Perfect for a beginner
This was the bike I bought when I started riding and since then I have replaced all the parts. That being said, I just wanted to clear up a few things I think others didn't pay attention to and didn't bother to read correctly. First off this bike is an excellent bike to get for a beginning rider, for $250 - $300 ya cant go wrong. There are good things and bad things about it. Anyone who tells you the parts blah blah blah are incorrect. The store I purchased mine at had the same FRAME but with 3 different part setups. Depending on the store you buy the "bike" at is what will determine what parts it has. The frame is indestructible. I've crashed hard a couple of times and was hit by a car on my way to one of the trails and the frame never cared at all, some of the parts on the other hand... Depending on how involved in biking you want to get is really what determines the bike you want. If you just want a bike to ride and never do anything to then yes, I would agree with others reviews and say it's worth buying a bike in the upper limit of your budget because it will come with a little bit more decent parts, however if you plan on doing alot of the work yourself (changing parts) then this frame is great. why learn and take the chance of possibly stripping or breaking part of a higher end frame? I learned to replace and install all the parts on this frame with little worry about what I might accidentally do. Keep in mind this frame is heavier which can be a good thing and a bad thing. I like the heavier frame because its a good leg workout and when I get on a lighter frame it's almost to easy. Secondly, I assume your looking at this frame because it's full suspension and that if you wanted a hardtail you would have asked about a hardtail. I suggest this as a good beginner bike because you can ride the hell out of it while learning and not worry about breaking a part because the parts didn't cost you an arm and a leg. Remember all the parts can be upgraded later, your not stuck with the same parts forever. Remember form follows function, buy a bike based on your skill level and needs rather than what people tell you is cool. Learn on something like this and upgrade to a better bike later. Chances are if you get into riding you'll end up with more than one bike anyways. Parts are irrelevant when buying a "bike", sure you can spend the little extra and get hydraulic brakes and duel crown 203 mm 's of travel forks but if you dont know how to use and maintain them whats the point? For the money your looking at spending for any other full suspension bike this is a good deal. You can get this bike to learn on plus full safety gear and still have enough to get spare tubes or replacement parts if needed. Once you've learned to ride and all that riding entails feel free to upgrade to a higher priced bike, until then this is a great beginner bike to learn on. I realize this is useless info aat this point as I'm writing this 3 years after the original thread but man, some of the other reviews are idiotic... Who cares who owns the name and who made it etc. The information of whether its discontinued and whether there's lots of backstock for Sports Authority to make money off of is stupid, Yes it's decent frame, yes the parts are cheaper, yes the parts can be replaced later, no it's not the best bike ever made. Tell me about another full suspension frame for the same price and maybe you've got something to compare, but since then next cheapest full suspension bike is around $900 +, there's nothing wrong with learning on this one. I'm reading lots of "it's crap" but not seeing much reason for that statement. Buy this bike and tell me your not satisfied. I've used this bike for almost three years now as a thrasher, loaner, and trainer bike and it still hasn't left me stranded on a trail any where. Plus having a bike thats not really on the upper end of things isn't a bad thing, it definitely helps to see what makes a "higher end" bike "higher end". Like I said above, I've replaced all of the parts on the frame because I like the invincibility of the frame, and when screwing around with friends I don't want to ruin my expensive bikes (Kona, GT, Evil Revolt Custom). Good safety gear aint cheap, so learn on a cheap bike, buy decent safety gear and have a good time.
