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Roll Call - show us your Ellsworth

125K views 284 replies 173 participants last post by  sentinel prime 
#1 ·
Come out of the woodwork and show us the goods. Tell us how you like it as well.

Here's our very own Photo-John in the delivery room!
 

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#101 ·
Bikemangobig said:
levrage ratio changed duh and did you read the warranty u should take time and really read it also u should be happy they offerd the 04 its trick plush and read reviews in mags whare the peolpe that r rateing them r real bikers not morons that bash on mtbr do u want a full sus 4 bar thats 100 % drive eff. i do your loss if u buy some thing else think before u talk ****
My 9 year old daughter writes in better sentences, "think before u talk" -LOL
 
#281 ·
After being out of mountain biking for nearly 20 years, I found this old Ellsworth Truth frame on eBay for cheap and I couldn't resist. I remember reading MTB magazines in the 1990s and drooling over Ellsworth bikes.

Build it up with all new parts, except the shock, which is a Fox Float RC which I rebuilt. RockShox Recon Silver TK 100mm fork. 1x10 Shimano SLX
and SLX brakes. PNW dropper.

Fun bike, but my main takeaway is how out of the loop I was on bike technology. Should have just bought new, modern bike from the start! . Although this was still way cheaper than most bikes nowadays. Oh well, I'll use it a couple years and then buy something new.

Bicycle tire Tire Bicycle frame Bicycle wheel Wheel
 
#5 · (Edited)
I couldn't find any nice action shots like Pete's...

So you'll just have to stare at these two pics instead ;)

My 1998 Truth (traded the frame in for my 2001):


My 2001 Truth. Since this pic was taken last year, I've upgraded from the Shimano XT disc brakes to Magura Martas, and changed the rear shock from a Cane Creek AD-10 to a Manitou Swinger 3-Way:
 
#7 ·
Here is my Id Convertible

I can built up my Id as a 25lb xc racer or for a day on the chair lifts. In full XC mode I see it as a long travel Truth. The Id is not a true huckster/freeride bike, but I like it that way. For shuttle/chairlift days, I can make these changes (some different from the picture):

DT Swiss Rear Shock -> Romic
Frog Ti Pedals -> Platform spds (shoe change, too)
6" front rotor -> 8" front rotor + caliper adapter
WTB Mutanoraptor 2.4 race front tire -> 2.5 WTB Weirwolf Race or Schwalbe King Jim
Kenda Karma DTC 2.0 Rear tire -> IRC Kujo 2.35 or Schwalbe Big Jim
Mavic X317/American Classic (WTB Laser Lite)/revo front champion rear -> Mavic F519/Hayes Superlite/Champion F&R

Lower the saddle and go!

I love the Id. It has real XC geometry, descends like a couch and climbs better than most XC duallies. With an adjustable fork, the front can be steepened to handle tight stuff. The bike gives great confidence to ride near its limits - when you break loose it is easily reeled back in.

I also like the high bottom bracket feel - it makes you feel like you are riding the equivalent of a monster truck like you are a long way from technical obstacles.
 

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#8 · (Edited)
my old bike

I really enjoyed riding my truth but it was a piece. I rode it all over germany, scottland, england, france, switzerland when I lived @ Ramstein AFB Germany. The bushings were nothing but trouble in the wet rainy German weather. The chain stay cracked all the way through the yoke and the head tube cracked two weeks after I got a used chain stay from Ellsworth. It was the best pedaling suspension bike I had ever ridden and it was really stable in the front end. Durability is another issue that is supposed to be resolved in the new design. I didn't realize but I had been riding it for months with a hairline crack at the headtube. It had this creak for ever that I couldn't find until I used a magnifying glass to find it. The LBS confirmed my fear.


 

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#10 ·
Ok

Standard shot-sorry no action shots

Best riding FS rig I've thrown a leg over and climbs technical terrain better than a hardtail.

Things I would change:
1. Put a real headtube badge on all frames, not a sticker and then charge $10 for one on your website.
2. Brake line guides-a must!
3. Get rid of the internal cable routing on the rear-end, its a hassle getting the cable thru the hole and you can't remove the housing from the stops to clean the cable.

