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Submitted by
mark pawlowski
a Cross Country Rider
from waukesha, wi, USA
Date Reviewed: May 26, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | J & R Cycle & Ski Lombard, Il | | Strengths: | great dirt jumper/ trail bike/ urban assault and great maneuverability. | | Weaknesses: | not always for distance | | Bottom Line: | awesome for screwing around single track and street with the right tires. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Fred Bob
a Cross Country Rider
from Timbucktwo....
Date Reviewed: April 20, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Salish | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicycle Sports Pacific | | Strengths: | Frame, Rims, Wheels, Fork | | Weaknesses: | Brakes, Gears | | Similar Products Used: | Gary Fisher Wahoo | | Bike Setup: | Origional Bike- putting Kenda KRads on in a couple months | | Bottom Line: | This Bike Is Awesome. I have the 06 Model with Manitou Splice Lockout forks and absolutely love them. I got a great deal on the bike too. The brakes on the bike got destroyed fairly quickly however, same with the gears and chainrings. Great Bike for mostly any style of riding. I've taken this bike on cross country trips, dirt jumping and downhilling, which went surprisingly well, despite the fact my brake was torn from the handelbars at one point. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric
a Weekend Warrior
from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Rays Indoor MTB | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$220.00 | | Purchased At: | Rays | | Strengths: | FRAME,FRAME, FRAME | | Weaknesses: | Shifters, derailer, etc | | Similar Products Used: | mongoose ritual, walmart specials | | Bike Setup: | singlespeed, 15.5" (SM) best geometry | | Bottom Line: | OK, I bought this bike from Ray, it was one of their seasonal demo bikes ('08). That means this thing took more of a beating than you could imagine, talk about abuse, this bike has been through anything rays park has to offer, which says a lot, because rays has everything. I rode the bike as is through the park for about 5 hours, taking note of all the defects I could see / feel. The DJ3 fork has held up awesome, aside from being a little dirty, it had plenty of life left in it for this rider, I even did several 4 foot drops to test it, the wheels were surprisingly strait and true, and the frame was rock solid, not a squeak or groan. The geometry of this bike resembles more of a XC bike, unless you get the 15.5" model where there is no angle difference between the frame sections before and after the seatpost, though doing a manual takes a bit more work. The brakes are in fine shape, though I suspect the pads have been replaced, but I cant confirm that. The rear was set up to a single cog, and the front derailer was removed, the only problem here was somone removed the bashguard and the largest front gear was slightly bent, but pedalling was smoothe. Finally, the left pedal is ever so slightly bent, I can only feel it when I really pay attention. Other than that, this mullet has been put through the ultimate test, and survived. Anyone here that has been to Rays knows how badly beaten these bikes can get. Brand new, my LBS sells this mullet with a singlespeed set up for 600$. I think this is the best entry level bike out there for the price, and at the very least, the frame is so beefy, you could build up everything else. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Corey
a Weekend Warrior
from Asheville, NC
Date Reviewed: March 24, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Frame | | Weaknesses: | FORK, Brakes, Components, a pig of a bike | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Recently replaced drivetrain to RaceFace Evolve DH, SRAM X.9 2x9 setup because other parts started failing. Brakes don't work anymore and need replacing very soon. | | Bottom Line: | Strong frame. Experiences a lot of chain suck (may have been due to worn chainrings). Extremely weak fork (I have to 2007 model with the Manitou Slate). The fork is very flexible and not very adjustable. 2008 Model looks MUCH nicer with the DJ3. The MX2's went squishy after a few weeks of riding and are some of the worst brakes I have used. The seat is super heavy. The Shimano shifter/brake combo works fine but makes replacing only shifters or only brakes a hassle (you can't just replace one or the other so with my new shifters I needed to hunt down some old levers). After ~6 months of hard riding (urban, DJ, aggressive XC), the bottom bracket went and needed replacing.
On the flip-side, the frame has stayed true and handled tons of 5-6ft to flat drops on concrete, countless neck whipping stair sets, etc. Wheels may be a bit heavy but are real stout. The tires are bears and should be switched if you plan on much XC. The geometry of the bike is awesome for my style, 5' 10" riding a medium.
