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Iron Horse
Hollowpoint Sport
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Submitted by
Roman
a Weekend Warrior
from Seattle
Date Reviewed: June 15, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1399.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | This is for the 2007 MK III Sport. Love the MK III DW link Suspension. It climbs much better than I could have hoped and the Fox Float R is really plush. Id read not so great reviews on the Rock Shox Tora 302 and the WTB Speed disks but with at least 200 miles of single track with plenty of small 2-3 ft drops the rims are still as true as the day I bought the bike and the fork hasnt given me one problem at all | | Weaknesses: | Not to crazy about the Sram sx5 shifters, and am gonna upgrade those and the Derailers to X9 when the need arises | | Similar Products Used: | Test rode the Kona Kikapu deluxe | | Bike Setup: | Fox Float R rear shock, RS Tora 302, Sram X7 Drivetrain with FSA Alpha Drive cranks, Hayes MX4 brakes, Crank Bros Candy C pedals | | Bottom Line: | Ive been really happy with the bike so far. Other than cable stretch and some minor derailer adjustments I havent had one complaint at all on the whole setup. Im really impressed with the suspension of the DW-Link. I researched online for quite some time before the I purchased it and found that It was one of the best bangs for my buck I could find as far as frame quality and I could upgrade components as needed. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Josh Greene
a Weekend Warrior
from Brockton,Ma
Date Reviewed: February 26, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Secret Stoughton Trail | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1099.00 | | Purchased At: | Rockland Cycles | | Strengths: | Super smooth ride! No pedal bob. Plenty of travel when you need it. Good climber and great desender. | | Weaknesses: | The Manitou Black could be better but then I should have saved longer and bought the compor expert MKIII. | | Similar Products Used: | Santa Cruz Heckler, Ted Wojcik Solution, Specialized FSR Expert | | Bike Setup: | Almost everything is stock. I did swap out the brakes. The bike came with Avid BB5 and I swapped with a newish set of Shimano Deore Hydr. brakes. I love the easy of set up on these brakes. | | Bottom Line: | I have had two short test rides and one good long ride on this bike. I would have say my riding style leans more towards XC but with a little FR mixed in. And as a point of reference I own a rigged Ted Wojcik that can never be replaced. I love the hardtail feel but full suspension will help me ride long in a ride and in life. This bike did great climbing up long hills and even better coming down the hills. We have set up a little playground of logs and rocks etc... This was a good test of the suspension I thought and the bike and I performed great together. I folllowed the playground off with a nice three foot drop that used only half the rear travel and was very plush. Then went did some XC hammering. This bike was a pleasure to ride and I have to dig deap to think of any downsides. The fork is the only thing that comes to mind. It performed fine I thought I am sure a nice Pike or Talas would have been different but then I wouldn't have spent $1099 either. With time I will upgrade the shock for performance reasons and the tires and wheels sets for weight and the bike I feel will be well balenced under 30lbs.(I'm guessing around 27-28lbs, I have it digitally weighed at 31.25lbs at the shop.)all mountain machine. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike M
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: September 23, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Penasquitos Canyon | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1399.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance Bike | | Strengths: | Value. Ride quality. Shift quality. Handling. | | Weaknesses: | Crankset | | Similar Products Used: | Schwinn Rocket 88 Stage4. K2 A77. Giant VT2 | | Bike Setup: | This is the Mark III Comp. SRAM X7 Shifters. SRAM X9 and XGEN derailleurs. Hayes Nine hydraulic disk brakes. Truvativ Firex Crank. Eggbeater clipless. Reba Race fork, Ario shock. WTB hubs & seat. SRAM Cassette. Shimano chain. | | Bottom Line: | This bike is a great value. The ride is nearly perfect. I can stand on steep uphills and it just keeps on going with no suspension bob. The crankset causes the chain to get hung up, but I am replacing it. Every other part of the bike is fantastic. I had to adjust the position of the front derailleur to keep the chain from dragging (slightly) on the front derailleur when I was on the middle chainring and top or bottom gear. The drivetrain makes NO NOISE. It shifts even on extremely steep climbs. My first time with SRAM and I am a true believer. I recommend this bike to anyone. The price is low in spite of the great components, because nobody knows the name. If you don't want to pay for a "name" ie (specialized, trek, cannondale) you should get this bike and end up with a better product. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Owem
a Weekend Warrior
from Calgary, AB, CA
Date Reviewed: May 25, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | To Work | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | SportChek | | Strengths: | Fantastic customer service. | | Weaknesses: | Poor frame design. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized FSRxc Pro Disc | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | This is the follow-up to the follow-up.
