Gary Fisher Roscoe
The Roscoe 3 full suspension mountain bike from Gary Fisher offers an
aluminum frame, weighs around 28 pounds, and offers lots of innovative
technology from its parent company, Trek. Its best feature, though, is Dual Rate Control Valve (DRCV) shock, exclusive to Fisher. DRCV is distinguished from other air shocks in two main ways. The Dual Rate Control Valve is position sensitive, and opens the passageway to the second air chamber at a specific shock travel point. Also, the upper eyelet is moved to the middle of the shock, which allows more air volume on top of the shock. With 5.5 inches of travel, it is one of these best suspension systems available.
With a reconfigured threshold valve, the Roscoes fork has a four-click lockout threshold adjuster. Now you have a lockout system that you can leave on during the ride, instead of just turning it on for climbs and off for descents. This gives you more chassis stability and a tighter ride. The Roscoes Active Braking Pivot (ABP) provides consistent suspension during breaking because it reduces brake caliper movement as the suspension cycles.
The Roscoe 3 performs better than many longer-travel bikes on rough descents, easily absorbing large hits and responding well to a variety of bump types. It offers Fishers G2 geometry, which quickens low-speed handling, while still handling just as well when you are going fast. For steep descents, the geometry puts the rider weight slightly rearward to ensure consistent performance.
When they were introduced, the Gary Fisher Roscoe bikes received a lot of attention, mainly because Gary Fisher said these were the best bikes he had made yet. Overall, the Roscoe 3 lives up to its hype. The Roscoe has adjustable travel, it is versatile, and it climbs well. About its only downside is that it is expensive, coming in around $5,000. If this is a concern, the Gary Fisher Roscoe 1 is about $2,000 cheaper, while still getting good reviews.
Overall, the bike performs well on long climbs, absorbing hits easily and handling technical descents well. It provides a combination of an all-mountain bike and trail bike. It is more rugged that most trail bikes and provides more travel, but it is lighter than many all-mountain bikes. This combination means it can handle rough terrain better than a trail bike, while being faster than an all-mountain bike. The Roscoe easily handles technical descents that most trail bikes can not handle, while still being a great climber.