[MqtRider]

Ellsworths...Are they really as good as they appear?

I'm looking at the Dare or the Rogue, a little different bikes, I know. Are Ellsworth's worth the extra coin, or is it just another Kona. (Both are similar 4-bar linkages) If you have one. please post a pic.

 

[coma13]

The general consensus you're going to get is no. I think the Rogues look pretty dope but those Dares are one of the ugliest bikes being marketed right now.

Edit: I take it back, they're both hideous.

 

[Nick.]

I'm looking at the Dare or the Rogue, a little different bikes, I know. Are Ellsworth's worth the extra coin, or is it just another Kona. (Both are similar 4-bar linkages) If you have one. please post a pic.

No, it's not just another Kona ... and no they aren't worth the extra coin IMO.
In fact, if the Ells cost less I'd still opt for the Kona of those two choices.

 

[BundokBiker]

one difference in the suspension...

I'm looking at the Dare or the Rogue, a little different bikes, I know. Are Ellsworth's worth the extra coin, or is it just another Kona. (Both are similar 4-bar linkages) If you have one. please post a pic.

is the horst link. I don't think Konas have a pivot at the chainstay. it's debatable on how effective the horst link is, so I won't go into it. are ells worth the coin? I don't think the difference in price is going to give the same difference in performance. If performance per $$$ is your target, you better have money burning a hole in your pocket. dollar vs performance value is not there... IMHO.

 

[rzozaya1969]

I'm looking at the Dare or the Rogue, a little different bikes, I know. Are Ellsworth's worth the extra coin, or is it just another Kona. (Both are similar 4-bar linkages) If you have one. please post a pic.

Hey! Ellsworths is a 110% efficient, haven't you heard?

j/k, but they have the ICT and HL, which are just different pivot and swingarm placements. I don't think they're worth the coin, but I really haven't ridden one.

 

[M1_joel]

ellsworths probably have the worst resale due to the initial high cost and people avoiding them like the plague. everytime i see someone riding a high dollar EW, i think "poor sucker"

 

[Jayem]

No, they are not as good as they look, because all of the "adjustable travel" models, like the 6" rogue, the 7" rogue, and so on, are not really "adjustable". The way the travel is changed is by changing the shock and putting a different length shock in there. So instead of maybe having to buy a new coil spring as with other "adjustable travel" bikes, you get to buy a new $300-400 shock to have the "adjustable travel". The other big part about this is that you get some screwy geometry with the 6" rogue, since ellsworth is using the exact same frame members for all the different versions and only changing the shock length. The 6" bike ends up with a 12" BB, and while lower BBs are kind of cool, that is WAY too low for such a bike, the bike also has an obscenely slack headtube angle for the amount of travel.

 

[dpdsurf]

I'm looking at the Dare or the Rogue, a little different bikes, I know. Are Ellsworth's worth the extra coin, or is it just another Kona. (Both are similar 4-bar linkages) If you have one. please post a pic.

NO, EW has a bad customer service reputation IMO. I would go with a Turner if you want a boutique bike. Otherwise I'm sure you would have just as much fun on a Kona. But there's just something about David Turner and his impeccable customer service and quality control reputation.

 

[SHIVER ME TIMBERS]

save coin...go Kona...or get a Azonic Saber

 

[BJ-]

I'd rather be riding a Kona than an Ellsworth and thats saying something...

 

[wXman]

no they aren't worth the xtra coin...and no they aren't exactly another Kona. I have an ID, and my kids ride Stinky P's. HUGE difference in rides, one being a very burly trail to solid freeride bike (the stinky), and another being a solid trail to very light freeride bike (ID). They aren't particularily efficient, in fact if I was gonna do it all over again, I'd get a Turner - or upgrade to an even better bike...any of the VP's from makers like SC and Intense. Oh...and I agree with others, even if they cost less, there are other bikes out there that I'd much rather ride at this point.

TE basically has soured me on anything to do with his bikes because of his horrendous CS reputation, even though I haven't experienced this personally (two swingarm replacements for different failures, both covered under warranty except for shipping), but there are PLENTY of horror stories on the EW boards here.

I'm sure I'm voiding the warranty on my ID in this pic..... I wonder if this is why I've busted two swingarms ???

 

[Tracerboy]

i know one guy who rides a dare, who loves it, but i wouldn't buy an ellsworth frame personally, i don't think they are any better then a kona stinky. the kona frames are super solid and i also would rather ride a stinky then a dare, especially since the stinky is so much more reasonable and you will actually get more then your moneys worth from the bike

 

[XSL_WiLL]

Crap. Lots of cracked frames in the past, and refusal to warranty a number of those frames, even though it was due to [email protected] design. Also, the frames aren't even made well. I know a frame that came through the shop. Guy got it new online, but he couldn't get the seattube or headset in. Turns out the welds were too deep and protruded into the seattube and headtube. Both had to be reamed.

 

[Jayem]

I'm sure I'm voiding the warranty on my ID in this pic..... I wonder if this is why I've busted two swingarms ???

Therein lies part of the problem though (not you).

Tony E originally marketed the Id as a freeride bike, capable of handling dual crown forks, and in the same league as the Turner RFX.

The Id was nothing more than a long travel XC bike. Rather than design an new bike and wait a year, Tony decided to pit his "trail bike" against other freeride bikes, and in doing so many of them broke, and many people rode them outside the intended usage.

 

[JBsoxB]

they are most definatly worth the extra coin....and i'm selling mine with a king headset and thompson pst for 400, so buy it.

 

[wXman]

That is EXACTLY why I bought it when I did, and funny you should say that...I was debating between the RFX and the ID too!! You don't know how many times I've kicked myself for not going turner, especially the RFX.

I was supremely bummed when they stopped selling them that year too!

 

[boone]

Don't worry!

Turner is bringing the rfx back!

(12 inch BB w/ slack HA in the 6inch setting for the rogue???????? WTF is that about???)

Transition Bikes are another way to get a great frame and save a bunch of coin!