Boxxer® forks are as at home on hardtails flying through an extreme weekend as they are on pro series full suspension rigs hammering through a World Cup downhill course.
Submitted by
Byangoma
a Downhiller
from Scotland Date Reviewed: February 26, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Glentress
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Plush, look awesome, can take big drops/jumps, ride awesome...
Weaknesses:
no compression adjust
Similar Products Used:
888's, shivers, drop off triples, 66's, fox 40's, boxxer w/c
Bike Setup:
Specialized Demo 8
Bottom Line:
Really good fork, never had any problems. Got it tuned twice, and just gets better and better. Do not hold back in getting some. Better than 888's easily
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jay dub
a Downhiller
from sunnyvale, ca Date Reviewed: November 14, 2007
Favorite Trail:
quicksilver
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
stock on bike
Strengths:
very plush in rock gardens and roots, it eats up stairs. stay stiff during 10ft + drops, doenst bottom out
Weaknesses:
rebound adj. breaks too easy, lacks adjustments.
Similar Products Used:
88 rc2, 40 rc2, 66 ata, jr t's
Bike Setup:
'05 demo 8, manitou swinger 6 way, boxxer race, hayes 9s, mavic 321s laced to hadleys, truvativ hussefelt cockpit/ cranks n bb
Bottom Line:
this is a good entry level dh fork, planning on doing any races or drops bigger than 15 ft, go for the boxxer wc or 888
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
richard
a Downhiller
from north yorkshire Date Reviewed: January 7, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came with the bike
Strengths:
none really.
Weaknesses:
need servicing regularly, seals are crap, spikey as hell.
Similar Products Used:
888rc, jnr t
Bike Setup:
orange 222
Bottom Line:
really bad forks. go for marzocchi everytime, unless you happen to be sponsored by timflooks or something. DO NOT BUY unless you are a fooooooool.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
william townsley
a Downhiller
from scotland Date Reviewed: January 6, 2006
Favorite Trail:
fortwilliam
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$295.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
keeps the bike up good for downhillin and good for drop ofs
Weaknesses:
bottom out top easy
Similar Products Used:
888r shivers
Bike Setup:
fsa 24/7
Bottom Line:
they are good on the right bike your better with worldcups but they do the jop...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bobby Ray Ray
a Downhiller
from Mississauag Date Reviewed: July 4, 2005
Favorite Trail:
the one with all the pickles
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$34.00
Purchased At:
one of those machines that u put a quarter in at the local grocery shop
Strengths:
has many weaknesses
Weaknesses:
you know that little brown part that connects to the dealy beside the foundation by my automobile, god i swear i got all my apples picked by 5 past noon, i went to the best buy and paid 4 dollars! friggen right. i sweat like monkeys eating chicken noodle soup by the president ill be there in 5 minutes!
Similar Products Used:
that dishwasher i purchased at the united furniture warehouse DO DO!
Bike Setup:
well you see, without the sun, the plants cant grow, without the plants, i cant friggen ride my bicycle in places like the whitehouse.
Bottom Line:
YOU CAN TUNE A PIANO BUT U CANT TUNAFISH
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
falls a lot
a Downhiller
from Canada Date Reviewed: July 4, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Bromont
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$325.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
holds the bike up
Weaknesses:
does not hold it up well
Similar Products Used:
whita brothers, marpookie, s8, manapoo
Bike Setup:
Yeti ASX, full saint
Bottom Line:
peice of s crap... worked best when I tossed the suka off a hill with nobody on it.. dented easy..mad crazy pain in the hands, after riding down a paved road.. would rather DH with two 2by4s strapped side by side with the whhel screwed in place with drywall screws
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
PJ
a Weekend Warrior
from MA. usa Date Reviewed: June 30, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
supergo with bike
Strengths:
light, holds corners nicely, and does the job
Weaknesses:
i blew the bushings out when ridden downhill, it felt like the fork was seiezed up. sram/supergo hooked me up with a 05 team lower with brand new enternals and used my top stantions and clamps. very pleased now but i was pissed when i couldn't ride the rest of the weekend.
Similar Products Used:
888rc shiver 05 race
Bike Setup:
new boxxer on ironhorse sgs DH lockons mostly stock
Bottom Line:
great fork for racing hopfully i dont have the problem with the bushings and siezing up. other than that i luv the feel of the boxxers.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
david r
a Weekend Warrior
from NC Date Reviewed: June 22, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$390.00
Similar Products Used:
psylo
Bike Setup:
hardtail
Bottom Line:
im 200+ pounds and ive never bottomed this fork out. Can i say more?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Timish horbay
a Downhiller
from Edmonton Alberta Canada Date Reviewed: May 9, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
United
Strengths:
inexpensive for a dh fork fairly stiff gets a full 7 inches of travel, unlike the jr.t with the heavier for oil, it is plush enough at the start of the travel, but its hard to bottom really light
Weaknesses:
not as good as a 888rc bad turning radius not preload adjustment thrue axle is cheaply made has a ramp-up effect on big chatter causing the fork to almost lock. there is a kit from romic and i think there is one from rock shox that solves this (it is basicly a bigger oil flow valve, you can do it with a drill, if you know what your doing)
Similar Products Used:
888rc, monster T, jr.T, super T, dorado, 66rc, boxxer world cup/ team, sherman breakout, slider, firefly.
