Submitted by
RICARDO ORTEGÓN
a Weekend Warrior
from BOGOTA, COLOMBIA Date Reviewed: October 3, 2003
Favorite Trail:
THE FALL, BOJACÁ
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$149.00
Purchased At:
supergo.com
Strengths:
GOOD LOOK, STIFF, AWESOME PERFORMANCE ON ANY SURFACE, NICE TO RACE, LIGTHER.
Weaknesses:
A LITTLE DIFICULT TO SET UP, THE DAMPER CARTRIDGE LOCKED OUT (I DON´T KNOW WHY).
Similar Products Used:
JUDY XC '98.
Bike Setup:
SMITH FRAME, FD XT, RD DEORE WITH XT SHORT CAGE, AVID DISK FRONT, HAYES REAR, RITCHEY COCKPIT, BONTRAGER/MAXXIS TIRES
Bottom Line:
IT'S A GREAT FORK FOR ALMOST ANY TYPE RIDING. I LOVE EPIC EXTREME TRAILS, FALL STAIRS AS FAST AS POSIBLE, AND EVERY ADRENALINE WAY I FIND. BUT THE BIG PROBLEM COME WITH THE FIRST MAINTENANCE; THE DAMPER UNIT GET LOCKED AND I DON´T KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT WORK. I CHANGE THE OIL WEIGTH TO 10 W AND THE REBOUND GET TO SLOW. I FOUND A BROKEN O-RING INTO THE LEFT LEG, I CHANGED IT BUT THE FORK IS NOT WORKING AS WELL AS IT USED TO. BEFORE THE MAINTENANCE, I'D GIVE IT 5 CHILIS; NOW, IT GET ONLY 4
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Anthony
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada Date Reviewed: September 13, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$159.00
Purchased At:
Supergo.com
Strengths:
Stiff, performs very well when it is not leaking air or oil.
Weaknesses:
Reliability, requires a lot more maintenance than usual
If I had rated this fork during its my first 6 months use, I would have given it 5 chillies. It performed really well and didn't need much adjustments.
However, after 10 months, it started leaking oil. I'm rather new to the sport so I don't compete, don't do jumps, and only weigh 150 lbs. My fork has less than 100 hours of use, and half the time it is on a paved bike path.
I brought my fork to the LBS for servicing and was told that I need a seal kit. It was leaking oil as well as air. The problem is, there are no parts available, not even the Canadian Distributor. It was the first week of August and was advised to bring my fork back around mid fall or winter to be sure that the parts are available. While it is less than 1 year, I was told that this is not covered by warranty because it is a moving part. For me, this either reflects poor product support or there had been a lot of leaky forks.
I can only recommend this fork to a rider who is also a good mechanic because of reliability issues. You might end up spending more in maintenance than what you have paid for the fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Feltup
a Cross Country Rider
from TN Date Reviewed: August 28, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Tanasi
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Light. Gives a plush but stiff ride. Can be adjusted to my body weight. Looks.
Weaknesses:
Squeeks
Similar Products Used:
RST p.o.s.
Bike Setup:
2002 Access XCL-2002 Duke XC 80mm,Cane Creek S2,XT drivetrain,Sram PC-69 chain,LX shifters, LX brakes,XTR hubs with Bontrager Valiant rims, Panaracer Fire XC Pros, Velox rim cloth,Kore strait bar,Titec 90mm stem,Weyless seat post.
Bottom Line:
Works great. Gives me so much more speed on the rough stuff. I must admit that anything would feel better than what I had before. I am so much faster now so the cheap RST helped me with my skills. I don't have to dodge the small stuff anymore.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim Nessler
a Cross Country Rider
from Escondido, CA USA Date Reviewed: August 24, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Daley Ranch
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
came on bike....Jenson USA
Strengths:
light weight, very tuneable, strong
Weaknesses:
seems prone to fluid leaks on the damping leg of fork.
Similar Products Used:
older Rockshox forks, Judy TT, Indy,etc.
