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Submitted by
Lando Velasquez
a Cross Country Rider
from Arcadia, CA USA
Date Reviewed: February 12, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Mount Wilson | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | SuperGo | | Strengths: | Nice and Stiff when locked out. Easy feel on single tracks. Large 20" tailor made for 6 footers. Can't boast enough on frame and price. Burning Ellsworth buddy left and right. | | Weaknesses: | Bottom bracket install dangerous. Went through two BB because of cross threading. By grace of God tapped out enough for snug fit. look out | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Enduro. similar set up. just a little on the heavy side. | | Bike Setup: | Weyless 2004 SP, WTB headset, Carbon bars, zzyynnxx Forks, XT componets, XTR hubs, mavic wheels, magura disc brakes. | | Bottom Line: | It's my second full suspension. I thought I was a hard tail rider forever until I coul'dnt keep up anymore. My Specialized I replaced was working my back and it was a large. I strongly suggest going this frame route if your planning on building something lite. Frame comes with manitou lock out and is very affordable @ 395.00. You're saving enough for deceent componets which is the route I took. I'm very satisfied with feel and wheight! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike P
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Barbara
Date Reviewed: October 26, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | Tunnel | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1580.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | Rigid Frame, Cost, Sealed Bearings on Pivot Points, Good cable Routing, Weight. 5 Year Unlimited Warranty! | | Weaknesses: | None...Save the money and build a killer bike. | | Similar Products Used: | I owned these: Gazzel, Cannondale M700 and Jekyll 1000, My friends own these and I have ridden them for days: GT i-drive 1.0, 2003 Specialized Enduro, 2003 Marin Mount Vision, 2002 Santa Cruz Superlight. | | Bike Setup: | Since I did not buy a SC Superlight I was able to customize this Frame.
Fox Float Rear, Fox Float Fork, SS Egg Beaters, Carbon Weyless Bars and Seatpost, Sette Ti Skewers, 2003 Tru-Vativ Stylo Team Cranks, Hayes Comp Plus Disks, XTR Rear and XT front dr, WTB XClite Hubs and Lazer Rims, WTB 2.5 Wierwolf Tire (F) and 2.4 Motoraptor (R). | | Bottom Line: | I rode a friends Santa Cruz and really liked the bike. I started riding mtn bikes back when hardtails were it. I'm kinda picky about bikes and didn't think I could find something comparable to SC for cheaper. The Weyless SP frame is comparable if not better than the Santa Cruz Superlight. The sizing of the bikes are slightly different. SC's ran in half sizes 19.5 or larger. Weyless had an 18" which fit me better. The geometry is very similar and I prefer Weyless head angle better than SC for stability and handling. Don't believe these SC owners trying to say there's is better. One guy posts he bought a Weyless for his wife and he owns a SC. He then writes "Ask SC tech or sales for their opinion"??? I think that might be a little biased Hmmmm? Test the bikes back to back and see for yourself. I rode a freinds Large SC and I could not feel a difference. The rear pivot point is the same. I keep my bike clean and BB does not squeek (maybe because I have nice components), rear triangle arm is rigid. I get very little bob and my FOX Float has lockout. My Weyless is holding up excellent. I'm an agressive XC/Freerider regularly do 20 mile epics and this bike can do it all.
The SC's I looked at were $2000+ did not even come with clipless pedals or a decent fork. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill Petersen
a Cross Country Rider
from nanjemoy, md, usa
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2003 | | Favoriate Trail: | porcupine ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Strengths: | Stiff where it needs to be, light weight and an excellent climber, point and shoot. Black anodized finish | | Weaknesses: | Could have nicer welds, some bb and rear swing arm flexing.
Pivot creaking after several wet rides but that's what lube is for. | | Similar Products Used: | Amp B1, SC Superlight, Cannondale Jekyl | | Bike Setup: | SP frame, mavic xc215 wheelset w/ conti explorers, xt shifters, brakes and fd, lx rd and cranks. Duke xc front fork and SID xc rear shock, race face low riser bar, yeti grigs, selle san marco arami saddle, weyless 3d light seat post. | | Bottom Line: | After buying this frame last year as a replacement for my old Amp and as new build up project to see what I could get for less than 1600 I am still happy. Overall it's a very pleasant ride and fast. I have fun everytime I ride it but I always have fun riding. The bike has some rearswing arm flex but that is inherent in a lightweight 7005 tubeset and single pivot designs. The bike tracks well in dry and wet conditions, very light for clearing logs and drops and takes a beating from hard rides. At 5'12" and 173lbs I find the bike fits me very well. Welds could be cleaner but most Aluminum frames have those chunky TIG welds. I've seen better but I've also seen worse on big name frames as well.
