Review Date
November 25, 2009

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 5 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 0 of 5

Reviewed by: joey1 ,  Racer , from PA, USA

Favorite Trail:
3 months

Summary:
This is an amazing bike for the price. You can't find a new 29er with the pedigree of Bianchi along with the killer fork for this price. They adjusted the geometry for 2009 and made the frame with horizontal dropouts. The bike handles like a dream. I have taken it on some tough single track and the bike has responded to my every demand. Really enjoying the remote poploc when you suddenly come into some nice fast sections that you want to carve through or long fire roads that you want to climb.

The only thing that I don't like about the bike is the mediocre wheelset but what do you expect forthis price. There is nothign wronog with them I just like having nice wheels under me. Personal preference.

Strengths:
Great Value, Reba SL with emote poploc, Horizontal dropouts

Weaknesses:
so so wheelset, discontinued... WTF?

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Santa Cruz Blur LT

Review Date
April 17, 2009

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 5 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 0 of 5

Reviewed by: afi823 ,  Cross Country Rider , from Irvine, CA

Favorite Trail:
Less than 1 month

Summary:
I LOVE THIS BIKE! i cant praise it enough!!!!! everyone that asks me how i like it i tell them how much i LOVE IT and cant get enough...i used to hate climbing, but this actually makes climbing fun...i can enjoy my rides now becuase the climbs used to piss me off but now its cool!!
if you are thinking about buying a SS 29er, DO IT ALREADY, you will not regret it! i didnt, and i was skepitcal at first.
I have a 6/7 inch bike that i used to ride for everything, but since i got this thing i hung up the other bike...literally.
i love how fast it climbs, it flys over sketchy climbing sections. awesome feeling with the hardtail and lock out on grinding uphill.
i can finally keep up with and beat the faster climbers in my group.
the SS part of it makes you want to be the best and most efficient climber, it really teaches you and improves your pedal strokes.
the 29er part of it is great becuase coming from a 26er i feel that i can roll over anything climbing and descending.
going downhill is not that bad at all, the bike corners well and feels solid over hairy sections. you can literally throw it with your body weight to make sharp turns and avoid obstacles.

Strengths:
light, responsive, solid, comfortable geometry, great stock components

Weaknesses:
its climbs so fast that i have to wait for the rest of the group and i get cold waiting!!! :)
--the cable routing on the top tube is in an akward position becuase the zip ties are facing outwards and i keep hitting them with my inner knee/thigh and cutting myself when i make fast maneuvers! solution - turn zipties other way ;)

Other recommended trails in the same area:
test ride - specialized SS 29er (crappy components) redline monocog (no disc brakes, crappy components)

Review Date
April 2, 2009

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 5 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 0 of 5

Review Date
January 9, 2009

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 1 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 0 of 5

Reviewed by: William Kruse ,  Cross Country Rider , from Santa Rosa Ca.

Favorite Trail:
3 months

Summary:
if you want to ride this bike for more than a coupe of weeks stay on the side walk.

Strengths:
light good components good climbing geomitry

Weaknesses:
the frame is total crap. bent the top tube lie it was a noodle
I have never seen a bike crumble so easily.
Bianchi response is that it is not made for hard turns or fast drops.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Specialized rock hopper, motobecan

Review Date
November 16, 2008

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 5 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 0 of 5

Reviewed by: justonegear ,  Racer , from Las Vegas

Favorite Trail:
1 Year

Summary:
In its stock form the bike is a great SS. the Reba fork is as good a fork as there is out there. The BB is stiff and the bike handles great. Up or Down it's all good. With a new wheel set it's race time. With a White Brothers carbon fork and the Jenny Craig weight loss plan the bike will go sub 20 lbs. Happy trails.

Strengths:
Quality Constructon, excellent SS bike.

Weaknesses:
Rear wheel removal is a bit tricky due to disc caliper position. Problem solved in 09 as it was mounted different. 25 lbs is a bit fat.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Been on MTBike for 16 years. Had several SS befor this one