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Submitted by
Blacksugar
a Weekend Warrior
from Spartanburg SC
Date Reviewed: June 30, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1100.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Worx | | Strengths: | nice bike good for xc its a decent freeride bike now its done a 6 foot drop on to concrete and its done fine and i am a 6'1 190 pound rider its nice bike for the money its held up very well | | Weaknesses: | cheap front fork needs disk brakes and needs a better saddle | | Similar Products Used: | Sugar4 and marlin | | Bike Setup: | Ryno lites, race pycho,THE front fender,avid bb5s, cut the seat post so it sits lower and a hussfelt crank and a howitzer BB | | Bottom Line: | it started out as a nice xc bike when i got it now i have moved on to jumps drops and anything else i can find and the bike has held up well but if your doing anything bigger then 7 or 8 foot drops it really just can't take it but hey its not a freeride bike | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Neurotic
a Weekend Warrior
from Poznan, Poland
Date Reviewed: June 3, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Skiteam Poznan | | Strengths: | Very light, very fast. Very cool looking bike. | | Weaknesses: | Terribly uncomfortable seat. Problem with ghost-shifting. | | Similar Products Used: | Klein Palamino X | | Bottom Line: | Excellent XC MTB for the price. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andreas Bastias
a Cross Country Rider
from Nashville,TN,USA
Date Reviewed: May 1, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Haw Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | Cumberland Transit | | Strengths: | Ride Quality: In a word, Plush. The 4 inches of front and rear travel take the edge off of even the rootiest trails, helping eliminate saddle soreness with no thanks to the stock saddle. I should probably also mention the adjustable travel; however, with the comfort of 4 inches I find myself reluctant to switch to the 2.8. With the new tires the bike feels like it's on rails. Overall, I love how the Sugar 4+ feels on rides and how it leaves me feeling after them.
Durability: While I can't yet say how time will treat the bike, if the past three months are any indication, it should definately live up the Gray Fisher name. This bike has taken everything I've dished to it and can definately take more. In addition to extensive single track riding, I've taken it on dirt jumps, moderate downhill, and lots of urban terrain. Even after my countless spills, I still haven't had any problems that couldn't be fixed with a multitool.
Appropriateness: This is a perfect full-susp bike for someone just entering the world of mountain biking. The selection of compontents(Shimano LX,Deore,etc) is geared towards the novice to intermediate rider, providing relaiblitly and quality while still retaining a sense of ability appropriateness and allowing for growth as a rider.
| | Weaknesses: | Weight: While I haven't ridin many other full suspension bikes, I get the feeling that the Sugar 4+ is a bit on the beefy side of the spectrum. It especially apperant lugging the extra weight up hills. This problem will probably improve over time as the stock components are replaced with newer, lighter ones.
Bounce: Even in the short travel setting I feel some pedal bounce, and again it is especially apperant on long climbs. Not a terribly big issue, but rear lock out would be nice.
| | Similar Products Used: | None. First Full Suspension. Tested Trek Fuel. | | Bike Setup: | The bike is still mostly stock,:
+ Time ATAC XS pedals on trails.
+ Primo platforms for street riding and crusing around campus.
+ Maxxis ADvantage 26x2.1 XC tires
+ Cateye Micro Wireless Computer
+ Titec Ithys Gove Titanium Saddle
Will upgrade more as the need arrises and as money becomes available.
| | Bottom Line: | First off, I am 5'7", 140 lbs. That noted, this bike fits me like a glove, and the suspension works very well with my weight. I have not experienced alot of the troubles, that some of the bigger riders have mentioned in their reviews. I will say that I have found the front suspension(Manitou Splice Super) to be a little on the soft side,and though it's not really a problem for me, I can see how it might pressent a problem for bigger riders.
I hadn't mountain biked prior to owning this bike(I rode a little bmx), and the improvement in my riding ablity in just the past 4 months has been noticeable. I ride almost everyday and try to do trails weekly. I like that when I'm riding I can concentrate on the trail, instead of worrying about the bike. The drivetrian components are midlevel but I have yet to reach the point where they hinder my riding. The M505 pedals were gone as soon as I had the money; They are not trail worthy and on one muddy ride got so stuck and clogged that they were unridable. The Time ATAC pedals lived up to the hype and immediately improved my confidence on the trail.
