VALUE BIKE FIELD TEST
Fezzari Cascade Peak
Words by Mike Levy, photography by Tom RichardsThe Cascade Peak is Fezzari's aluminum trail bike that's designed to do all the things, with the direct-to-consumer brand saying their, ''mid-travel alloy line has been designed to be adaptable for a wide range of riders, budgets, and skills levels.'' The 130mm-travel 29er gets a 140mm fork from DVO, adjustable geometry, compatibility with 27.5" wheels, and it comes with a lifetime warranty.
The Cascade Peak's frame is actually used across three different models; the 29er with 130mm of travel and a 140mm fork that's reviewed here, a less expensive version with a 130mm fork called the Wiki, and the Abajo that comes on 27.5" wheels and tires. You'll spot internal routing, chain guide tabs, and room for a single bottle inside the front triangle, but like many value-oriented machines, it's lacking proper chainstay protection.
Fezzari Cascade Peak DetailsFezzari Cascade Peak
• Travel: 130mm rear, 140mm front
• 29" wheels
• 66.4° head-tube angle
• 75° seat-tube angle
• Reach: 463mm (large)
• Weight: 32.9 lb / 14.92 kg
• $2,999 USD
•
www.fezzari.com For the rear suspension, Fezzari went with a basic but proven Horst Link layout with a toptube mounted rocker arm compressing a Fox Float DPS shock. A flip-chip at the seatstay / rocker arm junction lets riders adjust the handling slightly and also compensate if they choose to run smaller wheels. As for the geometry, the Cascade Peak's numbers aren't out of date but they're also not exactly up to date compared to some brands. Our large-sized test bike sports a 463mm reach and 619mm toptube length, as well as a long-ish 457mm seat tube. The head and seat angles are at 66.4° and 75°.
The big component standout has to be the Cascade's 140mm-travel DVO Diamond fork, not something we see often and especially not on a value-priced trail bike. As long as the Diamond works well, Fezzari should get kudos for taking a different route and choosing a fork that stands out compared to what we're used to seeing. Other bits include SRAM's 12-speed GX doing drivetrain duties, there's an X-Fusion Manic dropper post, and a set of SRAM G2 R brakes to slow you down. All that adds up to $2,999 USD and 32.9lb.
ClimbingThe Fezzari's shorter reach, relatively relaxed seat angle, as well as the slightly longer stem, come together to make a bike that doesn't feel nearly as modern as some others on the market. Seated, I was a bit farther behind the bottom bracket than I would have preferred, even with the saddle pushed forward on its rails. This showed itself on tighter switchbacks or frumpy, slow-speed sections of trail when the Cascade Peak would sometimes act like it's longer than it actually is; then again, I've cleaned some absolutely heinously tricky climbs on machines with far less contemporary numbers than the Fezzari, a reminder to think about performance rather than geo charts.
Besides, compared to how the Process 134 climbs, the Fez is practically the two-wheeled version of Reinhold Messner. It's also relatively active, with the rear wheel doing a good job of sticking the ground and helping with traction. The flip-side is, of course, that you'll want to firm up the Fox shock for longer, smoother climbs, but that's a fair strategy for a category of bike intended to be ridden nearly anywhere and everywhere by all sorts of people.
With middle-of-the-road climbing manners, the Cascade Peak probably isn't your jam if you put more value on going up than descending or all-around performance, that latter being the bike's main strength.
Descending
The Fezzari spent a lot of its time with us on chunky, rough trails that were often covered in either loose rock or loose rock on top of pointier rocks. It's the kind of place where half the time I found myself wanting a long, stable bike with the front wheel way out in front of me, while the other times I was wishing I had a short, quick-handling rig for the tight stuff and awkward moves. The Cascade Peak is better matched to the latter, with its strengths shining through when faced with pokey sections of trail that are more of a mind game than eye-wateringly fast. Picture that stereotypical East Coast singletrack, the kind with not much elevation gain or loss but more roots and rocks than anyone knows what to do with - that's exactly where the Fezzari is going to shine.