The 5 year warrantee keeps me worry free and if it does break well then I might just start saving for an Ellsworth Truth. All in all this is a good everyday ride for weekend warriors and xc riders. If you plan on racing this can make a good entry level ride and certainly can make an excellent training bike. I plan on using it for duathlons later this fall and next year so I'll be able to see how it takes that level of punishment. Then I'll start saving for the dream bike...Ellsworth Truth w/ full XTR setup. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jimbo
a
from Ga.
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Price | | Weaknesses: | for the price none.. | | Similar Products Used: | S.C. SL.. Trek, Spec.. | | Bike Setup: | all xt | | Bottom Line: | For price its good. I bought it for my wife because I have Santa C SL, and she likes it. She dosnt ride as often, so I got her the weyless. Its ok but does not in any way out perform the real deal.. the pivot for copyright reasons could not be in ideal place like my superlight, it bobs more in climbs than SL. she has about 1000 miles on it and it has a creakin noise in main pivot. where i have at this time 2776 miles and replced my pivot 1 time, You can call Santa Cruz anytime and talk to someone there, that, like the commercial says "is priceless" . This frame has more flex and wont make it 3000 miles. the paint is cheasy and welds are not on same level as superlight, it is about a pound more. bottom line, if you want a single pivot the Superlight frame is easily $500 better to a real mountain biker. but the weyless,is worth the money if ur on a budget or a weekend type, but, you get whay you pay for | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Seamus
a Weekend Warrior
from Epinal, Vosges
Date Reviewed: June 17, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Bottom Line: | (Follow on review) After 6 months I cannot say a wrong word about the frame - it does what it's meant to do. The rest of the kit is brilliant. Some notes
- The tyres (WTB V-raptors) are best is the mud, in the dry they don't sometimes give me as much confidence)
- XT disc brakes stop herds of rhinos - but very quickly! takes a little getting used to...
- Selle Italia make beautiful seats - but they really are painful after a while.
Overall - still a great bike | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Seamus
a Weekend Warrior
from Epinal, Vosges, France
Date Reviewed: January 12, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Second Hand | | Strengths: | Cheap and good quality - even at the full retail price, no 4" travel frame in Europe is as cheap (could be a good business opportunity for someone.....). Anodised finish is good looking, the frame is sturdy and is superlight. | | Weaknesses: | Will know better when I get to finish building it + ride it. It's -10C outside and I'm waiting on brakes from Supergo - they sent two rear XT disc brake kits instead of one front, one rear. | | Similar Products Used: | GT I-Drive and Decathalon FS bikes | | Bike Setup: | Psylo XC and SID XC rear, Mavic 223 Wheels with XT disc hubs, XT disc brakes, XT front and rear der, LX cassette and crank, Easton riser bar and stem, Syncros headset, Selle Italia Flite, Gore-tex cables and Velociraptor tires. | | Bottom Line: | I was finally sold on building myself and buying the bits over the internet from Supergo (okay service) and Pricepoint (very good prices) - prices are way cheaper than in Europe.
Had the good fortune to meet up with Pete, one of the other guys who wrote a review on the frame, and tried his bike and ending up buying the frame. Got a friend from the States to bring me the parts over and built it myself, now I'm just waiting for this front brake.
Having spent 1500 Euro in total I'm really happy - building the bike was easier than I imagined (getting the Gore-tex cables sorted was a hassle and the brake bleeding was fiddily). The bike weighs about 26 pounds, has lots of quality stuff on it, and it looks good. If money is no option I'm sure you could do much better, but for the rest of us, this is a bargain that will take you most places I would have the confidence for and maybe a bit more. It don't look like it would take heavy freeriding abuse but it'll stick a bit of air I. I write back when I've got a few miles on it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Texas
Date Reviewed: December 16, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | supergo | | Strengths: | Cheap, good component spec, good design | | Weaknesses: | Cheap, low build quality | | Similar Products Used: | Titus Quasi moto. Kona fs | | Bike Setup: | all decked out | | Bottom Line: | I broke it in 3 weeks. But Supergo was cool and gave me my money back. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill Petersen
a Weekend Warrior
from Nanjemoy, MD, USA
Date Reviewed: October 2, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Don't have one | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | supergo | | Strengths: | Lightweight, 7005 tubing, single pivot XC frame, price, black anodized finish and 5yr warrantee | | Weaknesses: | logo layout, initial creaking at pivot and bb | | Similar Products Used: | olde tyme Ross MTB from early 80s, Amp B1 | | Bike Setup: | Race Face low riser hb
xt brakes, front derailer & shifters
lx crank and rear derailer
mavic wheeels
rockshox duke xc (rear)
rockshox sid xc (rear) | | Bottom Line: | I bought the '02 SP to replace my old Amp B1 because of weight and was tired of the frame. I'm glad I did. I researched and test rode quite a few bikes including the santa cruz. What I like about this is it's lightweight, low maintenance w/ a single pivot, the tubing is nicely constructed and the anodized finish is sweet. The model I have is the '02 sp so I was able to get the anodized finish. Overall, I'm very happy with the setup. Lightweight, flies on the xc trails I've taken it on and is comfortable on road rides when I need to. The rear xc shock is ok but I've noticed that it's hard to fine tune the pressure. I've also lubed all the moving points of the rear swing arm and don't have that early creaking noise. I haven't noticed much flex but then this is a lightweight frame made to go fast and I'm 6ft, 175# so maybe I'm under the wire for frame stress. Supergo just sent me a bolt upgrade for the rear swingarm too without having to ask. I've been happy with Supergo's service and they warrantee their frames quite well. If I wreck this frame in the next few years I'll have gotten my moneys worth and it looks good to boot. All black w/ accenting gray/silver from the lx/xt components. I'll have put 1500.00 into the complete setup and have to say I've gotten a custom setup to my liking. A bike is the sum of it's parts and the frame being the most important shouldn't force you to use substandard component just to ride. It's well worth the price and better/equal to the higher end alum. frames I've looked at. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mathew Wintzer
a Cross Country Rider
from San Luis Obispo, CA
Date Reviewed: September 11, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | pick and shovel | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$589.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | -Price
-Frame design (see below)
-Sizing
-Did I mention price?
