 2000
Favorite Trail:
perry state forest
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
smooth ride, weight, handling
Weaknesses:
pivots(bearings)become loose easily causes problems with rear Hayes brakes and damages bearings
Similar Products Used:
gt sts lts, mc san andreas
Bike Setup:
stock:manitou, hayes, mavic, rs super deluxe after market:race face cranks and stiffer springs f and r
Bottom Line:
When you buy this bike you need to go directly to a hard ware store and buy a good torque wrench so that you can keep the pivot points tight without destroying the bike. The faster you go the smoother the ride. Love the hayes brakes but they need greater range of adjustment.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gene
a Cross Country Rider
from Kansas City, MO Date Reviewed: March 26, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Landalh Park , The Chubb
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
A super cool design that just plain works! Cool paint, cool carbon, adjustable angles, sealed bearings at the pivots are very plush, aftermarket upgrades are becoming available.
Weaknesses:
Poor cable routing out of the box, make sure the cables are not rubbing the carbon swingarm, lots of pivots - how long will they last? The pivots can mean more maintenance.
Similar Products Used:
Ibis Sazbo, Trek Y, Klein Mantra, old Mongoose Amp, Trek VRX, Schwinn URT.
Bike Setup:
XTR drivetrain, Hayes Brakes, Marzoochi Z1 BAM, got rid of stock hubs for Shimano XT disc, Mavic X317 rims.
Bottom Line:
This bike rocks! I've upgraded alot and will continue to upgrade until I get it right. The frame and it's design are near perfect though. I tend towards the freeriding side of things with some urban assult thrown in for fun and this frame can handle it all so far, some of the parts are not so trustworthy though,(Mavic X317's, Cane Creek headset, Titec bar, Real rear hub). It's tolerable on the climbs if they are smooth but really excels at the slow & technical, speed trials are a blast as are downhills. I'm not so pleased with the Rockshox rear damper and will upgrade as soon as possible, probably to an RCR. I've heard a 2.0" stroke shock will make this thing 5-Banger! I will crash test that theory. Mess with the ride height until you find the bike that is perfect for you and then go out and hammer it into the dirt! Schwinn and Joe Lawwill built one hell of a bicycle, I would recomend it to all and can't wait for all my friends to ride it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rich
a Weekend Warrior
from Westfield, NJ Date Reviewed: December 7, 1999
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
This is an update to my May 1 review. The 4-banger was a fantastic riding bike, plush, well-equipped and the Hayes brakes were awesome.
Weaknesses:
I had creaking noises that required first a replacement of the carbon arm. When the new arm creaked again, the Schwinn factory looked at it and said it was the RS Deluxe shock. I did not have problems with the shock as others have, other than the creaking which I think was from the arm. Ultimately the carbon swingarm cracked, which is a shame because it was a great bike to ride. I am 215 lbs and used the 800# spring in the rear shock. Ultimately, I think this whole setup is quite an engineering feat and perhaps a bit too exotic to hold up to the pounding of rough trails.
Similar Products Used:
VRX, Raven, Mootaineer, Rocky Mountain
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
If you are a lighter rider, maybe this bike will work for you as I've heard some good reviews of the Homegrown 4-banger. If you're over 200 lbs, I suggest you look at something more traditional (without the exotic use of carbon in swingarm) because I don't think the design will hold up for you which is a shame. I haven't found a bike as plush, but at least they are holding up. I'll update my rating to 2-star. It would be 1 because ultimately the swingarm cracked, but I'll give it a 2 because it was fun while it lasted.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross-Country Rider
from Red Wing MN Date Reviewed: December 1, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
-plush plush plush -rides a lot lighter than looks/weighs...won't rival your hardtail on the climbs though -Stops like a 911 Turbo -About the most versatile bike I have ever ridden
Weaknesses:
-VERY poorly designed shock -Weak splines on seatpost -not much thought put into hydraulic cable routing -not much else!
Wonderful bike. I unfortunately had some early bad luck that was not really Schwinn's fault. The first time I sat on the bike in the shop, the splines on the seatpost stripped. Off went the Titec and I snagged a Syncros Hardcore on warranty. I must first clarify that I am not a super big (215 lbs) and I ride hard, but I also have some finesse. The Super Deluxe (boo!) Rear shock blew up at 10, 75, and 110 miles. Every blow out cost me about 3 weeks of riding time. The first blow out was on the road before I even made it to the trail. The second was doing a modest (10-12) bunnyhop in a parking lot...and the whole top end of the shock exploded. This covered me with oil, gouged the underside of my top tube to the bare aluminum, and bruised the inside of my calf. I had Rock Shox upgrade me to an 800lbs spring after that. No luck. Two rides later the head of the shock blew off again (going over a bump-not even jumping)soaking me with shock oil and putting another chip in the underside of the top tube. Needless to say I'm not a big fan of Rock Shox. I happen to work at a shop so I leaned on RS and Schwinn a little and now I have a SID for the rear end. So far so good. I believe this is a much better designed shock. IF YOU BLOW THE SUPER DELUXE...DEMAND A SID! Now for the actual ride...I swapped the Manitou out for a JR-T which made the front end super plush and really solid. The ride is the best I have ever had. The bike climbs as well as I need and goes down like a Whitehouse intern. If the shock holds up, I'll maybe be able to get more than 100 miles out of it during the summer. The only Long Travel about the Super Deluxe was me having to send it back to RockShox after every ride....and their warranty dept. is terrible. You have been forewarned.I would give the bike 50 flamin' chilies, but the poor rear shock spec brings the overall down to 4....