For the money, this is an awesome bike. It is absolutely dependable, low maintenance, and an general pleasure to ride. It's certainly not competition worthy(at least not as stock), but it is great for everything short of competition. It is sturdy and forgiving. I would recommend this bike, and Gary Fishers in general, to friends and family. There is a small sticker on the back of the seat tube that says "Man's best friend", and on this bike it couldn't be more true. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary
a Weekend Warrior
from Eddy, TX USA
Date Reviewed: January 27, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Blora | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$940.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Rack, Raleigh, NC | | Strengths: | A Great bike. Everything works. I love it. Its my first full suspension bike and i love it. The frame is awsome. The brakes work and LX drivetrain is great. | | Weaknesses: | Pedals and fork are a little crappy. will upgrade one i break them. The fork make to much noise. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized FSR Demoed. | | Bike Setup: | Everything stock. | | Bottom Line: | I got a great deal on this bike. My mom and dad got it for me as a welcome home gift from Iraq. I love it. The bike handles great and the rear shock does pretty good. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
panos gotsis
a Weekend Warrior
from athens, greece
Date Reviewed: December 14, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | mt parnis | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1050.00 | | Purchased At: | Bonthrones UK | | Strengths: | Very good geometry. Overall good quality components for the price. Changed since I bought it almost everything ( | | Weaknesses: | Overall OK. A bit on the heavy side.Crappy seat. BB was found unsealed on one end! | | Bike Setup: | manitou black comp 80-100mm, LX front and rear derailleurs, cane creek AD-5 rear sus, IRC Mythos tyres, Bontrager stem-seatpost-wheels, V-brakes). | | Bottom Line: | A good bike for the time I manage to spend on it (3-4hrs per weekend). To this date I've upgraded most of its components, but the weight still remains an issue.
Fellow riders: could you recommend an alternative for the rear sus? Although, I've been told that a RL suspension won't do much about the slight sag one experiences on bumpy terrain. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Maurice
a Cross Country Rider
from Missoula Montana
Date Reviewed: November 1, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Not sure as I am not real happy with this bike. | | Weaknesses: | The bike just does not feel right. Hard to pedal feels like frame is bound up. | | Similar Products Used: | 2003 Fisher sugar1 team, several other Fisher hard tails | | Bike Setup: | Stock except king headset | | Bottom Line: | This bike was part of a warranty issue with Gary Fisher. I had a 21” sugar1 team (Excellent bike) the rear triangle cracked. Gary Fisher could not come up with the parts to fix it. After a SEVERAL months I was sent a 19" sugar4+ (which is to small for me at 6'3) Gary Fisher said my sugar1 team was a 19" and not a 21" they were wrong. Now I have this bike that is to small for me and rides like a piece of junk. I wound up buying the whole bike instead of just getting the frame. The bottom bracket was loose after about 10 miles of ride and both hubs had to be readjusted and the wheels had to be trued after about 15 miles of ride time. The cable placement is very poor, it rubs on my leg and if I move it the shifting becomes even worse. Shifting is very poor due to poor quality parts. When I ride the bike I feel like something on the bike is bound up. I am not a pro rider by any means but something is wrong with this bike, as it is not smooth at all. I bought my 4 newly adopted kids brand new Gary Fisher bikes last spring, but now wonder if it was a BIG mistake. The warranty issue has me concerned. How can they send something that is so much of a lesser item then what you originally had? Up to this point I was a very dependable Gary Fisher fan. Have had and still have several Gary Fisher models. Sorry Gary Fisher | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike T
a Cross Country Rider
from Glenview, IL, USA
Date Reviewed: September 15, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | kettle moraine(Wi.) | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$3000.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay(custom build up) | | Strengths: | Everything. This bike is the greatest. | | Weaknesses: | None that i found yet | | Similar Products Used: | Giant NRS, Trek Fuel, a bunch of hardtails | | Bike Setup: | 2005 frame with carbon fiber seat and chain stays, reba team fork w/ remote lockout, u-turn, and motioncontrol, xt hubs, mavic rims, xtr crank, xtr der.'s(mega 9), xtr shifters, xtr shift cables, xtr chain, canecreek s6 headset, easton carbon seatpost, easton monkey carbon handlebars, wtb rocket v saddle, candy sl pedals, carbon bar ends, easton ec70 stem, hayes carbon 9 hydr. disk breaks w/ mud shedding rotors, lizard skin, cateye wireless comp., cane creek cloud nine shock, xtr cassette, wtb dual compound grips...I think that covers it. | | Bottom Line: | This bike kicks ass. It started out as a summer project using the money i made at my summer job before senior year in high school. The plan was to build a lightweight bike. Three grand later, along with a lot of nice stuff, I have this super lightweight bike(I actually only paid 575 bucks for the actual frame though). When i finished, the bike ended up lighter than almost all the hardtails i have ridden! I wouldn't trade this bike for anything. This bike hauls. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Henio
a Cross Country Rider
from Krakow, Poland
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | soft terrain, forest | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | skiteam Warsaw | | Strengths: | good supsension, easy to turn | | Weaknesses: | SPD Sm M505 Pedals should be change to sth. better, | | Similar Products Used: | my first fullsusp. bike. | | Bike Setup: | stok, exept. wheels and brakes - I've changed them to another disc wheels with Hayes HFX 9 brakes, (taken from GF Hoo Koo E Koo Disc)with IRC Serac xc tyres. I've never used my Sugra with v- brakes ! And small thing - the saddle have been changed to Fizik Nisene | | Bottom Line: | I like this bike. You can use it in terrain or for the easeast purpes. Good speed change in rear, in front could be better, Fork is very soft, if You prefer harder - set the travel to 90 or 80 mm. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Beau Swanson
a Cross Country Rider
from saskatoon saskatchewan canada
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1100.00 | | Purchased At: | Crankeys bike shop | | Strengths: | Light, Comfortable, Fast, when its working right. | | Weaknesses: | BB sucks, trashed it in a month and a half. front suspension a little light, b4 firm ride kit upgrade | | Similar Products Used: | None, went from a sportmart specal to this. | | Bike Setup: | firm ride kit, race face BB. | | Bottom Line: | great starter bike for xc. works well for light riding. if you are doing any major riding you would be better off with something a little heavier, like a cake. other than that i will defiantly get another fisher, love the ride! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from Taftville, CT USA
Date Reviewed: May 26, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Bluff Point | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$999.00 | | Purchased At: | Wayfarer Cycles | | Strengths: | This bike flies, seems like no resistance. Takes hits great, not too heavy for full suspension 31 lbs. Nice components.
