Submitted by
David M.
a Weekend Warrior
from Walnut Creek, CA Date Reviewed: July 6, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Burma Road, Mt. Diablo
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
Encino Bikes
Strengths:
I love my bike. Had it for almost 4 years now and have taken care of it so it is still in great shape. Very sturdy, strong, fast. Went riding with a friend of mine on a flat surface. While he was pumping away, I was going same speed just coasting. The shock system is great and gives you a feeling of invincibility. Had no problems with bike. Only service is once a year tune up. Ride on Mammoth Mountain bike park and it held nicely.
Weaknesses:
Need to upgrade seat, handlebars, crankarm.
Similar Products Used:
Trek 6500. Diamondbank X6.
Bike Setup:
Monkeybar Lite handlebars. Upgraded seat (type???; got at Norba, Mammoth Mountain 2000).
Bottom Line:
Great bike. You're putting some serious money down for it but I think it is worth it. If I got anything less I feel that I would have spent money already buying a new bike. With this bike I am so comfortable with the performance that I am still happy with it and don't need a new bike.Problems noted by other riders in previous review have not been seen. The air shocks have held for me. I only need to put more air in every other month (doesn't give out in 2 hours of riding and I'm a pretty big guy 200lbs).No components broken though I am sure the bushings will wear out sooner or later. Bottom Line? TAKE CARE OF YOUR BIKE AND IT WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU!!! ;)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
john su
a Cross Country Rider
from boston Date Reviewed: April 27, 2002
Favorite Trail:
wompatuck, fells
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$860.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
light, fast, plus suspension
Weaknesses:
when bushings wear out...
Bike Setup:
spec stump fsr xc pro, xtr/xt, mavic xt/x221/xt/f518, thomson seat, titec bar ends, truvativ crank, king headset, eggbeaters
Bottom Line:
updated review... really loving the fsr xc! i've gone riding 3-4x/week the last few weeks and it's been incredible how much longer and harder i can ride with this bike!
the sid xc maybe a bit flexy but it's still plush and handles well enough under most conditions. replaced the stock x221 rear rim with mavic f519 after it wouldn't true any longer. rear end is getting more lateral sway from worn bushings...added a lizard skin to protect the fox vanilla r, but the bushings really need replacing.
instead of spending $40 for specialized replacements, i'm getting the mountain speed x-rated link and dropout bearing kit next week. a more long term fix plus an upgrade with increase travel to 90mm.
disregard my earlier comments about my feeling it was comparable to my old hard tail-- hardly! only in weight, but the suspension makes flying down trails and bunny hopping incredibly fun!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lambchop
a Cross Country Rider
from Milton Keynes Date Reviewed: March 20, 2002
As stock except Easton monkeybar, VST Viscount saddle, Deore rear hub, SRAM chain, S Works grips
Bottom Line:
Don't buy new, look out for secondhand bargains. If I had spent the same amount of cash on a new bike (£750.00)I would never have found anything to touch this.
I love this bike!
It has or "had" it's flaws, but upgrading parts and tweaking is half the fun!
New tires next Panaracer fire XC's, then a new set of cranks and then..............
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Su
a Cross Country Rider
from Brookline, MA Date Reviewed: January 26, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$860.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
well rounded x-country full suspension, good value (esp via ebay) and if weak parts already replaced
Weaknesses:
if not replaced: crankset
Bike Setup:
large 99 spec fsr xc pro, rockshox sid xc, fox r rear, xt shifters & front derailleru, xtr v-brakes and rear derrailleur, truvativ cranks, king aheadset, mavic x221 rims, ritchey spds, vetta trishock saddle
Bottom Line:
purchased via ebay, after itching to get a full suspension at a reasonable price to replace my trusted 7 year old bridgestone hardtail. had been waiting for fsr to come down in price and weight.
this 99 was an upgrade from my hardtail in many ways: kind of busted LX shifters to XT/XTR transmission, cantilever to V brakes, Quadra10 to RS SID, quill to aheadset, plus rear suspension all at about the same weight (27lbs). geometry was easy to tweak with a flip of the aheadset stem, adjusting seat position...
i'm 175lbs and prefer running the rear at 180-190 to minimize bobbing on flats. the rear makes riding on new england rocky, root filled trails much easier and more efficient. smooths out the ride enormously.
the seller of this bike had it well maintained...no problems with squeeks, looseness, cracks in the rear end. if it does develop, i'll look into the mtn speed products x-link upgrade....at $150, i'm gonna hold off.
the issue with specialized cranks is moot on this bike since the seller had replaced them with sturdy truvativ. not as flashy as race face, but they do the job.
he also included time atac pedals with new cleats... i'm holding off for now until i get new shoes (my old specialized pros with ritchey spds are just as old my hardtail!). and until i get used to riding this thing (minimize the crashes =))
also, cool he threw in the fox shock and sid adapter, along with a few other goodies. great ebay seller!
to be honest, it's not a humongous change from my hard tail....weight's about the same, a bit easier to bunny hop with the "bounce" provided by front/rear shocks, but definitely smooths out the ride and will let me ride through/over more than i did before, without being too plush. so basically, perfect for XC, not for super-G downhill.
nit picks: the rear V brake cable brushes my left calf on occassion...might try to bend that cable guide a bit. wish they would've just spec'd XT/XTR through out. needs bar ends.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
KC
a Cross Country Rider
from Burlington, VT, USA Date Reviewed: November 23, 2001
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$2200.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Excellent Design, relatively light weight, and good handling.
Weaknesses:
Crank, wheels, and plastic bushing used in some of the pivot points.
Bike Setup:
Sid long travel kit, Mountain Speed X link & bearing kit, Monkey Lite handle bars, Shimano XT splined crank.
Bottom Line:
All around a very good bike from Specialized. You can cruise over some types of terrain that are pure torture on a hardtail and big difference in traction too. The crank was the most serious flaw. It came loose and there after refused to stay tight, but that was after a year of hard use. Mountain Speed kits really make a difference if you decide to get a 99-00 model. The 01 and up have fixed this design flaw. The wheels are built up a little on the light side, but I did manage to get over 2 years riding on them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Björn Andersson
a Cross Country Rider
from Sweden Date Reviewed: October 14, 2001
Favorite Trail:
The blue track at hellas
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Strengths:
It´s a fast, sharp and hard bike.
Weaknesses:
Some minor parts that has to be upgraded at once. These parts are saddle, seatpost, tires, crankarms.
Similar Products Used:
First bike the 1986 GT backwood, 2nd the 1989 KONA cinder cone, 3rd the 1991 KONA cinder cone, 4th the 1994 KONA cinder cone, then at 1998 a changed brand to DBS intruder(intense frame) and now i got my first fully suspension bike the stumpjumper fsr xc pro
Bike Setup:
Roox seatpost, selle italia flite saddle, salsa moto bar, tioga tires, shimano m545 pedals. Soon xtr crankarms.
Bottom Line:
Buy the fsr xc pro if you like to take care of your bike. And if you are prepared to spend some money on it. It`s the perfect xc trail racer after some minor modifications.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stijn Muselaers
a Cross Country Rider
from Apeldoorn, Nederland Date Reviewed: August 8, 2001
Favorite Trail:
't Leesten
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
Stappenbelt Apeldoorn (Stappie)
Strengths:
Frame: cool, LIGHT FOR A FULLY, cool, fast, cool, not much resonance, cool, black, cool
changed everthing (except shifters) to XTR (is ook kut), Crossroc UST Tubeless. 'Avid brake dinges'
Bottom Line:
The 1st time I saw this bike, I got an erection.
The 1st time I biked with it, I came.
After the +/- 100rd time, I didn't come anymore. Drivetrain died, crank fell off, brakes ate mud.
So I decided to change to XTR (de grote volksverneukerij) and MAVIC CROSSROC UST TUBELESS. With the XTR it works slightly better, but XTR is not cheap. About the CROSSROC's: go get them, NOW.
After the repairs: I got an erection again...
(Sorry for my poor English. I learned from Mister Honig.)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Finbarr O"Donohoe
a Cross Country Rider
from Victoria, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: June 29, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Wish my bike worked
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$1600.00
Purchased At:
bike shop
Strengths:
It looks like a bike. But that is about it.
Weaknesses:
-2 MONTHS THE FRAME BROKE. WAS TOLD IT HAD TO BE THE WAY I WAS RIDING. VERY POOR SERVICE FROM SPECILIZED, OVER TWO MONTHS FOR REPLACEMENT, REAR STAYS.
Similar Products Used:
BRODIE,SANTA CRUZ, ROCKY MOUNTAIN, KONA
Bike Setup:
DON'T LEAVE IN THE BOX!!
Bottom Line:
-6 MONTHS REPLACED BOTTOM BRACKET, HEADSET,FREEWHEEL BODY, HANDLE BARS ,SIDS CONTINUALLY LEAKED, REAR RIM WORE OUT (DON'T GO ANY WIDER ON THE REAR RIM ANY MORE THAN 2mm AND YOU WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO RUN THIN BREAK PADS. POOR DESIGN. REPLACED THE SHIMANO FREEWHEEL TWO TIMES AND THE CHAIN. BUSHINGS REPLACED. THE BIKE IS AN ENDLESS MONEY PIT. I CAN EXCEPT THE FACT THAT THEY PUT CHEAPER PARTS ON TO KEEP TO A PRICE POINT BUT FOR $2900.00 CDN I EXPECTED IT TO FUNCTION FOR MORE THAN HALF A YEAR. NOT TO MENTION THE INJURIES TO MY KNEES FROM THE CRAPPY DRIVE CHAIN. BOTTOM LINE I WON'T SPEND ANOTHER PENNY ON A SPECIALIZED PRODUCT. P.S. PRETTY LAME TO ERASE MY LAST REVIEW.IT'S A FACT THE BIKE SUCKS BIG TIME.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg
a Cross Country Rider
from Walnut Creek, CA Date Reviewed: May 16, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1700.00
Purchased At:
local bike shop
Strengths:
Solid frame design and potential to be a really great ride
Weaknesses:
Bike came with middle of the road components at best - Specialized and XT shifter pods/brakes. Plastic rear shock bushings are worthless, Specialized cranks are junk.
Bike Setup:
After rebuild - full XTR drive train & shifters, still the supplied Rock Shox Sid XC & Fox RC, but went mechanical Avid disc in front with Avid Arch Rivals on rear, CT2 Carbon bars/stem
Bottom Line:
After some modifications, you can't beat this bike. You just need to be willing to sink some additional funding into it assuming the problems haven't been fixed (from a previous owner if purchased used). I got mine new and thus had to suffer through the upgrades... Start by upgrading with Mountain Speeds rear linkage kit (and drop out) and sealed berring kits to get rid of the rear creaking as well as pick up another half-inch of rear travel (had mine overhauled 3 times before sinking in the dough). Then replace the drive train with minimum of XT components - the Specialized components should be removed and destroyed! If you still have the gold bars that came with the bike - shame on you! Go with some high grade carbon bar. I also through the Avid mechanical disc on the front for some better stopping power after a serious crash; It's great - even with the Avid Arch Rival on the rear. After all is said and done - the entire rig is just over 25 lbs. Happy trails...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Springs, CO 80921 Date Reviewed: May 7, 2001
Favorite Trail:
ute valley
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Criterium Bicycles
Strengths:
Light weight, fast
Weaknesses:
Weak components. Was riding home on my daily commute and just as I was going around a corner (on pavement, no bumps!) and my swingarm (chainstay) cracked in half. Almost wrecked. Did a quick check on this site and found many similar complaints on S-works product and a few under this heading. Could it be that the people riding S-works are more aggressive riders...Regardless, beware and check often (right abouve the hollowed out part of rear triangle).
Bottom Line:
Warning: Watch out for cracks in your swing arms. This ought to be a recall item.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stuart
a Cross Country Rider
from Golden, Colorado Date Reviewed: April 12, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Dakota ridge( for now)
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1900.00
Purchased At:
Cycle werks in California
Strengths:
I am 6' 4" and physically in very good shape at 225lbs and I used to race (clydesdale;) I would say this bike has obviously gone through hell with my big ass on its saddle. I would consider it quite bullet proof. ( I did upgrade to full XTR grouppo)
Weaknesses:
Not enough XTR parts. Specialized stuff is barely equivalent to "LX". I had one warranty because i broke rear stays. Specialized sent replacement parts to my bike store in less than a week at no charge.
