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Gary Fisher
Level Betty FH1
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Submitted by
Chris
a Downhiller
from England
Date Reviewed: May 31, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Marin Trail, Wales | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$57.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | Top Geometrey, Very Relaxed, resonable weight | | Weaknesses: | Not so much of a weakness but URT allows me to stay with Lycra Wearers | | Similar Products Used: | GT STS, Spec. FSR. Kona Stab | | Bike Setup: | Mr T's,Fox rear shock, Magura quick silver(r) Julie (f) Middleburn, Halo SAS, XTR, Xlite and Syncross | | Bottom Line: | Flows Down well, Is great fun and the paint, well, Kawasaki Green, people tend to get out the way.
I got a bargin brand new frame for 50 odd pounds, What a result
TOP Freeride, play bike | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Downhiller
from Denver, Co
Date Reviewed: May 21, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicycle Pedlar | | Strengths: | Great bike at first. Good components except rear hub. | | Weaknesses: | Cracked the frame under the steer tube 3 years after purchase. Blew out the Judy 5 times, the Super Deluxe twice. | | Similar Products Used: | Jamis Dakar Expert, Tomac 6 shooter, Schwinn Straight 8, Santa Cruz Super8, Cannondale Gemini, just bought Giant DH Team. | | Bike Setup: | Put a Truvativ Hussfelt chainguide which is terrible, Azonic bars, Magura Raceline D rear brake. | | Bottom Line: | I'm not surprised I cracked the frame with the type of riding I do. After a few after market parts it was great. The shock and fork were a pain to deal with, but when they worked they were great. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric Bert
a Weekend Warrior
from Québec
Date Reviewed: April 6, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | mt-bélair road n trail | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | This bike make no flex on ridding. Very good frame and cheap maintenance en the rear pivot. Very good factory setup. Betty Boup! Good rear travel 6" | | Weaknesses: | Bottle rack are really badly placed.
| | Similar Products Used: | gt lts-3 (crappy rear pivot) | | Bike Setup: | Xt rear der
stx rc fr der
lx crank
very good oldie deore dx pedal
rs super delux
rs judy xl 100mm
fsa pig dh headset
avid 1.0l v-brake rear
hayes hydrolique 6" front brake
bontrager crowbar dh comp stem and handle bar
oasis seat
| | Bottom Line: | I found when i setup the compression of the super delux to hard, i have some felling that i i'am ridding a hardtail. The bike make no flex. It's surely because my 135lbs. When i set the compression to lower, this bike ride like dh bike, very smooth the lazy. I love this bike. Just changed the crank for a lx because the sugino are weak. Well balanced. Good fisher! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Daryl McCormick
a Weekend Warrior
from Stroudsburg, PA
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | Vitulli's Cycle Fit, East Stroudsburg, PA | | Strengths: | First...I noticed that Ray from Kansas, an apprent "downhiller" (isn't Kansas Flat?) gave this ride a poor review, only the subject of his negative comments was alomst exclusively related to user-definable ride characteristics. I have had this bike for four seasons...I don't get wobble, bobbing or any other crap like that because I took the time to dial my ride in to fit my riding style and weight. Its capable on technical climbs and descents, though it can get bouncy is slower technical sections.
This bike is a blast. Its not so heavy that I could ever complain about weight. The travel is plush and adjustable, the ride IS active and the geometry is super comfortable. I don't endo as much on this bike as I did the fully rigid Rockhopper I had before.
I have taken this bike on a 48mph downhill run and it can definitely haul ass...plus it takes to the air quite readily and easily.
| | Weaknesses: | Whazzup with the super long stock seatpost and that P.O.S. seatpost clamp?
The rear shock should come with a lockout switch (like the GF Joshua does) at this pricepoint.
It should have come with stock disc brakes. | | Similar Products Used: | MARIN B-17, TREK Y-33, Specialized FSR | | Bike Setup: | GF Level Betty FH1 large frame
WTB Velociraptor 2.1 tires
ONZA H.O. pedals
Sugino Impel Crankset
Bontrager Crowbar handlebar
Bontrager seat
Bontrager Mustang wheelset with GF hubs
Icon Shortie stem
Icon seatpost
Icon barends (that's right...this bike can climb like hell if the rider can)
'98 Judy XLC
RockShox Deluxe
Dia-Comp PC-7 levers, v-brakes
Sachs Twistshift shifters
Shimano LX dereilleurs | | Bottom Line: | Bottom line is this: the is an excellent free-ride bike. Its not so light that you can't actually race it in an XC or 24hr race, while the suspension doesn't affect climbing in any significant way; there isn't much bob if you set it up right. It descends like a demon if you have the skills. With mods this bike can be used in a wide range of racing situations (i.e. - XC, DH or DS).
