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Trailbike opinions Intense, Santa Cruz or Iron Horse???

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BMXman

BMXman

I wish I was Canadian
Sep 8, 2001
13,827
0
Victoria, BC
Well with the closure of some great dh spots I have been thinking about more of a trail worthy bike. I have narrowed it down to 3 frames. Intese 5.5, Hollowpoint or a Heckler. I can find a lot of information about the Intense and the Santa Cruz but not very much on the Hollowpoint. So I'm starting to lean towards eliminating the hollowpoint. I have ridden both of the other frames so I think I have all the info I need on those two.

I tried looking at Iron horses website but it only has '05 info. Right now Supergo is having a serious blowout and I can get the Hollowpoint team for a great price. I would like to hear from people who own a hollowpoint or from someone who sells/assembles them in their shop. I have questions about how to change the travel but couldn't get any clear answers. I would also like to know how durable the frames are and I'm concerned about tire clearance. I'm considering this frame because of the DW Link. I trust Weagle and I think he makes good products...just looking for a bit more info.....D
 
Tweek

Tweek

I Love Cheap Beer!
Jun 13, 2002
700
-1
Rochester, NY; the no-ride zone of WNY
Any reason you didn't put the Yeti 575 on the list?
I don't doubt the Intense is well-built, but $$$. How bad do you want VPP?

Instigator should chime in on this thread. I know the Heckler's a great bike, and he's had good ride time on his. Even posted a shootout b/w it and his 575.
 
DHS

DHS

Friendly Neighborhood Pool Boy
Apr 23, 2002
5,094
0
Sand, CA
yea, i have a Giant VT. and probaly will have it till it dyes. LOVE the bike
but road a 5.5, that or a MKIII(ironhorse) would replace it.
hehe
 
Skookum

Skookum

bikey's is cool
Jul 26, 2002
10,184
0
in a bear cave
i've never ridden an iron horse, therefore i won't qualify myself with a comment on them.

A heckler is tried and true, you know what you're getting. Solid bike with single pivot. With a progressive shock you're dialed in....
i've ridden the 5.5 and i have to say if it wasn't the cost of the frame i personally would be riding one myself. The active suspension is a dream, the thing is a more capable ride with it's pedal efficiency.
When it comes down to it being able to pedal faster thru the garbage, it makes XC fun. :)
 
Echo

Echo

crooked smile
Jul 10, 2002
11,819
15
Slacking at work
Of the 3 you listed, I'd have to say the Heckler is the hot ticket. Too bad you can't score a deal on the 575 though.

I know someone who decided on the "great deal" on a Hollowpoint from Supergo, only to find out that, contrary to the claims on their website, they have pretty much nothing in stock.
 
Y

yojimborace

Monkey
Oct 26, 2004
297
0
SC
I like the heckler, my friend beat his up and hit some pretty big things on it, but he could pedal it uphill without killing himself.
 
-BB-

-BB-

I broke all the rules, but somehow still became mo
Sep 6, 2001
4,254
28
Livin it up in the O.C.
What do you want to know about it?

There were tire clearance issues on the '03 model, but the '04 addressed this I believe.

As for durability, I've been taking mine down most of the Aliso Woods trails (except Valhalla) and it has held up great. There is no slop in the rear, it pedals GREAT, and it ahs just as muck travel as the EVP... if not more! (EVP is only 4.5in MAX travel)
It is a little heavier than the EVP, but is 1lb worth thousands of dollars?
I have about 5-10lbs in my gut that I need to lose more than 1lf in my frame. ;)

If my Hollowpoint had a 3000lb roll of steel drop on it, I'd get another one in a SECOND.
I also think it climbs much better than the EVP, although it has a less aggressive geometry.

The only thing I'd change on the Hollowpoint is the stem. It came with a 110 or something, and I put on a 75mm instead.

Oh... and to clarify, we (my wife) actually have an EVP, so I'm not going on hearsay... though I've never been on a heckler.
 
BMXman

BMXman

I wish I was Canadian
Sep 8, 2001
13,827
0
Victoria, BC
finally some decent feedback....thanks BB...so the frame has adjustable travel right. I couldn't figure it out on the showroom floor. The link looked all one piece....D
 
-BB-

-BB-

I broke all the rules, but somehow still became mo
Sep 6, 2001
4,254
28
Livin it up in the O.C.
BMXman said:
finally some decent feedback....thanks BB...so the frame has adjustable travel right. I couldn't figure it out on the showroom floor. The link looked all one piece....D
Click to expand...
Look at this pic:
http://www.supergo.com/product_images/large/30-0304.jpg



See how the shock doesn't connect to the linkage at the "end"?
That is the 4.75ish inch travel position. If it connects at the top, that is the 3.5in travel position.

The linkages will all have 2 sets of holes so you can choose the travel you want for the ride you will do.
I keep it in the long travel position ALL the time though.

And as I added in above, I bought an EVP for my wife so I've had some time on it. (I wuold have gotten her an IH, but they don't make them small enough.)
 
Echo

Echo

crooked smile
Jul 10, 2002
11,819
15
Slacking at work
I've built a Hollowpoint before. It was a sweet bike, especially for the price. The parts kit was sweet and the welding and machining of the frame was top notch.

You really should call Supergo and see what they actually have though. It would suck to get all stoked just to find out they don't have what you want. They put all those great deals up on their site just to get you to call, then they say "oops, we just shipped the last (what you wanted), but we can give you a great deal on (something you really didn't want)".
 
-BB-

-BB-

I broke all the rules, but somehow still became mo
Sep 6, 2001
4,254
28
Livin it up in the O.C.
From his post, it sounds like he went into the store, so he can actually verify the stock.

I LOVE having a huge Supergo less than 5 miles from home!! ;)
 
næstep

næstep

Monkey
Mar 8, 2003
110
0
SF Bay Area, California
Or better yet, check out BicycleBuys.com back in New York. I bought my '03 Hollowpoint Expert from them, and they shipped quick to San Francisco, for cheap, and saved me a bunch on sales tax. In talking to them about sizing, I got the feeling they were closer to a "real bike shop" compared to Supergo (who I don't have a problem with, BTW -- I just wouldn't expect to get the same personal service from Supergo as I did from those guys).

The Hollowpoint is a sweet ride, a smooooth pedaling climber and super compliant on the small stuff but with lots of deep travel to keep me happy on the bigger hits. I won't take big drops and stuff with mine, but it works well as a well rounded "all mountain" ride.

BB's right (Hey, BB, have we crossed paths at China Camp?), the '04 improved on the '03's tire clearance, plus they stiffened up the dw-link (I can sense a little rear end flex in the '03 as I'm scratching up the side of a rut) and reworked the rear triangle to shorten up the chainstay just a bit, and the build quality improved, too.

Anyway, not to sell Santa Cruz or Intense short, Iron Horse has been a really responsive company and seeing how they're always jumping in on message boards to answer questions and Todd and Dave Weagle are accessible on the phone and through email and at events, I've got a really high comfort factor with IH even though I didn't know them from a hole in the ground two years ago.
 
BMXman

BMXman

I wish I was Canadian
Sep 8, 2001
13,827
0
Victoria, BC
well after all the feedback I got I went and bought a Hollowpoint team today. I was able to just take one in the box so I get to put it together myself :thumb:...now I have a lot of parts that I need to sell :D.....D
 
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