Overall a good bike if you don't mind upgrading components. I would not buy this bike again, however. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff Johnson
a Weekend Warrior
from El Cajon ca,
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | any with jumps | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Trek in San Diego | | Strengths: | Frame,headset,bars,set and post. Brakes seem to hold up. | | Weaknesses: | First 10 minutes and the forks were bent, pedals rocked in crank arms. Rear rim doa. | | Similar Products Used: | First 26inch jump/mtb bike | | Bike Setup: | Upgrage to Marocchi downhill cheapies. $300. Bontrager 2 sprocket isis drive cranks.$75. FSA chromo bb. $49. Had A Big Mammoth Sun built using stock hub. $120. | | Bottom Line: | Wish I would spent more time talking with other riders. Trek and Fisher blew me off. Lesson learned. Plan on spending some more money on upgrades if you really ride. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
matt
a Downhiller
from houston tx, USA
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Strengths: | Frame! Im 6'5" 310 lbs! I beat the hell outa that thing! I have all after market items on it, but the Frame is why I got it and I cant be more pleased. | | Weaknesses: | Everything but the Frame! | | Bottom Line: | I bought if for a few hundred and HAD to replace ev erything because of the way I ride and my size. But after spending alot more its now unstopable! Its designed for jumping and abuse, so if you want a strong bike... (its not heavey either). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Luka
a
from Koprivnica, Croatia
Date Reviewed: September 30, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | dirt | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | ranogajec d.o.o. | | Strengths: | brakes, headset, rear wheel, tires, pedals, fork | | Weaknesses: | frame, front wheel, and everything else | | Similar Products Used: | fuji panic | | Bike Setup: | stock | | Bottom Line: | frame got camber on rear chainstay so whell was scrabbling on it. frame is wery weak. and everything else. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
a
from Asheville, NC
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Frame | | Weaknesses: | Fork! | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 6500, Haro V4 | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | Awesome frame. Fork should be replaced if you're close to serious about riding. I continually bottom it out on ~4 foot drops. Derailleurs and other components are not top of the line. Brakes are decent. This bike is fairly heavy and the tires are monsters! I consistently take drops and jumps up to 5ft and have not had any problems (I am waiting for the fork to go so I can get a new one but so far it's surviving).
The 2008's look sweet, with a DJ3 fork and some other differences. If you like some aggresive XC coupled with DJ'ing and some street, go for an '08 model. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mark
a Downhiller
from chapel arm, newfoundland, canada
Date Reviewed: August 18, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | pegwood pond \ butterpot hill | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Purchased At: | canary cycles | | Strengths: | pretty much everything | | Weaknesses: | fork, and...... um...... o yeah! fork! | | Similar Products Used: | nakamura blackhawk (not very similar) | | Bike Setup: | stock | | Bottom Line: | good bike for the price, but gat a better fork. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
brett
a Cross Country Rider
from tamworth, NH
Date Reviewed: August 13, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | remicks | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | naults cyclery manchester | | Strengths: | great handlebars, | | Weaknesses: | dérailleurs, wellgo pedals do some danger, seat bolt snapped in half when i sat down | | Bike Setup: | fully stock | | Bottom Line: | nice bike just needs new dérailleurs if doing anything serious. i ride 20+ miles a day and it feels great, hitting jumps and a trail now and then. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
oliver harvey
a Weekend Warrior
from scotland
Date Reviewed: August 7, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | the local dirt jumps | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | le livres | | Strengths: | Frame, forks, pedals, most things | | Weaknesses: | gears - the cable snapped after about 6 months. headset - bearings aren' t very good | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | completely stock | | Bottom Line: | Buy this bike if your desperate for a cheap but fairly reliable bike. the pedals are deadly. wear the right protection when riding. overall this bike is brilliant for the money. it does anything you want it to (to a certain extent of about 7 ft drops) i jump it quite succesfully and ride it around quite succesfully. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex Candage
a Weekend Warrior
from Meredith, NH
Date Reviewed: July 31, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Highland Bike Park | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$660.00 | | Purchased At: | North Shore Bikes and Boards | | Strengths: | Great Frame with good components such as Bontrager, Shimano, Hayes, and wtb! | | Weaknesses: | Just the Manitou splice fork. I went off of a 5 foot drop and the coil inside of the fork came out and hit me in the neck! Manitou later sent me a Brand new Gold Label Jump Series fork which is worth roughly $400! | | Similar Products Used: | Gary Fisher Parahna. | | Bike Setup: | Red Wellgo platform petals with a Gold Label jump series fork and all other bontrager. | | Bottom Line: | Very Good bike. Just dont do any really big drops with the splice fork! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David .
