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 Cove Stiffee FR Frame
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Cove Stiffee FR Frame
More about Cove
Average Rating: 5 out of 5
No. of Reviews: 29
RRP: £499
Year: 2006

Description:
Impressing magazine editors from the U.S. to the U.K., the Stiffee has gained a reputation as one of the best aluminium hard tail bikes in the world. Melding a balance of strength and performance (not to mention longevity), this Stiffee doesn't need any blue pills, just a rider who appreciates the simplicity of a bike designed to finesse the world's abundance of natural gap jumps, bermed corners and trails to the honeypatch. Designed to accommodate oversized tires and international standard disc mounts, the Stiffee uses Easton RAD tubing and can handle long travel front forks.

 REVIEWS
 
1 to 10 of 29 reviews, to post a review you need to be a member - Join now.Page: 1  2  3  
Nigel Pearce 2 
Posted: 17/03/07
Updated: 28/03/07
'GREAT SO FAR'
Strengths:
solid but light.good allrounder.corners really well.

[Update 28/03/07] still love the bike.not as compliant at the rear as my handjob was but more sure footed on the decents

Weaknesses:
to early to say none so far.quick handling might catch out begginers.

[Update 28/03/07] nothing i can really think of.

Overall:
really like the bike not as harsh as some say.just run wider tyres.corners very well quick handling.

[Update 28/03/07] best all round hardtail ive owned so far.if your after just one do it all bike you wont go wrong

 
Performance
 
100%
Reliability
 
100%
Value
 
80%
Overall Rating
 
93%
 
William Millott 
Posted: 10/02/07
'BRILLIANT'
Strengths:
Strong and has many different strengths
Weaknesses:
None yet
Overall:
good for everyones wants feel free to check mine out as a good example, www.uksbest.net
 
Performance
 
100%
Reliability
 
100%
Value
 
100%
Overall Rating
 
100%
 
darren laithwaite 
Posted: 13/10/04
Updated: 12/12/06
'THE BEST OUT THERE'
Strengths:
Strong stiff frame,light enough for XC.This bike just loves single track
and down hill
Weaknesses:
The stickers
Overall:
I had my bike built up by Bike lab in Poole Dorset(01202 330011)with DT Swiss rims full XT and Race face and Marzocchi comps eta forks.I my bike every day to go to work and weekends for XC and just hammering around the local woods.This is the best bike ive ridden and can quite forgiving as iam not a brilliant rider.Clive at Bike lab helped me decide on the bike and i have no regrets,its the best out there
 
Performance
 
100%
Reliability
 
80%
Value
 
60%
Overall Rating
 
80%
 
Rich Cardwell 
Posted: 21/07/04
Updated: 12/12/06
'IF YOU'VE AFTER A TOUGH HARDTAIL THAT RIDES WELL, YOU'VE FOU'
Strengths:
Sorted geometry, tough as hell, rides like a dream.
Weaknesses:
Paint work isn't very good for a 500 pound frame, and the decals (which are stickers) don't last long.
While the frame can take 125mm forks, anything over 100-110mm seems to bugger up the geometry.
No the best value ever at 500 pounds, as the finishing isn't great, but your paying for the ride not the looks
Overall:
Had mine 2 years, and really can't see any reason yet to replace it (unless I get a Ti one), and even if I had to replace it I would more than likely just get another one ;)

 
Performance
 
100%
Reliability
 
100%
Value
 
60%
Overall Rating
 
87%
 
Stef Sewell 
Posted: 11/09/04
Updated: 12/12/06
'BOMB PROOF TRAIL IRON'
Strengths:
Very strong, stiff and yet light with it. It's happy to jump and drop but still climbs easily. It should last you for many years.
Weaknesses:
Yeah, the paint job is not the best. My frame is now 1 year old and looks pretty tired unless polished.
Overall:
An awesome freeride / aggresive trail machine. My build has a set of Sherman Flicks, with no geometry problems. It will cope with pretty much anything that is thrown at it, however it is very stiff so it may beat you up in the process - all day rides are pretty tiring.
 
