The TALAS R, RL, and RLC are the ultimate lightweight freeride suspension forks. The premium PSC chassis SDC damper system and the NEW TALAS air spring system make this the most adjustable fork for the ultimate lightweight freeride bike.
Single Schrader air valve allows easy one-time tuning setup
Easy spinning TALAS allows on the fly travel adjustment at 3mm per click from 85 to 125mm. Pressure and spring rates change automatically to correct setting as travel is decreased.
IFP with Secondary air chamber provides linear air spring through entire travel for the best bump absorption.
SLT - 4 custom SLT seals are used in the NEW TALAS system to provide the lowest friction and maintenance.
Fox Quality Billet CNC parts used throughout the TALAS system
Submitted by
David
a Weekend Warrior
from Reno, NV Date Reviewed: January 16, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Downieville
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Craigslist
Strengths:
Plush, fully adjustable, The best fork I have ever rided.
Weaknesses:
Leaks a little more than I would like, But any fork is going to seep a little oil past the seals.
Similar Products Used:
Z1
Bike Setup:
Jamis Dakar, XT/XTR drivetrain, Hayes HFX-9
Bottom Line:
This fork is such an insane upgrade over my last fork it is hard to know were to begin. Bottom-Line: I love this fork and would recommend it to anyone who can get their hands on one
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Weekend Warrior
from Maui Date Reviewed: March 26, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Light weight, stiff, adjustable everything
Weaknesses:
Huh?
Similar Products Used:
SID,Black,Dropoff,Superfly,Boxxer, 888
Bike Setup:
Switchblade, PUSH TALAS front and rear sus.
Bottom Line:
Not perfect for everyone, but perfect for me. Get a professional to set your suspension for you and most of your complaints will disappear. "PUSH" will custom your ride like a dream. Tell 'em what you want and they WILL deliver. To all the haters out there, stoke somebody out by selling yours to 'em and get something else. There's no one fork for everybody. Keep looking 'til ya find yours!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Frank Daugherty
a Cross Country Rider
from Huntington Beach Date Reviewed: September 27, 2004
Favorite Trail:
San Juan
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$585.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Bottom Line:
A FOLLOW UP: I had PUSH Industries to a rebuild on my TALAS R. It's a high speed rebound upgrade along with a "ProPedal" feature w/blowoff that replaces the lock lever. Still sorting out the ProPedal thing, BUT, the new rebound circuitry is amazing. The fork used to sort of compress down into its travel when going down steep stuff. It seemed like it wouldn't rebound back up in time to take the next hit. The PUSH guys put a new thingy (technical term) that stops that from happening and really lets the fork work on high speed stutter bumps. Used to the thing would run wide on me when rounding a corner with braking bumps in it, not anymore. As a bonus, I don't have to run the air pressure as high now, so it's even more supple than it was. I'm off to have the RLC rebuilt.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff Cooper
a Cross Country Rider
from Olympia, WA USA Date Reviewed: September 10, 2004
Favorite Trail:
rock candy loop
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came on jamis bike
Strengths:
VERY VERY smooth fork..I've tried em all and this fork is by FAR the best! Rebound and compression adjustments are spot on and easy to use. I havn't had any problems with the seals going out, so I'm not sure what thats all about. I like the feel of air very linear, springs have there stong point. Fox did an excellent job with this fork. If you want the best look no further!
Weaknesses:
NONE...wish it would except an 8 inch rotor..but thats about it.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou EFC, Judy downhill, Judy SL, Marzochi Z1(still using that on my hardtail!)
Bike Setup:
Jamis dekar XLT 2.0, full xt, hayes disc brakes, Monkey light carbon bar, Easton magnesium stem, Thomson seat post, IRC trail bear tires...WTB seat.
Bottom Line:
If you want the best this is it...I've tried em all...I will never go back to Rockshock or Manitou..EVER! Marzhochi is about the only product that can compare.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tom
a Racer
from philly Date Reviewed: July 12, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
everything
Weaknesses:
that i only own one
Similar Products Used:
judy, psylo, z1, sherman breakout, and another manitou, junior t
Bike Setup:
fsr set up as a sweet trail/race bike
Bottom Line:
Im so impressed with the performance of this fork, that I had to post another review. Its just smooooth everywhere(well I wouldnt take it downhilling). I did a stage race this weekend that included a time trial, short track, hill climb, and to top it off a 21 mile xc race through some awesome east coast singletrack. The fork was one thing i never had to worry about. With all the adjustibility this thing has, it excelled in every event. I used the lockout with blowoff set in the middle for the short track. I dropped the travel for the hill climb. And for the xc and time trial( the time trial was at night, awesome) I ran it around four inches. great fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stu Abuba
a Cross Country Rider
from Watford, UK Date Reviewed: June 7, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Afan Argoed
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At:
Cyclopedia, Watford
Strengths:
VERY plush ride. Ultimate settings adjustablity if you spend the time to do it. Excellent quality.
Weaknesses:
Weight of a can of coke heavier than super light forks, but travel has it's price..
Similar Products Used:
Judy SL, Pilot, SID race
Bike Setup:
Specialized M5 S-Works With Panaracer Fire XC's, Easton Carbon bars and Thomson stem
Bottom Line:
£550 Uk price was good. I've given them 300miles of real off road battering and they've come through very well. Excellent absortion and ride quality when I got the rebound and compression right.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
eric
a
from littleton, co. US Date Reviewed: April 12, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Plush ride, lots of adjustment
Weaknesses:
Seals leak oil, Not user servicable (a real pain if, when you have problems)
Bike Setup:
Klein Palimino Team
Bottom Line:
As can be seen in numerous reviews, the seal between the right upper tube and the lower body cylinder bleeds oil each time the fork is compressed and drips down the cylinder body and onto my wheel rims during a ride. I would really like to repair this myself to avoid being off of my bike for a week or more and then I could maintain my own fork in the future (changing oil and seals). Unfortunately the manual has some information for maintenance on other Fox Forks shocks, but doesn't give much on the Talus.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tom
a Cross Country Rider
from philly Date Reviewed: March 17, 2004
Favorite Trail:
got dirt
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
i love it
Weaknesses:
none yet. i love it
Similar Products Used:
various rock shox, sherman breakout( i love that one also for differeent reasons) junior t
Bike Setup:
this fork is on my xc bike
Bottom Line:
i love it. it took me three rides of playin with knobs to find the settings i liked. worth the effort! this thing is one of the best riding forks ive ridden so far. i love the talas for long steep climbs, just crank down the travel and my bike instantly becomes a climbing machine. lock it out with the threshhold on low, and its like a stable platform fork. I LOVE IT!
it is exspensive though. look for a user on ebay named DOWNTUBE1. he always seems to have these forks. if you get lucky you might score one cheap, since he posts them with no reserve.
BUY IT! I LOVE IT!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Frank Daugherty
a Cross Country Rider
from Huntington Beach CA Date Reviewed: February 22, 2004
Favorite Trail:
San Juan
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$585.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Stiffness, precision steering, plushness and rising rate big bump absorption
Weaknesses:
High $$, but you get what you pay for. Adding to one reviewer, they do seem to fall into the works great from the start and don't work at all from the start. Wierd.
Similar Products Used:
Psylo '02
Bike Setup:
'02 Tracer w/Fox Float RL
Bottom Line:
Had to think about this for awhile. My '98 Z-1 was an amazing fork. Completely tunable, oil wt. and volume changes, factory progressive springs etc. Took about 3 months and a damaged shoulder from a factory underfill to get it right. With the factory tools, seals are easy to change, oil changes take 5 minutes, etc. The TALAS is WAY better. Climbing is a breeze, as you'd expect. Big hit bumps are better with the rising rate you get from air. (Yes, I know if you have 8-9 inches of downhill fork, springs are really nice.) This is much stiffer and more precise than the Z-1. Now that it's broken in, it's really plush. As plush as the Z-1, no. That thing would suck up stutter bumps like nothing else. Compared to the Z-1 ECC I bought to lock down for climbing, this is a jewel. That was crap. It didn't do anything right except climb fire roads. Yes, this is expensive, no it isn't as plush as the best springers, no it isn't even as plush as the non-travel-change Floats, but for a do it all, do it all really well, (cross your fingers you get a good one) this this is just the best. I've sold two of them letting friends ride my bike. I bought an R model to put on my no-name ti hardtail to replace a Psylo Race (do you think I really like travel adjustments??) Wrote a separate review on that. For the money, probably buy an RL, I don't use the compression adjustment that much. Bottom line, save up the beer money and buy one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Big Worm
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle Date Reviewed: January 19, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$550.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Good ride.
