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Specialized
Elite Cartridge
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Submitted by
Bender Jr.
a Weekend Warrior
from New Mexico
Date Reviewed: July 3, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | anywhere where there is a cliff or jump | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1.00 | | Purchased At: | roswell shwinn | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | Everything,only lasted 8 days then it bent and started to creak. | | Similar Products Used: | BMX,UN-72 | | Bike Setup: | HARDROCK A1 FS with new bars , tires,bashring,and NEW BOTTOM BRACKET. | | Bottom Line: | SPECIALIZED bikes are the best but i dunno why they would put that p.o.s on there bikes. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim K
a
from Arlington,Texas, USA
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Bike Setup: | '99 FSR Comp | | Bottom Line: | Had about 1500 miles on the bike when it developed the creak. Push hard on either pedal and the BB would creak. Removed the bottom bracket and I could see fretting where the removable ring mates with the other part of the assembly. Cleaned everything up and reinstalled with Locktite where the two parts touch. Creak is now gone. While you're at it, you can also carefully remove the seals and re-grease the bearings. Hopefully, I'm good for another 1500. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Aiden Wrenn
a Cross Country Rider
from UK
Date Reviewed: August 18, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | havana | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1.00 | | Purchased At: | Hardisty cycles | | Strengths: | Difficult to say. | | Weaknesses: | Developed a squeak within 8 days of fairly enthusiastic riding | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Hardrock A1 comp FS | | Bottom Line: | Disappointed | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mikw
a Weekend Warrior
from cerritos ca
Date Reviewed: March 18, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | lower rock creek | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | circle cycle | | Strengths: | Strong shaft. I am a heavy rider and have had no problems the shaft is still straight, even though I have pole vaulted a few rocks on some single tracks. | | Weaknesses: | Sealed bearings didn't last very long and they arn't servicable. | | Bike Setup: | 99FSR comp with suspension upgrades. | | Bottom Line: | I use my bike for both off road and urban riding and have about 3200 mi on it. This is one of the components that I didn't think that I would have to replace this soon. I am sure that Specialized had other choices when it came to what BB they would put on their bicycles. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
TheVulture
a
from 12 ny
Date Reviewed: January 25, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | The Planet | | Strengths: | It would make a good rust farm | | Weaknesses: | It broke | | Bike Setup: | 98 fsr comp | | Bottom Line: | The BB on my trek 820 was better. i am a jumper and this bottom bracket was creaking withn one month. Then f***ing thing broke in half. Otherwise the bike is bullet proof. i broke the seat off as well but that was my fault. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Penguin
a Weekend Warrior
from Buffalo,NYUSA
Date Reviewed: December 10, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Precision Bike | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | Piece of Junk | | Similar Products Used: | UN-72 | | Bike Setup: | 98 FSR comp | | Bottom Line: | I too was unlucky enough to have one of these on my 98 Specialized FSR Comp. In less than a month the bearings were shot! LBS had no problem swapping out to a UN-72, as they already knew there was a ongoing problem. Kudos to Precision Bike- I was back riding in less than a day!Un-72 has been on for two years-no problems. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dmitriy "Flip"
a Downhiller
from Bronx, NY, USA
Date Reviewed: November 11, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Van Cortlant Park | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | It worked for a while | | Weaknesses: | It didn't work good long enough. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized FSR Sport | | Bottom Line: | This was a great piece of SH!T people. After like 4 months or so, it was creaking, I figured needs some grease, nope...I just needed a new BB. Whoever said Specialized is crap is a complete IDIOT, they just put crap components on their otherwise AWSOME frames! It broke on me after I jumped an 11 set of stairs. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J B
a Cross Country Rider
from Alamogordo, NM
Date Reviewed: October 23, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | the one I'm going to ride next | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | It makes a great leg strengthening tool once it starts to "break in" | | Weaknesses: | pure crap | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano UN72 | | Bike Setup: | FSR XC | | Bottom Line: | Specialized is hurting its image by putting these on their otherwise fine bikes. I discovered mine was toast about 6 months after I bought my bike, while replacing the cheap Specialized crank that was fastened to it. It no doubt had been worn out for quite awhile, it was grinding badly when I turned it. I actually raced on it, the added friction from worn out races and bearings probably added minutes to my time.