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Craig Stishenko
a Downhiller
from Kelowna b.c. canada
Date Reviewed: November 30, 2000 | | Favoriate Trail: | Plankenstien at crawford | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$3000.00 | | Purchased At: | from a friend | | Strengths: | awesome design, light, strong, lotsa travel | | Weaknesses: | single bolt holding on rear end... | | Similar Products Used: | Joshua F4 | | Bike Setup: | super deluxe, Rst alfalfa, lx... sweet!!! | | Bottom Line: | Wicked bike, awesome jumper, sweet for Dual slalom... i tried it on all... A++++, i love the bike, it is my baby, never lets me down always preforms well, liked by every one.... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
gavin messenger
a Weekend Warrior
from Adelaide
Date Reviewed: November 23, 2000 | | Favoriate Trail: | Fox Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | berni jones cycles | | Strengths: | quiet!(no clanks or rattles), very plush, cheap, good value | | Weaknesses: | judy xl's on the front, paint came off when I took off some of the stickers! | | Similar Products Used: | mongoose 6.7, 8.1, 9.5 | | Bike Setup: | maavic rims, Hutchinson Jumbo tyres, tioga DH seat, modified judy xl's, dh bars | | Bottom Line: | An awesome bike!! I purchased this bike 2nd hand, and, bar filling the cartridge with 12wt oil and swapping the elastomers with speed springs, it has performed far greater than my current skill level, leaving me with knackered legs and a big smile every time! The riding position is great, not feeling cramped or having the feeling you're going over the handlebars. The only thing I would change is to upgrade to discs and to put a decent set of forks on (the mods helped but only to a certain degree) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lindon
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney NSW Australia
Date Reviewed: September 5, 2000 | | Favoriate Trail: | Back Yard | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Makes me smile when I ride it. Gets me out on the trails. | | Weaknesses: | All the stuff other people write. It's all true. I still smile. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 8500LT, Giant 890 | | Bike Setup: | Changed only the pedals to 858's | | Bottom Line: | It's for fun. That's the bottom line. All the cons are true, but I'm not out to race, I'm out to have fun, and this bike lets me. So what's wrong with that! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland,ME
Date Reviewed: December 30, 1999 | | Favoriate Trail: |
anything that goes downhill and sometimes up | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
A good all-around bike, easy maintenance. | | Weaknesses: |
RockShox front & rear | | Similar Products Used: |
Almost all '98-'99 full suspension XC and free-ride bikes | | Bike Setup: |
All stock except for rear Hugi disc hub and rear Hayse disc and Conti. downhill tubes | | Bottom Line: | I got this bike as a left-over in spring of '99 at a reduced price which also included the upgraded rear brake, hub, and rim for $1700. Before the purchase, the bike store sent back the rear shock because it was leaking. Three months later I blew the Judy XL on a 4' wheelie drop. After those repairs I haven't had a problem. Hayes brakes are the best, easy to maintain and if you ride during the winter, you don't have to worry about ice, muck, etc on your rims. This is a good bike once you get the rear dialed in. This bike has just as much or less bob than any other , including some swing arm designs I've riden. It's a FUN bike. I love riding it, especially down hill! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ray
a Downhiller
from Kansas
Date Reviewed: August 17, 1999 | | Favoriate Trail: |
Your mom | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
Name is cool | | Weaknesses: |
URT, frame both are terrible, they flex and bob. You notice the flex especally on sidehills. Bobbing happens everywhere. | | Similar Products Used: |
Specialized FSR, GT LTS | | Bottom Line: | To rephrase Ron Barr this bike is a complete joke! It sucks as a freeride bike because the rear suspension won't do what you want it to, i.e. jumping, slamming bumps. URT's are terrible because they are not fully active. Also this bike is not built stiff so it flexs a great deal further robbing power. Maybe one of these bikes will work for 40yr olds who tend to write in and give good reviews but for anyone with some nuts the bike doesn't have what it takes. Sucks ass, Cartman | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Montreal, Quebec
Date Reviewed: July 21, 1999 | | Favoriate Trail: |
Bromont | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
It just feels great | | Weaknesses: |
Rock Shox rear shock | | Similar Products Used: |
--- | | Bike Setup: |
XTR, Rafe face, twin disc brake, double wide, mavic D321, Jr-T 98,... | | Bottom Line: | Personaly i like the bike... The URT system works fine, for someone that only wants to have fun... it bombs down hills craving for more, it's a tough and low maintenace, only one pivot... and i've machine a new pair of plates that hold the rear shock that make the feel a lot more progressive and i think that i gained at least 1/2 to 1 inch of rear travel but i'm gonna check on that and to you more exactly on this...it's a good bike!!!
