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Submitted by
Troy
a Weekend Warrior
from Scottsdale, AZ USA
Date Reviewed: February 18, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Bottom Line: | My review isn't so much about the bike as the manufacturer, The bike I love and had wanted one for years before I stumbled into one. Mostly I want to talk about AMP service. I've called AMP for a couple of things now and was incredibly satisfied with them. I believe it is Brian I spoke with (and I think I've seen his name in other reviews) and not only was he knowledgable, but he cut me some good deals, set me in the right direction and gave me some great advice. I tried to save a few bucks on pads by ordering them elsewhere and after shipping and sending back the wrong pads that I was invariably shipped, I gotta say, go with AMP directly. You get all the stuff you need (not just pads) and it's gonna be right the first time. Anyway, for what it's worth, I've had several really good experiances now and just wanted to share. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City, Utah
Date Reviewed: December 27, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | It rides OK on straight flat roads. | | Weaknesses: | 1. Very very poor lateral stiffness. In hard turns, the AMP felt like one of those old “funny” bikes that you could unlatch the back half of the bike and let the rear wheel take a different line than the front.
2. The seat stays were not stiff enough. After I put on an extra brake arch and hydraulic brakes, the rear worked OK.
3. The AMP fork was a joke!!! Falling rate suspension works great on motorcycles with 10+ inches of travel, but is a very bad idea on a front fork with a 2 inches of travel. Didn’t soak up the small stuff and would blow through the travel on medium to large hits. I changed out the fork, but was always afraid the frame would break, as using a non-amp fork voided the warranty.
4. The pivots required a lot of maintenance and exacerbated my dislike of this bike.
| | Similar Products Used: | Nothing else as bogus as the AMP. I have owned a Cannondale,a Dean Colonel, a Klein Rascal, a Gillacutti Steel, and a Specialized Enduro. | | Bike Setup: | The components specs. changed over the time I owned the bike, as a kept changing components in hopes of correcting the inherent weaknesses of the frame. | | Bottom Line: | I’m a heavy guy. I’m 6’3” and 190lbs. This bike is way under built for a large guy. It is under built for anyone over 100lbs. To be fair, after spending the money and time to change the fork, brakes, and brake bridge, the bike could have been a good ride for a light person who did not ride very aggressively.
I sold My AMP years ago for almost nothing. I morally couldn’t ask much for it. It just wasn’t worth it. This bike scared me away from full suspension until last year, when I bought a Specialized Enduro. The Enduro has the same basic design as the AMP (Specialized actually bought the design from AMP), but is built significantly better. The AMP was all the rage when it first came out, which is why I got it. When I read some of the positive reviews on this website, I felt I had to correct any idea that this frame is an acceptable alternative to a good bike. IT IS NOT.
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian Lang
a Cross Country Rider
from Roanoke, VA USA
Date Reviewed: October 9, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Carvins Cove | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$3000.00 | | Purchased At: | Colorado Cyclist (but you can only get them used now) | | Strengths: | Light, climbs very well, works OK on bumps for such a good climber. | | Weaknesses: | Original shock. Rear end flex under braking, which must be acceptable since I haven't bothered to install a brake brace in 6 years of riding it. Rear deraileur hanger isn't replaceable but when mine broke (due to a broken spoke) I had it welded easily--any place that welds aluminum could probably fix yours in no time. Suspension isn't exactly plush with only 2.75 inches of rear travel but I don't consider this a real weakness, especially since it clims so well. | | Similar Products Used: | Have ridden various full-suspension bikes. Many have a smoother ride over rough terrain but you definitely give up climbing qulaities to get it, which is not a worthwhile compromise to me. I live in the Blue Ridge Mountains where normal rides involve lots of climbing, as well as plenty of rough descents, and this bike is well-suited to it. | | Bike Setup: | 1996 Litespeed Obed FS with Amp B-3 rear triangle. | | Bottom Line: | Ditch the original shock, replace it with a Risse, and you've got a great climber with an acceptable cross-country ride. NOT a plush downhill bike but climbs so much better than the long-travel "freeride" bikes that you won't mind the bumps. If you're considering buying a used bike with a B-3 rearend for cross-country use, I would highly recommend it. Could be a great way to get a low-cost, lightweight alternative to the Sugars that are all the rage right now. Built up with XTR and Ti goodies, it weighs about 23 pounds even. A rear brake brace might be a good idea to reduce flex but I've ridden mine without one for six years. I'm prone to kidney pains on downhills and there are some downhills where my kidneys tell me I should replace this bike with something newer that has more rear travel but it's probably more of a problem with my kidneys than with this bike. I might have the same problem regardless of what I ride, and when I reach the next climb I decide it's not so bad.
