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A friend of mine is letting me try out a bike he wants to sell. The cost of the bike is obviously less than what I would pay for new. The frame is an Intense Uzzi from 2003. He broke his back right before he bought the bike, and has not put a lot of miles on it. Also the components are from 2004 and ^. The bike rides ok, and I plan on test riding a newer bike, but I am torn over spending the extra grand for a new bike. Besides the obvious cost questions, what are some things I need to consider. I am including the specs on the current bike.
Fork-Manitou Sherman SPV double clamp 20mm axle 7" travel
Shock-Fox Vanilla RC custom Pushed 7" travel
Cranks-Shimano XTR
Front Derail.- Shimano XTR
Rear Derail.- Shimano Deore
Seat- Tioga DH
Seatpost-Azonic something I can’t recall
Handlebars-Azonic WF Riser
Stem-Azonic Shorty Deluxe
Grips-Lock-on
Wheelset-Azonic Outlaw 20mm front hub, 12mm rear hub
Tires- I don’t remember size: 2.5 DH/FR whatever they are
Frame-Intense Uzzi SLX -
Welcome to Singletracks!
Now, lemme get to the meat on hand here. (rubs hands greedily 😼 )
The Intense Uzzi is a sweet freeride bike, and pretty much unchanged between ’03 & now. I considered the Uzzi before buying my Nomad, along with the VP-Free. The Uzzi is a weighty bike, a tad heavier than a VP-Free, but still an efficient pedaller.
The only thing that I find fault with on your friend’s bike, is the Deore derailleur & Sherman fork.
That it has a PUSH’d Fox on it, XTR cranks & front derailleur, and Outlaw wheels (heavy, but indestructible) more than makes up for the lousy fork and derailleur!!!
Replace the Deore with at least a SRAM X9, get a Marzocchi 66 (’05-’06) to replace the Manitou, and be done with it! 😼If your riding style is aggro-All-Mountain or Freeride, that bike would be perfect, as long as you dig the aesthetics and don’t mind going slower up hills. But I have to ask, what other bikes were you considering? Even so, it’d be hard to get "friend" prices on such a little-used freeride bike with the parts it has.
My sympathies for your friend…. I have a messed up back too, and it keeps me from riding as well.
Don’t be a stranger, and let us know how it goes. -
Thanx for the input. I have found it very hard to get good info. Where I live, Bike Shops are like boutiques, and money seems to be what people want to talk about (most expensive components, frames etc.). I am trying to put the parts to the application, and being new….I was getting the run around.
I was looking at the following bikes; IronHorse 7point, Kona Coiler and Jamis Diablo. They all seem to be in that $2000-$3000 range. I don’t want to spend it unless it’s going to be worth it now to have a new bike. I guess more than anything, I’m looking at the frame, and asking "can I keep upgrading it"? and "will the frame hold up"?
I am 6’0" and 290lbs. I have played semi pro football for the last 8 yrs and at 39, need to retire to something that isn’t football (for the wife). I teach indoor cycling classes and have wanted to do real biking for a while. So, that’s a little background, and again, thankx!!
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That sucks your bike shops are like that…..
I always advise prospective buyers to take a walk if the first thing that happens is they get steered towards the most expensive bikes & gear on the floor right off the bat.
A good LBS employee will scope out the customer’s experience, current bike (if any), and riding preference before even starting with bike suggestions.
A lot of LBS employees are gearheads, and they love talking shop, which is fine. But if their gabber isn’t constructive in answering a customer’s questions or curiosity, it’s a pretty sure thing they’re not going to bother considering said customer’s concerns. Instead, they’ll end up being steered towards what the employee likes, and not the customer.Anyways, that being said…. From your short list of desirable bikes, it appears that you want to be bombing trails and doing some pretty rough stuff.