Bike Setup:
2002 KHS FXT, basically stock, minor upgrades.
Bottom Line:
The fork began to leak oil out of the upper seal on the damping side. I am only 165 lbs. and am 54 years old. I am not a rough rider, no jumps or drops, and seldom crash. At my age, how hard CAN I ride? The fork began to leak because Rockshox does not use an inner seal, only a foam ring and a dust wiper. Turnaround time on having the fork warranteed would have been 1 month. Unacceptable. Luckily I was able to find an aftermarket seal kit that DID include inner seals and repaired the fork myself. This fork has a very good rating, so maybe I was just unlucky; but I can't imagine those little foam rings ever doing a good job of keeping the oil inside. Otherwise it seems to be a good value for the price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alexander
a Racer
from King City Date Reviewed: August 13, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Wilder Ranch, Santa Cruz, CA
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came with the bike
Strengths:
This fork is unbelievable. It gives a plush, stiff, ride with great bottoming resistance. It took me about three rides to set it up and I haven't touched it since. I did a race in June that had a nasty rocky technical section that destroyed several riders forks, but my Duke XC didn't even loose a single pound of air pressure. This fork is perfect for the XC rider who likes to do aggressive trail riding and even some light freeriding.
Weaknesses:
None. If you're complaining that it doesn't have a lock-out than you don't know how to set up your bike properly. Ask any motocross racer and they will tell you that suspension set up is more important than a powerfull motor!
Similar Products Used:
Older model (mid 90's) Rock Shox
Bike Setup:
02 Haro Werks FS with riser bars
Bottom Line:
Most people don't realize the importance of proper suspension set up. If you take the time to set the fork right you will not be dissapointed. In fact you will get amazing performance out of it and think you're on a high dollar fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Carlos
a Cross Country Rider
from Gunnison, Colorado Date Reviewed: August 5, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Hartman Rocks
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$209.00
Purchased At:
Local Bike Shop,
Strengths:
Value, external rebound adjustment, weight.
Weaknesses:
Paint chips off rather easy. Vibrates on steep drops.
Similar Products Used:
RS SID, N'sync P.O.S.
Bike Setup:
Beefed up Jamis Durango, RS Duke XC, XT/LX Drivetrain, Race Face parts.
Bottom Line:
I'm a college student on a budget, and this fork was perfect. I had some trouble with it losing air pressure for a few weeks, when I first bought it. It hasn't lost air pressure since and I've been riding atleast 4 hours a week. It takes whatever I put it through, single track jumps, rocky tracks, technical trails, and all the drop offs I have the balls to do, stairs and jumps off of loading docks as well. All this and still hasn't bottomed out. I'd recommend this fork for anyone who wants to get the most out of their money. I'd even pay the extra money for an SL or Race version of it too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alec Mackensen
a Cross Country Rider
from Laguna Niguel CA USA Date Reviewed: June 8, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
super go
Strengths:
stiff, adjustable rebound and travle, very plush, no stickers! very durable, very fast, damping system f-ken rocks.
Weaknesses:
apsolutly positivly none what so ever
Similar Products Used:
judy xc
Bike Setup:
GT hardtail
Bottom Line:
This fork rocks. It has yet to bottom out considering the fact that I constantly jump 20-30 foot cliffs.The people that gave this fork one or two chilies are the extremly fat downhill riders. This fork is great if you ride cliffs and very rough terain.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin Nantais
a Racer
from oro-medonte, ontario, canada Date Reviewed: May 20, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Trustin Flow
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$165.00
Purchased At:
cyclepath
Strengths:
Everything
Weaknesses:
Loss of air pressure, none
Similar Products Used:
judy xc
Bike Setup:
specialized fsr stumjumper xc
Bottom Line:
I love it, I am a racer. When i go out in a race i want a fork that i can derend on and that i can roll over objects without any difficulty. I rode a judyxc until this last year when i got into racing, i decided to nuy a new bike and the duke xc came on it. After some minor adjustmens as in all forks i had it set up to a perfect cross-country fork. Now all of these people that are giving this fork 1 or 2 chilli's are heavy riders, doing big stuff on a xc fork. To those people, go out and buy yourself a nice freeride fork. I RECOMEND TO ALL XC RIDERS!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Will
a Cross Country Rider
from Beaverton, Oregon USA Date Reviewed: May 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
won't tell
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$179.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
+fork name is integrated into fork itself; no stickers! +low maintenance +set it & forget it +smooth ride & super fast on rocky sections +stiff
Weaknesses:
-ugly crown (of course they changed it for 2003)
Similar Products Used:
Judy XC, Jett, Psylo, Manitou SX
Bike Setup:
XT/XTR drivetrain (go with SRAM on the chain; you won't be sorry)
Bottom Line:
I'm kickin' myself for not buying a second one at the time that this one was so cheap.
This is a reliable, affordable and reasonably-light fork.
It is super fast when I tearing down especially rocky sections. My arms are a lot less fatigued because this fork does such a great job of soaking up hits both big, small and numerous.