Tips on rear bushing replacement: I have had this bike for six years, I replace the main pivot bushing about once a year for less than $10 (available directly from Amp--great customer service) and the other pivots are still OK. I've read that you need a hydraulic press to replace the bushings, but this is not true, at least for the main bushing and probably not for the others either. All you need is a drill bit that is slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the bushing. Loosen the pivot clamp bolts, set the drill bit on one end of the bushing, and pound it out with a hammer. Use the same technique to drive a new bushing in. You may want to put a small chamfer on the leading edge of the hole, which can be done using a drill bit slightly larger than the hole and turning it by hand to "carve away" a small amount of aluminum. Don't use an electric drill or you might remove too much aluminum. Takes only a few mintutes from start to finish to replace the bushing. Absolutely no complaints whatsoever about the bushings. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rodney Crowe
a Racer
from Norman, OK
Date Reviewed: September 21, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Post Road Trail | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
Light weight, easy to maintenance, handles above average. Just the right amount of travel for X-country | | Weaknesses: |
Need bushing press to do any home repair. | | Similar Products Used: |
Specialized FSR-XC, Y-11, Fisher Joshua Z0 | | Bike Setup: |
'96 Amp B-3 with full XT and XTR read der. '98 Judy SL, Sun-Ringle' RPM wheels, specialzed dirt control and master tires. I also own both the original amp shock and a Risse Genesis. | | Bottom Line: | I love this bike almost as much as my race hardtail. (Full XTR/SID Dean Colonel). I bought used from a friend cheap built it up with xt components w/ xtr rear der. Put my sun-ringle rpm wheels on it, and ride the s*&t out of it. When I am racing on it I put the risse genesis shock on. when i go for long all day rides i put the original back on.
(weight is 24.2 pds) . The only thing I didn't like was the low front end feeling, but i fixed that with a riser bar. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Santo Raffo
a Weekend Warrior
from t.o Canada
Date Reviewed: June 30, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
north shore | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
Fundimentaly the suspention design
works well, it makes sense, thats why i
bought it | | Weaknesses: |
brought the bike home ,my neibor who
has been a welder for 10 years told
me shit welding on the bike,blew oil out
shocks first ride,2 weeks later pivot replacement on fork and rear triangle,
After repeated rear and front shock rebiulds,i took the bike to a machine
shop to see what i could do ,they told
me it was poorly designed . so i was left
to look for an after market unit | | Similar Products Used: |
3 years ago sling shot, pro flex,
should of bought san andreas | | Bike Setup: |
XTR-XT | | Bottom Line: | This bike proved to be so inconsistant and unreliable the terrain on the trail was more
predictable. There is a saying to all people who provide servises
YOU CAN RIP THE CUSTOMER,CLIENT, OFF, BUT NOT THEIR FRIENDS,AND FRIENDS
CAN BE THE BIGGEST CRITICS,
The shame this company has brought me,after spending good money. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross-Country Rider
from Bellingham, WA
Date Reviewed: March 19, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
I really like this frame. My brother, a downhiller, gave it to me in 96 after he had bent the frame and broke the fork. I really like this frame but I think I am going to buy a different one because the rear shock is the biggest piece of shit I have ever seen (and I want a little more rear travel). I will either do that or get one of those Risse shocks everyones has been talking about. I would recommend this frame, but I would throw away the original fork and shock. I gave this bike four chilis considering that it would be paired with different suspension components. I would give it a two or three with stock shock and fork.(Keep in mind that my AMP is a 94 so they could have improved it a lot since then.) | | Bottom Line: | Good frame for cross-country, although I would'nt take it on any burly downhill trails. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jay Keres
a weekend warrior
from Omaha, NE
Date Reviewed: December 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've riden a Mongoose Amplifier 'the original' for 3 years now. I broke my drop-out off yesterday while shifting on a flat surface. That's spooky! I opted to upgrade to the B-5 for a nominal amount. I hope all the whoa's about the rear suspension don't hit me. The B3 never had any technical difficulties in the rear,no flex, no leaks, no blow-outs, no shit... It did tend to pogo though. As compared to the latest suspension it was truly average. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Grisha Strasnij
a cross-country rider
from Moscow, Russia
Date Reviewed: November 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Very nice for cross-country. But oil from rear shock get out from first 200-300
km. I replace oil to elastomer - OK, and rear shock will work more quickly.
