Ellsworth Truth versus Santa Cruz Blur

RE/

Quoted message said:

Would you recommend saving $500 and getting the Blur frame or biting the bullet and going with the
Ellsworth (I don't want to have to buy another frame for at least four years).

I've got an Ellsworth Isis. Second frame. First one cracked and was eventually replaced
under warranty.

I still like the bike a lot, but would not buy Ellsworth unless it were through a retailer that I
felt I could rely on to be the middleman on any warranty issues.

I exercised the bad judgement of dealing with Ellsworth direct and my (strongly-held...) opinion
is that they are not good at dealing with the public. Dealers maybe "yes"....Joe
Public....definately not.
-----------------------
PeteCresswell

--
members.rogers.comtheblackfoxxOpen ↗ "(Pete Cresswell)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

RE/

Quoted message said:

Would you recommend saving $500 and getting the Blur frame or biting the bullet and going with
the Ellsworth (I don't

want

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to have to buy another frame for at least four years).

I've got an Ellsworth Isis. Second frame. First one cracked and was

eventually

Quoted message said:

replaced under warranty.

I still like the bike a lot, but would not buy Ellsworth unless it were

through

Quoted message said:

a retailer that I felt I could rely on to be the middleman on any warranty issues.

I exercised the bad judgement of dealing with Ellsworth direct and my (strongly-held...) opinion
is that they are not good at dealing with the

public.

Quoted message said:

Dealers maybe "yes"....Joe Public....definately not.
-----------------------
PeteCresswell

Blur

Quoted message said:

I've got an Ellsworth Isis. Second frame. First one cracked and was

eventually

Quoted message said:

replaced under warranty.

I still like the bike a lot, but would not buy Ellsworth unless it were

through

Quoted message said:

a retailer that I felt I could rely on to be the middleman on any warranty issues.

I exercised the bad judgement of dealing with Ellsworth direct and my (strongly-held...) opinion
is that they are not good at dealing with the

public.

Quoted message said:

Dealers maybe "yes"....Joe Public....definately not.

This is really [censored]. Such an expensive frame should come with valid warranty. I was on the verge of
buying one but when I found out about all the hassles some have had I bet on a Titus Switchblade
instead. I would go for the Blur. However, it might be a good idea to wait a while. There may be a
lot of hype to it.

Per user.tninet.seMTB.htmlOpen ↗

..::TBF::.. said:

--
members.rogers.comtheblackfoxxOpen ↗ "(Pete Cresswell)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

RE/

Quoted message said:

Would you recommend saving $500 and getting the Blur frame or biting the bullet and going with
the Ellsworth (I don't

want

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to have to buy another frame for at least four years).

I've got an Ellsworth Isis. Second frame. First one cracked and was

eventually

Quoted message said:

replaced under warranty.

I still like the bike a lot, but would not buy Ellsworth unless it were

through

Quoted message said:

a retailer that I felt I could rely on to be the middleman on any warranty issues.

I exercised the bad judgement of dealing with Ellsworth direct and my (strongly-held...) opinion
is that they are not good at dealing with the

public.

Quoted message said:

Dealers maybe "yes"....Joe Public....definately not.
-----------------------
PeteCresswell

Blur

Truth

--
"Destroy your safe and happy lives before it is too late, the battles we fought were long and hard,
just not to be consumed by rock n' roll..." - The Mekons

Per Löwdin said:

Quoted message said:

I've got an Ellsworth Isis. Second frame. First one cracked and was

eventually

Quoted message said:

replaced under warranty.

I still like the bike a lot, but would not buy Ellsworth unless it were

through

Quoted message said:

a retailer that I felt I could rely on to be the middleman on any warranty issues.

I exercised the bad judgement of dealing with Ellsworth direct and my (strongly-held...) opinion
is that they are not good at dealing with the

public.

Quoted message said:

Dealers maybe "yes"....Joe Public....definately not.

This is really [censored]. Such an expensive frame should come with valid warranty. I was on the verge
of buying one but when I found out about all the hassles some have had I bet on a Titus
Switchblade instead. I would go for the Blur. However, it might be a good idea to wait a while.
There may be a lot of hype to it.

Per user.tninet.seMTB.htmlOpen ↗

Here's my take on Ellsworth. Now, I used to own a bike shop here in San Diego, where Ellsworths are
from. Tony Ellsworth wanted me to carry his line in my shop, but I never did. I special ordered a
few for customers, but didn't stock the line. The reason is this-the frames are too light for a
large number (pun intended) of bikers out there, but Ellsworth never bothers to say so. The Truth is
a great frame, and if I had to ride a suspension bike it would be my choice, but... for rough or
heavier riders they are frame failures waiting to happen. As a shop owner, I never wanted to have
any customers come back to me with broken bikes. It sucks. Most Ellsworth failures (in fact, all I
have seen) have been in the rocker arm. If a frame has to fail, at least this is a good spot for it
as any (unlikely to cause injury). To a customer buying an Ellsworth, my advice is this: buy one if
you are a light or smooth rider who really wants what seems to be the best riding suspension bike
out there. Buy it from a shop that actually stocks Ellsworth, and not from a mail order house. As I
said, IF I were to buy myself a suspension bike, the Truth would be my first choice, from a VERY
short list of candidates.