Weaknesses:
Broken out of the box. Talas system doesn't extend after it has been compressed. At least not without getting off your bike and pushing down as hard as you can on the brake arch. Only about 115 of actual travel. I only have 122mm of stantion tube showing.
Bottom Line:
This seems to be a problem with these forks. Too bad they don't test these things a little before they sell.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Allen
a Cross Country Rider
from France Date Reviewed: January 15, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Esterel Nat. Park, France
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
It's all been said!
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Manitou
Bike Setup:
2003 Enduro Pro
Bottom Line:
One of the main reasons for buying this bike, along with the great value for money group set. Has not disappointed at all. Great adjustability, rock solid, smooth as you like. I've had no problems with oil leakage this far. Holds the air pressure well (1 top-up in 6 months).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jay
a Cross Country Rider
from Milwaukee, WI Date Reviewed: January 2, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Plush Ride. Adjustability.
Weaknesses:
Pumps more oil than Jed Clampett's back yard
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi Z-1 Bam
Bike Setup:
Stock Liquid 30
Bottom Line:
I would give this fork the best review if grading only performance and would look no further. However, this little issue of pumping oil all over everything takes some of the fun out of owning $700 forks. On my last ride, (temp. approx. 25 degrees) my riding buddies actually watched as a little bubble formed around the right fork seal while oil oozed out creating a pipeline to the ground. Fox states this is "normal" and to just wipe them off and ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from Wethersfield, Ct, USA Date Reviewed: December 29, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Seven Wonders
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$629.00
Purchased At:
Santa Clause
Strengths:
Very Nice Fork! Pretty light for what I expected compared to my old fork. Has adjustable travel of 80-125 mm so they say. Nice recoil, lockout, and compression damping. The recoil and compression damping offer a number of different configurations. Nice lock-out with a threshold adjuster. This thing is built like a tank with very nice elements (magnesium, aluminum, etc...). So far is a great fork.
Weaknesses:
Air pump valve is a little tricky to take off. Lock out swith interferes with the compression damping. I had some slight oil residue around the bottom of the lockout when I first bought the fork. It was probably not properly cleaned when the fork was put together. For such an expensive fork you would think that the stickers would be a little bit more eye catching. Also, for such and expensive fork you would like to try to protect your investment with some boots of stanchion guards. It's hard to find a guard for such an irregular traveling fork.
Similar Products Used:
Fox float r rear shox.
Bottom Line:
This is a very nice fork. The best trail riding fork on the market. If you want toughness, durability, and being able to have a large combination of adjustability this is the fork for you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marcus75
a Weekend Warrior
from LA, CALI Date Reviewed: December 12, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Local Mountain
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Adjustable, durable and fairly light.
Weaknesses:
None as far as performance but can be expensive if you buy this by itself.
Similar Products Used:
This is my first REAL fork on a REAL bike.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Enduro Pro w/ Time Z Pedals, Answer Protaper Carbon Handlebar and continential survivial pro tire for the rear.
Bottom Line:
I got this stock with my Enduro Pro. It was one of the major reason I got the Enduro Pro. All the reviews are correct on this fork THIS IS ONE AWESOME FORK! This fork can withstand any punishment. The construction is very solid and is very light for a freeride type fork. The ride is very plush, I don't feel that this ride like a coil like some other riders. Maybe they should adjust the rebound? I love to adjust the travel, for the long climb, I adjust it to 100mm and for downhill I adjust it to 130mm so I can blast down!
This is a must for anyone who goes "all mountain" or very rough terrains. As far as value, this is pretty expensive but you get one of the best quality forks out there. 5 Chills all around!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob Engelhorn
a Weekend Warrior
from Kirkland, WA Date Reviewed: November 3, 2003
Favorite Trail:
barn burner
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
Downhill Zone
Strengths:
Fairly light, stiff, looks cool, adjustments actually work
Weaknesses:
Does not get as much travel as advertised, it's still an air fork
Similar Products Used:
Everything, Fox vanilla, Z-1, Z-1SL, Firefly
Bike Setup:
Titus Switchblade, XTR, Chris King, Thomson post and stem, Maxm bar
Bottom Line:
I bought this fork to go with the Switchblade that I recently purchased. Don't get me wrong, this is a nice fork, but for those people who insist that it feels just like a coil fork, GET REAL. I've got a Sherman Firefly on a second Switchblade that I own and the Firefly is waaay more supple than the Fox. The Firefly is a half pound heavier, but for real trail riding, I much prefer the Firefly. Both forks are nice and stiff and I don't know of anyone that could call either fork flexy. The Fox is highly adjustable and the knobs actually work, but there is no doubt when I ride this thing that it is an air fork. There is a slight notchy feeling at the very top of the stroke. Once the fork is into its travel, it is very smooth, but again, I wouldn't confuse it with a good coil fork. One sore point is the claim of 125mm of travel. There isn't even 125mm of stantion showing above the seals. With the TALAS max'd out, my fork shows about 120mm of stantion, which means that I might get 115mm of travel if I really slam the fork. In addition, if I used the recommended air pressue, the fork would be a good candidate for the junk heap. At recommended air pressure, you can dirt jump the thing, case the landing and maybe get 100mm of travel. I thought I bought a five inch fork, not a four inch fork. In any case, the TALAS is a nice fork, but if you don't mind a little extra weight, get a Firefly or a Z-1.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Forrest
a Downhiller
from Pleasant Hill Ca Date Reviewed: October 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Palos
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Strength is right! Adjustability, Weight, Feel!!! Everything.
Can you really have a better all mountain fork? An air fork that feels like a coil without the extra weight? Adjustable from 3-5 inches! I mean come on... I've had my first Talas for just over 1 year now and the thing has yet to fail me. Never had a problem with it! It's just as smooth at the first day I rode on it. I've put well over 2000 all mountain miles on it. I've since added a few more Talas forks to my collection of bikes. Did I say adjustability? Man, every single adjustment on this fork works like a charm... I really don't use the compression adjustment all that much but rebound is another story. I use the rebound all the time and it has just the right amount of adjustment...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
c dussault
a Weekend Warrior
from Vermont Date Reviewed: October 1, 2003
2003 Blur, anodized Blue, XT Disc brakes, King/Mavic Tubeless wheels, Talas, XTR mechs, Race Face Cranks, Thomson and monkeylite tubes.
