7935's giant yukon fx

[ADAM7935]

Finally after much research, opinions and help from members on this fine forum and a budget of $700 i have purchased a Giant Yukon Fx today...

The bike was purchased well under its $1200 original prices and recent $1000 purchase price for a measley $695 from bikeworx in erina...

For that price it was definately worth the drive and i hope this bike can fill my need for a pedalling mountain bike which i plan on using alot in 2009 both on rides with the members on here and some adventure races I have been talked into next year. I realise its not going to blow me away performance wise but for the price i see its potential.

Here are some pics taken this afternoon in the backyard. stock as a rock and unridden virgin.

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/1654/sl372382dd5.jpg
posing with my japanese spitz "SNOWY"

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/70/sl372383jr5.jpg

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/9136/sl372390vw0.jpg

love the top tube shape!

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/9932/sl372387as1.jpg

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/9181/sl372392fy9.jpg

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/9793/sl372393xx8.jpg

quite happy with my first impression of the bike, a few cheap and nasty but replacable parts like handlegrips, pedals and tires. Also cant wait to take the safety stickers and reflectors off it.

[keromx]

congratulations on the purchase, happy riding mate...

[ADAM7935]

cheers mate, ill post up a review once ive given it a blast around...

[Justin Fox]

Awesome stuff! The white saddle looks the goods, the bike looks more expensive than it is for sure. And that dog! It's JDM YO!

[ADAM7935]

yeah i dont mind the seat, and as for the dog im always reppin the jdm goodness lol...

[felixR]

wow great buy! i also like that white/black saddle lol

[MrThanh]

loving that white/black. wish they offered the same colours on the yukon sx :(

[crank]

Great buy. You can't beat Giant for value for money i reckon, and their quality is top notch too.

That looks like an SDG Bel Air RL seat. They are very comfy.

[DANNY]

Nice good to see! Hope you find it as enjoyable as have ;)

[Justin Fox]

loving that white/black. wish they offered the same colours on the yukon sx :(

Agreed. The white black looks a lot classier than the silver on the SX me thinks.

[ADAM7935]

took all the useless bits and stickers of the giant so it looks a bit better, and ripped the crappy pedals to put so still crappy but not as much wellgo pedals i had in the garage...

http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/5626/sl372409jg9.jpg

Took it out for its first ride today!!!!! very exciting, did the oaks flat trail from woodford down to glenbrook. 26kms. This was my first time there and on a new bike. also a new style of riding for me with all the xc and pedalling but i have to admit it was a awesome experience..

Some of the hills in the first 12 or so kms were killing me but i perservered and did not hop off my bike once and was thanking god for the granny ring on some!!!!!!once past that i loved the downhill part of the trail with fast flowing firetrail and a few waterbars to hop off for fun... the following single track was the best part i loved as it was fast and technical enough to keep you thinking and it flowed really well...

I did not like the big road hill back to glenbrook station and got a cramp in both quads at the same time (ran out of water and fitness by this stage) but i will learn from this experience in future long rides...

here are some pics of me and mates who were keen for a ride!!! one had never ridden off road before... what a champ...

http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/1185/sl372600fb6.jpg
up early

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/9978/sl372602sg3.jpg
glenbrook, to hop on the train to woodford..

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/6264/sl372604tc2.jpg

http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/299/sl372603vc7.jpg

http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/2296/sl372606dk3.jpg

http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/192/sl372607rb9.jpg
exhausted at the end!!!

As for the bike i was hugely impressed, it climbed better than i could make it, lol and cornered and handled better than expected i must say. some better tyres will improve it even more as the stock ones are not very good. The suspension was fine for what it is and was more that adequate for this type of ride.. all in all i have to say I LOVE IT.. I was giving it heaps down the hills and it ate up the single track, it performed well in the last rocky garden sections better than i thought.

All in all i have a new found respect for long pedalling rides and im very impressed by the way the bike performed. I am keen to do the trail again at some stage , it might be a good BMU meetup and ride.

cheers
adam

[keromx]

nice one adam, nothing like the rush of a good single track to get you hooked... glad you like the bike and that you are happy... thats pretty good bang for your buck.

[Clifton]

awesome! keep on riding!

[Justin Fox]

Good riding with you today Adam, looking forward to many more rides!

[ADAM7935]

hell yeah, great fun out at loftus for the first time!!!! cheers.

[Clifton]

start looking for new tyres!

[ADAM7935]

oh yeah 36kms in two days, ive decided they are very skinny and have little or no grip(almost to the point of dangerous).. 2.1 should do it think? any suggestions/prices....

