I had my crack at a Rumblefish back in Utah earlier, so now it was Grannygear’s turn. Here are his thoughts on the newest model from Gary Fisher Bikes……
Fisher Rumblefish: Guitar Ted had really liked this bike at the recent Press Camp he attended and he was eager to see what my impressions were. I took the Rumblefish out before I rode the Superfly 100. I ran it with no ProPedal engaged and found it to be a sluggish feeling, seated pedaling bike. With ProPedal on it tightened up a bit, but nothing dramatic. Now I had just gotten off of the uber-bike that is the Specy carbon Stumpy so pretty much anything besides another hardtail would feel a bit draggy. Still, it was a bit lazy feeling pedaling along. OK, trailbike and all that. Then I stood to pedal up the first rise in the trail. Oh. Cool, but odd. It woke up all of a sudden and moved out. Huh! It pedaled better standing then seated. Then the first drop and rocky section came along. Wow…how much travel does this bike have? Gotta’ be more than 4” in the back. It had this odd characteristic of shooting forward a bit when the shock came off of a deep stroke. Weird, like a little acceleration moment. I wonder if that is the two stage shock coming into play as it rebounds?
On the Bootleg trails the Rumblefish was a hoot to ride. I really liked it and speaking for myself, I could forgive the lazy seated pedaling for all the fun it dished out later on when it got fast and rough. It was pretty easy to loft the front end, something I struggled with on the old HiFi, and it drove right where I pointed it. It truly feels like it has more rear travel then it does. One of the trails in the course, #4, ends up at a T intersection with another trail and the run out to that point is wash boarded, sandy and loose. You are really clipping along as you brake hard to make the 90* turn and the washboard and sand are rear braking nightmares. But not on the Rumblefish. The ABP deal is for real. I was on the rear brake pretty firmly, bouncing up and down on the suspension, trying to get the rear wheel to skip and lockup. Nothing but braking, smooth and sure. That was amazing and is simply, truly, a step forward in riding performance. The Rumblefish is a hit to the back fence.
I have noticed the same Stand Up and Fly feeling on my Superfly 100 (which is no slouch seated either). It feels nearly as lively standing as a Fly hardtail. My half-baked opinion is that although the stiffness provided by the tapered steerer, hydroformed tubes, and TA help, the real thing going on here is the ABP pivot being on the same plane as the rear axle. There is no longer any pivot on the chainstay or seatstay acting as a slightly flexible hinge back there. Maybe not what GF was initially looking for with ABP, but for me a huge side benefit.
@ Kosmo. Interesting take, you may be right on that. I know the Fly 100 has been the buzz getter, but honestly, I would not be surprised if the Rumblefish out sells the Supah-Fly once the word gets around on this bike.
This bike has ‘everyman’ and ‘weekend warrior’ written all over it.
grannygear
@Kosmo: Actually the ABP Brake Pivot was seen as part of a solution to the flex issues the old HiFi platform had. The other part is the moving of the main pivot slightly rearward and the one piece seat stays. All of that really solidified the rear end of the new FS 29″ers for Fisher and make these bikes real contenders for 2010.
Also, the Fishers have shorter chainstays than last year. All of this made a huge difference in my opinion.
GG when riding this bike did you ever perceive the dragging the cinder block feeling and how did it steer?
Also what is the rear travel of the Rumblefish
@dcarterdman No, It actually felt better standing and pedaling than sitting down. I believe it is 110mm, but it feels like more.
grannygear
@dcaterdman: Yes, Grannygear is correct, it has 110mm of rear travel, 120mm up front.
13 days and counting till I’m supose to take delivery of my Rumblefish. I am stoked big time. Wish it would get here so I can pound the trails before the snow gets to deep to ride around here.
Got the Rumblefish yesterday. First, let me say that it is one good looking machine. Everyone that has seen it, really liked the looks of it. But lets get to the good stuff. With a bunch of goodies that I had put on when I bought it. We weighed the bike in the shop before I left and it weighed in at 30lbs. The bike looks like it should weigh a lot more. the tubes are big and one of my buddies said that it looked like a tank. After riding it for a while, it felt like one. Not cause it was heavy. Just the oppostite. Because it just climbed over everything I pointed it at. This is my first 29er. So, first, I was totally surprised how much of a difference those 3 inches really makes. I loved the upright position that the Rumblefish puts you in. I felt very comfortable, and not like I was on a racing bike. The bike ate up everything that I threw at it. I cleared stuff that I had never cleared before. The 120 mm front fork was smooth and just gobbled up anything that I ran into. The rear shock, the DCVR worked just like it was suppose too and I never bottomed it out, even after riding over some big drop offs. The tires held tight even in on the leave covered singletrack that I spent the night riding on inspiring me to ride faster than I normally do. I was really comfortable on the bike. The more I rode it as the night wore on, the more I liked it. I can’t wait to get out and really try her out on a some good rocky trails. But for now. I am totally impressed with this bike.
