It relies upon highly sophisticated multiple oil-flow circuits and shimmed damping control to deliver the goods. At the user end, new laser etched markings on the top-cap adjustment cluster.
Submitted by
madmax
a Cross Country Rider
from larchmont, NY, USA Date Reviewed: April 19, 2009
Favorite Trail:
sprain
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
I really like how plush you can make the fork, I love being able to hold a line down rock gardens with little effort. while I actually dont use the travel adjust much, it is incredibly useful when i do use it. all of the adjustments make it easy to find the right fit/feel
Weaknesses:
I am a pretty light rider (sub 130) and the oil in the fork, I think, is slightly to heavy for me. I have to lower the rebound really far to get it to be a proper speed. Also, i want to service the fork myself, but it looks REALLY complicated, so i guess its to the bike shop.
Similar Products Used:
rockshox judy (I think), its a great fork, and i dont think it costs much
Bike Setup:
motobecane frame, rockshox rear shock, avid bb7 disc brakes (too cheap for hydro) shimano shifters and pedals.
Bottom Line:
this is a great buy if you can stomach the price. I absolutely love having the crazy amount of adjustments. I like air spring on this fork, becuase it replicates a normal spring nicely (very plush all the way through travel). I would say you could definately find better value somewhere, but if you want the best, and can pay for it, this is pretty much it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jorge_sk
a Weekend Warrior
from Bratislava. Slovakia Date Reviewed: March 13, 2009
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1000.00
Purchased At:
slovkolex
Strengths:
really plush, super adjustable, stiff, reliable
Weaknesses:
none so far - maybe the weight. 1870g is approx. 200-300g heavier than normal 120mm air forks, but considering all the systems used its OK.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Giant Trance X 5inch travel FS bike
Bottom Line:
Its my first adjustable as well as my first REAL fork as I only rode 80mm Manitou Black which was hardcore XC only.
This fork ROCKS, it is really reliable - the talas system works great with no faults for me. The design is great. The fork is really stiff but probably next time I'll go for some kind of thru axle. And the most important - it works really well - it is superplush for an airfork (well I - and not just me - am pretty sure TALAS is one of the most sensitive air systems out there). It also uses all of its travel without any bottoming out - just set the proper sag and ride. The seals/wipers also work well - no need to replace so far - but I am gonna try enduro ones. Travel adjust with no problems - use it really often. A lot of things to be set - its really cool. For me the lockout is the thing i never used.
This fork was the great buy for me. I originally wanted FOX float 120 to match my TranceX 5inch frame but I found this one to be the last model on SALE in my country (as the model from previous year) - so the price was 25% off. So the fork works great and really recommend it. However I'll only give it 4 chillis overall as the original price is really high.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
GlazedHam
a Cross Country Rider
from Texas Hill Country Date Reviewed: February 22, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Flat Rock Ranch
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
came on bike
Strengths:
This is my first non-race for besides a Z1 bomber I had once. I had grown quite used to flexy forks, so this fork was a real eye opener regarding how well a fork can perform.
Beside being really stiff and smooth through the travel, I really love all the adjustability.
I did not really pick this fork; it came with the bike. I thought I would never use the travel adjustment on the fly. I also felt like the bike wanted a 130 rather than a 140-120-100. It turn out that I use the travel adjustment like a fiend while riding.
Weaknesses:
Small complaint, but the lockout adjust also moves the small bump compliance knob. I don't use the lockout much, but I do notice when the small bump compliance isn't there.
Similar Products Used:
I've used pretty much every racing fork since the beginning back in 1991. The only fork comparable to this one would be the Marzochi Z1 Bomber.
Bike Setup:
Moots Cinco 5 inch bike weighing 26 or 27.5 depending on setup.
Bottom Line:
If you want a light fork for a 5 inch travel, I highly recommend this one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dgangi
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix, AZ Date Reviewed: October 13, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Any one I am on
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came with my bike
Strengths:
Outstanding adjustability options, plush travel, the adjustable lockout, 100/120/140mm travel
Weaknesses:
Knob for travel adjustment not easy to flick on the fly
Similar Products Used:
Fox F80RLT
Bike Setup:
2007 Titus Motolite
Bottom Line:
This fork is a must-have for any all-mountain bike. In the 140mm setting, the HTA slackens enough to make my Titus very stable at speed as well as inspire confidence in the downhill/tech stuff. In the 120mm setting, the bike feels "balanced" for general handling, and the 100mm setting is great on long climbs - helps keep the front end down. I can't imagine having a "do-it-all" bike such as the Motolite with a fixed-140mm fork -- the 3 settings on the Talas truly give the bike multiple personalities.