It's those settings where the Fezzari does a good job of feeling easier to live with than a longer, slacker machine, happily getting around impossibly tight corners and picking its way through chunk that would slow other bikes more. Every bike has (or hopefully has) its own set of strengths, and while the Cascade is a hoot when the speeds are relatively slow, it definitely doesn't suit the trail rider who likes to pretend to be an enduro racer.
When things start coming at you quicker, or if it gets steep or rough, the Fezzari is going to give up some ground to other bikes. In those moments, it felt like my weight was being pushed too far forward, especially when I was on the brakes hard or just hoping to come out the other side still holding onto the handlebar. There are trail bikes that love that kind of riding, but they don't have 60mm stems or 463mm reach numbers, even if there is mostly no "wrong" way to do geometry. The Fez feels closer to the edge, and when you do cross the line between fast fun and falling down, I didn't have as much confidence that I could stop the latter from happening.
Onto the suspension, which did its job in a quiet, no-fuss kind of way that's always good to see. For having 130mm of travel, the back of the Cascade Peak is well-balanced with loads of traction and an active feel; it was never too harsh, wallowy, or gave up a hard bottom-out.
Moving on from the riding, the frame doesn't seem as nice compared to the more expensive Canyon Spectral, or the less expensive Specialized, and I kinda get the impression that it's already a few seasons old if I'm being blunt about it. The geometry numbers say the same thing, too, but Fezzari has chosen a bunch of solid components to hang off it that might make it one of the better spec'd bikes for the price.
Let's start with the 140mm DVO Diamond fork that worked very well. It offers externally adjustable low-speed and high-speed compression, as well as the OTT adjuster to tweak the fork's sensitivity, but does it ride better because of them? Maybe, depending on what you do with the dials, but it's neat to see on the front of a $3,000 bike. The Fox shock did shock things, too, but for some reason, the pedal-assist switch was loose and rattly when set to open or closed, but not in the middle mode.
SRAM does the going and stopping duties on the Fezzari, and its 12-speed GX drivetrain shifts well and has far better ergonomics than their lower-priced offerings. Brake feel is always going to be a subjective thing, of course, but I seem to get on better with the four-piston G2s on this bike than I did with the Shimano brakes on some others; I like the initial bite, control, and lever feel, and it's nice to see a dial instead of having to reach for a micro-sized hex key to adjust reach. Other standouts include the Maxxis DHF and Aggressor EXO+ tire combo (perfect for this bike), the X-Fusion dropper (proven reliability), and the always easy to live with Stan's rims.
@ak-77 Dude, you're either a freak or your dropper is too short. And the XL is 495 so less than an inch different than what you currently ride (which I presume is a penny farthing).
Your welcome.
Case of beer?
Watch how folks start to retrace their steps, folks dropping down a frame size whereas pre-long and low geo, more folks were going up a size.
Riding a plow bike on trails sucks balz, if you read between the lines on this review, you’ll hear the authors saying the same.
What’s old is new!
I know this because all my current bikes are size large (from a few years ago) and I have a 28in inside leg.
Technically nobody “needs” modern geometry, but for mountain biking on actual mountains it sure does work better.
Maybe it's on the more conservative side of modern geo but it's crazy to act like it's out of date IMO. It's like buying a bike from 2-3 years ago, but with up to date components. For the same price, I would 100% take this bike over one with more aggressive geo and worse suspension (like that stumpy alloy they just reviewed).
Buying components aftermarket is much more expensive than the stuff that comes with the bike. If someone had the money to change everything incrementally, they would just straight up buy the 5k bike right now.
The word "budget" is entirely relative. What you're doing is like going onto an article about budget sports cars, or budget houses, and then bitching that they're out of most people's budget. Of course they are, but they are budget relative to other similar items/products.
@Quartz said everything else CAN be changed incrementally, he didn't say you should change everything else on the bike dumbass. The implication is that any given part can be changed out, but the frame is the most important thing, and I would completely agree with that.
