Bike Setup: FSR ground comp rebuilt into Dh, boxxer front, manitou bazooka rear, some other stuff
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Submitted by
Duncan Brabbin
a Downhiller
from Leeds, England
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2002
Strengths: The absolute pooch's privates. Really smooth. Really reliable. Good for many seasons racing and thrashing.
Weaknesses: bit fiddly to adjust but well worth the effort
Bottom Line:
Really good fork, once it's set up, theres no messing about. despite my best attempt to kill them, they just keep comming back for more. repect to the boxxers.
Strengths: Incredibly light weight (for a DH fork). Nice, understated graphics, and beautiful overall external design, especially the one-piece lowers. Smooth, stiction-free travel. Sensitivity to small bumps at most speeds. Stock springs are adequate for most usage. XXX seals seem to keep the junk out pretty well. Oil-damped, open bath system. Crown height options. Good lateral and fore/aft stiffness. True seven inches of travel.
Weaknesses: Like all DH forks, it's heavy when you think about it (mine's on my trailbike. Overkill? I guess.). Do the external low-speed compression and rebound adjustments actually do anything? You have to use an eight inch disc brake rotor (then again, it is a pro-level DH fork).
Bottom Line:
Heavier than my last fork by almost fifty percent, but the seven inches of travel with a six and a half pound weight is amazing. I think it's worth the extra weight in my case. The Boxxer isn't the most sophisticated fork in Rock Shox's line-up and isn't the absolute finest DH fork in the world, but it's hard to argue with World Championships. Boxxers keep winning races, and even though most riders now do it on 2001s, the 2001 and 2000 Boxxer aren't that different. I suppose there's a reason. You just don't mess with a good thing. I've turned mine into my trailbike's fork, as the weight didn't seem as prohibitive as would a fork like the Marzocchi Monster. It's tall up front and that messes up climbing, but with a low profile and a weighted front, it'll get you up, at least. But luckily I'm not toting another three pounds of useless weight as if I were riding a Monster T or Hanebrink, etc. It's a little different when I stand to climb and sprint, as the fork is too soft for that, but with seated efforts, powering my bike isn't that bad with a seven inch fork up front. That said, I know it's not a trail-riding fork by any means, and that's why I love it when the trail turns down. Hell, I don't like climbing anyway. This fork roosts on the descents, and that's what it's all about. Rebound is a bit quick, but I can change oil levels if I need to. With the Pro Deluxe on the back end of my bike, the two feel right together. Lofting the front isn't so bad, but I had to use more force with the extra weight than I had before, but it's a short learning curve. Nice fork, especially for the price I paid for it. No way I'd have thought of it if it were $1000.
Similar Products Used: White Bros., Marzocchi, Manitou, but nothing in the DH realm, except the White Bros.
Bike Setup: Giant AC2 (set in 6 inch travel) with XT/XTR, Raceface stem and post, Hayes hydraulic discs, Easton carbon bar, Rock Shox Pro rear shock.
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Submitted by
pete
a Downhiller
from burlington,ON,Canada
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2001
Strengths: very tunable, stiff, light, plush, tracks extremely wellq
Weaknesses: rebound is a little quick but doesn't bother me
Bottom Line:
this is the BEST racing fork out there hands down, it doesn't need all the rebuilding the Manitou's do and isn't as heavy as the shiver/monster the White Bro's can't even touch it, all other DH forks are big hit type forks ie: avalanche, risse hannebrinks--- well nuff said its really simple if you want a race fork, this is it. its plush, stiff and tracks exceptionally well
Similar Products Used: monster t, WB UD180, shiver
Bike Setup: cheeta prowler, 8" hayes, fox rc, blackspire guide
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Submitted by
Chris
a Downhiller
from Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2001
Strengths: Nice light fork with a plush feel to it. Price not bad compared to others.
Weaknesses: A bit lightweight for bigger dh racers. I broke the top crown and twisted the bottom one on a big jump in a race. Also the seals start leaking under heavy usage.
Bottom Line:
Good for lighter racers and racers who aren't hacks (like me!). But still shouldn't have broke. Racers were using Jr T's over the same jump no prob. Switching to a Stratos S8, time for some real beef!!
