Description:There is much more than meets the eye in El Saltamontes, Ventana's 2002 XC workhorse. A 4" travel, high performance, chassis using our low compression ratio design philosophy with standard features like our oversize sealed bearing pivots, custom drawn single and double butted 6061-T6 mainframe tubing, spacious clearance for 2.4" tires, International Standard disc brake mount, wrap-around head tube gusseting, internally butted head tube, one piece CNC machined BB/shock pivot, and vertical dropouts with "super stiffie" replaceable derailleur hanger, El Saltamontes is a marvel of performance and aesthetic beauty.
Submitted by
Richard Orefice
a Weekend Warrior
from Eastchester, New York Date Reviewed: April 21, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Grahm Hills, blue mtn,
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
wrench science
Strengths:
stiff, great climber, great frame work, strong and light trail bike. Only Moots can build bikes this good. smooth and plush. Quad bearings, 3-4-5 rocker. no body has it on the trail, you will be the only one.
mavic crossmax,xtr,sram X.0,hayes hfx mag plus, wtb saddle, thomson elite,romic, fox talas rlc, 3-4-5 rocker. etc.
Bottom Line:
I have been considering buying other bikes, not for replacement but just because I have issues.
This bike is excellent. Buy it from sierra cycles in Scarsdale ny, speak to fransisco, or from wrench science, chris. They know how to set it up right. I am ordering a moots smoothie ti, but as a race xc bike only. If you dont race this bike has you covered. my bike is an XL and it weighs in at 28 lbs. the ti spring is on the way, it will take a 1/2- 1 lb off the weight. get the quad bearings and the 3-4-5 rocker with the romic ti spring. I ride it on the 5" setting, never needed to change the setting it works great even on the most technical, longest, uphill climbs. rock gardens, logs, roots, jumps, it excells at all.
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Submitted by
Ove Kargard
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Barbara Date Reviewed: October 30, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Las Padres
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
mtbr
Strengths:
The "feel" of this bike is great. CNC machining is super trick. Great welds and the bike as a whole is super strong. Ventana has great customer service. Made in s the USA by people who care.
Weaknesses:
The shock valve can be a little tricky to get to. Top tube is way high. More or less flawless.
Similar Products Used:
Klein, rocky mountain, turner, chuck, have ridden many...
Bike Setup:
Lots of great durable parts. Weight is at 29 lbs with huge 2.4 tires and discs etc... I have the double bearing set with a four in rocker plate and four inch fox forks. Well balanced.
Bottom Line:
It floats around on the trail and lets me get so fast... Super duper stable and one of the great all around trail bikes. Made to get you out there and get you back. The bike is super strong and stiff. Not somem way over the top downhiller, but a well thought out backcountry cruiser. It so stable at speed over minor ruff stuff that you go way faster than you were before. The detail is there and the craftmenship. Trick withour being overly flashy (once I took the electric sex weld sticker off) Definitely check it out...
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Submitted by
Will
a Weekend Warrior
from Davis CA Date Reviewed: June 7, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
MTBR
Strengths:
This bike is outstanding. An excellent pedaller. the El Saltamontes climbs very well and descends better.
Weaknesses:
None (even price is worth it if you ever have to deal with Ventana's customer service)
Similar Products Used:
Tried a Truth, tried a superlight, owned a Klien fervor and a Santa Cruz Chameleon
Bike Setup:
3-4-5 rocker, float R shock, Z-1QR20, Hope 165 brakes...
Bottom Line:
I ride this bike set in 5 and 5 setting and it is great. I am not considering a lockout shock because the bike doesn't bob when there is enough air in the shock, even in the 5" setting. This is not a race frame, the fuego is ventana's race frame, but its light enough and pedals well enough to race if you needed to. It is true, this is not the most pedal efficient bike on the market, but if that was all you cared about I suggest road biking..
Anyhow, this thing is awsome on the downhill. The rear end is stiff and the bike tracks very well. this bike really shines on rough section of trail. the 3-4-5 rocker is great, but I almost always ride mine in 5".
Before I bought this bike I talked face to face with sherwood about his frame designs and asked him a number of questions about his suspension designs. When I finally was ready to buy the bike I knew I'd have to get it used 'cause I was in a tight spot for cash, I called sherwood and asked him all about ventana's return policies, the history of the bike (in terms of what modifications were made to the line over the years), what to look for on the used frame. I don't know any other company where you can call up, or go in and talk to the designer/owner of the company when you're only buying one bike.