Great fork for any level XC rider.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan R
a Cross Country Rider
from Long Island NY Date Reviewed: May 3, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Pandora
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came with Bike
Strengths:
Plush ride, Good travel for XC, Stiff fork no side to side flex, Strong have yet to bend it or blow the bushings, Air is much better than spring I like the rebound adjustment that you can control the rebound rate yourself and you don't need to swap out springs to do that.
Weaknesses:
Rockshox stickers fall off pretty easy lost one of the Rockshox ones on the left fork leg, Rebound adjustment is in the bottom of the leg and you have to stop get off the bike and adjust this makes the rebound adjustment a little annoying and hard to reach, other than those two thats it.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou, other RockShox (Judy TT)
Bike Setup:
02 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR XC
Bottom Line:
A very good fork for a stock part on a bike I am impressed normally this componet is one of the first to go on a stock bike either it's to easy to bottom out or it leaks and breaks. I have yet to bottom this one out. I have thrashed it a litle and cosmeticly it has the scars but this is Mt. Biking and it just shows chacter on you bike. The rebound adjustment is a nice feature but it is on the bottom of the one leg of the fork and anyone who like on the fly adjustments will have a small issue with this. Also it would be nice it it had a lockout feature on it as it would impress me if a middle of the road fork would have this feature and not only on the ultra expensive models. Still this is a great product if your looking for a stiff plush fork for XC riding this is your fork if your on a budget. When it finally goes though which they always do sooner or later I will be looking into a Fox RLC it's expensive but it looks totally worth it. Peace!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James
a Cross Country Rider
from Hyde Park, NY Date Reviewed: April 26, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$170.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Plush; durable; low maintenance (for me anyways)
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
Judy XC
Bike Setup:
GT avalanche; Shimano XT throughout
Bottom Line:
I haven't made a SINGLE adjustment since I purchased the Duke. Despite a few hundred miles of riding, in which I've encountered numerous steep dropoffs, the fork has yet to bottom out. I find this impressive, given the fact that I have a pretty stocky build [5'8", 210 lbs].
This is one nifty fork. You can't beat the performance, especially when it can be purchased for under $200. It's handled everything I've ridden on so far and I think it's perfect for the beginning/intermediate rider who's not afraid to take a nasty spill every now and then.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City, UT Date Reviewed: April 11, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Wasatch Crest
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Able to take big hits. No flex. Great for bigger riders.
Weaknesses:
Need for frequent air adjustment.
Similar Products Used:
Judy XC Incy C
Bike Setup:
Cannondale CAAD4, XTR.
Bottom Line:
All my other forks have had quite a bit of side to side flex. I really like the beefy feel of the fork with out feeling like i have a lead front end. I have not been able to push it to it's limit(I reach mine first). One thing that I forgot to check before buying the fork is the geometry change it would make. It made my bike sit allot taller. Just advice to check the geometry change before switching. Final word: Best shock I've ever ridden.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tony
a Cross Country Rider
from Oregon Date Reviewed: April 3, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$189.00
Purchased At:
Online
Strengths:
Basic, Stiff, durable, and easy to adjust...
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Judy, Sid, M1, Vanilla RLC
Bike Setup:
Cove HandJ o b. XTR, Race Face, Easton
Bottom Line:
This fork is Phuc Yeah!
I'm a guy who does not like alot of adjustability. With the Duke, you just put in your air preasure, adjust the rebound and forget about it. In a couple months, check the preasure.
The dudes who have had bad things to say about it, all weighed over 225. No S**t it doesn't work well. You are at the top of the weight scale for it. I'm 185, and I hated the Sid. Get the right fork for your weight. If you are over 200, do yourself a favor and get yourself a spring fork!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Evan Strong
a Weekend Warrior
from San Antonio, Texas, USA Date Reviewed: March 30, 2003
I bought this fork about a year ago but then didn't really ride at all for about 8 months. I recently started riding again and expected that the fork would be in tip-top shape since it had fewer than 10 hours on it. After a month of some fairly intense XC and a little urban riding I can feel bushing slop in the hydracoil stanchion. THIS IS REDICULOUS. This fork has fewer that 50 hours on it, and already the bushings are shot? I guess on the upside, I haven't blown the XXX seals yet like other riders have. Now, I admit I am no light-weight. I weigh around 225 lbs, but that is within the specs for this fork and I keep the air pressure at the required 180lbs. If you are a fairly large rider, learn from my lesson and go buy yourself a free ride or dirt jumper Marzocchi. It just sucks that clidesdales like myself are forced to pay twice as much for reliable components.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
brian gallagher
a Weekend Warrior
from spokane, wa, usa Date Reviewed: February 22, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
lightweight, strong, good plush travel, tire clearance
Weaknesses:
havent found any
Similar Products Used:
marzocchi z4
Bike Setup:
specialized hardtail
Bottom Line:
this is a pretty rad fork, it can probably be found for under $150...rockshox packs a lot of punch for the given price
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
fred
a Cross Country Rider
from greenville nc usa Date Reviewed: February 9, 2003
Favorite Trail:
chapel hill trails
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
franklin cycles
Strengths:
This fork is awesome! it is very stiff and light. I ride very hard I usually plow through crap. Now i have learned a little finese and its great.
