July 23rd, 2008 by 
Francois
Let’s cut to the chase. The Gary Fisher Roscoe is good, very good. I’m interested in getting one and will ride it extensively as soon as possible. I believe it unlocks the true promise of All Mountain bikes. This is truly a bike that is balanced as it can climb and it can descend most mountains. It complements the rider in a variety of conditions. Don’t know what the trail is going to be like? Don’t know if there’s a drop or a wall climb around the next bend? The Roscoe is a great tool for these occasions.
Availability is September 08 and price is $3k to $5k. The frame weighs ~6.4 lbs and the top-of-the-line Roscoe III bike weighs 28 lbs.
I’ll have to preface this review by saying that I’ve only ridden this bike three times and I’ve been spoiled in one of the best destinations in the country, Durango, CO. But they were three very special rides on very varied and challenging terrain. We climbed a lot of rocky, rooty trails and we did some very steep ones today too. The descents here in Durango are insanely entertaining. There’s a lot of berms, rocks, jumps and swoopy singletrack and the Roscoe handled them all in style. Let’s just say that I ‘roscoed’ the 9-mile singletrack descent today. 
The frame has no detectable lateral flex at all. The 1 1/2″ bottom headset and the huge hydroformed tubes minimize unwanted lateral movement. The pivots were very quiet with absolutely no squeaks or rattles.
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July 20th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Would you care to tell us some details about the Roscoe, since there isn’t any on the Gary Fisher website? Travel, for example?
July 20th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
>>Would you care to tell us some details about the Roscoe, since there isn’t any on the Gary Fisher website? Travel, for example?
Done. I updated the article.
July 21st, 2008 at 12:13 pm
I was all set to buy a Mach 5 or Motolite and this shows up. Statements like “handles and carves like a dream” are next to my heart. Plus, you say the suspension is very plush. That would be icing on the cake.
I want to demo this thing!
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:40 pm
>>I was all set to buy a Mach 5 or Motolite and this shows up. Statements like “handles and carves like a dream” are next to my heart. Plus, you say the suspension is very plush. That would be icing on the cake.
Definitely check this one out. It is really a well-balanced bike that does everything well. The steering with th 15 mm axle and 1.5″ lower headtube is an eye-opener.
Check out the reviews on the other websites as well. Everyone I talked to was pleased.
July 24th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
What’s with the 1.5″ bottom headset? Why not just use a standard 1.5″ so you can use normal forks/headest with it?
Also, what’s with websites not listing travel, that’s what everyone cares about when looking for an all mountain bike. Heck, you have to look pretty hard to find travel even on some manufacturer’s sites.
July 24th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
140mm of travel I found.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:26 am
Looks like an extra special Fox Fork.
July 27th, 2008 at 6:21 am
I was warned by several diferrent LBS friends that prices on the fall ‘09 bikes would go up, I guess they were right! Any other thoughts/comments about this issue? I’m pretty happy w/ my ‘08 HI-FI PRO 29er. Speced right for the price, but no ABP though. Still sounds like a sweet ride for sure!
July 28th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Anyone know what the MSRP for just the Roscoe frame\fork combo will be?
July 28th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
>> Anyone know what the MSRP for just the Roscoe frame\fork combo will be?
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but this is only available as a complete bike
July 31st, 2008 at 11:41 am
I guess I better start saving now for that Roscoe III!!
August 6th, 2008 at 5:14 am
It’s magnificent!!
“The frame weighs ~6.4 lbs” . With the Fox float? How many weighs the Roscoe I?
August 9th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Being a Gary Fisher rider since a young age of 5 I read your article with interest. The new Cf bikes are magnificently light but menacingly expensive. The guys at the local bike shop(that own the show) all ride the new Gary Fisher carbon fiber bikes, but they all share the same downfall. They all suck at riding Mt bikes, and they brag to much about their expensive bikes. Im glad your article was bias free is what im trying to get at. Yuppies lookout you may have a top of the line 5k bike but it doesn’t mean your good by any means, Ill stop you any day with my 1k hardtail hahah
October 11th, 2008 at 7:55 am
Derrick - why such a hater? So you’re saying if you could afford a Roscoe you wouldn’t get one? It’s obvious you just suffer from an extreme case of bike envy.
October 11th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Just bought the Procaliber 08 and love it. I’ve had the Surgar 2+ disc - Hi-Fi (kept that one) and now the Procaliber. I managed to buy a end of season demo bike that was 6k and got for 3k from the dealer. What a dream machine. Never thought I could afford something like this. Lightest/fastest dream machine I’ve ever ridin. Spec’s include SRAM XO rear d and shifter. XTR front and SRAM shifter. Juicy carbon brakes. Bontrager carbon post (hate the seat) put my M960 SPD’s on it and haven’t looked back. Can’t beleive the wife let me spring for this. Just turned the big 50 in Sept. Nice BDay present. Took 90 secs of my best time on my loop this past week and my best loop time was 5 yrs ago. Riding up the last part of my 40k ride this afternoon and this young guy mid 30’s was crankin it and I zipped by him like I was in my 20’s. Must admit its been a Good end to a Good Season (c: Looking forward to some winter riding on the snowmobile trails this year. Happy Trails everyone. Oh and by the way Gary “Thanks”
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:46 pm
i just ordered a roscoe III
can’t wait to get it… i am in europe so i have to wait…
but pacience… thats what it’s all about.
i already have a HiFi Deluxe 29 … coudn’t give that thing away… i’m just loving it…
Gary you’re gooooood
December 27th, 2008 at 7:06 am
I fail to see what everyone is getting so excited about.
There are several companies building 5+ inch travel bikes with Horst linkages or the DW-link that have been doing so for years that have much more sophisticated suspensions than the Fisher. Any bike that has a specially valved shock to make up for the inadequacy of the suspension design should be viewed with a skeptical eye. Gary Fisher and Trek keep changing their suspension designs every year. What “deficiency” with the 2009 lineup will the 2010 lineup address? With the great new Shimano SLX group, there will be alot of great bikes at reasonable (3-3.5K) prices in the upcoming year. As just one example - the Ibis Mojo with SLX for 2009 will be $3000, comes in full carbon fiber, and weighs in less than the top of the line Roscoe.
February 23rd, 2009 at 3:39 pm
to “whats the big deal?” the roscoe is so far the most technologically advanced bike for 2009. Trek and fisher, by having the abp are not copying the horst link since it works differently, and in most cases better, than other pivots. Im not saying specialized or santa cruz or other bikes suck, because they dont!! but trek has done their research and have really improved from 2007 and before. And to address the shock, it is a duel chamber shock, not by any means trying to make-up in your opinion of a “deficiency” on their part. Your right that other bikes with slx components will be priced at a good point, but try riding the bike before you make some outrageous claims
July 11th, 2009 at 9:48 am
To all of you posting negative comments about this bike, please understand that bikes are more than the sum of their parts. No one posting a negative comment has ridden the bike! I got a chance to demo the Roscoe 3 and it is incredibly impressive. super stiff, handles brilliantly. Going to buy one SOON. Price is an obvious hurdle but the roscoe 1 is pretty competently spec-d for the price. And the 5k version is running xo and avid elixr cr tippy top of the line parts. If you have an opportunity to demo this baby do it. Great review Francois!