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Submitted by
D Black
a Cross Country Rider
from Rochester, NY
Date Reviewed: July 15, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Rochester Canal Path (unpaved sections) | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | Towners Bike Shop, Rochester NY | | Strengths: | Only 2.1 lbs! Perfect tracking. Low maintenance. Excellent 'set & forget' adjustment. 200% look factor! Since I'm a jumper, it has great travel for jumping and I can keep it on the same setting for everything else. | | Weaknesses: | 30-60 minute setup. | | Bike Setup: | 2000 Trek 7000 full XT, Avid adjustable levers, Suspension seatpost, Panaracer cross country/snow tires, fw titaium goodies. | | Bottom Line: | I'm dreading losing it in my next bike upgrade. It has no disc bracket. :-( | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phil
a Cross Country Rider
from Lafayette, LA
Date Reviewed: November 18, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Point & Shoot. Little if any maintance. Stiff. Responsive. | | Weaknesses: | Sets the stem up a bit, but flip a riser stem upside down and you are back where you started with a conventional fork. Not Disk compatable. | | Similar Products Used: | Judy, SXR, Bomber | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale 3.0 converted to SS. Cook cranks, White Industries wheels, WTB Mutanoraptor 2.4 | | Bottom Line: | I had an old Vector years ago and was very pleased with the design and performance. It actually moves the wheel in the direction of the impact with out any real dive. The Carbon Pro coil over with dampener really makes this work the way it was intended. Not a bunch of travel, but its working way more than you realize. Perfect for XC- SS, or any HT that requires less than 80mm of travel. Love it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Arthur Armstrong
a Weekend Warrior
from Southington, CT
Date Reviewed: March 14, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Tyler Mill | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | New, came with bike 5500c | | Strengths: | Very rigid, tracks perfectly, plush action, high tech, good performance to weight ratio, and bombproof. Cool factor. | | Weaknesses: | no disc mounts | | Similar Products Used: | crosslink ELT, amp5? | | Bike Setup: | yellow spring, smartshox, xtr, easton bars and post, gore cables | | Bottom Line: | I've ridden this hard for five years with minimal maintenance, (lube and grease seals only) and never had a problem with the fork. As for customer service, rear shock blew seal after 10 months, I brought the bike to the shop and was riding a new shock 13 days later. My favorite part about the fork is that it goes where ever it's pointed, without the slop I've felt in every other fork I've tried. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
lippy
a Cross Country Rider
from kearny,nj
Date Reviewed: November 29, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | cambria bicycles | | Strengths: | looks, ummmmmmmm... that's all. | | Weaknesses: | heavy for a fork at this price, shock not upgradeable, | | Similar Products Used: | rs judy | | Bike Setup: | gt lts thermo | | Bottom Line: | heavy but works. i'm a wt.weenie and this fork is about a lb. too heavy. but it looks soooo cool. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Westchester, NY
Date Reviewed: April 5, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Bottom Line: | I bought this fork used here (clasifieds) for about $225.00. I don't think I would pay full retail, but for this price it is a bargain. I installed the fork myself, and setup is a bit tricky, you need enough spacers to keep the "critical dinension" correct. I also bought a lower rise stem to keep my riding position the same.
Performance has been flawless. It took a few rides to dial in the preload and the damping, which couldn't be easier. Tracks awesome and is very smooth. Little to no maintenance is required. I would definetly recomend this fork to any cross-country rider. I think the weight is about 3.2 lbs, which is very respectable for the performance. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
charlie
a Cross Country Rider
from kinnelon, nj u.s.a.
Date Reviewed: April 5, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | they have names? | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | nice and stiff, wonderfully light, travel is supple without being squishy | | Weaknesses: | i bought mine second hand, but they are expensive if bought new, method of failure(not just for this fork, its inherint to carbon fibre/thermoplastic) | | Similar Products Used: | r.s. quadra, judy. manitou 2,3,efc | | Bike Setup: | schwinn proj underground(hard tail, geom. is now slightly lax) | | Bottom Line: | i originally rode a r.s. quadra. the next fork i owned was a judy, and with it came a ten fold leap in what i expected from my suspension. after having the girvin(or noleen, or k2, whatever you may choose), i have again experienced a ten fold leap in my expectations. the fork is wonderful. it soaks up bumps, but you dont loose feel for the trail. it tracks like all get out, and it shows very little brake flex(i ride maguras). the only other fork i have ridden that even came close to it was the halson inversion fork.
