Bike Setup: Frame - Kona Manomano Fork - Marzocchi Dirt Jumper 3 Breaks - Avid Rival V-Breaks ( putting on shamano disc ) RD - Shamano Deore XT FD - Shamano Deore XT Rims - Threw some downhill rimes on it ( came in package deal with the fork )
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Submitted by
Andro Galero
a Weekend Warrior
from Butuan City, Philippines
Date Reviewed: February 22, 2005
Strengths: -lightweight -its more than six years old -easy to maintain
Weaknesses: -no rebound control
Bottom Line:
My fox air vanilla shock came with my 1999 Cannondale Raven 900 which was purchased in December '98 and since then i have only replaced the o-ring once in 2002 because it leaked air. I guess it's only normal that we have to replace o-rings once in a while and when the time came to replace it, I replaced mine and it was working fine again. I use lizard skins rear boot on it to keep the dust and sand off it and lube the o-rings at least every four months, it's very easy to maintain, you can even dismantle it with your bare hands. I weigh 145 lbs and ride 8-12 hours a week on cross country trails around my home.
Bottom line is... this is a very good and reliable old shock only if you know how to maintain it, i've had mine for more than six years already. I've changed most of my bike parts and the only remaining original parts are my frame, sealed cartridge headset bearings and my Fox Air Vanilla shock.
Submitted by
Graham
a Weekend Warrior
from Perh, Australia
Date Reviewed: July 19, 2004
Bottom Line:
I have the Vanilla Air Float R that came as original equipment on my '99 Marin Mount Vision. I weigh around 175lbs and ride on some very gnarly, rocky trails. I ride every weekend for three or four hours and sometimes during the week also. After 11 months use, I contacted the Fox factory in the U.S.A. and asked if they would service it. They did and replaced the original dust seal with an upgraded wiper seal. They also replaced the bushings and O rings and relubed. The shock was then returned, by courier, to my Australian address. I was not charged for any of this. Since, I have serviced the shock every six months and have replaced the inexpensive O rings and bushing twice more. I have also removed and lubed the Schraeder valve to maintain resistance to air loss. The shock is now performing better than ever, does not lose air and provides consistent and plush suspension regardless of the conditions (extreme heat in our long dry summers and rain and grit in the winter) Yes, I have had to replace the lower eyelet bushings and spacers once, after about three years but this too was relatively inexpensive. Next month my Vanilla Air Float R will enter it's sixth year of service on my bike. Not too bad, eh?
Submitted by
Mark Lundee
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston, Texas
Date Reviewed: June 6, 2004
Strengths: This is a well made shock. I am 250 Lbs and it can take my weight. I own a mongoose and have installed the shock to it I set it on 150 and its wonderful lots of Travel.
Weaknesses: At first I was having problems with it leaking so I pumbed it up and put in in water to see where the leak was. Found the leak at the shaft area. I let out all the air and put teflon plus bike lubricant oil down the area that I saw the leak remember you have to let the air out or the oil will not get in. I then turned the shock and let it sit for a while with the shaft up so the oil could leak into it. IT works now I can go about 2 weeks without putting air in it.
Bottom Line:
I have found one problem with this shock and have solved it but for the price it should never leak. Shock handles well in all kinds of weather. I put about 60 miles a week on my bike. Worring about a shock is not what I want to be doing. Finding the right bushing has been hard but thats not the shocks fualt.
Weaknesses: easy to break, hard to pedall uphill when the shock is low.
Bottom Line:
the shock doesn't hold air! It rides good when it has air but you constantly gotta stop an fill it back up. Too bad theres no way to lock it. If anyone else who has a '99 stumpjumper can suggest a good replacement shock for trail riding, email me...
Bike Setup: 99 FSR XC, FSA headset, Synchros Riser, SID Front fork, blah blah.
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Submitted by
Tom
a Cross Country Rider
from Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Date Reviewed: October 28, 2002
Strengths: None
Bottom Line:
Here go another poor review for the piece of junk Fox Air racing shock. My shock blew up yesterday as I was going over some small rocks. I could understand it if I was fat or heavy but I'm a xc rider and only weight like 140lbs soaking wet. Do yourself a favor and stay away from Fox's products. Too bad there is no zero chili option.
Submitted by
Jamez
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto
Date Reviewed: June 1, 2002
Strengths: -rarely (if ever) bottoms out -cushy ride -simple design -easy to add more pressure with a pump -didn't blow up on me
Weaknesses: -will it blow up on me?
Bottom Line:
I'm a light rider. I weigh in at about 120-130lbs so I don't put too much weight on the bike. I beat the crap out of my bike and jump with it at any height that I have the nads to take. This has always saved my ass and never blown up. I hope it stays that way!
Submitted by
Nik Harvey
a Cross Country Rider
from Norwich,England
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2002
Strengths: i sat at the computer for half an hour and thought of none.
Weaknesses: leaks air,noisy (sounds really gritty),blows all its air in 5 seconds,lack of adjustabilaty,expensive to get repaired (£85.00) just for new seals and that takes 4 weeks.
Bottom Line:
its a shock worth avoiding unless some one gives it to you for free but dont go out of your way to go and get it.you have to pump it up fairly hard to stop it from bottoming out and when pumped up it feels crap and you loose so much travel.it leaks air like no ones buisness.i've also blown the seals twice while street riding which is a 85 quid repair job.oh and its really noisy.