Iron Horse replaced the frame with a 2004 Hollowpoint Team frame. In their words "several failures" had happened with the Sport model.
Have had problems with the Team frame, bought the Specialized at an auction for $325 CDN.
Would I buy another Iron Horse? Probably not, unless heavily discounted.
The value was low, the overall was great as the company did come through every time I emailed them with a problem. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dominic
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago area
Date Reviewed: October 26, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Peoria trails | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | 1300 | | Strengths: | DW-Link is awesome (works similarly to VPP or Maestro)
Sturdy XC frame built to take some abuse
Sticky tires | | Weaknesses: | Few creaks, but plenty other bikes develop noise over time. With the rear triangle design, wet, muddy leaves pack up behind the front der easily, but I try not to ride when wet anyway.
Swap out stuff if you want it lighter, or just eat better ;) | | Similar Products Used: | Fuel, Sugar | | Bike Setup: | Mostly stock, w/ Psylo fork instead of stock Duke and shorter stem because of the long TT. | | Bottom Line: | After breaking my hardtail, I wanted something sturdier. A car accident & back rehab drove me to a softer ride. FS was a definite, but the choices were hard to filter thru. Being able to ride a bike that didn't need a top-end shock to perform was enticing - lower replacement cost when it gives out. Pedalling well meant I could keep up w/ my faster ride buds.
I've had mine for 18 months and haven't regretted it. The suspension works as advertised, I sit through anything small on the trail and jump off of tall roots or ramped log piles w/ a soft landing. I swapped out the tires for Kenda Karissmas and slid around. Hansventures went back on, no more sliding around. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike
a Weekend Warrior
from boston, ma
Date Reviewed: September 21, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | great components for a cheap price
| | Weaknesses: | Well this is a follow up to my previous review (I gave it way to many stars then) The problems are:
1) Chain suck -- Chain gets caught between the pivot and the small ring. The chain will either bend or be very difficult to get out.
2) Too many creaks. The joints were not designed to avoid creaking. Lots of metal rubbing on metal. There is a big difference in the VPP joints. (you get what you pay for)
3) I have a heckler now and it climbs better and it is a single pivot.
4) You can't buy the tires anywhere. so don't get used to them | | Similar Products Used: | vpp | | Bike Setup: | fox talas, sram , and highroller tires | | Bottom Line: | This bike is a maintanance nightmare. It is not worth it. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Owen
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | SportChek | | Strengths: | Light, Fast | | Weaknesses: | Broke the frame, seat post tube, just below the suspension weld. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | I wrote a review a while ago. This is the follow-up.
This was a fantastic bike. Note: WAS.
I broke the frame, but never rode it hard.
Its primary use was as my commuter bike.
No Jumps, no crashes, plenty of TLC.
Because if it fails, I have to ride the bacteria factory known as public transit.