as for the company, i did have quite a wait when mine needed repairs. i dont know exactly what the problem is there, but they are very slow in getting things done(things which one would think could be taken care of rather rapidly).
i did crack a fork leg while landing a fair jump, but in all fairness, i landed slightly off(the front wheel was leaning slightly to one side). if it had been a metal fork, there is a fair chance that the fork would have bent and i would have kept going until i chose to stop, but being a carbon fibre leg it flexed in, cracked slightly, and then release the rest of its energy by shooting back up again(and hence, throwing me over the side of my bike for a nice little slide along my stomach). this was an unusual case, and i think a very rare one, but it is something to keep in mind.
overall, i would say that if you can get your hands on one for a reasnoble price, do it, otherwise try and get your hands on a halson. other forks are alright, but they just cant compare. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
TMathis
a Weekend Warrior
from Alexandria, VA
Date Reviewed: October 29, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Shaeffer Farms | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Easy maintenance, rigid, and cool looks | | Weaknesses: |
Uh...not for jumping, noisy, and not for me. | | Similar Products Used: |
Manitou SX-Ds
Fatty D Headshok
Answer Manitou cheap shock | | Bike Setup: |
Super V 900, yup that's right, had to use an adapter worked fine. | | Bottom Line: | Uh I have mixed feelings about this product, but I appreciate my negative feelings are based on the fact that I'm not the type of rider for this shock. I wanted a sturdy shock that was easy to maintain and that was what I got if I was able to stick to pure x-country riding. They were stiff, fast (minimal bobbing while sprinting), and reliable. Unfortunatley, I weigh-in around 220-lbs and when the trail drops off suddenly, oh, about three feet or so and they be them little ramp-like bumps on the trail; I just can't seem to slow down and I get me some air; but when I land, there is a loud clunking sound from the little Girvin and they get all outta-line. Now, I probably lack the skill for soft-landings so it can be my fault; but if you like catching a bit of air or I don't recommend them. However, for pure x-country...awesome fork. Course if you set them to be very responsive to the wee bumps, they are noisy as heck; I liked them really stiff so the sound wasn't a problem to me. I also didn't like how my step height increased due to the way the fork is set up; I couldn't do much about it. Anyways, as an all around fun fork I'd rate them a three, but as a X-country fork I'd give them a four (minus one for weight). | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt Carver
a Cross-Country Rider
from Adair, OK
Date Reviewed: October 12, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Extremely tight steering, No flex, relatively stiff spring setup | | Weaknesses: |
Takes some getting used to (not sure thats a weakness, though) | | Similar Products Used: |
Quadra 21R, Manitou Mach 5 SX, SX-TI, Palmer FS-TI | | Bike Setup: |
Litespeed hardtail | | Bottom Line: | Girvin/Noleen/K2 definitely took the less-traveled trail in designing the Carbon Crosslink - props to them. Not quite sure about the real usefulness of Smartshock yet, though. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
charlie
a Cross-Country Rider
from kinnelon, new jersey
Date Reviewed: July 7, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
dearly departed watchung | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
it simply feels wonderful. so nice and plush. it is extremely rigid where it needs to be. definitely rides nicer than my judy. pretty light, and damn it looks cool. | | Weaknesses: |
raises the front end a little more than other forks. don't forget to check the batteries in your smart shok(where do you buy 9-volts nowadays?) | | Similar Products Used: |
only similar in the sense that they are suspension forks:
rs judy, rs quadra, manitou efc, manitou mach 5, zokes bomber, girvin vector 2. | | Bike Setup: |
bike:schwinn project underground, fork:noleen carbon smart shock, drivetrain:varied | | Bottom Line: | i really think this is the best cross country fork you can buy. i bought mine for 290 right here on mtbr(i wasnt about to pay 600+ dollars for a fork). this fork is wonderful. if you have had a bad experience with the older vector/vector2 dont think it applies. my riding buddy has a vector 2 on his pf 856, and i can believe that the forks are even 'related'. 3 inches of travel is perfect as far as i can tell for xc, no real squishiness, but it also takes the hits for you, and this fork delivers those 3 in. better than anything else on the market. i would tell everyone to buy one, but look here on mtbr.com instead of blowing your money on some mail order place. this fork is great, but it is still just a fork, dont spend more than $300 on it. five stars, but i wish i could give it more. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Morgan
a Weekend Warrior
from Noblesville, IN
Date Reviewed: June 2, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Nebo Ridge, Brown County | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Stiff, Plush | | Weaknesses: |
Fitting the fork to a frame that wasn't made for it is awkard (or impossible, and might require a differnt stem to maintain riding position. | | Similar Products Used: |
Judy XC, X-vert | | Bike Setup: |
Marin hard tail w/Pro Carbon and NR2, Mavic Crosslinks | | Bottom Line: | I bought this fork because the design made good engineering sense to me, and so far it's been great! It has excellent bump response at speed, and nothing else I've ridden tracks as well in the fast twisties. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bob
a cross-country rider
from Tennessee
Date Reviewed: February 28, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
It's been workin' great. Tracks fine. To be super critical, the fork isn't squishy supple at speeds below 10 mph. Above 10 mph, it's nervana dudes and dudettes. Servicing is simple, overhaul is painless. Don't show a 'tude to your LBS and parts come quick. I've ridden Manitou and Rockshox. Both washed out when the steering got sketchy (big time bummers). 5 chilis, now go ride kids! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Will
a weekend warrior
from Ott
Date Reviewed: February 24, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a vector1 at first not a great shock but as I upgraded it.. it became one of the best front forks I've ever used.
