I am considering buying an ETSX-50 but have been reading some postings regarding broken frames and crushed pivot bearings. The bike rides great and I am wondering if the people who have had these problems would still buy a 2005 ETSX? Do you think the problems have been fixed? It also sounds like RM's customer service is a mixed bag. Any input from RM owners is appreciated.

I am considering buying an ETSX-50 but have been reading some postings regarding broken frames and crushed pivot bearings. The bike rides great and I am wondering if the people who have had these problems would still buy a 2005 ETSX? Do you think the problems have been fixed? It also sounds like RM's customer service is a mixed bag. Any input from RM owners is appreciated.
With the gusseted seat tube I believe the '05 is stronger with respect to the breakage problem so I wouldn't worry about that. As far as the pivot bearings they are very easy to check if you can look at the frame before you buy it; see this thread. http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=63988 The bike rides great and my experience with RM customer service through my LBS was great when my original 2002.5 frame broke.

I had my frame fail and they replaced it no questions asked and I am also the one who started the thread on crushed bearings (on the replacement frame) and I would still buy anouther one thats how good the bike rides. Just be sure to check the bearings because there is a posibility that an entier run of frames whent out with the bad bearings. I replaced mine with after market ones from a bearing suply shop.

With the gusseted seat tube I believe the '05 is stronger with respect to the breakage problem so I wouldn't worry about that. As far as the pivot bearings they are very easy to check if you can look at the frame before you buy it; see this thread. http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=63988 The bike rides great and my experience with RM customer service through my LBS was great when my original 2002.5 frame broke.



It is good to hear that RM treated you well. I looked at some of the pictures of the '02 and '05 frames and I can see that they added a lot more support on the seat tube and it does look a lot stronger. I don't know how much the rear shock has to do with stresses on the frame but I have read good things about the Fox RP3 that comes on the ETSX.

I had my frame fail and they replaced it no questions asked and I am also the one who started the thread on crushed bearings (on the replacement frame) and I would still buy anouther one thats how good the bike rides. Just be sure to check the bearings because there is a posibility that an entier run of frames whent out with the bad bearings. I replaced mine with after market ones from a bearing suply shop.


Thanks for the info. Gearz included the link to your crushed bearings thread so I will check out the bearings before I buy the bike. It sounds like it is pretty easy to do. One other question, "Do you guys mess around with the front/rear travel very much?" I tried it out a bit but it seems like it would be easier to just leave it at 4". It still seemed to climb just fine without readjusting the travel.

Thanks for the info. Gearz included the link to your crushed bearings thread so I will check out the bearings before I buy the bike. It sounds like it is pretty easy to do. One other question, "Do you guys mess around with the front/rear travel very much?" I tried it out a bit but it seems like it would be easier to just leave it at 4". It still seemed to climb just fine without readjusting the travel.
I run 4" rear travel most of the time which works out well. I'll set the rear to 4.5" if I've got a real technical downhill section ahead but bear in mind that changing the rear travel changes the leverage ratio on the shock so be sure and set the sag for the travel you use most of the time. For me the bike seems to climb better and overall feels more balanced in the 4" rear setting vs. the 4.5" setting. I've never used the 3.5" setting in the rear. I will drop the front fork for very steep climbing which seems to help with traction but most of the time run the full 120mm of my shock (Marathon SL) up front which seems to work well with either the 4" or 4.5" rear setting.

Thanks for the info. Gearz included the link to your crushed bearings thread so I will check out the bearings before I buy the bike. It sounds like it is pretty easy to do. One other question, "Do you guys mess around with the front/rear travel very much?" I tried it out a bit but it seems like it would be easier to just leave it at 4". It still seemed to climb just fine without readjusting the travel.


I have replaced the quick realese bolt with a normal one and leave it permanatly in the long travel mode. You would be hard pressed to tell a diference in the pedaling eficency even when climbing and shortening the travel lowers the bb.

I have been watching this thread to see if you got a new ETSX 50 or not let us know what you decided.

I have been watching this thread to see if you got a new ETSX 50 or not let us know what you decided.


I didn't buy anything for a while after I posted this thread because I had pulled my hamstring and couldn't ride at all....which was a bummer. I did end up buying a one year old Santa Cruz Blur from a friend last week because it was a lot less than a new RM and had all XTR components etc.. I loved my testride on the ETSX though and only time will tell if I made the right decision. Both bikes ride really well. I hear that you have to replace the pivot bearings on the Blur fairly often so we'll have to see how that works out.

I didn't buy anything for a while after I posted this thread because I had pulled my hamstring and couldn't ride at all....which was a bummer. I did end up buying a one year old Santa Cruz Blur from a friend last week because it was a lot less than a new RM and had all XTR components etc.. I loved my testride on the ETSX though and only time will tell if I made the right decision. Both bikes ride really well. I hear that you have to replace the pivot bearings on the Blur fairly often so we'll have to see how that works out.

Those pivots are tricky to change but if your carfull it shouldn't be to bad. sucks about you ham string I did that once it took a long time to heal.

I built up a Santa Cruz Blur in July 03 and found it very frustrating out here in the great wet North (Vancouver that is) as it had very little BB clearaance for a 4.5" travel frame. I smacked rocks and logs with the pedals and crank arms all the time, and the long chain stays, skinny rear tire limitations and fairly high front end (with a 100mm fork) it always felt kind of chopper-like and it was very hard to get up on the bars for more technical terrain manouevring. I sold off the Blur frame and fork and built up my ETSX70 in November 2003, and have been much happier with the handling of the Rocky in this part of the world. If you live where the single track is fairly smooth and fast, and not too many obstacles the Blur is likely an OK choice.