Similar Products Used: none yet but i've just ordered myself a stratos helix pro
Bike Setup: trek carbon y, marzocchi rac fork, hope c2 discs, big'un hubs f/r, full xtr groupset,easton carbon seat post ,carbon handle bars and mg60 mag stem flat boy pedals,x-lite trick bits,mavic rims
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Submitted by
Cliff Darby
a Weekend Warrior
from Pineville, louisiana
Date Reviewed: March 13, 2002
Strengths: plush when it works or worked i guess, air, rebuiledable
Weaknesses: leaked air, rebuilt , and still leaks, eyelet was wrong size and messed up in gneneral
Bottom Line:
decent. it was gift and had been used, so i cant blow too much. plush when it worked, but has always leaked according to uncle. rebuilt it and still leaked, slow leak now. looks like im buyin' a float soon...
Purchased At: given to me by uncle who stole it from LBS
Similar Products Used: some POS coil over
Bike Setup: mongoose d60r, mavic crossland, rock shox jett c (soon a 2001 judy xc hopefully), stx-xt parts.
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Submitted by
John Wilson
a Cross Country Rider
from UK
Date Reviewed: November 23, 2001
Strengths: Its light and it works. Came as stock on my 2000 Marin East Peak.
Weaknesses: The eyelet bushing!
Bottom Line:
Unlike a lot of other reviewers the air seal have been perfect. I think the 2000 model onwards have better seals + I service them by cleaning and greasing with PACE fork grease often.
The shock works well BUT the lower eyelet bush keeps wearing out. Several shops have told me this "protects other parts of the suspension" This is nonsense - theyre just poor quality and need improving. TIP you can get better ones from www.betd.co.uk. They are quite hard to remove and fit but I made a simple tool which holds the shock in a vice and presses the bushing out (and in) with a 9mm socket. I would give it more chillis but for the bushing which is a pain.
Submitted by
Gotstachill
a Cross Country Rider
from Union City, CA
Date Reviewed: July 3, 2001
Strengths: Plush when working properly Free with purchase of FSR
Weaknesses: Durability/Longevity, wheezing sound, need to buy $30 shock pump to avoid pre-ride stops at LBS
Bottom Line:
Shock came stock on FSR XC. The shock is plush when working properly. Began wheezing and leaking air after a few months. Returned to Fox via LBS for rebuild. Came back working ok. Began leaking air again--this time through the valve--shortly thereafter. Ended up replacing the valve core myself (if your valve is leaking air, this is a quick, easy, and CHEAP fix--get valve core replacement kit from auto parts store and try it yourself before trashing the shock). After that it worked well for a long time, but...
Once again it's making that wheezing sound and the warranty period is long gong. Bummer, dude!
I'll give this 2 flamin' chilis overall--the shock oughta be bombproof.
By the way, the x-rated kit for the FSR will get you another .75 inches of very plush travel from this shock, plus stiffen up the rear end. It's a worthwhile upgrade.
Submitted by
brut
a Cross Country Rider
from Georgia,USA
Date Reviewed: June 28, 2001
Strengths: Light,reliable,set sag and forget.
Weaknesses: Rebound can be to quick at times
Bottom Line:
After riding with this shock for a year I am very happy with it. It would be nice if it had rebound damping, but thats why Fox makes the float R. I usually check the shocks air every couple weeks and other than adjusting air pressure for ride quality I've never had to add air. Thats pretty good considering that I weigh 230lbs and can be pretty rough on my bike. I am looking to upgrade to a shock with rebound and will going with a Fox.
Bike Setup: 2000 super V with super fatty D, Hayes disc hubs, F-519 rims, xt discs, monkey lites, thomson post, xt group.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Darko Andreevski
a Cross Country Rider
from Skopje, Macedonia
Date Reviewed: June 17, 2001
Strengths: Hmmm.. It was ok first few months...
Weaknesses: Air Leaking after few months, now as i can notice oil started leaking, so there is no damping....
Bottom Line:
I got this shock with my frame.. I was very happy that i found FSR XC just as frameset, so i didnt check what kind of shock is there... And after few months i was very satisfied... But after some time the air started to leak... I e-mail FOX and they send me rebuild kit... With new kit air leaking is gone.. But now i have another problem.. As i can see there is oil missing, and there is no damping in one part of shock travel... So over rocks and bumps, my rear end jump and clank, and is very hard to control my rear end.. :(
Now i'm trying to find the way how to refill with oil . if someone has experience please write me
BTW this is my second review about the same shock, and first time i was satisfied, becouse i think that only air leakage is the problem (that is not problem at all with rebuild kit) But now with my new problem, i have to say that i'm not satisfied from this shock..
Weaknesses: Leaks air. Lately, I need to pump up the shock with air after every ride!
Bottom Line:
I'd read bad reviews about this shock on this website -- the bike I bought happened to have the shock on it. I complained about how much I heard it leaked air and they took some money off of the price of the bike and I bought a Vanilla Float. I didn't put the new shock on right away -- decided I would ride the Air Vanilla until it crapped out. Well -- it took roughly a couple months to start leaking air so badly I'm worried to take it on a long ride. So, I'm putting my new rear shock on tonight.
So I'm planning on selling my AS-X and building a new 575. I am going to order the DHX Air rear shock and I can't decide between the Fox 36 Float or the Vanilla. I like the way c Read More »
I've always been partial to a coil fork. But I'm thinking about the Float. My only real experience with an air fork is an older Reba 29er, and well, I didn't really like it. But I Read More »
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Four shocks for sale:
2007 Fox DHX Air 5.0 7.875x2.25, lightly used but works fine. Comes wi Read More »
Is it an upgrade?
I'm still trying to learn about what's what with my old FS bike.
There is no adjustability on the fox vanilla, and it is a bit bobby if I don't stay seated Read More »
Hello all,
Buying a new bike and having trouble deciding which fork to get. I was initially thinking of getting the Fox 32 Vanilla. Simple, lightweight and coil seemed like a Read More »