If your bike comes with one of these get rid of it ASAP before you hurt yourself or breakdown in the middle of nowhere. This product should listed in the Hall of Shame and Specialized needs to quit producing them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ian Brown
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Ontario
Date Reviewed: September 1, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Kolapore Highlands | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Sporting Life | | Strengths: | Heavy enough to do some damage if you threw it at the Specialized product selector | | Weaknesses: | Heavy, seals don't seal. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano BBs | | Bike Setup: | Specialized FSRxc (now with a UN72 bb!) | | Bottom Line: | It only took three months for this piece of garbage to go: it was a grinding, creaking, squealing mess.
When I took if off my bike, I peeled off the so-called "seals" to find rusty bearings reluctantly turning in a rusty race.
After dropping that kind of cash on a new bike, I'd expected the drivetrain to last at least through the first season, especially the BB. The Specialized frame is great, but they should leave component design to the grown-ups.
If I buy another Specialized bike, I'll make sure that any Big-S componenents stay in the showroom. If you're buying a Specialized bike, you should make sure that the Elite BB is swapped out, too. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | Creaks after 300 miles | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT / XTR | | Bike Setup: | Specialized FSR '98 Comp / '98 Elite / '99 Elite | | Bottom Line: | This bottom bracket was standard equipment on my '98 FSR Comp. After 300 miles of light riding started creaking, replaced it with a Shimano XT UN-72. A few months later I got a '98 FSR Elite (Max Backbone), a much more expensive bike with the same bottom bracket, same story after 300 miles. A few months ago I got a '99 FSR Elite, this time I didn't wait for the BB to fail, replaced it immediately (fool me once, fool me twice, but not three times).
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Submitted by
Zach
a Cross Country Rider
from Fort Collins, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: August 17, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Colorado! | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Purchased At: | Colorado | | Strengths: | Came on the bike | | Weaknesses: | Shouldn't have ever been on the bike | | Similar Products Used: | LX/XT | | Bike Setup: | XT/XTR | | Bottom Line: | For the casual rider this might be sufficient. For a mountain biker who rides hard and rides long, this product is entirely insufficient. This creaks and carries on and it's been doing it since it was about three months old (believe me I feel fortunate to have made it this far). I plan on replacing everything with XT (crank set and BB). On a $1800 Stumpjumper Pro, Specialized could have at least spent the $20-$25 that it takes to put an XT BB on the bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a
from Placentia, Ca
Date Reviewed: August 8, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | The pedals never fell off. | | Weaknesses: | Waste of metal and man power. | | Similar Products Used: | XT es70 | | Bike Setup: | FSR Comp | | Bottom Line: | The bottom bracket compliments the piece of junk cranks and rings that specialized puts on their rides. The bb came lose after 1 month of riding. The lbs tightened it but it didn't last long. Specialized would not do anything to rectify the bb or the crankset problem, nor would the lbs. I replaced it with the 2000 hollowtech crankset and es70 bb. Works great now. I love my bike but specialized deserves a drug test for putting this garbage on their product. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Minneapolis
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | It functions... | | Weaknesses: | Creak, creak, creak, creak... | | Bike Setup: | '98 Specialized FSR | | Bottom Line: | Didn't take long to start making a lot of annoying noise. Not broken yet... It'd be a good thing to plan on replacing it soon after buying. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Billy Woodward
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: June 22, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Any | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | it works, not very well, but it works | | Weaknesses: | heavy, cheap feel, loss of effort in spin. | | Similar Products Used: | '00 XT BB | | Bike Setup: | '99 FSR Comp | | Bottom Line: | This is a piece. I never knew that such a cheap BB was on my bike. I decided to go with the '00 XT Crankset seeing how the Specialized that came with my Bike was flexing and the chainrings were wore out. When the shop handed me the my old BB, I was aghast. The bearing were already wore out and the thing weighed much more than the new XT BB that was going on. Specialized makes great bikes, but if I had known then what I know now, I would have bought a different brand bike just for the better parts. Cheap BB on a bike that retails at $1399 should be illegal. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CJ
a Cross Country Rider
from Western NC
Date Reviewed: June 11, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Laurel Mtn | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | The delight I had the day I got it replaced. | | Weaknesses: | After loggin about 200 miles the thing sounded like an old lawnmower. | | Similar Products Used: | XT | | Bike Setup: | Stumpjumper | | Bottom Line: | I can't believe Specialized doesn't put quality parts on a quality bike. I guess if you're like me you don't see it at the time of purchase you'll never know. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark P.