**Proceeds to tie the fastest downhill time of all the tested bikes**
I haven't done the math because I'm lazy but I feel like you could build a Chiner frame with Deore 11 speed and MT5s within budget. I know this isn't really an option for beginners, but there are plenty of us who have been riding forever and can't or don't want to spend bajillions on a bike.
Think of it as a Grim Donut Basic... a Grim Timbit? The GrimBit?
AL frame, thinking similar to Commencal Meta or Clash ~1200
Bomber Z2 front fork ~520
Bomber CR shock ~350
Microshift Advent X or Deore 12 speed ~200
Magura MT5 brakes ~250 ish w rotors and hardware
Trans-X Dropper ~140
Shimano or WTB wheelset ~400
Shimano Crankset/BB $80
Maxxis Rubber ~160
WTB saddle ~40
House brand stem/bars ~60
Grips ~20
That's around $3360 assuming retail prices on a lot, would think with industry pricing that could come in under $3k.
All that said, assuming someone is comfortable building bikes, and has the correct tools, there is a strong argument here for completely overhauling a bike/frame that is 3-5 years old. Lots of people ditch their rides around 2 years of ownership, picking one up used and putting all of this on it would be pretty awesome. If the frame is made from Aluminum getting it sandblasted and powder-coated a single color can cost as little as $200, making it look brand new.
I too am interested in the referenced podcast. It's clear a lot of people think bike companies are intentionally trying to rip people off, but I doubt thats the case. Sure they want to get the most out of their product, but from everything I've seen it is also an industry where most companies are ran by people who are passionate about the sport and are fairly empathetic to their customers.
* chain ring
* head set
* seat clamp
* various adapters, housings, spacers, chain say protector
apples to apples - you don't need to count these
* pedals
* sealant
* tire inserts
* chain retention
2019 Commencal Meta AM 29, Large
Seat tube 465 (Fezzari 457)
Reach 460 (Fezzari 463)
Headangle 65.5º (Fezzari 66.4º)
Chainstay 432 (Fezzari 434)
The number of people who think they need an ultra-progressive 1300mm wheelbase bike to ride is just crazy to me. Nothing feels like a challenge, and I feel trapped in the bike. I bet the cascade peak is way more fun on the trails most people are riding.
If it fits a 150mm dropper, ST length is not an issue IMO. A 60mm stem is not going to keep anyone from learning to jump, that's ridiculous. Some people like the way shorter bikes handle. Whatever stem puts your body in a position that's comfortable for the style of riding you do, that's the right stem to use. If you want to straightline rock gardens, race the clock, and hit big jump lines, you're probably not looking at this category of bike in the first place.
The days of 100mm stems and super short wheelbases are long gone - this bike vs one with longer reach / shorter stem is just a matter of taste. This bike is not going to hold anyone back for general trail riding.
It's good to have a general idea what all these numbers mean but it's silly to get too hung up on them. This bike is way closer to a progressive bike like the Izzo (Cascade Peak is 9mm shorter reach, 0.5deg steeper) than it is to virtually any trail bike from 5-10 years ago (comparing to a 2017 Stumpy, it's a 30mm longer reach and 1deg slacker). Horses for courses.
1- Giant with their 120/130mm Trance 2600$-2700$ build that's Deore, Marzocchi Z2 (I wish the value model Trance X didn't have a junk spec)
2- Vitus's Mythic 130/140mm at around 2600$ too with Deore/Z2 (their new one even looks on par with the T8 as the old one is behind the times a bit and kinda ugly).
That's it tho for that 2600$ price range. They all have decent forks (none of the RS 35/Recon junk) and decent drivetrains. Geo is an issue but getting better with this next round I think. But we need more solid bikes like that and for those companies nailing it to be rewarded with industry marketing and sales. The beauty is that great bikes like the T8 as lower-prices...they turn into amazing used bikes because their spec isn't junk. Now we've got entry riders on used bikes that are built to last and serviced well...not just have parts going to the Landfill whilst screaming "Alllohongaaa" (your review was a classic one there lol).
sounds perfect for people looking for a "Value Bike"
edit:// I guess that's really just for the RIpley AF, the Ripmo is more. But the Ripley AF is awesome.
edit part two:// I'm just wrong
The bike was tied for a win with the Stumpy on the descending, and in the middle when climbing.