Also, I’m considering your weight. At 290lbs, that puts you squarely into the Clydesdale class of rider. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not a bad thing at all, especially if you’re in shape! The problem is, with long-travel bikes, Clydes will have an extremely hard time keeping their weight from overwhelming the copious & plush suspension DH & Freeride bikes have. So, as a Clyde looking to ride one of those bikes, and yet keep the price between $2-3k, you’ll need to find one that has the initial component outfit & frame that’ll hold up. Try and stay away from any air/pneumatic shocks & forks. There’s no way any of the air dampers currently on the market will hold up to a 290lb Clyde.
Which brings me to the bikes you mentioned….The IronHorse 7-point series:
These bikes are going to be good at withstanding your weight activating the suspension by dint of their DW linkage. The frames themselves aren’t the heaviest on the market, but nor are they the lightest. Final weight depends a lot on component spec. The cheaper bikes & components tend to be lighter, but the equation "Light, Strong, Cheap; pick two" applies here.-Their base model 7point3 (at $2400MSRP) is not equipped with a fork & shock that’ll keep up with you. The frame itself will work fine, but you’ll need at least a Marzocchi 66RC2X (which is a coil-only fork), and a Fox DHX5 coil with the heaviest spring they’ve got (#600-650). Avid Juicy3 w/ 8" rotors lack
-The 7point5 is on the right path for the suspension spec and frame parts. You get the right fork (66RC2), a Fox DHX 3.0 shock, and heavy-duty cranks, bar, stem, seatpost, & wheels. The deficiency here is the DHX 3.0 shock. It lacks bottom-out resistance adjustment (hugely important in your case) and Propedal (also important, as it’ll aid in keeping your weight from activating the suspension). The Avid Juicy5’s w/ 8" rotors will do the job, but they tend to be noisy! Both the Juicy 3 & 5 systems lack the pad contact adjustment system of the Juicy 7 & Codes.
The 7point5 is priced at $3500MSRP-Finally, the 7point7 would work for you nicely. The RockShox Totem fork is currently the gold-standard in single-crown DH/FR forks. It’s a massively strong & versatile fork. The Fox DHX5 coil shock is exactly what you need, as it has all the adjustments available. The Avid Code hydro 8" disc brakes are more than adequate for bringing you to a screeching halt, while offering gobs of adjustability. And at $5000MSRP, it’s quite an investment to make when starting off as a new rider.
Jamis Diablo:
This bike comes in two flavors, the Diablo 1 & 2. Neither I feel are suitable for you. They’d work fine for a beginner DH/FR rider, but not one of your stature. To upgrade them to the point of the parts holding their end of the bargain up, you’d end up spending close to what you’d pay for a top-end IH 7point7.
Example- The Diablo1 has a $2300MSRP, and the Diablo2 is $3550MSRP . A RockShox Totem fork will set you back a cool $1200 at least. Marzocchi 66RC2 forks go for $850.
A Fox DHX5 ($400-$500) or Marzocchi Roco RCWorldCup coil shock ($350) needs to be added.
The Hayes HFX9 8" brakes are ok, but some Avid Code5s ($160 per wheel) or Magura Gustavs (legendary performance at $280 per wheel) would be a lot better.
So, you start with a $2300 Diablo1, add the best parts for the least cash outlay, and you get a $3800 Diablo1.
A $2300 Diablo1, with the absolute best parts money can buy (and this is only suspension & brakes!), adds up to $4500.
Not only that, but the Diablo is a very heavy frame, compared to the IH, Uzzi, or Kona.And lastly, we have the Kona Coiler:
The Coiler Delux is the lightest of the four bikes (Uzzi, 7point, Diablo), and . However, it’s not a DH/FR bike. It’s an 6" travel All-Mountain bike. You could put a Roco WC shock and upsize to 8" brake rotors, and it’d do the job nicely. But that’s only part of the rest of the upgrades you’d need to do. Stronger (and heavier) wheels would be needed, as well as quite possibly a better drivetrain and a chainguide. The Coiler Delux is already a $3000 bike, so add another $1000-$1500 to that to get it good.