Weaknesses:
Bottoms out very rarely and I have done freeride and wrecked a lot of course and leaks air slowly but not very noticable.Its still holdin up
Similar Products Used:
Crap thats on the GF mamba
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper M4 '02, upgraded to mammoth rims from sunringle!! hopefully they will hold up better then mavics 221s.
Bottom Line:
This fork is great I am 235 lbs and I recently took my bike to chapel hill and landed wrong about four or five times freeriding. Of those times my weight was over the handlebars. And it still works. Buy it and put the max air pressure in it if your heavy. Its a good fork and has survived my learning and ongoing freeride experience. Great for XC too!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
brian
a Cross Country Rider
from scottsdale Date Reviewed: January 16, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$140.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
light, stiff, price, adjustable, 100mm travel
Weaknesses:
air spring is less plush that coils, and moderately less compliant over small bumps.
Similar Products Used:
Manitue Magnum,SXR and Black, Judy JC
Bike Setup:
Specialized Stumpjumper FSR
Bottom Line:
Can't beat it for the money. A bit stiff for those looking for a cadillac ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
HC
a Weekend Warrior
from Little Rock, AR Date Reviewed: January 8, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Great when it was working. Has an adjustable rebound so you can tune it in pretty well.
Weaknesses:
The shock blew a seal after a few very hard rides
Similar Products Used:
Many
Bike Setup:
SantaCruz Ano Superlight, 80mm fork
Bottom Line:
This shock worked great until the seal blew. My size may have been a factor, 6'1" 230 lbs. It lasted for about six months of riding. The last ride was on some rocky trails and I guess it could not take the punishemnt. That was not my only malfunction that day, but that is another story. I guess if you were lighter and did not have to run the highest psi, 180, maybe the seals would hold up. The review would have been 4 Chilis if the seal did not go.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joshua
a Cross Country Rider
from Osborne, KS Date Reviewed: December 22, 2002
If you can find one of these on sale someplace, don't think, just buy the thing. I got mine from a supergo blemish sale, who cares about looks anyway (Ok, me I'll admit) Mine just had a little bit of the plastic covering chipped off in a couple places. What luck! It rides like a dream, and has saved my butt in technical situations too many times to count. It's very stiff going through rock gardens and the such. It is a fairly light fork. I'm 6' 2" 180lbs. and I feel that a fork that was lighter would just be sacrificing performace and just not be up to the task in my case. As far as the slight air leakage, its hardly noticable, I just check the pressure once every week or two. It's not really a problem for me. The bottom line is that if you're looking for a very capable, do everything from trail riding to racing fork. THIS IS IT! Buy it!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jeff
a Racer
from jax beach,fl Date Reviewed: December 22, 2002
Favorite Trail:
razzorback
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$150.00
Strengths:
consistant performance,durability,low price
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
various manitou and marzocchi
Bike Setup:
sugar with tubeless,xtr,thomson stem,easton EC90,etc..
Bottom Line:
I've had this fork for over a year with many training & racing miles on it. It is one durable component. After it's initial break-in period it has been a consistant performer with no service issues. A great value for it's low price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
superman
a Racer
from new york Date Reviewed: December 5, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Changed my riding style from "no fear" to just plain "kamikaze."
Light weight
Adjustability--particularly the rebound adjuster. It's like having several fork options on the trail.
No stupid K-Mart fork boots (I used Lizard Skins for all but wet conditions). The wiper seals do a great job of keeping the muck from getting into the internals as long as they're properly maintained, though light dust does worry me a bit as it may contaminate the system.
I don't care much about the look of my components, but have to admit that the Duke XC looks pretty damn cool. I especially appreciate the lack of any design elements meant to dress up the fork and make it look "awesome." It's an awesome fork already; it doesn't need any Wal-Mart bike flame decals. I do like the relief style "Duke" design down the tube. It's nice that they made a functional and appealling design which remains easy to clean with a simple wipe down.
Performance/price
Bottom Line:
The greatest thing about this fork is that it can be made to feel almost like a rigid except when I need it to suddenly give me some play--or even a lot of play. The adustability makes it very customizable for both the rider (me) and varying conditions (Earth).
