Submitted by
byungoo
a Weekend Warrior
from vancouver, bc Date Reviewed: October 23, 2008
Favorite Trail:
cbc
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At:
rs bikes
Strengths:
dw link works great. Frame is excellent for north shore riding - pedalling up and bombing down.
Weaknesses:
hubs! after about 5 rides I was getting some funny sounds from the rear hub so I opener 'er up to find that it was bone dry...no grease at all! not what I expected from a bike in this price range. front hub had a bit if lateral play from day 1. Cable routing could become an issue as it looks like the routing will cause premature wear on the cable housing as the rear suspension moves up and down.
Similar Products Used:
mkIII - regret selling her, norco six - never could get this one set up the way I like it
Bike Setup:
fox 36 talus, SUN ADD wheelset, rest is stock
Bottom Line:
After 6 months of riding the shore, SFU, woodlot I must say that it is a very capable bike. It is a bit heavy compared to the mkIII but it is beefier. The only notable deficiency are the cheap hubs as mentioned above. Also notable is that I tried calling IH for help with the hubs and they never responded. The warranty help in Canada SUCKS for IH bikes I must say. This Bike is good for aggressive all mountain/light freeriding.
One last note about the sizing...it is a bit confusing, but at 5'10" and 32" inseam - I got a medium. It feels a tad short when climbing, but perfect for decending shore type trails.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
gunnirider
a Downhiller
from Gunnison, CO Date Reviewed: July 9, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Hartman Rocks
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3300.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
This bike pedals so well that I feel that it will make me a better rider. The 150mm rear wheel spacing, 12mm axle makes the rear triangle super stiff. This translates to precise cornering. The DW link works so good! It's really amazing to feel virtually no pedal feedback!
Weaknesses:
none yet
Similar Products Used:
Kona Coilair Supreme, Kona Stinky Primo, Kona Stinky dee-lux
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
After riding Konas for 8+ years, The DW link inspired 6point6 makes me feel like I was peddling dog crap around for so long, but didn't know the difference. Konas are junk. It's too bad that IR will loose their DW-link license next year. Get one before it's too late. I'm sold and will never ride a Kona again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shaun Kirton
a Racer
from Christchurch, New Zealand Date Reviewed: April 28, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Whistler Bikepark
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
The dw link is just great, simple and works mint on this frame. hardley any flex thanks to the 83mm shell an 150mm thru axle, bike feels tight and responsive when dh'ing. Good geometry gives confidence when descending double black trails. handels well in the air and rough terrain.The Fox DHX 5.0 shock works well in this linkage, frame rides like it has more travel than 6.3' , with the propedal switched on or off it climbs like a mountain goat. Far better colour than the 6.4!!!
Weaknesses:
Slightly pricey for spec, Rear gear cable routing round the dw link can make it abit annoying to change cables on, Hubs it comes with are cheap and heavy,
Similar Products Used:
KHS AM2000, Foes FXR 6', Yeti 575, Commencal 6.6
Bike Setup:
changed out the wheelset to Funn rims an hope hubs to save weight and give better rolling resistance, changed forks to marzocchi 66ata as wanted travel adjust to better suit trail riding an dh'ing, changed to shimano xt brakes as are more reliable than the stock Juicy 7s. Swap between 2.35 minions and 2.5 minions for trail riding an dh.
Bottom Line:
If you are trying to cut down on $$ from owning a dh and/or a xc specific bikes or you don't want a fully fledged dh machine cos you wanna ride for 3 hours and not spend most of it sitting in your shuttle wagon, then this is the bike for you. Also if your xc bike isn't holding upto the punishment from descending and you wanna start trying those jumps on the trail that you always ride past because u are to scared on your current machine that your headtube might come a drift, or swing arm bends around the corner with you, this is the bike for you! All in all this is a bike that rides like a Sunday downhill but can be easily pedaled uphill. Great do it all. Very happy with purchase.
$
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