Bottom Line:
Wow! This is air? I've always ridden air, but never a fork that felyt like this. It makes everything else- EVERYTHING- feel like a toy. I've not experienced the problems that others have, so I may just be lucky, but I am quite pleased. I rarely use the travel adjust, usually just leave it @ 100mm and forget it. I might change it if there's a LONG stretch of trail that demands it. As for the adjustability, (RLC) I probably could have gotten the R version and been perfectly happy...I tend to set and forget anyway. If you are fretting the steep price, get the R version. If you don't think you need to adjust travel, and you're happy with 4", get the FLOAT R. It has the same feel as the Talas, but not the over-the-top adjustability. Still, I think this fork delivers for the $. Like everyone says, the adjustments make a very discernable difference, and the TALAS feature does work.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sean C
a Cross Country Rider
from Reno, NV Date Reviewed: September 19, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Anything in Tahoe
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
-Holds up under the worse conditions -On the fly travel adjustment is fun -Tracks excellent -Love the blowout adjustment
Weaknesses:
-Takes a while to get dialed in -Hard to adjust rebounds and lockout when in a hurry without interfering with one another -A little pricey for some people -Not easily serviceable
Similar Products Used:
RockShox SID SL, Cannondale Left
Bike Setup:
Ironhorse Hollowpoint Team with Conti Vertical Pro's
Bottom Line:
The fork has been excellent so far. I have not encountered a single one of the problems mentioned by the other reviewers outside of the dials getting moved when I try to lockout the shock. I've known a lot of people with a lot of different shocks and there always seems to be bad ones for every brand, so bad quality control maybe? The Talus has held up under very hard riding and hasn't let me down once. It takes big hits and does just as well on the little stuff. The adjustable blowout has been great. For long uphill climbs with occasional big jolts this is a great feature. You can lock it out but still absorb the occasional drop offs or big rocks without having to unlock the shock. The shock has saved me more than once on jumps and drop offs that would have eaten my SID alive. I weigh 180 pounds and have had no problems with flexing or bottoming out. The shock is a little bit expensive but for those who ride all sorts of terrain with a lot of varying conditions I really recommend it. I have put 350 miles on it so far and it has performed flawlessly and given me nothing but a big smile.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary Date Reviewed: September 12, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$800.00
Purchased At:
Bow cycle
Weaknesses:
Having to send the fork back to fox for service
Bottom Line:
This is a second follow up. Instead of my fork going to Cycle Works in Edmonton it had to be shipped back to Fox in the states. Its been gone almost a month and no word on its return. That is just not acceptable. It should not have developed a leak so soon and this long delay for service stinks. I have missed several rides and a couple of races because I don't have a good fork to ride. A couple more weeks and then I ask for a refund.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick
a Weekend Warrior
from Cape Cod, MA Date Reviewed: September 1, 2003
These forks are absolutely sweet! I ride everything from cross country to free ride to urban assault and these forks take it all. Travel adjustment takes only a matter of seconds even on the fly, from tight quick singletrack to a flight of stairs in a twist. All the nobs are quality machined alluminum (no cheap plastics) and I found them to be very exact and easy to use. I have yet to come accross any problems in three mounths of frequent, hard riding. Sounds like quality control may be an issue from previous reviews. The lock out and blow-off work beautifull and, when the blow-off is set to the lowest setting, can actually act as a stable platform fork. If your not carefull, you can turn the compression nob with your finger at the same as engaging/disengaging lockout, but i never found this to be an issue. 32mm stanchions means stiff as hell. They soak up everything from small roots and inconsistancies in trail to large drops (limited only by my hardtail). The perfect fork for all-mountain or one-bike-does-all applications.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary Alberta Canada Date Reviewed: August 15, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Prarie View
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$800.00
Purchased At:
Bow cycle
Weaknesses:
This is a follow up to my previous post. Although I remain quite happy with the fork, it is now on its way to Edmonton for service. The seal on the damping side is leaking in a very noticable way. This started during the 24Hours of Adrenalin in Canmore. The leak is getting worse and the damping is getting really soft. You can't service it yourself nor can the shop do it, so I am looking at being without the fork for at least two weeks. It has to be sent to the nearest service centre, which is in Edmonton.
Similar Products Used:
Marzzochi MXC
Bike Setup:
Spec Enduro with Axiom Tele seat post, Power tools stem, Time ATAC pedals.
Bottom Line:
I bought the fork based on the Fox reputation for durability. I have not ridden enough to be seeing this kind of a problem already. The fork works well but if it can't hold up to normal riding then its not of much use. Fox should put out a TALAS specific service manual and let owners or at least shops have the knowledge to service the thing. If it requires special tools, as implied by the owner's manual, those tools should be available with the manual. I am looking at having to train for an upcoming 80K race on my old fork. I will be really mad if I have to race on it. Good thing I kept my Marzzochi that was the OEM fork. Its worth less than half of what I payed for the TALAS but at least it hold oil.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
sen
a Cross Country Rider
from singapore Date Reviewed: August 11, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Lighweight for a tough fork Performs way better than sid Plushness Colour Finishing long travel price got it super cheap for fisrt hand
Weaknesses:
The travel adjuster is totally crap , 15 clicks and 3mm each from 85 to 125 , lets count 15 X 3 = 45 , 45 + 85 = 130mm , this fork had me a hardtime adjusting to 100mm,
Similar Products Used:
Sid Race, Sid team , Duke u turn sl 45 , fox float rl/rlc , pilot , judy
Bike Setup:
1 metal piece of junk
Bottom Line:
This fork is the fork that i have been searcing for which can take the trashing of off road every week , While i was cycling in the trail , i felt abit weird as my old duke did not use to suck up as much bumps as fox , the duke made my handvibrate while going down , but its totally different from the fox u can feel different , it sucks up everything, "CHEERS TO FOX"
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Fahey
a Weekend Warrior
from Brisbane Australia Date Reviewed: August 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Bicentenial Trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
oe fitment on Trek Liquid 30
Strengths:
holding onto front wheel place to hang disc brake paper weight
Weaknesses:
didn't hold air pressure from new adjuster hard to rotate then just gave up completely in 2 hours
Similar Products Used:
rock shox psylo
Bike Setup:
Standard Trek Liquid 30 Rear shock just as useless
Bottom Line:
Pay a truckload of money for a topline bike with top of the range forks and shock you would expect them to actually work from new. Even if you happen to have a problem you should get them fixed promptly. 3 weeks and counting. Wouldn't like them to do this on the way to Cape York 1000K's from civilisation. The flaming chili rating doesn't go low enough
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joyce Noordover
a Cross Country Rider
from Leiden, Netherlands Date Reviewed: August 3, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Limburg-Netherlands
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$669.00
Purchased At:
www.Jensonusa.com
Strengths:
- looks very nice and cool - you can tune the fork very precisely and on your weight - long travel - very plush
Weaknesses:
- expensive - when activating lock out, compression setting changes when you don't do this carefully
Similar Products Used:
- Rock Shox Judy TT.......
Bike Setup:
- Scott Expert Racing - Magura HS 33 red - Components: Chris King, Woodman
Bottom Line:
It is a expensive fork but you get very much for that price! It is worth it!!! It is a fork for people who are between crosscountry and freeride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ash
a Weekend Warrior
from Pacific NW Date Reviewed: July 25, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Preston
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$595.00
Purchased At:
www.mtnhighcyclery.com
Strengths:
Plush! It really does feel like a coil. Adjustments are amazing and work how they were designed. On the fly travel extension works well. Looks and feels beefy for a lightweight fork. Seems to be very stiff! Handles the chop and anything else you throw at it.
Weaknesses:
Price! However I guess you get what you pay for, and I have to admit, it is a very well built piece of hardware. I wont call it a weakness, however the annoyance that you have read in every review about the compression dial turning, when lockout is engaged is true....however not as bad as it seems. You just have to be careful and precise and it works. Its not that big of a deal at all. Not user serviceable! However the fork is supposed to run 18 months until you have to send it in. I bet by that time, it will be easily shop serviceable.
Similar Products Used:
Well, its not similar in any way, however my old fork was an 02 Marzocchi Bomber comp. Absolutely no comparison (taking nothing away from Marzocchi)
Bike Setup:
2002 Enduro. TALAS 125RLC, Kujo DH 2.5 up front.
Bottom Line:
This really is a great fork. I have been riding it for less than a month, however I was very amazed at how plush it was out of the box. I was fork shopping for 2 weeks, prior to purchasing this fork. The Z1 FR, was my other choice, and probably would have been on the front of my bike right now, if it was not for the TALAS's adjustability. 90% of my riding is XC with the other 10% being spent up at Whistler coming down any of their exciting trails. I wanted a fork that would hold up to the punishment of Whistler, 7 or 8 days a year. The Z1 probably would have been a better fork for that purpose, however since the other 90% of my time is spent XC, I could not look past the TALAS. Especially with all the good reviews. The adjustability is amazing and easy. The travel adjustment is by far the best feature, and it really is that easy to adjust. When they say on the fly, they really mean it. It was very easy to raise or lower the travel while I was pedaling. I tend to run it at 100mm, however if I know there is a stretch of DH approaching, I will turn the dial 7 click to the left and presto, I am now riding at 125mm. If you are a good enough rider to really notice the difference, it is worth it. The compression and rebound dials work as they should. It is a little harder to adjust these on the fly, however for the first couple of rides, I generally have left them in the middle. However you can certainly feel the difference when either of them is dialed 1 or 2 clicks in either direction. The performance of this fork, is almost too good to be true, for an air fork. It does soak up everything in its path, from small studder bumps to larger tree roots. If you roll very slowly up to a gutter, you will easily roll up it, without any trouble. Yes, it is that plush! On faster downhill sections, it does soak up the chop very effectively and efficiently, to the point where you fell like you have total control over the bike. I have to say, on certain faster sections, I can almost go twice as fast, with twich as much control over my last fork. I have ridden my friends bike, equiped with a Z1, and I have to say the fox is as plush. Congrats to Marzocchi, for making such a nice fork, and congrats to fox for equaling that feat in an air fork. I am not going to rant on marzocchi, and say that the fox is way better (kind of like how the Marzocchi reviews rant on Fox). All I am going to say is you pay for what you get. You spend a little more with the fox fork, and you can easily tell why. The fork components look tough, yet refined...excellent craftsmanship. It really is a excellent fork, superplush, with effortless travel. I think I have bottom'd out the fork once or twice, however you dont even notice, if it is set up correctly. The travel seems endless. It is alot to pay for a fork, however like the rest of the reviews mention, you will not be sorry. I was a little skeptical purchasing an air fork, considering I weigh 200 pounds, however I truely believe this fork was built with the heavier riders in mind. Well done fox, on making such a great fork, and keeping the technological edge over your competitors. Like I said earlier, Marzocchi makes a great fork, however fox has outdone themselves with the TALAS. It is an exceptional ride! 4.5 for value, as it is a touch expensive, however maybe I have not seen the best of the fork yet! If I could give a 6, for the overall rating I would. However I guess we have to settle with a 5.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sunny
a
from Calgary Date Reviewed: July 25, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
Bow Cycle
Strengths:
Beefy construction, Adjustable Travel
Weaknesses:
(lack of) reliability in the TALAS assemably, harsh damper action for my weight (135lb), even with 5wt oil.
Similar Products Used:
Pyslo Race
Bike Setup:
Truth w/disc
Bottom Line:
This is an update on my earlier review. In March, the TALAS adjuster died after two weeks (won't return from 85mm setting). After 4 weeks, the fork was repaired and worked for a few hundred kilometers before the TALAS system died again! This time it won't adjust down. Right about the same time, the damper leg also developed play in the bushing(s).
That was it, not more of this crap. I took the fork back to the shop for a refund and picked up another fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob
a
from Westminster, CA Date Reviewed: July 13, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Chutes
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$595.00
Purchased At:
mtnhighcyclerly
Strengths:
Very stiff, travel adjustment, lightweight for 5" travel fork.
Weaknesses:
Harshness for lighter riders. This is an update post, read below. Price....ouch!
Similar Products Used:
Marz Z3, Psylo XC, JR.T
Bike Setup:
Foes FXR, Talas RLC, Thomson, CK, XTR...etc.
Bottom Line:
This is an update, I've had the fork since April now and have made some changes due to the harshness of the high speed dampening for my light weight (155#). A lot of people have complained about this and I've finally gotten the fork to where I am happy with it's performance under high speed compression dampening. Fox will not modify the dampener in the Talas, so the only choice was to run less air pressure and switch to thinner oil. I first switched to 5wt oil and only noticed a very minor improvement. Then I switched to some Spectro Golden 85/150 (2.5wt) oil. This really transformed the fork, it reacts much quicker to bumps both at low and high speeds. You can hear the fork working through the travel now, and it feels much more plush. I am running right about 50 psi, and am getting correct sag. I also didn't add the full 160cc's of oil that Fox recommends, I added about 145cc's and am now getting full travel from the fork.
For those of you lightweights out there who are struggling with this fork or who are considering a different fork, try the 2.5wt oil! It has made a night and day difference for me. The fork has worked flawlessly, it's very stiff and the steering is very precise. Travel adjustment is easy and a must in my opinion for trail riding. This fork is pretty damn expensive, but it's all worth it. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a very versatile fork....get it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lloyd
a Weekend Warrior
from Malibu Date Reviewed: July 13, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Sycamore Canyon
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$599.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Plush travel, adjustable, Weight
Weaknesses:
Price
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi Marathon S
Bike Setup:
Intense tracer, xtr, float rl rear shock
Bottom Line:
Great travel with a great feel on the trail
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg TheTurtlenator
a Cross Country Rider
from Mountain View, CA Date Reviewed: June 30, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Tahoe Rim Trail - Tahoe City
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$585.00
Purchased At:
Internet
Strengths:
Stiff, Tuneable, Relatively lightweight for suspension fork with 125 mm of travel. Fox headquarters is 45 minutes from my house.
Weaknesses:
Price --- Ouch !!! (House Payment or Fork?) Not user servicable.
Similar Products Used:
RockShocks Mag-20 / 21, Amp Research F-3, White Brothers SC-92
Bike Setup:
98 Truth, Cane Creek AD-12, Hayes Hydraulic in front, Arch Supreme in rear. King wheels, XT /XTR/ Race Face drivetrain.
Bottom Line:
Generally I do not like to be a beta tester for new products but this fork seems to be an exception to that rule. This is my first impression of the fork, I will follow up later after having used it for a while.
1) Very stiff up front; it felt like my old Amp F-3, a fork I loved. All steering input was precise. The lack of slop made for some interesting moments when small amounts of rider input made for large direction changes. It will take a bit of getting used to.
2) Lack of Brake Dive; I have never ridden a fork before that had almost zero brake dive when engaging heavy braking on high speed decents. It is an awesome feeling to effortlessly remain in the downhill position when braking hard on steep and fast downhill runs.
3) Lock out; at first I was sceptical of lock-out, however, this is well designed. It takes a quarter-turn to engage it and it cycles through quickly. It does make a big difference for long extended climbs. It has a funny feeling with a fully active rear with the front locked-out but I think its better to have the rear active for traction reasons. I liked the feel of climbing in lock-out mode.
4)Damping Controls; these work very well, the adjustability is very well done, the rebound damping is similar to oil or nitrogen charged cartridges. I was using my rebound turned all the way up and it greatly reduced "pogoing" on the front end through washboard and "braking potholes".
Fox advertises this fork to be not user servicable and should run 18 months before sending it in to an authorized service station for rebuild. Time will tell if this product will perform as advertised. It will be interesting to see how well the stanchions hold up after a season or two. I don't remember any of my "traditional" forks handling like this out of the box, I have givin up on Rock-Shox because of the noodle like feel, the Amp fork was wonderful but not user friendly, the White Brothers was easy to work on but needed continual maintenance and got sloppy towrds the end. Perhaps Fox has come up with the Holy Fork Grail!
Buy this if you are willing to put out for a really nice fork. Be sure that the frame you own is worthy of its stature.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bike writer
a Cross Country Rider
from gem state Date Reviewed: June 24, 2003
Favorite Trail:
anything that goes up and down, and around.
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
won in contest
Strengths:
Wow! Stiff, smooth, adjustments work, everything about this fork makes it the best mtb suspension I've used in my entire 15 years of cycling.
Weaknesses:
Some might think the adjustments are mind boggling. But the rebound, compression and lockout all do their job. And you do get what you pay for in the 125 talas rlc float.
Similar Products Used:
everything.
Bike Setup:
typical highend stuff.
Bottom Line:
The only reason I'm selling mine is because I won it in a contest, and my new bike already has one on it. It's an incredible fork that will make you realize how close it is to real motorcycle suspension, and how other products are not worth it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin Klobe
a Racer
from Warrensburg Date Reviewed: June 12, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Landahl, Blue Springs
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2700.00
Purchased At:
Freeride Bike and Skate Shop
Strengths:
Where do I start? This fork is the ultimate in riding pleasure. Everything is adjustable on the ride less the blowout threashold. You can set or change your dampening, rebound, travel, preload......You can even lock out the fork on the fly. I also believe there is a remote you can add on for the lock out, but I'm not positive. This fork not only rides and performes great, it also looks great!
Weaknesses:
Doesn't have a deer warning device built in....(That was a bad day).
03 Specialized Enduro Pro with Shimano XTR integrated hydrolic brake/shifter levers. Stout and Onyx sealed hubs laced to Mavic 317 Disc. Finishing off the drivetrain with Shimano XT components completes the bike.