It looks like the geometry (if we don't go to extremes) is just a fashion.
We had it good back then.
It does suck that the seat tube is that long. its frustrating because I don't think this is a catalog frame, so Fezzari should be able to do minor tweaks with the existing tubeset with simple adjustments to length and mitering angles. A few small changes would make a great improvement. If you really wanted to customize the bike you could take a hack saw to the top of the seat tube, gain back 5-10mm or so of length.
But ... standard disclaimer: If they're a decent value, have available stock and ride well–kudos to them.
www.pinkbike.com/news/reviews-last-tarvo-a-sub-30-pound-enduro-bike-2022.html
Although I _can_ ride a short and steep bike on all the same terrain, I don't _want to_ because having to shift so far back to prevent OTBs that it's like doing a wall-sit for 80% of the descents leaves me with melted legs that then makes the punchy climbs way tougher. With a modern bike, and mine's not even in the crazy long and slack category, it's ridiculous how much shit I can ride into at speed and blind and not only survive but find fun lines. I could do all the same stuff on an old bike after a couple looks and slower, but doing it blind would likely result in devastation because the window of adaptability is so much smaller.
I run these on the MTB because they look cool, and the cap functions as a valve core tightening tool:
www.peatysusa.com/pages/peatys-x-chris-king-tubeless-valves
I run these on the road bike (which still has tubes) for the same reasons as above:
granite-design.com/products/juicynipple
Modern geo provides a larger "comfort zone" where the rider can move around to adjust traction and balance which much less risk of getting out of sorts and into high potential for OTB or loop-out. "Slow steering" can also be useful for a newb, since they won't end up off the trail when they sneeze/twitch while riding an "old" short and steep bike. Bigger wheels and longer wheelbases increase stability at medium for high speeds, and a "new less seasoned" rider likely doesn't care about "flickability" yet, they just want a bike that helps them have fun on the trails while trying to keep up with their seasoned buddies.
Longer and slacker bikes allow people to do more "riding" the bike, looking ahead and finding the fun while the bike deals with some of the minutiae; as opposed to older short and steep bikes that basically _required_ riders to "drive" the bikes, with full attention full-time, or risk getting tossed by an unnoticed root or loose rock. Modern bikes can also be "driven" by a strong experienced rider (and still need to be as speeds get really fast, as with everything) but they are more adaptable on both ends of the experience spectrum, which is good.
LOVED that the vid for this startsw/ Kaz & Levy farting ears & knees with Palmer looking at them - apparently unfazed - then back to his laptop as if this is normal… so good.
Guessing it’s in the works-probably wouldn’t be a problem in the flatlands.
Shouldn't be 2022?
Cost of decent bikes IS an issue but this one’s got a spec that’s a lot better than just about anything at the price.
If anything - we all need more bikes like that!
And what do you exactly mean by "or the people who buy these bikes" - what is wrong with the people who buy bikes like this? Did you meet many of them, were they jerks or something?
these guys wouldn’t have jobs in 1995.
I know that riding more or being healthier matters more then one degree or 5mm of reach, of course, but the above review isn't an op-ed about that, is it? It's a bike review where we compare it to other bikes and talk about how it could be improved. Also, what if you're already training and progressing and just want the best bike possible? Your comment makes zero sense.
Sure, any bike can do anything, to some extent, but when time is limited (and time on the bike is all that really matters, miles don't mean shit), I want my bike to be helping me have fun, not forcing me to adjust myself to the bike. So maybe a note that bike X tracks well on rough climbs but needs the switch on smooth climbs is just what I needed to know, since all climbs worth mentioning around here are rough.
Also, which "trend" is this particular "big brand" pushing that the "brain-washed bozos" pushed on us? Slackish seat tubes? Steepish head angles? Long seat-tube to reach ratios?