The Talas is very stiff for a 32mm fork and the travel is plush. I am 150lbs and don't stress out equipment like heavier guys, but I also ride very hard and this fork delivers. 200+ guys might want to consider the Talas 36, but the 32mm version should be stiff enough for most riders.
The fork has been very reliable so far. I had to replace the seals only once in the 18 months I've had it...and that was due to a crash where I gashed the stanchion and it tore up the rubber seal. My LBS charged me $200 to replace the stanchion (which meant a whole new upper assembly) and replace all of the seals, which I thought was a pretty fair price.
All in all, this is an awesome fork.
My only complaint, and it's relatively minor, is that the adjustable travel knob is a little hard to change on the fly. This knob has 3 detents at the 6 o'clock, 7.5 o'clock, and 9 o'clock positions -- for 100, 120, 140mm respectively -- and it's a little hard to "feel" these the bike is bobbing around. And reaching down to move the knob is somewhat of a pain. This is one application where a remote switch would be handy.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David Meisner
a Weekend Warrior
from springfield Date Reviewed: July 29, 2008
Favorite Trail:
All of them
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
Paul's bike shop
Strengths:
Near Coil like feel in an Air Shock, Travel adjust, reasonably light weight
Weaknesses:
Has broken twice in the last year.
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi, Fox 125,
Bike Setup:
Blur LT
Bottom Line:
Great fork when it's working, though the travel adjust has stopped working twice in the last year necessitating the need to send it back to Fox. They've fixed it both times at no charge which is cool though twice in a year is excessive maintenance in my book. Have got an good old school Fox 125 to run when this one's in the shop. It's worth getting however if you have a second fork to slap on and ride up long steep single track like we do here in Oregon. Couldn't live without it. Great work, just need to work out the sensibilities.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ggg
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada Date Reviewed: July 4, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Moore Fun - Fruita
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Bob's
Strengths:
Plush. Good ride. Easy to use and setup. Looks good. This is for the 2007 RLC 140-120-100.
Weaknesses:
Brutal to service. Get out your wallet for $$ and passport to get to Switzerland to learn the watch making trade. You'll need it to service these internals !
Service intervals are also very frequent leading to down ridin' time...
Similar Products Used:
Zokes 98 Z2 BAM - 5 yrs no use then just change the oil and it's LIKE NEW !
Bike Setup:
2007 Titus ML complete
Bottom Line:
Really like the fork. Great when it works.
But the worst has come true. After 1 year of use (1 wk Moab and then handful of rides at home) the Talas adjust doesn't work (travel always at 140mm).
Now it requires service and looks like a pain by DIY so to the factory to see what they can do.
FYI - Zokes now has a 3 YEAR WARRANTY !!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from Columbia, MD, USA Date Reviewed: October 2, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$650.00
Purchased At:
Competitive Cyclist
Strengths:
Great feel. Very plush. No maintenance problems so far.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Bike Setup:
Epiphany, Juicy 7's(185 up front & 160 in the back), Deus XC Lowriser 31.8, X9 Trigger shifters and rear derailleur, Thomson stem and seatpost, XTR front derailleur, WTB Rocket V Team, Crank Brother Candy's, Stylo 3.3 team, 990 cassette, Crossmax ST's, Intense System 4 2.25 up front and Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1 in the back
Bottom Line:
I haven't owned a lot of forks so it is hard for me to compare performance. I ride technical trails(rooty, rocky, with some small drops between 2-3 feet). I ride aggressively. It's the 2007 model. No maintenance issues so far which is very important to me. I don't want a component that I have to fiddle around with a lot. I scratched the stanchion a little but was able to deburr it with some sandpaper and haven't had any problem with the scratches affecting the seals.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doug Gangi
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix, AZ Date Reviewed: September 20, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Any one I am riding on...
