Strengths: They stopped me pretty well when they were working.
Weaknesses: Lasted four outings over about a month.
Overall: EBC are supposed to be the manufacturers of some of the best brake pads on the market. Or so the chappie at one London chain LBS told me. And they probably are. When you find a pair that last. Unfortunately, the pair I bought appear to have been constucted from a mixture of chalk and warm brie. They bedded in rather quickly and to begin with they stopped me very well, I had no complaints at all. But then my stopping distances became longer and longer. After just four outings - one to the Surrey Hills and three around Richmond park (hardly gnarly riding, I think you'll agree) the pads were knackered and stopping distances had elongated to a pant-staining length.
Now I'm an XC rider, and I'll be the first to admit that on steeper downhill sections I tend to sit on my brakes a bit, but the pads installed previously lasted about 7 months. These lasted less than 1. I'd love to say that these are great pads, because when they did work they were. But I also expect XC pads to last more than 4 outings. I also expect to be able to expect consistancy in my purchases, instead of handing over almost £30 with the thought "maybe this time will be better, maybe this time they'll last longer". If EBC can get the cosistancy in quality right, then these really will be some of the best pads on the market. Until then my custom will be going else where.
Weaknesses: Extreme ends of the tension spectrum are, well, extreme.
Overall: These are perfectly adequate SPD pedals and having graduated to these from Shimano M324 reversables I have no real complaints. They do exacly what they say on the tin (or on the box): they're well built, robust, and easily adjustable. The tension range is very wide - a little to wide maybe, as the slackest setting will see you accidentally unclipping at the slightest foot twist and the stiffest will have you locked in good and proper; that said though, there are all the ranges in between to choose from too. Their mud-shedding abilities are also reasonable for a pedal of this design. Crud does occasionally get caught up in the mechanisms, but then these aren't Eggbeaters and they don't profess to have the mud-shedding abilities of such a pedal.
However, the problem with adequacy is it's inherent mediocrity. Sure, these are good pedals, but they're not really any better or any worse than their Shimano lookalikes. I happen to have them because I like the idea of having something a little different on my bike, but I think I'd be equally satisfied if I'd bought another brand. Ultimately, as with so many things in life, the choice is yours. If you like the look of them, buy them - I guarantee you won't be disappointed. If you don't, then don't.
Strengths: A very well built and light (4lb) Easton frame, and in a rather natty white it looks devastatingly sexy.
Weaknesses: The price.
Overall: I think it's fair to say that many might find this bike something of an enigma. The Easton frame has been lovingly crafted and looks exceedingly handsome. It is also exceptionally strong and will pretty fairly take almost anything an xc route will chuck at it. The paint job / decals are also very eye-catching, with RM's "trademark" fluttering maple leaves dominating the frame. And if it's bragging fodder you're after, they've even been kind enough to stick an Easton decal on the frame to show it's pedigree. Also, it rides like a dream - it's light and feels very well balanced; to coin a terribly naff phrase, I have to admit that I felt "at one" with the bike.
However, while the Fusion frame may be of a similar quality to Trek's and Specialized's mid-range offerings, it must not be forgotten that this is to all intents and purposes RM's entry level steed. The components reflect this, comprising of Acera / Deore transmission (more Acera than Deore, admittedly) and V-brakes; the front end comprises of an RST Gila TL fork and Ritchey Scuzzy Logic headset. All the rest is "RMB" generic components. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with any of the components on the Fusion, they all perform very well. Still, for £600 I would have wanted more bang for my buck. And this, I believe is where the Rocky Mountain Fusion falls down.
Ultimately, the Fusion is an excellent platform on which to undertake upgrades. Rocky Mountain suggests that "with a Fusion your first mountain bike may well be your last" and of the frame this may well be true. However, many will probably feel that additional upgrades are desirable in order to make this a truely worthy steed. And that is the whole point: upgrades cost money. So is this bike, an entry level bike, REALLY worth £600?
Strengths: It's cheap, it's light, it's nigh-on indestructable, and it comes in a very swanky matt black finish.
Weaknesses: None. No, really.
Overall: This is one tasty piece of kit. Not a riser bar fan, I was looking for a cheap and light bar to replace the risers that came with my bike, and I was not disappointed. It's lighter than many of contenders for my patronage, and it's cheap as chips. It's also stronger than Superman's triple espresso and can take considerable punishment off the beaten track.
Ultimately, unless you're after something with an "oo factor" name on it, this bar has all it's richer cousins beaten hands down. The bar is indeed a star.
Strengths: Well, it''s cheap and comes in a rather natty red. The components are basic but feel reasonable, at least in the first instance.
Weaknesses: It''s heavy. Very heavy. Also, the cassette ratio is a bit odd and so you might find it hard going on anything other than steep hills (up or down).
Overall: Not bad for £200. But not great either. It allows aspiring beginner mtb'ers to hit their local trail, and is also a good bike for those on a tight budget. The weight issue is a problem, though, and you may find you're putting more effort in shifting the thing than you would on a hardtail of a similar price. I'm not a big fan of the shifters either, and the upswept bars leave a lot to be desired. I have resolved to slowly upgrade the componentry as and when I can afford to (I've already done the bar and shifters) with heavy emphasis on weight loss.
Ultimately you get what you pay for - I'm treating this as a "project", a bike that lets me get from A to B and enjoy some trailbashing, while also inspiring me to invest in upgraded componentry.