The bottom line is this: Uphill is no problem on this bike, downhill is incredible and ventana Customer service is outstanding.
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Submitted by
N K
a Cross Country Rider
from Larkspur, CA Date Reviewed: February 6, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Oakridge, Iccarus--fruita,Strand Hill CB, CO
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Ventana
Strengths:
Obvious stuff like welds & finish--superb quality. Had a Marble peak prior to and it was sweet. Go for the adjustable 3-4-5 rocker and quad bearings. The el salt is that X 10.
Weaknesses:
$$$, The Fox Float shock is pretty good, but it could be better. Maybe Ventana should offer a coil option--romic??
Took advantage of Ventana's trade in offer. Somewhat biased having riden one of their frames for the last year but I dug it more than any bike I've ever had(been riding in the woods since the mid '80s)Yes, for 2Gs there are many sweet frames to be had. This one is versatile and well built--The El Salt got my $$$ and It's been well worth it. Oh Yeah, I never take mine out of the 5 inch travel and it still climbs awesome. It should be noted that this frame might not perform as well in the Lonestar state--probably just one of those things, y'all.
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Submitted by
David Fambrough
a Cross Country Rider
from Plano, TX Date Reviewed: November 18, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Dorba.org
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Purchased At:
Mad Duck Adventure Sports
Strengths:
Strong, robust frame -- quality build & welds No detactable flex riding rough terrain Light weight for a Epic type trail bike
Weaknesses:
Noticable suspension bob with Fox Float RL
Similar Products Used:
GT i-Drive
Bike Setup:
Hayes disc. brakes, Marz. Bomber fork, XT/XTR drivetrain, Thompson stem, LP flat carbon bar and carbon seatpost, carbon crank arms w/Egg beater pedals
Bottom Line:
Overall design is similar to the Ellsworth Truth; however, the Truth is a more efficient pedaler. Over the rough, you don't notice the bob, but hammering a flat section you can feel it with the Fox Float RL. Unfortunately, it's not in a position where you can easily reach down and it lock out while riding. Solution is the Romic shock, which weighs a little more but offers better pedal efficiency. Riding position is more upright than XC race oriented fs bikes, thanks to the high bottom bracket. Therefore, it's handling seemed predictable and stable rather than quick and responsive. Not to mention, it didn't feel to be the most lively climber either. But it did descend like a dream. Where I think this bike shines is on more open, abusive trails where the terrain is rocky. (Frame/pivots are built to withstand abuse compare to other XC fs bikes.) Then its plush fs design and stable handling adds up to less fatigue and comfort. 3 chilis for value since the frame alone is over 2 grand. 4 for performance because it didn't quite hit the mark as far as pedaling efficiency.
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Submitted by
Bud
a Cross Country Rider
from DFW TX Date Reviewed: June 12, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Rampart resevoir, Col Springs , CO
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Mad Duck Adventure Sports
Strengths:
Finish quality is like a fine piece of jewelry....Only on a moots have I seen this much craftsmanship.
Weaknesses:
none to mention at this time
Similar Products Used:
Boulder defiant; Kona stinky Santa cruz superlight. specialized, turner, treks blah, blah. blah.....
Bike Setup:
; full XT drive train with XT hubs, Mavic 317s and Avifd mechanicals, FSA cartridge headset, Thompson seat post and stem. Of course being a travel junkie I had to keep my 5in travel 4.7lb Marzocchi
Bottom Line:
Well, I am now truly spoiled. For those that know me I pine daily about the beloved Boulder Defiant that I reluctantly let go of a while back in the name of progress and replacement. The bike had a certain ride quality that just couldn't be conveyed or quantified. When you rode it, it just made you feel special. Clarence at Mad Duck Adventure Sports in Grapevine, the only in store Ventana Dealer in TX, LA, OK, AK, area, recently persuaded me into building up and riding a 2002 El Saltamontes. This bike follows a gaggle of c-dales that I owned as well as directly replacing a Kona Stinky 5. That said, I had to have a bike that was burly enough to ride extremely aggressively, but light and nimble enough to race on if that so happens to be the bent of the day.