For the money, can't be beat. It is almost as stiff as forks that cost twice as much and it is really easy to set up. Also, after the modifications, it works better than any other 7 inch fork that i have found. It gets a full 7 inches, for some reason, most companies give you 6.8 inches!?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kyle
a
from Ellensburg, WA, US Date Reviewed: April 15, 2005
awesome fork have taken 20' drops on it with a hardtail repeatidly, plows rocks like they are nothing, and jumps amazing. the rebound is broken on mine but i dont mind i just put spacers in my fork when i need to change it. also, i think most people dont take the time to set their boxxer up correctly and thats why they have problems with them. i dont have the dampener adjustment on it which sux but i change the amount of fork oil to compliment the type of riding i'll be doing. if you have the money for the team then get it for the adjustments otherwise this fork will do you fine.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Downhiller
from Sydney Date Reviewed: January 10, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
bike addiction
Strengths:
This is a amazing fork full stop. The price you pay is just a bonus. The performance of the fork rips it up i have had no problems. Saved me many times. Any one whinging about it, obviously some have legitimate reasons but alot dont know whats goin on.
Weaknesses:
I guess the fork could suck up some of the track a little smoother but i just need to bother getting one softer spring.
Similar Products Used:
Jr T's Super T's drop off's, boxxer teams, monsters, dorados prob plenty more.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Big hit comp speced up with, Races, 8inch RC, diablous groupo etc.
Bottom Line:
I think for what you pay you are doing well. You wouldnt expect for all the adjustments capabilities of a more expensive fork because your not paying for it. I think this is a superb fork and i have many friends who race with them and love them just as much as me. If you are looking a great DH fork that will huk just as hard as any other for a great price, boxxers and the perfect deal for you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
sam neufeld
a Downhiller
from winnipeg Date Reviewed: December 3, 2004
Favorite Trail:
A-line
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
lambert
Strengths:
feel amazing it is super plush and never bottoms
Weaknesses:
it breaks
Similar Products Used:
marzocchi 888 jrt zi
Bike Setup:
rm6 with everything that is good
Bottom Line:
when this fork works it is amazing. It is plush and the small bump sensitivity is great and yet it will not bottom out. I dropped nine feet to flat and the fork didnt bottom. However the performance is not worth the hassle. I recieved the fork with too much oil in the left leg. this caused the seals to blow off and let oil leak out. This managed to damage the stanchion. After this was repaired the fork perfomed well for another 5 months or so. It is now sitting in my basement waiting for lambert to get back to me about having more warranty work done. The fork no longer compresses past 1 inch. I also think the bushings are shot. The fork is great when it works but reliability counts for a lot in my books.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cody
a Downhiller
from gresham, oregon Date Reviewed: November 22, 2004
Favorite Trail:
wild cat
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
super go
Strengths:
nice and plush, light weight, rbound adjustment.
Weaknesses:
only 7 in of travel
Similar Products Used:
888R, shiver, djII
Bike Setup:
iron horse sgs pro DH
Bottom Line:
good fork for the money but if had more $$ would buy teem or world cup.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
boyer
a Downhiller
from bethlehem,pa,usa Date Reviewed: November 8, 2004
Favorite Trail:
lehigh
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
i think it is awesome for freeriding and hittin big drops. i never bottomed it out even from 8 to flat concrete
Weaknesses:
little too soft for normal pedaling... fork seized up after nose diving on a 20 ft step down gap while goin full speed--rock shocks replaced it in 4 days.
Similar Products Used:
marzocchi
Bike Setup:
sgs dh pro
Bottom Line:
sweet! more that enough travel for me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Bradley
a Downhiller
from New Hartford NY USA Date Reviewed: October 14, 2004
Favorite Trail:
skytop
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$550.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
its simple, light in comparison and cheap, good absorbtion of small bumps, no flex landings
Weaknesses:
its a little too soft even with a light rider
Similar Products Used:
manitou magnum
Bike Setup:
2004 Ironhorse SGS, e.thirteen, FSA, Shimano XT
Bottom Line:
great fork for the price, others may excede it but no where near the price range. great dual crown for the price of a single
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Samson Barker
a Downhiller
from Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: August 18, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Bottom Line:
So the rebound damper in my boxxer just blew...one minute it's there, the next 'click' - no more dampening. At least Rock Shox has lived up to my expectations - they really are crap!
Should have got a Slider Plus....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alex
a Downhiller
from Wilmington, MA Date Reviewed: August 18, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Supergo(Ugh!)
Strengths:
Cheap
Weaknesses:
Piece of sh** seized on my first run. No hucks or drop offs more than a foot.