So if you have an old vector and you want to know how to make it work.
check out my page
http://www.cyberus.ca/~will/Gervin.htm
and drop me a line
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Leland Turner
a racer
from Connecticut
Date Reviewed: February 8, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
For cross country racing this fork is far better than anything else on the market. I have a year of hard racing on it with great results. Some people's reviews complained about customer service but if they had gone to a K2 dealer rather than done it themselves they would have no problem. As a dealer employee I've found that parts were always recieved within a week. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Chandler
a cross-country rider
from pennsylvania
Date Reviewed: January 12, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
The noleen pro carbon may be the best cross country fork on the market. It is a fork that can truely be dialed in to the riders weight and riding style. I have ridden many other high end forks and not one holds a line or has the flex free performance of the pro-carbon. This is a fork that lets you pick you line and stay with it because the fork takes care of bumps big and small. The only downside to this fork is everyone wants to ride your bike because of it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marc
a cross-country rider
from Northern Virginia
Date Reviewed: October 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I replaced my Vector 2 with the Expert Cross Link 98. Great shock, much better then the Vector, but watch out for the installation,(I had the shop do it). The critical measurement they mention is really critical and check the torque on all the bolts. Also, make sure they grease the linkages since they come only with minimal grease. After the installation bugs were worked out this fork was perfect; well damped,quiet, plush w/ 3 toply with. And on sale for $275. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Garner of the Hill People
a cross-country rider
from SW Missouri
Date Reviewed: September 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
From the reviews you've pretty much got the idea that this fork is a dream to ride, but there have been many comments about poor service. Allow me to share my own experience. i have the '97 Girvin Crosslink Elite with the Nr2:I ordered this fork via the mail from Irvine Bike source. At about 700 miles my seal blew. I took it to the nearest K2 dealer (you know how much they hate the words mail order). The guys at Cycles Unlimited in Springfield Mo said no problem. For $8 shipping I had no warranty hassles, no paperwork, and no phone chases. Noleen sent them a reconditioed shock unit in less than 5 business days. Plus, they swapped me a softer spring that better suited my weight. Now that's service. At 1000 miles I treated the old shockster to a new set of seals and bushings to keep up defences against the Ozarks elements. These cost me $25 bucks for everything, even new grease port screws and other non-wear items. So, after a hard year of all-seasons riding I still have a great for that works like new.This fork is loads better than the Englundized Judy on my second bike and lives up to all of its claims. Perfect steering precision, consistent effective head tube angle throughout all 3 inches of travel, zero flex, and the smoothest zen ride available. This is the third bike I've had it on (a steel Schwinn HT) and the Girvin is the starting point for any build. It's easy to stay on top of the maintainance with a few zaps form the old grease gun. Buy two today.5 big ol' flamin' chiles | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Don
a cross-country rider
from powell, tn
Date Reviewed: August 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've been riding my first full suspension bike for a month now(proflex 957) This bike came with the pro-carbon fork. I knew I was in for an improvement over my previous bike a riged Giant 870. But, WOW I can not beleive how much this fork has improved my riding. It is awsome on everything I put it through. big hits little hits it doesnt matter. I cant begin to tell you how much I love this fork. top score from me. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter Sintic
a cross-country rider
from Hamilton ontario
Date Reviewed: August 12, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
There is no substitute for this fork. I weigh over 225 and enjoy crazy downhills and I have incredible confidence with this fork. This fork just laughs at the abuse I give it and asks for more! On uphills it is quite good and gives little flexion. The fork gives some nasty noises when it locks out going over roots and jumps however. Despite the noise, it still gets the top tamales | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Thomas
