Frame design. I am not a serious hard tail bike guy. In fact I normally would not even ride these things. It fits me so well that i do not care about the color (OMG!! who or what had that idea)which is near obnoxious. I have upgraded everything on this bike. It is a comfortable ride and hangs with more expensive bikes.

Color, Forks, (they were broken when I dug this out of the bike shop basement.)Oh, the seat was lovely also. Thank god for Terry and specialized saddles.

I really like the bike and if it was ever re-made. I would recommend it as a great buy. Best bang for the buck bike.

Similar Products Used:

Specialized, Trek, Cannondale and many other

I'm 14 and I love this bike. I got it two years ago and t's still holding up perfectly. Its amzingly fast (Ive gone up to 40mph, and its still stable) and has great gears and breaks. On the trail it holds up great. I bought oversized Specialized tires and it handles even better- a much better deal than my friends' Kmart 45lb cprapola bikes

Its saddle is bad and wet weather braking stinks.

Amazing bike, but sadly im outgrowing it. This bike is great for anyone. Don't waste your money on crap departmet store bikes. My friends Xgames bike fell apart on the trail. Ha Ha.

Similar Products Used:

Specialized Hard Rock

Solid Frame, Shimano Drivetrain, Excellent V-Brakes, QR F/R Hubs, QR Seatpost, Strong Sun-Rims, Shimano Rapid-Fire Shifters, Weight, Geometry, Price and Performance!!!

Crappy Saddle, Crappy Tires...but what do you expect for the price.

This bike rocks!! First understand that if you are seriously considering this bike, it's because you are either (A)-considered poor in the world of Mountain Biking, or (B) just getting started (as I am). So, do not attempt to compare this bikes setup to those costing $1000+ dollars. But what I can tell you is this.

I hit the trails with guys who ride Kona Kula's and Fisher Sugar's. Other than my apparent lack of being in shape, I have no problem keeping up with them. They go over roots, rocks, downhills, ditches, fallen trees, across roads, through sand, etc., and I am always right there with them (only usually a little further behind). Anywhere they go, I go. This bike has taken every bit of abuse my 225 self can give it, and then some. It has seen MANY falls, crashes, trees, bushes and bits of pavement and is still going strong.

As far as it's weaknesses, yes, the saddle is crappy, but can easily be replaced. The tires do suck as the seem to slip and slide through every corner, but they are managable and can also be easily replaced. Again though, I have taken this thing up against $1400-$1600 bikes, and for $279.00, it is more than keeping up. If you are looking to get into Mountain Biking, this is your bike. It has enough quality built into it to run with the best. If price is an issue, again, this bike is perfect. DO NOT...AGAIN DO NOT buy a department store bike for ANY kind of off-road riding. You will spend almost as much, and end up with 1/4th of the bike. Well that's my thoughts and as always, Work Hard--Play Extreme!!!!!

Similar Products Used:

None.

It,s light,maneuverable,strong,fun,and FAST! QR everything. Cool paint job. Sun wheels.Shimano drivetrain.

Short-travel fork,terrible wet-weather braking.

I like it,I love it I wish I had two more of 'em!!!! Great for anyone who needs a do-it-all rig.

Similar Products Used:

Diamondback Outlook DX W/Manitou Pro C fork

Awesome frame very strong good deraileurs and shifters Great headset

Needs a stronger fork I've had my bike less than a month and the forks are bent. Plus it could use a sealed cartridge bottom braket and matching hubs (front and back)

Its a great handling bike but some of the parts are not as good as they should be. If you are going to ride it in banff its a completely capable bike. But if you are going to do some serious stuff put better tires on and a more capable pair of forks. the alevio derailleurs are quiet and precise. The frame design is very comfortable And is very stable flying through the air (just make sure you pull the front end up before the end of the jump,ha ha next time)

Corners well in all conditions, stable on the downhill and relatively smooth on uphills. Seems to start going the instant I jump on it. It is apparently a very sturdy bike as I've ridden it extremely hard since day one and I've had only a few maintainance issues. It's quite fast, and cheap.

It's not heavy relative to the price tag, but it isn't light by any standard. The front derailleur seems to need pretty regular adjustment. It has quality brakes, but the bike doesn't exactly stop on a dime. It ships without endbars and a pretty crappy seat.

This is a great bike for me, obviously it's not meant for the hardest of the hardcore, but it is a great value and is a very enjoyable ride. It is a great bike for the traditional weekend warrior on a budget.
When I was purchasing bikes, I was originally looking at the lower end models by Trek, Cannondale and Specialized. I took a test ride on all three of those, and found that the Flagstaff was generally a much more refined product for less money.

Seems to corner super easy especially on steeper terrain.
Great bike to do some wild things with because of the realitivly low price, but also a fast, strong bike.

Not the lightest bike around, but seems light when riding.

Great value for a young person wanting to get into some kind of racing, that sort of thing. Impressive bike for the money!

Similar Products Used:

I had a crappy Road Master that I just tore to pieces!!!

Mostly quality components (see weaknesses), strong frame, and low cost compared with the competition make this a value leader. Mine was marked down to $329 Canadian, compared to $550 for the cheapest Specialized offering.

Looks like they cut corners on the seat and front derailleur to keep costs down. Well, it worked: Everything else is up to spec and works fine, for a great price.

If you are looking for an entry level bike from a legitimate manufacturer, and are more than just a casual Sunday sidewalk rider, I'd suggest gving this bike a look. It has quality bits, and sells for a dept store price. Iron horse is not as recognized as some of the big guys, but has held its own on the racing circuit. IMHO, this is a great buy if you can find it...Let's hit the trails!

Similar Products Used:

Specialized Hardrock, Trek 4500, VeloSport Twister, "Jeep" Bike, Giant Rincon,