Submitted by
Kel
a Cross Country Rider
from montrose, co Date Reviewed: September 12, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Purchased At:
tellluride sports
Strengths:
Fast, fun, and maintains speed, climbs like a goat. Great value and component group in comparison to others 29'ers.
Weaknesses:
Low bottom bracket and soft tail end and front fork.
Similar Products Used:
My other bike in the Quiver is a 2007 Specialized Enduro SL
Bike Setup:
Stock with the tubless conversion on the tires.
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike over a month ago after wanting to get into a 29'er for over a year- found the bike priced to sell at the end of the product year. I rode this bike for the first month on mostly buffed out trails- Monarch Crest, Slickrock, and Telluride trails. I have not had as much fun on a bike before. The bike maintains speed and rolls exceptionally well and climbs great- its climbing ability reminds me of a Yeti 575 I demo'ed a year ago. It handles great at low speeds and climbing and I have not had a problem with chain lockout with the single pivot design, and bob has not been too noticeable. Today I rode in Fruita on steep, rocky techincal ascents and descents and found the bikes' weaknesses. The bottom bracket is low and I kept hitting the cranks and the BB on rocks, and the soft rear end was noticable on fast rocky descents. I love this bike on buffed trails, but it leaves something to be desired in steep technical trails. I'm glad I still have the enduro for this riding. A great bike and great value, but I can't wait for a 29'er with a higher BB, 5" travel, a 36mm stanchion and through axel design.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim Cook
a Weekend Warrior
from Millington, MD, USA Date Reviewed: March 7, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Crackhead Bob @ Fairhill S.P.
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At:
Bikeline, Middletown DE.
Strengths:
This is my first 29er and I expected it to feel larger than my old Sugar 3, but it actually feels lighter and more stable without sacrificing agility in the tight stuff. Climbs like a goat and rolls over roots, rocks, etc with ease. It has a more rearward weight distribution which I like alot. The hydraulic disk brakes only require light pressure from one finger to actuate and they're very smooth and predictable. Fox suspension on both ends is firm, but soaks up all the hits. Great for XC.
Weaknesses:
Didn't like the stock tires so I replaced them with Kenda Karma 1.9's. There is some pedal bob when standing up to climb (this was pointed out in the previous reveiw) but the shock has a lockout so if it becomes too annoying you can reach down and fix it quickly.
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher Sugar 3
Bike Setup:
Stock except for tires and WTB Rocket V seat.
Bottom Line:
Definitely pleased with it. It's a big improvement over my old bike. I had serious doubts about buying a 29er due to the handling issues that I'd heard about, but no worries now, this bike has none of those issues. Doesn't feel big, it just feels fast.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pete
a Cross Country Rider
from Las Cruces, NM, USA Date Reviewed: February 10, 2008
Favorite Trail:
dona anas single tradk
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Outdoor Adventures
Strengths:
I did a fair amount of internet research on this bike before I ordered it and waited a long time for delivery. I've been riding a specialized epic and love it, but was lusting after a second bike and thought a 29er would be fun for variety.
Frankly, I didn't think this bike was anything special on the easy bits of trail that lead to the technical climbs I love. The shifting was great, I liked the feel of the components and the ride was smooth. I did notice the longer wheelbase altered the sensations of cornering, yet found the adjustment pretty intuitive and straight-forward. At this point I admit I a wee bit underwhelmed.
Then I reached the first technical stuff I was truly shocked at the difference between this bick and my trusty epic. This bike rocks the rocks. The tougher the trail the more this bike shines. It feels big, but even on the first ride I had zero issues maneuvering in tight quarters. The 29er concept plays beautifully on this bike.
Climbs better than I thought it might, with some extra pressure in the rear shock. It just rolls so well through baby heads and step ups that I'm grinning from ear to ear. It rides far more quietly through the bone rattlers than my epic ever could. The epic is more responsive, but at a cost.
Weaknesses:
It's thorn city where I ride and tubeless tires run with a good mix of slime and latex is a must for puncture-free long cross country rides. But it turns out the new rhythm comp wheels on the bike are not ready for tubeless operation. So, I have to wait until April to get a tubeless rim strip. That is lame.
There is some bob in the rear suspension that the specialized "brain" eliminates. I noticed it most when I stood up to climb. Downshifting to a bigger gear helps. You can lock the rear suspension, but I've got a feeling I'm not going to mess with it other than running the pressure high.
Bike Setup:
Got the 19 inch frame. I'm a tad over 5'9". With the standard stem I feel a bit too upright and a wee bit cramped. I like feeling a bit more stretched out over the top tube. Will have to fiddle with this a bit.
Bottom Line:
no disappointment here whatsoever. if you like to ride rough stuff, try this out.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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