Strengths: very strong, little flex (with risse hub spacers and chris king 20mm disc hub) cheap, custom valved and sprung, great feel
Weaknesses: long break-in time, one of my friends has one (bought same time i did from our lbs) it feels totally different. i think risse has poor quality control. some arent too good, some rock.
Bottom Line:
my fork is great, i love it, some of them arent quite so good, poor quality control. i have the 7" model (measured at 183.5mm, bottomed out), and its one of the best forks i've ever owned. it took a while to break in, and maybe mine feels so good because i didnt hammer it right away. personally i think it felt better than the boxxer, jr.t and super t, and very similar to the shivers. however, if you get it, make sure you get some fork guards.
Similar Products Used: rockshox boxxer, marzocchi jr. t, super t, shivers, other trixxxy
Bike Setup: trixxxy, hayes 8", raceface crank, romic shock... all kinds of stuff
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Nick Fenton
a Downhiller
from Clinton Connecticut
Date Reviewed: September 5, 2002
Strengths: strong, cheap, comes with brake and rotor, very short fork for its travel
Weaknesses: bushings died in the first month of riding. Dampening is beggining to seize up, hub is a MASSIVE pain in the ass to remove! if u dont use the special hub the fork is super flexxy, hub requires special disk rotors from Risse, seals are very sticky, not 6 inches of travel, i measured mine at 130mm completly compressed, doesnt fit bikes with 4 inch headtube without spacers, twists very easily, fork mounts wont grab steer tube tight enough (headset keeps coming loose)
Bottom Line:
Having quite alot of problems with my fork. My bushings died very quickly (1 month of riding) the hub requires special rotors, and to remove the wheel you must unbolt puny 4 mm allen bolts then stick a screwdriver through the axle end and spin it like a T wrench! and thats after inserting two spacers if you dont use their special hub! very sticky, twists almost everyride and i weigh 140lbs. I'm not very happy. Though risse customer service is great im still not going to buy another one.. Im sneding this one back for new internals and to be check out and fixxed, then its going on e-bay when it comes back. NEone wanna buy a fork? 200bucks including hub and mammoth rim
Strengths: quality construction/ custom valving/ plush and made in the USA
Bottom Line:
My friend works at a bike shop so I've pretty much tried everything out there- As far as quality, the Risse is completely hand made- no plastic imported taiwan shwagg here- The fork is completely adjustable from the valving to the spring rate- just call the factory and tell them how much you weigh, what you ride and they will dial it in almost overnight- the shop guys tell me the seals are a new style and my have not leaked in over a year- make sure you get the trick carbon fiber fork leg protectors- Five chilies across the board- also they are pretty inexpensive considering you get a custom 20mm axel hub and hayes hydro caliper and 8" rotor for $100
Similar Products Used: rock shox boxxer 02, rock shox psylo, X-vert Ti, Marzocchi Mr. T
Bike Setup: Ellsworth Joker, rhynolites, tioga 2.3's, assorted Race Face components
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Submitted by
John G.
a Downhiller
from washington DC
Date Reviewed: June 13, 2002
Strengths: nice and beefey, easily tunable, fairly light, good fell.
Weaknesses: somewhatt felxy, leaks oil.
Bottom Line:
when i have the fork dialed in it feels better than a boxxer w/ comparible travle. although it is flexy it feels more stable than the boxxer and i think it traks very well for 6". it also has a huge spring range (i think there are like six spring wieghts) and it can be made as proggresive or linier as you like. there is one problem though. out of the six months i've owned it i haven't ridden it for more than qa month total. i was injured a fair amount of time but i have also had major problems w/ oil leakage. first it was leaking and that caused it to top out harshly and now it's leaking again but the people at risse are extreamly hepful (even though the second time i had to call about warrenty i was pretty angry.) all in all its a very good fork that blows away all the compitition in the price range. and a bonus you can get a cheap stem and hub w/it plus a 8" hayse for 150. i will come back and change the rating to 5/5 if the boys at risse get the fork to stop leaking.
Similar Products Used: my first daul crown, ridden many though
Bike Setup: 2000 stinky, trixxxy, 8' hayse f/hope C2 rear, my friends 24" trial pimps with a 2.7 highroller up fron 2.5 arrow in the back truvativ cranks and BB, a blackspire guide and some kona in house.
Strengths: stiff, super plush and adjustable- good color choices too
Weaknesses: these guys don't advertise or I would have gotten one much sooner
Bottom Line:
Botique quality, awsome performance and made in the USA- I've read about the old leaky seals, but the company has since upgraded and if you keep the legs clean, they will probably never leak. This fork is just in a different category as far as performance- stiff, light. I can't believe all those Bullit riders with whimpy single crown forks- get in shape and carry that extra pound- these forks are just so superior....
Similar Products Used: Marzocchi Mr.T, Z-1, Rock shok boxxer, Manitou X-vert, etc.
Bike Setup: Risse Lassen freeride and Santa Cruz bullit before that
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Submitted by
Michael Agbuya
a Weekend Warrior
from Los Angeles, California, USA
Date Reviewed: October 31, 2001
Strengths: absolutely everything... except [check out weaknesses]...
Weaknesses: brakeside of fork is leaking and its a lil sticky in the first quarter inch of travel
Bottom Line:
Im a lil bummed by the leak because it has gotten over my brake pads... and so my front brake is kinda shot... ill get this worked on as soon as i get some time... and the stickiness is not an issue for me.
My bike rides like a dream... i totally recommend this fork.
Strengths: i have the 7" travel and works great; also good looks if you put the fork guards from go-ride (very robust, but have to paint them)
Weaknesses: the left bottle leaks from the knob and the buttom bottle. need to put fork guards (too exposed to crashes). difficult to tune up.
Bottom Line:
its a good fork, but out there you can find much quality forks. it has good travel and you can make it work to the limit with no prob'. And for the price is definitely the best fork you can get. I've raced with it with very good results and till now its doing good to me. I've heard that they're some trixxy which are too stiff, to hard , but luckily mine is not that kind, mine is very plush and travels all the way. So, for the price of two trixxys you can buy a dorado or a shiver, you make the desision.
Similar Products Used: boxxer, chubby. i prefer the trixxy over the boxxer.
Bike Setup: giant atx one dh trixxy 7", rock shox super deluxe 6", kujo, arrow rims, anwser pro taper, ac crank set + guides, shimano dh clipless, xtr, hayes 8" hydraulic, etc