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mahalium
a Weekend Warrior
from oz Date Reviewed: October 8, 1999
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
best bike...but...
Weaknesses:
pivots and lower swingarm being replaced creaky carbon 2 inch or larger tyre and your xverts eject you(7 stitches) o.t.b. flimsy rims head stem wrong
Bike Setup:
short stem whitebros bars alex dh rims sachs twister
Bottom Line:
ride one @ your perilyou will purchase
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon
a Downhiller
from new jersy Date Reviewed: October 5, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Plattekill ds track
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
looks ok i guess
Weaknesses:
it feels like ruber in turns
Similar Products Used:
santa cruz super 8
Bike Setup:
all stock parts
Bottom Line:
It is a descent bike for someone who doen't way to much or turn real hard, its also way over priced
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hugh LePage
a Weekend Warrior
from Montreal Date Reviewed: September 27, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Val-David
Duration Product Used:
tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
High-Tech componentry,good design, reasonable weight for type of bike, awsome looks, feels like my YZ when I was a younster!
Weaknesses:
High Cost, front disc rubbing, creaking noises and hissing from shock
Similar Products Used:
Rocky Instinct, Spec. FSR comp Enduro. Own Pro-Flex 857 ( for sale cheap )
Bike Setup:
Stock bike with Manitou X-Vert
Bottom Line:
While no one bike is perfect for everyone this is by far the best riding and most fun bike I have ever riden. I am a recent free-ride convert ( from X-country ) and must add that the grin factor is way high here. Hill climbing is surprisingly good for this type of bike and must attribute this to the Lawwill rear design as pedaling forces do not seem to act upon it. The front and rear suspensions really do work together and this more so than others I have tried. As for the dsc brakes they are awsome and was clearing / riding fast downhill technicals at twice the speed as on my Pro-Flex. ( must be that Girvin fork slowing me down ). All in all one of the best rides ever for fast technical down-hills and all round free riding where climbing must be kept fun.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ed C
a Weekend Warrior
from Auburn WA Date Reviewed: June 5, 1999
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Braking and handling is incredible. Best control on a bike I've ever had
Weaknesses:
Had to re mount brake lines by drilling through cable routing and sliding through. Lots of noise from the swing arm
Similar Products Used:
Gt Lts, Haro extreme, Schwinn sweet spot
Bike Setup:
Added azonic Black diamond rims,Z1 bam Fork, race face cranks, rings and Bottom bracket
Bottom Line:
The best handling and braking bike I ever rode doesn't rise up in the rear under hard braking, once you get used to counter steering it you can slide around a corner at unbeliveable speed
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mahali
a Weekend Warrior
from adelaide Date Reviewed: May 18, 1999
Favorite Trail:
gandy's gully
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
brilliant rear design,hayes breaking,XTR rear,very little lateral flex in rear,amazing acceleration and downhill stability.
Weaknesses:
carbon seatstay,flexy rims
Similar Products Used:
joshua x1 xo,z1 zo,barracuda xxfx and fr cannondale super v,trek y,craftworks ml1
WOOHOO who needs 6 inches when 4 feels this good?????
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rich
a Cross-Country Rider
from Westfield, NJ Date Reviewed: May 1, 1999
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Rear suspension design is amazing. Took awhile to setup the suspension-now excellent ride.
Weaknesses:
Noisy carbon swingarm-creaks and groans - had to be replaced under warranty, now happening again-Design or mfg. flaw? Very heavy, but it's worth working a little harder. For a $3000 bike, was surprised about having to velcro strap the hydraulic brake lines to top tube since factory stays don't work.
Bike Setup:
Standard Setup
Bottom Line:
Jury is still out on whether this design will hold up - maybe they will work out the bugs this year. I hope they do, this is one fantastic riding bike.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
slamjam
a Weekend Warrior
from usa Date Reviewed: April 26, 1999
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Bottom Line:
Nice riding bike
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
matt
a Cross-Country Rider
from los angeles, ca Date Reviewed: March 16, 1999
Favorite Trail:
backbone
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
hayes disks brakes extremely powerful, lawwill swingarm design is the best on the market, front and rear suspension is completely adjustable and incredibly plush, frame is superior
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
joshua zo, cannondale super v 2000
Bike Setup:
i've actually added 10-15mm of travel to the x-vert in front increasing the plushness, replaced cane creek headset with chris king, replaced titec bar with protaper
Bottom Line:
unbelievable ride that can handle anything. your riding and confidence level will soar when you get on this bike. it's worth every penny.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
matt
a cross-country rider
from Michigan Date Reviewed: February 21, 1999
Bottom Line:
I've been riding since 1987. I've had to many bike's to list. I've ridden on the left and right coasts. This bike is amazing. I ride with my friends on their HT's, no problem. All day, no problem. Up hill, no problem. Downhill, no problem. I'm not blowing smoke. Find a 4-Banger and ride it.You WILL find the money to buy it!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris G
a weekend warrior
from Los Angeles Date Reviewed: January 14, 1999
Bottom Line:
This bike rips at all around riding! It could weigh a little less but that's the only complaint. Suspension travel is great and just alot of fun to ride. The disk brake feature is awesome. I used to ride a cannondale super v 1000 (nonactive). Wow, what a difference. I would highly recommend a real life riding test ride prior to any other purchase. See ya and good luck with your new purchase whatever it turns out to be. CDG
Overall Rating:
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