It nice to ride forest and very bad country road in Russian.
After 2000 km front triangle is break :-( in forest road speed ~35 km/hour.
In Russian no AMP servise, and only
for 400$ USA (all NEW AMP frame 1100$ in RUSSIA) Russian Aviation Institute
make me NEW TITANIUM triangle. Weigth frame and rear shock will down from 2.0 kg to 1.85 kg. New triangle is very nice. Dynamik charasteristics is up.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Laughing Boy
a cross-country rider
from RO, MI
Date Reviewed: October 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Those of you complaining about the rear shock:
LIVE WITH IT. If you keep if maintained, change the oil and perhaps get a nice progressive spring (half hard/half soft) it'll hand the small stuff as well as the big hits. If you don't know how, email me. Just by adjusting the shock position, you can change the whole geomotry of the bike too!
I love my bike. It's 24.4 lbs with all XT and stuff. It climbs oh so well.
I broke the AMP fork but that wasn't bad, I just got a Judy SL. It can turn on the head of a pin. It's oh so stiff, the rear triangle has flex, but Once you get a stiffener, say goodbye to flex. It climbs perfectly. It's Light. it's a great XC Racer. Downhill is kinda harsh, but I can still hit 40 so I don't mind.
Strong frame.
Four stars, because if you get it stock, it's just mediocre, but once it's all hopped up, You got a winnerIf ANYONE has a 16 B-3 frame in good condition they want to get rid of, EMAIL ME!!!!!! I want a spare frame in case I break this one.
I still remember when Mongoose put all their downhillers on this frame.
AMP is reintroducing this frame also. Check out their web site | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Martin Szinovatz
a cross-country rider
from Vienna Austria/Europe
Date Reviewed: September 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I use my AMP B3 since 1 year. I love it, but now, I changed the rear shock to a Risse and now the AMP B3 is for me one of the best bikes. The original rear shock is a bad joke, the price of the B3 here in Austria is ~ 2.500 USD. To much for a bad rearshock. I recommend every B3 owner: change to a risse damper!
And for those, the need a Downhillbike and not a good XC, changed the bike!
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a cross-country rider
from Austin, TX
Date Reviewed: September 6, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This is an initial review after one ride. Man does that Amp rear shock SUCK! It's an insult to think it would actually work. It's a shame because the bike has a lot of potential. At low speed the shock works ok, but at singletrack speeds and up it's a joke. That Amp would sell such a piece of junk is an insult. This sucker is put together like a screen door damper...it's a joke.
The bike itself it nice. Some of the workmanship is kinda lame, good ideas, poor execution. I planned on getting a Risse for it, so the rear shock problem doesn't really matter. Handling is quick, rear flex is there, but not a significant amount, I think it get's blown way out of proportion. It's definitely not a downhill bike, but it climbs well and is well suited for XC work, once you get a decent shock that it. I've got a Bomber on the front and it makes the Amp rear shock feel like junk. Can't wait for the Risse. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Billy Bob
a cross-country rider
from Florida, USA
Date Reviewed: August 7, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I found this bike to look extreremely KYFE, and although the ride was nice, I was embarased to ride it! My friends thought I was dumb or something?~ It's an ok ride as long as you don't care it you look stupid.