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: June 4, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | Total garbage | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT | | Bike Setup: | FSR-XC | | Bottom Line: | After a whopping 525 miles, this piece of trash blew. I can't believe how similar the other posts on this product are to my experience. One question Specialized: why do you install this garbage on your otherwise great bikes? I still can't believe this part was so bad. Replaced it with a $24 shimano XT, which I expect will give me 2500 miles or so. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
damon
a Weekend Warrior
from olympia, wa
Date Reviewed: April 26, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | none
| | Weaknesses: | It loosened after 100 miles. Now it clicks and pops. Advised not to mess with it and just replace it. | | Similar Products Used: | what ever was in my last 2 bikes........ | | Bike Setup: | stock 99 stumpjumper comp | | Bottom Line: | If you are considering a specialized bike have the shop upgrade the bb. Even the lowest quality shimano stuff is better than this piece of k-rap. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Montreal Canada
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | Extremely cheap | | Bike Setup: | Stock Specialized FSR Comp | | Bottom Line: | Am 42 and I've been riding bikes since I was a kid. I never had any problems with a bottom bracket. They put a good derailleur and other quality components where it shows, but a BB is completely hidden and they put a piece of crap there. For a BB to go after just one summer of casual riding is ridiculous. Specialized won't pay for the repair since it's past the one year warranty period. The local bike store is no help, they're on the company's side instead of on the customers. But it's the customer that keep the store in business not Specialized. Do yourself a favor get something else. DON'T BUY SPECIALIZED. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Davis Jones
a Racer
from Beverly Hills
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | it worked okay when i first got my bike | | Weaknesses: | everything | | Similar Products Used: | race face | | Bike Setup: | specialized stumpjumper pro | | Bottom Line: | The bottom line is that this thing sucks. I read the reviews earlier and thought they were all flukes. Being that this was a specialized part, I assumed it would be pretty good. But you know what they say about ASSUMING. Anyway, almost one year of riding, it died on me. I guess it was no surprise, considering how everyone was ripping on it. I've changed to Race Face. Haven't been riding long enough to give a review on that, but for Specialized on chili. And I don't even know why i'm giving it that. I guess a little bit of brand loyalty. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dwayne
a Weekend Warrior
from st. clair shores
Date Reviewed: March 7, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | poto | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | none | | Weaknesses: | peice of s**t | | Similar Products Used: | shimano | | Bike Setup: | fsr-xc pro | | Bottom Line: | come stock on my fsr, i would figger a 2 grand bike would have at least a bb that would last more than 2 months. just don't replace with raceface, theres no way to mount the front derailleur mounting bracket. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
bikedude
a Weekend Warrior
from bay area, ca
Date Reviewed: February 5, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | polished finish | | Weaknesses: | poor bearings | | Similar Products Used: | shimano | | Bike Setup: | 98 rockhopper comp fs | | Bottom Line: | This bb was ridden for about two years before it died. After a rainy ride the bb felt like it had rocks instead of balls in the bearings! My guess is that the bearings are of poor quality and have inadequate sealing. I'd say change it out for a shimano if you have the chance. Two chillies because it lasted two years. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bob
a Cross Country Rider
from San Ramon, CA
Date Reviewed: January 28, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Sings to you while you ride. | | Weaknesses: | Sings to you while you ride. | | Bike Setup: | Slightly modified FSR XC Stumpjumper Pro | | Bottom Line: | After 6 months of easy use, the BB is creaking like crazy. Requires frequent tightening. Its never even seen mud nor a water crossing (doesn’t rain here in Central CA during the summer). I can only imagine what bad things would happen to this BB if I went for a ride in the mud. Does not belong on a $2k bike | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Ebling
a Weekend Warrior
from London, UK
Date Reviewed: November 20, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
South Downs | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
um.... what? | | Weaknesses: |
it gets loose way too quick. | | Similar Products Used: |
Shimano BB | | Bike Setup: |
1999 FSR Comp, 1997 Hardrock A1 | | Bottom Line: | This sucks. Bottom brackets that get loose after less than 500 miles of riding. If they can't make decent bottom brackets themselves, they should buy in shimano ones. My previous bike (a 95 diamondback topanga) had a bottom bracket that has never shown signs of wear even after several thousand miles. Still running smooth and not loose now. If you're buying a specialized (I recommend them, I love mine apart from the BB) then get the shop to swap it for a shimano LX or something, It'll last much longer, and won't cost much. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CE
a Cross-Country Rider
from Granite Bay, CA
Date Reviewed: October 23, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Auburn Ravine | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Holds pedals on- That's about it. | | Weaknesses: |
Creeeak, Ping!, Pop*Monster. | | Similar Products Used: |
XT, XTR, LX BB's | | Bike Setup: |
FSR XC, FSR Elite | | Bottom Line: | What a peice. After two 20mi trail-rides and few
VERY MINOR streams/puddles, the BB sounded blown!
