1 1/2 years later, still love to ride my Abajo Peak
by Luke Powers (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
After a long time in the saddle of a Cannondale Scalpel XC bike, I wanted a bike with more capability to go anywhere and ride anything. I did a lot of searching and tried a lot of my buddy's bikes or LBS demos, but didn't find one that seemed to fit. I stumbled on this bike after scrolling a thread for "best full suspension bike under $2000" (because I'm a dad and was trying to keep the price realistic). I had an idea of the geometry I wanted, and this fit the bill perfectly. I had heard of Fezzari before but no one I knew had one to physically check out. Still, with the "love it or return it" guarantee and a very helpful salesperson, I took the dive buying online without much trepidation. I had the bike assembled within an hour of getting it, no real bike expertise was required, the hard stuff was already done. The frame was in perfect condition and all the welds looked to be very well done (and believe me I checked). The sales staff wasn't pushy, but friendly and helpful. The frame size and bar width and pedal length she recommended fit me perfectly.
Honestly, I havn't stopped riding it since! I thought I'd keep the XC bike for "less gnarly rides" but I just stick with my Abajo Peak. Strava tells me I set almost all new PR's with this bike, but push come to shove, I don't really care. It's just that fun to ride!
I was afraid if I was used to a short-travel, lightweight bike, this might handle like a tank (something I found to be true with a lot of my friend's +size modern bikes). I'm glad to say it is nimble, and can shred like a demon, either coasting or under power. The short chainstays and balanced head-tube angle really keep this a bike in the nimble catagory, but not at sacrifice of stability. It's stiff and corners like it's on rails at higher speeds, while still very accepting of little tweaks from body-english.
I cannot find any local trails this bike can't tame, and with the addition of a dropper post, have taken it on some very rocky, steep, and windy trails in the Apalachain mountains with no problems and felt very in control even on unfamiliar trails. I think it handles technicals OK (better than my old bike), but I'll admit I'm not the best at those types of features yet so it's hard to quantify.
It also climbs almost as quick as my old XC bike, and the smooth suspension keeps my tires on the trail no matter how choppy/rooty/rocky the limb, so I slip WAY less when climbing. As a bonus, when I misjudge a jump or come to a bigger-than-I-thought dropoff, the ample suspension has been a godsend, keeping me on two wheels and safe when I know I'd have eaten handlebar on my old bike.
As a former automotive seating engineer, I really liked the additional safety that is described in the FIST testing section. Some companies like to skimp so that they just barely pass whatever safety specifications that exist, saving a few pennies. Passing the same tests at %150 means the frame will help to keep me safer, longer.
The component set was pretty darn good out of the box. I love the Eagle drivetrain, and the 1x12 speed is so quick/easy compared to my old 3x8. I have yet to drop a chain, even without an additional keeper. The forks can be adjusted for any terrain.
My only complaint is that this bike is SO CAPABLE of handling big trails and big speeds, but the brakes were underpowered as compared to the rest of it, no matter how I tried to bed them in or use different pad compounds. I did eventually upgrade to a set with 4-piston calipers but that probably isn't necessary unless you're really riding hard or have large descents, and is an easy upgrade.
So-far, after one-and-a-half years with well over 1k punishing miles, friends trying it out, pushing myself to my limits, and squeezing every drop of fun out of this bike as I can, I still cannot speak highly enough of it. ESPECIALLY FOR THE PRICE. My riding buddies all have been complementary of the bike as a whole. It's been a sound investment not only for my hobby, but also for my mental and physical health. I highly recommend both this bike and the Fezzari direct-to-customer experience!