Blah!
Blah!
Blah!
Blah!
Blah!
Blah!
Blah!
Blah!
Blah!
Blah!
Blah! Bye! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg Beeler
a weekend warrior
from Great Falls, MT
Date Reviewed: July 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Well the Risse Genesis shock I ordered arrived and it is make the B-3 ride like a dream!!!! I would recommend this upgrade to anyone owning a B-3!!! The ride is uncomparable to the original shock. I am 6'-2 and 220# and would recommend the B-3 to anybody, as long as they also purchase a Risse Genesis along with it! I believe that Amp should dump their current shock and run these instead. It would probably increase their sales!!
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg Beeler
a weekend warrior
from Great Falls, MT
Date Reviewed: June 30, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have only ridden my 97 Amp B-3 one time since I received the frame last week and I am extremly impressed with its climbing ability!! Granted, I used to own a Schwinn S-20 full suspension which had been upgraded to XT components and a Judy DH and it was heavy but, this Amp motors all over the Schwinn!!! I have to admit though that the rear shock is a piece of sh** and would have been better left off the frame. The rear shock clunks and makes all kinds of noises that would be unacceptable by anyone elses standards. I ordered a Risse Genesis to correct the problem. I sure hope it does the trick. All in all the B-3 is an acceptable ride for those of us who still ride bikes 3-4 times a week on single track with an occasional day at the ski hill. I would recommend this frame to anyone, as long as they find a decent rear shock to go with it.If the Genesis improves the ride as well as illiminating the clunking chicken sound I will upgrade my rating to 4 stars. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
S. Godbey
a cross-country rider
from Farmington, ME USA
Date Reviewed: March 17, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've been riding/racing my duel downtubed Amp B2 for about 5 years now, and I don't really have anything bad to say about it. Overall, the bike has held up rather well. I've had to rebuild the fork only once and the rear shock works just fine, although it has developed a wheezing condition over the years. I raced the bike the first few years I owned it and it performed admirably as a XC race mount. The bike is light, and does have a bit of inherent flexiness at the pivot points, but overall, the flex does not distract from the ride. The suspension is not as plush as many of the newer suspension styles, but for use as a race rig it is hard to beat. The bike can climb. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a cross-country rider
from PA
Date Reviewed: March 13, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Fast, solid frame. Rear linkage eliminates biopacing. This bike
can climb! But, the suspension needs work. The F3 front fork dives while decending and breaking. The seals on the rear shock blew every 5 - 10 rides.
I upgraded the fork to a judy and the rear to a Reese air shock. I'm keeping my B3. But, if you find a B3 frame on the used market (AMP doesn't make them anymore)it would be a great buy. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jay Spry
a racer
from Knoxville, TN 37916
Date Reviewed: February 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
i recently acquired this frame after a long battle over the years of battling back from back surgery 3 years ago. i have gone from a klein fervor (one of the stiffest frames in the world) to a true temper steel bike (which was great....trek 990) and am now on this one. i have tried many full suspension bikes, but never loved one of them. until i hopped on the B3. this is the ultimate CROSS COUNTRY race rig. quick on the downhills, but not over supple. once you get past 3.5-4 inches of travel on a bike, it looses all forms of climbing ability. this thing ROX on the climbs, if you stay in the saddle that is. on climbs if you stay in the saddle, there is nothing in this world that can make that rear end loose traction. it is glued. if you come out of the saddle, it will po-go up and down, and will begin to loose traction UNLESS you keep most of your weight back on the bike. singletrack....DREAM!!! it is great on it. fast steering, precise handling etc etc. on the typical aspect of flex with this design, i haven't noticed much, if any flex from the rear end in a riding situation. now, i also have a custom made carbon fiber V-brake booster on there, which helps a lot. without it, the rear does flex. so, simply go out and buy yourself a $15 tektro brake booster, and this rear end is flex free. and i am a hard riding expert rider that ways 162lbs, if i can't flex this frame, you will have trouble making it flex. in terms or weight, my entire bike weighs in at 24.7lbs....that is with a marzocchi fork that weights 4.3lbs alone. this bike is awesome. i recomend it to anyone. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
a cross-country rider
a
from Minneapolis,MN
Date Reviewed: January 17, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
B-3/F4 BLT with Chris King Headset and Kore headset. LX comp. This bicycle works perfect for cross-country riding and moderate down-hill riding. I would strongly recommend this cycle for somebody that prefers a comfortable riding position for long rides with moderate surface imperfections. The F4/BLT fork is a perfect compliment for the B3's 3.25 rear travel. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brad Quartuccio
a cross-country rider
from PA
Date Reviewed: January 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have the Mongoose Amp B3 frame hooked up with a Judy FSX and a bunch of
other wonderous parts. Love it. Best bike I've had. Used to ride a steel
hardtail with the same components (I switched them al over) and there is no
comparison. My bike wieghs in at 26.5 lbs which isnt bad for dual suspension.
