Submitted by
Superpilot
a Cross Country Rider
from Raleigh, NC USA
Date Reviewed: March 20, 2009
Strengths: Cheap, Good beginner fork before you know what you really need.
Weaknesses: Never could leave it "Plush" because I could bottom it out and I only weigh 150. Gets real stiff when it gets cold due to elastomer type suspension
Bottom Line:
It's a good starter fork before you really know what you need. Now a days I wouldn't pay over $15.00 for one. There is a little adjustment on it and no one I know who had one ever blew it out. It's pretty tough, but there's not a whole lot there to break. I think it's heavier than the 4 lbs it says. I took it off my 4500 and put on a 3lb fork and the front end was always lifting up on climbs. Good for learning what you want, or a replacement for a cheap fork.
Similar Products Used: Judy, SID, Spinner Aeris Sport (awesome, light)
Bike Setup: Was on Trek 4500
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Submitted by
tazzer
a Weekend Warrior
from penrith uk
Date Reviewed: December 22, 2008
Strengths: the paint
Weaknesses: adjusters stop working after three rides out,
dust seals never fit the inner legs there was a 3mm gap between them,
forks seized after 2 months of medium strength riding,
Bottom Line:
i would rather save up and get a set of 2001 mazocchi z5 air then buy this pile of useless rubish
Bike Setup: GT Tempest with the triple triangle and Deore shifters.
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Submitted by
Gerson Lara
a Weekend Warrior
from Tegucigalpa Honduras
Date Reviewed: September 14, 2007
Strengths: Really sticks the wheel to the ground on raw terrain (rocks, roots) it handles really well the small obstacles. Can take drops of at least 2 feet without any pain. It has an excellent turning ability, it feels safe when turning at high speed over small rocks or roots.
Weaknesses: The adjustment knob seems to do nothing. somedays it feel stiff, while others its really smooth. Vibrates a little when braking.
Bottom Line:
I have given a very hard use to this fork, using it in raw terrain Cross Country / DownHill but never at racing performance. You cannot hit big obstacles with this fork without being prepared to properly flex your arms. I have never bottomed it, but my highest drop with it has been 60 cm (2 ft.). I recommend this fork for a beginner or a buddy who doesn´t want to spend a lot. You also have to consider your weigth, my friend gave it to me because he bottomed it a lot.( he weights more than 200 lbs. while I weight 170.) The fork in my case worked a lot better when I improved to stiffer rims and changed the straight, short handlebars with a riser, downhill style and wider one.
Similar Products Used: 2 different Manitou Answer Double Crowns, (120 & 170 mm aprox)(on some Trek VRX frames)
Bike Setup: Some brand-less, hand-made frame previously with some cheap sigle wall aluminum rims. recently upgraded to double wall aluminum alloy rims. Has been used with Maxxis tires, Bontrager tires but lately using some Kenda tires that cost less than $5(and they work better than the others)
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Submitted by
George
a Cross Country Rider
from Maryland
Date Reviewed: July 4, 2006
Strengths: i have yet to find any.
Weaknesses: where do i begin? extraordinarily flexy, wayyyy too soft, i think the preload adjustment knob is only for show.
Bottom Line:
if i could give this thing 0 flaming poos, i would. if someone pays you to take this fork off their hands, it may serve well as a paperweight. other than that, i find that this fork is actually a step down from a rigid fork, due to its extremely soft feel. its so soft that i have bottomed it going off a curb. in addition, whenever i try to bunny hop, as it tops out it makes a large clunk, which i know is bad. i guess i should expect this from crappy trek bikes; its taken me two crappy bikes to figure out they're terrible!
Similar Products Used: i've used 2 of these on trek bikes (came stock). also a couple marzocchi forks, which are far better
Bike Setup: 2000 and 2001 trek 6000 and 4500's
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Submitted by
Nick
a Cross Country Rider
from Ellsworthia
Date Reviewed: January 21, 2005
Strengths: Good price, great transition from rigid fork, climbs well. Can be used to do dirt jumps and hops.
Weaknesses: No fast down hill ability. Need to get used to the bottoming when doing dirt jumps and hops. Bottoms on very bumpy trails.
Bottom Line:
Used on a heavy frame hardtail. It's a do it all fork for XC. Don't hope to compete against elite riders with these forks, but for novice level racing it is usable. Found on my do it all bike, it does dirt jumps, hops, urban stuff and agressive XC. No one wants to steal these forks off my bike. I started out riding MTB on no front suspension, even using steel frame road bikes 20 years back. Just had to write this review to compliment a usable good value fork that does its job - it keeps my hands gripping the handle bar when riding high speed over very bumpy trails strewn with roots. If you aren't able to ride well with these forks, the other up-market forks won't make you a better rider. If you're into comfort on trails, better get something else.
