Gary Fisher HiFi Deluxe Review

[Dalton]

I am very happy with my new fisher, so far i have owned 4 and this is definately the best one i have owned. It is very fast, it just seems to keep going and going. The genesis 2 geometry is great it handles very well at slow technical trails and high speed downhill just as Mr. Fisher promised with the new HiFi line. The suspension is great once i got it to the right pressure for my style and hardly any bob with the back in the middle setting. The Shimano XTR is so awesome i have wanted it since i could ride a bike and i will never go back to anything else. Everything performs excellent and i am very satisfied. GO FISHER and thanks to the guys at the North Division Bike Shop for setting me up with this sweet ride

[administrator]

Well, Dalton, we at North Division are very happy your happy! Keep up the riding, and join the crew on one of the TNR rides. (Under the MTB Board)

Thanks!!

[cranky]

I also I'm riding A HiFi. It is the nicest ridding bike I've owned since I can remember. ;D

[colin]

I've looked at the HiFi, but not ridden it yet. The light weight is appealing, but could ya'll who've ridden it shed some light on 2 issues? First, from a layman's perspective, the rear suspension seems simple and maybe "old fashioned." Does anyone feel that the rear susp. is a weak point? Second, how is the front fork? I've been brainwashed to think that Fox forks are the industry leaders, but I suspect that due to the effectiveness of Fox's marketing dept. as much as it is due to my experience with their forks. Mucho gracias!

[administrator]

Colin,
To help address your 2 issues I have this to say:
1) Simplicity is golden and in the case of the HiFi, definitely NOT a weak point. The rear suspension in the HiFi is great, it works very smooth, have great bearings at the pivots, and is built to last and be very stiff to resist side-to-side flex yet be very active.
2) The custom Manitou forks that are speced on this bike are good forks. They have nice travel, good adjustability, and are relatively stiff and light. But the most important factor is the that the offset is custom for the HiFi, this gives the bike some extraordinary handling. This is because of the new Genesis 2 geometry.
Overall, I'd say, if you wanted a lightweight, 5 inch trailbike, its hard to go wrong with the HiFi. You should come to the shop and take one for a spin and see for yourself. You can even compare it to a Santa Cruz and Trek Fuel EX.

[colin]

Thanks Cesal! I plan to check one out on a test ride sometime. I'm still following doctors orders of 3 months w/o biking or running. One month to go....maybe I'll get on a test ride in January.