The handeling is awesome in the singletrack around here where I dont need
more than 3 inches of travel because of the rolling terrain. It noticibly flexy
if you look at the rear end while grabbing the brakes or moving the wheel around
but it doesnt feel flexy while riding which is all that matters. The one improvement I made was that I made a boot for the shock out of an innertube. Wonderful. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd
a cross-country rider
from Columbus, OH
Date Reviewed: October 30, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a '95 B3 I've ridden for about a year now. It came with the TWP seatstay
brace already installed from previous owner. It's a size medium.The bike rocks. I took off the TWP brace (since it actually limits travel because it bangs right into the seattube), and noticed no additional flex from having it on. In fact, I don't notice much to begin with (I'm 5'10, 150 lbs.)I replaced the stock oil with (claimed) 2.5 wt motorcycle fork oil, and also ground down the spring a little to make it more responsive. Both procedures helped out alot. I recommend it.Anyhow, the frame is great. The travel, although limited, is plush. It's light as heck (my full bike is 24.5 lbs custom). My rear brake works superbly by the way.I'd buy it again. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
C.T.
a weekend warrior
from Huntington Beach, CA
Date Reviewed: August 23, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
The 1997 B3 is a great improvement over the prior years. After the brief break-in period, the bike is like a cadillac down the fire roads. I would give this bike a 10 Star if it the scale went that high! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
scott silvers
a cross-country rider
from novi, michigan
Date Reviewed: August 22, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought this b-3 as a frame (going out of biz sale) and built it up with basically
a xt kit, hugi wheels, riser bar, etc. Just good quality, not super expensive stuff.
I ride at least three times a week and race every weekend I can, and have
had no reliability problems with this frame. Sure, one year of racing and riding
isn't much, but I have literally beat the shit out of this bike and it just yawns.
I did give the b-3 fork to my girlfriend, because the dropouts and hugi hubs didn't
get along, so I put my old Judy on and like it just fine, good front rear balance.
The steering is really quick on fast trails and downhills so pay attention, but I like
this trait, some don't. With an 11-30 rear cogset it can climb anything. People
say the rear end flexes, but my rear can't detect it. This frame looks delicate
when compared to all of the newer designs out there, but looks are definitely
deceiving with this bike. I have only ridden two other full suspension bikes
(fisher joshua w/XTR stuff and a pro-flex 857 w/ noleen coil over shocks front and rear) and I liked the AMP much better than both of those good bikes.
Take a chance on a proven design, not flashy anymore, but its tough and
works great. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sarge
a downhiller
from Holiday, Utah
Date Reviewed: May 13, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
AMP B-3: This bike is an acceptable xc ride if you don't ride too hard. If you have downhilling inclinations stay away. Have sent back to AMP many times for warranty and repairs (I had very good service there though). Good frame replacement program if you blow it up and it's your fault (like it hits a tree). Replaced AMP fork with Judy SL and it rides much better. In a word I'd call this bike 'fragile'. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trevor Delany
a cross-country rider
from Auckland, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: April 23, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I really like the bike. The fork suspension geometry is awesome. Very planar when crossing rough ground, not much nose diving.
