Mavic DeeTraks

Advantages: Lightweight, strong, precise, fast
Disadvantages: hopeless police (lack of) effort against stolen bikes

...monocoque frame doesn't flex at all. The wheels are mavic 517 rims which have been the best XC wheel rims around for some time now. There is no discernible lateral shaking and flexing associated with fast downhill in a full-suspension bike. During repetitive bumps on climbs there are some bouncies during some long, grinding, out of the saddle climbs, but use the (change on the ride/fly) lock-out on the Fox Float RL and its perfect again as is the lock-out on the SID Team fork. It has four inches of travel in the back, and 100mm up front, so the bike can take the big hits with no annoying inefficiencies. This bike feature s the new Quad System trail arm. The Quad system is designed to allow the rear wheel to move up and down early in the travel. As the wheel moves back the effective chainstay length grows, which is supposed to put the rear... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Finish; Ride quality; Durability
Disadvantages: Price has gone up; Open chainstays

...eBay the steal of the century); EAI cog; Connex Wipperman 1G8 chain; Nitto bars; Shimano 105 front brake; Tektro lever; an old front wheel, and a new Goldtec/Mavic rear wheel; and a Charge Spoon Saddle. Total build came to around £700 (at a higher spec, I have to say, than the complete bike from Mosquito). The ride quality is good from the steel frame, soaking up the lumps and bumps nicely, and the geometry makes for a more relaxed ride than a dedicated road bike. This feels somewhere between that and a mountain bike. Used every day to head to and from work the whole bike copes wonderfully, and with around 1200 miles under the wheels now there isn\'t a single hint of any flaws in the build quality. It has also done some long distance rides, including a couple over 100 miles, and again behaved admirably. The paint finish is also good... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Ride quality; Build Quality; Customer Service of Company
Disadvantages: Can't ride it enough

.... A reasonably light material, with the benefits of a bit of flex. This provides a comfortable ride, negating 'trail buzz', and appeals to the purists who don\'t like the harsh stiffness of an aluminium frame, or the 'cheat' of a full-suspension bike. The design is compact, with a sloping top tube meaning you'll need a long seatpost. As this is a frame only you can spec up the bike exactly the way you want to (there are also some deals available through Cotic for things like forks and stems). I built mine up with a SRAM 9-Speed system (x.7 throughout, except the front mech which is Shimano XT); Hope Mono Mini disc brakes; wide Easton riser bars; and some great wheels built on DMR Revolver hubs with bombproof Mavic rims. The geometry of the frame as a whole is designed to put the rider slightly forward, putting more weight through the front wheel... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful