I have a 2009 Gary Fisher HiFi Pro 29er that I love to ride on the trails. I test rode numerous mountain bikes from full-suspension 26 inch bikes to 29 inch bikes before settling on the Gary Fisher mountain bike. I found the ride to be extremely comfortable and forgiving which has become more important to me as I have grown older. No longer can I handle the abuse that a hardtail, 26 inch mountain bike, dishes out.

For around 10 years I had been riding a Giant 870 hardtail. It was a stiff bike that climbed extremely well but simply beat you up on any long cross country downhills. I was ready for full-suspension and figured I would simply be getting another 26 inch mountain bike. I had not really investigated the 29er mountain bike as it was new and who knew if the technology would be more than a fad. I test rode two Gary Fisher mountain bikes: The hardtail 29er Superfly and the full-suspension HiFi Pro 29er. As good as the Superfly was I knew I wanted the HiFi Pro. I felt like I was ready for a full suspension mountain bike.

The HiFi Pro handles extremely well downhill and can climb almost as good as any hardtail. Gary Fisher has included lockouts on the front and rear Fox suspension so you can eliminate any bobbing you may encounter when you climb. The brakes are Avid Elixir hydraulic units which stop extremely well. My only complaint are the Bontrager tires that came with the bike. I did not feel comfortable making high speed turns. The sidewall gripping of the tires are just not that great in my opinion.Luckily there are more and more 29er options in the industry so making these changes is not as difficult as it was a year ago.

Gary Fisher mountain bikes are almost all 29er. You can tell that their future emphasis will be 29er mountain bikes. Their selection of 29ers grows each year while the standard 26 inch mountain bike selection decreases. I doubt Fisher will ever give up the 26 inch but they are moving toward giving the 29ers much more support.

My 2009 Hifi Pro came with Shimano components. I think I would prefer to have SRAM. Understand that the Shimano components are incredible. They have worked flawlessly. But I had SRAM on my old hardtail and like it and I enjoy supporting something other than the perceived industry standard. Too late and too expensive to change them out now but as I continue to ride them and the mountain bike parts starts wearing out I'll consider in the future whether it makes sense getting the SRAM components.

My one complaint about this bike is the Bontrager tires. They do not give me any confidence in the corners. I am used to a more knobby tire that really grips the terrain. These tires simply do not do that. They are fine riding on forest service roads but on technical trails I would prefer something like my old IRC tires. I will eventually swap them out but the price of 29er tires is rather steep compared to comprable 26 inch tires. Hopefully over time this prive will come down.

I have not been disappointed in this Gary Fisher mountain bike. It simply rolls over any terrain like a tank. The big wheels grip the ground and makes getting over obstacles like roots and rocks less like an obstacle course. You simply roll right on over it. The finesse that is required of a 26 inch bike is not necessarily required of a big wheel 29er. Many might say that it is not as quick as a standard mountain bike. They might say it is not as light. I would suggest that what the 29er lacks in being nimble is made up for the rolling power it has.

Gary Fisher mountain bikes are some of the best mountain bikes made. There are a ton of manufacturers out there though I would suggest that you should at least give a Fisher 29er a good try if you are looking at purchasing a new trail rig. I have loved my HiFi Pro since the moment I first saddled up on it. It is a fun and comfortable ride. I recommend trying out a Gary Fisher mountain bike and in particular a 29er.