Miles

--
Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: opera.comm2Open ↗

"G.T." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

..::TBF::.. wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Blur

Truth

Seems to be a lot of that going on lately.

Mike

Quoted message said:

Here's my take on Ellsworth. Now, I used to own a bike shop here in San Diego, where Ellsworths
are from. Tony Ellsworth wanted me to carry his line in my shop, but I never did. I special
ordered a few for customers, but didn't stock the line. The reason is this-the frames are too
light for a large number (pun intended) of bikers out there, but Ellsworth never bothers to say
so. The Truth is a great frame, and if I had to ride a suspension bike it would be my choice,
but... for rough or heavier riders they are frame failures waiting to happen. As a shop owner, I
never wanted to have any customers come back to me with broken bikes. It sucks. Most Ellsworth
failures (in fact, all I have seen) have been in the rocker arm. If a frame has to fail, at least
this is a good spot for it as any (unlikely to cause injury). To a customer buying an Ellsworth,
my advice is this: buy one if you are a light or smooth rider who really wants what seems to be
the best riding suspension bike out there. Buy it from a shop that actually stocks Ellsworth, and
not from a mail order house. As I said, IF I were to buy myself a suspension bike, the Truth would
be my first choice, from a VERY short list of candidates.

Miles

Who or what are the other candidates? (just curious since you have a lot of experience)
--
Slacker

Slacker said:

Who or what are the other candidates? (just curious since you have a lot of experience)
--
Slacker

Well, I'm an XC guy, so...

Ellsworth Truth Titus Racer X Yeti AS-R

Those are a few that pop into mind.

Miles

miles todd said:

Slacker said:

Who or what are the other candidates? (just curious since you have a lot of experience)
--
Slacker

Well, I'm an XC guy, so...

Ellsworth Truth

$2000

Quoted message said:

Titus Racer X

$1650

Quoted message said:

Yeti AS-R

$1700

Quoted message said:

Those are a few that pop into mind.

Miles

I'd love to get one of those, but the blur is hard to pass up at $1300 or 1350 (powdercoated).

Jon Bond

"ErikEE" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>... <snip sadness>

Neither. Titus Racer-X.

JD

"Per Löwdin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I've got an Ellsworth Isis. Second frame. First one cracked and was

eventually

Quoted message said:

replaced under warranty.

I still like the bike a lot, but would not buy Ellsworth unless it were

through

Quoted message said:

a retailer that I felt I could rely on to be the middleman on any

warranty

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

issues.

I exercised the bad judgement of dealing with Ellsworth direct and my (strongly-held...) opinion
is that they are not good at dealing with the

public.

Quoted message said:

Dealers maybe "yes"....Joe Public....definately not.

This is really [censored]. Such an expensive frame should come with valid warranty. I was on the verge
of buying one but when I found out about all the hassles some have had I bet on a Titus
Switchblade instead. I would go for the Blur. However, it might be a good idea to wait a while.
There may

be

Quoted message said:

a lot of hype to it.

Hype won't make a bike any better or worse.

Jonathan Bond said:

miles todd said:

Slacker said:

Who or what are the other candidates? (just curious since you have a lot of experience) --
Slacker

Well, I'm an XC guy, so...

Ellsworth Truth

$2000

Quoted message said:

Titus Racer X

$1650

Quoted message said:

Yeti AS-R

$1700

Quoted message said:

Those are a few that pop into mind.

Miles

I'd love to get one of those, but the blur is hard to pass up at $1300 or 1350 (powdercoated).

Jon Bond

Well, sure the Blur is cheaper. It's made by Kinesis. If they made the others, they'd be cheap, too.

Miles

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Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: opera.comm2Open ↗

miles todd said:

Jonathan Bond said:

miles todd said:

On Sun, 23 Mar 2003 01:18:15 GMT, Slacker <[email hidden]> wrote:

>
> Who or what are the other candidates? (just curious since you have a lot of experience) --
> Slacker
>
>
>
>
Well, I'm an XC guy, so...

Ellsworth Truth

$2000

Quoted message said:

Titus Racer X

$1650

Quoted message said:

Yeti AS-R

$1700

Quoted message said:

Those are a few that pop into mind.