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz Bullit, Race Face NS ISIS cranks w/ 48 tooth chain ring and MRP guide, Sun Dbl Wide 24" rim w/ Maxxis 2.7 high roller tire (rear), Mavic D321 26" rim w/ Gazzolodi 3" (front), Hayes 8" front and 6" rear discs and a BROKEN RS Boxxer fork.
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Submitted by
Johny Sarge
a Downhiller
from Brisbane
Date Reviewed: June 28, 2001
Strengths: EVERYTHING, this forks is sooo PHAT !! I can't feal anything using these forks, doing 6-7 foot drops EASY.
Weaknesses: ummmm, weakness... weakness is, can't find a weakness
Bottom Line:
these forks will take u anywhere, the only restriction is your skill
Similar Products Used: Jr T's, dnm upside downs, manitou x-verts DC,rockshox jetts (pretty hardcore NOT,)rst dh
Bike Setup: intense m1, hayes 8" front back, xtr rear, xtr cranks, dx pedels, azonic sten, handlebar, oury grips (nothing beats oury)
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Submitted by
Paul
a Downhiller
from Brisbane, Australia
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2001
Strengths: It is quite good on the weight front but is a 7" fork that is good to use and reliable. When set up they are like butter and track small bumps very well (monsters dont)
Weaknesses: Rebounds to fast even when oil weight changed to 20wt. Spring weight didnt suit my weight. But oh well thats a minor thing.
Bottom Line:
I think that these are good forks and I think that their weight helps in that. That said I think that the Shiver is better.
Another thing is that alot of people I talk to think that the rebound is to fast and you cant slow it down. Also I think that if you only bottom out your fork occasionally then what is the point of buying a 7" fork. Really the fork should be soft enough so that if you do a 5' drop or hit something big at speed then it should bottom out, they have bottom out bumpers it wont hurt them. If they are set up this way then they will be superior over 98% of the track compared to a hard setting.
Eventhough I have only had a set for 1 month I have been tuning them for a year and riding boxxers on other bikes for a year.
Similar Products Used: Monster T , Shiver, Manitou X vert DC, zzyzx, heinibangs(hehehe) and others
Bike Setup: GSR 9", Mavic D321, SRAM, stewart tech cranks and chainguide, Hayes
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Submitted by
Tim
a Downhiller
from Hamilton, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2001
Strengths: 7" is all good not too much flex
Weaknesses: Need rebound and compression adjusters
Bottom Line:
These forks are good, soak up the bumbs and very rearly do they bottom out. They are the best part of my bike, it's the frame that lets me down. I think this fork deserve 4 flamin turds, good fork but there are better... hmmm me thinks MONSTER T
Strengths: Works very well. Quite adjustable. Light. Never bottoms out when set up corrctly for the rider and riding style.
Weaknesses: No fork boots avail yet. Could have longer legs to fit larger (6"+ steerer) frames.
Bottom Line:
Thane - pull your head out man. With the springs removed, the negative springs will extend cutting into the travel stroke. Pull to extend the fork then measure. Its 7"+. This thing is quite reliable and performes well from the box. In the hands of a Susp. tech, it can be tuned to perfection.
Submitted by
Thane Kramer
a Downhiller
from Newtown, PA
Date Reviewed: March 21, 2001
Strengths: well, it does have 7" of travel and looks cool, only good if you're a rockshox fan, otherwise it sucks
Weaknesses: oh, did i say 7" of travel up above? i measured it without the springs installed and it's about 6", rocksh*t counts the negative travel toward the positive, no external adjustment, the adjustment it has is crap,the high speed compression damping is a joke, isn't progressive at all, bottoms out over everything, takes to much time to make the adjustments that make a difference, i think my bmx fork has better quality travel!
Bottom Line:
if you haven't got the message yet, this fork isn't worthy of real dh. it would be fine for a course with up to 4' drops, in order to keep it from bottoming on something bigger you'd have to use stiffer springs which makes the fork too stiff. if you want a good fork by something with good progressive travel so it soaks up the big and little stuff, not just the small stuff, RS tried to do that but their "high speed compresion damping" doesn't even work.