a Cross Country Rider
from New England
Date Reviewed: July 15, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | morton conservation | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | Chatham cycle | | Strengths: | The strenghtes are the frame, the manituo fork, and the disks, the crank set and bottom bracket on the 2007 are much better then the 2006. alivio rear deralor is good. very light easy to move around in the air | | Weaknesses: | Acera front deralor isnt great but it works, not hydrolik disk brackes, | | Similar Products Used: | Giant boulder SE
Giant Rainier
Gary fisher Bitter + GED | | Bike Setup: | Stock except pedals | | Bottom Line: | the bottom line is its a great bike for the money but if you look at giant rainier you cany buy it for 10 dollars more with Deore front and back deralors and a 130 mm marzocchi front fork. but overall i love the bike i can get wicked good air and pull off sick tricks and not be scared to land on a fragile bike | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris G
a Weekend Warrior
from Ellicott City MD
Date Reviewed: June 22, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Cypress Meade Park | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$660.00 | | Purchased At: | Race Pace Bicycles | | Strengths: | Frame Componentry
Wheels
Seat Post + seat | | Weaknesses: | fork forrk fork fork fork
oh and uh disc's on the bike bend | | Similar Products Used: | DiamondBack octane 24 | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | Great bike for the price but if you really like mtb, and you can afford more, get a bike that has better parts or get a less known bike because it will have better parts for the same price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Richard
a Weekend Warrior
from Mesa, Az, USA
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$465.00 | | Purchased At: | Dominics Cycling | | Strengths: | Frame, Wheels, Mostly everything | | Weaknesses: | Front shocks, possibly front brake discs and both chain derailures. | | Bike Setup: | Stock. New (wider) seat. | | Bottom Line: | I weigh in at a solid 265 pounds and geared up with my backpack full of water and lunch for the day I wind up around 280. So when I went looking for a bike on a very limited budget I was pretty happy to see this Mullet sitting in my local bike shop.
Before I even tried to take a jump I replaced the stock spring in the shocks to the largest available. It is still a bit soft for my weight but much firmer than the stock one (rated at like 150 pounds I believe) but even with the new spring I still don't know if the spring tentioner dial is working or not. It just seems to spin freely. I plan on upgrading the fork when I save up the money.
The only other problem I've had is the front brakes rubbing when I do anything other than coast in a straight line. When I pedal, they rub, when I turn, they rub, etc. The bike shop says it is because of the 8 inch rotor combined with a relatively flexible fork design.
I mentioned the derailures up there only because I had some freak problems with my chain getting sucked up but that was taken care of by cleaning the packing grease off the chain and re-lubing with chain oil. After all the cables stretched over a couple weeks of riding I adjusted everything and haven't had any problems.
Oh, the grips are slipping off. I am going to get some new ones.
BOTTOM LINE
I am a big guy and when I jump, I go big and land hard. This bike has taken everything I have given it and come out without so much as a scratch on the paint. Just last week I took a 9 foot drop landing square on concrete. If it was any other bike I could get for $465 I am sure it would be a twisted mess right now.
When I was bike shopping, the other bikes with comparable components, build quality, etc, were nearly twice the price.