| | Weaknesses: | Stock tires slip pretty easily when wet. Would have liked disc brakes. | | Similar Products Used: | Test rode: giant, specialized, gt, iron horse. Owned a hardtail giant. | | Bike Setup: | Sock. Changed pedals, added mini pump, sm bag, water bottle. | | Bottom Line: | I feel that this bike is great. I ride 3-4 times a week and this thing just keeps getting better. I plan to ad disc brakes (probably Shimano)when my pads wear out. Fisher did a great job with this Genesis design. I recommend this bike to anyone wanting a quality, comfortable full suspension bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim Hines
a Weekend Warrior
from Mesa, Az
Date Reviewed: January 31, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Hawes, Granite Basin | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | Adventure Cycle, Mesa Az | | Strengths: | If you are looking for a good full suspension, without breaking the wallet, then this is the bike for you. Also the 05 comes in a cool looking Orange. Appearances don't mean a thing but it is pretty cool to look at. Manitou Splice. | | Weaknesses: | For the most part the components are good to fair at best. If you are more of an everyday rider then upgrades will probably be necessary. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized FSR series, Trek Fuel 90, Cannondale Jekyll, GT I-Drive | | Bike Setup: | Shimano components (Deore LX), Manitou Splice and Rockshock Bar Adjust. Otherwise mostly Bontrager stuff. | | Bottom Line: | I'm by no means an advid rider but I can assure you, if you have to keep the cost under $1300, then this is the best bang for the buck. I have not experienced any "Chain Suck" or issues with my frame. I would have been happier with a Fox rear shock rather then the Rock Schock Bar adjust. Overall, the bike comes with an agressive set up for the weekend warrior. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James LeMieux
a
from Tulsa
Date Reviewed: September 26, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Turkey Mountain | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | T-Town Bicycles | | Strengths: | Stiff frame like a hard tail and seems responsive. It's a good technical trail riding bike. | | Weaknesses: | I don't get to ride it much because the frame is cracked again. I've owned this bike for a one 1/2 years. I just put the bike back together from a cracked rear swing arm after waiting three months, went on one ride and the front half of the frame has a crack directly under the rear shock. I'm 6'2" tall and weigh 175 to 180 pounds so I'm not a lardo out there pretending to be a pro. | | Similar Products Used: | Gary Fisher Joshua...the Sugar is an upgrade from having cracked several of those bikes. I rode the Cake in Steamboat Springs Colorado and it felt like the Sugar but looked to have a beefier rear suspension linkage. | | Bike Setup: | LX cranks, XTR v-brakes, XTR front duerailler XT rear, Thompson seatpost, Rolf wheels, Manitou suspension in front, Cane Creek AD5 in the rear. | | Bottom Line: | I like Gary Fisher bikes quite a bit. They ride nice when they work. I've lost count of how many Fisher frames I've been through but the company has always been good about replacing my cracked frames. I'm not putting any more stress on the bikes than any of the other guys I ride with but it seems I'm always having to ride on the road to stay in shape because my mountain bike is out of commission. I'm frustrated as now, it appears as though I won't be going to Fat Tire Week in Moab this year as the company isn't very quick in getting a frame back to you on a warranty deal. It took four months last time for the swing arm. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wayne
a Cross Country Rider
from Battle Creek, MI
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Fort Custer | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$940.00 | | Purchased At: | Velocipede Peddler (not very friendly or skilled) | | Strengths: | Price, components, and frame geometry. This is the first mountain bike I have owned and I am extremely impressed with how easy it is to ride uphill, downhill, over rocks and logs, through sand, and turns. | | Weaknesses: | Build Quality. In the four months I have owned this bike, I have been unable to ride it a month of that time due to repairs of manufacturer's defects. | | Similar Products Used: | Cannondale F600, F400 | | Bike Setup: | Stock except for the Rock Shox SID rear shock which was a factory replacement for the original defective Bar Adjust. | | Bottom Line: | When this bike is working it works great. I feel confident going through some pretty technical trails and I have been able to hold my own with some expirienced riders after just a few months riding. Unfortunately, as with another reviewer as well as a guy I met on the trail, I had a problem with the rear derailleur cable housing being too short. Also, my original Rock Shox Bar Adjust had an internal leak so sometimes it wouldn't return to an uncompressed state after I got off the bike. I got that replaced with a SID from Rock Shox (thanks SRAM). I then found that my front derailleur cable was rubbing my seat stay due to an improperly placed cable stop. This required a complete frame replacement. Finally with the new frame and fork, the fork was not properly tightened so sand got into the bearings and started crunching. Needless to say, they had to be cleaned and repacked. I will say that everything was taken care of at only the expense of losing a month of riding time, but I expected a little better quality for the money from a reputable company like Fisher. I still love to ride it though. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Hoon