Tracking is excellent. I can now fly through the rough stuff like I never could before.
It doesn't bob on climbs except just enough to keep the tire on the ground--though I did do one ride on the road which confirmed that even such a good fork as this is no good for road riding (I've never tried a Metro or anything similar though so who knows). I have a rigid on my other bike for that. If you're a bike path person or ride on the street, I'd recommend going rigid instead, but I don't have experience with a wide range of forks, so I don't really know.
It doesn't launch me backwards if I hit a steep faced embankment head on at high speed.
Great fork.
Happy trails.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steven Hamilton
a Weekend Warrior
from Aliso Veijo, CA Date Reviewed: December 2, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Aliso/Wood Canyon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$149.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Good solid/ stiff feel Easy to maintain
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Bike Setup:
Trek 4900 Duke XC, Deore/LX drive train, Shimano clipless, Panarace Fire XC/ Smoke tires
Bottom Line:
The Duke gives you the best bang for the buck. Good solid performance with little maintainence to deal with. If you want a stiff air fork that can take it- look no farther.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Will
a Cross Country Rider
from High Point, NC Date Reviewed: November 23, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Northwood
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Stiff, Good looking, Easy to maintain.
Weaknesses:
Rebound adjustment could use a little work.
Similar Products Used:
Headshok, Rockshox SID and Judy
Bike Setup:
Trek 8k stock (uprades in progress)
Bottom Line:
I have used the Duke for about 2 months now and I can honestly say that it is well worth the investment. It is extremely stiff, even in comparison to the Headshok, and it feels very solid when it is needed. I ride technical trails in NC and it can handle everything from small roots to 3 foot drop-offs without ever feeling sketchy. The best part though is its tracking. It almost feels as if you are riding a Headshok without the annoying technical issues. Way to go RockShox.
Buy it if you dont have much cash to burn, but want a fork that can stand up to everything you can dish out.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Neil
a Cross Country Rider
from Glasgow, Scotland Date Reviewed: November 15, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Glen Finglass
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Freeborn.co.uk
Strengths:
* Light for the money * Can't think of any more
Weaknesses:
* Almost all the paint has fallen (without provocation) off these forks!!!
Similar Products Used:
Judy TT
Bike Setup:
Airborne Lucky Strike, Full XT groupset with hydraulics, X-Lite, Easton, Time, Hope hubs, Mavic rims & now polished silver Duke XCs.
Bottom Line:
These forks work O.K. but are not anything special. If you want a general jack-of-all-trades sort of a fork and don't have loads of cash these will probably do the job. The bottom line is there are probably better forks out there for not a massive amount more money. Even though I haven't had any problems with the internal workings of these forks, I don't think I will be buying a Rockshox fork again purely because of the problems with the quality of the paint work.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Fulks
a Cross Country Rider
from Oklahoma City, OK Date Reviewed: October 12, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Clear Bay
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Al's Bicycles. Came on bike
Strengths:
Very plush fork! Absorbs everything. Makes the ride a lot more enjoyable. Rebound adjustment is nice as well. It looks good with my Trek 8000.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Magnum
Bike Setup:
Trek 8000.
Bottom Line:
Great fork. I have a '00 Manitou Magnum on my Trek 6000. I never realized how bad that fork sucked until I got the Duke XC on my new bike. I like the Duke so much that I ordered another one from Pricepoint for my Trek 6000 at a price of $159. What a deal for such a good fork!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ever Balandran
a Cross Country Rider
from el paso, tx, usa Date Reviewed: October 6, 2002
Favorite Trail:
redd road dead end trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$159.00
Purchased At:
price point
Strengths:
nice and light, the looks, the quality, everything
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
none, i have not been in this long enough
Bike Setup:
trek 4500: selle italia-gel flite, shimano clipless pedals, duke xc fork, cygolite light, and specialized saddle bag.
Bottom Line:
i love this fork...if you are in the market for a new fork and you like to ride kind of hard, this is the one. yes it leaks air, but doesn't your car tires do that also? don't your bike tires leak? if they don't, show me how to do that so i wont ever have to worry about this! lol!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Scottsdale Date Reviewed: October 1, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Long Loop
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$135.00
Purchased At:
SUpergo
Strengths:
Light, good travel, stiff, price
Weaknesses:
less plush than coil springs,
Similar Products Used:
Manitou SX-R, RockShox Judy SL, Manitou Black Elite 80/100
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper Pro FSRxc
Bottom Line:
100 mm travel is great, Stumpjumper is geared towards race and the extral fork lenght helps mellow the head angle - may need a longer stem to compensate. I hope it becomes a little more plush after break in. Why bother with the stickers that won't stay on.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
William
a Racer
from Littleton, nh Date Reviewed: September 27, 2002
Favorite Trail:
kevins
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Stiff, strong, reasonable weight.