I'll keep everyone up on how IronHorse responds to my warranty questions. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Keiser
a Weekend Warrior
from Ephrata, PA
Date Reviewed: June 22, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Coal Cracker- JT | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$880.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance Bicycles | | Strengths: | Price, Parts for the price. | | Weaknesses: | Rear shock | | Similar Products Used: | None. This is my first full suspension bike. | | Bike Setup: | Replaced the pedals with ATAC pedals, otherwise it is stock. | | Bottom Line: | Great bike for the money (Purchased for approx. 50% off originl retail price). For a first time full suspension user, it was a relatively easy transition. The only major change I plan to make in the near future is to eventually replace the rear shock with one that is equipped with a lockout. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Will Easland
a
from Laguna Niguel, CA ,U.S of A
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | rock it in aliso canyon | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$999.00 | | Strengths: | brakes,control, suspension front and back,every thing easy to adjust | | Weaknesses: | pedals | | Bike Setup: | new neck it came with a super long one i shortened it to a 80 mm graphite | | Bottom Line: | bottom line is this is a great bike. I was trying to decide between a downhill bike and this. take this you have enouph suspension to last a really hard hit and you can still ride it around town like it's a road bike ( i never would ). People have been dissin the tires but these are the best tires i've ridin on you feel like you can grip onto anything. The bike is light with the tires you dont need to make any lighter. It comes with plastic pedals and a long neck like i said plus you need new grips or gloves because the grips are thin. great look
this bike lights up the chillis | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary R
a
from Baltimore, MD, USA
Date Reviewed: December 4, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$999.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | The price is unbeatable! I'm an ex-BMXer. The shocks work well for jumping and bunny hoping. I'm also very impressed with the disk brakes. | | Weaknesses: | The tires are very heavy, but they can take a beating! As soon as the tires wear out, I'm going to a lighter pair. This will take about a pound and a half off the total weight. | | Similar Products Used: | GT I-drive and Jamis. | | Bike Setup: | All stock | | Bottom Line: | This bike is great for the aggresive rider. I love rocks, streams, logs, ditches, jumps, and roots. This bike takes them all very nicely. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Owen
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: December 1, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Too Work | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Sport Check | | Strengths: | Light, Fast, Durable. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | The bike was purchased 1 year ago this week.
From March 1 to December 1, 2004 I rode 4500km (2800 miles) on my daily commute.
The bike has had new tires and brake pads replaced at 4000 km.
I've never had a single problem, it rides beautifully.
It is very fast. I've caught people on Triathlon bikes, recumbents and road bikes.
The "big red truck" is fantastic. I'd buy a second one in a heartbeat. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robertg
a Weekend Warrior
from New Milford, NJ
Date Reviewed: November 29, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Ringwood and Hartshorne | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1050.00 | | Purchased At: | Campmor | | Strengths: | Everything is great, component spec is great at this price! | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | Tried friends bikes, but my other bike is a Giant hardtail | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | This is a great bike. I purchased this bike as my first full suspension and I couldn't be happier. This thing has already hit the trails a bunch of times in the short time that I have had it, and it handles everything really well, including climbing. The DW link is great and makes climbing a breeze (now if only I had better lungs). For the money, this bike can't be beat. Eventually I will replace parts, but that is only when they become work or because of damage due to my own use. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff Mannion
a
from Lake George, NY
Date Reviewed: October 1, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | West Mtn. | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay (bestbuys.com) | | Strengths: | Unbeatable for the price. Hydraulics, Duke, QR, | | Weaknesses: | A tad heavy. | | Similar Products Used: | Fuel 80 Sugar 3 | | Bike Setup: | Stock, Swapped the Tires for a set of Conti's and cut 1.5 lbs, | | Bottom Line: | SUPER bike for the price. If you are looking to sort of do it all for $1000-$1500 this is the rig for you. if you are hung-up on weight MAYBE not. Swap the tires and tubes for short money and you can end up with 27-27.5 lb super bike. Brakes a little finickey, but with some adjustments or help from your LBS they are fine. The only thing is a bushing (actually a "linkage reducer" basically a bushing that attaches the rear shock to the frame) which comes from the factory terribly out of spec. this is a great bike for the $. IH and Manitou know of the problem, and will send the correct reducer for free (just feels like a tiny bit of play if you gently lift the seat, almost feels like the headset is loose. it's not a prob just an annoyance and can't be felt when riding) Other than that I have no issues whatsoever. DW link rear suspension WORKS! Great climber for the weight. Climbs much better than my Fuel or Sugar. I feel like I stole it for the $. Great bike. Feel free to e-mail me @ mannion@adelphia.net with any ?, I'll do my best to help you out. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Erich Stein
a
from Ruston, La
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Strengths: | Overall value. Of all of the bikes that I reviewed, this one had the best value given the component specs.