I love riding this bike, so much so that I had a hard time riding my road bike last summer because the rigid rear end felt primitive compared to the high tech suspension on the Truth.
 
#11 ·
rroeder said:
Standard shot-sorry no action shots

Best riding FS rig I've thrown a leg over and climbs technical terrain better than a hardtail.

Things I would change:
1. Put a real headtube badge on all frames, not a sticker and then charge $10 for one on your website.
2. Brake line guides-a must!
3. Get rid of the internal cable routing on the rear-end, its a hassle getting the cable thru the hole and you can't remove the housing from the stops to clean the cable.

I love riding this bike, so much so that I had a hard time riding my road bike last summer because the rigid rear end felt primitive compared to the high tech suspension on the Truth.
Hey, you have a great looking bike there.
I totally agree, Its the sweetest FS frame I have ever ridden - So smooth and plush and totally stable feeling.

I agree with the brake line guides, it just seems lazy that Ellsworth haven't added a really simple feature. I do however feel very happy about the head-tube badge being just an easy item to replace as just the other day I scratched mine :(

Trevor!
 
#12 ·
cable guides

You know they don't add a real head badge and cable guides because it adds like 7 grams of weight or something. It might keep them from the lightest full suspension production frame. Kidding aside they should add these things. My new Blur which weighs .3's of a pound more than my truth has a disc hose guide on the tope tube and one the seat stay all for $600 less. You know that's where all the extra weight is coming from those heavy cable guides.
 
#13 · (Edited)
No I don't think its got anything to do with weight savings LOL! I actually really like the headbadge though - It looks totally cool and if you scratch it like I already have then you can replace it! Not that aesthetics are that important........

The blur is a sweet bike for sure, but the finish of the Ellsworth is probably what adds to the price, that is, the Shot peened finish and the annondizing and the laser etched graphics - no paint or decals or anything.
 
#14 ·
Ells not the only one

If I'm not mistaken my Blur also has and anodized shot peened finish and SC was using Laser etching while Ells was still using those lousy decals on the 94-00 models. It's like any thing else in the world it's expensive to engineer a frame that will last that cuts .3-.5 of pound off of it's competitors. The truth is a great bike. I loved mine before it broke. The Blur is is also great but is very different in terms of ride. What really made the difference for me was the customer service at SC and sizing. I had an offer of a $1400 crash replacement from Ells for a 2004 or I could buy a 2004 Blur for the same price. The truth tt was about 22.5 and the blur 21.6. I tried shorter stems and moving my seat all the way forward but the small truth was just too big. After getting used to the Blur's set up and having a bike that fits I don't miss back and wrist pain. So far I am not regretting changing manufacturers. The only bummer is there are so many people riding blur's, the truth was a bit more distinctive. Enjoy yours!
 
#15 ·
Why is E. forcing people to upgrade to a complete 04' frame?, my 01' front section broke last summer and they replaced it (03' front section) w/o cost and they offered to upgrade my rear section to the new 04' rocker and shock at an add. $400, which I declined, but if the new rear end will work with previous years front sections, then shouldn't the 04' front section work with previous years rear sections? Maybe they do but E. is choosing not to handle it that way, I mean replacing the broken front section w/ an 04' front section at no cost. My experience w/ them has been fine, but I know they are p...ing people off with this 04' upgrade stuff. Anyway, I think my frame will hold up fine and if it doesn't, then I will probably ask them to build me a Truth w/heavier tubing and if they won't then I will go w/something else.
 
G
#17 ·
04 Joker

This is the seventh mountain bike that I have own and by far is the best hardcore trail bike that I've ridden. It weights from 32 to 36 pounds depending on the wheel and tire selection. The onepointfive is great but not enough manufacturers make 1.5 stems and limiting options.
 

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#18 ·
rroeder said:
Thanks Trevor, yours is looking sweet also! BTW, I was able to drill out the cable stops and run the brake line thru them. It works well and looks clean.
Thats very clean looking. I remember you posting that a while ago and was impressed but couldn't bring myself to drilling out the stops for fear of buggering it up - which there is probably a 99.9% chance of me doing :p
 
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