Anybody got a Six Shooter? I just ordered one today from Preowned Bikes and was wondering what anybody that has one or has ever rode one thinks about it. I have never rode one, but everything I read about it and the components it comes with appear to be everything I am looking for in a bike. The Tomac web site says it has a really heavy duty frame with a lot of reinforcements. I am 225 and am pretty hard on stuff. Hope it lasts.

Paul B

Anybody got a Six Shooter? I just ordered one today from Preowned Bikes and was wondering what anybody that has one or has ever rode one thinks about it. I have never rode one, but everything I read about it and the components it comes with appear to be everything I am looking for in a bike. The Tomac web site says it has a really heavy duty frame with a lot of reinforcements. I am 225 and am pretty hard on stuff. Hope it lasts.

Paul B

yo Paul,

I've got an '03 Six Shooter (with the Target-special fake-rivets paint job.) I'm lovin' this bike so far. My former bike was a GT XCR 3000, which is great for climbing, but I've started doing more mild DH and small drop-offs, so I was looking for something beefier. My LBS had a demo Shooter, so I took it to Big Bear to try out on the DH course - what a blast! I don't know if it was the geometry, the suspension, the tire width or the Stick-E compound of the Kendas, but I felt like I had a hell of a lot more control in the steep downhills than I did on the GT - it was the first day on the bike, and I could handle sections my buddies couldn't.
Climbing with it took some getting used to since the geometry was so much different than what I was used to, but now I can climb all the same stuff I could climb with the GT. The rear shock is the Fox Float with the lock out, so that helps on smooth climbs - on rocky climbs, I just set the rebound faster.
The frame seems pretty solid - granted, I'm only 140, so I'm not that hard on stuff, but I haven't had any frame-related problems. The only ongoing problem I've had is getting the shifting dialed in just right - I'm still working on getting it tuned just right.
But overall, I think it's an awesome bike. Here are some of the components mine has (should probably be the same as yours):
Sherman Flick fork (great fork!)
Fox Float RL shock
XT front
XTR rear
Magura Louise hydraulic discs

If you have any other questions about it, let me know...


[added 6.12]
Paul - after looking through these forums for "Tomac," it looks like a lot of people have had trouble with the frames cracking; since you're a heavier rider, watch out for that and inspect the frame real well when you get it!

I researched the frame cracking and didnt see any six shooter frames cracked. It seemed to be mostly 98 specials, but I plan on keeping a close eye on the frame as I do with all my bikes.
Got the bike and am very impressed. It could climb a little better, but it isnt to bad. It really handles cross country way better then I thought it would. I'm very happy with its handling. I have never been on a full on down hill bike, but this thing rocks the down hills better then anything I've ever been on. Its way more capable then I am right now. The suspension just eats bumps and the only time I ever notice any bobbing is when i'm out of the seat really hammering it. Huge thumbs up for the bike. I dont regret the purchase one bit. Its been really tough to get the smile off my face since the first ride. :D :D

Paul B

Well any frame can break. If it doesnt hold up, I'll take all the parts off it and buy another frame. I scored it brand new (left over 02) off preowned bikes.com for $1000. I couldnt buy the parts for that. I love the bike and truely hope it holds up, but even a Lexus has the occassional bad engine.
Paul B

I have a fith element air that I think made a world of difference. You could get the float spv by push industries but you would lose the lockout. Wiht my fifth I do not need a lockout. I did not like the bike before I put the fifth element air on it but now it is crisp both on downhills and climbing The stem and handlebar on my 2002 was terrible. A good stem and Azonic doublewall handlebars also made a huge difference.

Steve3 has never seen a Six Shooter in real life. How do I know this because he has made posts about the bike that are factually incorrect. The seatmast story is in the reviews for the bike. He is angry at Tomac because he doesn't know where he bought the bike and thinks they know and viciously will not tell him.

Good luck on the bike, I saw it on ebay and thought someone is getting a great bike for a steal. Glad it was you. :)


Well any frame can break. If it doesnt hold up, I'll take all the parts off it and buy another frame. I scored it brand new (left over 02) off preowned bikes.com for $1000. I couldnt buy the parts for that. I love the bike and truely hope it holds up, but even a Lexus has the occassional bad engine.
Paul B

Yeah, I havnt heard alot of good things about the Floats relaibility. I figured I would wait till it blows then get another shock. I was eyeing that Cloud 9 by Cane Creek, but I will take a look at fifth element.

I saw some of Steve3's posts and dont even know why I replied to it. I have been around some Motorcycle forums for a few years and know his type really well. Lots of time on the net but not much in the saddle. 1700+ posts since Jan. 04 pretty much proves my point. :rolleyes:

Thanks for the advice on the shock, bars and stem.

Paul B

...(with the Target-special fake-rivets paint job.)

Too funny. My thoughts exactly when I saw the G.I. Joe faux metal rivets with the eagle design. The year prior to that had a nice looking western them paint job, more appropriate for the Six Shooter name.

I've only seen one on the trail and it was under a shop Mechanic for a Demo ride on Noble Cyn in San Diego Ca. and on a section called stairway to hell the seatmast snapped cleanly from the main frame at the weld. It may have been a fluke but it was a dramatic failure that left a negative impression on me. :(

who has broken a used Foes frame . broke a new Foes Fly in three place, a 10.9 lb frame, and also broke the 7lb Six Shooter frame on a Demo at Noble Cyn.
Is he actually a mechanic or a weekend warrior as he states?
How many people were freeriding in that section when it happened?




I've only seen one on the trail and it was under a shop Mechanic for a Demo ride on Noble Cyn in San Diego Ca. and on a section called stairway to hell the seatmast snapped cleanly from the main frame at the weld. It may have been a fluke but it was a dramatic failure that left a negative impression on me. :(

who has broken a used Foes frame . broke a new Foes Fly in three place, a 10.9 lb frame, and also broke the 7lb Six Shooter frame on a Demo at Noble Cyn.
Is he actually a mechanic or a weekend warrior as he states?
How many people were freeriding in that section when it happened?

No I wasn't the rider on the Six shooter but I was 20 ft behind him. Foes was great about the warranty even on the frame that was out of warrantee they gave me a discount because they couldn't fix it but as I said I don't trust the design any more so as long as well built full seat tube designs exist I won't buy an interupted seat tube bike. It's not an anti Tomac thing it's an anti interupted seat tube thing from my own experience so don't get offended and start attacking people you don't know.

Your review leaves the reader thinking this happened to you.

"1 demo ride and it couldnt servive that. There is the last supported part of the seatmast with the shock mounts underneath it and they chose that point to butt weld 2 peices of oval tubing together. About 2/3 through Noble Canyon at the end of stairway to hell I hear a loud bang and the entire seat mast falls away aft of that weld. you could see that the weld didn't peatrate very much."

I personally hae never seen a drematic frame failure like that but I know they do happen to mountian bikes. The six shooter has 2 reports of failure in MTBR, yours and 1 with cracked welds. I still think it is a strong 7lb frame that can be used by Clydes for agressive trail riding. .





No I wasn't the rider on the Six shooter but I was 20 ft behind him. Foes was great about the warranty even on the frame that was out of warrantee they gave me a discount because they couldn't fix it but as I said I don't trust the design any more so as long as well built full seat tube designs exist I won't buy an interupted seat tube bike. It's not an anti Tomac thing it's an anti interupted seat tube thing from my own experience so don't get offended and start attacking people you don't know.