Similar Products Used:
Great experience with Specialized thats why I bought an M4 s-works hardtail with full XTR. 22lbs sweeeet.
Bike Setup:
FSRXC pro rebuilt with AMP research front Disc and Full XTR with KORE ELITE Stem/KING HEADSET.
Bottom Line:
It makes me smile every ride :)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MARK
a Cross Country Rider
from INDIANAPOLIS, IN Date Reviewed: April 2, 2001
Favorite Trail:
NEBO
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2200.00
Purchased At:
MATTHEW'S
Strengths:
NONE THAT I CAN SEE.
Weaknesses:
FOX AIR SHOCK LOSES PRESSURE IN LESS THAN A 2 HOUR RIDE, SPECIALIZED IN HOUSE CRANK GIVES VERY POOR SHIFTING PERFORMANCE, SPECIALIZED SEAT IS EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE, HEAD SET BEGAN TO SQUEEK AND SEIZE UP IN A SHORT TIME, TIRES CONSTANTLY FLATTING OUT DUE TO POORLY MADE WHEELS. SPECIALIZED IN HOUSE HUBS DON'T SEAL OUT WATER WELL AT ALL. DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE, YOU DON'T NEED REAR SUSPENSION UNLESS YOU ARE A DOWNHILLER OR AN EXTREME FREE RIDER IN WHICH THIS BIKE DOES NOT HAVE THE DURABILITY TO CUT IT IN THESE EXTEREMES. BUY A HIGH END CUSTOM STEEL FRAME WITH QUALITY WHEELS AND TIRES AND YOU WON'T BELIEVE HOW RESILIANT, RELIABLE, AND RESPONSIVE STEEL CAN BE. PIVOTS ON A CROSS COUNTRY BIKE ARE HIGH MAINTENANCE AND MAKE THE BIKE MORE PRONE TO TRAIL DAMAGE FROM THE UNNECESSARY MOVING PARTS. A 30 MILE WALK HOME IS NO FUN. THEY ARE COMPLETE JERKS AT SPECIALIZED FOR EVEN MAKING THIS BIKE. IT MAY BE ALRIGHT FOR AWHILE BUT WAIT UNTIL THE BIKE SNAPS IN TWO AND YOU HAVE TO WALK A LONG WAY HOME. FORTUNATELY I SOLD THE BIKE AT A LOSS BEFORE MINE BROKE. I NOW OWN A ROCKY MOUNTAIN BLIZZARD WHICH I HAVE NO MAJOR GRIPES ABOUT. ALSO, FSR'S HAVE SHORT TOP TUBES AND FRAGILE REAR ENDS WHICH MAKE THEM POOR CHOICES FOR PEOPLES OVER 6'0 FEET TALL. I RODE A FISHER SUGAR WHICH I LIKED FAR BETTER BUT WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER XC DUAL SUSPENSION BIKE DUE TO THE UPKEEP AND POOR VALUE IN PARTS COMPARED TO A HARDTAIL. PIVOTS ARE HYPE IN XC AND NOT NEEDED. I AM NOW CONSIDERING GETTING A CUSTOM BUILT STEEL FRAME AND I KNOW I WONT BE DISSAPPOINTED. THE REPS AT SPECIALIZED WON'T EVEN CALL YOU BACK OR WRITE YOU. BAD BUSINESS AT BEST. YOU WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO HIRE A ATTORNEY TO GET A WARRANTY ISSUE SOLVED WITH SPECIALIZED.
Similar Products Used:
SUGAR, ELEMENT RACE, ROCKY MOUNTAIN BLIZZARD, JAMIS DAKOTA
Bottom Line:
I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER OTHER OPTIONS ESPECIALLY IF YOU WANT A LOW MAINTENANCE RELIABLE BIKE.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shane Pettiner
a Cross Country Rider
from Lafayette, IN. Date Reviewed: March 19, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Otter Creek
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
private seller
Strengths:
Awesome bike for not alot of bucks. 4 bar rear suspension, takes the roughness out of the trail
Weaknesses:
None yet.......
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale
Bike Setup:
Full xtr group-o, mavic crossmax wheelset, raceface SYStem & bars, hutchison python gold tires, thomson elite seatpost, 747 pedals, and mrp x-rated link and bearing kit
Bottom Line:
I highly recommend this bike to the cross country enthusiast. The bike handles great with anything you throw at it-fire roads, climbing, downhill, and it screams for tight technical single track. Despite all of the so-so or bad reviews, all you need to do is get the mrp rear link and bearing kit, and it makes it all goood!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill Whitley
a Racer
from Wixom, MI,USA Date Reviewed: March 14, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Potowatami, Highland
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$2400.00
Purchased At:
Campus Bikes, Ann Arbor
Strengths:
Light weight, handles great, smooth riding suspension - just enough to take the edge off the pounding my ass was taking on an aluminum hardtail which was my previous bike.
Weaknesses:
Cranks suck, BB sucks, pedals suck, seat sucks, high maintenance on bushings & rear suspension, swing arm cracked.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Rockhopper - 1995
Bike Setup:
XT cranks, BB, & Front Derailure. Nisene seat.
Bottom Line:
This is my 2nd mountain bike going from a strict hardtail with no front shock to the 1999 FSR XC StumpJumper PRO. Other than the weaknesses outlined above this great bike. I'm only a good enough racer to finish middle of the pack in expert class. Specialized took care of the cracked swing arm under warranty. I was dissapointed with the LBS. 2 Weeks after i bought the bike the crank arm came lose & started to wear out BB. I rode the 12 Hours of Boyne race and people could hear me coming 1/2 mile back due to the nasty creak on each downstroke. LBS did nothing for me - very dissapointed to spend that amount of cash and have that happen after 2 weeks.
Bottom line is if you buy this bike, be prepared to sink more money into correcting the above weaknesses. If you do that you wont be dissapointed. I bought this bike to take the edge off the pounding my ass was taking on my hardtail. I keep the suspension tuned tight, so minimal bobing. I've also ordered an X-rated link & bearing kit from Mountainspeed based on coments written in this column - hopefully this will reduce maintenance on rear suspension. Other than that - graet bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason
a Cross Country Rider
from Tejas,USA Date Reviewed: December 16, 2000
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
Bikes Inc.
Bottom Line:
This is a follow up to my previous post. I've had the bike for almost a year and I am very uphappy with the bushings in the pivots. They do not hold up very well at all. This wouldn't be a problem except I had a hell of a time trying to get a bushing kit from Specialized. It seems that they had a lot of people needing the bushing kit so they've been out. Anyone looking to get a FSR, make sure you get a 01' they come with bearings throughout. The bearings should hold up better and allow for more (adjustable) travel.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Canada Date Reviewed: October 23, 2000
This is my second review. The "boss" for a water bottle cage broke off the seat pod, frame was replaced but shop charged me C$100 for labor!
Specialized BB was defective, replaced with Shimano UN 72.
858 pedals work great, better than stock Specialized ones - have had absolutely no problems.
Everything else works great, XT-V brakes stop on a dime, no squeal (maybe due to boosters), why do so many people complain about them?
Replaced 63mm Sid XC with 80mm version, rides much better, virtually maintenance free....why put a 63mm on an FS bike?
Fox Air Vanilla Float R? Flawless.
Bike was "almost" perfect out of the box, should have been perfect for the $$$. With a bit of time, effort and additional cash, ....my dream ride!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marc Nakamura
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix, AZ USA Date Reviewed: September 25, 2000
Favorite Trail:
South Mountain, Phoenix
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1549.00
Purchased At:
http://www.bikesale.com
Strengths:
Light weight
Weaknesses:
Stock tire: It is not good for Phenix sandy and rocky trails. Stock pedal: it works, but I like shimano.Stock saddle: It broke when I hit it on the rock. Was I unlucky?
Similar Products Used:
None (my first bike was Hard tail 98 Mesa GSX, Schwinn)
Bike Setup:
Stock with Panaracer CX Fire, Maxxis tube, Shimano 747 and WTB SST k suddle since I broke my stock saddle.
Bottom Line:
I like this light-weight bike. I am only 143 lbs and 5'5" and 17" bike fits perfectly. Climbing up is easy than my hadr tail, and going down is fun also. Due to the brow-out at bikesale.com, I got this with nice deal. If I buy this in Japan, it will be more than $3K. If you are thinking to buy the full-suspension w/ limited budget, this is the one you buy (you may buy Y2K modle now about $1.6K already at Supergo.com).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Altos, CA, USA Date Reviewed: August 22, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Soquel Demo
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Bike Setup:
Stock with upgrades. King headset, Easton Monkey Lites, XT hollowtech Cranks/rings, Bumped SID travel up to 80mm
Bottom Line:
I've been riding this bike pretty consistently over the last year and would hioghly recomend it to anyone who is looking for a light, fully suspended cross country rig. Definitely upgrade the stock drivetrain and tires, then go hit the trails. I,ve ridden this bike hard, and have had no problems with the swingarm cracking. I weigh 180 lbs. and ride stuff like Skeggs, Soquel, Downieville ETc. This bike has been sweet. GO buy one today!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pablo Meyer
a Weekend Warrior
from Mexico City Mexico Date Reviewed: August 21, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Valle de Bravo
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1600.00
Purchased At:
UC Cyclery
Strengths:
Really light, nice handling
Weaknesses:
Yellow frame, come on???? I can think of better options... The seat post is too long, I'm sitting on the lowest position and I'm 6'1".
Similar Products Used:
I also own a Schwinn S-20, I tested several Cannondale's lefties and Klein Matra
Bike Setup:
Time Atac clips, Panaracer XC tires, Serfas saddle, Icon handle bar
Bottom Line:
I just bought this bike as an upgrade from my Schwinn S-20, and let me tell you, those 4 of 5 lbs of extra lightness mean a lot when you are going up on bumpy hills. The XTR/XT combination works just fine, the gears are really smooth, even when going uphill. Thanks to the comments of the folks below I did change the clips, saddle and tires, -don't think about it- just do it and you'll thank later. (thanks guys) I also got a 1" higher handle bar, but this was more of a personal taste. The Panaracer tires kept me from kissing the mud (its raining like crazy down here) unlike the rest of my group. I got a great discount, and for $ 1,600.00 I don't think you can find any better options.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kris
a Cross Country Rider
from San Rafael, CA Date Reviewed: August 20, 2000
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1900.00
Purchased At:
Marin, CA
Strengths:
Light, Fast, Fun to ride.
Weaknesses:
Flex (I'm 195lb). Noices all over. Original tires.
Bike Setup:
6th set of tires, Specialized Bar ends, 535 padals, Body Geometry seat, WTB grips, WTB bread bads
Bottom Line:
Lots of fun. Easy to climp, fun down hill, fast thru turns, But not for big hits. Tuning of suspension is tricky when you have some weight. Get the bike if you like xc riding.
I had some problems with loose and noicy read pushings, Specialized changed everything, much improved.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Corey
a Weekend Warrior
from New York USA Date Reviewed: July 27, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Lightweight especially for Full-Suspension bike, Rear-Suspension, Smooth XTR-XT Shifting, Handels big dropoffs well
Weaknesses:
The biggest problem in my eyes would be the chainrings, and the brakepads. Whenever you go down a hill the brake pads squeel like a pig.
Similar Products Used:
Rocky Mountain Instinct, Specialized S-Works
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is that the overall bike is awesome. As long as you have a good frame, and shifting braking components your fine. You can build around the minor things like brake pads, and change them. I suggest setting the rear-suspension with A LOT more air if you go off 3-5 foot dropoffs. I changed my crank and rings, and got some sweet brake pads. This bike is great!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Husting
a Cross Country Rider
from Port Washington,WI.,USA Date Reviewed: July 21, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Northern Kettle Moraine
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
The bike is light weight & handles very well in most situations.Climbs & decends exellent.Has a very good parts mix in its stock form.
Weaknesses:
Tires & XT brake pads.The XT brakes sqeal way to much.I have to clean the rims before every ride so they dont.I,m to tight to replace them because they do stop the bike well.
Similar Products Used:
Trek Y33
Bike Setup:
The only changes I have made to the bike are Time pedals & Ime grips.