a cross-country rider
from Berkeley, California, USA
Date Reviewed: May 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I was riding a 96 Judy w/ WTB brace. I decided to finally build my own super bike. You know, the bike you always wanted to get, but you never had the spare cash to throw away. Despite the bad press over the 97 NR2s, I ordered a '98 Noleen Carbon C (the non-smart shock version). After it arrived, I had a custom single speed frame built around it, and then spent way too much on a bunch of new components. So, on with the review of the shock. There were a couple of small things that really annoyed me when I installed it:1. One of the Extreme Seals (plastic rings that keep dirt out of the pivots) was broken during factory assembly. I called the Customer Service line, and the Rep was very nice to me, and promised that a replacement will be sent out right away. A month later, I called him again and asked why the seal hasn't come yet. He said that he forgot to send it, apologized, and said that it will be shipped later that day. That was 2 weeks ago... I guess it's time to call AGAIN.2. Two bolts arrived from the factory already damaged (rounded), because they used an old, or worn, allen key during assembly. Replacements are also on the way.3. The shock doesn't have a serial number on it. What's up with that? It's hard to get insurance for an item that I can never really prove I own.Okay, enuf with the cry-baby part, what does the shock ride like? Was it worth the little problems? YES. This shock delivers in many ways that made it worth all the cash I plunked down for them:1. PLUSSSSSSHHHHHH! Compared to my Judy, the Noleen is a wonder. I believe that the j-path design allows the shock to absorb much more of a hit that comes from in front of the wheel (roots, stutter-bumps, half exposed rocks). In fact, the trails feel so smooth I occationally need-bunny hop the bike to check if I have a slow flat ... it's just the shock soaking up more than I expected.2. My Judy had a WTB brace that was supposed to help keep the fork from flexing (especially in sharp turns). The Judy doesn't come close to the torsional stiffness of the Noleen. The Noleen corners like as accurately as a rigid fork, and the front v-brake rub that drove me crazy with my Judy, never EVER happens with the Noleen.3. The rebound damping actually WORKS! All of my friends also owned Judys, and none of us were ever able to adjust the damping so that it ever felt different. On the other hand, when you make rebound adjustments on the Noleen shock, you can FEEL the difference. It simply works, period. 4. Grease ports sure make maintenance a breeze.5. This model is advertised as weighing 3.3 lbs. Out of the box, it weighed-in at 3.3 lbs (on a postal scale). Honesty, nice touch Noleen.Anyways, this fork feels different than any I have ever tried. As consumers, we are constantly besieged by advertisers, misleading us in an attempt to take every last dollar we have. It's refreshing to finally find a truly unique product that is not simply a retread of someone elses idea, and IT WORKS.I might even give the smart shock a try.5 STARS for the product, and company. Minus 1 STAR for the little annoyances. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Hebel
a cross-country rider
from Milwaukee WI
Date Reviewed: April 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I am now in the process of writing a formal report about the Crosslink ProCarbon and Rock Shox SID. From everyone's responses, either people love the fork, or hate it (mostly Girvin's service sucks). It is like a religion--you have the firm believers, and the blastphemers. While I'm writing my report, I will have to be objective... Otherwise, the fork is the best design--simple grease ports, true 3 of travel, very stiff and tracks very well. But the seals for the Nitrogen will eventually leak; supposedly they are fixed for the '98 models, but hey--what about MY fork?!?!? Worrying about service, I have to give it 4 tamales. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ZUKILL
a cross-country rider
from Ljubljana,Slovenia,Europe
Date Reviewed: April 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I wasn't satisfied with Judy SL '97 (why? see review there). So i've made decision to upgrade fork. In close inspection came 3 fork models: Rock Shox SID, Marzocchi Z2 and Girvin (Noleen from now) Cross-link Carbon. After dissapointment with Judy i've decided not to buy anything from them for some time. Marzzochi ARE great preformers and inexpensive but weight is not acceptable for my STS-1 and they are telescopic compared to paralelogram linkage. So there was new Cross-link.
