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Gary Fisher Supercaliber

Average Rating 4/5
# of Reviews 10
MSRP $
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Description:Supercaliber
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    Submitted by GELO a Weekend Warrior from Italy
    Date Reviewed: May 17, 2003
    Duration Product Used:1 Year
    Price Paid: $230.00
    Purchased At:a friend
    Strengths:Genesis geometry, stiff, lightweight and stylish.
    Weaknesses:weak paint, no disk brake adaptors
    Similar Products Used:carraro husky
    Bike Setup:Bomber Z2, mavic crossroc and shimano XT
    Bottom Line:I love this bike. Stiff but confy, and i love the genesis gemetry. You can use a shorter stem and have a more sensible control of your bike.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Pete Jones a Cross Country Rider from UK
    Date Reviewed: September 27, 2002
    Duration Product Used:2 Years
    Strengths:Fast through the singletrack once you get used to the long top tube. Good warranty backup.
    Weaknesses:Frame 1 - http://www.btinternet.com/~peteajones/bikes/super_crack.jpg

    Frame 2 - http://www.btinternet.com/~peteajones/bikes/scal-weld2.jpg

    First frame felt very floppy in the bottom bracket area, second was much better. Bolt on disk mount.
    Similar Products Used:Trek 8000
    Bike Setup:Pace forks, Hope hubs/disks, XT transmission
    Bottom Line:Nice race frame if someone is sponsoring you, but not durable enough for trail riding; one frame cracked within 6 months, the second lasted just over a year. Good no-quibble warranty backup though.
    Value Rating:1Overall Rating:1

    Submitted by Ace a Cross Country Rider from Orange County, CA
    Date Reviewed: November 25, 2001
    Duration Product Used:1 Year
    Price Paid: $300.00
    Purchased At:Supergo
    Strengths:Great finish, decent weight, durable.
    Weaknesses:Geometry sucks if you're used to an agile bike.
    Similar Products Used:Many.
    Bike Setup:XTR, etc.
    Bottom Line:I moved from a Manitou HT (which broke), to this Supercaliber frameset. My only gripe with this frame was their "Genesis geometry." It seems like a fancy way of saying, "this top tube is so damn long, you have to lay flat to reach the bars."

    Going from the Manitou's aggressive geometry to this long beast of a bike was like going from a Ferrari to a limousine. I could barely manage to life the front end up becasue it was so much longer. It was nice and stable n descents, but I felt vulnerable because I no longer had the agility to bob and weave like I did with the Manitou.

    A great HQ frame, but not the one for me. If you're unusually tall/have a very long torso and arms, then maybe you should give this a look.

    FYI, I'm 6'1" and rode a Large. The Medium was just barely too small, and this Large was too big.
    Value Rating:4Overall Rating:3