I recomend this bike for pretty much anybody. Sure experts will want something more expensive and rightly so, but if you are like me (big) and like to ride the trails without fear of breaking anything, I recomend this bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
chris taylor
a
from Vancouver
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | the local dirt jumps | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | bicycle sports pacific | | Strengths: | Everything really. The frame is great, you can thrash it around, and still not break it. The stock components are also great. | | Weaknesses: | the only weakness this bike really has are the front disc brakes,(mine are a bit loose right now), and a few of the spokes broke. The stock tires are very weak. | | Bike Setup: | all stock, except for new grips and tires | | Bottom Line: | The bottom line is that tis bike is really great to take to the local dirt park, and it can take the hits of huge drops, and it is still great for cross country. The only things i would upgrade would be the fork, the stem,the handle bars, the seat, and the tires. other wise, its great stock. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Derek
a
from Bow,NH, USA
Date Reviewed: April 20, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Goodales Bike Shop Hoksett | | Strengths: | Frame,Fork,pedals,and Brakes | | Weaknesses: | Derailer Front/Rear,Front Crank, Rims,Bottom Bracket,Seat, Seatpost, Bars,Shifters, Rear Rotor, Tires | | Similar Products Used: | Bitter | | Bike Setup: | Race Face Atlas Seatpost,Race Face Prodigy Front Crank 22/32, Race Face Evolve Bottom Bracket, 8 inch Rotors Front And Rear, Haro Bmx Seat, Sun Rims Rhyno Lite W/ Shimano Deore xt hubs, Salsa Flip off's Skewers, Salsa Flip Off's Seatpost clamp, Maxxis Minoin Dhf/Dhr 2.35, Shimano Deore lx Rear Derailer | | Bottom Line: | If you are going to buy this bike and do some extemer freeriding i would suggest Just buying a bitter instead that way all you have to upgrade is bars, rotors, and tires. If you are just starting to do free ride this is a perfect bike, but if you are more advanced then you sould buy the bitter, Ged(no longer made if you want one you will have to find a used one), or a phd. I replaced all the parts that i rplaced duto them either wearing out or just breaking or wanting to upgrade so the wouldnt break. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe bishop
a Weekend Warrior
from jersey
Date Reviewed: February 13, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | les creux | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$856.00 | | Purchased At: | Boudins | | Strengths: | frame, forks, dereillers, tires, wheels, everything | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | i bought motodigger tires after my old ones died but apart from that it's completely stock | | Bottom Line: | buy this bike! its amazing, there is nothing you cant do with it, i use it for my paper round jumping, cycling to school its great for long distance jumping, drop offs anything you want it to do it will do. p.s whats with the chilis? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ian Ravey
a Weekend Warrior
from Glasgow, Scotland
Date Reviewed: January 21, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Les Gets 2 DH | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | EVANS | | Strengths: | Frame | | Weaknesses: | Everything else! | | Bike Setup: | DH bar, 55mm stem, Pike 409 U-turn 140mm, Hone Crank, Sunn singletrack rims, hope PRO II hubs, deore 8" hydraulics, MAXXIS 2.5 high rollers, DMR saddle, V12's | | Bottom Line: | I bought this as an alternative to my SCOTT FR bike (7" travel front/rear with marr 66RC's set-up for DH etc) which was becoming to heavy for general riding. Had to change EVERYTHING - which was pretty much expected. Climbs well, descends quickly and is turning out to be my bike of choice for the 7 stanes routes in Scotland.
The frame is great, and everything else is OK as long as you don't expect to do big drops etc.