1.installation:
My STS have cable holds (actually: holes trough frame) on head tube. When fork was turned it kept bending cables. There was a BIG problem with re-routing cables but it was solved succesfully.
2.first few rides:
Setup was wery soft: small bumps were like riding over butter, big bumps bottomed out fork.
3.NOW:
I've made initial preload little stiffer(max 1/4 of travel), with more damping(1/3 of clicks), it balanced front with rear suspension well (felling: equal travel when jump on place). Fork enhanced bike cornering (torsionally stiffer than any telescopic fork), bump preformance (wheel travel isn't line, it's curve), and speed stability (little longer wheelbase when not in bump action) and it look awesome with carbon thermoplastic frame.review: 4 chillies (because of installation trouble) for now.... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kurt Useldinger
a cross-country rider
from Santa Cruz California
Date Reviewed: March 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I first installed the 97' Pro-Carbon on my Ventana FS Marble Peak 8 months ago and I installed a 98' ELT on my Huber Aluminum Hardtail. THIS FORK IS AWESOME!!! I used to hate riding my hardtail, it had a Mach 5 Manitou with speedsprings- now I love riding my hardtail with the Girvin Fork.The thing eats bumps, great in technical rocky stuff, super rigid laterally ( nothing else comes close), great downhilling, and really easy to maintain. Buy a grease gun.I love this fork. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ERIK BALAY
a cross-country rider
from BKLYN. NY.
Date Reviewed: March 16, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
For 10 years I've been riding, HARDCORE!
For 5 years I've watched and researched suspension manufacturers.
Finally I placed all my bets on the Girvin Carbon, Noleen and K2 as the winning decision.
What a F--KING MISTAKE!!! $600 for what? To support the as--oles that make this sh-t. To be treated like an ignorant novice, and then to wait months for a fork that doesn't even fit my frame. Thats right, I orderd a 1 steerer tube, they say,No Problem, we have a conversion kit just for you. (an extra $50)
Save $100 bucks, and buy a BOMBER! 3 days later I was riding on cloud nine,
not to mention MARZOCCHI manufacturers live to satisfy your every suspension need. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a cross-country rider
from CA
Date Reviewed: February 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This thing sucks almost as much as the company itself. Save yourself some ride time and get a real fork. Girvin/Pro Flex must have absolutly no interest in customer service. When you bust something in this fork don't plan on riding your bike for 2 or 3 months becuase thats how long it will take for them to fix it and send it back to you. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike C
a cross-country rider
from Pawcatuck, Ct
Date Reviewed: January 30, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The Pro-Carbon is replacing a Vector two on my Klein, and I say that it is awesome. It's lighter, has more travel, is stiffer, more responsive, more adjustable, and just better than the Vector two. This fork is a great option for people looking at a SID, as it has more travel (and ounces) for the same price. On technical and very rough terrain, nothing can beat this fork. I have no problem diving into a blind corner, because I know the fork can handle anything in there. My one complaint is the lack of cable guides. Cable rub is a major concern with this fork, as it is concieveable to wear into the carbon legs. I solves this problem by Ziptying a piece of 4mil mylar bag to the fork leg. Zipties are black, the mylar is silver, and the fork leg is protected. If you don't hace access to mylar, then a piece of inner tube will do. The only thing left is to install my custom Guinness label. Join the cult; ride cross-linked. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gunther, Girvin Guru
a cross-country rider
from Branson Missouri
Date Reviewed: January 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Maintou/RockShox is a business. Girvin Crosslink is a religion. The best thing in the world you can do for your bike. I have the Elite on my Scwhinn sweet spot and wouldn't trade it for anything. A full three inches of super-plush travel really balanced out my back end. This fork is a must for anyone who considers themselves a technical rider. Plus, even with that three inches, the fork's linkage is offset so that you don't gain any heighth over most stock forks. If you're worried about the fork rake, don't; it's the same. Maintainence is much improved over traditional telescopers but it still doesn't do itself.Buy one soon. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Justin Bryant
a racer
from MA
Date Reviewed: January 16, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The Pro-Carb. is so much stiffer than any other cross country fork on the market. In races the fork has shaved me from flying over the handle bars. And I had my pro-carb for a while. I now have an elite. My NR-2 shock was bad and they sent a replacement it in a week. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Reddy Setgo
a cross-country rider
from CA
Date Reviewed: December 16, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've been waiting since 11/3 for a replacement of my blown shock.