Got a Rumblefish last week. What a sweet bike. But I wanted to change to tubeless and I know that the wheels are tubeless ready. But the dealer where I got the bike said the tires were not tubeless ready? Huh? Can that be right? I know that these tires were designed specifically for the Rumblefish so I don’t want to change them (and incur another $100 charge by doing so). Does any know if this is right? Can the tires really not be tubeless ready? Doesn’t make sense to me.
@Tony: Bontrager tires are marked “Tubeless Ready” right on the sidewalls if they are. Also, you should have Duster or Rhythm wheels which are tubeless ready with the TLR rim strip. Check the sidewalls of you tires and see which rims are used on your wheelset.
The bike definitely does not come with tubeless ready tires. Kind of annoying, really. Not sure why they did that? To save money I guess. But the bike is expensive enough, you’d think they could have thrown them in. Anyway, those wheels are pretty flexy. After one ride, I decided to upgrade them to the Bontragers that are a little higher on the scale, the Rhythm Pro. My LBS had to order them, they’re getting put on this week. I’m hoping they’re a little stiffer, and they’re about 100 grams lighter, so at least I’m losing a little bit of weight, if not too much.
Also changed out the XT shifters for some Sram X0, and the XTR rear derailleur for a Sram X0. I just like Sram better. But the Shimano stuff worked fine for the one ride I’ve taken. The brakes take some getting used to, as they’re a little soft for me. My Juicy 7′s on my Yeti were much stiffer, and in my experience the Juicy’s are even a little soft. So I guess the Elixirs haven’t impressed me much so far. But I’m sure they’ll work just fine.
As for the bike, WOW. I love it. Love it. Love it. Yes, climbing is a little more laborious, but really not much, and I find the handling to be very, very agile for a 29er. Downhill? I’ve never ridden anything better. This thing eats up the trail like a beast from the beyond. Have to get used to the bigger wheels though–you won’t be getting as much air on things you have been… you’ll just roll over them.
Personally, I’m a big proponent of the 29er revolution. I find the bikes (I also had a Specialized comp 29er, which was great except for all the pedal-banging, thus returned) to be extremely stable and solid-feeling, and the Rumblefish is just an amazing entry into this realm.
Loved my old HiFi, and I love the Rumblefish.
Update to the non-tubeless issue I posted earlier. Although the Bontrager 29-3 tires that came stock with the Rumblefish are not TLR I’m running them tubeless anyway. Rim Strips, Valve Stems and some Stan’s was all it took. However, I did need to use more than the recommended 2 scoops on the Stan’s bottle, probably because of the larger volume in the 29″ tire. After about 2 3/4 Scoops it was holding air. Two weeks and six rides later with no problems. And I’m enjoying running the lower air pressure and reduced weight.
Does anyone know the difference in how the RFis I & & RFish II ??
Is the difference just in the components??
I demoed a RFish II and totally agree, it rode like a tank & nothing stopped me!!
I want a 29′er but I do race… wish I could demo a Hi Fi Pro… has anyone rode both??
@Patty: Yes, the difference is mainly in components and a feature or two on the front fork. For 2011 the Rumblefish line expands to three models, FYI.
The rear shock is actually a bit nicer as well, Patty. And the wheelset, which is usually of great import. However, I rode my Rumblefish II 3 times and decided I needed a better wheelset. I found the Bontrager Rhythm Elites that come stock far too flexy. By way of example, I utilize a bike computer, and on my very first ride, the wheels flexed so much that the magnet on the spoke banged on the transmitter on the fork (granted, they have to come in close proximity to work, but this never happened to me before on any other bike) multiple times, forcing me to reset them constantly. This annoyed me so much that I took the bike back to where I got it and exchanged the wheels for the more expensive, much better so far, Rhythm Pro set. I posted this before, but I thought some details might help illuminate the situation.
Anyway, summer’s here and I’ve been riding a ton. After having the Rumblefish for a while, I have to say it’s the best bike I’ve ever owned. I’ve had lots of great bikes: Yeti 575, HiFi Pro (26″ version), Giant Reign… The Rumblefish is just more fun (for me) to ride than any of those bikes. And the Yeti was pretty darn fun. I find that the more I ride it and get used to the way it moves, the more I fall in love with it. The downhill on this bike is truly a heavenly thing, and the bike has taken my skill level up at least a couple of notches. It’s so stable and responsive on the downhill that I just don’t worry about things like I used to. The uphill still isn’t as fast as the HiFi Pro I had (but to be fair, I had that bike weighing all of 23 pounds and change), but it’s not horrendous by any means. And if you have the gumption to keep those 29″ wheels spinning, you will find that you travel distances very quickly.