Bottom Line:
This is a very good bike to race or just to hammer on the trails.I have experienced none of the problems that the other reveiwers are having with the cranks,chainrings or the swing arm.I beleive proper maintainance is the key with this bike.If you want a freeride bike this is not the bike to buy.I have put almost 1000 miles on the bike & have not had a problem.I use the standard shock pressure settings listed in the manual & tweak from there to get the desired ride.Overall this is a fantastic bike to ride & I would not hesitate reccomending this bike to anyone looking for a FS bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wayne
a Cross Country Rider
from Pomona, CA Date Reviewed: June 15, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Singletracks
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Great performing bike - lightweight and fairly plush for an XC F.S.
Weaknesses:
Chainrings, pedals, swing arm.
Similar Products Used:
Heckler, Hardtails
Bike Setup:
Stock except for King headset and riser bar.
Bottom Line:
This is my third review of this bike (two at one month and three months). I still love the bike, however, I just discovered that my swing arm cracked yesterday. Fortunately my LBS is great (Incycle in San Dimas) and is getting the arm replaced under warranty (hopefully the 2000 arms are a better design). The pedals release inconsistently (even when set tight) and the chainrings shift lousy. Overall, it is still an awesome bike and I don't have any regrets.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andy Laub
a Cross Country Rider
from Wausau, WI, USA Date Reviewed: June 12, 2000
Favorite Trail:
9-mile forest
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
light, fast, pretty, comfortable
Weaknesses:
no rear suspension lockout
Similar Products Used:
---
Bike Setup:
Fox Float R rear, Manitou Mars front, Shimano XTR/XT/LX group
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike, and I would've loved to have spent more time with it. There are only two things I would have changed about it: 1, I would have added bar ends, and 2, I would have taken off the Float R and put on a shock with a lockout lever. The FSR rear suspension was fun, but I didn't really feel a difference between that and my bike, which has a unified rear triangle. Other than that, had I had the money, this bike would be sitting in my garage right now as I type this.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Carson
a Cross Country Rider
from NS , Canada Date Reviewed: May 9, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Plymouth Rock
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Frame and suspension design,XT drivetrain,versitility.
Weaknesses:
Rings,BB,Hubs, headset,Sid.
Similar Products Used:
Test rode, Raven,Joshua , my ole h'tail.
Bike Setup:
Z-1 Bam,Easton Mg-60 ( 75mm x 15*)stem , Monkey lite 1 1/4" rise;Raceface crank,rings,bb,headset , Rhyno rims,Magura Clara fr , Avid Rival 50 rr , Time pedals, Titec Berserkr saddle
Bottom Line:
I have set this bike up many, many ways, and come to the realization that I am a freerider. I have raced it ( diff., set-up) and done better than my hardtail. It both climbs and descends better than h/t.It allows you to ride longer. Short stem is a must with long travel fork.Rings made by sugino break easily, wear not bad shift so-so.Toasted sid fork and headset in 1 week. 6 months to wreck BB ( average for me, )Front hub Scratchy noise comes and goes, rear developed play ( like LX ).Rear swingarm broke @ the hollowed out crossmember 9 months, Swinglink bushings developed play 4 months, had new ones machined to accept needle bearings, works better. Specialized went good on warranty for Headset, BB ( Replaced with Raceface, ) shop traded sid for Z-1 Bam. Swingarm replaced with 2000 model.full suspension requires more maintence , so what. The benefits so outway the drawbacks , Then of course every other company is either a; leasing the FSR rights or b; designing a FSR killer . Simply put when you are #1 everybody is after you. The FSR is to mountain bikes what Harley Davidson is to motorbikes, period.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan Wyszynski
a
from Lemont, IL USA Date Reviewed: April 23, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Palos and anything dirt
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
the price i got it for, frame and select components. If it is good enough for Ned Overend it's good enough for me
Weaknesses:
Stock chainrings, cranks, bottom bracket
Similar Products Used:
no other specialized products, but do own a trek roadbike and c'dale hardtail
Bike Setup:
everything is stock except chainring, cranks, BB, and wheelset. Currently using raceface rings, kooka cranks, shimano BB and mavic crosslink wheelset (owned for one year and have not had them trued once), WTB DOT98 saddle, yada yada yada.
Bottom Line:
After replacing a few components chainrings,cranks,BB, cassette, wheels and wheelset. this bike is ready to roll. In fact my first time out with last year was at Kettle in Wisconsin and it climbed like Marco Pantani was built into the frame. Then i took it for regular hard XC rides at Palos. Not only was it the envy of many riders, it held up to it's reputation. Climbs like you can't believe, descends well and let's you recover before you upshift and turn big gears. I just follow what the manual says as far as shock set up and tweak it 5-10 psi depending on what I'm riding. Some times i get some squeaking from the pivots but nothing a little T-9 won't fix. Usually, after cleaning the entire bike i'll lube the pivot with 10w30 Penzoil and let it sit overnight or till the next ride. I have tested a few other FS bikes and FS is definitley worth it, you just need to get the bike that's appropriate for the terrain you ride. No problems with swingarm breaking. In fact, my first race of 2000 i decided to ride the FSR and took first place.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a
from Orlando,Fl Date Reviewed: March 27, 2000
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Comfortable ride, fast
Weaknesses:
Company customer service sucks.....My frame broke into two pieces and they will not warranty or fix it
Similar Products Used:
many
Bike Setup:
marzocchi fork, king headset and hubs, XTR, RaceFace cranks and BB
Bottom Line:
Bottom line is this is a nice bike once it is upgraded, but the company customer service sucks. My frame broke into two distinct pieces, not bent, but snapped into two pieces and Specialized will not even talk to me or try to fix it. I tried calling the corporate headquarters and they will not help me. They said I have to go through the rep, I tried but he is a jerk and won't return my calls. I even told the factory I would pay for a crash replacement, but they still won't help me. I was not abusing the bike, it was the 8th race of the season and it broke during a race while both tires were on the ground. However I was going about 24 mph and suffered a nasty crash and still have the scars to prove it. Bottom line it is a good bike except for the support and customer service you get from Specialized. I would suggest buying a bike from another company that will stand behind their products.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gordon Macdougall
a Weekend Warrior
from Edinburgh, Scotland, UK Date Reviewed: March 27, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Light Fast Climb-tastic
Weaknesses:
Chainset Chainset Chainset
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale SV700
Bike Setup:
Standard setup, but added XTR Chainset and Easton handlebars
Bottom Line:
Bought this bike discounted as an end of line deal. Sale of the century - the bike is light, very fast and flies uphill. Only downside, surprise surprise, was the pathetic chainset. Gear changing at the front was a nightmare - missed shifts, slipping chain and chain suck. Changed to XTR - if you can afford it, do it - awesome ! As fast as a hardtail and much comfier. With the new chainset, an easy five - otherwise a four.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
patrick
a Cross Country Rider
from campbell, CA Date Reviewed: February 18, 2000
Favorite Trail:
steven's creek/kennedy
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
looks slick, lock out on rear shock
Weaknesses:
none!
Similar Products Used:
FSR comp
Bike Setup:
Xtr Mavic wheelset, Xtr drivetrain, Raceface next lp cranks velociraptors
Bottom Line:
I broke my 98 FSR comp frame. Specialized and LBS managed a 2000 xc pro frame with one week turnaround. Unbelievable! I had similar problems with drivetrain found in other reviews. The bottom line, invest in the upgrades and this bike kicks ass. It has made me a much more confident and aggressive rider in a very short time. Thank you Specialized and thank you Howard(Pacific Bicycles, Saratoga CA)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dwayne Merritt
a Weekend Warrior
from St. Clair Shores, MI USA Date Reviewed: February 17, 2000
Favorite Trail:
potowatomi
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
lite, fast, looks cool, neat no tool masterlink, did i mention lite and fast
Weaknesses:
cheesy cranks and rings, handlebars, pedals, headset, bb, grips, price
Similar Products Used:
first full suspension
Bike Setup:
hayes disc's frt and rr, easton monkeybars, raceface cranks and rings, hugi hubs, mavic 317's, chris king
Bottom Line:
specialized exchanged my cranks 2 weeks after i bought the bike because the original ones fell off. those creaked, so i replaced the bottom bracket and cranks. no more problems. i get off on winter riding, hayes discs rule for that. once i replaced a few items for personal preference, this bike rocks. i commuted last summer about a 100 miles a week on it, and hit the singletrack every weekend. i'm 185 lbs, and it flexes a bit compared to my homegrown hardtail, but overall it handles sweet. take time to set up the finicky suspension and ride on. if you want a great all around bike, i think you can do no better than this.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John T
a Cross Country Rider
from Sugar Hill, GA Date Reviewed: January 25, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Chicopee
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Weight, looks, ride quality
Weaknesses:
Scetchy tires, chain rings, cranks, pedals, sqeaky front brake, seat
Similar Products Used:
first full susp bike owned or ridden
Bike Setup:
Body comp seat (get one today!), XTR Brakes, 434 pedals, bar ends, Mythos XC's
Bottom Line:
I'm impressed overall with this bike although I haven't ridden others to compare. Did my research and took the advice of a friend - very satisfied. Stock tires are Specialized Team red stripes (the expensive ones) and found them to be a bid scary; rear's ok but the front is NG. Cranks flex badly. Specialized diamond cross section crank arms look cool but they won't stay tight. These chain rings should't be put on this bike (or any bike). Want to upgrade to XTR but prefer compact gearing so I'll probably opt for the '00 XT's which is probably a better dollar/value choice. For a bike in this price range I'd expect better hardware. I guess I'll replace as things break. No swing arm problems after 600+ hard miles. Susp works great once dialed; no leaks or problems of any kind. 170lb rider; 80lbs positive spring/130lbs. neg spring works best for me. 125lbs shock air pressure provides good ride w/o bobbing - using all but last 1/4" of shock travel which is probably important since hard bottoming will stress frame and swing arm pivots. Haven't had shifting problems mentioned in other posts. Take time to set up and adjust.
This is a great bike for the average hard core rider. Some cheap components (why the gold bars???) but I'm very happy with this purchase even though I bought from a crappy dealer. No biggie since I do all my maint and tuning but I'm concerned about future warranty based on other posts - no problems so far. Will post if things change.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott McEnespy
a Weekend Warrior
from Chico CA Date Reviewed: January 6, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Feather Falls
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Can easily be converted into a quite usable and versatile play bike. Good geometry for technical descents when coupled with a short stem and long travel forks. Quick in the twisties.
Weaknesses:
Many pivots, bushings, and joints to wear out. A tad bit on the noisy side. Unfortunatly comes in an uncomfortable, hunched over, cross country style set up.
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Heckler Stumpjumper Hardtail Klein Mantra Comp.(Yucky)
Bike Setup:
Stock Fox Vanilla R Shock. RST Delta HL Fork. Shorty low rise stem coupled with Answer Pro Taper riser.
Bottom Line:
This bike turned out to be one of the funnest play bikes I have ridden. It is amazing how much more fun mountain biking can be when you feel more comfortable and upright and in direct control of the front end.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a Cross-Country Rider
from Rochester, MA Date Reviewed: December 18, 1999
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Bottom Line:
Update on swingarm repair. Went to my local bike shop, True Wheels Cycle in MA and they ordered the swingarm. Always support your local bike shop! The swingarm came in about a week later. I did the repair myself and it was not a big deal. The new swingarm is indeed an updated design, where they decreased the size of the hole thru the arm. For those of you who are wieght fanatics, I calculated that the difference in wieght from the old to new is an addition of a whopping 0.33 ounce. This is about as much wieght as a good chunk of dirt!Swingarm change goes like this:Tools needed:Crankarm removal tool 8 mm hex key 6 mm hex key 5 mm hex key 10 mm socket, use 1/4 inch drive so as not to over torque anything1. Take off the rear wheel. 2. Remove the crank arm that has the chainrings. 3. Remove the two bolts at the rear pivots of the swingarm. 4. Tap out the two pins from these two pivots. 5. Remove the bolt at the front (bearing) end of the swingarm. 6. Tap out the pivot axle/bolt. 7. Find the two spacers that just fell on the ground. 8. Take off the old swingarm. 9. CLEAN EVERYTHING! 10. Put the two spacers on the frame side of the bearings and slip it back on to the frame. 11. Carefully work the axle back into the frame and swingarm, moving the spacers with a small screwdriver or something to align them. Tap the axle back in, do not pound it! 13. Put some loctite or equal on the axle bolt and tighten it. 14. Put the crank back in place and tighten it. Put the chain on one of the rings. 15. Making sure that the chain is on both upper and lower sides of the swingarm, put the rear of the swingarm into place. 16. Tap the two pins back in. 17. Put in the two rear swingarm bolts and tighten. 18. Replace the rear wheel.Sounds complex but it really is not. Took about 1 hour to complete and I was very methodical in cleaning everything.Now I just have to return the swingarm to the local bike shop. The bike rides just like it used to. Even though the swingarm was cracked, I could feel very little flexing going on in the rear. My crack had only gone about 1/2 of an inch into the casting.Specialized responded well in my case. KEEP CHECKING BEHIND THE CHAINRINGS FOR CRACKS ON THE SWINGARM.I still love this bike and am going faster all the time. Next update will be to install a Race Face crank and decent bottom bracket.
