Submitted by
Joel
a Cross Country Rider
from Greenville, South Carolina Date Reviewed: December 16, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Greens Lick
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$6500.00
Purchased At:
Cycle Center
Strengths:
Supernaturally fast and stiff (Fox techno) for a full susser. Impeccable handling characteristics and good bump absorption for a 100mm travel bike. Very, very light; and I need a large frame.
Weaknesses:
Less-than-ideal Specialized Rival saddle; flat bar and 0-degree stem are too ball-bustingly aggressive for this middle-aged XC rider, though satisfactory for the dedicated XC racer, who is into Yoga and thrice-weekly massages from A big-handed Swede named Heidi. Frameset not American-made, damnit. (I am an old Cannondale man.) Bike can get sketchy when you overpower up a short technical section, but settles down if you touch the rear brake while pedaling.
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale Rush Team Replica
Bike Setup:
Full XTR, Mavic CrossMax, S-Works Fast-Trac tires, Fizik Alliante carbon saddle, Thomson stem (switched to more svelte Elite 25.4 clamp; every bike maker's front end is overdone anymore) and seatpost, Ergon Race grips/magnesium bar ends, S-works 25.4 carbon riser bar
Bottom Line:
The fastest bike I have ever had the privilege to ride. (Much faster than I am!)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Harley Mendes
a Racer
from Ribeirao Preto - Brazil Date Reviewed: September 21, 2006
Favorite Trail:
pure cross country
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$6500.00
Purchased At:
Tripp aventura
Strengths:
Absorvs bumps like no other bike I ever tried. Doesn´t miss a turn, climbs very well. Confortable when you are tired or on an epic ride and may be seated.
Weaknesses:
Price. Front deilleur very close to the bottom link
XTR group, including disc brakes, SRAM X.O grip shift and rear shifter, Fox F100x (Terralogic), Ritchey WCS ZED tires
Bottom Line:
Despite de genesis geometry of the Sugar race and the weight of the NRS Air, this is the bike to race. No bob noted. Forginving on descents, even when I made little mistakes. No back pain (I won´t be young forever, neither will my column). I race every time I can, in cross country races, 12hrs and intercity races. Sometime I go for an epic ride (2 or 3 days) and this machine fits it all.
If you can afford it, you won't regret.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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