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Head shock
Bike Setup:
Specialized stumpjumper fsr xc disc
Bottom Line:
Great stock fork. It takes the big hits and keeps coming back. Good spec by specialized.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Floyd Taylor
a Weekend Warrior
from London Date Reviewed: July 17, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Box Hill
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$340.00
Purchased At:
wiggle.co.uk
Strengths:
Inclusion of air pump, 'Plain-Jane' styling, flex free construction - all bikes should have forks this good as standard.
Weaknesses:
Cost cutting cro-mo steerer, lack of disc only option & 80mm/3.1" travel only for retail buyers, Rebound adjuster range is tiny and the difference between the extremes is on/of rather than truly adjustable compared to Stratos FR4 & RS Boxxer 151's (which are DH/FR forks anyway).
The price is good for the 3.5 Ilb weight. The Duke XC was noticeably lighter than my previous Z3.5 (@4 Ilbs) and the braking was vastly superior due to the integral brace which ensures less flex with a hydraulic disc fitted. Fitting was a breeze - there was air in the fork already and the inclusion of a good quality pump was welcome.
It took around 50 miles or road/trail riding for the Duke XC to bed in and I love the 'coooosh' sound when they take a big hit. They are smooth on tarmac (with plenty of bob) and in arduous off-road conditions do what you would expect but the rebound adjustment does not yield enough difference or have enough range of movement to be much more than slow or fast. The finish is good with thick plastic RS badges and stickers are included with new shocks (if you like your bike to look like a sticker splattered 'sponsored' race rig).
The manual is skimpy but you only need to know (once fitted) the amount of air to suit your weight/ride style/preference and this is easy to accommodate although removing unwanted air pressure results in rapid loss causing the stanchions to sink immediately. These forks appear to be built for a certain price point so if you need something lighter then look higher up the RS range - but on that point I still rate it highly for value. The use of plastic for the air valve cap may be for weight saving but it will cross thread or become hard to remove although I have suffered no loss of air in the time I have used it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott Russell
a Cross Country Rider
from Pelham, AL Date Reviewed: July 10, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Oak Mt.
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Bob's Bikes
Strengths:
Stiff, pretty light, Smooth, looks cool.
Weaknesses:
None really, but alloy air adj. cap would be a nice improvement.
Similar Products Used:
Judy xc
Bike Setup:
02' Stumpjumper, XTR drive & brakes, thomson stem & post, Ct2 carbon bars, king headset, Selle Italia Flite, Mavic 517's w/ King Hubs.
Bottom Line:
Great fork, stiff,smooth,tough,good looking,low maint.. I can't say enough good things about this fork, I've put over 400 miles on it without an issue. In my opinion one of the best xc forks on the market!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
s mc
a Cross Country Rider
from florida Date Reviewed: July 9, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Northport
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$170.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Lighter than my last fork, It can handle big drops and tracks well in the small stuff. It doesn't flex!
Weaknesses:
None so far!
Similar Products Used:
Rockshox Jet which came on the bike.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Hardrock
Bottom Line:
These are great forks for the money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jesse
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada Date Reviewed: June 9, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Durham regional forest
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At:
Jensonusa.com
Strengths:
light, strong, and it can take a S--T KICKING, i am a heavy rider (220lbs) and this fork has taken everthing i have tossed at it, and hasn't bottomed out yet..... The control, feel and plushness is amazing.
Weaknesses:
Our chucky buck on Exchange.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou mach 5, judy xc, judy tt
Bike Setup:
An extremely modified Aluminum hardtail Ironhorse
Bottom Line:
This fork is amazing, if you are a heavy rider like myself, you will love this fork
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sprocketeer
a Cross Country Rider
from Narashino, Chiba, Japan (native of New York) Date Reviewed: June 5, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Crossing Chiba prefecture from near Tokyo to Shiroi and beyond--a tandem of trails.
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Seo Cycle (pro shop), Tokyo Bay LalaPort shopping mall in Minami-Funabashi, Chiba, Japan
Strengths:
Changed my riding style from "no fear" to just plain "kamikaze."
Light weight
Adjustability--particularly the rebound adjuster. It's like having several fork options on the trail.