Ride fast. Take chances.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a Cross-Country Rider
from Rochester, MA Date Reviewed: December 3, 1999
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Bottom Line:
WARNING! This bike suffers from the same problem with cracking swingarm (chainstay) as does the S-works. Look closely at the swingarm just behind the front chain rings.I will report on details of swingarm change and dealings with Specialized after fix is complete. I have heard that there is a new improved part and that any dealer will honor warranty.I am downgrading this bike to a 4 star due to the number of problems. If Specialized does me good then I will move it back up.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
WP
a Weekend Warrior
from orlando, fl Date Reviewed: November 15, 1999
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
weight, handling, comfort,climbing
Weaknesses:
chainrings, pedals,blah,blah
Similar Products Used:
fsr comp, proflex,
Bike Setup:
race lites, riser bar,xtr brakes
Bottom Line:
Trash the chain rings, seat and pedals, get a decent set of tires, take the time to dial the bike in properly, and this bike rocks. Climbs as well or better than my old M2, but doesn't beat the mess out of me. If your coming from a stiff hardtail, you won't believe the difference. I give thanks that I bought this bike every time I ride it. Though you have to swap out some stuff on it to begin with, most of it is items that you replace for personal taste anyway. Be sure to get the correct size though, I'm 6'1 and had to go with the biggest frame.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MJ
a Cross-Country Rider
from San Jose, CA Date Reviewed: November 14, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Skaggs, Demo, Wilder,
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Relatively light, active rear susp., does what it's designed to do -- XC Full susp. riding
Weaknesses:
XT brake/SID combo cuases squeal, Frames have notoriously short top tube (go one size larger), crappy seat and tires, Specialized BB is junk, Specialzed front chain wheels loose teeth easily, Shimano 9-speed is finicky and I've already gone through one chain and one rear casette due to bending of next to largest cog
Bike Setup:
stock set up
Bottom Line:
This is a good XC full susp., too bad mine is too short for me. SID shock takes some time to dial in. Bike may not be the best for riders over 190 lbs. (could get a little flexy). Its a shame Specialized doesn't spec there bikes out a little better. The stock tires are really no good, stock seat is not too great. The brake cable noodle on the rear will interfere w/ some riders calves. After all my beatching I'd still recommend this bike for some riders; just make sure you go to a good shop that will get you on the proper sized frame. You will enjoy riding this bike once its set up right. PS Mine is FOR SALE
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff Redding
a Cross-Country Rider
from Warrenton, Mo Date Reviewed: November 12, 1999
Favorite Trail:
The Berryman
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Light weight, active suspension,frame action is supple without being a total noodle
Weaknesses:
Short top tube(even on large frame) creates poor transition from seating to standing position.Low-end wheelset and tires,uncomfortable saddle, no bar ends, no shock pump.
Bike was upgraded before it was picked-up from the shop. Stock weight for large frame-25.4lbs. Mods included upgrade to new Specialized S-works wheelset,Redline Team edition Specialized tires, 747 pedals, Ibis titanium stem, titec mag bar ends, titec 118 bar,Yeti grips, XTR brakes, Flite saddle, Control tech rear skewer (ti).New weight on hang scale when I picked the bike up after mods = 24.4 lbs.
Bottom Line:
I have owned numerous bikes some full suspended and some hardtail. The most recent bike was a specialized M2 S-works hardtail, An awesome bike in the handling and weight department.I have not missed my M2 much at all.The FSRxcpro is a great bike which blends the pros of suspension with the agility of a hardtail(well almost). This bike does deserve better wheels and components.I guess thats a price point issue though, and you get what you pay for. The biggest downside I have had is one that I had with my M2 as well and that is the constant annoyance of flats. I have offroad since 83-84 and have never experienced the problems I have with the 517/Specialized tire combination. The combo is light, and the wheels are pretty durable, but something about this match seems to result in lots of flats. I have heard similar complaints from others.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross-Country Rider
from Toronto Date Reviewed: November 5, 1999
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Ride Components Weight Looks
Weaknesses:
Bottom Bracket
Similar Products Used:
None (first full-susp)
Bike Setup:
Stock (almost)
Bottom Line:
This is my 2nd review. The bottle braze-on on the seat-pod broke off.Specialized gave me a new rear triangle (also a '99, was hoping for 2000!), though I had to pay shop $100 for labour! Bottom bracket was also defective (though I didn't notice).Shop wanted to replace it with LX, I insisted XT, paid more $$$!Bike rides great, put on new saddle (avocet), Shimano brake boosters, and new 858 pedals. Also swapped boots on Sid for RS' new wipers. Bike rides great.Does anyone know if it's worth it to extend Sid travel to 80mm? Can frame's geometry handle it?
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
CB
a Cross-Country Rider
from Columbus, OH Date Reviewed: November 4, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Plunge
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Ride,Function, Looks,& Weight.
Weaknesses:
Some Spec.
Similar Products Used:
C-Dale, GT i drive, XR8,& Trek.
Bike Setup:
Original Spec. with susequent changes.
Bottom Line:
Seat came apart in less than a month. LBS swapped and credited an upgrade, Specialized Body Comp (thereeee great). Jim and the twins are now happy. Pedals were not comfortable. LBS credited an upgrade to Time ATACs, they are good for all seasons. Please note the importance of a good LBS! I just recently gave up on the Specialized tires, slapped on my old Contis, much better. The tires wouldn't hold a line, slipped over roots, rocks and such when bone dry. I've experienced no reported problems with 9 speed cassete or chainrings (yet). Bike climbs better than any hardtail I've owned. I find myself riding harder and longer. Changes in riding technique are required to avoid banging chainrings, crank arms, pedals and feet into rocks and logs. SID XC is great, almost to much adjustability. It will take some time to dial it in, but when its trimmed you'll love. The Bike rides and handles great (throw the tires away if you live in the east or midwest). I reccomend it to all.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a Cross-Country Rider
from Rochester, MA Date Reviewed: November 3, 1999
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
climbing technical tight fast stuff
Weaknesses:
has its flaws
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Changed seat first ride, 747 pedals, bar ends, tubes, computer. Pumped rear up to recommended by manual for 155 lb., running with lots of damping. Front Manitou is at minimum preload and two to three clicks from middle towards more damping on both rebound and compression.
Bottom Line:
I seem to have had same problems as most others. Chainrings lose teeth without hitting things. It took a few rides to learn not to smack the cranks on rocks. Not a problem now that I am used to it. Seat and tires are junk. Stock pedals have too many sharp edges. 747 pedals are highly recommended, no thought exit and entry. Bike takes some setup to dial in but I am a motorcycle rider so this is old hat. Once dialed in I have not done anything to the suspension. Took the rear apart and cleaned all pivots after six months. Everything was clean and in good shape. No slop in suspension yet. Make sure you check the tightness of the bolts every now and again. Aluminum nut on rear skewer is junk. I replaced with XT skewer and wheel no longer pops out.The bike is a blast to ride. Climbs like stink. Great in the fast tight stuff and good in the technical stuff. Smokes the hardtails on the downhills. I have found that I get less tired on this bike than on my hardtail (S-works).Bottom Line. Highly recommended. Puts a smile on your face.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan Wyszynski
a Cross-Country Rider
from Lemont, IL Date Reviewed: October 28, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Palos
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
color, and most importantly the price I got it for.
Weaknesses:
squeaky front brake, low end rings, and BB is not all that good.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
stock set up except crosslink wheels, ESP brake levers and gripshift, kooka cranks, and raceface rings, shimano xt BB
Bottom Line:
This is an update, since I've had the time to get out and ride the FSR alot. So far, so good, the only problem i had so far was the middle chainring (several teeth were bent beyond repair and a few others were on there way) this was only after having the bike for three weeks. Now I've replaced the crankset with kooka cranks and race face rings and an XT bottom bracket. I still dig this bike alot. as a matter of fact when I ride at Palos alot of riders ask my opinion of the bike and i simply tell them, IT ROCKS!!! I now tell all my friends that FS is the way to go. I don't have much experience on FS bikes to compare and contrast with other bikes, but when you have an FSR you'll love it!!!!!!!!!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason
a Cross-Country Rider
from Laurel, Md. Date Reviewed: October 19, 1999
Duration Product Used:
tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
light
Weaknesses:
pogo effect, poor component mix given the price point. The Manitou shock is a very weak shock. The drive train is hard to adjust.
Similar Products Used:
XR-8, XR-4, Cannondale Super V, K2 Amp
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
The tires are terrible and should be replaced prior to purchase. The Manitou Carbon SX is also a piece of garbage. It has very poor rebound and adjustability. The carbon fiber arch creaks and flexes a great deal. I'm surprised I didn't break it on the test ride. It also bottoms out too easily. The titanium spring had been replaced with steel by Manitou orSpecialized to save money and rip off the consumer. This is truly a criminal offense and clearly false advertising. The rear suspension works marginally. It pogos badly unless you pump up the shock, but then it's too stiff. May as well be on a hardtail. The rear end has too much lateral play. I decided to go with the XR-8 and I'm glad I did. It's a fantastic bike. I will never purchase a Specilaized bike. I give this bike 1 flaming pepper for being light, but the rest of the bike belongs on the scrap heap.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob Brackett
a Weekend Warrior
from San Ramon, CA Date Reviewed: October 18, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Redwood Regional Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Does what I need it to do - good ride back and forth to work & can still handle the trails on the weekend. Climbs great (even out of the saddle). Feels light, composed and balanced coming back down on rough trails.
Weaknesses:
Front brake squeals. Broke sprocket teeth climbing over obsticles. Play developing in rear shock linkage. Tires feel light, but offer poor traction.
Similar Products Used:
Test rode several comparably priced bikes (GT,Trek,etc).
Bike Setup:
Specialized body geometry seat. Icon bar ends
Bottom Line:
I needed a bike that could do everything from cruising around town with my girl to hammering up & down gnarly trails with my buddies. This bike delivers. It's comfortable cruising around city streets and paved bike trails, yet still handles fairly well in rough off road conditions. Doesn't hammer my 40-year-old body into putty like my Moab 1 hardtail. The suspension is just enough to take the edge off of the trail, yet not enough to pogo me all over the place. Very balanced. No air leaks in the suspension. At my request, LBS threw in the pump for free. Can't talk long-term durability because I've only had it about 3 months and most of that has been cruising around fairly smooth & dry Marin County & East Bay trails. It's never even seen mud. I'm concerned about the play developing in the rear shock linkage. Looking forward to putting on new, more aggressive tires, but don't want to sacrifice the nice street/hardpack acceleration & ride of the OEM tires. Again - great do it all bike. Like the ride and handling characteristics of hardtails, but tired of getting too beat up? Try an FSR XC Pro.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan Wyszynski
a Cross-Country Rider
from Lemont, Illinois Date Reviewed: October 14, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Palos
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
the look, graphics, theprice i got it for, light, climbs like it has Marco Pantani built right into it. color scheme
Weaknesses:
front brake squeal on mavic crosslink wheelset, stock specialized pedals did not like with shimano cleats
Similar Products Used:
this is the first full suspension i've owned, however i did test ride a klein mantra and trek y-frame superlight
Bike Setup:
stock set up. swapped out rapidfire XT for gripshift and brakelever combo ESP 9.0, swapped out stock wheel set, tires and tubes with crosslink wheelset, mr. tuffy tireliners and specialized tires
Bottom Line:
I spent alot of time trying to decide which full suspension to go with and I chose the stumpjumper pro FSR XC, because if it's good enough for Ned Overend then it's good enough for me. The first time I rode my new FSR was out in South Kettle in Wisconsin (john muir and Emma carlin trails) First and foremost was the obvious the full suspension takes out the rough stuff and the beating your body takes. Second, I noticed was how well this thing climbs. It's like Marco Pantani is built right into the bike (not to mention that I'm a light and skinny person, built for bike riding). Anyway I'm thouroughly pleased with this bike, no problems except a squeaky front brake. After a few runs through South KEttle and Palos trails I still enjoy it to the fullest. Going over ruts, logs, stutter bumps, baby heads (cobblestones) is so much more fun. I have a cannondale killer v hardtail that i haven't been on since i got the FSR, but I'm sure it'll welcome me with open arms. I'm still getting used to setting up the suspension and have just followed what the book says and so far so good. What a great ride and everyone i've ridden with have said that they've looked into getting one after narrowing down their choices. Great bike and great ride, my first full suspension has given me a breath of fresh air when it comes to riding, I can't stay off of it.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross-Country Rider
from Bay Area, CA Date Reviewed: October 11, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Skeggs
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Climbs great, especially steep, short technical sections. Handles nicely. Takes the edge off rough terrain.
