Marauder's Arrival- Exceeded Expectations
When I started my search for a full suspension mountain bike I was smacked in the face with discouragement after my first day of online shopping; that is, until I found Giantnerd. I am a college kid on a college kid budget so finding a full suspension mountain bike with good components for under $1000 was a heck of a challenge.
I found Giantnerd's website after doing an online search for best priced bicycles and gear. I was ecstatic to say the least when I initially looked at the mountain bikes available here. I couldn't believe the low prices on bikes that have great quality components such as derailleurs, brakes, wheels, and suspension. I was seriously freaking out with excitement after just looking at the first bike I clicked on. The spec sheet was fully detailed and made comparison shopping on Giantnerd very easy to do.
I found the Airborne Marauder and did some research on the company. The components were far better than any other bike I'd been looking at for the same amount of money. $699 delivered from Giantnerd blew ANY deal I've seen locally or on any other online store out of the water! To buy the components alone for this bike (not including the frame) would cost over $1100 alone. Airborne and Giantnerd bring this tank of a deal to us for under $700 shipped. I had done over a week of local bike shop and online research and no one can compete with the prices and products offered here so it was a no-brainer that I needed to order mine before they sold out.
I ordered mine and opted to not do a pro-build (only $59 extra) because I'd never assembled the bike and I wasn't sure what stage the bike would be at when it arrived. I didn't know if it would require a lot of building or if it would be fairly close to assembled. In hind-sight I should have just asked Giantnerd on live chat, e-mail, or Facebook. I chose free shipping because I'm a patient guy on a budget and could wait the estimated 10-14 days economy shipping. I used the tracking number Giantnerd provided me and tracked my bike all the way from Henderson, CO to my front door and it only took a total of 5 business days to get here. I was blown away by the fast shipping and perfect condition of the box.
I opened the box and was blown away once again. Inside the box I found my WTB rims with 203mm rotors and 2.35/2.6 inch wide tires all assembled and ready to go. Underneath the wheels and padded foam as protection, I found the frame,handlebars, seatpost with seat attached, and front fork. This is when I really felt dumb for not going with the pro build. All cables were ran through the frame already and hooked up to the mounted derailleurs and rear brake. The cables were also connected already to the shifters and the brake levers connected as well to the handlebar which already had the grips installed too. All I had to do was insert the fork onto the frame, attach the handlebars to the top of the fork, and put the rims on. The assembly process would have been a snap but since I skipped the pro build, I had to drop the bike off at the local shop and pay for full assembly to keep my warranty valid.
After inspecting all pieces of the bike and components, everything looks solid and super sharp. The graphics and paint look amazing in person and the whole bike comes together like a piece of art. Unfortunately, I have not yet been able to test ride the Marauder because I had to drop it off for assembly and I do not have my pedals. With the help of my Nerd Dollars, I ordered a pair of Crank Brothers 5050 X pedals when my bike had shipped. They should also be arriving within 5 business days of when I ordered them. I read reviews about the Crank Brothers pedals and they are very well liked so it was an easy decision as well.
As far as components of the bike go I'd have to say that the front Spinner Cargo fork looks like a beast. I've never seen a big axle like that on a bicycle before. It reminds me of a motocross bike along with those huge beefy tires. 2.35 and 2.6 inch tires are the biggest I've ever seen on a bicycle. They should handle great and provide excellent traction with the stopping power to match. The brake rotors are massive as well and are made by Tektro and the quality is proven unanimously time and time again online. I've had a bike with Tektro mechanical discs and they stopped like no other brake I have ever owned. I'm still blown away that this powerhouse of a bike is driven by a SRAM x7 derailleur because the other bikes I had found in my under $1000 budget had SRAM x4 derailleurs which are still good but come on, x7 vs. x4 for the same price? I'm going with the x7 all day.
I could go on and on about how far above my expectations this bike really is but I'd like to give thanks to some people who deserve the credit in helping me choose a bike that's right for me. The first review I read about the Marauder was written by Greg H. His review was so detailed and concise that I was able to take the positives and slight negatives (were there any?) and figure out whether the bike would suit my riding style. I joined the Giantnerd and Airborne facebook pages as well to help gain more insight on the bike. On Airborne's page I was helped by Dan L and he answered plenty of questions and concerns I had about buying the Marauder. His help and advice just assured me that it was the right bike for me. Any time I had a question about shipping info, frame size, or any other general information I went to the live chat feature on Giantnerd. Each time (about 5 total times) I was helped by Mike. He answered all of my questions quickly and kindly.
I can't thank Giantnerd and Airborne enough for the solid products, pricing, and Nerd Dollar help which all made my buying experience a pleasure. I've never been more confident with online buying than I am here at Giantnerd. You all have my full support and have made me a customer for life. I've bookmarked your site and check the facebook page daily to see what the latest deals are. Thanks again and once a nerd, always a nerd. Stay nerdy!
Posted 08.19.10
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