Rock Shox Lyric 2step air, chris king, curnutt ITD, Thomson front and rear, wtb saddle, dt swiss 5.1 wheetset, schwalbe nobby nic 2.4 tires, sram x0 gearing, formula oro puro 7" brakes. answer bar, odi lockon grips and so on.
Bottom Line:
Great bike for everything riding and my bike weights in just around 32lbs. This bike descends like a 1941 german stuka during a bombing raid on England ha ha. Great bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Darin
a Racer
from La Canada, CA U.S.A. Date Reviewed: June 23, 2007
Favorite Trail:
El Prieto
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Purchased At:
Pasadena Cyclery
Strengths:
This bike is the best I have ever ridden when it comes to going downhill. THis bike is strong, overbuilt even, and handles great with jumpy response.
Weaknesses:
Climbing on this bike is not the best experience. I have ridden other bikes like the BMC Trailfox 02 that just flies uphill. That's all ok though since going downhill is more fun anyway
XTR derailleurs and crank, bontrager wheels, sram X-7 shifters(they suck, your thumb hits the shifter while riding and causes unwanted shifting)
Bottom Line:
This bike is an excellent all round bike and even though it is noth the best climber it still provides an unmatched ride. My friend says the newer FXR's are better at climbing so that problem is solved.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
SERGIO AMEZCUA
a Weekend Warrior
from LAS VEGAS,NV,USA Date Reviewed: April 4, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Bootleg Canyon , NV
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
betyond bykes
Strengths:
Built like a tank, quallity construction, hand made in the USA!
Weaknesses:
Only two color choices.
Similar Products Used:
First suspension bike owned and ridden
Bike Setup:
red bike, round wheels, flat pedals, seat, other bike parts
Bottom Line:
This is my first full suspension bike. After sticking to hard tails and BMX bikes it was a bit awkward the first time out. I got used to it within minutes though, and now I'm flying where I once was just hanging on. Each time I hit the trails I just get faster. I was worried that I would loose power climbing due to rear suspension bob, but this turned out to be a non-issue. You just have to adjust your riding style. If you are thinking of switching over from hard tail and you ride aggresive, then this is the bike for you. I got a med frame and I'm 5'9" and weigh in at 180lbs. I still haven't learned how to dial in the shock, but when I do the ride will just be sweeter. Forget off the floor bikes, let a good shop put together a custom rig that will fit you and your riding style. You wont regret it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ar lozier
a Weekend Warrior
from san diego Date Reviewed: May 18, 2006
Favorite Trail:
andersontruck trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$865.00
Purchased At:
internet
Strengths:
stiff solid build, gr8 welding. stable firm steering. decent weight for a trailbike that can d-hill. simple asthetic lines. replacable graphics, conutt ti shock capabilities
Weaknesses:
Price brand new, Got mine used from Plastic surgeon who feare for his hands(3 million $$$ insurance) after taking up the sport. Cable run under bb recommend guide, rear tire clearance narrow for 2.25 and larger tires. cornutt shcok weight.
Similar Products Used:
intense spyder, santa cruz nomad, ellsworth truth. Schwinn rocket 88.
Bike Setup:
05 minute(1)100-130 front set at 115mm, spinergy wheels, carbon top end, c-king head set, fsa ti bb, raceface next lp cranks, maxxis tires, sram & shimano xt mix drive train, avid discs, wtb cushion & pedals, fsa stem, bars, post. 27.3 lbs (with pedals)med. frame
Bottom Line:
all world riding machne. I am 42 and at 5'9' and 200lbs and 6% b-fat. I beat this Bit#h all day long. did comparos on the competition and love this. Up hill/ down hill, techinical, hucking this baby is my extramarital affair. Setting the shock tooka few adjustments but hell she launches off the jumps & drops now. Sterring is point and shoot other than a bit slower on the tight switchbacks. Foes is real customer friendly as well. I rate this as good as Ellsworth on quality, craftmanship, and ability. THe only bear is the price like all BOUTIQUE frames. Toss the trek, specialized and giant for one of these.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bad billy
a Racer
from Ventura Date Reviewed: November 14, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1350.00
Purchased At:
The Internet
Strengths:
Stiff frame, craftmanship,Curnutt shock, near perfect pedal platform, Do it all bike.
