Gary Fisher Utopia

Price Paid:  $909.00 at Mike's Bike

Favorite Ride:
Iron Horse trail and Canal Trail

Bike Setup:
2007 Gary Fisher Utopia, Metallic Silver, stock, with bontrager bar ends, WTB interwolf 38/38 700c tires, forte toe clips, perforance pedal straps, Viewpoint flare 5 led light

Summary:
Nice, smooth, and fast ride on bike paths and along bike lanes. 75 mm travel Manitou shocks helps with small road bumps. Tried riding through light gravel dirt road. Experience some vibrations on the seat because it’s a hardtail. I noticed the tires are lifting some pebbles that some of them tiny stones got in my shoes, I guess WTB interwolf got smaller tractions on its tires, compared to regular mtb tires with wider tractions. But when I got back to a pave road, city, bike path, bike lanes or curb sidewalks, ah! I think that’s where the strength is, smooth ride. Went riding with a friend on his road bike and I was able to keep up. The bike is lighter than a mtb, but still slight heavier compared to a regular aluminum road bike. I’m gradually switching to road cycling and this bike is helping me to transition to it, and I plan to keep it.

Strengths:
Smooth, road bike fast, good handling.

Weaknesses:
vibrations on seat during off road. I'm used to a full suspension with my old specilaized stumpjumper. Tires lifting up pebbles hitting downtube frames and sometimes gets in your shoes, still heavier than aluminum road bike.

Similar Products Used:
1999 specialized stumpjumper, 1981 shimano aluminum racer bike

Price Paid:  $1499.00 at Planet Cycles, Brisb

Favorite Ride:
Brisbane River Loop

Bike Setup:
Cane Creek bar ends(a must), SPD cleats(a must), Cateye Micro Wireless.

Summary:
Great urban commuter...! This bike gets me around the city fast, but, lets me jump the gutters and kerbs that makes 'roadies' jealous. Perfect rig for urban training/commuting along the cities many bikeways with the ability to get dirty offroad if you so please. Have also done a couple of 100kms road rides in comfort on this one.

Strengths:
Strength of MTB but lighter. Almost speed of road bike but much more comfortable ride with 75mm Manitou front shockie.

Weaknesses:
Pedals - but with upgrade to SPD's makes a great difference.

Similar Products Used:
Also have a 2007 Cannondale CAAD9 Ultegra road bike.

Price Paid:  $675.00 at Racine Cyclery

Favorite Ride:
bike trails here in Minneapolis

Summary:
I love love love my Utopia. I feel safe and secure on it and yet very speedy. It is extremely comfortable and takes the mystery out of shifting. I did add bar ends (cow-horns?) and a new seat---this really inproved the feel of the bike.

Price Paid:  $700.00 at Glen Ellyn Cyclery

Favorite Ride:
IL Prairie Path

Bike Setup:
I've added bar ends which add to the already comfortable stance and also adds a more areodynamic posture. I lost the stock seat like a bad habit, added SPD pedals, and replaced the brake levers and pads. Of course the cycle computer was a must add.

Summary:
I love my Utopia. It is probably the fastest and most agressive hybrid out there, if you would call it a hybrid. Mine came stock with bald street like tires, but wider to allow for the use on bike paths. Gary Fisher bikes boasts that it is road bike fast and mountain bike tough and I've found this to be the case. I can keep up with my roady friends with no problem and go places that they can't on their much more expensive bikes. I'm even planning on using it in a triathlon this summer. This bike is fast and smooth, although it does weigh a little more than I'd like.

Strengths:
The 700c Brontrager wheels were the first thing that caught my attention on this bike. They roll fast, smooth, quiet, and... FAST. Shifting is smooth and crisp. After about a month of riding I did need to get a tune up as the cables had stretched out some. It is also a comfortable bike.

Weaknesses:
The seat was replaced after on ride. It was terrible. It looked and felt like something that would have been on my grandma's bike. The pedals were the cage type. I quickly replaced those with SPD pedals. I also would have liked to see some higher end brakes on the bike. The levers were corroded before the end of the first summer and I wore the pads out the first year as well.

Similar Products Used:
This is my first "hybrid." My previous bike was a Giant Mtn. bike.

Price Paid:  $715.00 at International Bicycl

Favorite Ride:
Gary Fisher Utopia

Bike Setup:
Stock with WTB Speed V seat, Profile design aerobars, and I flipped the handlebars so the bend goes down and the fork is upside down for a more aerodymaic posture...free of reflectors of course.

Summary:
I am totally happy with my bike. I donated my care to charity and go the bike and now it's my car. It tears apart the city streets and can keep pace in even a swift traffic pace. It does weigh a bit and getting it up and down a few flights of stairs in an apt can be....wait....suck it up.
The rock shox make it front heavy but the way it smooths out the streets makes it that much more of an enjoyable ride, regardless of weight. I think this is the perfect bike for someone who enjoys a quick ride around the city (sometimes I can look down and see I'm cruising at 26 and not even really be feeling like it) and the freedom to explore towns 50 miles away. The gears switch almost instantly with just a 'click' and the chain spinning is silent if you keep it greased. Silent. No one will hear you coming.

Strengths:
The bike just looks fast...it has an aggressive stance the way I ihave it set up with everything leaning forward and down. And it can be really quick if you want it to be. The smallest effort produces a good pace...if you hammer away....

Weaknesses:
The seat has to go first. I may have prefered the flat bar instead of the comfort one...but flipping it gives you an even lower crouch. The 15 deg. fork is too much, also. Zero degree is needed.