Blue Collar Summary:
The goal of Woodstock Bikes is to provide the most bike for the lowest price possible and their first go is the 505 hardtail. It is designed as a solid cross country bike built for long term durability and performance with a solid component set. While it weighs in at the hefty 30lb mark, we here at Blue Collar will always recommend long term endurance over savings in the weight department.

What’s most impressive about the 505 is the price point of $639.99. If you compare the component set with that of similar bikes (which you can do on their site), it delivers a vast savings. Woodstock creates this savings by only selling direct to the consumer from their website. If you have the ability to do most of your own minor adjustments and maintenance on your bike and are looking for a budget hardtail, you can’t go wrong with the 505.

Bike Setup:
I reviewed the Woodstock 505 without any changes to the stock setup with my usual exception of switching out the Shimano M520 clipless pedals for the Crank Brothers Candy C.

Some of the specs:

• Brakes - Avid BB5 Mechanical Disc
• Fork – Manitou Axel Comp 80mm travel
• Frame – Diamond Double-Butted 6061 Alloy
• Pedals – Shimano M520 Clipless
• Rear Derailleur – SRAM X.7
• Crankset – Truvativ Blaze ISIS

Performance and Observations:
I have ridden several bikes that are trying for that good all-around cross-country performance and Woodstock has hit the mark among the best. With the solid frame and strong list of components, the 505 has done nothing but perform consistently.

Descending is quick and smooth for a hardtail. The Manitou Axel Comp forks come with 80mm of travel and absorb the terrain well. It took some adjusting to get them dialed in correctly, however they have continued to perform.

On climbs it is comfortable and agile. The Truvativ Blaze cranks are pretty standard on similarly spec’d bikes and always perform well. The lockout on the forks, that I am learning to use more and more, allows me to negate any fork bob that tends to happen with budget priced forks.

Overall, the bike is very comfortable and I haven’t experienced any hand numbness or lower back pain that has come as a result of extended rides on other bikes.

If you keep up with the crap I write on this site, you’ll already know I’m a big fan of the SRAM components. Especially in comparing the Shimano and SRAM rear derailleurs, it was good to see the 505 fitted with the SRAM X.7. Straight out of the box both brands work pretty equally, but dump three months worth of riding on them and I can’t ever seem to get the Shimano LX adjusted properly while the X.7 still shifts like a king.

While riding and testing the 505 for this review, the overall feeling I continued having was that it’s a continually solid bike. What comes with reviewing bikes is the luxury of pushing them to the limits without the fear of breaking my only ride. This allows me to beat on the bike harder then normal and the 505 took it like a champ.

If nothing else shows my confidence in the ability of the 505, it’s the fact that I chose it for my first race. You can read my report here, however the race was in my home course and I wanted a bike that I could trust and from all the riding I had been doing I knew the Woodstock was a perfect choice and it didn’t let me down.

The one thing that did give out on the 505 was the Truvativ XR seat post. I ride with a high seat most times and had the post within an inch of the minimum depth mark and it eventually gave way underneath me. According to the specs this shouldn’t have happened, however I can say that it is the fourth post that I’ve bent in the past year so this isn’t new for me.

Apart from that and the 30lb weight of the bike, I can’t say enough good things about what Woodstock has done with the 505. It is a strong and durable bike with a great component set for the $639.99 price. If you are looking for budget cross country bike that will hold up in the long haul, look no further then the Woodstock 505.

Disclaimer:
There is no money involved, so this is a completely unbiased review.

My background:
I am 5?11?, 190 lbs. My riding has been almost exclusively cross country and consistently ranges from moderate to very challenging and technical rides.

Testing Grounds:
I tested this bike on a wide variety of trails and conditions. Most of the testing was done on local trail systems called Peaks View Park and Candlers Mountain. However I rode it on a variety systems ranging from beginner to expert. It was ridden on these trails in a variety of riding conditions including wet, dry and snow.

It was also tested on a variety of technically challenging trails including steep climbs and descents, root systems, creek crossings, rocky terrain, muddy trails, tight and off camper turns and lots of log crossings.

Check out all the posts we mention the Woodstock 505 in.