keep ridin!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, Australia
Date Reviewed: June 27, 1999 | | Favoriate Trail: |
Thredbo Raw NRG | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Good spec for the price as with most Fishers. Inherent USA made quality. | | Weaknesses: |
Rock Shox customer service. | | Similar Products Used: |
Trek Y3, Diamond Back V-Link, Fisher Joshua | | Bike Setup: |
Factory with XTR Rear Deaurallier, Oury grips, LX Front Deaurallier. | | Bottom Line: | Never was a fan of URT, however with the Genesis geometry the bike feels better. This bike has been PUNISHED and always comes back for more. I can't think of a ride where a big smile didn't come over me since the bike is a fantastic all-rounder. Sometimes we need to put aside personal preferences and evaluate the bike on its own merits - that's where I can honestly say that this bike is a winner. The only drawback was a blown fork cartridge which took weeks to replace, and perhaps the higher maintenance levels these new bikes require. My only wish is for a rear disc which will stop the shredding of rear brake pads. Don't buy this bike to race - buy it for all round fun and you will be happy. Well done Fisher (okay - Trek, but Gary did design the thing). | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Quebec
Date Reviewed: May 21, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Weaknesses: |
RS Super Deluxe | | Bottom Line: | I think it's a good bike, a fun bike... The only thing a disliked about this bike, are the RockShox fork and shock. I changed the RS Judy XL for a Jr-T and the Super Deluxe for a Fox Vanilla RX, and wow! what a difference, especially with the Fox... the rear end is more sensible, it soaks up every thing, and reduces the bob, and the Jr-T, well for a freeride fork, can't beat them, and handles really well for downhilling... Like the review before me, you buy this bike to have fun, not to race!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross-Country Rider
from North Attleboro, Ma
Date Reviewed: May 9, 1999 | | Favoriate Trail: |
F. Gilbert | | Duration Product Used: |
tested or demo'ed only | | Bottom Line: | This bike is not about racing or competition. It's not about weight. It's merely it's name: the FH1. It's a Fun Hog. It was designed for fun and that's what it's about. if you're a diehard weight freak or x-country rider (like myself), than you buy a lightweight XC bike. If you're a DH'er and the suspension and toughness is the key, buy a DH bike. If you don't care if you win or lose, an just want to have fun, buy a bike like this. It's the kind of bike that just puts a smile on your face after a good hill, and not really caring if you want to beat the next guy. Ride b4 you buy. 5 chilis for the fun hog.For the techno-weenies, the braking is primo, shox are kind squishy, shifting is great, replace the seat, tires stink, though it has 101mm in the front and 130 in the rear -- it's still semi-light (i don't know exact weight, prolly around 25) and it all looks pretty good too....all work and no play is no good at... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a weekend warrior
from Colorado
Date Reviewed: February 6, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I agree with Ron Barrs review (see earier posts). After selling my Fun Hog and purchasing a Cannondale Freeride 900 I can now see drawbacks to the URT concept. The bike bobs and that is a fact. I don't care what anyone says to defend the bike the fact still remains. I know, I fought against this problem the entire time I owned my bike, around a year. It was a very long year, filled with anomosity towards by bad purchasing decision. With my C-dale I have found that I do not have to change my style or conform to the bike's design. I just ride and enjoy efficient power transfer due to a superior design. No more pedal and brake induced suspension activity, just pure and simple forward thrust. I read reviews on the other sites concerning the Y-bike design and have found that the owners tend to be very loyal to this design. This tells me either it is the best type out there (which it isn't) or that the owners have never truthfully experienced any other suspension design. I have ridden the linkage types FSR's, LTS's. and Kona's but was swayed in my choice of the Super V because of almost equal performance with far less maintenance. The URT is not a performance orientated bicycle design this can be proved by viewing the new Trek catalog featuring the VRX. The URT Y-bike will soon die out and be replaced with far better suspenion designs. I can't wait to read the negitive reviews on sites like this in the following year! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
André
a weekend warrior
from Quebec, canada