Bike Setup: Three bikes, many parts shared between them for varied feel and applications. Changed on a weekly basis.
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Submitted by
Mo Elinsky
a Weekend Warrior
from Bethesda, MD US
Date Reviewed: February 15, 2004
Strengths: Cheap... i guess it has good shock absorption for riding over things such as speed bumps and maybe off curbs.
Weaknesses: no disc mounts, tiny stachions, no adjusments, bottoms out too easily, flexy, cheesy dropouts, terrible damping.
Bottom Line:
If you are looking for a fork to simply smooth out road riding and maybe some unpaved road riding, this is a fork to try out since it is cheap and light. However, i would not take this fork off road, off drops, or off curbs more than 6 inches high. It would probably work well as a winter fork.
Bike Setup: '03 Bullit, 5th element, shiver, mag 30's, hayes 8" XT drivetrain ETC
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Submitted by
andy
a Cross Country Rider
from oklahoma city
Date Reviewed: November 8, 2003
Strengths: better than rigid that i used to ride good value since it came on my bike
Weaknesses: bottoms out way to easily for this 190 lbs. rider. to flexy no external adjustments
Bottom Line:
better than nothing but not by much. you might get by with this fork if you are a beginner or do not get off road very much. other wise spend the money on a little better fork
Submitted by
jospeh alvarado
a Cross Country Rider
from dallas, TX
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2002
Strengths: Strength/Solid; and they are better than forks
Weaknesses: Bottom/Top Out a lot, and make a knocking noise when braking.
Bottom Line:
These shox came on my bike. I can't say that they are great, but I've hit the hardest trails in all of TX, and They haven't kept me from taking drops, or the extreme slate downhills of So,TX. I use my bike hard/everyday(weeks-road/weekends-trail), and I weigh 205lbs. So if you have to get them, do so. 2 of my friends have invested 3g's+ in their bikes (MT Tam, DBR carbon, SID's), and when it comes to race time I'm showin them how 2 ride. The rider makes the bike, the bike doesn't make the rider. I will be getting better shox soon, but I really don't need them as much as I want them. They get 4 and 4 flaming chilis because they do what they are supposed to.
Similar Products Used: Judy SL, SID race, Manitou Magnum R
Bike Setup: Trek 4500, '02 XT r. derailleur;Monkey Lite carbon risers/Seatpost, Jett, Conti-Cross Country, Scott Clipless, Selle San Marco seat-Ti rails, XT casette, IG chain
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Submitted by
Pat Spencer
a Weekend Warrior
from Mt Uniacke
Date Reviewed: October 5, 2002
Strengths: i dont think they have any. Well they say "rock shox" they are adjustable (well they have adjusters!)
Weaknesses: they are skeletal and cheap and bottom out off any thing.
Bottom Line:
These shox SUCK ! dont buy them if they come on your bike upgrade them! They bottom out easy for me and all i do is abit of urban assult and cross country riding.
Bike Setup: 2000 GT Palomar with mavic rims and deore,stx-rc and LX components
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Submitted by
chris lloyd
a Weekend Warrior
from mt uniacke
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2002
Strengths: none well they hold the wheel on and better than rigid thats about it!
Weaknesses: every thing they bottom out on anything, the things ciesed and the caps were striped so i had to drill a hole through the cap and squirt down wd-40. o and the steer tube bent!
Bottom Line:
these shox suck they look so skinny when u look down on the front wheel then i rode a bike with judys and they look way fatter and stronger than the jetts, but the jetts stayed together other than the steer tube bending and falling right out! but when they were together they took 6 foot drops well they bottomed out but they suck anyway dont buy them!
Submitted by
Seymour
a Downhiller
from Brattleboro, VT, USA
Date Reviewed: September 7, 2002
Strengths: slightly adjustable, very durable, virtually indistructable, inexpensive.
Weaknesses: bottoms out on occasion
Bottom Line:
Ive taken these shocks everywhere, from snow to bumpy dirt roads, and even to Mount Snow Vermont where other bikers had 5000 dollar full suspension bikes, and Ive never had a single problem (at least not with the shocks). Occasionally they will bottom out after a big bump or a drop off, but you hardly notice. I would recomend this suspension fork to any biker, beginner - competition. If you are even a little careful, they will last you for a very long time. I stronly recomend these to anyone.