In summary - good red route bike, and excellent for beginner to intermediate. Needs extensive upgrading if you want much more in terms of extreme terrain. The frame is excellent and makes a good platform to build a reasonably light, strong 'all mountain' hardtail.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan
a Downhiller
from Windsor Ontario
Date Reviewed: January 18, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$700.00 | | Purchased At: | Ambasador bikes | | Strengths: | frame and forks | | Weaknesses: | crank wheels shifters | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | shimano hollowtech crank, fsa bash guard, singlespeed, rear 6" mech brake, single track front and rear rims, diety bars stem and seat | | Bottom Line: | i broke a lot of stuff on it....don't wast your money. Save up and buy a better bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
annonomous
a Weekend Warrior
from reading
Date Reviewed: January 18, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | mountain high | | Strengths: | it has a great frame and good forks. the brakes are exceptional due to the fact there only mech discs not hydro's the bottom crank isnt to low and the gears change smoothly | | Weaknesses: | the rear cassette isnt very strong three of the teeth broke off in the first 6weeks of owning the bike | | Similar Products Used: | gt chucker
kona scrap | | Bottom Line: | this is a GREAT bike i recommend it to anyone starting out biking or going a bit more serious!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Gorrell
a Weekend Warrior
from Raleigh
Date Reviewed: November 12, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Crabtree creek | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycling spoken hwere | | Strengths: | Frame is built to last. I Have been using this bike for IPMBA classes. I use it to going up and down stairs, and slow speed obstacle courses. I really put a beating on this bike and it is like brand new. I ride intermediate trail on a regular basis with no problem. This bike is strong. Great for beginner or an advanced rider looking to upgrade. | | Weaknesses: | Forks, A bit low end but still great for light to intermediate riding. Looking to upgrade to a better manitou. Crank is rather cheap but holds up well. I will upgrade this when the time comes. bike is a little heavy but its not a carbon, you get what you pay for. | | Similar Products Used: | Giant, Specialized. | | Bike Setup: | Stock other than pedals. Crank brother candy pedals | | Bottom Line: | Definitely recommend. You can't go wrong with a Gary Fisher. Great strong bike, great for beginner through intermediate. Advanced riders would have to upgrade everything. Great buy for the price with no major flaws. I am planning on upgrading parts when they break. I will upgrade to a lighter setup. The weight is really not that bad. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
a Weekend Warrior
from everett, washington, us
Date Reviewed: November 11, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | seans trail (galbrith mt.) | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$700.00 | | Purchased At: | cycle center | | Strengths: | a really tough bike that can handle almost any fall. great rims and a nice adjustable fork. | | Weaknesses: | the derailers were lowerend and the handle bars were too wide, but about 100 bucks later (ebay is cheap) those thing were fixed. | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | now it has manito splice 100mm travel fork, with(came on it) deore xt rear and deore front derailers, with lx 9spd shifters and a sram x7 casset | | Bottom Line: | its a very good bike for a begginner, and a great bike for playing around on jumps and little free ride things. handles great in mud and dry-slick enviroments the wide bontager tires gets exellent traction on just about everything. watch out for slimey leaves on-top of mud though it can get slippery. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a
from New Jersey United States
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Strengths: | strong frame, light, fast, discs, handle bars, pedels. | | Weaknesses: | my bottom crank comes loose. reccomend an upgrade. when i get goin fast and turn front disc rubs and makes a ringing noise, the paint chips easily, fork is soft | | Similar Products Used: | Garyfisher Opie | | Bike Setup: | stock | | Bottom Line: | Its a nice bike, good for light downhill and light dirtjumping, i race my friends through trails in the woods and it handels really nice all can really complain about is the bottom crank and the disc rubbing on turns or while going pedeling fast (because of pumping the bike left and right). I like the pedels but reccomend leg protectors cause if u slip up u kill ur shins. I love this bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
matt fisher
a Weekend Warrior
from toronto
Date Reviewed: September 26, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | hardwood hills | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | skiis and biikes | | Strengths: | the frame is amazing and the suspention | | Weaknesses: | when i first got it the discs were rubbng (and still are) derailers were off and tire popped in the first two weeks | | Similar Products Used: | nothing | | Bottom Line: | well made bike just get it at a respectful dealership | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
a Weekend Warrior
from Scotland
Date Reviewed: September 17, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Glentress - all trails | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | Evans | | Strengths: | Frame | | Weaknesses: | Fork and finishing kit | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | small frame with Marzzochi Drop-off 130's, Mavic 729 wheels, maxxis Minnions (2.35) with XT/LX group with a Hone crank,65mm stem with DH bar | | Bottom Line: | I bought this bike for the frame and as an alternative to my bigger full sus bike (nitrous with 66RC fork and 7" travel front and rear).