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Stiff, easy adjustments, looks great, durable
Weaknesses:
Not as plush as my F80RLT (but still pretty comfy), no remote lockout or switch for travel
Similar Products Used:
Various Fox and RockShox
Bike Setup:
2007 Titus Motolite
Bottom Line:
The TALAS is the perfect fork for my Motolite. The adjustable travel is wonderful -- I switch it to 100mm on climbs, 140mm on downhills, and 120mm everywhere else. The detents on the travel adjustment knob are fairly easy to find. It would be nice to have a remote switch for this feature, though.
I've had this fork on my bike for 6+ months and over a thousand miles in dust...mud...muck...and it's been 100% reliable.
Travel isn't quite as plush as the F80RLT on my racer bike, but it's still nice and comfy. The 32mm stanchions are plenty strong and stiff for a lightweight rider such as myself. If you are a heavy guy, then the 36mm version might be better suited for you.
A fork should work without worry...and this one does just that. 5 solid chilies for a truly great product. 4 chilies for the value -- this fork came on my bike, but if I had to buy it aftermarket, I would choke on the price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd
a Weekend Warrior
from Los Gatos, CA, USA Date Reviewed: September 8, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Braille Trail in Demonstration Forest
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Stiff, plush, progressive. State of the art fork and compression technology
As a 140mm travel fork the Talas is very good. For the Ellsworth to work well in a climb (100mm) and fast twisty singletrack(120mm) and steep downhill(140mm), a reliable adjustable fork (and adjustable rear shock for the climbs) is needed. Unfortunately the Talals adjustable feature has failed me TWICE. The first time it failed after about 20 rides. Shop couldn't fix it so they sent it to Fox for factory replacement parts. Worked well when I got it back, but now after 5 or so more rides it failed again. It is permanently at 140mm. We are sending it back to Fox again. Maybe I got a lemon. I'll give them one more shot at fixing it right and then I will become a difficult customer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alonso Castro
a Weekend Warrior
from San José, Costa Rica Date Reviewed: August 22, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
OEM on my bike
Strengths:
Everything you read in the other reviews. The fork is very sweet and sexy.
Weaknesses:
I read several users complain about the travel adjustment, so I think I'll give my 2-cents. My LBS (Ciclo Güilly, in Santa Ana, Costa Rica. Da bomb!) told me they have had to repair several Talas forks in the left-leg travel adjust, apparently due to a factory defect of some sort. In my case, the maximum travel it provided was 130 mm (instead of 140), and stepped down to about 125 and then 110 (instead of 120 and 100). It was even more obvious when going back, as the first jump did not increase travel at all. Also, it was actually pretty hard to decrease the travel -after moving the knob, I had to push really hard on the fork a couple times to get it to stick. Anyway, they replaced whatever needed replacing for about $20, and now the adjustment works flawlessly. Now I move the knob down, and the legs sink almost by themselves like a U-Turn, plus I'm getting the full 100-120-140 range. Couldn't be happier!
Bike Setup:
'07 Santa Cruz Blur LT, SPX setup.
Bottom Line:
Judging from my own experience and some of the comments here, it seems to me that many Talas RLC forks have a manufacturing defect that affects the travel adjust(which is precisely the point of the T-ravel A-djust L-inear A-ir S-pring!). However, it's not too hard to fix. Now, for the price I think FOX should get its act together and make their products flawless out the door.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David Meisner
a Weekend Warrior
from Eugene, Oregon Date Reviewed: August 13, 2007
Favorite Trail:
All of them
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
Paul's Bike Shop
Strengths:
Adjustable travel for steep climbs, plush and coilclose feel, lotza fun dials to impress the girls with.
Weaknesses:
Busted after 2nd ride though after being repaired works like a charm.
Similar Products Used:
Rode my RLC 125 for years and this fork is as good and with the travel adjust much, much better.
Bike Setup:
Blur LT with all the goodies.