[Clifton]

Nevegals, Ignitors, Larsen TT, Small Block 8, High Roller eXception

[beenee98]

I run 2.1 Panaracer Fire XC Pro's if weight isn't too important. The Ignitors are meant to be good too, but i've never used them. I'm guessing you're new to XC style riding (apologies if you're not), so maybe even asking your LBS for recommendations would be good, as conditions really do vary from place to place :)

[ukalipt]

the giant is looking good. black and white is a great combo.
simple, dateless clean. small upgrades but if so focus on weight
loss. you have to loose more weight to seriously enjoy XC riding.

great to see the fire trail being used but shamefully it has been
very graded of late - so i have been informed. flat as a pancake!
i am keen as always for a woodford to glenbrook ride, just ask justin.
although our last ride i had to help him up a hill half way along!

tires, i would strongly suggest maxxis cross+marks in 2.1
if you can afford it go the folding bead for weight lost. they are nicely priced as well.
they are grippy which is a good thing.

i am going to purchase either small blocks or larsens for the dirtworks as they
are very low rolling resistance and for the 50km ride that is essential.

[Justin Fox]

Definitely go for kevlar/folding tyres over wire bead for big weight savings.

Not all tyres are made equal either. A Maxxis 2.1 is a LOT thinner than a Kenda 2.1. My Kenda Nevegals are 2.1 and they're damn FAT!!! They're as fat as a Maxxis 2.35.

Maxxis make a line of tyres called "eXCeption series", these are a bit thinner and a lot lighter than other tyres in the range. Worth considering.

I've personally tried the Nevegals in a few sizes and the Larsen TT's in 2.35. Remember that steep and loose uphill climb? The Larsen TT suffers on that and the rear tyre slips a lot more than my Kenda's do but having said that I hammered up it on Eddie's Anthem X with super thin and slippery small block 8's so it's about the bike as well. (confusement!).

[ADAM7935]

while away i got a lizardskin and a new set of tyres, maxxis crossmark 2.1s should help me from skipping around the trail like the dukes of hazard!

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/7127/sl373001ox5.jpg

ill try these if not happy ill throw on my 2.35 kendas hanging on the wall in the garage from my old hardtail....

[Justin Fox]

Hmmm, bit on the thin side perhaps Adam as Maxxis 2.1's tend to be a lot thinner than a Kenda 2.1. Great tyre though apparently, should roll fast!

[ADAM7935]

just to beef up the front end, which is very slim..


get this

bars,stem,lock-ons = $40

get onto the site now boys!!!

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/948/sl373118nt4.jpg

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/5463/vs82136gr141sm1.jpg
$15

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/1459/vs82136gr173ut5.jpg
$10

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/3214/igrip165008429b045521hy5.jpg
$15

[Justin Fox]

DH Direct yo!

[Lorday]

Nice bike there mate! Might want to look at a new stem, those things weigh around 1/2 a tonne.


1I've personally tried the Nevegals in a few sizes and the Larsen TT's in 2.35. Remember that steep and loose uphill climb? The Larsen TT suffers on that and the rear tyre slips a lot more than my Kenda's do but having said that I hammered up it on Eddie's Anthem X with super thin and slippery small block 8's so it's about the bike as well. (confusement!).

Thats because SMB8's are greater than larsen tt's. Part of the tomac series too.

[ADAM7935]

tuff as nails!

[Sp33dY]

Cool! Are those bars 25.4mm or 31.8 ?

[DANNY]

is that bar longer than original?

[ADAM7935]

cool! Are those bars 25.4mm or 31.8 ?


25.4 and yes they are wider by an inch!

[rhys]

Sweet rig mate, I look forward to seeing you out on it!

[ADAM7935]

ok took the fx out this arvo to loftus and got a chance to test the new bits on the bike,

The maxxis crossmarks were a great improvment over the stock tyres and had good grip for a 2.1 and a good rolling speed - i would recommend these.

Imperial lock-on grips, again a huge improvment over the stock ones which were already starting to move around on the bars after 3 rides.. no blisters and excellent grip very comfortable and only $15

Bilt bar, and inch wider and not so flexy, improvement again!

Bilt stem, I think this part let me down but not really its fault i just dont think it suits that type of riding and made my reach on the bike much shorter than the last rides, this meant i was hunched over on the bike , felt a bit cramped and now my back hurts :(. the stem itself is rock solid and will find a good home on the dj/spare bike i have a work... i think i will put the stock stem back on for a longer reach before sunday at appin..

im really enjoying the bike, i just need to improve my climbing which has alot to answer for so far but i did make it up the tech climb that i could not do last time at loftus so ill take that as a win..