Submitted by
T
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver Date Reviewed: May 4, 2006
Favorite Trail:
CBC trail
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
Cove Bike Shop
Strengths:
2005 Cove foreplay MX Best frame I have ever had, the geometry couldnt be any better. Easton Rad tubing, life time warrenty, made in canada
Weaknesses:
u got to be kidding me
Similar Products Used:
Ellsworth Specialist, .243, evil
Bottom Line:
If you have the money to invest in a hartail frame that will last you a life time, you would be stupid to not get a cove bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Thor
a
from BC Date Reviewed: April 20, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
- Incredibly "easy to handle" bike...feels and handles like a big BMX. - High speed stability and predictable, easy to huck (even for the beginner). - Long top tube (23.75 inches) makes for a roomy cockpit and accomodates tall riders.
Weaknesses:
- Not the best climber due to heavy Easton RAD tubing and short chainstays. If you like climbing, consider the Stiffee FR instead. - Price? Depends on whether you can swing a good deal with Cove. To be fair, many competitors' frames are priced similarly or more and at least the Cove is Made in Canada.
Similar Products Used:
The usual "shore bike" suspects...
Bottom Line:
This bike is now called the Foreplay MX.
Gotta be honest and say that there are so many competitors out there now offering similar bikes that it comes down to personal taste, brand loyalty, best deal you can get, etc.
Then again, what makes the Stiffee SL different from other competitors' dirtjumper frames is that the Stiffee SL has an unusually long top tube (almost 24 inches) to short chainstay (16 inches) ratio. It all makes sense as to why it handles so well. Throw on some riser bars and doing a front wheel lift for wheelies and manuals were never easier. Very sweet for jumping.
Although it's sized as a 13.5 inch frame, the dramatically down sloping top tube is still rather high when used with the current crop of long travel forks, and due to its high bottom bracket. It will nicely fit a 5'10" to 6' rider.
BTW, in pictures the tubing on the back end looks round. However, the chain stays are actually oval rectangular. Makes sense when you consider the oval is structurally one of the strongest geometric shapes...Which makes you ask why some other manufacturers use square tubing?
Value rating is 4 since its MSRP is quite high.
Overall rating of 5 because it does exactly what it was designed to do and common sense (rather than trends and fasion) was used in the frame design.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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