The dw-link suspension. The suspension on this bike was definately well designed. There is very little pedal kick, making it an excellent climber, and with 4.75" rear travel, the ride is very plush when the trail is not. | | Weaknesses: | Nothin major so far, but I had to be picky, I would say weight. | | Bottom Line: | Overall, I would definately recommend this bike as an intermediate level all-mountain bike. The Expert, in my opinion would be a worthy upgrade, but i am definately happy with the performance of this bike. So far, it seems to do it all, as it climbs and descends well.
5 flamin' chilis for value and overall | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jimi Hendrix
a Racer
from Boulder
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Jamestown, todd gulch | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1150.00 | | Purchased At: | perf | | Strengths: | Price, brakes, rims, suspension | | Weaknesses: | weight, possibly the blank seatpost, blank hubs, and the shimano shifters. | | Similar Products Used: | Giant XTC, specialized | | Bike Setup: | stock | | Bottom Line: | This is a followup after about three months of bashing this bike around.
Its holding up. Some have complained about the weight of the maxxis tires, but I still have mine. If you ride a lower PSI theyre sick. I'm not sure I've ever experienced a tire hooking up as well as these!
The suspension occasionally squeaks and my drivetrain is alittle out of whack, but thats probably my fault.
I would try to swing a deal on this bike, keep the tires, lose the seatpost, stem and bars for carbon fiber and look into new hubs in the future as needed. All of this to save weight w/out losing those sick maxxis tires.
good luck | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Reggie Bennett
a Cross Country Rider
from Altavista, VA, United States
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Peaks View | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1099.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Best components for the price you can find, great ride, beautiful "electric blue" color. | | Weaknesses: | Weight, especially the tires, Maxxis Hansventure (880 grams)are in my opinon only good for downhill or flat riding not so good on xc trails. Poor cable routing for the rear brake, you need to zip tie it to the bike to keep it from flopping around. | | Similar Products Used: | Gary Fisher Sugar, Schwinn Sierra | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | The bottom line is this, I don't think you can find a better trail riding bike for the money then the Hollowpoint Sport. Especially is you can get a good deal on one. I was able to get Performance to price match a Supergo price of $1099. Not bad on a bike that includes Hayes hydraulic disc brakes, Mavic rims, Rock Shox Duke XC front shock and a Manitou QR Air rear shock. There is ample amount of travel in the suspension with 3.75" in the front and 4.5" in the rear.
On the trail it's been a very solid performer, great going downhill and only limited by the stock tires on the climbs. I'm planning on changing out the tires to a lighter xc tire and hope to see a big improvement on the climbs. The Hayes hydraulic disc stop on a dime, giving confidence on the steepest decent. Very pleased so far.
If your looking for a great trail bike go out and get you one, you want be disappointed. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bob Marley
a Cross Country Rider
from Boulder, CO
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | hall, rattlesnake | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1149.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | Smooth ride, smooth pedaling, best component spec for the money. Hayes Hydraulic Discs?!!?
Nice looking! | | Weaknesses: | Weight. Its a little heavy for steep climbs, and theres no lockout on the Qr shock, but hey, what do you want?? | | Similar Products Used: | Giant XTC 2, Specialized stumpjumper elite (didnt really like it) | | Bike Setup: | STock to the gills.. | | Bottom Line: | Sick bike. I took this bike up Rattlesnake Gulch on the front range today for the first ride. This is a strenuous climb, but despite some of the reviews and my own expectations, this bike climbed pretty smooth over water bars, loose rock, sand, ledge etc...
I had alot of trouble with tire grip the first half of the ride. I definitely found the sweet spot though in these Maxxis tires. Try riding them around 37-38psi, they dig in!
One of, if not the best deal on a very nicely specced and riding bikes in this price range and probably better than some of the more popular bikes in the $1400+ range.