-Simplicity
-Buff Construction | | Weaknesses: | Okay they are not weaknesses, but tradeoffs:
-Looks, the 2003 paint scheme is ugly
-Does not track as well as a four-bar design | | Similar Products Used: | Rode a GT i-drive for one year | | Bike Setup: | Avid disks, XT drive train with Truvativ Team Crank and BB, One Mavic 317 rim (don't ask), Judy fork with Total Air upgrade. | | Bottom Line: | The 2003 frame, called the SP 5.5 not the SL, is a better choice than the Santa Cruz Superlight. The pivot point is much beefier than on the Santa Cruz (plus it's sealed) and the frame squares out at the pivot point which adds rigidity. It is not as light, it weighs 6.3lbs with the shock, but it out performs the Santa Cruz.
The problems with flex and disc brakes that others have posted have not been a problem for me. Supergo assured me that the new frame design is stiffer laterally. However, the absence of problems may be because I weigh 155lbs.
The bike's suspension does not work as well as my i-drive, but due to weight reduction and better frame geometry, I end going faster up and down the hill. I don't need all that plushness because I am not going slow enough to need it.
If desire single-pivot simplicity, this is the bike for you. It performs better than the Santa Cruz at half the cost. Too bad it is no longer anodized though. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael Harvey
a Cross Country Rider
from Boise, ID, USA
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Hard Guy | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$595.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | light, solid, price, comparable feel to Superlight, looks sharp - silver and blue | | Weaknesses: | Slight sway on downhill with single pivot, not bad. Fox has rebuilt my Float RL twice- not sure why leaking air, great customer service | | Similar Products Used: | Demoed Santa Cruz Superlight, Gary Fisher Suger 3, Proflex | | Bike Setup: | All XT, V-Brakes, Mavick 517 Wheels, Duke SL Rock Shock, Fox Float RL | | Bottom Line: | The bike is quick on both climbing and downhill. I feel my level of riding has jumped a notch or two. If you don't want to spend the bucks on Superlight, this bike is a great value. I am into this bike $1650 incuding a LBS building it up. On climbs prefer to leave unlocked. So far the only time I lock out is on the road from my house to the trails. My bike weighs just below 26lbs which is great. It draws a lot of attention from other riders wanting to know what I think. I would buy this bike all over again. In fact know my wife wants one so probably will be ordering another. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brandon Albrecht
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, AZ
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$615.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | Inexpensive, solid frame | | Weaknesses: | Name | | Similar Products Used: | GT XCR, Specialized FSR | | Bike Setup: | Everything XT, Hope mini disks, King ISO wheels | | Bottom Line: | I purchased this frame out of necessity. I broke my XCR 2 weeks before a 24 hour race. I was very low on cash and needed something quick. I purchased this bike with the idea that it was a rebranded Santa Cruz.