Weaknesses:
Rockshox Sid leaks air, I miss my Marzocchi.
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Heckler
Bike Setup:
Stock bike with upgrades, new rubber, new stem, riser bar, new seat, time atac pedals
Bottom Line:
Updated review. This is my second review after riding it for awhile. I love this bike. It climbs like a dream, stuff I used to climb standing I can now do seated. Bike jams downhill and tracks reliably. I haven't had any problems so far that some of the other reviewers have had. No broken chainring teeth, no squealing brakes, and no busted chainstays(knock on wood). I don't like the Sid as much as liked my old Marzocchi, but it's allright. Bike is still killer looking! Future upgrades include, Race Face Cranks&Rings, Easton Monkey Lite riser bar, Sachs powerlink chain, and a King headset. This bike still gets five flamages from me!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jay
a Cross-Country Rider
from RI Date Reviewed: October 11, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Any in Arcadia
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Good weight for FS. FS!!
Weaknesses:
No shock pump Don't like tires Front brake squeals like pig
Similar Products Used:
Trek FS K2 FS
Bike Setup:
Stock so far but upgrading tires and possibly putting on my trusty ATAC pedals. Lizard skin on chainstay
Bottom Line:
I've been riding this bike pretty hard 2-3 times a week for almost 3 months now and it's been great! I haven't had any of the air leak problems yet or broken chainring teeth. The SID adapter didn't fit the negative chanber but I ground the threads off and just push hard to get air in/out. I don't feel the tires are agressive enough for some of the riding I do so I will be upgrading those in the near future. Even the pedals have been ok after I decided to keep them on and give them a try. I did have to remove some material from the bottom of my shoes though. The front brake under certain conditions squels obnoxiously a few people seemed to have found fixes, see reviews below. Yes there is a little more maintenance involved with this bike, but personally I dont mind. I have the large size (I'm 5-11) and have no complaints. I like the adjustability of the SID and so far have had no noticable leakage with it or the Fox, though I do play with the SID pressures a little and just may not have noticed. Once you get your fork and rear set up for you the bike feels great climbing, descending and scorches flats. Keep in mind though, its an XC machine first and foremost. Thats what it does well and to expect it to take huge hits well is unrealistic. Overall, I think I made a good choice and money was well spent. Will re-post should problems rear their ugly head.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Corey
a Weekend Warrior
from Canton Date Reviewed: October 4, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Boling Park
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Looks, Weight, Components
Weaknesses:
Sizes
Similar Products Used:
My first full suspension bike.
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
I've only had the bike for a few weeks, so I'll review again later. The bike is smooth and climbs great. It makes you feel like you can jump anything. It definitly inspires confidence. Remove the plastic gaurd around the cassette or it will rattle. So far the bike rocks.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MIKE H
a Weekend Warrior
from PORT WASHINGTON,WI. Date Reviewed: October 3, 1999
Favorite Trail:
EMA F CARLIN
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Excellent bike for all around riding.I weigh 225lbs & was told by several bike shops not to by a fully suspended bike because I weigh to much.They can all bite my crank if you know what I mean.I have set up the bike with a 1/4 of sag in the rear suspension ( about 150lbs )in the shock & it works great.The SID is a lot harder to set up then the Fox rear shock but I have found if you adjust the Sid per RS table in th OM it gets you close & then you can fine tune from their.
Weaknesses:
Tires are mainly good for hardpack.I am not real sold on the specialized cranks( a bit noisey )
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
225lb guy / 150psi in rear shock / 70 to 75psi in the main chamber & 135 to 140psi in the negative chamber on the SID
Bottom Line:
Excellent all around bike once you get it dialed in.Oh yea to all you slightly over weight week end warriors always remember to buy the bike you want & not the bike they try to sell you.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
XCRider14
a Cross-Country Rider
from San Jose, CA Date Reviewed: October 2, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Big Bear at Cotemadera
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
light wieght strong descent travel
Weaknesses:
flexible shaky on DH wierd clicking noise in the back shock
Similar Products Used:
Mongoose NX7.1
Bike Setup:
same one it came with
Bottom Line:
The bike is pretty cool
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve Cronin
a Cross-Country Rider
from holliston Date Reviewed: September 24, 1999
Favorite Trail:
vietnam
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
sweet ride, shimano stuff shifts great-3 months with only minor adjust for cable stretch, just enough suspension to take the edge off
Weaknesses:
wheelset flexy, needs to come with shock pump, seat sucks, tires suck
Similar Products Used:
M2 hardtail, judy xc,
Bike Setup:
switched seat, tires tubes, stem, handlebars other than that its stock
Bottom Line:
great ride after the initial changes and setup, bushings haven't loosened up despite what others have said even after riding 2-3days weekly on some rocky terrain. specialized tubes suck, swithched to a TEAM CONTROL front tire and ride improved drastically, suspension works great for cross country without sucking up too much energy. Best buy I could find for the money and I got mine for just under 2k.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross-Country Rider
from Bay Area, CA Date Reviewed: September 23, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Skeggs
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Just got it, haven't ridden it on trail yet, so I'll say looks.
Weaknesses:
Even before reading the other reviews I could tell that the stock tires and pedals are gonna suck. And the seat, they might as well of installed a nutcracker on the end of a post.
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Heckler, and my old trusty Zaskar.
Bike Setup:
Came stock but I've already switched to a riser bar, a shorter RaceFace system stem and Specialized Team Master/Control tires, and my ever faithful Time Atac pedals.
Bottom Line:
I can,t wait to get this thing out in the dirt where it belongs. I've read all the reviews and for the most part it sounds like once you get the suspension dialed in the ride is killer. I'll let you all know what I think after a couple of rides. For now, just based on looks, 5 flamages!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Von
a Cross-Country Rider
from Philomath Date Reviewed: September 23, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Any trail in central Oregon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Easy set up on suspension. Nice cockpit for large persons.
Weaknesses:
Loud screaming XT front brakes, but we fixed that.
Similar Products Used:
Test rode 8 other F/S bikes before getting this one.
Bike Setup:
Stock setup for the FSR Stumpjumper Pro.
Bottom Line:
Myself being in the 225 pound weight class, this bike has to be one of the best purchases I've made. First, 5+ chiles go to the biking staff at Peak Sports in Corvallis OR for their support in helping me to get to know the bike and getting it set up. The Stumpjumper Pro has performed wonderfuly so far. A few little glitches here and there, but nothing worth getting heated over. First item that got my attention was the front Shimano XT brakes on the Rock Shok SID fork. On down hill decents, my bike sounded like a stuck pig. Ditched the Shimano pads and added Cool Stops and then added a Gorilla brake booster and the noise is gone. I guess I would tend to agree with everyone else on here to were a shock pump would have been a very nice compliment to be included with the bike. But afterall, how many new cars come with a jack but no spare tire? At 6 ft and 225 pounds, 230 on a bad day, this bike handles very well. One of it's maiden voyages was down the McKenzie River Trail for which I give the bike many credits for getting me through most of the trail with out incidents. Relating to other comments which seem to be common with past reviews. I have not (yet) broke the large crank gear, although I have given it plenty of oppurtunity to do so. The rims are great, after 3 months of clydsdale size thrashing, and they are still as true as the day I test rode the bike. I'm not real happy with the tires as others have also noted, but if you ride in areas to where there is alot of pumice sand such as a volcanic areas, they area very good tires. Overall, for the money spent, if I had it to do over again, I would have made the same choice without a doubt. My suggestion to large frame riders, is take the oppurtunity to test ride the bike. If possible, test ride a medium frame then ride a large frame to find your comfort level. This is one of the few F/S bikes I rode that I felt I had control over rather than it having control over me.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JB
a Cross-Country Rider
from Abilene Date Reviewed: September 11, 1999
Stock, except for King headset, Manitou SX-carbon,747s and Titec barends.
Bottom Line:
I was initially impressed with the ride of this bike. I replaced my trusty Homegrown with this Specialized. When I got it, I had the LBS replace the brakes, fork and wheels with those from an S-works M4 hardtail.After 9 mos of riding it, here are my observations. The tires are great if you like to ride scared. The manitou is terrible. It has poor response and creaks. The Ti spring had been replaced with steel by Manitou/Specialized to balance the front and rear suspension. Don't believe this crap, as I mentioned, this fork came from an M4 HARDTAIL, it was purely a bait and switch. Bad on me for not taking the fork apart in the store to see if the manufacturers were trying to save a buck. As for the bottom bracket height, it took several rides to adjust my pedaling to stop banging pedals off of rocks. The rear suspension works marginally. If you like stiff suspension (i.e. not bottoming out constantly), crank up the air pressure, but don't expect the fox air vanilla to provide much rebound damping. The pivot that connects the swing link, shock and seat stays has visible lateral play. I don't think this is a product of poor bushings (wear), it is the product of poor quality control. The drivetrain, combined with this bike blows. It is 9 speed XTR rear der, XT 9 speed cogset, specialized/sugino crankset, Specilaized boat anchor BB and XT front der. Problem one: when in the middle chainring and under high torque when climbing, the chain jumps 1 or 2 higher gears, then shifts back once pedaling torque is removed. I think this is caused by flex in the poorly built rear triangle/swingarm. Problem 2: when in the middle chainring/big cog, backpedaling drops the chain to the small chainring. This is a huge annoyance! The LBS cannot find any problems such as frame alignment, der hangar alignment etc. I have looked at other examples of this bike which don't do this when back pedaling. Also, when in the big ring, the rear der smacks the Horst link/dropout area Overall, I wish I would have kept my Homegrown. Between the rip off fork and the poor rear suspension/drivtrain performance on this bike, I will never purchase another Specilaized bike. I would give this bike 1 flamer for performance/ reliability but it is really light for the money, though at the price of reliable performance.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jez Conen
a Cross-Country Rider
from UK Date Reviewed: September 9, 1999
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Light, fast, climbs well, can ride all day with a smile.
Weaknesses:
Crap tires, weak bush between rear shock and frame, rear wheel can be ripped from drop outs.