A Kona Stinky Delux would be a better choice as a stock bike with the right parts, right off the bat. And for $3100MSRP, that’s an excellent price for what you get in terms of durability.
The Stinky’s suspension may not be as reactive or plush as the IH 7point, but it’s the bike that started it all in the FR world.Hope all that helps, and good luck!
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Bombardier,
All I can say is wow. WOW!!! I talked to my friend tonight, and pretty much we had the same kind of talk (frame and uprgrades) so I am hitting some bike shops tomorrow and throughout the week to get a "new bike" feel. I’m thinking of paying more attention to the sales guy, than to the bike. I can see what components are on the bike, and now have a fairer idea of what they do. I want to see and hear the same kind of interest that you’ve shown, and I’ll have to find a different shop to go to. Thanks again, and I’ll let you know where I’m at with things. -
Hey, not a problem at all, brother. 😼
If you have any more questions whatsoever before buying your ride, just ask. I’ve heard some doozies from a few LBS shop-rats; so if one gives you information that needs clarification, I’ll do my best with that as well.
Like I said earlier, the Kona Stinky Deluxe could very possibly be the best off-the-shelf bike for you. And that’s not me being a brand-whore. 😀 I love pimping the SantaCruz Nomad to people, but immediately after I’ll get down to business and help choose the right bike. You could make that Intense Uzzi work perfectly, it’ll just take the addition of a Marzocchi 66RC2 fork & Marzocchi Rocco WC shock…. Everything else on that bike is perfect!
In any case, don’t settle on a bike because you’re tired of looking, or the price is right, or it’s pretty (not that you would, I’m sure 😎 )….
When you do find the right bike, make sure you get some goodies included with it as well.
Most good LBS’s will throw in free basic services for as long as you own the bike, provided you buy it from them. If you buy a mid/high-end bike, you can get them to swap out parts (of equal or slightly greater value) at no charge to make your bike more comfortable or custom…… Such as; seats, handlebars, stems, grips, seatposts, tires, pedals, and grip vs. trigger shifters.
And after you buy the bike, make sure you take it for its first service after the first one or two really good rides. Your LBS will then check the bike and tighten anything that’s become loose, as well as make any driveline/brake adjustments & wheel services that may be necessary.Again, good luck!
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Hey, Bombardier
Performance Bicycle (North Wales, Pa.) is doing a sale, and they have two IronHorse bikes I’m going to test ride. I am pasting the specs below. Any review would be appreciated. The first is a 7.5, on sale $2,299 and the second is a 7.3, at $1,299. They also have Mongoose Bikes, but I wasn’t sure what kind of quality I was looking at with that brand. Thanks again!!Frame: 7â€
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Funny, my wife & I were just in a Performance today, and I happened to be looking at their IH 7points today. All they have are the ’06 & ’07 models, so the components found on them are rather crappy. Manitou Stance forks for instance.
Anyways, as for your two choices, the Boxxer Ride fork, 5th Element shock, and SRAM X9 drivetrain sets the 7point5 apart from the 7point3. If you’ve narrowed your choices down to those two bikes and have the $$$ to spend, get the 7.5. The IH 7point ride itself is very plush, and not too heavy. There are lighter 7" travel bikes out there, but you’ll not be cursing the IH’s mass either way.
And since you asked about Mongoose…. I used to have a very low opinion of their bikes. Walmart specials & all…..
But they’ve come a long way. They still make Walmart crapcycles, but the high-end bikes Mongoose makes are very nice. I’m particularly impressed with the Teocali Super, the Canaan Team, and the Black-Diamond Triple. I’d put the Black-Diamond Triple (or Double) on par with the 7point5, according to the ones that were on hand at the Performance here.
But if your store has one, I strongly recommend you give the new for ’08 Khyber Super a look. It’s got Marzocchi’s brand new 55ATA all-mountain fork, Marzocchi’s new Roco Air TST piggyback shock, and some prime components the rest of the way around.
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