This bike is really no different, you don't pay for the name, and you get a bigger and better sealed cartridge bearing pivot. I was concerned that the frame wouldn't hold up, there was a diclaimer on the frame. I am shocked at how well it has held up in the desert. South Mountian is brutal, in fact it is where Tomac tested the Manitou Sherman fork. They needed a really rought place to beat it up with. Anyway, I have not had any problems with the frame. In fact I am really beginning to like it. It is light, accelerates well, and climbs well. Check it out, don't be to concerned about the name, Supergo, one of the biggest and best bike shops is backing you on it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim
a Cross Country Rider
from Mission Viejo, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$399.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | Light weight, Low cost and simple single pivot design (Copy of Santa Cruz Superlight). | | Weaknesses: | Quality constuction of rear swing arm (not as good as Santa Cruz), some interference with front triangle (check this before you purchase) | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized FSR XC | | Bike Setup: | RS Psylo Race, Hope Mini Disks, XT/XTR Mix | | Bottom Line: | I bought this frame as a 2002 close out from Supergo (because the newer version for 2003 out already with a FOX shock). Mine has the stock RS SID XC shock. With the shock setup correctly the bike has very little to no bob. My finished bike is slightly over 26#. The bike is very quick and light for the price. The frame is basically a copy of the Santa Cruz Superlight that is made in Taiwan under the Weyless name for Supergo. I noticed that the quality of the frames varies greatly. The welds are good but check for interference between the front triahgle and the rear swing arm before you purchase. Some of the frames looked like the swing arm actually impacted the welds of the front triangle when the rear trangle fully extended. Over all this is a good first full suspension bike frame its light, low cost and easy to setup and maintain. I'm 5'11" 190# and ride somewhat agresively and this frame holds up quite well so far. The frame is too light if you you like too jump and free ride, but makes an excellent low-cost cross country ride. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Biker Pete
a Cross Country Rider
from Brussels Belgium
Date Reviewed: June 3, 2002 | | Favoriate Trail: | Got many | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$635.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo (of course) | | Strengths: | With this setup, the bike tracks and climbs really well. The amount of suspension travel (4") is just right for my type of riding which I would call aggressive XC/trail. The workmanship on the frame is first rate, the welds are clean and the anodized color (mine is blue) is sharp. Can't beat the price.
| | Weaknesses: | - Possible disk brake interference and ghost shifting issues due to swingarm flex
- Leaky RockShox SID XC.
- Supergo reputation (bad)in case you have problems.
| | Similar Products Used: | None - first FS | | Bike Setup: | Mavic CrossRoc UST w/Hutchison Pythons (awesome combination - I highly recommend)
Magura Louise Disk front/Hope Mini-disk rear (explained below)
Chris King Headset
Answer Orbit stem
Easton Monkey Lite bars
Syncros Carbon Seat Post/WTB Ti Saddle
XT crank, shifters, BB and front derailleur
XTR rear der
Marzocchi Bomber Atom 80 fork
| | Bottom Line: | Overall my experience has been pretty good with the frame. It looks like a copy of the Santa Cruz Superlite, which is about double the price that Supergo is asking for the SP SL.
With this setup it weighs a touch over 27 lbs. I could easily get it to 25 lbs. by going with v-brakes, and a lighter fork and a non UST wheelset, but I'm 190 lbs. so I need a strong 'Zocchi fork, brakes and heavier wheels.
I upgraded to the SID XC rear shock with the lockout, but it really wasn't necessary. I don't notice much bob at all and don't even bother with the lockout even when I'm on the road, so save a couple of bucks by taking the standard SID XC shock. This shock has been one of the few problem areas. Mine wouldn't hold air in the negative chamber. It's back with RockShox right now being repaired. Too bad that Supergo doesn't offer the Fox Float which is much better quality.
The other questionable area is a big problem I was having with disk brake disk/caliper rubbing with a Magura Louise brake on the rear end. My bike shop said it was because the frame was laterally weak in the swingarm, and that's what they thought was causing or contributing to the problem. As a last try before converting to v-brakes in rear, I took a big chance and bought the Hope Mini-disk rear disk hoping that it was the Magura Louise brakes that were the problem. I got lucky - no more brake interference problem in the rear now with the Hopes. But in the end I'm not 100% sure if the brake problem was a combination of the flexy swingarm and the Magura brakes, or just the Maguras. The bottom line is that this frame is very light and is perhaps borderline strong enough for someone of my weight - I'm 190 lbs. and 5'11". So, no freerideing with this frame. I think the design intent was as a fast XC frame, just like the Santa Cruz SL.
In summary, the best advice I can give is:
1. If you like the Santa Cruz Superlite then you will like this frame,
2. use only Hope Mini-Disks (really powerful and lightweight) in the rear if you want to build it up with disk brakes,
3. use Gore Ride-On Gore-Tex shift cables to prevent ghost shifting (another small issue my LBS cured),
4. if you are a Free-Ride huckster then this probably isn't the frame for you.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike King
a
from Boerne, Tx US
Date Reviewed: April 19, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Bottom Line: | i wish someone would review this product, hasnt anyone tried it yet? i mean someone with some money go out on a limb and b the first to pay a whopping 495 for this thing. I have a very low budget and like santa cruz, but how cheap is this copy? can anyone even tell me about the weyless name? if anyone can help me, please reply | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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