Rear end is a bit noisey over rough ground, but upgrade to a XT rear derailleur and KORE Chain reactor eliminated most unwanted noise.
My next bike will be the B4 for certain | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CRAIG BELLE
a racer
from R.S.M. CA. 92688
Date Reviewed: April 11, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH MY AMP-B3 & FORK. I OWNED THE BIKE FOR ABOUT A YEAR. I CRACKED THE FRAME 4 TIMES & HAD THE FORKS REBUILT EVERY MONTH. AFTER 1 YEAR THEY TOLD ME MY WARRANTY WAS UP. THAT WAS THE WORST BIKE I EVER OWNED. I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND AN AMP TO ANYONE. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Juan
a racer
from Laramie,WY. U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: January 7, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I just my B3 with an F3 fork togeather last week. I've ridden it twice so far. I've read all the reviews, and I know I don't have much experiance on this baby yet, but dudes/dudettes, this seems like one sweet ride. The terrain around here varies from extremely rocky, technical to fast fire roads & two tracks, to tight, twistie rolling singletrack.
I read it was flexy so I slammed some high speed turns to see. Maybe a little, but not enough to hinder anything.
I read that the fork suffered from extreme diving, particularly on drop offs. So, I rode several rocky trails, with lots of drops. Big drops. This fork is waaayyy more confidence enspiring than any Rock Shox or Manitou I've ever ridden. Granted I don't about durabuility yet, but so far I really like this rig. Pooey on all you anti- AMPers out there. The B3/F3 combo rocks!
See you all at the 24hrs. of Moab. Watch out for the Laramie Zephyrus. Stop by the camp and I'll buy you a beer. (even you don't like my bike) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Buck
a cross-country rider
from Ardmore Pa
Date Reviewed: January 5, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've got a 95 B3 and love it! I'm a big boy 6'4,210 lbs. and have very little trouble with flex.I feel we ride some of the most technical and difficult trails in the U.S.I bought the frame alone and built the bike myself. Raceface cranks, xtr. xt. derailers and casset,skipped the amp fork and put my Mach 5 SX with springs on the front. I found that putting on some hellbent crosscountry bars was a good move. I will admit this is not your usual B3 but I do love the frame.You can't beat the weight and performance. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim Sanderson
a racer
from
Date Reviewed: November 22, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I'd been shopping around for a FS frame, but I'd never ridden one so it
was hard for me to drop $1200+ for a really awesome frame. A local
bike shop was closing out the Mongoose version of the B2 for $600, so I
picked one up.I could see where the flexiness of the rear triangle would be a problem
for heavier or taller riders. For me it isn't a big deal since I weigh
about 135lbs and ride the small size frame. It took me forever to set it
up- the cable routing is kinda weird (seems very prone to dirt contamination)
and the rear brake has been a bitch due to the flexiness of the shock
stay and the angle of the offset cable stop. V-brakes would be much
better. The swingarm is wide so you need a long bottom bracket, a
whopping 131mm with Topline cranks.I needed to tune the shock to get it to work well. The stock spring was
too heavy so I bought a lighter one. The stock dampening fluid (8w
transmission fluid) is too heavy and makes it overdamped. I repalced it
with 5w oil and it works much better.In short, it's a decent frame- light with a simple design. It works well
for cross country, but I wouldn't consider it a down-hill frame. I wouldn't
pay $1200 for the newer B3 frames, I think there are better frames for
the money out there, but if you want to try a FS and don't have big
bucks, see if you can pick up a B2 for cheap. I've been having a lot
of fun riding and racing mine. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wilson Dyer
a weekend warrior
from Sherman Oaks, CA
Date Reviewed: November 4, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
A Quick update to my previous B-3 review. I finally swapped out the F3 front fork for a simple elastomer powered design that I had on my Spec M2 (no I couldn't part with it so what's the next best thing? Swap out the cool stuff!). It's something made in San Diego called and 'Anti-Gravity' and it's really light for a telescoping system...under 3 lbs, all aluminum except for steerer and amazingly stiff. First impressions are: A winner!!! control still there...better action on smaller bumps really helps even the front to rear handling and seems to be a much better balance. I have to guess that Amp is trying to address this with the F4 design but what's taken them so long. If I didn't have a swapper to try I had my eye on the new Indy SL. Seems a great buy and also under three lbs...reviews seem positive. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Roger M.
