many of the quality frames manufactured in Taiwan are made by small, specialist manufacturing plants which are often family-owned and run by business people who have invested huge amounts of money into the latest manufacturing technology and training for their workforce

Ahhh if I must correct you.

Giant is the world’s largest bicycle manufacturer with factories in Taiwan, China, and Europe. Giant, a Taiwanese company started in 1972, manufacturers their own bikes – including the carbon bikes, which is unique in the industry (i.e., most other brands utilize other manufacturers such as Advanced or Martec).

In addition to making their own bikes, Giant also makes, or has made, bikes for many other prominent brands, including Trek, Specialized, Schwinn, and Bianchi. Giant’s claim to fame is that they have the most sophisticated and efficient manufacturing facilities in the bicycle industry.

I believe they also manufacture bikes for Santa Cruz.

These bikes are mass-produced, they are definitely not handmade.

I got that from here, I wasn’t born with the knowledge, have a read yourself

http://allanti.com/articles/where-was-my-bike-made-pg328.htm

Bored now

Alright they are pressed and cut by a machine 8)

This is a cool vid though whether you like them or not

No it doesn’t, its a matter of opinion obviously.

The Five isn’t made of tubes, its pressed from sheet aluminium then welded.

Northwind, assume what you like, I’m entitled to an opinion as much as anyone else.

Better Built (probably)

Errr no, its made by a robot.

Better looking

Are you blind, it looks like a Kona!

Evolved

Really?

Every component is better spec (Full Xtr, R1s etc)

Correct, makes up for that cheap and nasty frame

significantly! lighter

Who cares?

Rare (at the moment)

So are Ladas

Rave reviews

I think that was more the fact it was cheap and had decent kit

Great service

Aren’t they internet only?

Really intelligent posts mate, don’t you have school in the morning?

Apollo? :wink:

Mountainman123, what bike do you ride?

Me thinks someone has bought into the hype!

Ahh thats where you’re wrong. I bought into the hype of the Trek EX. Full Floater, ABP, Evo link, DRCV shock and was quite happy with it, then I demoed a Five and made it look crap, so much so I bought one. I hadn’t really even read anything about the Five before I demoed it either, so marketing etc didn’t even come into it. I wan’t even looking to buy a new bike, I just went to Scotland to stay with relatives!

What bit didn’t you understand?

Its almost irrelevant how it performs if it is so expensive as to exclude it from many a new bike shopping list. The old assertion that “handmade in England = Better” is total crap too. In fact, I’d argue otherwise knowing what the quality of mass produced frames by the likes of Giant, Specialized and Trek are like

You obviously fall into category one.

Deciding a bike isn’t worth the money without riding one is a bit strange.

You are always going to pay a premium for anything handmade because whether you like it or not, you are paying for someones skills and time.

If you can’t afford it, it doesn’t make it not worth the money, it just means you need a better job, or to buy a cheaper bike.

I can’t afford an Aston Martin, it doesn’t mean they’re not worth the money.

The RRP of a 5 has been a long standing joke quite frankly, when you consider that the likes of Specialized, Trek and even Cannondale (whilst they still sold the Prophet) can match or better the performance for a whole heap less cash.

So having never ridden one you have come to the conclusion that they are not worth the money, but a mass produced bike made in Taiwan by a robot is?

To me people on here fall in three categories

1) People who can’t afford one so they talk them down to make themselves feel like they have bought the right bike because it was cheaper, better spec’ed, has more pivots blah blah blah

2) People who have tried them and genuinely didn’t get on with them for what ever reason, geometry, size etc. Usually these people still say they are a good bike and worth the money.

3) People who don’t have a clue what they are talking about, their mates brothers girlfriends dad had a go on one and said it was crap.

What people seem to forget is weight and spec are fine, but bikes are made to be ridden. Being light and well spec’ed doesn’t make a bike fun, and thats the reason you ride isn’t it, to have FUN!? Which is what the Five is.

I test rode one at Glentress a few weeks ago. For me what made it special is the fact I felt at home on it straight away, it took no getting used to whatsoever. I hammered it around for 7 hours like I had owned it for years with a huge grin on my face because it was fun.

Surely any bike that is fun (for me) to ride is special, whether its a £500 hard tail, or a 3k full sus?

My brother also hired one and wasn’t as impressed. Whats good for one, isn’t necessarily good for another.

Look at the new Canyons, German quality and service !, as good as a 5, far far far far better specd than a 5, half the price of a 5……and most importantly “its not another 5!!!”

Sounds like you can’t afford a five :lol:

Five if its a keeper

Heckler – fox van r – 6 cliccks of rebound and ride

Nowhere near as well as it would with a CCDB.

It wont work on an Ibis because it has been set up for the leverage ratios of the Marin.

It wont work on an Ibis because it has been set up for the leverage ratios of the Marin.

Just buy something utterly crap and then chuckle as he does the same…..

I did that already, bought a Kona, so did he :roll:

Some pretty good suggestions :lol:

So the pushed shock isn’t set up for your bike or weight?

Buy some padded shorts, then you will find all saddles a lot more comfy.

SDG Bel Air’s are very comfy

Scourer on the frame, used engine oil on the chain, veg oil in the suspension.

They remind me of kick start

I'm not wrong, its the same in any sport. Boxers train in 16 oz gloves and fight in 12 oz or whatever, the exact same reasons, different sport.

Flange – I have been thinking about getting myself an old (1996 ish) Kona Explosif, with Project 2's for the exact same reason. I would like to go back to roots with a fully rigid.

You actually can't see what I'm getting at can you? :roll:
Do you think top xc/road racers train on their nice light race bikes? Errr no.

If we both went running over the same distance, same route, everyday for a month. I had a rucksack with a 20lbs weight in and you didn't, who would be fitter?

njee20 – Member
But slower and harder work than a lighter one…

Maybe but I bet I'm fitter than you for it. That's my point, having a light bike as your only bike is pointless. Having a heavier bike to train on and a light bike to race on makes sense.

.

The bike I have now isn't exactly light, 2010 Fuel EX 9, about 27 lbs, definitely not slow or hard work though. Obviously I have had light bikes in the past, I have been riding for 15 years.

Flange your sadly mistaken. What benefits in everyday riding does a stupidly light bike have? Apart from climbing slightly faster, absolutely none! If its your only bike you will not get as fit for one, downhill is sketchy as you like, and its nowhere near as comfy.

Super light is only good for racing, no good anywhere else.

I thought I broke my little finger, went to the hospital, had an xray, and they said it was fine. Now its better it sticks out and looks like it was broken 100%

Sorry about your bike but I would NEVER leave my bike locked up anywhere, no matter how good the lock is.

I find **** is a good fix for boredom

Why would you want them, they are crap!

Pro 2's and earplugs?

Why not just get Hope Pro 2's for a third of the price?