Bottom Line:
If you climb steep single track this is the fork to have cause of the travel adjust and sweet smooth adjustable suspension. My travel adjust busted after a couple rides though 3 weeks later I was rolling with it again. I've been riding for years and thus have a second of every part I need to keep rollin. With todays high tech deal it seems this, and a second bike, is the way to stay on the trail in full anamation. Would give it a top 5 rating if it weren't for the busted fork and the fact that Fox never e-mailed or called back with requests for how to manage my problem. They need to put some more money into customer service though who wants to ship this out to India instead of paying the high cost of American labor. Bummer though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Russell Norman
a Weekend Warrior
from Pietermaritzburg, South Africa Date Reviewed: July 14, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Looks great, STIFF, Every adjusment you'll ever need, yet still simple to use, Weight, Feels like a coil fork, Looks great!
Weaknesses:
Not the cheapest but certainly with the money!
Similar Products Used:
Various Manitou, Rock Shox, Marzocchi, RST
Bike Setup:
Morewood Shova
Bottom Line:
These forks have really transformed my ride. They're great for trail use, can keep up with the xc guys easily, and can handle some heavier stuff too (within reason)
They're really stiff, provide a plush ride without diving under hard braking and are just very well made. What other fork is as good as them? As far as I know, nothing!
Did I say how great they look?!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Graham
a Weekend Warrior
from Perth, Western Australia Date Reviewed: May 21, 2007
575, RP23, XO, DT/Mavic, King, Easton, Ritchey etc.
Bottom Line:
After three months I remain very impressed with this fork. I rode a Vanilla 125RL set @ 100mm travel on my last frame. This is an exceedingly plush fork yet I find the performance of the Talas as good! Travel adjust is brilliant - no more wasted energy, trying to keep the front end down on climbs. Rebound and compression knobs make significant differences to feel. To anyone with an old style Talas on their bike, trade it in for one of these - they are infinitely better.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dirtdiva
a Cross Country Rider
from SoCal Date Reviewed: April 17, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Techy, rocky
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
The Bike Palace
Strengths:
Amount of travel, quick travel settings in a light package
Weaknesses:
Seals SUCK!
Similar Products Used:
Marzochhi forks
Bike Setup:
Intense 5.5, XTR
Bottom Line:
Used the fork for three weeks. I had the air pressure recommended for my weight (130 lbs). Wasn't getting full travel, so I figured it just needed break in. While on a ride at the Kokopelli trail, noticed the oil was BLEEDING out of both stanchions.
Got back from the trip and contacted Fox. Don't know if I got shoddy treatment 'cause I'm a chick or thei guy assumed I was a novice rider, but this is what I got back, "It is perfectly normal to see a coating of oil on your stanchions after a ride. Your owner’s manual recommends cleaning your stanchions with a rag after a ride to prevent a buildup of dirt sticking to the oil that can overtime damage your seals." Then went on about proper air pressure...owner's manual, etc.
So, I tell their guy "Nick" that my buddy has one and it doesn't BLEED oil onto the ground when I lay my bike down for a moment rest. Then I get this back, "Your fork should not drip oil. Make sure that your seals are not damaged. If you have an accumulation or dirt on your seals this can prevent a proper oil seal. Also inspect your stanchion tubes. If there is any scratching, rock chips, or wear on your tubes your seals can be damaged prematurely. You can request replacement seals or set up an RA for factory service by calling 1-800-369-7469 ext 6550." Wow, way to place blame on the customer.
So, I had it sent in for warranty, but they couldn't do it in 48 hours, as their web suggests, because of the Sea Otter. So they promised 7 days. 8 days later, it's still not back. Dang, that's a long time to replace the "blown seals."
I hope it works better than new when I get it back. I'm really impressed with the features on this fork and would like to have it working as it should. I shouldn't have to PUSH a brand new fork.
A $700 fork should function as advertised and not have blown seals after 3 weeks of use by a 130lb chick that rides cross-country. When that happens, customer service should take it back (apologetically) and send it back in the amount of time promised.
I'll post another review when I get it back and put more miles on it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter Gill
a Cross Country Rider
from England Date Reviewed: April 16, 2007
Favorite Trail:
High Street, Lake District
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
On Yer Bike
Strengths:
Buttery Smooth action, Super stiff with very precise steering. 140mm travel at under 4 pounds, a very versatile fork. I have used this for cross country races and will be taking it to the alps this summer for freeride.
Weaknesses:
Look after this fork and you should have no problems that aren't covered under warranty.
