The brand new Gary Fisher "Roscoe" is a surprise in this test group. For 3499 euros, the "Roscoe 3" is the top model, just like Cube and Stevens - it doesn't get any more expensive than this from these manufacturers in this category. This gives you a good feeling in these times of economic crisis, because it's not worth spending more. The bike has everything you could wish for. Gary Fisher's newcomer fully fulfils the requirements of an all-mountain bike. The suspension works excellently, and the shock specially developed for the bike by Fox is impressive. You can cope with the pedal kickback in the small chainring, but nothing bobbles, you climb without platform adjustment and still enjoy a sensitive response. The riding position is right, the riding feel is right from the start. The long wheelbase is typical of Fisher. This makes for a smooth ride, but at the cost of manoeuvrability. Although the laboratory measurements indicate otherwise, the frame construction with 1.5/1.125-inch steerer tube, thru-axle and large-volume tubes leaves a stiff feeling. The front frame triangle is super-stable - on the test bench, the rear flexes. If you want to be really sporty on the road, you should tune the weight. The "Roscoe" has the heaviest wheels in this comparison group.
TUNING TIP: Weight tuning
CONCLUSIONS: Solid, stable, confident. Anyone looking for a real all-mountain bike for difficult terrain will find a good partner in the "Roscoe".
Web: www.trekbikes.com
