Gary Fisher Bikes: Are Gary Fisher Bikes Still Considered Good?
If you are familiar with the world of mountain biking, you'll know that the Gary Fisher collection is far more than a mere bicycle brand. He's thought of by some as the "godfather" of mountain bikes. After all, he was the one who came up with the name 'mountain bike' and evolved the concept of biking off road.
Description
Nowadays, Gary Fisher still remains one of the most recognizable names in the mountain biking world. If you take your mountain biking seriously and are active enough, you've definitely seen at least several Gary Fisher Mountain Bikes roar by. Although they are no longer being manufactured, they are still considered top of the line when it comes to mountain bikes.
Gary Fisher mountain bikes are now under Trek and are called the Gary Fisher Collection. They have a history going back several decades.
Fisher himself was at the helm of the company from the 1970s into the 90s when it came upon a few bumps in the road and was consequently taken over by Trek. Presently, the partnership that exists between Trek and Fisher is unusual, being one that seems ideal for both parties. Trek manages the daily business and governs any investing in new technology or materials. This arrangement allows Fisher to do what he is famous for besides bike racing: Create and produce innovative designs that keep changing the standards of the industry.
Gary Fisher mountain bikes can be relied upon to have excellent specs and frames when placed side by side with other non-budget brands and plenty of bicycle shops carry them because of this. Fisher bikes have a geometry that’s quite unlike other accepted designed brands and when you first experience it, you will need some time to get accustomed to the feel.
It's highly recommended that you go to a professional bike shop for a fitting and trial ride before you choose this bike as the brand for you. However, once you get used to the Genesis and Genesis 2 geometry, which partners slow speed agility with stability at fast speeds, it's likely that you won't regret purchasing this bike.
Be forewarned, though, that some riders do say that the bikes are somewhat twitchy. On the other hand, others declare that they appear to handle line changes more smoothly going either uphill or downhill. The main theory behind Genesis Geometry is to raise the fork offset, so the position of your hand moves back and thus weights the front part of the bike better.
Back in 2002, Fisher moved into 29" bikes and apparently gave the 26" market to Trek. The concept behind having larger wheels is to provide a swifter, more stable, and easier ride. While Gary definitely wants to be the leader in the 29" field, he's now also involved with road biking and has been designing new bikes in that area. The Fisher line further builds a hybrid, commuter/lifestyle, cycle cross and bikes for kids.
Testing innovative designs like the first suspension system for bikes is a Fisher trademark. He tried out the use of tandem drum brakes, motorcycle brake levers, thumb shifters, and cables, the uni-crown fork, and a whole host of other ideas.
As for Fisher today, he shows no signs of slowing down. He still races and was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, and named the "Founding Father of Mountain Bikes" by Smithsonian magazine in 1994. He also does talent scouting for the company in the sport of mountain bike racing.
29er Models
Gary Fisher Bikes introduced the 29er mountain bike to their line-up in 2002 and in the years since have worked to obtain a better response time and improve low-speed handling. These things are frequently problematic when it comes to these bikes with bigger wheels.
These bikes feature the G2 geometry that shrinks the handlebar reach and the size of the cockpit, which helps improve the fit difficulties that are a major problem for riders of smaller stature who want to purchase a 29er.
Here are some characteristics of the Gary Fisher 29er mountain bikes:
- G2 geometry
- Less cockpit size
- Lightweight—for instance, the Superfly 29er mountain bike comes with a carbon frame
- Wider rims for more strength and stiffness
- Several material options to choose from for the frame, such as butted and hydroformed aluminum, True Temper OX Platinum, and carbon
- Full-suspension, hardball, and single speed choices
GarFisher also produces three full suspension mountain bike 29ers:
- Superfly 100 – This is a 29er with an extremely lightweight carbon full suspension
- HiFi 29er – This 29er is another version of the Superfly, but this time using aluminium.
- Rumblefish 29er – This is a technical full suspension trail bike
Gary Fisher mountain bikes also have among their 29ers a group of hardtailers:
- Superfly Hardtail – Carbon frame with an option for single speed
- Paragon – Hardtail for racing with aluminum alloy
- X-Caliber – Good for either racing or trails it also has aluminum alloy
- Rig Single Speed – One more single speed choice, but this time in an aluminum alloy frame
- Cobia -- Cheaper 29er hardtail
- Mamba -- Entry Level 29er hardball
So, while like Gary Fisher himself, the Gary Fisher brand hasn't gone away; it has now become a classic and still has fans worldwide. Most bicycle shops still sell the Gary Fisher mountain bikes and there is still a rock solid customer base for them. People even purchase them on eBay or directly from sellers online if not for themselves then to initiate their children into the Gary Fisher fan club.
Things at the company may not be like they used to be, but it was worth all the energy and effort that was expended to turn this into a top brand. Now it will live on and certain bikes have already become collector's items.
With new fans coming onto the bandwagon every day and old fans that stay loyal and true, this brand will be around for a long time yet. And it deserves to be because it still ranks among the best mountain bikes ever created.