I'm crossing my fingers that nothing breaks, but I dont think it will. This bike feels very solid. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Toby Tate
a Weekend Warrior
from Denver, CO
Date Reviewed: May 2, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1199.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance - Colorado Blvd | | Strengths: | Best components for the money, DW-Link rear suspension is the best design on the market. | | Weaknesses: | Just a bit heavy | | Similar Products Used: | Giant NRS 2, Cannondale Jekyl, Gary Fischer Sugar 4, Novarra piece of crap | | Bike Setup: | Stock, with stem flipped over to negative rise | | Bottom Line: | Great bike for xc trail riding / light duty freeriding & downhill. Although it's a bit heavy on long or steep climbs, the Duke and Manitou QR keep your tires stuck to the ground. Make sure the pressure in both is set up properly - Performance did a great job adjusting this for me after the test ride. I think different tires will make a big difference in the weight as the review below says. This bike likes to fly downhill -but still feels extremely stable when you're in the air. Not for the faint of heart. Unless you like a more upright riding position, flip the stem over to a negative rise. Hayes hydraulics will literally stop you in your tracks, this is my first bike with discs but after one ride to get used to them I'll never go back to the old xt v-brakes. I've only had one problem with the bike - on my first ride the seatpost clamp snapped. I'm not sure if it was defective or just over tightened but Performance replaced it with a beefier one at no charge. All in all the best bike I could find in this class - closest competitor was the Giant NRS which didn't feel nearly as fast (although I didn't get to test it on a trail). If you can still find it around this price, this is the bike you want. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wayne
a Cross Country Rider
from Front Range, Colorado, USA
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1150.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | Good value, excellent handling, very little 'bob', great ride. More bang for the buck than the Expert | | Weaknesses: | A little on the heavy side in stock form. Hansventure tires are too heavy for trail riding, but nice for mild free riding/mild down hills. Watch the hydraulic lines - tie them down, re route them - if not, you can pull the hose right out of the lever (happened to my friend's Expert on a narrow trail as two out-of-control riders road by and snagged his front brake line - did wonders to his jersey, shorts, and paint). | | Similar Products Used: | Hollowpoint Expert | | Bike Setup: | XT, XM819 tubeless, Fox Float | | Bottom Line: | This is an update now that I have had more time to ride and change/move parts from my hardtail.
First, in stock form, the Sport feels more lively than the Expert (mostly due to the lighter front end). Second, both models have a smooth ride, both do not 'bob' over smooth surfaces, and both do 'bob' ever so slightly on rough climbs.
Ok, now the trail stuff - the XM819 with Michelin Comp S UST tires provides much better acceleration and easier climbing (the Pythons on my friend's expert do the same for his ride). The Manitou QR (and the SPV version on his expert) need to be carefully tuned to prevent launch when hitting a large bump. Both have some bob going up a rough hill. Changing the shock to a 04 Fox Float R with ProPedal got rid of the bob. On the downside, the Fox needs to be carefully set - the initial setting is too fast - you will 'launch' off the saddle on a large bump. The Fox Float 100RLC fork makes all the difference. At 3.56lb, it is lighter than the RockShok Duke XC air, and much lighter than the Black on the Expert (both of us changed to the Foxes). The ride is much more refined, the adjustments easier to do, and the hardware is metal (the Black feels very 'cheap' - too much weak plastic levers. Although it does not offer travel adjustments, it does work much better (and it is stiffer too). I moved my XT shifters and crank over, and gained better front shifting with this (Performance did align the rear derailler when I got the bike, so the rear worked great from day one). Oh, with the change in tires, wheels, and other components, the Sport is just over 26 pounds (with my first aid kit and tools) and his Expert is at 27.5 pounds (the stock Mavic wheelset is the biggest contributor to the difference - my XM819s with WTB hubs are a good pound lighter). Oh, the XM819 rims are great - even with tubes. The solid inner wall gives it more strength than the drilled XC717 - unless you are a weight weenie, get the stronger XM rims. Save the Hansventures too - they make great dh tires for the ski lift downhills. Both the Sport and Expert, in stock or modified form, are great XC bikes - still too heavy for racing, but great for trail running.