Weaknesses:
Front derailer cable routing could use a guide under the BB, tuff to get the drive side BB bearing tightened, You will need to tun up your XTR BB wrench.
Bike Setup:
Ti spring, Fox float RLC, juciy 7's, Mavic XL, XTR, XO, King, egg beaters, lots of Carbon and Ti ..low 27 LBS.
Bottom Line:
Coming off a S-works Epic race bike this felt so strange. But even stranger it nearly as fast. At least that is what my split times were telling me. At mile 9 on my daliy climb I could really feel the extra wieght but I was back 35 seconds off my best time on my 24 LBS epic! Now this is were the bike becomes faster than my epic.. now down hill for 9 miles.. were the extra 4 lbs come in handy, + No arm pump, stable not twichy, the FOX fork is so stiff I hardly need to counter steer like I do with the old SID. This bike will rock at SUPER D. It climbs, and with the Float locked out you can get out of the saddle...hammer on climbs and the flats.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ralph Rackstraw
a Cross Country Rider
from RD, Hastings, NZ Date Reviewed: October 27, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Any in Wellington NZ
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
VIC Lower Hutt, NZ
Strengths:
Unbeleavable trail bike that goes up very well (thankyou Mr Curnutt)and comes down even better. Great handling on the high speed gravel roads.Fantastic finish on the frame build. Great shock performance.
Weaknesses:
The grey paint isn't very hard wearing. Nothing else.
Similar Products Used:
Intense Tracer
Bike Setup:
05 frame, steel spring, Nixon IT, Easton CT, Hope, XT, Raceface, Thompson, Size large fits my 6'2" perfectly. 65psi and 3 turns of preload in shock for a supple ride.
Bottom Line:
Wow. The best bike ridden to date. Has fantastic handling from a flex free frame. Just buy one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Anton
a Weekend Warrior
from Philippines Date Reviewed: August 25, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1499.00
Purchased At:
Richard's Bikes
Strengths:
Very stiff and a whole lot of fun! Simplicity of design.
Weaknesses:
a little heavy but still can be built below 30lbs.
Similar Products Used:
intense 5.5 and spider
Bike Setup:
DHX coil, full xtr, vanilla fork, crossmax XL
Bottom Line:
Having so much fun. Switched parts from Spider and built this up and the service of Richard's Bikes is absolutely the best.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Weekend Warrior
from EastBay Ca Date Reviewed: August 17, 2005
Rear tire clearence ('04 at least) is really narrow- Price
Similar Products Used:
Demoed a bunch of trail bikes in its class, Enduro, Yeti 575, Giant Reign/VT, a few Norco's& Kona's
Bike Setup:
Med '04 Frame w/ Curnutt (Steel), Marz All Mountain 1 130-150mm (sick, but that's a different review), XT drivetrain, Hayes hydra 9's, mallets, Fsa Pig dh headset, junky wheelset
Bottom Line:
This is a positive review HOWEVER ITS NOT BECAUSE I BOUGHT IT...in case you haven't noticed at lot of the reviews on this site are all sunshine and roses which can potentially screw prospective buyers. I'll do my best to level with you. My measurments 5'6", 170lbs, inseam 30.5", slightly longer in the arms and torso than the legs. I'm right on the cusp of recomended sizes Small and Medium and I found that because of the slighlty aggressive shortness of the effective top tube length, the Medium fits me well. This bike absolutely performs as advertised. Climbs like a mountain goat and descensds like a lightweight DH rig. The Curnutt shock really does make this bike feel like a hardtail on climbs, with no discernable pedal bob but then sucks up drops and jumps like they're nothing. To all those who shirk at thought of climbing on a 33 lb bike I say this...go to the gym you freakin sissy. Personally I found that the added weight helped both wheels stay firmly planted on inclines that previously caused unavoidable front wheel lift or rear wheel loss of traction. And to you weight weinies...you may beat me up...barely...but I'll scream past you on the descent, hitting jumps, drops and banks that'll make your sub 20lb hardtail 'crack' in its pants.
To change it from a 5" to a 5.75" you have to undo all the bolts and physically move the bolts to the holes right next to them...takes about 5 minutes. I found that the pivot on the 5.75" setting has a slightly different feel so you'll just have to feel that out.