Bottom Line:
What a piece of crap. Because this thing failed I had to dissasemble my new Iron Horse SGS Pro and ship the entire thing back to Supergo($180). Supposedly I'll get a full refund. We'll see in a few days. The thing is very scratched up, I can't believe this was their solution.
I wish I could give it a zero.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Samson Barker
a Downhiller
from Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: August 2, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Cycles Lambert Inc.
Strengths:
Costs next to nothing, Dead simple internals, Great performance improvement over '03's.
Weaknesses:
Every time the fork is compressed, it squeaks. I haven't done any dissection as of yet to try and solve the problem, but I assume it is the springs rubbing against the inner stancion walls. I'm still waiting for the fork to break in completely, so maybe it will go away. Also my tall upper crown is not the most beautifully tooled piece i've seen...threads are very tight and there were some burrs in the counter-sunk bolt holes.
She felt terrible from the get go, like I needed to drop a spring rate or two, but as the seals are breaking in it just keeps getting better. Range of adjustment of the rebound damper is slight but realistic. Not the stiffest fork out there but for value and performance you can't beat it.
P.S. Has anyone else had this squeaky fork problem?
4 Chilis for Gerbil Power and crappy top crown.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael
a Downhiller
from Brisbane, Australia Date Reviewed: August 1, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
jenson USA
Strengths:
sweet, very plush, lightweight and one of the cheapest, if not the cheapest quality downhill fork on the market. Also good adjustment preload and rebound.
Weaknesses:
not much weaknesses at all with this fork. If you've got the money get the boxxer team or world cup, as they have a few more adjustments to fiddle with such as low and high speed compression.
Similar Products Used:
Jr T
Bike Setup:
Spec Big Hit. With Sun MTX rims, Dice Hoodoo hub and Boxxer race at the front.
Bottom Line:
If you havn't got the money for something like World cup Boxxers or 888's get these. They are very plush and lightweight which is excellent for downhill competition. They are great for racing because of the many adjustments to suite your riding style or just tuning it to get maximum effectivness on a particular trail.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cK
a Downhiller
from N.J. / PA. Date Reviewed: June 15, 2004
Favorite Trail:
DIABLO Freeride Park, Vernon N.J.
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$430.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint
Strengths:
Dirt cheap - compared to most other double crown forks... Fairly lightweight. Aftermarket mods from places like PUSH Industries, and Mojo Suspension
Weaknesses:
...some minor stiction when sitting idle for a day or 2, but if you gently push down on the bars a few times in rapid succession to cycle the oil it smoothes out completly. ... Poor tooling - the tall crown that came standard with my Race had several gouges on the inside of crown ring that slides over the steerer tube. Looked like someone pounded on it with a chisel...Got a Romic replacement crown to fix it - it's got 2 binding screws per stanchion instead of the one per side like on the stock crown - much stiffer. ...slight pogo action due to improper matching of dampening oil weight with spring stiffness.
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi
Bike Setup:
02 Spesh Big Hit Comp, Romic Boxxer Replacement Crown, SRAM X.0 drivetrain, Answer Pro-Taper bars, MRP Chain guide, Sun Rhyno Lite XL rims, Maxxis tires, Fox Vanilla RC, etc
Bottom Line:
Before I go any further I just wanna say that I'm a Marzocchi guy all the way... Unfortunately I don't have Marzocchi money right now, so I went with the Boxxers which are about a pound lighter than most double crown Marzocchis and WAY cheaper.
Aside from the minor stiction it works fine. I still don't get it... These things are SUPPOSED to suck. I've read many reviews on many different websites about the crappy performance issues with BoXXers, esp. the 03' model year... Apparently the first year Rock Shox made the Boxxer in production, it was assembled in the U.S. - these BoXXers have the Cherry Red crowns, and lower legs. If you can find these used, they are well-built and relatively problem free. Soon after Rock Shox moved production to Taiwan and of course quality suffered... Then during the 03' model year everything REALLY went to hell... This is where the BlackBox Kit came in... If you go here you can find it: http://www.blackboxracing.com/BBHome/BBHome.html - The sole purpose of the BlackBox Kit was to correct the sh!tty workmanship and design of the internals - such as cavitation holes that were too small in the dampening rods.
The reason I'm telling you all of this is to get accross the point BUYER BEWARE. At Rock Shox consistency, craftsmanship and quality are unheard of. I'm guessing that I haven't had any problems with my BoXXer Race so far because of the simplicity of the internals. The Race is only adjustable for rebound - no high or low speed compresion. This probably makes it easier to assemble. It's either that, or the guy on the assembly line actually decided to FOLLOW the build instructions for the hell of it.
If you want to really pimp out your BoXXER you can go to bloody Brits at Mojo Suspension on the web and get their BoXXer Cartridge replacement kit - it replaces the internals on any Boxxer with a custom wound spring in one leg, and a completly sealed dampening cartridge in the other. It's also adjustable for compression and rebound.
Everything else on my BoXXer has held up well: lower legs, stanchions, axle, seals, and internals. It made it through practice and qualifying at the U.S. Open, in the rain and mud,..... so far so good.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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