Bottom Line:
If you want the best, get this fork. This baby eats the trail like it's candy. I haven't had any problems with climbing, it stays right on course where she gets pointed, and the downhills are oh so sweet. I haven't had a fork this sweet.........ever! I love the option of changing the travel length on the fly. Just give the knob a couple of clicks, compress a couple of times and presto your riding at a new travel length. Yes the entire fork is just that easy.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
RM
a Cross Country Rider
from SoCal Date Reviewed: June 9, 2003
Favorite Trail:
San Juan Trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
This fork is stiff! My bike now goes where I point it. Very tuneable ride. Less than 4 lbs. Linear air spring feels like a coil spring. Lockout blowoff threshhold adjustment. All adjustments except the blowoff threshhold are on top of the crown and in easy reach while you are riding. No plastic crap here; all metal controls and caps.
Weaknesses:
The lockout lever is just above the Compression damping adjustment knob and it's easy to turn chain damping when you lock/unlock the fork with gloves on. TALAS mechanism prohibits DIY routine maintenance (I think). The manual is not the best I have seen. Not sure if I actually get 40 mm of travel adjustment but it's darn close. The fork is so precise and controllable on my bike that I find myself riding faster than I normally would. This fork will get me killed.
Similar Products Used:
There's nothing else in its class except a Fox Float or Vanilla, but if I must: Rockshox Duke, Manitou Black, Marzocchi.
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Blur, XT/XTR drivetrain Fox Float AVA rear.
Bottom Line:
After only six months of use I had to send my Duke back to Rockshox to repair some sloppy bushings. Since I didn't want to tie my bike up waiting for Rockshox to turn it around, I decided to bite the bullet and get a decent, more reliable fork for my Blur. A friend let me try his Float-equipped Blur and that sold me on the spot.
My LBS did not have any Floats in stock but they gave me a great price on a TALAS RLC. My first choice would have been a Float RL or TALAS RL, but the compression damping feature of the RLC is nice to have.
It took me about 30 minutes to get it performing real well on the trail. I just need to do a little more experimenting with the air pressure. Being an XC rider, I need to get used to having 125 mm of travel on the downhills. Until then, I'll just keep it somewhere around a more familiar 100 mm.
There was a little stiction when I first began to ride but after about 50 miles it's barely noticeable.
Far and away this is the best fork on the market today for serious riding. No doubt that there are lighter forks for the racing crowd but for the 4-5 races I do each year as compared to the thousands of trail riding miles I do, this fork suits my needs just fine. As I said in the "Product Strengths" section above, this fork is stiff. No wandering or vague steering; just point it where you want to go and enjoy the ride.
For my inaugural ride I took it up on San Juan Trail which is a fairly technical stretch of SoCal singletrack with about 2,500 ft of uphill befdore you get to do it in reverse. It climbed great with the lockout engaged and descended better than anything I have ever ridden. If you own a Blur, this fork seems to be tailor made for it. It really balanced the suspension out front-to-back.
I put the TALAS on a digital scale and it weighed one more ounce than my 100 mm Duke SL (3lbs 10 oz vs 3 lbs 9 oz both with cut steerers).
I have less than 100 miles on it so far so I'll post another review once I get some more miles cranked on it. If you can afford it, go for this fork. Even at its current price level, there isn't a better fork out there at any pricepoint. Five chilis go to Fox. Now don't go and disappoint me!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Russell
a Cross Country Rider
from Elk Grove Date Reviewed: June 3, 2003
Favorite Trail:
anything on dirt in CA
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$699.00
Purchased At:
Velo Pro Cyclery in S.B.
Strengths:
Strong, Plush travel, reasonably light, accurate steering, well made, looks really good on my blue Ellsworth Truth, reasonably light ( 3.9 lbs. on my brewing scale ).
Weaknesses:
Slight amount of fore to aft flex which isn't noticeble when riding, compression ring sometimes turns when using turning the lock out lever.
Similar Products Used:
Answer Manitou, Cannondale Headshock, White Bros scu 92
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Truth, Race Face cranks, XTR, 517, Thompson, Chris King, Precison Billet v-brakes, Sram shifters and rear derailer, Stratos xc-pro rear shock ( 26.5 lbs )
Bottom Line:
This really is a great fork! Everything that the fork can do is adjustable. You'll probably play around with the adjustments at first then become more of a set it and forget it type of rider if you're like me. The 80mm setting is effective for the climbs and you may want to try the talus trick which is to open up the blowoff threshold knob all the way then lock out the fork. What this does is turn the fork into a stable platform type of suspension however, the fork is not quite as plush, active, nor does it move through it's entire range of travel in this mode. I prefer to basically downhill in the 125mm mode then go to 80 for serious climbs or use 100mm for everything when the ride involves alot of up and down. Beware all you cross country types or serious trail riders, bolting on a fork with this much travel will cause your bike to lose a little climbing prowess, but then again you can't have everything. Is it worth it? Most definately! Fox may have designed this for freeriding but it is perfect for trailriding. You'll go faster, hit objects you used to avoid just because you can, descend into rock gardens and shutes with more confidence and agression because you know the fork can handle it.It simply works great. Probably will be my last fork, at least for this bike. By the way I installed it knowing full well that the Ellsworth warranty would be voided because the Truth is only designed for a 100mm fork. Unless your bike is designed for 125mm or greater you'll find that your head tube and bottom bracket will be elevated and your head tube angle will be slacker than before and these are all bonuses in my opinion. I'll report back after three months and more miles of riding. These forks are very difficult to get a hold of and they are an expensive way to bolt on your front wheel. Be patient and shop around, it's worth it. These babies are better than anything else out there.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Aaron
a Racer
from Salida Date Reviewed: June 3, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Monarch Crest
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$660.00
Purchased At:
Beyond Bikes
Strengths:
The same smooth travel, no matter what the length. Precision steering. Amount of travel. Huge amount of adjustment means you can fine tune it. Very cool inflation cap.
Weaknesses:
Weight? Definitely cost. Knob positioning. Huge amount of adjustment means you are never done fine tuning it.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Black Elite 80-100 but... Lots of other non convertible forks.
Bike Setup:
2001 Truth
Bottom Line:
It seems like there are two kinds of Talases- ones that blow up coming out of the box and ones that don't. For three months I have been making sure which category mine falls under. I beat the snot out of it and it laughed at me. Last Sunday was 42 miles of Rage in the Sage. This year it rained, hailed and sleeted which meant 42 miles of corrosive sand and clay. It finished off my disc brake pads and rear shock, bent my derailleur hanger and left me wimpering. But not the fork.
This is the smoothest fork out there- the travel decides how much bump you can go over and how quickly you can steer but has no effect on the compression at all. There is no air leakage and all the knobs seem to do what they are supposed to do. There is a little annoyance factor with the lockout/compression adjustment because when you turn the lockout on, the compression dial turns a little too. When you take the lockout off, the compression returns to normal. Not a big deal since I weigh 150 lbs and have it turned all the way down anyway.
I typically do not run the fork at more then about 105 mm because of how the bike handles- being a xc geek, I like a pretty twitchy ride and tend to avoid anything more than three feet tall. But, the hills around us are big enough that it makes sense to have all the travel, going up and coming down. My bike can handle the tightest up trail and twistiest cross trail in 85 mm and in seconds can go pounding down the rockiest descent- all without dismounting. Once you get all the adjustments dialed in, the fork reacts predictably no matter what travel it's in- and with the adjustments, you really can fine tune it to whatever you want.
The price of this fork is obscene but if you get one that makes it out of the shop in one piece, you won't be sorry that you raided you kid's college fund. I bought this fork to replace my Black because I wanted something that would excel at epic rides and races, not just handle them. So far so good. Later this summer, we head to Canada for the Transrockies so expect another report then.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
m
a Weekend Warrior
from canada Date Reviewed: May 29, 2003
Favorite Trail:
porcupine rim
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
lbs / stock set-up on Jamis
Strengths:
Overall quality, and strength. Air settings hold well with great adjustability and lock-out options. Very minimal flex. Super plush. Good all-conditions shock.
Weaknesses:
price, especially aftermarket.