I've been basically ignored by this company.
No way in hell they're gonna get 5 chili's from me,
or 5 bucks of my future business.
As soon as I repair this faulty piece of equipment,
I'm selling it to some poor shmuck and looking elsware for a solid shock and company.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Shane
a cross-country rider
from California
Date Reviewed: November 15, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This fork is so plush, it soaks up every protrusion on the hill like it's not even existant. Looks awesome, too. It's amazing how many heads i've seen turn. The next best thing to a rigid fork as far as steering precision, only the shock absorbs and rebounds better than any other suspension fork i've tried. The nitrogen cartredge isn't affected by temperature, so your shock doesn't go stiff on you in the cold. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jason edens
a racer
from Mukilteo WA
Date Reviewed: November 14, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Good Fork. ULTRA STIFF! Great in technical due to this and easily maintained in the wet stuff due to grease injection ports. My Maguras don't flex out the front like my old Judy so I get more powerful breaking. Eats more VS. weight ratio than any other fork on the market. Noleen NR-2 blows seals frequently and Girvin is terrible to deal with so that's a major minus. Also raises the front end of your bike which may be a bad thing. I'm just now starting to like that effect except on the super steep ups. 3 chilis but I'm pretty cynical.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben Cashman
a cross-country rider
from Stowe, VT
Date Reviewed: November 5, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Finally, after seemingly endless days of waiting for the 1 conversion kit and hours of fiddling to get the thing to fit on my frame correctly, I have my new Pro-Carbon up and running, and it rides even better than i was hoping. My bros all have Girvin forks and convinced me to get with the program and get one, and i'll tell you it's the best investment I've made on my bike yet... makes my MAG 21 feel like a pogostick. This piece is just plain rad! Can't wait to go out and rip tomorrow! Only drawbacks are K2/Noleen customer service and the $600 price tag, but I got a sweet deal so that doesn't matter! Five flamers for this bad-ass... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim
a racer
from Connecticut
Date Reviewed: November 1, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
great product. grease ports!!! simple design with less parts then the old Vector forks. The NR-2 shock (I have an elite fork) is soo plush. very smooth on the small bumps, and soaks up the largest hits like nothing. test ride a pro-flex at your local dealer and see for yourself. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
allen
a racer
from georgia
Date Reviewed: October 30, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
by far the best fork to come along is the crosslink - now with smart shock technology nothing else is in the game anymore - what can they think of to top this? Ten chilis
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
lee herron
a cross-country rider
from NY
Date Reviewed: October 11, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I own the carbon elite and after trying amp,rock shox and manitou I think it is a great fork.BUT....K2 better git their ---- together because I just became one of the many that have been waiting over a month for a replacement NOLEENS BLOWN SHOCK.Not a very good way to do business in my eyes. SO... I am going to bring the highest average rating down in revenge! 1 chili for POOR SERVICE ! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Skip
a cross-country rider
from Taiwan
Date Reviewed: October 4, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've been very happy with the performance of my Girvin Elite. I had an old model Vector which I was not completely happy with (links coming out of alignment after minor crashes, unresponsive elastomers, frequent maintenance after bad weather riding-common in Taiwan) but with the reengineering of the Elite all of those problems had been entirely eliminated. I really like this fork! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Simon
a cross-country rider
from Taiwan
Date Reviewed: October 4, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have got a Girvin Elite with the NR2 Noleen, so far ridden 50 km, it is laterally and under breaking very solid no flex close to a rigid fork. Good for XC course and precise steering situations. Worth avery peny | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean
a racer
from Ma.