    Submitted by Simon Connell a Cross Country Rider from Berkshire, UK
    Date Reviewed: June 14, 2001
    Favoriate Trail:Any
    Duration Product Used:3 months
    Price Paid: $300.00
    Purchased At:Secondhand
    Strengths:I am 6ft 4in, and 165lbs. I was previously riding a Large Specialized FSR XC, which was too small for me. I picked up an XL Fisher Procaliber from some online classifieds about 3 months ago. What can I say? I had ridden other XL bikes looking for something that suited me, and had felt the top tube was always too short. One spin on the Fisher and I was sold. I love singletrack, and this bike excels in it.
    The frame is very light considering the size. It is truly a singletrack demon, floating through tight gaps between trees and carving berms with consumate ease. Also, it does not beat me up like most of my other alloy bikes do/ have done. All I can say is I love it, and the only thing I would swap it for would be a Seven Sola with the same geometry!
    Weaknesses:The gaudy paint colours are a bit too much for me, I plan to get mine sprayed black to match the rest of the kit on the bike. Also, the paint on mine does not seem to stick to the metal very well, chunks of it have fallen off around the dropouts where on other bikes it would just have chipped. Finally, I would have preferred an international standard disc mount to the Hayes one, I don't run discs but if I ever do I won't run Hayes.
    Similar Products Used:Specialized Stumpjumper hardtail, Ellsworth Sub 22, Kona Explosif, Saracen Kili 853, Specialized Rockhopper, Cannondale hardtail.
    Bike Setup:Rockshox SID SL's 01, Bontrager Racelight wheelset (w/Kings), XTR gruppo, Middleburn RS8 Duo chainset, USE Alien carbon post, Easton Monkeylite Risers, Avid SD brakeset.
    Bottom Line:Fast, light, and a true singletrack demon of a bike. Fits me like a glove.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by tyson kaman a Racer from amherst, mass
    Date Reviewed: February 27, 2001
    Duration Product Used:1 Year
    Purchased At:competitive edge
    Strengths:awsome climber, geometry hard to beat if your riding in a strait line (up&down), lazer mitered tubing really cool, makes for really strong frame.
    Weaknesses:gometry feels wierd sometimes, rear derailure hangar doesnt get the pully far enough away from a 34 tooth cog(shimano only/sram ok), 73mm bb=no good chainline for splined (shimano) 2x9, cable routing not favorable for traditional front derailures(e types ok, and only a problem in small and med sizes).
    Similar Products Used:specialized m4, cannondale caad 4, merlin xlm
    Bike Setup:xtr, sid race, king and thompson wherever possible, racelite wheels, easton bar, onza stubbies
    Bottom Line:ncs machine.
    great for those all too common ride up the access trail and to the top and then turn around and do it again things norba thinks is the best format for an xc race.
    but in a rolling technical race....
    as for all the tech prob. i had- they are cuz im very peticular, and they ca easily be avoided. e.g. the stock set up will have none of them.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

    Submitted by Nik Johnson a Cross Country Rider from Paisley, Scotland
    Date Reviewed: February 14, 2001
    Favoriate Trail:Anwhere in The Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
    Duration Product Used:2 Years
    Purchased At:Spokes and Saddles, Malvern, Worcs (R.I.P.)
    Strengths:Lightwieght, robust, responsive, Genesis Geometry, every other bike I've ridden just doesn't quite match (closest was a CAAD4, but that had a headshok - just doesnt cut it in the UK)
    Weaknesses:Original paint flaked, but I think that's been sorted by Fisher. All other bikes don't quite match up to Genesis Geometry??
    Similar Products Used:CAnnondale, Marin, Sunn, specialized.
    Bike Setup:Er, singlespeed, Middleburn cranks, rigid (P2), big ass bars. hope stuff, and some control tech.
    Bottom Line:One of the best frames I've ridden, so good it's coming out of (relative) retirement, and replacing my Sunn as the XC steed.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by josh travis a Racer from boise
    Date Reviewed: January 9, 2001
    Favoriate Trail:corals
    Duration Product Used:3 months
    Price Paid: $1449.00
    Purchased At:Georges cycles
    Strengths:#1, for those of us around 6 foot and up this genesis geometry does work. Theres no doubt in my mind. I had a huge grin on my face descending the steepest, stepiest, section of trail in Boise the day I first rode it. No fear, and it left me wanting more. Also the thing accelerates better than anything this side of Cannondale.
    #2,the frame is solid. It's tubing diameter, thickness, and classic simple format inspires confidence. I dont worry about riding it too hard. #3, The 2000 Mt Tam is one of the few new Fishers that doesnt look like an old Schwinn Frontier--the graphics are sharp
    Weaknesses:I was fooled by all the hype. The Mt. Tams Marzochi Z.2, Air sprung fork is a dud. (Thanks RockShock for bringing the world the 2000 Sid SL, mines on order.) Also, the bike came a pound heavier than ideal.
    Similar Products Used:Specialized Stumpjumper, Cannondale F2000, Jekl
    Bike Setup:All stock except: LX crankset, BB (stiff, lighter than xtr, splined), swept back lowrise spec. bars. (Fit sooo nice), Flight Saddle, (cant have something as ugly as the stock wtb on my bike, would be a crime)
    Bottom Line:The 2000 model Gary Fisher Mt. Tam is an excellent deal. It will simply allow you to enjoy your rides better, because, (yes the hype is true), you will descend faster, crash less, climb more efficiently, and accelerate faster. If only that frame could accomodate a Cann. Headshock I'd be in Heaven. (tracking and responsive superiority) Without a Headshock I cant give a bike 5 chilis, but without Genisis Geometry I cant call a bike perfect either.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