No stupid K-Mart fork boots (I used Lizard Skins for all but wet conditions). The wiper seals do a great job of keeping the muck from getting into the internals as long as they're properly maintained, though light dust does worry me a bit as it may contaminate the system.
I don't care much about the look of my components, but have to admit that the Duke XC looks pretty damn cool. I especially appreciate the lack of any design elements meant to dress up the fork and make it look "awesome." It's an awesome fork already; it doesn't need any Wal-Mart bike flame decals. I do like the relief style "Duke" design down the tube. It's nice that they made a functional and appealling design which remains easy to clean with a simple wipe down.
Performance/price
Weaknesses:
It wasn't free.
I lose about 10 psi of air in the positive chamber on a weekly basis, but then that happens to tires too. I think this may have to do with the cap pressing on the valve before the rubber seal at the top of the cap can engage with the casing of the fork. I don't believe it's a leak, or at least not an unreasonable one.
Similar Products Used:
This, that, and the other thing.
Bike Setup:
2002 Trek 8000, stock except for the pedals which I replaced with Shimano 959s.
Bottom Line:
The greatest thing about this fork is that it can be made to feel almost like a rigid except when I need it to suddenly give me some play--or even a lot of play. The adustability makes it very customizable for both the rider (me) and varying conditions (Earth).
Tracking is excellent. I can now fly through the rough stuff like I never could before.
It doesn't bob on climbs except just enough to keep the tire on the ground--though I did do one ride on the road which confirmed that even such a good fork as this is no good for road riding (I've never tried a Metro or anything similar though so who knows). I have a rigid on my other bike for that. If you're a bike path person or ride on the street, I'd recommend going rigid instead, but I don't have experience with a wide range of forks, so I don't really know.
It doesn't launch me backwards if I hit a steep faced embankment head on at high speed.
Great fork.
Happy trails.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Omnipotent One
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Springs, Colorado Date Reviewed: May 22, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Cheyenne
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$189.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA
Strengths:
Solid braking, looks cool as hell IMO, absorbs bumps smoothly.
Weaknesses:
I 'think' it has a very slow leak
Similar Products Used:
N/A
Bike Setup:
2001 Haro Escape 8.1, replaced pedals and fork
Bottom Line:
I absolutely love this fork, though I have only had it for about 2 months now, I have yet to pick a single qualm with it. I am a 310 pounds rider, and after I pumped it up to a desirable level, it became awesome. I am able to go over things a lot faster now, my old fork was such utter sh*t (RockShox Jett) it was squirely as hell over just rocky areas, and bottomed out on just about anything, and it wasnt just my weight, I have a friend who weighs roughly 155, and he would bottom out even on 6inch drops /shrug
Nevertheless I couldn't be happier with it, anyone who likes customizable stuff should definitely look into this fork. Even the gram counters can be happy with it, as it only weigh roughly 3 1/2 lbs. If your wallet is dusty and unused, stray away from this fork, if not, I believe it is a damn good fork for the money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andy
a Cross Country Rider
from Southlake, TX, USA Date Reviewed: April 27, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Northshore..... in Grapevine, TX
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$170.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Very plush, easy maintenence and pressure adjustment (with $30 pump...) Has absorbed everything I have thrown at it so far.
Weaknesses:
No travel length adjuster, aside from air pressure. Meh.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Magnum R, RS Judy, RS Jett, Cdale Fatty
Bike Setup:
MTN TEK cromoly frame, all LX components, Mavic Wheels, Bontrager Revolt SS tires.
Bottom Line:
one HELL of a fork for 170 bucks... I'm a fairly low budget rider, but this fork far exceeded my expectations. Best handling/working fork I have ever had.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Richard Misters
a Cross Country Rider
from Surrey, UK Date Reviewed: April 16, 2002
I wore out my old SID's and saw the reviews on these. I run 'em real soft and there great for the XC stuff. I'm fairly light so I can get away with lower than normal pressures which irons out all the bumps. Extremely happy with the dukes and would recommend them to any XC rider.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew
a Cross Country Rider
from Boston Date Reviewed: April 1, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$159.00
Purchased At:
suoergo
Strengths:
dampming/ stiffness/ price
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
judy T2
Bike Setup:
Novara ponderosa, Xt/LX components, thudbuster seatpost, time pedals, Duke xc
Bottom Line:
This shock is great, it is stiff with easily tunable dampening. stifness makes it perfect for heavier riders. Real cheap if you look hard enough and don't mind blemmished compomnents
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MountainYodel
a Weekend Warrior
from Vienna, Austria Date Reviewed: March 31, 2002
Pardon the pun, but I was a little "shocked" when I first considered upgrading my older bike to a suspension fork from RockShox. The cost for the upgrade was enough to deter me and send me out shopping for an entirely new bike that would come with the type of components I was looking for in my upgrade.