Creaking, popping and actually even kinda loose.
Tore it apart (found a heavy-ass Specialized cassette with only 6903SR stamped on the bearing seal & some wacky aluminum ring on the chainring side...?). Cleaned, greased, etc. the beast and put it back in hoping that it just was not tighted at the factory, or something. The FSR was brand new... NOPE! found it is really just a piece of crap and not even worth dealing with.
SPECIALIZED: Next time please scrimp on the paint color, grips, or other NON IMPORTANT component. Leave the BB's to others please.Thanks for over-engineered paperweight tho. Just
what I wanted- after I payed $1500 on a new FSR! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Montgomery
a Cross-Country Rider
from Abilene TX
Date Reviewed: October 7, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Works great for a few monthes | | Weaknesses: |
Heavy, First part of my new bike to go bad | | Similar Products Used: |
Shimano BB's | | Bike Setup: |
Specialized FSR XC comp | | Bottom Line: | Dear Specialized,
I spent alot of money on a great bike that i love, but that BB has got to go,your other Specialized products are good (well maybe not the pedals) so please improve this product or just do like every other company and use Shimano. Thanks | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross-Country Rider
from UK
Date Reviewed: September 3, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Pentlands | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
OK....for a few miles
weight for the price | | Weaknesses: |
doesn't last | | Similar Products Used: |
UN 52
UN 72
LP 27 | | Bike Setup: |
FSR | | Bottom Line: | don't waste your money | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jared
a Racer
from Regina
Date Reviewed: August 15, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Milstream | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
seriously......
nothing except it came on the bike so I didn't need a new one right away | | Weaknesses: |
heavy
super poor quality
one wet ride and it startedcreaking and never stopped | | Similar Products Used: |
un52
un72
race-face taperlock | | Bike Setup: |
99 Specialized M2-Pro with a new drivetrain and bottom bracket | | Bottom Line: | I'd never buy one it just came in the bike. I owned the bike for about 15days then I went on a wet muddy ride with creek crossing and lots of fast run off water everywhere. ever since then it creaked badly. Every hammer it made noise. Every descent when there was weight on the pedals and I moved the pedals it would creak. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter
a Cross-Country Rider
from TO/ON
Date Reviewed: August 13, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
? | | Weaknesses: |
heavy
really really REALLY poor quality | | Similar Products Used: |
Ritchey
Shimano | | Bike Setup: |
Spec. FSR XC | | Bottom Line: | Lasted three months.
My Ritchey lasted three years.
Not much else needs to be said. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Who
a Weekend Warrior
from CA
Date Reviewed: July 18, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Cheap | | Weaknesses: |
Cheap | | Similar Products Used: |
Shimano LX | | Bike Setup: |
Stumpjumper | | Bottom Line: | The one thing you can normally count on being bombproof is your bottom bracket. Not this one. After 10 months of moderate use (1500 miles), this bottom bracket bombed out on me. 2 an 1/2 miles of climbing with a major creak about drove me NUTS! Specialized, you should be ashamed for putting out crappy products such as this one. I hope you spec your future bikes with better products (at least a Shimano LX). | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill Petty
a Cross-Country Rider
from Chugiak, Alaska
Date Reviewed: July 3, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
resurection pass | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
easy to remove | | Weaknesses: |
HEAVY!
Bearings rough when new! | | Similar Products Used: |
XT
LX
Performance TI | | Bike Setup: |
1 - FSR XC Comp
1 - FSR Sport | | Bottom Line: | I've bought 2 Specialized FSR bikes this year, one for me , one for my wife. My FSR XC Comp's ($1800) bottom bracket was replaced for weight reduction, however when I pulled the Specialized BB out (used 3 rides) it felt like it was 5 years old, rough and ratchety. My wifes FSR Sport ($850) had the same BB, still heavy but at least it is smooth. BOTTOM LINE!! SPECIALIZED needs quality control and better BBs. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wayne
a Cross-Country Rider
from La verne, CA
Date Reviewed: June 25, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
singletracks | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
none | | Weaknesses: |
wore out in 7 weeks | | Similar Products Used: |
Shimano cartridge (LX and XT) | | Bike Setup: |
Stumpjumper FSR XC Pro | | Bottom Line: | Piece of crap. Only 7 weeks old and it started creaking -- bearings were toast. Luckily my LBS replaced it with an XT under warranty. | | Overall Rating: |
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