First Impressions – Woodstock Model 505
John LaPierre – 12-20-2005
(click picture for album)
About Me:
jj (BigFatGeek) 250 lbs. 5’9″
Disclaimer:
As a product reviewer for Commute By Bike, I am providing my unbiased opinion of any products provided to us by any company. I do not possess any type of relationship with the products company or parent companies. I am not compensated in any way by companies that send in their goods to be reviewed.
I must be living right. A great opportunity has landed at my door. I want to share with you, the greatness of cycling. More fun can not be found on any number of wheels. Anyone can do it, I’m a riding testimony of that. I sincerely hope that if you are considering riding your bike to work, you’ll find this information helpful.
I’ve read other reviews and opinions on this bike, but now I’m going to put the rubber to the road (and dirt) for myself. Right off the bat I’d say the Woodstock 505 is a looker. The blue paint is striking. This is 10 years of industrial painting experience talking and I can tell you this is a nice paint job. The colors blend well, going from the blue to black in the rear with a silver and white band separating front and back. The Woodstock logo has been criticised on a couple occasions, and I expected the worst, but I actually like it. It’s big, it’s fat, it’s definitely a unique look for a bike – and that fits me just fine. As far as looks go, I’m not alone in my opinion. Mike of Mikes Bikes in Columbus looked at it today and he really liked the look. In a split second he surveyed the components and compared it to a bike he sells for a little over $800.00. He’s got a good eye. Two other employees also liked the bike – and I know they were being honest; I ride with them a lot and they are sometimes brutally honest.
On the road my first impression was that this bike was built for speed. The geometry was a little too extreme for me, so I moved the seat forward, turned the bars to get a bit more rise, and presto-chango, I have a comfort bike. For the intended purposes of the bike, comfort is key. I only have an hour on the bike so far, but in that hour I know I like the seat, it’s painless so far. I like the crisp shift of the SRAM shifters, and I like the feel of the hardtail on the road and trail. The front suspension provides ample smoothness, but the hardtail helps me “feel” the ground just enough to feel connected, boosting my confidence.
Check back the week after Christmas for a full review, but for now I hope you like the pictures. The scenery was so cool at the test site (Flat Rock Park in Columbus Georgia) that I felt inspired to upload larger pictures. Just click on a pic once inside the album to enlarge it even more. Enjoy the ride – I did.