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shox & Marzzochi
Bike Setup:
2003 Jamis xlt 2 - stock (~600km)
Bottom Line:
Overall the best shock I've ever riddin. Been riding mountain bikes and bmx for well over 20 years. Nice to see technology work this well. After test riding a number of well spec'd bikes at the local bike shops in relatively the same price point It was an easy decision to purchase the Jamis, especially with the well spec'd Talas RLC.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada Date Reviewed: May 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Prarieview
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1140.00
Purchased At:
Bow cycle
Strengths:
Large diameter tubes make it very stiff. Very plush. Easy to adjust. Travel adjust works wonders on longer climbs
Weaknesses:
Travel adjust requires too many turns of the dial. Compression adjustment moves with lockout lever.
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi MXC
Bike Setup:
Spec Enduro, Axion Tele post, Power Tools stem 20mm longer than stock, Talas RLC fork. Rear link in the 70 degree position.
Bottom Line:
This is easily the best fork I have tried and worth the cost despite the high price in Canadian dollars. I am a big guy so if something is going to break, I will break it. So far no issues. The plush ride greatly improves bike handling at high speeds. Travel adjustment greatly improves the evil climbing characteristics of this bike. Wind it down for the steep climbs and the bike climbs like magic. The Axiom post and longer stem are also contributing to improved climbing by getting my weight more over the front wheel.
It would be nice of the Talas mechanism did not require so many twists of the knob to change. I can understand that some people may want to fine tune their travel but basically I just want to quickly go from long to short and back.
The problem with the compression damper adjustment changing with moving the lock out is annoying but I don't use the lockout much because the travel adjust does a better job on the climbs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
s r
a Weekend Warrior
from canada Date Reviewed: May 18, 2003
Favorite Trail:
any
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
Simon's Cycles
Strengths:
Everything. Easy use on the fly adjustable travel. Smooth, smooth action. Easy set up. Lockout, rebound lockout threshold all work great. It is very stiff and looks beautiful. A perfect all round trailfork.
Weaknesses:
I dont know, maybe the price, but you get what you pay for.
Similar Products Used:
Zocchi Z1(2001 and 2002), Manitou Black Super Air(sucked the big one)
Bike Setup:
Specialized Enduro Pro. Hayes, mavic disc, LX/XT parts, koski, time atac, etc.(bought the frame then used the affordable but strong and dependable parts from my older ride)
Bottom Line:
Find a way to get this fork. If you are like me and want a highly adjustable fork, dont spend less and buy a psylo or a Black. Save your pennies because the talas is worth it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rodi
a Weekend Warrior
from Zurich Date Reviewed: May 18, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$599.00
Purchased At:
www.mtnhighcyclery.com
Strengths:
Travel adjustment without losing performance, plush, stiff, very low axle to crown height.
Weaknesses:
Not much: had a sticky valve core. Could be easily fixed.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou X-Vert Air and Black Super Air. Marzocchi X-Fly, Z2 Atom and Z1 Freeride. Rock Shox Judy's and SID XC.
Bike Setup:
RM ETS-X 70. All custom.
Bottom Line:
At first, I've refused to buy into the Fox Forx hype. But when I sold my RM Slayer, I soon started to miss the incredible plush feel of it's accompaigning Z1 Freeride. I terribly wanted something similar for my ETS-X. At first, common sense and a tight budget pointed to a RS Duke SL. But when I've heard about all those people complaining about there noisy forks I was defenitely in for something much more sophisticated. The Talas delivers everything I've always been longing for! Combined with the adjustable rear, my bike now goes from a snappy race bike to an ultra plush trail bike within seconds.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Irwin
a Weekend Warrior
from Bristol, UK Date Reviewed: May 9, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Hanham Woods
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$635.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA
Strengths:
Takes everything you throw at it. Smooth, reliable. Adjustments are great if you like playing. Recommend the RLC model, because of the blow-off threshold adjuster. Lockout is very useful for road riding.
Weaknesses:
The price. Doesn't have remote lockout, but no big deal.
Bike Setup:
Trek 6700, Hope M4 Front Disc
Bottom Line:
Does everything it's designed to; perfectly.
Best fork money can buy (if you can afford them).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan E.
a Cross Country Rider
from Lyons, CO Date Reviewed: May 6, 2003
Favorite Trail:
most of 'em
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
The Cycologist - Fort Collins, CO
Strengths:
Lateral stiffness is amazing; very, very easy to adjust on the fly, everything works just as it is supposed to. Very plush, amazing, amazing fork.
Weaknesses:
NONE
Similar Products Used:
old manitou "bumper" forks.
Bike Setup:
'03 Switchblade w/Talas rear shock and all the goodies
Bottom Line:
Works as advertised, no problems whatsoever with the Talas system. Plush, plush, plush, stiff, stiff, stiff. Everything you could ask for, climbing is improved, lock-out works very well, adjusts on the fly with ease, absolutely no flaws in construction, just simply works incredibly well, especially on the downhill coming home. The different knobs used to adjust rebound etc. work very well (big difference in ride characteristics) and in my opinion, they do not get in the way of the other knobs....maybe a little but it's really not a big deal at all. I admit that initially I was worried that this was too much technology to work as well as advertised and there would be inherent problems, but I have since been proved wrong. I love this fork and reccomend it to anyone that wants an awesome ride. No b.s - it works! I will follow up with a review on durability in about 6 months, as I have only logged 50 miles on it so far (50 miles of Moab and rocky Colorado singletrack).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from Houston Date Reviewed: May 1, 2003
2002 Stumpjumber FSR XC Pro w/ BETD Linkage, XT/XTR/Race Face
Bottom Line:
I converted my Stumpjumper to a longer travel trail bike (117mm) and wanted a light weight adjustable travel fork. The Talas was the perfect answer. It is light for a 5 inch fork (mine weighed 3.7lbs with a 210mm steerer). I have not had any trouble with the external travel adjustment, although it is a little hard to adjust while riding. The fork had a little bit of stiction initially, but after the break in period it is very smooth.
The only problem I have encounter was when I first installed the fork, I could not turn the lock out lever when the compression adjustment was turned fully clockwise. Conversly, when the lock out lever was turned, it moved the compression adjustment with it. This was fixed by looseing the hex nut on the rebound adjust cap. Its not a major problem, but was an initial concern.
Over all I am very happy with the Fork. The fork feels linear as advertised and the external travel adjustment has worked flawless. I weight 165lbs with gear and have been running the shock pressure slightly below the fox recomendaions at around 55-60psi. My initial impressions are this is a great fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Orange County Date Reviewed: April 9, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Rattle Snake (El Moro)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Strengths:
Adjustability
Weaknesses:
Lack of Adjustability
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi Atom Race, Manitou Black
Bike Setup:
Turner XCE w/Romic Shock - Full XTR
Bottom Line:
I love this fork except for one minor flaw. It doesn't adjust!!! I can crank the travel adjustment knob both ways and get basically nothing in terms of travel adjustment. For $600.00 + bones I expect a whole lot more than what was delivered! Anybobdy have any experience with FOX's warranty department?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob C
a
from Westminster, CA Date Reviewed: April 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Chutes
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
mtnhighcyclerly
Strengths:
Stiff fork, love the Talas for climbing, good adjustability. Lightweight for a 5" travel fork, great looking also.
Weaknesses:
A bit too harsh on high speed stutter bumps. I've lowered the air pressure less than Fox recommends and it helped a bit, but any less air pressure will cause too much brake dive and bottoming. I weigh 160#, and wouldn't recommend this fork to someone who weighs less than I do. My other complaint is when going from 3" to 5", you basically have to stop and lift the front wheel off the ground and push the fork to get it back to full travel. Maybe it's not broken in yet? Even popping wheelies doesn't seem to work.
