I purchased this bike in fall of 2010 and got a killer deal as the shop was transitioning from biking to skiing for the winter. It was my first real mountain bike and as such I realized it was a major improvement. In fact I convinced my father to purchase a 2011 model the next fall which has several improvements, most notably hydraulic disc brakes.
The only major thing that makes this bike a three in my mind is the fork. It is very stiff, not adjustable, has no damper, and is very heavy. The good news is the tapered frame allows for the fork to easily be upgraded. I still have not done so as I opted to upgrade to a full suspension. I will admit with a different fork I think this bike would be great.
The components are not the best but are solid and I have had few problems. I recommend this bike to someone looking to get started in mountain biking. For the price I don't think it can really be beat. I am planning to keep mine as a spare/back-up as it is a solid bike.
Pros Solid platform for the price
Cons -Terrible fork
-Cheaper components
-Heavy for AL frame
Good to get your feet wet into mountain biking at an affordable price. I rode mine until it was worn out. Solid frame.
Pros
Good entry trail bike, decent hear for the price.
Cons
Thank |Heavy
I purchased this bike in fall of 2010 and got a killer deal as the shop was transitioning from biking to skiing for the winter. It was my first real mountain bike and as such I realized it was a major improvement. In fact I convinced my father to purchase a 2011 model the next fall which has several improvements, most notably hydraulic disc brakes.
The only major thing that makes this bike a three in my mind is the fork. It is very stiff, not adjustable, has no damper, and is very heavy. The good news is the tapered frame allows for the fork to easily be upgraded. I still have not done so as I opted to upgrade to a full suspension. I will admit with a different fork I think this bike would be great.
The components are not the best but are solid and I have had few problems. I recommend this bike to someone looking to get started in mountain biking. For the price I don't think it can really be beat. I am planning to keep mine as a spare/back-up as it is a solid bike.
Pros
Solid platform for the price
Cons
Thank |-Terrible fork
-Cheaper components
-Heavy for AL frame