Performance
 
100%
Reliability
 
80%
Value
 
80%
Overall Rating
 
87%
 
Andy Smallman 
Posted: 02/03/04
Updated: 12/12/06
'FANTASTIC'
Strengths:
It handles better than any other hard tail I have ridden and infact is better at descending than my old Orange Sub 5. It is fitted with Fox Vanilla 125's which work better than 100mm forks I have also used on Stiffee's. So go for 125's with yours. I have no regrets about getting this bike.
Weaknesses:
The paint is not the best but it is better than in 2002 which did seem to flake if provoked.
Overall:
This bike is the best I have ridden bar none. Set up for aggressive XC with Mono M4's it is simply astounding. Climbing is good, downhilling is great fun and it is just superb on the tight twists stuff through the woods.

Buy one today, it is the only mountain bike you will need. Taking mine to the Alpes this summer 8-D
 
Performance
 
100%
Reliability
 
100%
Value
 
100%
Overall Rating
 
100%
 
Kell Ransome 
Posted: 08/08/03
Updated: 12/12/06
'Tasty!'
Strengths:
Very stiff rigid frame, handles very well.
Light enough to build up as an XC bike, but strong enough to use as a freeride bike.
Weaknesses:
Only problem i had was that the paint scratches off very easily. Frame is so stiff that you get a lot of bumps through the back wheel.
Overall:
This is the best aluminium hardtail frame i have ever ridden. It comes from Deep Cove near Vancouver, in the heart of the legendary North Shore. I built mine up as an XC/freeride bike, and its low weight but strong design mean that you can climb quite comfortably and then really chuck it down the descents. I tested it out on the Wall at Afan Argoed, and it was fantastic. The stiffness of the frame means that the handling is very precise, and when coupled with Hope disc brakes it makes you want to push the Canadian engineering to the limit. The only problem i had was that you get a lot of shocks through the back wheel (when you're not hammering up/down a hill and you sit down for a bit!), but this is easily remedied by either using bigger tyres or getting either a Ti seatpost or one with a shock. It is a bike that makes you look more skilled than you are (always a good thing!) and it makes you feel brave enough to take things just that little bit further each time you go out on it. Buy one. Have fun!
 
Performance
 
100%
Reliability
 
100%
Value
 
60%
Overall Rating
 
87%
 
Rich Wood 
Posted: 27/09/03
Updated: 12/12/06
'FANTASIC'
Strengths:
Strong, reasonably light, fantastic handling.
Weaknesses:
Not much clearance for a rear disc. A 165mm rotor sits a little to close to the chainstay for comfort.
Overall:
Fantastically precise handling, can cope quite happily with 4 or 5 inch forks, although 4" is probably a better all-round choice. Strong enough to survive abuse at the hands (and feet) of an overweight untalented rider like myself, yet reasonably light.

Possibly a bit harsh for all-day rides, but then that's not the sort of riding I do, and it's not really the sort of riding the frame is designed for, it's far more at home when being thrown down some nice twisty singletrack.
 
Performance
 
100%
Reliability
 
80%
Value
 
80%
Overall Rating
 
87%
 
Richard Kemp 
Posted: 08/10/04
Updated: 12/12/06
'LOVED MINE'
Strengths:
Light
Flickable
Able to handle the hits as well as the climbs
Fantastic quality and awesome looks !
Weaknesses:
Weakish paint
Very stealable (I found out)
Overall:
I rode this thing DH, at jump parks and on all day XC slogs..even to work & back on London streets.
Damn I wish I still had her, as she handled it all with such aplom.
 
Performance
 
100%
Reliability
 
100%
Value
 
80%
Overall Rating
 
93%
 
Steve Williams 
Posted: 21/05/03
Updated: 12/12/06
'BUILD IT AS YOU WISH !'
Strengths:
Geometry, stiffness, acceleration, tyre clearance, bombproof, looks. Just great fun to ride - simple as that.
Weaknesses:
It is very stiff and no give so you feel the trail bite your butt on longer rides. Use wider tyres and a comfy saddle to cure the bite. Costs too much.
Overall:
If you want a hardtail that can do everything then this is it - that's cliche but it is true. Very light and great fun on singletrack and climbs great. Descends amazingly due to the geometry - very chuckable.

Never thought I'd ride a hardtail again but this changed it all.
 
Performance
 
100%
Reliability
 
100%
Value
 
40%
Overall Rating
 
80%
 
 
 
 
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