    Submitted by matt is the fastest racer alive a Racer from Salt Lake City,UT,USA
    Date Reviewed: October 2, 2000
    Favoriate Trail:Prostitute Butte, moab
    Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
    Purchased At:Golsan Cycles
    Strengths:Light as hell. Geometry puts ctr. of gravity in just the right spot. Fisher stylishness.
    Weaknesses:NONE!!!!!!
    Similar Products Used:Nothing is even remotely similar!!!!!!!!!!!
    Bike Setup:SID xc, Race Face next lp, SRAM 9.0sl, Thomson post
    Bottom Line:This bike,coupled with my amazing speed and endurance make for a pair that is unstopable. So, in a race, if you see a yellow, red, and blue blur fly past you, it's me. Racers and recriational riders alike will agree that this is the best bike in the world.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Reid Parham a Racer from Salem, Oregon, USA
    Date Reviewed: August 25, 2000
    Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
    Price Paid: $1470.00
    Purchased At:LBS
    Strengths:The 1470 I paid for it was for a complete bike with an excellent setup. The geometry is excellent, you'll never run out of rear end traction when climbing. It tracks the singletrack very well, and is capable in rough terrain. I own an OCLV version of the Supercaliber, its very stiff, but I'm 15 and stiff fits the bill for me.
    Weaknesses:If setup with a long stem, it'll feel way too long. Its a stiff frame, so some wont like it.
    Similar Products Used:Schwinn Mesa GSX
    Bike Setup:XT/Raceface 9 speed drivetrain, 858 pedals, Monkeylight 2" inch risers, 105mm stem, Manitou SX Ti 80mm, RS susp post.
    Bottom Line:Excellent XC Race bike, lightweight frame. Worth the money if you're serious about competition.
    Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

    Submitted by Sean a cross-country rider from Orange County, CA
    Date Reviewed: September 23, 1998
    Bottom Line:
    Hmmm...well, this is in comparison to a 97 Answer Manitou HT, which cracked in 4 places after LESS than 1 year of use...which led me to get the Supercaliber. I actually had no choice...I had 600 to spend, and the Fisher was 500 and change. I swapped all my old parts (XT and stuff) onto the Fisher, and took it on her maiden voyage yesterday afternoon (Sep 22, 98 I think!). Anyhow...this thing felt like a limousine compared to the Manitou...the top tube is LONG...must be a full inch longer at least (a good thing with riders who are TALL in the torso...I'm 6'1, and it felt too big.). I found I couldn't even get the front end up for a wheeelie, let alone hop logs like I used to all the time. This is frustrating...I have a 135 x 0 deg. Kore stem...and I'm trying out a 120 x 10 deg. Kore today. I'm hoping this will help. The bike took curves like a champ, though...as long as I didn't have to get the front end moving in a hurry. Very smooth on the turns...stable. Very little singletrack ridden on it so far...not enough to make a judgement. Downhill: This bike is STIFF. If you are used to a compliant rear eend, DO NOT get this bike! My kidneys were sore after the 7-mile ride. Mixed emotions. CLIMBING...Grade A...very good. Controlled. Good hook up, depsite the stiffness. So far, I like. I'm gonna put a few more laps down, and let you know then. 3 stars, only because I have the wrong size stem, and only 7 milees loggeed on the new frame. This will change, I think! Looks promising.
    Overall Rating:3






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