The Bike:
The "El Salt" craftsmanship is stellar...A beautiful translucent candy apple red powder coat finish with apparently drawn on welds, incredible CNC relief work at the bottom bracket and rear swing arm, and sealed cartridge bearings at every pivot. The frameset came with the optional 3-4-5 swing link set which give the rider the option to change the travel from 3, 3.5 , 4 or 5 inches of travel that is so easy to do ol' Turbo could do it blindfolded. In addition to the link upgrade came a double bearing upgrade that places 2 cartridge bearings instead on one at every pivot. So if you really want to make the El Salt beefy you can. Or, if you want to remain racer friendly, well you can do that too. I built up a 17in frameset which weighed in at about 5 lbs with the stock 4in link and about 5.25 with the double bearings and 3-4-5 rockers. The build kit is straight forward; full XT drive train with XT hubs, Mavic 317s and Avifd mechanicals, FSA cartridge headset, Thompson seat post and stem. Of course being a travel junkie I had to keep my 5in travel 4.7lb Marzocchi off the stinky and set the rear of the EL Salt up at 5in as well. Full bike built up right at 28lbs of fun. I presume a race bike built up with XTR and a race fork like a Rock Shock SID would come in well under 25 lbs. One other interesting note. I run huge 2.2 Free ride specialized Enduro tires. The rear swing arm has HUGE amounts of mud clearance and appears it could take up to a 2.7 or so without a hitch. The only draw back that I found is that with a super long travel fork on it, the stand over height gets a little tall. Not so much that it's cumbersome, but something to think about if you are going free ride with it and have relatively short legs, as you may want to go down a size.
The Ride:
Well, in one word.....Dreamy!......this bike absolutely ROCKS. It floats though the rough stuff like a full on free rider and climbs like a scalded goat. Lofting the front wheel is breeze and it carves turns like a downhill skier. Everyone that rode it conclusively came back and said, "Wow!, This thing really accelerates...." Spin the pedals and look out..... you're movin'. The bike is extremely responsive. I had some concern of whether a lock out was necessary on the rear shock. Although, a Fox Float RL with lock out is available as an option from Ventana, I never felt the need for one. Once I got the suspension dial in, It had absolutely NO bob whatsoever and stayed hooked up without a hitch.
Overall:
I think I have finally found the bike I have been looking for to replace the beloved Defiant. I think this bike is very close to perfection as an all around do everything ride. The El Salt is versatile, light, really strong, looks beautiful and makes you feel special when you ride it. It's hard to quantify, but it's that same special feeling you get when you drive a nice German luxury car for the first time and you get a funky little grin on your face. Except it reoccurs every time you get in the saddle.
Cheers!
Budman
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dom
a Cross Country Rider
from Milton Date Reviewed: March 24, 2002
Favorite Trail:
All of them.
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1300.00
Purchased At:
Ventana by phone
Strengths:
Weight, Design, Craftsmanship, Machine work, Nice welds, Cable/hydro guides(plenty of options), Service, Upgrades 3-5" travel and pivot bearing options for strength. Great ride and fit. Color.
Weaknesses:
Uhhhh??? I Don't Know!
Similar Products Used:
Jamis Dakar, Marin Wolf Ridge, Iron Horse G Spot, K2 3000, Klein Mantra, Rocky Mountain RM7, Ventana El Habanero
Bike Setup:
Disc only,4" rear travel,Fox Float R, Marzocchi Marathon S 100mm,Mavic CrossMax Disc, RaceFace BB and Next LP crank, XTR shifters/brake levers, XTR front and rear derailleurs, XT cassette, All 9 speed, Sram PC99 chain, Time ATAC Titanium pedals,Avid disc brakes w/Straight Jacket Cables,Chris King headset,Thomson stem,Easton Monkey Lite bar,Yeti grips,Easton CT2 seatpost,WTB SST 98 saddle,Continental tires.