The fork hasn't given me any problems thus far (keeping my fingers crossed). I really like the travel adjustment, as it gives you the best of both worlds. The fork is great on low speed bumps and drops, but at speed it is a bit too harsh for my liking. I'm thinking of changing the oil to 5wt. This will probably make it about perfect for me. Whether or not it will get better as I get more miles on it, I doubt it. But it's certainly not going to make me get rid of the fork. The fact that the Talas mechanism isn't user serviceable is a bit of a disapointment, especially since a lot of people seem to be having problems with theirs. For a $600 fork, I would say there are cheaper options out there that will perform almost as good for lightweight riders. Overall I'm pleased with the fork, hopefully changing to thinner oil will help with the high speed compression damping. If you have the money, and want great adjustability then the Talas is for you. Otherwise, wait till the price goes down or seek other options.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andy
a Racer
from North Vancouver Date Reviewed: April 4, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
Steed Cycles
Strengths:
Torsion stiffness for steering precision, no plastic to break off, colours not obnoxious
Weaknesses:
poorly assembled. Air side not user servicable
Similar Products Used:
Psylo Race(air),X-Fly100,bomber Z-2, xc500 and 600 and 700,Judy Race and XC, Halson Mag 20 and 21, XC100. Flexed elbows
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Superlight, '03XTR, X3.1 Tubeless rims, Easton and Thomson.
Bottom Line:
My fork has worked extremely well. But it came out of the box with a compression damper with no clicks. The little bb was in the wrong spot, easily fixed. Then the nut holding the air valve in place backed off so that the pump would not go on. Once again easily fixed but it took a while to figure out. That's not rocket surgery though and leads me to suspect their quality control of assembly is lacking. Perhaps this is what others are experiencing as well.
The wipers get lifted every couple weeks but there isn't much getting by and it is wet here. The fork steers really well. Even at my 140 #s I notice the difference. The adjuster works very well too, on the fly and therefore I use it. I did not realize the air side was not user friendly in terms of service. Not good at all. I ride year round and don't like to be without a fork for any period of time. I'll likely ride until it starts working poorly, buy a new one and send the old one for service and sell it once its back. Can't give it top marks because of poor assembly and unservicable air side.
Still its a good fork for XC riding on rough trails. Particularly good for the heavier or more extreme rider who puts a high value on steering precision.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sunny
a Weekend Warrior
from Calgary Date Reviewed: March 27, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Solid construction. Ease of travel adjustment
Weaknesses:
compression damping too heavy for lighter riders (I am ~135lb) Makes for a harsh ride. TALAS system is NOT user serviceable. Must send it to FOX. TALAS spring adjuster DIED after 2 weeks !!!!!2 bloody weeks.
Similar Products Used:
Psylo Race, Noleen MegaAir, RS Duke
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Truth w/disc
Bottom Line:
In my case, the reliability is the pits. From the reviews below, I am not alone :-( To top it off, the TALAS section of the fork is NOT user serviceable!
As I mentioned, compression damping is not set for lighter riders. It is not horribly bad but it is definately NOT Plush, to abuse that word once more. For $600 ($700 MSRP)I think Fox should provide a service to re-valve the fork once, as part of the purchase. This type of service is offered by companies such as Romic. Even not counting the reliability issue I have with my fork, this lowers the "value" rating a lot.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt G.
a
from US Date Reviewed: March 26, 2003
Favorite Trail:
trails without names...
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came stock on new Klein Palomino Team
Strengths:
linear air spring, effective travel adjustment, awesome rigidity torsionally and laterally, redefines what i thought plush could be, amazingly adjustable. In short, the best performing non-DH suspension fork I've ridden.
Weaknesses:
4.05lb on my digital postal scale - still pretty light for a 5" travel fork, i suppose. i'm not a fan of the big FOX FORX sticker on each leg, though without the stickers, the fork has a cool, very understated look.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou X-Vert Super and Black Super Air, Marzocchi Z-1 and Z-2
Bike Setup:
'03 Klein Palomino Team, size XL. XTR drivetrain, Avid Black Ops brakes, Bontrager Race X-Lite wheels, Stan's-converted Klein Deathgrip tires (2.35"-front, 2.1"-rear), 120mm x 0 deg Titec stem
Bottom Line:
Initially, I was not impressed with this fork, as it arrived with a broken TALAS system. After sending it back to Fox, they fixed it and turned it around in about one week (kudos). Luckily, I was able to borrow a teammate's TALAS that he wasn't using, so I was able to ride the bike while my fork was being serviced.
I now have about a month of riding time in on the fork, and to say that I've been impresssed would be an understatement. I've always been a fan of the feel of Manitou's TPC+ damping system, because it allows you to set the fork up soft off the top, and it firms up sufficiently (in the damping circuit) to still handle big hits. This new Fox takes that ride quality to a whole new level. I rode my Palomino to work yesterday, and with the fork set at 110mm of travel, I actually used more than 100mm of that available travel - commuting on streets. It's that plush and sensitive. Yet when I take the thing off-road, it can handle the biggest hits I throw at it, without changing the damping settings or the air spring pressure. Very nice.
After a somewhat rocky start with this fork, I've come away very impressed with its performance. If it proves reliable, it is my new definition of what xc fork performance can be.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
TC
a Weekend Warrior
from Wasington State Date Reviewed: March 18, 2003
This is an amazing fork. Technology and products have come a long way since my last Rockshox. Fox Forx rule, period.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
STEPHEN HUTCHINSON
a Weekend Warrior
from NORTHERN IRELAND Date Reviewed: March 18, 2003
Favorite Trail:
SPERRIN MOUNTIANS
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
MOUNTAIN TRAX
Strengths:
LOTS OF KNOBS THAT WORK,VERY STIFF,A LOCKOUT THAT HAS A SMALL AMOUNT OF MOVEMENT
Weaknesses:
THE PRICE IN IRELAND IS £600 WHICH IS VERY VERY EXPENSIVE
Similar Products Used:
CANNONDALE HEADSHOCK AND LEFTY
Bike Setup:
S-WORKS ENDURO,HOPE MINI'S+HUBS,THOMSON SEATPOST+STEM,FULL XT,NOKIAN NBX TYRES,MAVIC 317,EASTON CARBON BARS AND MAG'V12'S WITH TI'AXLES
Bottom Line:
GREAT FORK FOR TRAIL RIDING,ITS EXPENSIVE BUT THE BEST GEAR ALWAYS IS.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Stott
a Weekend Warrior
from Surrey, UK Date Reviewed: March 17, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Plush Adjustable everything Super stiff for a 5" single crown fork Light for a 5” fork Look the dogs gonads
Weaknesses:
How much? You could buy a half decent hardtail for what these cost retail in the UK! Bloody long wait for them to arrive
Similar Products Used:
Judy SL’s, Duke SL’s, Psylo SL’s
Bike Setup:
'03 Sub 5 – Fox AVA RL shock, Fox TALAS RLC, King headset, RF turbines, XY post, Deus stem, Monkeylights, full 02 XTR, Hope minis (185/165), X317's on Hope XC hubs, Fire XC pro's, SDG Bel Air & time Z control pedals
Bottom Line:
I almost wrote nothing in the ‘similar products used’ box…. to call Dukes or Judys ‘similar products’ does the TALAS a huge disservice! Psylo’s are in the same ballpark for plushness, but they can’t compete for stiffness.
This fork has redefined my expectations of how good a single crown trail fork can be. A 7-week wait left me plenty of time to contemplate the sensibility of spending more on a fork than my last bike cost me. But so far it seems well worth it.
First thing you notice is the total lack of stiction. After coming from a pair of Dukes, which feel almost rigid for the first few minutes of each ride, I was blown away by the smoothness of these forks. On the trail they absorb everything with a totally smooth stroke. There’s no ramping up as with most air sprung forks, and I got full travel straight out of the box – though I have subsequently increased air pressure 5psi.
Although there are plenty of knobs to twirl, it’s a case of set how you like and forget. Even the travel adjustment tends to get left in the 125mm setting 95% of the time… dropping to 85mm for the odd long steep climb.
I’m not sure if I’d categorise these as a freeride fork as Fox do, but they have to be the ultimate trail fork, at least until the new Maverick fork arrives later this year (and rumour has it the Maverick will be almost £1,000 in the UK when it finally makes an appearance).