Date Reviewed: September 19, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
My friend and i got bought 2 forks from Girvin about 9 months ago. He got a Girvin Elite. I got an upgrade kit for my Vector 2. I thought thee Vector 2 was the best fork ive ridden (ive ridden all the new and old judys, the new manituss ) until i rode the Elite. All i can say is WOW THIS THING ROCKS!! It can handle anything. Maintenence is a sinch and he has no complaints. If your looking for a new fork ride em all then ride a Girvin. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd Morken
a cross-country rider
from ND
Date Reviewed: September 5, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This thing is sweet. It tracks like a rigid, eats everything up due to the travel arc instead of just a telescopic movement. It's one of the few forks you can properly set up for a 200+lbs rider, try setting up a judy for that without either putting leaf springs in it or having it flex like a noodle. The carbon legs don't even need a brace to keep from flexing with xtr v's. It's not like the bomber either, you don't use 3/4 of the travel on the sidewalk making a plush couch ride. The dampening/rebound adjuster actually CHANGES the ride feel not like other forks. The only fork I've ridden that's close is the Lawill 3 and with 3 of travel and less weight you can't beat this fork.You do have to watch the install, they are a lot more touchy than most forks. And it also will raise your bars up about 1.5 due to the upper link.Great fork, price is kinda high, but it's carbon, get the AL version if you want economical. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Woody M
a
from Northern Virginia
Date Reviewed: August 25, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I was given a Girvin Elite for my birthday this past May. It has totally changed
the feel of my Fisher. No matter what I throw its way the Girvin eats it up. It
is very plush with no sticktion. It has one down side. In order to get it to fit
on my Fisher, 6 spacers were used, changing the geometry of my frame. As a result my handle bars are about 1.5 inches higher than before. Climbing steep hills is a greater challenge because of this. This is a great shock and should be considered when looking for a shock. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve
a cross-country rider
from Gilroy, CA
Date Reviewed: August 23, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
After a couple of months and a few hundred miles of riding, here's an update on the Girvin Elite. It still performs as when it was new. The Noleens are holding up with no seal leakage. NO play on any of the pivot points. I've ridden all the hardest terrain my skills would allow. I'm riding faster, in more control and I'm looking for the big hits. I get lots of comments from other riders and it's diffinitely an attention getter. So am I still happy with the Girvin? You bet I am and I wouldn't think twice about buying another. Read all the other reports on the other forks on this site. All have their good points, but read the bad points and you'll find the Girvin has the highest ratings of all the forks on this website. What more can you ask for in a fork? It handles all hits, big, small and everything in between. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Erik Bjur
a cross-country rider
from Reno, NV, USA
Date Reviewed: August 13, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
After reading the awsome comments about the Girvin Elite and Expert, I have disided to get one for my GT pantera. Thanks for all the great comments, now I just hope there true. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Shane Russell
a cross-country rider
from Lethbridge,A.B.CAN.
Date Reviewed: August 11, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
If going fast and picking a narrow line is important to you than this is the fork for you. High maintainence fork but can be done very quickly. I have almost 5800Km's on mine and have bent the steerer tube and blown the seals on the NR2. The carbon fiber is exceptionally strong and can take the abuse, maybe someday Noleen can get their shit together and make seals that can take the punishment this fork was designed for. The seals will almost certainly melt on really long fast downhills, so lube often. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wally
a cross-country rider
from usa
Date Reviewed: August 9, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have just finished a two month mountain bike trip that included riding in Central Florida, Western N. Carolina, Vermont and the Adirondacs in New York.
I brought two bikes, an 856 w/a new Girvin Elite and a 97 LTS w/ a Judy downhill. The Girvin, though heavy was awsome. It is a dream in all conditions
and really excells at small/med bump performance. The fork requires no maintenance and ate everything in its path. I would have to say it was far
superior to the Judy in all conditions even downhill. I believe this is the best production fork on the market and worth a serious look if you are looking
for a cc fork. get one and float.... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian Schmitz
a cross-country rider
from Puyallup, WA
Date Reviewed: August 8, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I got the pro carbon on a proflex 957 about a month ago. The fork is sweet, it never wanders on climbs, it eats up the bumps (especially the small and midsize ones). It is a breeze to service, no hidden from sight parts (read problems with innards of judy rotting out) easy to use grease ports, no special tools required. More rigid than Mike Tyson at a beauty pagent. The only negatitive is the use of yellow for the dropouts. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ron Page
a cross-country rider
from Garland, Texas
Date Reviewed: August 6, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I purchased the CrossLink Elite a little over a week ago, and I gotta tell you, no way did I expect this great an improvement over my old Girvin II. This thing is outta sight. Totally plush, very rigid, best money I've spent on my bike. The Noleen is great! If it really takes several hours to break this thing in I'm going to need to get myself a Cadillac tattoo. It's that smooth already. 5 stars to Girvin for getting it right. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Duane