For those who have shorter torsos or like a more upright riding position, a shorter 60-70mm stem makes all the difference. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael
a Weekend Warrior
from Boston, MA
Date Reviewed: March 21, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | foxboro | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1199.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | Does not bob while doing climbs. Hydraulic disc brakes (Although both iron horse's and supergo's web sites are messed up and mention mechanical -- I think that they didn't update the brakes from last years model). Rear shock runs great. (I was a little concerned about not having a full lockout -- it does have a (slow to fast) adjustment that does more than enough for climbing, especially with the linkage system of the frame) | | Weaknesses: | Tires may be a little heavy for many people. (although I love them). Deore shifters should be upgraded. | | Similar Products Used: | Santa cruz blur, heckler. (was debating about getting a frame or a whole new bike). Stumjumper FSR. Cake 3. | | Bike Setup: | Stock + XT shifters and Time pedals. | | Bottom Line: | So far I love the bike. One of the best deals on the market that you can buy. You may want to swap out the tires with lighter ones if you do alot of hill climbs. Overall the bike is perfect. Note: I got the 19" and that was more than big enough for me (I am 6 feet). I do alot of hill climbs and root/rock riding. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken Thomson
a Weekend Warrior
from Flowery Branch
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Ag Center | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | Super Go | | Bottom Line: | Just a follow up about my bike return to Supergo.... See below for my first entry… I spent about $50 including insurance to send the Hollowpoint back to Supergo. A few days after they received it they credited my credit card for the full purchase amount. Supergo gave me great customer service and I will definitely give them my business in the future.
I decided to stick with hardtails for my future dream bike. I ended up buying a hardtail Cannondale F800 with the Lefty front suspension. Many of the components on the F800 are the same as the Hollowpoint… XT rear, DX front, Hayes Hyd. Disc brakes. The Cannondale handles and looks great. After a few times riding it, I know I am 100% a hardtail rider. This F800 climbs quickly with ease and I don't mind the additional bumps coming from the rear tire on the downhills.
I'm giving the Hollowpoint high rating again like my other posting below because I don't want my amateur Full-Suspension opinion to skew the score negatively.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wayne
a Weekend Warrior
from Front Range, Colorado, USA
Date Reviewed: March 9, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Fox Run Park | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1150.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | Excellent component set for the price, great suspension, little bob (only on rough uphills using low gears, even then, less than other designs I have tried), and cushy tires (more on this later). Great brakes (Hayes HFX 9) for this price range - most others have mechanicals. The drive train is Deore/Deore XT, rims are Mavic disk specific x223's, and the fork is a Duke XC air. | | Weaknesses: | 30lbs for a medium (19") is a little heavy (the tires are 2 pounds each - changing them could shave 2 pounds off). | | Similar Products Used: | Marin quads (East Peak, Rift Zone), K2 Razorback, and many others | | Bike Setup: | Stock drive train, Hutchinson Python Airlights, Terry Fly saddle, aluminum chainrings (only the large is aluminum as supplied), and egg beater pedals. | | Bottom Line: | First, the Hollowpoint has a long top tube, so keep that in mind when sizing (about 1.5 to 2 inches longer than most other bikes). The frame does not run large - many sales people think this - straddle the frame and check for yourself - the seat tube extends well above the top tube. The bike needs to be setup properly - buy this from a local shop who can do this. The air cap on the Duke XC can be 'frozen' due to the air pressure difference if you are located at higher altitude - it will take a lot of effort the first time.
Going up hills is hard at best with the rather large Hansventure tires (not to mention very heavy - at least these are not the heaviest in this series - they are about 880 grams each though - close to 2 pounds!). Replacing these with a number of different tires will result in 1.5 to 2 pounds off the rotating mass - day and night for climbing. On the plus side, the Hansventures would do very well on downhill or level XC terrain. With a little component swapping, you can shave 2 to 3 pounds off without breaking the bank (tires, chainrings alone account for most of this). The weight of the Sport seems less than the same size Expert (subjective - lifted both at the store), and the component set is not that much less. The $650 price difference buys a lot of upgrades later. Oh, the no name hubs do look good - great finish, have very low friction (as does the Truvative crank), and seem to be relatively smooth. The fork is smooth and easy to adjust - it is the OEM version and has a steel steerer - adds a couple of ounces. The bike is too heavy to race, but you would be hard pressed to find a better trail/xc bike for the money.
