| Submitted by Noam a Cross Country Rider from Jerusalem,Israel Date Reviewed: 12/25/2007 9:48:23 AM |
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| Duration Product Used: | 3 months |
| Price Paid: | $1200 |
| Purchased At: | LBS |
| Strengths: | Amazing ride, beautiful frame , great parts for the $,relatively lightweight |
| Weaknesses: | Not easy to install a front der.Not enough time to ride |
| Similar Products Tried: | My first 29er |
| Bike Setup: | Mono9 converted to 3X9 w/LX crank ,XT ders and shifters |
| Bottom Line: | This review is for the mono9 that originaly had slightly different part collection , swapped anyhow by the convertion to 3X9 . The frame is amazingly built and painted , looks like a way more expensive frame . Rides like a dream . Buy it . |
Value Rating:  Overall Rating: |
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| Submitted by JayJay Jones a Cross Country Rider from Omaha, NE, USA Date Reviewed: 11/26/2007 5:55:11 PM |
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| FavoriteTrail: | All area trails |
| Duration Product Used: | 3 months |
| Price Paid: | $1000 |
| Strengths: | Relatively inexpensive, very good components for the money. |
| Weaknesses: | Headset, single chainring sometimes allows the chain to come off. |
| Similar Products Tried: | Klein |
| Bike Setup: | Stock |
| Bottom Line: | Overall impression Riding this bike reinforces the idea that different solutions work differently for different people. My previous mountain bike was a Klein Pulse Comp hardtail (26 inch wheels) with a Skareb Super suspension fork. It was a good bike but, for me, the Redline 460 is the better bike. The D460 in noticeably heavier but I find that I can climb better now than I could on my previous bike. At first I believed that it was the newness of the bike that allowed me to improve my riding but over the months I have discovered several factors that work in my favor. Geometry The 19 inch 29er geometry fits me well. I am 5 foot 11 inches but I have a long legs (33 inch inseam). In my opinion choosing 26 or 29 inch tire depends on what works best for you. It seems that riders with longer legs are more comfortable with a bike with larger wheels. This bike seems to be set up for me right out of the box. Steering Some people report that the 29 inch wheel reduces maneuverability. The D460 has correct 29er geometry. Redline has increased the fork rake to compensate for the larger wheel, decreasing trail. The increased rake contributes to the “turnability” of the bike. Additionally, the 29er appears to steer a bit differently. Counter-steering, seems to be more effective with the larger wheeled bike. Specifically, to make a right turn, I make a very short, quick movement of the handlebar to the left (inertia shifts my weight to the right) then turn to the right. Since my body is already moving in the direction of the right turn, the big-wheeled bike seems to turn more quickly. The bike may be more difficult to get around in really tight single track when counter-steering has less of an impact. Rigid Fork The rigid fork is a pleasant surprise. Riding the rigid fork has improved my bike handling skills and forces me to take a better line when riding. The rigid fork also addresses brake dive, bob and maintenance issues. Nine Speeds Most of my road miles are on a single speed fixed gear bike. Riding a single speed off road is more than my 51-year-old legs can handle. Nine speeds have worked well. It is a great compromise between single speed and 27+ gears. I really like this bike! To this point I believed my previous bike was the best I could get. This bike is off the hook!! I give the product five chilis because of the value and the fun factor of the bike. |
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
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| Submitted by John Peterson a Weekend Warrior from Salt Lake City, UT Date Reviewed: 11/21/2007 10:09:25 AM |
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| FavoriteTrail: | shoreline |
| Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month |
| Price Paid: | $1000 |
| Purchased At: | LBS |
| Strengths: | Price, components, frame |
| Weaknesses: | none that I've seen yet |
| Similar Products Tried: | fisher ferrous, salsa el mariachi, specialized rockhopper comp 29er |
| Bike Setup: | stock |
| Bottom Line: | A great deal on a geared 29er. The 1x9 setup rules, all the gears you need, save some weight and some money. I actually bought the Mono9 (last year's model), it's spec'd with the sram x9 instead of the x7 and I think they are downgrading the crankset on the D460 too. It's a very nice steel frame, a lot lighter than my Monocog even though it's has 26" wheels and is a singlespeed. A guy down the street has the El Mariachi, it's nice but it's spec'd almost identical, is heavier and costs several hundreds more. bottom line, I've never loved a bike this much before, it just feels right. no suspension but the frame is suspension corrected so it can be added later. |
Value Rating: Overall Rating:  |
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