a cross-country rider
from Phoenix,Az
Date Reviewed: November 2, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I had a 1995 B-3 which I rode for a year.This was a replacement frame for a B-2, which cracked under the top tube.The B-3 was a significant improvement over the B-2 in terms of the lateral flexiness,which was horrendous. I had a TWP brace on the shock struts and a Risse Elroy shock on it in an attempt to stiffen up the rear end. The Elroy helped alot,and yet the flex-iness was still unacceptable.(I weigh 185 lbs.) I have gone back to riding a steel hardtail as a result , and I love it.
I think the AMP concept is basically a good one,simple,light and a minimal number of pivots. The frame is chronically under-engineered however.The chainstays are too small,the rear pivot is too small and the bottom bracket pivot as well.AMP is addressing some of the other concerns w/ the frame such as a large diameter down tube,gussets between the top and bottom tube, and yet the pivots remain ridiculously tiny.
On a good note ,the B-3 handles like a dream on single track.It's light weight makes it very flickable. When it comes time to climb or in slow technical singletrack, the flexiness makes itself known.It could be a great bike if AMP would just beef it up a little. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wilson Dyer
a cross-country rider
from Sherman Oaks, Ca
Date Reviewed: August 27, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
In general the B3 is a very good bike. I havn't had any construction related
problems and I don't really seem to experience the dreaded flex problem...
although I'm not a downhill rager. What bugs me a bit more is the fork which
seems somewhat twitchy and really only works well on big hits. The fork dosn't
seem balanced with the rear shock. As far as the rear shock goes I do wish the
damping was more progressive. To that end I'm considering the Fox Vanilla as
a replacement. I don't know what to replace the front with since I like the
weight factor. BTW I kept my other bike for comparison, an original S-works M2,
which I loved for a long time, but that affair is over mostly due to its'
bucking bronco nature, so it's going on the block. The B3 wins. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul Horenberger
a racer
from Santa Barbara, CA
Date Reviewed: August 20, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I've been riding my 95 AMP B-3 a little over a year now and it has turned out to
be a worthwhile investment. The geomoetry of the frame and the F2 fork has made
for a predictable, stable handling bike. The rear suspension plushness is almost
more of a benefit on rocky/bumpy climbs than on most descents. The AMP fork is
worlds better than any telescopic fork I've tried in the area of lateral flex
(or lack thereof). The fork just does not work well on smaller bumps. I'm
looking at changing to either the F-3 or F-4BLT forks which are more plush. The
only other complaint I have is that the AMP rear shock simply does not work that
well. The simplicity is nice, but I've gone through two sets of seals and 1
shock shaft. It also is a stressed part of the suspension, so it takes the
lateral loads from the seatstays, and does not help in the infamous AMP rear-end
flexiness. I'm looking at upgrading to the Stata-shock from Stratos Sports to
help that. In general the bike is lightweight, survived a year of some pretty
hard riding, and is a joy to ride. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a downhiller
from Califorina
Date Reviewed: July 2, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought this bike in 1994 and no longer own it, but thought I'd share my experience with it. This thing was a nightmare. The tolerances on it were very poor. The rear triangle was misaligned which caused the rear tire to rub against the left chainstay. I took it to Amp in Laguna Beach and had a new triangle put on, but this one had the same problem. I took it back once again and had the current triangle put on it (which is cnc'd at the bottom bracket instead of welded) and finally that problem was solved. What was never solved was the noisy shock with poor damping, the nonexistent rear brake, poor handling (the rear triangle likes to wander in hard turns), and Horst's denial that there was not a problem with this design or with its poor craftsmanship. It was a big dissapointment. | | Overall Rating: |
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