However, before I started upgrading I ran the bike stock and found the level of kit very poor. First off, I found the head angle to be too steep. This bike really needs a taller fork than the 100mm splice supplied. Within a few weeks I had wrecked both wheels, found the fork flex quite scary, and decided I couldn't live with the bars (they feel very 'odd' - relatively flat with a unusual angle). I changed the fork to a drop-off, lifting the front of the bike to a more natural height (66 deg head), put on a 60mm stem and DH bar, changed the wheels to the mavic 729's with maxxis minnion tyres.
This bike now performs the way it was originally designed - absolutely fantastic!
The frame is perfect. I now intend upgrading the brakes from the very poor (this being a relative assessment - I am used to running full hydraulics with 203mm rotors) cable discs to something more worthy of the frame - probably Avids.
Overall - The frame is excellent but the main components and finishing kit means you don't get the best out of the frame. The consequence of this is that you need to spend money to get it to perform the way the frame designer intended.
It should be noted that since buying this bike I have used it for general XC (typically 20mile runs) and fairly simple dirt jumping.Having carried out the changes as described above, the bike has performed perfectly for both disciplines.
If I was rating the frame it would be a 5 - but as a bike I have to knock it down to a 3.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
gr agf
a Downhiller
from fa
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Strengths: | it has none mabye the bars or the seat | | Weaknesses: | rims tires deurailers shifters brakes fork is absoutley horrible it is garbage | | Similar Products Used: | bitter | | Bottom Line: | Don't buy this bike unless you plan on not hitting jumps or drops over 4.5 to 5 feet from experience the spoke broke right off the rim only going off of a 5 set of stairs | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
callum
a Racer
from england
Date Reviewed: August 14, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | bontrone bikes | | Strengths: | this bike is really light. this makes it a lot easyer to throw around in the air. | | Weaknesses: | the front disc rubs againts the pads. even if u leave a huge gap[ it will still rub. this is because the tire is too big for the rim and creats flex. | | Similar Products Used: | ______________________________ | | Bike Setup: | stock (apart from dj's) | | Bottom Line: | a great begginer/ goin intermeadiate bike as is strong and still light. the front disc has amazin stoppin power in all weather and this is good as if your doin light downhill it will slow u down. ~( as doing downhill you dont want to stop) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
George Green
a Weekend Warrior
from Rochdale
Date Reviewed: August 8, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | fort william | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | chris paulsons | | Strengths: | Not many strengths only good strength was uphill climbing. | | Weaknesses: | First of all i was at fort william and i did a 3ft jump and the cup tore away from the frame and i was in hospitial for two days becuase my face planted into the floor because i was only wearing my dirt lid. | | Similar Products Used: | Norco fuse RUDE!
Norco Atomik SEXY! | | Bike Setup: | stock | | Bottom Line: | I would not trust this bike i had to find out the hardway dont let this happen to u if you think on getting a decent bike go out and buy a 2005 norco atomik brillant bike or a 24seven deviant hardcore! rember always were a full face helmet. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Nylon
a Weekend Warrior
from Rochdale
Date Reviewed: August 7, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Whistler (Canada) | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | Chris paulsons | | Strengths: | There was not really any strenghts accept i could cross country it. | | Weaknesses: | Were do i start firstly the welding cracked on the bottom of the frame after hitting a small board ramp at speed.
Also i hitt a 3 ft drop to flat and the forks started pissing oil and bottomed out.so i jacked it in and bought a 24seven deviant (best bike) | | Similar Products Used: | Gary fisher bitter
Gary fisher opie (dissapointed) | | Bike Setup: | Manitou splice
Really it was stock. | | Bottom Line: | Do not ever buy this bike because of the reasons stated above, and you are better of getting a 24seven these are reliable | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
josh
a Cross Country Rider
from Lexington,ohio
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Alum Creek | |
|
$ 600.00