Bike Setup:
Out of the box with Orange riser bar
Bottom Line:
This is a fantastic bike to ride. Seems as though many of the problems I have had are common to others. Rear bushes have gone on three occasions and have managed to bend the rear wheel by ripping the wheel out of the drop outs. I'm glad to read that I am not alone thinking the tyres don't work. Thought I had been riding a lot of scary trails. Not sure about long term durability but when it is working it is simply fantastic. This bike should come with a shock pump though. Hope someone at Specialised is reading these comments!! Loose one star for problems.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kwg
a Cross-Country Rider
from SACRAMENTO Date Reviewed: August 26, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Lightweight Rear suspension works Handles predictably
Weaknesses:
Low bottom bracket height means chipped / broken teeth on the chainrings and it makes it harder on technical rocky sections when your chainring keeps hiting the rocks! SID is really a road fork. 9 speed craps up too easily. Needs better tires No pump w/ rear shock Bushings had to be rebuilt after 4 rides
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale Raven Cannondale V1000 Ventana Marble Peak Santa Cruz Tazmon
Bike Setup:
Started w/ SID but switched to a Marzocchi Z1 Drop off; Fox air OME shock (get a pump!) XT all around Radial laced Specialized wheels
Bottom Line:
Lightweightfull-suspension that works when all parts are working. Bike flies on straightaways and your butt doesn't get beat up after 2 hours. However, low bottom bracket (it's almost an 1 lower than most full suspensions) causes problems. Linkage rear suspension requires more maintainence than a single pivot rear suspension. 9-speed craps up w/ just a little bit of guck and I've broken 2 new 9-speed chains (both Shimano) already ; Replaced the MIDDLE (not the outer) chainring b/c teeth had broken off. Also the freehell hub cracked (no, I did not crash and the whole rear wheel had to be replaced. In short, the bike is too much work to make it work. Also, sizing is an issue if you're around 6'. I'm 6' 1 and spent alot of time trying the LARGE and X-LARGE sizes and eventually settled on the X-LARGE but the X-LARGE had a very long wheelbase and correspondingly long top tube. Make sure the bike fits. 2 stars for the bike w/ all the problems factored in and 3 - 4 stars when the bike works right.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken
a Racer
from Kauai, Hawaii Date Reviewed: August 20, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Wiamea Canyon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Looks good, reasonably light.
Weaknesses:
Poor quality control during assembly. The heas set got tight after the second ride. I dissasembled it and found aluminum chips under the seat and packed into the fork tube and frame head tube. The Sid fork needed some tuning and I did get the adapter with the bike but no pump. Now when I tried to adjust the negitive air pressure according to the instruction book I found that the supplied adapter would fit the Main Air chamber but not the negitive chamber. The book said to use the same adapter. I called Rock Shox and got an answering machine but no tech service. I left a message and they did get back to me on my answering machine a day later. Unfortunatly, they misunderstood my complaint/problem and told me that they did not have any adapters available. They said that I would have to wait two to three weeks before they manufactures some. Well nice guys, I now have a $2200 bike that I can't ride cuz of a smuck Fork Company. Well, Im an ex-toolmaker so I made one that would work. I found that the air chamber leaks through and equalizes so the fork is defective. The book says that I should adjust the sag to about little or no sag for my weight (165 lb) and recommends a pressure of 70PSI Main and 130 PSI negative. Well, I found that even with near max allowed pressure in the fork that sag was greater than half the fork travel. I believe the bike may have potential but it is poorly assembled with components of poor quality control and service. I think I just bought my last Specialized Product. I also found that Specialized has a check valve on their Internet Site. They output crap but you have no means to provide feedback to them. OH yeah, the pedals fell apart on the first ride and would not stay clipped anyway. They were trash.
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale, Softride (Junk), Ciocc, Woodrup
Bottom Line:
Not exactly satisfied with Specialized nor Rock SHOX. Good products provide access to good service. I'll give two stars for design and looks but a minus Pathetic for the quality contron on the assembly line of the bike and forks.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe Magliocca
a Cross-Country Rider
from Oneida, New York Date Reviewed: August 18, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Skytop-Highland Forest
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
light weight, awesome traction
Weaknesses:
?
Similar Products Used:
Trek Y-22 GT LTS DBR V-Link Schwin Homwgrown
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper FSR XC Pro frameset, S-Works wheelset,Conti tires, 97 Judy DH-new alloy steerer(cooler/lighter fork next year) full 98 XT build kit, King headset, Titec TI bar, Bontranger stem, bar ends
Bottom Line:
The best climbing full suspension bike I have ever ridden. Light weight, maybe 25lbs on cheap scale, the fork is currently the weak spot, very supple, but heavy. I LOVE THIS BIKE ! It rolls almost as fast as my road bike
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul Stone
a Cross-Country Rider
from Guelph, Ont. Canada Date Reviewed: August 16, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Technical and twisty singletrack
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Lightweight Fast Beauty suspension action
Weaknesses:
Chainrings Squealing Pigs
Bike Setup:
A-bomb Easton riser Time ATAC's Avocet O2 saddle
Bottom Line:
I'm going to sound a little like a broken record but: This is my first full suspension bike - I'm 6'2 - XL is a big Friggin' bike (but fits me perfectly- testdrove a large and it's too small) - lost a middle ring tooth - pulled rear wheel out of dropouts too (which I thought was due to my incredible power (ha ha) but seems others have had it happen to them) - AND I LOVE THIS BIKE!!!!!!!!!!Replaced more expensive Rock Shox crap with A-bomb (Love it!) Also switched to Time pedals - Avocet O2 chair - Easton Riser All fantastic upgrades!Riden roughly twice a week since purchase in November and no major problems except cracked chainstay after 6 months and sheared a tooth off the middle ring after a few months and a wack load o' broken spokes on the rear wheel (why do so many others seem to be having these same problems?) Oh, almost forgot - the worst problem - squealing pigs on the front. Many trips to LBS and nothing would help. Toe'd them in more and more and that only help for a ride or two and they were back. Bought carbon fibre brake booster and it is definately better but still noisy when it's damp / humid. I didn't really hate the tires but I've moved on to the Team Control and Team Master and I do like them better.Regardless, I just love the way it feels - I can climb hills that I couldn't on my old Rocky hardtail (but it was only a souped up Fusion) Less tired after rides - never feel like it bobs or robs power - more confidence on fast corners. LOVE IT! 5 Chillies. Wouldn't change a thing except for changes I made at purchase, a little more durable chainrings, and no squealing pigs. Does anyone have any advice for me to silent them noisy suckers?LOVE THIS BIKE!!!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Morty
a Cross-Country Rider
from Denver, CO Date Reviewed: August 11, 1999
Sealed bearings not on every pivot Rock Shox SID fork
Similar Products Used:
Kona King Kikapu SBC FSR Expert
Bike Setup:
Speed Dream King wheelset Speed Skins tire liners (Goathead City here in Denver) Bontrager Mag barends Manitou SX-Ti fork Ritchey pedals
Bottom Line:
After 1000+ miles I can honestly say this is the best bike I've ever ridden off road. The suspension is firm enough to keep from bobbing under smooth power but responsive enough to smooth out the trail. The SID is like riding a wet noodle fork so my LBS swapped the Manitou. The stock wheelset is fine but on a climb lighter is better. Pedals are a personal thing so ride what you like. The barends are needed to stretch out on long rides. I had to flip the stem over and drop it one spacer to match the position I had on my hardtail. The tires aren't the best soft and sloppy condition set but work really well for everyday riding. 4 flamers only because nothing is perfect.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Daniel Lu
a Cross-Country Rider
from Taiwan Date Reviewed: August 10, 1999
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
No pogo intendence. Sensitive rear-shock reaction. Light and Fast.
Weaknesses:
XT Brake is relatively too wide.
Similar Products Used:
ATX-990 (XtC DS-1), DBR XR-4, FSR Comp '98
Bike Setup:
434, Titec Stem, Astro Bar, Dolomite + Notos
Bottom Line:
What a Bike !! The direct reaction from rear axle to shock is far smoother than other linkaged rear (including previous FSR). Horst Link eliminates the pogo intendence on other 4-bar linkages or single-swingarms. A piece of artwork of both sexy look and great performance.
XtC is very light, but its nature (a relatively sensible pogo tendence) limits its riding fun, especially while ascending. Look forward to next year's XtC with NRS (a kind of exaggerative Horst Link used on Renault's F-1).
XR-4 is sexy, solid, and stable, but a little too heavy for XC riding. Pogo tendence is there but not so sensible. Either love its long top tube or hate it.
FSR Comp is relatively taller, heavier, and less-sensitive than FSR XC, even with some similar/same light parts.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jubbi
a Cross-Country Rider
from usa Date Reviewed: August 10, 1999
Favorite Trail:
tech trails
Duration Product Used:
tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
good engineering, good company
Weaknesses:
price for what you get, component set should be XTR for this level
Bottom Line:
Specialized makes good frames. They put together good bikes, and they have great engineering, but not as good as others in better price ranges.Other than the K2 line, the FSR is the only other general consumer dual susp I would possibly buy. But it would have to be on a closeout--and here is the complaint. When do you ever see specialized really have good closeout prices on less than 2 year old bikes? The FSR rear design is okay, but it has more link points than it needs. The shocks are good, but not as good as the smart shock by K2/Noleen. OEM Components are good, specialized made components need to get lost.Also, the frame material could be better at this level. Whither Carbon and titanium? K2 makes an all carbon frameset, swing, fork with a carbon spline process--much better than metal works. You can often get one with XTR for $2000, when they go on sale the end of the season.Three chilies for a good dual susp, minus one for expense.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Frank
a Cross-Country Rider
from Laguna Beach, CA Date Reviewed: July 28, 1999
Favorite Trail:
any twisty thing between trees in the mountains
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Great handling, killer on singletrack - Comfortable, Responsive
Weaknesses:
It comes with some really crappy parts (seat-just sit on it, crank - bendy and broke chainring teeth sending me flying onto my butt, tires - no traction for dusty conditions - see crank). I would rather pay a couple hundred more and get what's necessary right out of the box. As it is you pay more than that throwing them away and replacing them. Once you replace them its a winner. Crappy tires and tubes, worse crankset and chainrings, bad spokes on rear wheel. 8 of my spokes were mfg-defect- badly threaded on the rear wheel and I broke 4 until my LBS figured out which ones they were and replaced the last ones. (4 trips to the shop) My SID fork will not hold negative air well - other than that I like the fork but its a pain in the ass. I'm now starting to figure out that the stem is kind of wimpy and will probably replace that as well. Don't forget you can't possibly own this bike without the not-included $40 shock pump.
Similar Products Used:
GT, Trek FS
Bike Setup:
Replaced pedals with 747s, Replaced Crank with XT, Replaced tires with Smoke/Dart. Replaced bar with riser bar.
Bottom Line:
Reviewed a couple of months ago - more experience: AN AMAZING RIDE. Probably the best compromise for a comfortable bike that can really jam and not weigh a ton going up hill. (only 25.5 lbs in a large) Not so sure on the SID XC fork - its smooooth but not so great on big hits (not really its thing) and I hate putting air into the negative chamber it every time I ride it. Without the availablility of good and quick service from the bike shop I would be pretty upset, however they got a lot more of my money than I anticipated going into it. I think if I was going to do it again I'd buy just the frameset and pick different parts - I think the cheapo components void the advantage of buying the complete bike.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeromy Claridge
a Cross-Country Rider
from Brisbane Date Reviewed: July 22, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Whistler
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
The bike is light, fast and has little rearend movement associated with other dualies
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
Firstly this bike costs more than $4500 here in Australia (if you can get one). Luckily I picked it up in the States, so unless you count the 35% import tax that I was supposed to pay I am somewhat better off. Before I say anything bad about the bike I would like to state that I think this bike is one of the very best you can get for racing and training cross-country. The tires that came with the bike were extremely skittish (especially the front) but are very light, roll fast and corner well on gravel. I have lost several teeth on the large cog at the front and the rear quickrelease slides forward under high loads, no matter how much I tighten it. Under extreme descents the bike is pushed past its limits, with the front forks becoming a little too flexible and the rear pivots making a loud knocking noise. The bushings on the pivot that meet with the shock from the rear end are pretty dodgy, if not alligned exactly right (which can happen under normal riding) allow sideways movement of the shock. The rear shock should be covered up immediately to prevent scratching of the piston - it is in the prime position to get loaded up with everything comming off the rear tire. The bike is fairly small and you should get a larger size than normal (I find that the XL is only just big enough 6'3). The pedals are pretty ordinary, the front of the cleat catches when disengaging. It takes a little while to set the bike up just right, but it is soo sweet when it's done. If I was a betting man I'd back this pony every time!!!!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew
a Cross-Country Rider
from Zurich Date Reviewed: July 19, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Pfannensteil
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Light, good climber, strong brakes, comfortable for long rides (thanks to the Fox Vanilla shock), SID is light, XT/XTR group.
Weaknesses:
Tires, Pedals, Chainrings.
Similar Products Used:
GT Zasker and GT I-Drive, Various Scott and Specialized hardtails and Specialized FSR
Bike Setup:
Stock except for the Pedals and Tires. Wacked on a brake booster to quieten the brakes. Lizard skins for the rear stay and rear shock. SBC Riser bars and Bidon cages.