On smooth terrain, it feels like a hard tail when you pedal. When you hit a bump, the suspension works as it should. Going up hills with the stock tires is not fun, but with the Pythons, no problem. If you shift into the lower gears, you will encounter a slight bob if the hill is bumpy, otherwise, it is not much different (from an effort standpoint) than a hardtail. For level terrain, you can fly - when set up properly, the rear suspension is simply great. The front forks do not have travel adjustment, so if you like to crank them down when going uphill, it is not an option - for me, it does not matter, and the Duke XC works fine (again, this is an air fork - you must set the pressure for your weight and style). The rear shock is a Manitou QR, mid-line shock with rebound control - no SPV, but that does not seem to be needed with this suspension design. Oh, the blue frame is pretty, but the mirror silver finish of the Expert is nice looking too.
Both bikes (I did ride the Expert on dirt too) work well, but I picked the lower cost Sport (which felt to be about a pound lighter too - mine and a friend's opinion - he has the Expert).
Great value, good components, and a good trail bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken Thomson
a Weekend Warrior
from Flowery Branch
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Tsali in N.C. | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | SuperGo | | Strengths: | Great components for the price, strong frame | | Weaknesses: | Heavy | | Similar Products Used: | No other full suspension bikes | | Bike Setup: | 2004 Iron Horse Hollowpoint Sport - Stock, all factory. | | Bottom Line: | I ordered this bike from SuperGo with no problems at all. The shipping was fast, ordered on a Monday – had the bike on the following Wednesday! The bike was in perfect condition without any damage. Assembly of this bike was very easy. I love 'some assembly required' projects, especially on bikes. I am a handyman and doit yourselfer. If you are a non-mechanical person, you should have a local bike shop or bike mechanic friend assemble this bike for you.
I had one small issue with the rear hydraulic disc brake. Its alignment was maxed out in one direction and I still needed more alignment room to get the pads centered and not rubbing on the disc. Easy enough, I added two shims (washers) to offset the calipers. Problem solved! Also, I had to reroute the shifter cables along the top tube. They were opposite the side they should have been, I thought. These couple of issues and tightening up misc. bolts were the only extra assembly things I had to do.
Shock setup –
I am about 6'1" and 195 lbs. I bought the large or 21" size Hollowpoint. The 'Duke' front shocks are the same as on my other Specialized Hardrock mountain bike (hardtail). So it was easy for me to setup, around 125-135 psi. The rear Manitou shock manual didn't come with the bike, so I downloaded it from the internet. I think I started out with 130 psi. This gave me the correct sag when sitting on the bike. I thought the bike ran a little on the large size. You may want to order one size smaller than your normal size.
Test ride –
I must tell you that I have never ridden a full suspension bike on the trails before this bike. I have been riding a 1999 Specialized Hardrock for the last several years. The Hardrock has many upgraded components. I've replaced just about everything on it.
As for the Hollowpoint, It rode great on level and downhill terrain. On level terrain, it soaked up the bumps well. On the downhills, the Hollowpoint would go through anything. Just aim the bike and go. It gave me great confidence by holding the wheels on the ground. We have a lot of big roots on the trails in our area. The hydraulic brakes were great!!!
This is where the bad part of my review comes in. Keep in mind, this was my first experience with a FC bike and you may want to average the other more experienced FC rider reviews with my review. The problem I had with the Hollowpoint was during the climb. It seamed to require 1/3 or more pedal power in comparison with my Hardrock to get up the hills. I took this bike on a trail that I have ridden over 50 times. I know how much effort it takes me on certain hills with my Hardrock, which by the way is a steel frame. At this point, I readjusted the shock setup by maxing out the allowed air pressure in the tires and increasing the air pressure in both front and rear shocks. I even locked out the rear shock completely on the severe climbs. All of this and still the thing felt like a ton of weight to pedal uphill.
Conclusion –
After a depressive couple of days thought, I decided to return the bike to SuperGo. On my budget, this was going to be my dream bike. It had to go back. The bike is in transit right now. I'll have to update you all later on how well SuperGo handled the return… All in all, I think this bike is a great one for flat, hard pack rides and definitely for jumps. The level of components on this bike compared with the price is unbeatable! However you should test this bike on some kind of hill climb before you buy it, if that concerns you….
Happy riding Brothers
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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