The RockShox Duke XC was one component I was looking very closely at purchasing for my old bike when I was thinking the upgrade path would work, so when it came time to look at new bikes and the reality that a new bike would be cheaper than upgrading my old bike - I was happy to find it came as standard on some models.
I don't know how proper maintenance will turn out on this fork in terms of longevity, but at this early point I will simply adhere to the company's maintenance schedule and take care of the fork so that it provides me with years of great riding. I am very satisfied with how the fork performs out on the trails.
--M.Y.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JRP295
a Weekend Warrior
from Ridgefield,CT Date Reviewed: March 27, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$215.00
Purchased At:
bike shop
Strengths:
Rock Shox revamped their line this year and it shows. Solid fork offering quality and great rebound.
Weaknesses:
Nothing to speak of.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Mach 5, Judy SL
Bike Setup:
Balance 750 hardtail
Bottom Line:
This is a great fork for the money. This fork is ready to rock, perfect upgrade or replacement for $300 or under.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Howard Aitchison
a Cross Country Rider
from Leeds Date Reviewed: March 25, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Strong, stiff, looks great. It does everything I ask of it and feels fun. Some people have said that it is a bit heavy but it is one of the lightest forks at this price point! And it works. Low maintainance.
Weaknesses:
A little bit of stiction ontil it is bedded in.
Similar Products Used:
Judy XC Indy C
Bike Setup:
Klein Pulse Race
Bottom Line:
A great product. If you enjoy riding fast over a variety of terrain and can't afford the super-light products (eg SIDs) these are the forks for you. A day out blasting round the countryside is faster and more comfortable with these than my previous forks. Once they are warmed up they are very active and plush, but it is so easy to adjust them from soft to super hard that they will work for how ever you ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scooter
a Cross Country Rider
from Murrieta, CA Date Reviewed: March 20, 2002
No ability to change from 80mm to 100mm travel on OEM shock.
Similar Products Used:
Judy TT
Bike Setup:
2002 Stumpjumper FSR XC
Bottom Line:
A great shock for standard equip. Well balanced and well built. Should last a long, long time. I understand that the shocks that can be purchased separately (that is, those that do not come as standard equip on a new bike) can be adjusted between 80mm and 100mm. It would be nice to have that option available on the new bike shock. Oh well, I guess you can't have it all.
Bottom line: a great shock, one of the best shocks that RockShox has put out yet. I'll give it 5 flamin' poopies for value, but only 4 flamin' poopies overall due to the 80mm - 100mm thing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Edmonton Date Reviewed: January 5, 2002
great XC fork, strong and stiff, with the adjustability of air, and a rebound adjuster that actually works, you can fine tune it to your liking, it would have been sweet with 100mm of travel, but 80 is just fine. You can find it online for about $200 ( ebay usually has them for about $180). Its a great investment!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Yates
a Cross Country Rider
from Stoke on Trent Date Reviewed: November 2, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Dimmings Dale Oakamoor
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Brian Rouke Cycles
Strengths:
Adjustable rebound damping so no top out clunk as on my previous Jett
Weaknesses:
I don't know of any yet.
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shox Jett
Bike Setup:
Jamis Durango Sport. RST front disk brake.
Bottom Line:
Well controlled rigid fork with smooth ground covering abillity.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
GGS
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago IL Date Reviewed: October 29, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came on Bike
Strengths:
Awesome Fork! Very easy to tune up and very solid. Can feel the strengh of it just riding it.
Weaknesses:
Haven't found one yet.
Similar Products Used:
Judy XC, RST's
Bike Setup:
2002 Giant xtc SE2
Bottom Line:
I like this fork. When I bought the bike, this was the fork that was standard equipment, and the thought passed through my mind to just get a SID put on it from the start (the xtc se1 comes with the SID) but after riding it, tuning it, and riding it some more...well, not in a hurry to buy a SID. This is definately worth the $$$.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marcos
a Cross Country Rider
from Spain Date Reviewed: October 18, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
come with the bike
Strengths:
Rigidity, adjustability.....Rock Shock stuff!
Weaknesses:
a bit heavy
Similar Products Used:
Judy XC/SL, SID XC etc.
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper FSR XC 2002
Bottom Line:
Excellent fork working incredibly better than my previous JudyXC, it is more rigid than SID and lighter than Psylo. Good for freeride and xc. Very easy to adjust and tune.
I am delighted with it....BUY IT!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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