As this is just a review on the frame I'll say this, Foes quality is just about as good as you can get. Welds are strong, pivot bearings are solid and, for a lightweight FS, the bike is very rigid laterally and every other way.
Bottom line: If you're looking to bomb down a hill and still have the ability to pedal back up it I would absolutely recommend this bike. My trusty mechanic even says this feels better than his 5.5 (hey Ryan..sorry!) My only complaint is that the rear wheel clearence on the '04 (may have been fixed in later models) is really narrow. I've got XC tires on it right now that are only 2" wide and there is very little room in the rear. I'm putting a 2.25" on the back for Northstar but I'm afraid that the slightest wobble will cause tire rub. And even though the Curnutt may be the best rear shock out right now (debateable I know) the Foes are a little pricey, I got lucky a got mine during the '04 closeout. All in all it is an awsome bike and aside from the price tag and the rear wheel clearence the bike is (. )( .).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rafael Vazquez
a Downhiller
from San Juan Date Reviewed: May 9, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Parque Monagas
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$3500.00
Purchased At:
Richard Bicycles
Strengths:
Very stiff. The mix of the pike team fork and the frame w/curnutt make the best bike (ATB) that I ride for long time.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Intense 5.5 evp.
Bike Setup:
pike team fork,xt crankset w/triple bashguard,xtr,mavic,motoraptors 2.24,hayes brakes,curnutt shock.
Bottom Line:
Cross country,4x or freeride.Just do what you want it.Don't ask just buy it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jamie Alackness
a Cross Country Rider
from Edwards CO Date Reviewed: April 20, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Gooseberry Mesa
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$4100.00
Purchased At:
Vail Bike Supply
Strengths:
The bike feels very solid and inspiring you know that launch anything feeling. Probably the stiffest rear end on any trail bike. Climbs anything as long as you have the power to turn the cranks. Descends like a full blown DH rig. Great customer service from Foes. The look on peoples faces when they pick it up. It's doesn't look 26.5lbs but it is. Racer boy types walk away in shock its great.
Weaknesses:
Needs more tire clearance, but Foes has addressed the problem. The new FXRs will handle a 2.5. A sight stiffening of the suspension due to braking and pedeling. Most people will just bearly notice it, if they do at all. It's pretty expensive, but have you looked at the price of a fully loaded Stumpjumper lately? Yes it costs more!
Manitou Minute 1 fork, Full XTR, Thompson post and stem, King headset and hubs, Easton monkey lite bar, Specialized BG saddle it's the bomb, Salsa skewers, Eggbeater pedals, Mavic rims, Odi lock on grips, Tires depends on the day. Usually Nokian NBX or IRC Trial Bear in front and Tioga Blue Dragons or IRC Mythos in the rear. I use Stan's Notube system front and rear.
Bottom Line:
This is an incrediable bike. I'vegot almost 10,000 miles on it, and no problems! I ride it year round here. Summer time single track, spring and fall trips to Utah and Arizona, to riding snowshoe trails in the winter.
The versitility is awsome mine is set up pretty light, because we do more climbing here than descending. But one could easly build it up lighter or beef it up with freeride parts.
Buy it if you love bashing around in the woods all day and pushiug your limits.
Don't buy it if you don't think your bike should save your ass when the going gets out of hand. With regular maintenance this bike will last and please it's owner for a long time. It's simple and sweet and does everything well.