The Rumblefish II is an expensive bike. Since I upgraded a lot of components, basically I paid the extra for the shock and the fork. Was it worth it? To me, maybe, to you, maybe not. I’m kind of a gear head when it comes to bikes, and I try (dependent on the money situation) to always have the best components I can. Then I know if I fail, it’s my fault.
I would suggest maybe getting the Rumblefish I and upgrading what you want. You’ll probably want a better wheelset though, and that’s pricey. If you ask your LBS to upgrade it before you take the bike, they’ll give you some money for the old wheels and it won’t be such a hit.
Good luck with the decision!
Wow, would LOVE to take you guys shopping to my LBS with me; you guys know your stuff….
OK, LBS has a Rumble Fish 1 in my size; from what I hear, RFish 2′s are very hard to come by these days… What components should I ask to be upgraded & changed if I take that bike??
Hope 1 will ride like it’s older sibling… Remember, my little tank is also going to be my race bike… But, cost IS an issue to me, esp. when I don’t work in the summer months & just ride my bike…. =) (hubby has a hard time swallowing the price tag on my toys)~~but, I am so overdue for a new bike… my poor Hi Fi Deluxe has had the tar rode out of her now for four seasons… More help please!
Well, Patty, the hard truth, and something that may be hard for you (and your hubby) to hear, is that, at least in my humble opinion, the most necessary upgrade for the bike is also the most expensive: the wheelset. Especially if you’re a racer, the wheelset is going to be of utmost importance in getting your bike to perform to its full potential. Your LBS can make suggestions on those much better than could I, although I will tell you that the Bontrager Rhythm Pro wheels I have are very nice so far. They are stiffer and lighter than what was on my bike (and what came on my bike was already better than what will come on yours). A good wheelset can improve the performance of a bike immensely, and can be one of the best ways to drop some weight, which you’ll want to do, being a racer. Unfortunately, a good wheelset can also run you the cost of a decent 26″ mountain bike.
The Rhythm Pro 29 wheels aren’t too bad, though. They’re around $800 for the set. Assuming your LBS gives you, at the least, $50 per wheel for the old ones (and they may not want to give you that much, but they may give you more), then that means $700, which raises the cost of your bike to $3400 or so, depending on deals, discounts, etc.
If you can swallow that, I’d probably look to upgrade the crank next. You can drop some weight there for sure, and it doesn’t have to be too terribly expensive. Shimano XT is solid and will run you, depending on where you buy, $240-$350. If you’ve got the money, I’d suggest stepping up further to something like a Truvativ Noir crank, although that will be more costly.
Rear derailleur next probably, although if you want to drop weight, consider carbon handlebars and a nice light seat and seatpost, all of which will give you some weight savings. As far as the rear derailleur, there will be Shimano people and there will be Sram people. I’m a Sram person. While all the SLX stuff that comes on that bike is fine, I personally wouldn’t leave it on there a second after I bought it. I’ve never had a Sram rear derailleur break on me (although this is just my personal experience), and I’ve broken two nice Shimano derailleurs in the last couple years.
Lastly, if you do end up deciding to spend a ton of cash upgrading the bike, I think (and I’m not trying to steer you from the Rumblefish here, as I LOVE my bike), being a racer, you might want to consider the Superfly 100. That bike is getting amazing reviews across the board, and is supposed to be very fast. Also, I’ve read that the new HiFi line of 29″ bikes is very similar in construction and feel to the Superfly, and you can get a brand new HiFi Pro 29er, which is outfitted quite nicely (with Sram components, I might add), for around $3400. The Superfly 100 is $5500 or so, so that may be out of your price range.
Anyway, don’t sell yourself on just one bike. Look around, ride them all, see what feels best. The components are something that can always be dealt with later, as well. So get the bike that just feels awesome for you. I love buying new bikes. If I had tons of money, my wife would hate me, as our house would be filled with them. Don’t stress; remember, this is supposed to be fun!
Good riding to you!
Well said Zach! Patty, to echo what Zack said, if you truly want to race this bike the Superfly 100 or the HiFi might be a better option depending on what type of racing you’re going to do. You probably don’t nee the extra travel the Rumblefish gives you for a typical cross country race.
I bought a 2010 HiFi Deluxe. I love it. The ABP is unreal. My Blur just sits.
I have a 2010 Superfly 100 and I think you can race it out of the box. They have 2 versions at RBM in Texas, on a at about $4500 and the other @ $5500.
I also rideca Specialized Stumpjumper with the FSR brain shock. It’s a good bike but nothing compared to the Superfly. Go ride one, if you are racing maybe the hard tail version which is even less