Date Reviewed: January 19, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike is a bomb, it eats up every thing you give it, very plush, it bomb down a hill just like it should... and best of all, you can go where ever you want with this bike... uphill, downhill!!!Hey Ron! are you a racer or what? if yes, you are not wise having this bike to race, mmmm.... i don't thik so, get real... FH1, stands for FUN HOG, not RACE HOG...keep riding and just enjoy!!!Loose control is rock'n roll | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Anthony Gordon
a cross-country rider
from Australia
Date Reviewed: December 9, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Got hold of a Betty by chance and since the hardtail for XC has a stress fracture the Batty was it. For XC no way, for the DH and similar like riding on jello. Ok bits break off and squeek, but a good thrasher. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jonathan
a weekend warrior
from quebec (montreal)
Date Reviewed: December 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've just got the bike, and i just love it... it's a great FREERIDE bike. Maybe some riders don't like the bike or a complete Joke, if you're a downhill rider, go spend twice the amount this bike costs and get a downhill specific bike... don't forget, this isn't a downhill bike, it's not even downhill equiped... this bike is for having FUN, not racing, it's for riders that like bombing down any hill, and cam also, go up hill when you go X-country. And the ones that say it's a heavy bike, wake up, it's not a X-country bike either... this is a great bike, it's plush, it's fast, not to heavy, no to light...For Ron the supposing bomb, the reason why the bike never wins, it's because the bike is not for racing, and i think that if your are a racer as you pretend, you wouln'd have bought the bike, you would have bought a Super 8, or something like that...I think it's a great bike, with the genesis geometry, it's perfect for riders with FUN in mind, not RACING... think about it!Jonathan | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Charlie Fishburn
a weekend warrior
from San Francisco
Date Reviewed: October 16, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
URT's are the worst bicycle design ever. My bike bio-paces everywhere unless I crank the shock preload way up to almost ridged. The Level Betty is also way too heavy and the frame seems to twist whenever I ride a side hill making it difficult to stay on line. Forget standing up when you pedel since the rear suspesion sucks all your power. I wish I would have waited and got a new style Trek. This bike sucks, no chili's! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Dougherty
a weekend warrior
from Boston, Ma
Date Reviewed: September 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
When I first got this bike I absolutely loved it, then things started to break. The things I love about this bike is the plush ride and the ease it has with very technical riding. I cannot comment on the DH qualities, or lack thereof, as riding on the east coast is mostly technical trail riding and this bike does great. In order for Gary Fischer to reach a certian price point they put some cheap componets on this bike, of which most of them I have broken at this point. Fortunatly they have been warrantied and then upgraded by me. The STX rear hub and free wheel have both broken and now have been replaced with XT hub and freewheel. I stripped the inner chain ring off the sugino 700 crank and upgraded to an LX crank. The rock shock superdelux rear shock blew after 150 miles and I was off my bike for three weeks waitng for rocksucks to send me a new one. This bike was not built for an aggressive 6'5 220 lb rider. Even though this bike had been in the shop way too much I love riding it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ron the bomb Barr
a racer
from anchorage, alaska
Date Reviewed: September 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike is a complete joke! The URT suspension stiffens up when you stand and bobs like crazy standing or sitting. The Fun Hog was simply an easy way for Fisher to gain access into the agressive riding/freeride market. Simply put this bike won't cut it. The very nature of the unified rear triangle design means your actully riding a bike with two seperate frames connected at one pivot point. What happens when going downhill is the bike will unhinge and stinkbug in addition to locking out the rear suspension under braking. The laterial stiffness of the bike is also poor. Before you buy ride a four bar linkage type bike and compare. You won't be sorry. If the Y-frame concept was so great Y don't these bikes win anything? Maybe that is why Trek is coming out with the linkage type VRX for '99. | | Overall Rating: |
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