The Turner 5Spot is the only other bike that I've ridden that compares. It's a little plusher and the suspension isn't affected by pedeling or breaking, but its not quite as good when hammering out of the saddle. It's a tough call because the price is almost the same.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Strinma
a
from Houston, TX Date Reviewed: March 30, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Go-ride.com
Strengths:
Well built, stiff, climbs very well, currnut shock very adjustable
Weaknesses:
A little heavy, but it is a trail bike. Foes spring weight recomendations appear to be a little on the light side. Expensive but you get what you pay for.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized FSR, Specialized Enduro, Turner 5-spot (demo only, a very close second choice)
Bike Setup:
2004 Medium FXR with currnutt and TI spring, Pushed Talas Fork, X-9/XO drivetrain, Race Face Atlas Cranks, WTB Laser Disc Lite hubs, DT 4.1d Rims, Kenda Nevegal Tires 2.5 Fr, 2.35 Rr, Avid Juicy 7 brakes, 70mm Race Face Diablos Stem, Maxm MX-5 handlebar....31-32lbs (depending on tires and tubes)
Bottom Line:
The FXR is a great all around trail bike. Its not the lightest bike, but it climbs very well, descends even better, and is just fun to ride on single track. Its very stable feeling and I can feel the frame stiffness when I put the hammer down on climbs... the bike just goes where you point it. The Currnut takes some set up time to get it dialed in, but has the right amound of stiffness and plushness for my taste. I weight around 175-180 lbs with gear and water and am running the 450lb TI spring in the 5.75 travel setting with around 65-70psi in the chamber. (The spring weight is a little above Foes recomendations, but per Foes its only a guide line and is OK as long as I'm not bottoming out the shock). Go ride recomended starting with the Steel spring and then ordering the TI after you have determined the right spring rate for you. It was good advice and saved me from having to buy a second expensive TI spring. The swing link pivot bearings start to creak when they get dirty, but nothing a little cleaning and lube can't fix.
Bottom line - its a great trail bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
thomer10
a Cross Country Rider
from Altadena, Ca. Date Reviewed: December 12, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
richards
Strengths:
Everything, the frame is light weight and super strong
Weaknesses:
There is some cable rub that so be addressed. Nothing a few zip ties can't handle
This bike is f*****g great, there is no weakness, this is the absolute best long travel x-county bike.....I have done everything on this bike and no problems....This bike is better than me period.
The best part is watching all your buddies struggle pedaling there huge freeride bikes, that way over 40 pounds. My FXR only wieghts about 32 Pounds
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brendan Berry
a
from Berkshire Date Reviewed: November 11, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Glentress/Afan Ar Goed Wales
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$3800.00
Purchased At:
Hotlines UK
Strengths:
One mother of a strong do it all frame trail plush as a bucket of kittens, again like my fly one stiff mother of a main pivot.light and flickable
Z1 fr's, king headset, race face turbines, sig series ti BB,r/face xy post, deus stem, air alloy risers, r/face loc ons, dt fr hubs dt spokes mavic f319 disc rims proloc nipples azonic x-tension pedals XTR rf's fr mech cassette 11-32 sram pc 89r chain xtr rear mech panaracer cinder 2.25 treads, hutchinson dh tubes, avid flack jacket cables (gear),hayes mag ti brakes 8" rotors giro fizik seat ti rail,hope qr's wheel n seat
Bottom Line:
This bike absolutely rocks quite simply the best trail bike that I have ever ridden , we had one at the bike shop I used to work at on demo, I test rode before a customer went on it and absolutely loved it. I aready owned an 02 foes fly, which I really lurve.Didnt buy this one because of the other one but it did sway my choice a little, but call it brand alliegance and quality, the bikes aint cheap but they just work.FXR is one kick ass trail bike owned many, ridden many, in 8 years bike trade but this one jus floats my boat. Awsome
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Marquette, Mi. USA Date Reviewed: October 30, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
Richard's Bicycles
Strengths:
Simply- Simple and it works
Weaknesses:
Cable channeling under crankset-needs guide
Similar Products Used:
Titus, Specialized, Intense, Santa Cruz
Bottom Line:
As a former pro motocross racer I have waited for years for someone to get full suspension right for a cross-country bike. The FOES/Curnutt combo does this in droves. Curnutt is a company forged in the tough sport of desert racing so I expect the shock to be bullet-proof over time. The frame design is a work of engineering beauty. Who should buy it? Anyone who appreciates a product that reflects a passion for a sport and it's well-working tools and will not settle for anything less. The only drawback is that I let my wife ride it and now she wants one!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Wein
a Racer
from Novato Date Reviewed: October 19, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Monarch Crest
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1500.00
Purchased At:
Richards Bikes
Strengths:
Awesome designed frame and shock. The ride is magical.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Intense Spider
Bike Setup:
Fox Vanalla RLC, Currnut ti spring shock, Magura disc brakes, Sram XO, XT cranks, AM Classic disc hub Mavic 3.1 rim wheels.
