Hello Element Faithful!!

First of all i have to say this is one of the best sites on the net because the community seams so open-minded and willing to share - it's one of the big reasons i ended up deciding an Element was right for me. Anyway, i am going to get back into mountain biking after 5 years and 50lbs of being a dirt-biking couch potato. I've been looking at full suspension bikes and ran into a brand called Ibex (www.ibexbikes.com) and wondered if anyone here has any real-world experience with them - they almost seem too good to be true. Thanks for looking and for replying if anyone has time. Take care.

not to knock those of us who are usually on a budget but that bike is a blatent(sp) rip-off of the Specialized FSR. Which does a lot of things but not very well. It is just a 4-bar linkage with a low end set of cranks and some other components but components are replacable whereas you don't want to have to replace your frame because it isn't any good. Spend similar money on a Giant Trance/Reign or a Kona Dawg/Kikapu. it totally depends on what your doing but coming from a dirtbike background leads me to believe that you may want to ride down fast and hard, that bike will let you down in the long run. Just my 2 cents (and 11 years experience) worth.
-Brock

Thank you for the replies - it was just what i was looking for. The Kona i think is going to work perfect. My budget is $1400-1500 and i ride mostly singletrack for excercise with a trip or to to Northstar for some DH each year. I am not to hard on bikes other than my size, and hence the need for excercise :) Thanks again!

Guitarman,

I've been commuting on an Ibex Corrida flat bar road bike for 4 years and have been nothing but impressed with it (after ~$100 in initial parts swapping), it has 6000-8000 miles of weekday, all season riding on it.

I know I'll get busted on this, but all but "boutique" bike frames are made in a few factories in Taiwan and recently China with very similar tubing. My Ibex frame is Tiawanese, but don't know about the new Ibex frames (I would avoid Chinese frames). IMO the components attached to the frame are much more important than the frame itself, especially the fork (as long as the frame fits you, and you like how it handles). I present these are bare MINIMUMS for off-road riding... if SRAM go for X7+, if Shimano go for DeoreLX+, try for at least X9 or XT (or mix and match better alternative parts)

Ibex bikes are less expensive than "name-brand" bikes only because there is no middle man, you are buying direct for the manufacturer (kind-of more like from the distributor since nobody really MAKES anything themselves). The downside of course is that it's difficult-to-impossible to test ride, and after-sale support is from a distance not from a LBS(local bike shop). That said, Ibex was very responsive to questions and sent out replacement parts (squeaky seat) promptly with no questions asked.

Do a lot of research, ride as many bikes as you can, but IMHO you will get more bike for your $ if you find an Ibex that fits the bill.

I have found mtbr.com to be a very helpful research tool with extensive "real" user reviews.
http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/manufacturers/8465/

Oh, of course weight is HUGELY important, (unless your downhilling), so in that way, less is definitely more.

BTW my trail ride is a frame-up-build KHS xc704r, and I love it. Very light, (24.5lbs as built) quick, responsive, and plenty of travel for the xc riding I do.
http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/xc_full_suspension/product_123005.shtml

I see 704/904 frames(frames identical, different shocks) for $500 and a complete for $1100 (great deal!)
http://www.bicycleblowout.com/khsmountain.htm

Wow, even better, here's an '03 for $999
https://www.cambriabike.com/Shopexd.asp?id=29028

Have fun shopping, get out and ride.

You are correct in saying that the majority of bikes (and most everything else nowadays) are made in China. The difference being where in China they are made. Giant Bicycles is the largest manufacturer in the world. Second place is some other company that does 1/3 the production numbers Giant does each year. So not much competition for manufacturing. This being said, Giant doesn't just make Giant bikes. They build bikes for whoever comes to them to use there abilities in producing, efficiently, bikes for them. This includes companies now like Santa Cruz and sooooooo many others that I can't remember them all.They even weave thier own carbon fiber for the frames, strand by strand. This ensures that they have total control over quality. They share the technology and actually have made tooling and materials to fix earthquake damaged concrete structural post in highrises in Tiawan that wrap the damaged post in a 1" thick carbon fiber cast that is 300% stronger than originally built and still offers flex when the next 'one' hits. Not all companies use the 'same' tube sets. Giant custom forms there tubes and hydrauforms almost all of them. Each one specific for the size and style of frame. Most other 'offshore' companies in this market order one set of tubes for all bike and just cuts them to length. No problem, right? Wrong, If the tubes are double butted or triple butted for a 24" top tube on a bike that will be good for a 20" frame. But if you want a 16" frame with a 21" top tube you just cut off the thicker butting at the ends where the strength is needed at the joint but is comprimised due to being cut to fit. A LOT of copmanies do this. Giant's factory has a conveyuer(sp?) system based off of Toyota's assembly line that is 3 foot ball fields long in total and at the start is raw aluminum and at the end there is a bike going into a box and getting ready to be shipped. The quality control is outstanding, the warranty is Lifetime and the cost savings of effieciency are passed along to the consumer. Not only that but if you have any warranty issues, you can take it to ANY Giant dealer in the world to take care of it. NOT ALL BIKES ARE THE SAME. I would rather ride a bike made in China than most bikes made in the US or Canada. I don't want to start any arguments but i've been to my fair share of trade shows and tech seminars and product knowledge meetings regarding bicycles over the last decade and a bit to be able to put in my 2 bits. Thanks for reading, hope this sheds some light on any questions people may have had about overseas production. And no I'm not a Giant rep :roll: I ride a Kona Stinky Deelux (2007) and a Giant TSX (2007). Happy Trails!!
-Brock

Thanks again all for taking the time to share your knowledge!! I ended up with 2006 Trek Fuel EX7 because i could get it at a Local Bike Shop and there would have easy access to service and parts. After 12 years on a hardtail i'm really liking the dual suspension! Thanks again.

Glad to hear you got something that'll work for you. Congrats on the new ride.
-Brock

Thanks again all for taking the time to share your knowledge!! I ended up with 2006 Trek Fuel EX7 because i could get it at a Local Bike Shop and there would have easy access to service and parts. After 12 years on a hardtail i'm really liking the dual suspension! Thanks again.

good choice - I have a EX 8 and I love it. Lifetime warranty is great and say what you will about Trek their customer service is top notch. Plus trek still builds their full suspension aluminum frames in their US factory.