If you have the money, and you can find a pair for sale, buy them – you will not be disappointed
As regards the lockout... it might be you have the adjustable blow-off valve set too soft. If I set the blow-off valve (on the bottom of the right hand leg) as soft as possible, mine just feel like they have 20 psi too much air in them. With the blow off set max hard, they don't move.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David Barnum
a Weekend Warrior
from vancouver, wa, usa Date Reviewed: March 10, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$650.00
Purchased At:
performance bicycles
Strengths:
Awesome lateral stiffness. Looks great. APPEARS to be of excellent quality.
Weaknesses:
Won't lock out. Asked the shop where I made the purchase about it...there reply was that they couldn't get it to lock out either..and that it isn't supposed to lock out. I was under the impression that RLC stood for Rebound, LOCK OUT, and Compression. Contacted Fox to see if I can get any help.
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shock Psylo SL
Bike Setup:
2003 Jamis Dakar XLT 2.0..full xt..hayes hydraulic disc..fox float rl rear shock...awesome bike if I can get the fork to work right...
Bottom Line:
Don't know yet. I think that it will be a great fork if I can get the lock out issue taken care of.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
A guy
a
from Somewhere, CA Date Reviewed: March 5, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Bottom Line:
What the hell is wrong with the guy below? People like that just irrirate me; for chrissakes, just because you got a defect fork doesn't mean it's not a good product and it doesn't mean the company is all marketing fluff. Collect on your damn warrenty and RIDE THE FORK.
I wish more reviews like the one below were deleted.
5 each to offset the stupid review. Figure it out people.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
curtis
a Racer
from denver Date Reviewed: March 1, 2003
Favorite Trail:
dirt
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
incredible stiffness, in a relatively light fork(4.1)pounds. adjustments are magnificent.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
manitou black elite, rock shox psylo
Bike Setup:
s-works enduro, full new 2003 xtr, chris king head set of course. If thier is anyone out there still riding without a king headset, beware. thomson stem and seat post, xtr disc brakes, mavic 317 on hugi 240 hubs, shimano 959 pedals, and a survival pro 2.1 in rear, vertical pro 2.3 in front.
Bottom Line:
baddess crosscountry fork on the planet.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
scb73
a Downhiller
from Escondido, California, Estados Unidos Date Reviewed: February 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Daley Ranch (my backyard)
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$649.00
Purchased At:
Cambria Bike
Strengths:
very plush, adjustable in every possible way, beefy 32mm stanchions compliment my burly bullit's tubing perfectly. performs like a well oiled machine, seals are amazing, blow off valve, the badass color. the fact that i can, without stopping, adjust the travel from 80-125mm and vice versa 3mm at a time or completely with the turn of the top knob. very precise steering, laterally stiff.
Weaknesses:
there are absolutely no imperfections with the Fox Forx Talas RLC, other than the fact that the stickers look like a goudamn marquee. i wish fox would label their forks with subtleness in mind. they need to label their forks like the manitou shermans, simple. keep it simple fox!
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Black Elite 100-120mm (too plush, too much lateral play, not stiff enough, damping was horrible, stickers sucked-damn wind alone blew them off-pieces of crop stickers,looked better with them off anyways. also turning the rebound adjust and the compression adjust knobs had absolutely no effect on performance, something i think manitou put on just to make you think you have a kickarse fork. from day one the piece of sheeyite was horrible, i would never recommend a manitou ever, except maybe a manitou dorado, hmmm.) rock shox judy and psylo, hmmm, the judy sucked and the psylo wasn't too bad. judy was the worst fork i have ever ridden, and i've ridden three different judys', bottom line on the rock shox - don't ever buy one, you'd have better luck winning the lotto then ever being happy with the performance of a rock shox. on top of being one of the worst forks ever made, they are the biggest piles of crop when it comes to working on one, every mechanic i've talked to agree that the rock shox are complicated pieces of cow dung. snaking a clogged toilet with your arms tied behind your back, blindfolded is much easier then servicing a rock shox. even boxxers are pieces of toad dung. sram really picked a winner when they bought rock shox. another excellent piece of advice - don't waste your time, mental health and your embarrassing financial status buying a rock shox - if you know what's good for you.
Bike Setup:
santa cruz "firearm projectile" with Chris King's choice componentry and yes it is worth the few extra duckets to invest in Mr. King's toys, Weirwolves, tom's son post, diabolous bar holder, carbon woven easton dh, dt swiss 14 straight gauge, and my 1991 power grip pedals
Bottom Line:
do you want the best single crown fork that is plush, laterally stiff, looks good and can cook scrambled eggs, well then look no further. this fork is the shizzyhizzy and i couldn't ask for a better fork for everything i do, from cross country to downhill to freeride to whatever gets ridden over. its just hands down the best fork i have ever ridden and it compliments my santa cruz "lethal projectile" perfectly. I was a bit scared being a guinea pig on Fox's new product and it was quite a risk i took investing so much money on this fork however i have become convinced that the best fork in terms of lightweight, looks, precision and all out performance is the FOX FORX TALAS RLC. peace! i don't think i'll ever need another fork, i hope.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Forrest Arakawa
a Downhiller
from 1 Whitfield Ct. Date Reviewed: January 31, 2003
This fork is way ahead of it's time. I've been using it for the past six months and have nothing but good things to say... I get in at least one or two long rides a week on this fork... Besides the ability to adjust this fork from 3-5inches of travel, it has many other qualities that make it the fork of choice if you are riding in varied conditions. I use this bike on everything from smooth XC trails to semi-technical DH and slalom courses... It performs everywhere... Being an air fork, I really didn't think it would hold up to technical descents... Some forks tend to lose air and bottom out when riding in technical conditions... I used this fork on well over 20 rides now and have yet to add any air at all... It was set perfect out of the box. Now keep in mind I'm a scant 180lbs.(ha ha) so needless to say I'm hard on the product... This fork is amazing because it feels like a coil fork but weighs over a full lb. less. Many air forks have adjusments but they don't work... The compression, rebound and lock out adjustments on this fork actually work well! If your a recreational XC racer or just an all mountain rider that would like to conserve weight without sacrificing performance, consider a TALAS...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon Edwards
a Weekend Warrior
from London, England Date Reviewed: January 13, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Minton Batch, Long Mynd
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$882.00
Purchased At:
Leisure Lakes, Nottingham
Strengths:
Suits my bike and riding style perfectly. Light. Stiff. Good range of adjustments. Short dropout to crown length gives fast handling (~20mm less than Psylos). Feel like coil forks. Beautifully made.
Weaknesses:
HOW MUCH!! I think I could find 2pairs of Psylo SL's on the web for the same money. Stacked compression/lockout/rebound knobs awkward to use in winter gloves. TALAS mechanism does not seem user servieable. Travel graduations (ala '03 Psylos) would be v. useful.
Intense Uzzi SL (high BB, short wheelbase). Hope/317 wheels. Hope M4's. XT/ESP9 drivetrain. Light but strong finishing kit.
Bottom Line:
These are replacements for my 100mm Z1's. Have only had them for 2 rides so far. I'll try and post a longer term review later. Bar the niggles mentioned above, I think they're awesome forks. Technical climbs @80mm are easy, and the inevitable road section goes faster. At full extension, drops and big rocks are soaked up in a beautifully controlled fashion. and the handling isn't too sloppy either. Adjustable blowoff on the lockout is quite useful too. Mine are set up so they don't move when climbing out the saddle, but will still soak up bumps at the same time.
My big problem is price. They're a top quality item, that works very well (I much prefer them to Psylo U-turns, really the only comparison), but £600? I got mine on a deal, but they're still a very expensive way to keep your front wheel attached...
My verdict? The best fork for people who want to ride up the hill fast, so they can ride more downhills; but at a price...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Florian
a Cross Country Rider
from Regensburg, Bavaria Date Reviewed: January 12, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Lake Garda in Italy
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At:
Love Hurts, Germany
Strengths:
perfect finish. takes small bumps smooth and big hits without any problems. very stiff and everything adjustable. works perfect.
Weaknesses:
high, higher, highest price. no disc diametre more than 180mm (who can prove?)
Specialized Enduro 03 custom setup. Magura Gustav M, White Industries,
Bottom Line:
best fork ever ridden. do you ask for the price of a porsche? if you can afford, DO IT! Otherwise? Other forks work too... Freeride or touring or cc, I would recommend for all purpose riding!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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