Bottom Line:
Simple oversized single pivot frame that provides stable climbing yet absorbs the bumps. Laid-back head tube provides a stable steering front end that does not wash under hard cornering. While this is designed a trail bike I wouldn’t hesitant in racing endurance events with this bike. Richards Bikes was awesome to deal with and highly recommended is looking to purchase a Foes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from CO Date Reviewed: August 26, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1825.00
Purchased At:
Local Shop
Strengths:
Very fast downhill. Light. No bob. Perfect trail riding geometry
Weaknesses:
I have no more excuses now. This bike is faster than me, going up and coming down.
Similar Products Used:
Giant AC2, Intense UZZI DH. Specialized Enduro.
Bike Setup:
Curnut TI. Fox TALAS RLC. Mavic 819 UST with 2.35 MAXXIS Minion. XT with Easton bars, stem.
Bottom Line:
Wow. After riding a friends' at work around the parking lot and reading the reviews, I had to break the bank and buy one. Sold my Yeti ASR-SL frame and built up the Foes with the parts. Somebody had told me the Yeti was a good trail bike. It feels like a road bike compared to the Foes. It's almost as fast as an old Intense UZZI DH I had going downhill. Mine weighs in at about 29lbs. I'm about 205 and nothing's broken yet after several months of riding. I would highly recommend one to any aggressive trail rider. I haven't ridden some of the other bikes in it's category like the Intense 5.5 or the Ellesworth ID, but I can't imagine a faster trailbike. Worth every last penny.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter
a Weekend Warrior
from Los Angeles, CA, USA Date Reviewed: June 10, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Strengths:
Extremely stiff frame, Curnutt shock!, Perfect Head angle, Bottom bracket not too high. Pedals great: My brother and I both have 24 lb cross country bikes and basically turn the same times up the hill in those. He recently bought a Turner 5-Spot and pedaled 5 MIN SLOWER up the hill while my time remained the same with my new FOES. This thing feels like a hard tail while pedaling and the Curnutt kicks in just when needed. While pedaling, the Turner 5 Spot and Ellsworth Id feel way too mushy in comparison for my liking.
Weaknesses:
None, except that you will lose your riding buddies because they will end up being jealous of your rig and sell their over hyped mainstream bikes that they used to brag about. Go ahead, get one of these and you'll see.
Large 2004 Ano-Grey w/Curnutt Ti, Minute 1, Chris King Headset, Crossmax SL Discs w/ Continental Vertical Pro UST's, Hayes HFX Mag Plus Discs, Sram XO Shifters and rear Der, with XT front Der, 2004 Hallowtech Crankset/Casette, Thompson Elite Stem, Carbon Monkeylite Handlebars w/ODI Rogues, Thompson Elite Seatpost w/ a Salsa QR and a WTB Laser Ti Seat.
Bottom Line:
Well, let's just say I almost made a big mistake. I wanted a 5" bike and did a fair amount of research. Of course, I read all of the reviews and the forums and had my search narrowed down to two bikes: the Turner 5 Spot and the Ellsworth ID. Also, a couple of guys I ride with have them and when I tried them out, they felt pretty good against most other bikes. Then came time to price it around. I picked up a few bike mags and started calling. My very first call, I told the guy I am 6'1 220 lbs, he said check out the FOES FXR, instead. Nearly every bike shop I called said the same thing. I fully realized that if you base your decision on which bikes are the most popular on these boards, you are going to end up with one of the bigger companies.....plainly, more guys have them. When I learned little tidbits about each frame, I would call back Richardbicycles and bounce my new info off them. They were the only guys who would really talk to you without trying the "Hard Close" at the end of each call. It was their helpfulness, knowledge and price that ultimately got my business. I recommend them to anyone looking for a bike. Now, lets' talk about the ride. Pedaling-see above. Downhill the Id and 5-Spot feel like flexy toys next the FXR. With that slack head angle and sturdy frame, it tracks amazingly well and I can just point and shoot downhill where the other guys are tensed up with their squirrelly, twitchier bikes. One bike shop in O.C. referred to those bikes as being more for "executive" riders. I now know what he meant. Anyone looking for a 5" bike must ride the FXR directly next to whatever else you are considering.
$ 1699.00
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