a racer
from Boulder
Date Reviewed: July 7, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
To Gordon: You CAN do that with a Judy. The Judy has a removable cable stop (held by a screw). So you can use cantis or Vs with the Judy fork. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gordon
a weekend warrior
from Kansas City
Date Reviewed: July 7, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought the Crosslink Elite about two weeks ago and apart from a poorly written installation manual I have no complaints. This fork is light, stiff and plush. I will say however that this sucker dives on hard stops, so scoot back a bit before cranking those levers. Overall an outstanding value ($380 from Performance) and after 100 miles no creaks or groans. As an added bonus you can still use you cantis and then up grade to V's by removing the brake stop. Try doing that to your Judy. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve
a cross-country rider
from Gilroy, CA
Date Reviewed: June 27, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I just bought the Girvin Elite. This fork is GREAT! I had a Manitou 4 with the Answer spring kit. There's no comparison. After breaking in the fork, pretty stiff for the first few hours, it worked fantastic on all terrain. Small and medium size bumps are absorbed better than my Manitou 4, and the BIG bumps are just sucked right up. It takes awhile to get the rebound damping right as there are over 35 clicks of adjustment, but once dialed in it works beautifully. Really stiff torsionally, which is great for ruts and rocky terrain. I rode my friend's Judy's and Manitou Ti forks and feel this is the best amoung the three. I did have to replace my Noleen 2 shock, five days turn around time, after two weeks of riding because the seal was leaking. I've heard this was a problem when they purchased Noleen, but the problems have been solved. Now I had the updated Noleen 2 shock, it's broken in and I'm very pleased with my purchase. A true 5 star rating and I was a diehard Manitou Fan. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marc Rose
a weekend warrior
from Toronto, Ont, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 27, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I just bought a PF 656 with the new Girvin Cross-Link Expert forks and they are awesome! I fly over all obstacles, especially compared to my old rigid bike! The Noleen spring absorbs all the bumps (big or small) but doesn't give a pogo-effect. I would recommend these forks to anyone (buy them in red, they're cooler that way!) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a racer
from Washington, DC
Date Reviewed: May 20, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
The Girvin Pro-Carbon Shock is nothing short of Schweeet!!!! It defines the word plush! The first time out with it on board it saved my neck with its smoothness (I probably would have went down with a Judy). I ride hard and I ride a lot so having equipment that can stand up to a 190 lb. man pushing the limits is imperative. One other thing...the 'Cool Factor' is very high and that doesn't hurt a bit!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jeremy waldrop
a racer
from columbus, nc
Date Reviewed: April 12, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
the girvin pro-carbon fork is so sweet, it works so well on any kind of
terrain. and when you stand up to climb it does flex go up and down like
regular forks do. best fork you can buy. noleen nr-2. the cross link
expert works just as well but has aluminum legs. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Crash
a cross-country rider
from Massachessets
Date Reviewed: March 23, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Super stiff, rides like a ridgid, nothing quite like, another big one from GIRVIN.
Go out and ride a girvin today | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a cross-country rider
from winston-salem, NC
Date Reviewed: March 9, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I just bought aGirvin Pro-Carbon about a month ago and I love it. It was a little stiff to start out but give the elastomers about 2 weeks to break in, and you'll have a super-bad fork. It weighs almost nothing and it has great absorption, but after I put a speed-spring in there it will be even more so. Racing starts next month and this super-lite, ultra-stiff, super-bad fork is going to get me first. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
M. Gray
a cross-country rider
from
Date Reviewed: March 8, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have the carbon/NR-2 coil shock version and it is EXCELLENT. Super stiff, light enough (3.4 pounds) and does not dive like telescopic . Ledge drop offs the thing rules and is always there. Super adjustable on the trail and the quality is 1st rate. Blows the old Girvin forks away. Check out all details to fit to your bike before you buy (head tube height, handlebar height,stem rise etc.). Paul at MOJO Wheels (888-get-mojo) is knowledgable and has good prices. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave C
a cross-country rider
from Brown U
Date Reviewed: March 4, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This shock is awesome. Everything about it is awesome including the price(retail is $600). It ways 3.5lbs, which is heavy for a thermoplastic fork. But the weight is necessary to keep it strong and make it last, because it works by hinges. It is absolutely stiff. There is no flex. It gives 3.5 inches of very plush travel. Its definitely totally unique looking. The single shock is Noleen and adjustable. Girvin/Proflex customer service is not that great. So if good customer service is important consider something else. But you definitely won't find a better fork anywhere. | | Overall Rating: |
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