Bottom Line:
Incredable!!! I've ridden many bikes and this one is like a keeper. Plush and light. Two words not often used describing a mountain bike. Built up this bady weights in at 26 lbs for a 19" frame. Not bad for four inches of front and rear travel. The Marzocchi Marathon S 100 in gun metal grey color matches the Ventanas Super Dust color. Really sexy. The ride is great after figuring out the tuning of the fork. It's a perfect setup for this bike. Active suspension. EATS UP ROUGH STUFF. The bike climbs a little bouncy but like anything you can't have a plush bike and rigid rear at the same time unless you get a shock with a lock out. I spin very well so it's not an issue. It's very light on long climbs. Smooth suspension travel. I love the way this bike fits me. It has great welds but I think Ventana gets a little to excited over them. They are equal to the best out there(Ibis, Independent Fab.,Seven Cycles,Pre-Litespeed Merlins). I think alot of great bike companies have got the welding thing down pretty good. What turned my head is the CNC machining and well thought out design. Again, the ride is incredable!!! I LOVE THIS BIKE!!! This is one of those "you get what you pay for" type bike frame. Expect nothing short of excellence. I almost forgot to mention that the folks at Ventana were fantastic to deal with. Three cheers for them. They make you remember what Made in America should mean.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sean Smith
a Cross Country Rider
from Philadelphia, PA, USA Date Reviewed: February 25, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Pennypack;Wissahickon
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Bicycle Therapy - Phila., PA
Strengths:
Well built frame; stiff and reliable; not too heavy; the proof is in the details - superior welds, that are flawless, excellent paint job; not too heavy to be a cross-country bike, strong enough to be a freeride bike; the optional 3", 31/2", 4" , and 5" of rear travel gives you so many choices for when and where you ride; the change over is simple, take a 5mm hex wrench and can change the rear travel in about one minute.
The people at Ventana are very helpful and responsive, especially Teresa Franco and Rob;
This bike was well worth the money.
Lee, Richie and all the guys at Bicycle Therapy were just as awesome as the El Saltamontes. If you live and ride in the Philadelphia area, it's worth your while to take the trip to 22nd and South Streets for your go to bike shop. Lee Rogers, the owner, hooked me up with the right components (not an easy task when you're a 260 lb. ex-football and rugby player)whose real tough on frames and components. The other guys in the shop, like Richie are just as helpful and friendly as Lee. This is definitely the shop to go for a great bike. Lee also helped my wife, a non-biking person with a bike, she had no idea what she wanted and Lee patiently explained frame sizes and components to her, making her feel comfortable with the bike she purchased.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale
Bike Setup:
17" frame, 2002 Marzocchi Z.1 with 5" inches of travel; Fox Float R; Sram 7.0 shifters and rear derailluer; XTR front derailluer; Thomson stem and seat post; RaceFace bars; Mavic F219 rims; XT hubs; XT cranks; EggBeater pedals; WTB Speed V; Avid Mechanical discs with Avid levers; Kenda tires
Bottom Line:
Excellent bike and components. Bicycle Therapy is an awesome shop.
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Submitted by
Tim
a Cross Country Rider
from Edwards, CO Date Reviewed: January 30, 2002
Favorite Trail:
up Cougar Ridge/down Two Elk,Triple Bybass,Monarch Crest
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1400.00
Purchased At:
(frame only) at local bike shop
Strengths:
I bought the frame and put together the bike myself.It's still new to me.The bike geometry works well with 100mm forks. I like the fact that it has a somewhat relaxed feel(ample top tube length). The (low compression ratio) rear suspension seems very smooth.The frame comes set up with 4" rear travel linkage. Mine also came with an optional 5.5 " travel linkage and oversized bearings. I haven't tried that setup yet.The frame workmanship appears quite good. So far I am very happy with the way the bike rides. It weighs in at 25 lbs. with disc brakes and some fancy light weight parts to compensate. I'll probably have a lot more to say after a full season on the bike.
Weaknesses:
The bike is a little hard to find at a shop.So if you want one you may have to order it sight unseen.It isn't the absolute lightest frame on the market(if that is the only concern.Though I think a fair balance is made between lightness and strength.
Similar Products Used:
This is the first dual suspension bike I have owned.
Bike Setup:
100mm marzochi marathon fork, mavic cross max,hayes disc brakes, fsa carbon pro cranks, phil wood ti b.b.,xtr drive train,titec ti stem, monkey lite bars,titec carbon seat post, chris king headset.
Bottom Line:
For someone looking to build a custom dual suspension bike,I would recommend considering this frame.
$
Overall Rating:
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