Bottom Line:
Start with the bad experiences first: Tires: I don't know what sort of terrain the tires are useful for but they are diffinately no good for anything muddy, loose or even slightly wet. They work OK on the road but then I have a road bike for that! They slip very very badly over wet muddy terrain, especially tree roots and rocks. Swapped out the front for a Michellin Wildgripper and now I can steer the bike. No joke, it became a new bike when I did this. Waiting for my dealer to find me a rear Michellin because the rear still slides alot. I am sure the tires are good for something else SBC would not have shipped the product with them, right? Ahem....well maybe not. Pedals: Swapped for Time ATACs (5 stars for them) much to the delight of my feet and knees. The shipped pedals seemed to be so far apart (maybe to prevent calf rub on the rear brake cable) that I felt like I was riding a camel. I had to modify the shoes to prevent this, but still had problems. Also, they clog easily with mud and debris and have a tendancy to release under extreme upwards pressure (much to the chargrin of my knee that hit the handlebar on accidental release once, that put me out for a week or two and I still have muscle tissue scaring). The ATACs behave more predictably and are reliable. Swap the pedals immediately. Chainrings: I don't know where SBC got the chainrings from but they are crap. Can someone tell me how you can shear a tooth off the middle chainring without there being some sort of impact. I mean, I ride strong but not that strong. They must be made of plastic. I have never sheared a CR off any other bike I have ridden in my life so these must be crap. Seat: Broke the seat in the first ride after a very minor fall. This was replaced gratis and have not had a problem since. Wicked cable stretch: Not much anyone can do about that, but why can't they pre-stretch the cables? Rear Brake Calf rub: The bike fixed this by replacing the spaces on the brake pads with thinner washes, but an annoying oversight by SBC. Noisy brakes: They squelled like a pig until I toed them. A brake booster helped alot but was not the final solution. Time and attention to the brake setup was the only solution, though should I have to do that? And what about the people who don't know how to do that? They will be riding squealing pigs for the rest of their lives. Poor bast%^&s. XT/XTR drivetrain: I expected better performance from this penultimate combination from Shimano. I have never had a problem from Ultegra on my Road bike and that's done over 15,000 km in 2 years. Don't get me wrong, XT/XTR is good, but I expected better. Maybe I was spoilt with Ultegra. Now the good: The bike does ride exceptionally well when it goes. It's like the little girl with the little curl. Climbs up hills better than hardtails (the rear suspension tracks very well when setup to your weight/riding conditions). I have had no problem with the front or rear shock. They (like almost every square inch of the bike) need attention for setup, though once done it is a good combination. The rear in particular needs attention though performs well. Be careful with the rebound, it can throw you off the bike if set too fast through terrain requiring lots of jumping. I did need a shock pump though don't think SBC should have included it. I mean, you don't get a tire pump with every new bike do you. I would prefer it if they spent the money on better components. I (cautiously) let a very experienced (and crazy) MTB friend ride it and he took off down the hills like it was his last ride. He was throughly impressed with its decending abilities and handling (he is still a hardtail rider, poor boy). I personally am not that experienced so I can't vouch for the fast decending part, though I can outclimb him easily when he's on his hardtail. Given another 6 months and he doesn't stand a chance anywhere. Overall, a great bike let down by some poor components. Specialized should stick to making frames and not re-badging inferior OEM components. A full Shimano group, with Michellin Tires and ATAC pedals would be a KA bike with better reliability.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross-Country Rider
from Pittsburgh, PA Date Reviewed: July 18, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Flank trail - Whistler
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Light/Quick
Weaknesses:
Tires Cranks
Similar Products Used:
Various hardtails Kona Stinky Specialized FSR
Bike Setup:
Stock (except pedals, swapped for ATACs)
Bottom Line:
Follow-up to Feb. 6 review. Owned bike 6 months now - still impressed with quickness. Stock tires are complete shite - replaced with WTB Raptors - I can actually climb now. Specialized cranks are a major disappointment - have already lost two teeth on the big ring, and one on the middle - am riding an xtra large bike (but only weigh 165). Accordingly, no excuse for this lack of durability. I still consider this a good cross-country bike, but you can expect to spend additional $ on the shock pump and to shore up the FSR XC Pro's glaring weaknesses.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
M. Carson
a Cross-Country Rider
from N,S, Canada Date Reviewed: July 16, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Weaver,s Mountain
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Lightwieght solid frame, Shimano XTcomponent mix, FSR active suspension, Air Vanilla R. That bitchen' Gloss Black paint job, my fave.
Weaknesses:
That shitty Sid fork, The poor excuse for a headset, rear brake cable calf rub,and rear shock knock.
Similar Products Used:
Raven, Joshua.my ol' hardtail.
Bike Setup:
Bomber Z-1 Bam ,130mmRaceface headset,R/F stem 120x5*, Raceface crank/rings,Roll-a-majig on rear brake to replace noodle,Titec Berserkr Ti-E saddle.Team Mst/ctl on stock wheels.Dirt Mst/ctl on Sun 0* rims,DT rev spokes, White Ind. hubs.
Bottom Line:
I can race one weekend ( 5th/25) .Freeride all week , do an Epic (100km's) the next weekend . It climbs exceptionally well with the Sid , however the same Sid shits itself down the scary stuff. I race a couple of times ayear , ride hard another 250+ days. Put the Z-1 on , 5* rise stem replaced 10*. Still climbs great, just not the vertical stuff. But when you point this puppy down your in for a ride that can handle boulder strewn ultra steep chutes, you name it . Very high grin factor ! Rock solid , point and shoot steering, dependable , light , fast , Fast, FAST ! ( My shop swapped me the R/F headset, Z-1 Bam, no extra charge). It just dosen't get any better !
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Werner Sijmons
a Racer
from Belgium Date Reviewed: June 11, 1999
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light & looks
Weaknesses:
pedals, tires
Similar Products Used:
Trek 970 Hardtail
Bike Setup:
stock exept TIME pedals, shorter stem 100mm (negative, as low as possible), Ride On cables.
Bottom Line:
Did last week my first xc-race with my new bike. 9the place.Climbs very good!!! Good control on downhill. The bottom line is that it's a great bike if you take the time to set it up. (I tried 6 different stems...)
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wayne
a Cross-Country Rider
from La verne, CA Date Reviewed: June 10, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Singletracks
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Light, great suspension, looks, handling - you name it.
Weaknesses:
The SID's rebound and damping adjustment isn't very sensitive.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Stock bike with SID and Fox vanilla float R
Bottom Line:
Now that I've owned it over a month I wanted to give it another review. It is an awesome bike and I like it more every ride. I'm a 7-year-hard-tail convert and although you lose a little on the climbs, everything else about this bike makes up for it. If you can't afford this model -- the standard XC and Comp also get good reviews - buy one!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wilson
a Racer
from Evergreen, CO Date Reviewed: June 1, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Bergen Peak - dbl loop
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Amazing handling frame. Climbs better than my hardtail, Plenty supple on downhills. Shimano XT Component mix basically solid.
Weaknesses:
My rear suspension knocks too. Not bad, and only on fast, big stutter bumps. Haven't had the bike long enough to ID the exact problem. I also noticed none of the earlier reviews mentioned this, but several more recent reviews did. Maybe a problem with a mid-year run?Lose the pedals.
Bike Setup:
Xtra Large (20-inch) frame with stem flipped over in negative rise above a few spacers. I am 6-feet even. The large was definitely too small. XL is spot on.SID XC seems real nice.
Bottom Line:
Fantastic overall XC bike. The full suspension has extended my overall endurance and speed compared to my old 25 lb CrMo hardtail. If you have the bucks, go for the S-works FSR XC, and get XTR and shave one pound. The larger sizes are apparently sold out. Don't let a dealer sell you a too-small bike! The wait might be worth it.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Quinn
a Cross-Country Rider
from Calgary, Alberta Date Reviewed: May 29, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Cox Hill
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Smooth ride and a lot easier to climb with than I thought it would be. Very agile and quick, good control. Again a good climbing bike...surprisingly
Weaknesses:
Weak in the stock tire department. Back brake cables need to be moved and I have already replaced the rear Fox shock. I think it was faulty from the factory. What is with the seat set up? They might as well of welded that sucker right in there.
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale, Gary Fisher (Level Betty)
Bike Setup:
Judy XC, Gary Fisher
Bottom Line:
A bike with a great feel, but the compenents that came with the bike are suspect. The seat post set up really is inconvenient. Overall, the feel of the bike can compensate for the parts deficiencies, but a three star due to the faulty and questionable set up of seat and back brakes.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Reagan Hall
a Cross-Country Rider
from Gulfport, Ms Date Reviewed: May 24, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Fruitloop
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale V-400 (no comparison)
Bottom Line:
I have really enjoyed this bike. I feel like I can keep up with any hardtail out there. I love how this bike can climb, it makes hills easy to conquer. The only downside would have to be the rear brake rubbing my calf occasionally. Someone must have had a brainfart at the factory on this one. Overall I highly recommend the FSR XC Pro. Its scaryfast!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Travis
a Cross-Country Rider
from Boulder, CO Date Reviewed: May 22, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Brandywine, PA
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Lightweight, great swingarm/linkage design, climbs like a mother#%@! (which is good) and real smooth on the downhills...
Weaknesses:
Some of the components are weak. Bent the strongarm cranks on the first ride (replaced 'em with Raceface...a world of difference)and the hubs are fast but weak (lots o' play in bearings and a dry freehub). The Sid should be long travel and it should REALLY have a rizer bar. I immediately threw a razer bar and TIME atacs to replace spec pedals. My big issue is that the rear shock pivots knock, as if the bushings/bolts are not a perfect fit. Not a big issue now, but I kind of fear what it may do to the shock a few thousand miles down the trail.
Similar Products Used:
Ibis Szazbo, Intense Uzzi XC
Bottom Line:
A great ride. Nice light xc full-suspension design, one of the best and most affordable out there. Keep an eye on those rear pivots though (anyone else seeing that problem?) and be prepared to swap out a few components. Generally a great parts kit though. I give 'er a four...
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wayne
a Cross-Country Rider
from La Verne, CA Date Reviewed: May 7, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Raptor
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light for FS, Good shocks, Great handling
Weaknesses:
Doesn't climb like a hardtail, rear brake rubs leg.
Similar Products Used:
Heckler
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
Switching from a hardtail I'm very happy so far. Since I'm not planning on racing XC too much any more this is a good choice. It flies smoothly over bumps and is very fast.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Frank
a Cross-Country Rider
from Laguna Beach, CA Date Reviewed: May 6, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Aliso Woods / El Moro
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Great handling, very agile on twisty single track. Very smooth, quiet ride. Very light for FS bike. (25.5 lbs for large.) The SID is great fork.
Weaknesses:
Nothing you can't fix with a few more $. Why did it come without a riser bar? Crappy tires suck on dusty climbs and/or loose stuff. Replaced with Smoke 2.1. 11-32 gear too low - would prefer 11-30 and XTR crank (saving my nickels now).
Similar Products Used:
older heavier FS bikes that bobbed and sucked
Bike Setup:
Stock, except riser bar, Shimano 747s. Note: recommended SID shock pressure is a bit too firm unless you are racing or going for the big stuff. Requires a bit of twiddling to get the whole bike dialed in.
Bottom Line:
If you've got the $$ for this bike and are still on a hardtail you either get paid to suffer as a pro or you are simply not having enough fun. Wanted the S-Works M4 but couldn't beg one in a large for 4 months. (hoping for a frame upgrade soon). This bike is every bit as good except for the weight and probably stronger. Hardtails may be faster on climbs, but I do this for fun. Amazing handling. So Smooooth but not mushy or bobbing when dialed in. You can ride for hours and not get beat up.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul
a Cross-Country Rider
from Cambridge, MA Date Reviewed: May 2, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
The bike is light - this is the most obvious thing to like at first, no boat anchor here.Suspension that just plain works for the XC oriented rider. If you are looking to go faster, both up and down hill, as well as across rough terrain then this is the bike for you. If all out speed (i.e. racing) is your thing you're probably going to be faster on a hardtail if not exactly as comfortable (the guys/gals winning at the pro level do it with minimal front travel and no rear suspension).Great climber - Rear suspension, while not overly plush, keeps the wheel in contact with the ground despite your best efforts to bounce off of things. Although you must get the suspension dialed in to get this effect, I feel bad for people who have no rebound compression adjustment...a few clicks really make a difference and while I am on that, the Fox AIr Vanilla Float R is great. Just set the pressure by the book, try a few different rebound settings and leave it alone. The SID too is extremely adjustable and is amazingly supple for an air sprung shock.Solid construction (so far anyway) - while certainly not a hardtail in terms of lateral flex, it is pretty minimal (in fact not much worse than my old noodly steel frame).Great value for the money. Now I know that $2200 isn't cheap, but for what you get there is little competition out there.