Miles

I'd love to get one of those, but the blur is hard to pass up at $1300 or 1350 (powdercoated).

Jon Bond

Well, sure the Blur is cheaper. It's made by Kinesis. If they made the others, they'd be
cheap, too.

Miles

Not sure if I follow... I thought SC did [almost] all of their stuff in house?

Is being made by kenisis a good thing or a bad thing? I don't care about prestige, or name, but its
nice to have something that won't break underneath me (granted, I am only 135lbs...)

Jon Bond

--
members.rogers.comtheblackfoxxOpen ↗ "miles todd" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:oprmg60dr2lkb6ka@news-server...

Quoted message said:

Jonathan Bond said:

miles todd said:

On Sun, 23 Mar 2003 01:18:15 GMT, Slacker <[email hidden]> wrote:

>
> Who or what are the other candidates? (just curious since you have a lot of experience) --
> Slacker
>
>
>
>
Well, I'm an XC guy, so...

Ellsworth Truth

$2000

Quoted message said:

Titus Racer X

$1650

Quoted message said:

Yeti AS-R

$1700

Quoted message said:

Those are a few that pop into mind.

Miles

I'd love to get one of those, but the blur is hard to pass up at $1300

or

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

1350 (powdercoated).

Jon Bond

Well, sure the Blur is cheaper. It's made by Kinesis. If they made the others, they'd be
cheap, too.

Miles

--
Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: opera.comm2Open ↗

Read the review on the SC Blur in this month's Mountainbike Action

Quoted message said:

Hype won't make a bike any better or worse.

Not in itself. No. On the other hand the bike mags have been known to hype really things: e.g.,
there was a while when they raised biopacing (chainrings that were not perfectly round but uneven)
to the skies. There is every reason to be cautious. That said: I really hope the Blur is as good as
they claim. If it is I might consider one next time I am going to buy a new bike.

Per user.tninet.seMTB.htmlOpen ↗

"Per Löwdin" <[email hidden]> skrev i meddelandet "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Hype won't make a bike any better or worse.

Not in itself. No. On the other hand the bike mags have been known to hype really

dumb

Quoted message said:

things: e.g., there was a while when they raised biopacing (chainrings that were not perfectly
round but uneven) to the skies. There

is

Quoted message said:

every reason to be cautious. That said: I really hope the Blur is as good

as

Quoted message said:

they claim. If it is I might consider one next time I am going to buy a

new

Quoted message said:

bike.

Per user.tninet.seMTB.htmlOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

Titus Racer X

My wife has one XS

user.tninet.seLunsenled6b.JPGOpen ↗

Handles wonderfully. She loves it.

Per user.tninet.seMTB.htmlOpen ↗

Pete,

Thanks for the feedback. The more I look into this, the more I hear about heavier riders having
trouble with Ellsworths and poor customer service.

I'm going to go with the Blur, due in large part to the word of mouth I've heard about problems with
the Ellsworth.

EE "(Pete Cresswell)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

RE/

Quoted message said:

Would you recommend saving $500 and getting the Blur frame or biting the bullet and going with
the Ellsworth (I don't

want

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to have to buy another frame for at least four years).

I've got an Ellsworth Isis. Second frame. First one cracked and was

eventually

Quoted message said:

replaced under warranty.

I still like the bike a lot, but would not buy Ellsworth unless it were

through

Quoted message said:

a retailer that I felt I could rely on to be the middleman on any warranty issues.

I exercised the bad judgement of dealing with Ellsworth direct and my (strongly-held...) opinion
is that they are not good at dealing with the

public.

Quoted message said:

Dealers maybe "yes"....Joe Public....definately not.
-----------------------
PeteCresswell

The Blur is going on its second year, now. I'm hoping the fact that every review I've seen (about
five of them) are nothing but glowing. Should something go wrong, I feel that Santa Cruz is much
more likely to stand behind the product.

Time will tell.

Thanks,

EE

"Per Löwdin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I've got an Ellsworth Isis. Second frame. First one cracked and was

eventually

Quoted message said:

replaced under warranty.

I still like the bike a lot, but would not buy Ellsworth unless it were

through

Quoted message said:

a retailer that I felt I could rely on to be the middleman on any

warranty

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

issues.

I exercised the bad judgement of dealing with Ellsworth direct and my (strongly-held...) opinion
is that they are not good at dealing with the

public.

Quoted message said:

Dealers maybe "yes"....Joe Public....definately not.

This is really [censored]. Such an expensive frame should come with valid warranty. I was on the verge
of buying one but when I found out about all the hassles some have had I bet on a Titus
Switchblade instead. I would go for the Blur. However, it might be a good idea to wait a while.
There may

be

Quoted message said:

a lot of hype to it.

Per user.tninet.seMTB.htmlOpen ↗