The 2011 Windsor Cliff 4500 is a great bike for a great price. Most of the components on it are comparable to what you will find
on Trek and Giant bikes priced between $500 and $600 aat your local bike store. In short, at $300, the Windsor Cliff 4500 is
a steal. The Tektro mechanical disc brakes are nothing fancy, but they stop fine. The RST Capa forks have a lockout feature
which allows you to have a smoother ride on flat surfaces. This is especialy beneficial when going up hills. The Shimano
Alivio rear deraillure makes shifting a breeze.
There is also an older 2011 Windsor Cliff 4500 model avaialable for $350. Besides the price, the main difference are the frame
and the fork. The newer Cliff models come with a hydroformed frame, while the older models have a more traditional geometry,
which for most people, works fine. The 2010 Cliff 4500 model also comes with a Rockshox Dart 1 fork, which in many ways is better
than the RST Capa that the newer model comes in, except it doesn't have the lock out feature.
As of this review, all of the 2011 Windsor Cliff 4500 models were sold out, but there were some 2010 models available. In
either case, you are getting a lot of bike for your buck, so don't hesitate to buy!
One more thing: if you order from Bikes Direct, be prepared to do your own maintenance, including some assembly and set up of
the bike. This part isn't so bad, but the adjustments can be rather difficult, especially when it comes to adjusting the
deraillurs. A local bike store can do this for you for about $35 after you put it together, which is almost the equivalent in what
you would pay in sales tax in many states.
Tags: Bikes Direct Windsor Cliff, Windsor Cliff 4500, Windsor Cliff 4500 Review, Windsor Cliff Bikes Direct