Weaknesses:
Strange frame sizing - I bought a large and it is JUST barely big enough for me (6' and long arms). I have the seat all the way back and bought a longer zero rise stem, the combination of which works, although I do feel that tight slow speed manuvering suffer due to a tall upright feeling. Make sure your LBS takes the time to fit the bike to you correctly (my Great Climber comment definitely didn't apply until I lowered the bars a lot from where they were stock).Miserable tires - unless you are riding smooth hardpack most of the time you will probably not like the tires. For the rock and root technical riding that is common here in NE they really make you feel unstable. I replaced them with 2.1 velociraptors and it was like riding a different bike. For those fans of thin tire try something with a more aggressive tread, like a Mythos XC 1.95 - I tried those for a while and they were much better than the stock, and if you ever wanted to race this bike would probably be the way to go. Me I'll go for the comfort, durability, and tracktion of a bigger tire (btw I am 6' 180 lbs. for what that is worth).NO SHOCK PUMP!!! - I had to buy one for $50 and then but a SID adapter for another $15. This is ridiculous on a bike that uses air suspension front and rear and costs $2200!!!The SID - Now most people either love or hate the SID from what I can tell. Now don't confuse the 99 SID with the 98, from what I can tell the addition of the negative spring has really improved this fork. However, mine has been leaking air from both legs at an alarming rate (about 50lbs./sq inch a week). The negative spring hasn't lost any and the result of this is a rapdily shrinking fork! This is just inexcusable but maybe I should blame my LBS for not checking the torque on the top caps???...still looking into the cause, but the fact that it has happened at all is bothersome. The nutshell on the SID - don't buy a bike with it unless you like doing maintenance and keeping you stuff clean.
Similar Products Used:
Various Pro-Flex models, test riden too many to mention.
Bike Setup:
Stock with exception of 2.1 Velociraptor Tires, Lizard Skin Boots, Control Tech Control Stix.
Bottom Line:
An incredible all around bike, not a super plush freerider but if you are coming from a hard tail and want to be more comfortable, to be able to stay in the saddle and spin through the rough stuff rather than constantly be getting up, then your bike has arrived. The best thing I can say about this bike is that after 6 years of riding off road it has totally reignited my interest in riding again, it feels like a new sport again. Just be prepared to buy a fork pump and practice some SID voodoo.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
EmL
a Racer
from inneapolis, MN Date Reviewed: April 27, 1999
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light, Fast, Quick handling
Weaknesses:
Rear Shock seems to need adjustment frequently.
Similar Products Used:
S-Works FSRXC, K2, Trek
Bike Setup:
Stock, Fox FloatR, SID XC
Bottom Line:
Fast, smooth and quick handling ride, there's still a time and place for hardtails, but not if you have enough money.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Fitzsimmons
a Racer
from Santa Cruz, Ca Date Reviewed: March 15, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Skeggs
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Will make hardtails extincted. Light and fast. Mine Weighs 23lbs on Fed Ex Scale!
Weaknesses:
Light and Fast. What I mean is you always sacrifice stiffness for weight. But it's a race bike!
Similar Products Used:
Soft Tails, and just about test ridden every other full suspension bike.
Bike Setup:
Kitted bike together. RS 80mm SID fork, RS SID shock, XTR cranks, BB,front and rear Der., Hugi hubs/Sun rims, Avid brakes, Time pedals, Easton riser bars, Michelin comp S, Bla Bla Bla.
Bottom Line:
If you only have the cash to buy one bike the FSR xc is it. The progressive rear end takes a while to get use to and makes the bike feels like it has less travel in the rear because of this. (Air shocks are progressive enough) THE BOTTOM LINE THE BIKE DOES WHAT IT IS DESIGNED TO DO. GO FAST AND MAKE YOU SMILE.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tawni Craig
a
from weekend warrior Date Reviewed: March 1, 1999
Bottom Line:
I have only had this bike a very short time, but I love it. I am a very small person, five feet tall,and the small size fits me great. I haven't had much opportunity to ride, but the 50 or so miles I have put on the bike have been great.I also agree that for the price of this bike the pump for the rear shock should have been included. I will never go back to a hardtail. One ride on this bike, and you won't either. Five red hot chilis for the Stumpy XC Pro!!!!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
julius szelagiewicz
a cross-country rider
from howell, nj Date Reviewed: February 28, 1999
Bottom Line:
amazingly good bike sold by a dumb company with incompetent dealers. $2200 bike that comes without a shock pump, and the dealer doesn't have one in stock. nothing on the bike can be changed in the factory (at least according to the dealers i contacted). in effect i got the bike with tires that look really great but are worthless in nj sand and mud. replaced them in the middle of the FIRST ride - couldn't stay on trail. specialized pedals were not usable with the cleats they came with. third set of cleats made them ok, but $10 nashbars work better. i managed to put all of 100 miles on the bike - back to the shop 3 times. first - pedals, and front derailleur really out of whack, second - replacement of aluminum qr nut with steel, because i was ripping out the rear wheel from the dropout. the rear hub is shot and will be replaced when it comes, hopefully with the skewer. third time - a tooth broken off on middle ring (specialized strong arm, not xt), another wait - we can't have parts on hand. every shop visit makes the bike run worse, fortunately i ride with buddies that seem to have strong engineering bent - they adjust the beast. I love the bike, when it rides well, because when it rides well it is awsome. there is no noticeable bob, climbes better than my old hardtail, descents are really stable and with real tires tracks great. i am doing technical sections (water bars and switchbacks) i didn't even attempt before. i love the bike and dislike the company. 4.5 hot pimentos
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a weekend warrior
from Houston Tx Date Reviewed: February 19, 1999
Bottom Line:
Love the bike and i'll never ride a hard tail again. The shock pump should come with the bike, because i have needed it for every ride. The rear brake bushings were changed around so my calves don't hit them.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a cross-country rider
from Pennsylvania Date Reviewed: February 6, 1999
Bottom Line:
A must-have cross-country full suspension rig. At this price point, it is difficult to find a bike at this weight (around 26 lbs.)and with these specs (XT/XTR mix, Fox Vanilla Air rear shock and the SID). Granted, $2,200 is a lot of clams, but it's a bargain for the package. Only alteration I made was to swap out the Specialized pedals for the Time ATACS. I'm new to clipless and the ATACS are great pedals - easy to clip in and out, and plenty of movement permitted (unlike the rigid setup of Shimano and their ilk). Overall, the bike is extremely nimble, light, and an impressive climber - a capable steed in the slop, but undoubtedly a demon on hardpack (mother nature has prevented me from validating the latter observation at this date). The Fox Vanilla Air rear shock is a solid performer, and with the correct air pressure, there is minimal boinging. One complaint - not only does the 99 SID require the Rock Shox pump, but also a SID adapter (naturally, this did not come with the bike). It also must be adjusted at two positive air pressure valves and one negative air pressure valve - neither Rock Shox or Specialized provide any explanation as to the functionality of the latter (local bike shop was also at a loss). Great bike overall, with a one-star deduct for the SID, which possesses too many damn buttons to push.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mj
a cross-country rider
from us Date Reviewed: January 23, 1999
Bottom Line:
2nd review after a few months ownership -- I still really like this bike, though I would have gotten an XL frame (I'm 6'2) I changed to a longer 135mm stem and that made a big difference. This bike is great uphill, minimal suspension power loss and the rear suspension actualy helps on bumpy uphills. the Rock shox SID is OK, but for us big boys (190+) it is a little soft. If I had the $$$ I would have this bke AND an ultra-light steel or big tube titanium hard-tail, Actually if I had the $$$ I'd have all that and a whole lot more and a really dumb 22 year old girl friend, but I digress, ThE FSR XC PRO is a nice ride, I used to poh-pooh full susp, but it really saves alot of beatiing on your lower back, and its just plain balls-out fun (if you want it to be). Go out right now and spend atleast $2000 on this(or any other) new bike. You wiLl not regret it (if you choose wisely). GO, BUY, NOW!!!! 4 stars only because nothing can be perfect, I'd give it 5 it was 3 pounds lighter.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a racer
from Canada Date Reviewed: January 19, 1999
Bottom Line:
I just bought my fsr and I rode it twice and didn't realy like it a whole bunch so i am not going to say a whole lot about it. Part of the reason I didn't like it is because I ride realy wet and slick conditions and I live in victorian and the bike is not good for rainy wet conditions. I rode it in kamloops and realy liked it so I can't wait til summer to ride again when the bike works its best. It climbs realy well and descends even better even the SID is a nice touch to the bike.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
WRS
a cross-country rider
from Fairfield, CT Date Reviewed: December 30, 1998
Bottom Line:
First FS bike and what a difference. Three rides and getting better. This bike climbs like a billy-goat, point and go control through the turns and smooths the bumps on descents. I am 6'1 and 200; bot the large frame which is a little tight. Will replace stem with 2 cm longer. Rear Fox is great over fast and small, still have to dial in for larger bumps. So far RS SID has performed as advertised, but I am nervous from all the bad reviews this shock has gotten (If it blows you'll know). Bike weighed in at 26lbs and climbs like 23lbs. Every ride this bike gets better.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
colsen
a cross-country rider
from orlando,fl Date Reviewed: December 9, 1998
Bottom Line:
went and picked up my new fsr xc pro last night, took it out for a couple of hours and it felt great. i used to ride a caanondale f1000, i will never look back at hardtail again. this bike is well worth the wait and money
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a cross-country rider
from Toronto, Canada Date Reviewed: November 27, 1998
Bottom Line:
This bike replaces my old chromo Stumpy FS with a Judy....It's at least as light, if not lighter! So far (2 weeks old) it rides great, but the rear XT-V brake rubs my calf. Still waiting to see how durable it is with all those pivots. My beef? For $2,800 Can., Specialized should throw in the damn pump to adjust the Fox Vanilla rear shock!All in all, still a great bike, what do you expect for that kind of dough?
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dean
a cross-country rider
from Berkeley, CA Date Reviewed: November 23, 1998
Bottom Line:
This is my first FS bike. So far I love it!! I've looked around alot before chosing this bike, and I think specialized design is probably the best I've tried. Other good designs are Ventana Wilderness and Rockey Mountain Element. The parallel linkage on the FSR X-C pro is suppel but not too bouncy. The stock bike wieghed in at 25.5 lbs. I haven't noticed much pogoing on the uphill. (The next model higher for $3000 has a rear shock lockout lever). On bumpy sections this bike shines!! And it's fully active, even if you stand up (unlike klein and breezer)--but not too active. The only real PROBLEM is that the BACK V-BRAKE calapers (shimano XT) stick out too far, and rub against your calf as you pedal. I insisted that this was a DESIGN FLAW at my bikeshop, and they replaced it with XTR calapers, which solved the problem. I'm supprised that Specialized put this bike out on the market with such an obvious design flaw!! (4 stars instead of 5 for that problem)
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mj
a
from cross-country rider Date Reviewed: November 16, 1998
Bottom Line:
Initial review after first few rides -- I love this bike -- It's not a super plush downhiller. It is as advertised a light weight cross country full -susp bike. You need to buy (you'd think that they would include one w/ a $2200 bike- or at least more LBSs would have 'em) a pump to adjust the air shock and SID fork, and you need to spend some time dialing in the suspension to your style. So far i'm giving it a highest rating (of course I just bought one so I'm some what biased0 Stay tuned for update.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kristian Drane
a racer
from UK Date Reviewed: November 8, 1998
Bottom Line:
I've just raced the 27 mile iceman in Northern Michigan on my FSR XC Pro that I collected on Thursday, I got seventh in my class without having set it up for myself. It rides perfectly, smooth and fast and with no bob! I am really happy with it so far and I would recommend it. It looks great with michellin celeste tyres.
Overall Rating:
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