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Maria
Date Reviewed: July 5, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$900.00 | | Purchased At: | Pedal Power Bicycles | | Strengths: | Great bargain. Tough lightweight frame, handles like a dream, genesis geometry rules. adjustability | | Weaknesses: | Brakes are crap. The seat hurts my butt, and now I'm a litte saddle sore. The Axel forks that come with them are way too soft. I can bottom them out on a curb. Although I do weigh 195lbs | | Similar Products Used: | first full suspension | | Bike Setup: | Stock, but traded out the grips for Oury's since those rule. Hate clipless so I just put some platforms on them | | Bottom Line: | Unbelievable steal. I've only ridden it for a week now but it's been a great fricking week. Best bike I've ridden for my price range. Need better brakes though... promax? what the heck is that? Start upgrading as soon as I have some spare money. I'll post again in about 3 months as a follow up. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeremy
a Weekend Warrior
from SLC, UT
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$959.00 | | Purchased At: | Fisher's | | Strengths: | Great Liteweight frame, easy to control up and down hill. Not bad with the LX components even though I upgaraded to XT already. No problems with the RS bar and being 190 lbs it has already taken quite a bit of punishment, but proven itself | | Weaknesses: | The Axel super fork is very soft, I have already brought it back to the dealer twice with problems. I intend to upgrade soon. Makes downhills fun though. Brakes are crap. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek fuel 80 | | Bike Setup: | XT front and rear derailleurs, lx shifters and v brakes | | Bottom Line: | All said and done, this is a great bike for they money. I would not trade it for anything. With a few small upgrades, it will last quite a bit a time. For all of you weekend warroiors out to have a fun, comfortible ride, you need to try this bike out. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
andy
a Racer
from lincoln, NE
Date Reviewed: March 1, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | moab | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | great lightweight frame, ok but stong wheels, price for what you get, minus the brakes, although the RS bar has not got the best reviews, I have not had any problems with it and personally love it | | Weaknesses: | crappy brakes, stock rear derailer cable was too short an gave horible miss shifts while in the full 4.1 travel mode, you could not climb what soever, but works great now that the is problem fixed. The Axel fork is too soft, any decent drop and it will bottom out and I only weigh 155, I guess you can get stiffer springs from answer to fix this. | | Similar Products Used: | 96 scott hardtail, updated with new xtr and an sid race | | Bike Setup: | perty much stock | | Bottom Line: | great bike for the money, if you put on new brakes and levers, (both fork and frame are disk ready!) and maybe put on a new fork you will have an awesome bike for the money, I am even going to race this guy when my Hardtail dont exactly fit the trail, not giving it a 4 because there are other great bikes that blow this out of the water but get ready for a $3000 price tag, but just like any bike get the bike that fits YOU best, fisher did this bike good. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Pritt
a
from Tallahassee, Florida
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Tom Brown and Red Bug | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | The Great Bicycle Shop | | Strengths: | Great Price on a full suspension MTB. Front and Rear suspension travel is adjustable, Excellent XC mountain bike. | | Weaknesses: | Skimped a little on component quality, but you get a lot for $$$$ invested in frame and suspension quality. Disc brakes would have been nice. | | Similar Products Used: | Stepped up from a Kona Nu Nu hardtail | | Bike Setup: | Standard entry level Sugar 4+ | | Bottom Line: | If you are new to the sport or stepping up from a hardtail this is a Great bike for the price. The Gary Fisher name brand is associated with quality mountain bikes designed by employees that ride the product they are designing, promoting and selling. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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