Just upgraded from a Manitou Black super 2005, basically a much cheaper version of the Talas. The difference is difficult to express in words, bascially I am now able to ride downhill and corner with so much more confidence and enjoyment. If you are a serious trail rider and are hitting bigger trails but like to sprint up those hills, this is the fork for you, its fantastic.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ben
a
from san jose, ca Date Reviewed: March 12, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Talas RLC is a very good fork. It takes bigger hits pretty good. Tracks well. Adjustablity to almost every tweak possible. Light for a 140mm travel fork. Pretty stiff. Solid cross country fork that can take some trail type hits.
Weaknesses:
Plushness. It doesnt suck up small clatter type bumps very well. Expensive.
Similar Products Used:
marzocchi mx, rock shox sid, manitou minute 2.0, fox vanilla.
Bike Setup:
santa cruz blur lt with fox float rear, fox vanilla front, dt swiss wheels w/ onyx hubs, xt everything, avid juicy 7's, etc....
Bottom Line:
It is a great fork for cross country and some trail hits. Adjustablity to tweak in every way. Fox quality.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Christopher
a Cross Country Rider
from Evergreen Date Reviewed: March 8, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Colorado Trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$378.00
Purchased At:
Fox
Strengths:
Adjustability, handling, smooth suspension
Weaknesses:
Inconsistant travel settings, No handlebar lockout. Fox customer service that's an oxymoron
Similar Products Used:
Fox 100RLC, Zokes Bomber 2001, 2004, AMP
Bike Setup:
Titus Ti Motolite, Industry 9 wheels, 07 XTR, RaceFace, Avid Ultimates, Crank Bros twin-ti, King headset
Bottom Line:
Satisfied but not thrilled. Perhaps the poor customer service has me jaded. The fork handles great and can be infinately tuned. Actual travel increments are inconsistant between clockwise and counterclockwide adjustments. So, middle setting from counterclockwise adjustment is 130mm but middle setting from a clockwide adjustment is 120mm, Go figure.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Graham Mitchell
a Weekend Warrior
from Perth, Australia Date Reviewed: February 1, 2007
I was very surprised at the supple, buttery, coil-like feel of this fork. I could not detect ANY significant difference in the compression stroke of this air sprung model and my coil sprung Vanilla. It rode so well that it convinced me to fit one to the 575 which I am building up. Now in reference to a previous reviewer who complained that his fork broke on a 30 foot drop and so did not deliver what he expected, did he land on his head while NOT wearing a helmet? And was he maybe 'intellectually challenged' to start with? Let's give the poor soul the benefit of the doubt. Maybe you should try sky-diving, mate...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Richard Gomez
a Downhiller
from Philippines Date Reviewed: February 1, 2007
Favorite Trail:
into the woods via rice terraces
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$700.00
Purchased At:
Ninakaw ko lang
Strengths:
I don't know broke the stanchions after jumping from a 30 foot building.
Weaknesses:
too expensive yet does not diliver what I expected
Similar Products Used:
fox vanilla rl 05
Bike Setup:
trail
Bottom Line:
good for not so agrressive rider just don't do what I did. because you will ruin the fork if you are as agressive as I am.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
chan
a Cross Country Rider
from Malaysia Date Reviewed: January 3, 2007
Favorite Trail:
kiara
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
the fork is plush, absorbs small bumbs.
Weaknesses:
oil leakage from the dirt seal at the stanchion. few of my friends experience this problem aswell.
Bottom Line:
the fork performs very well but the quality doesn.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ty
a Weekend Warrior
from Austin Date Reviewed: November 11, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$699.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Versatility
Weaknesses:
No bar remote
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shox
Bike Setup:
NRS1
Bottom Line:
Nice Shock. A liitle to much travel for NRS frame and I am therefore getting anew frame because I wanna keep fork. Once you get it set up to your liking it's good to go.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sean
a Weekend Warrior
from Charlotte NC Date Reviewed: November 8, 2006
Favorite Trail:
My trail- Sherman Branch
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$699.00
Purchased At:
Speedgoat.com
Strengths:
Stiff Plush tunable rapid travel actual rebound and compresion awsome lock-out etc etc...Bonus my order came with a Chris King no THreadset
Weaknesses:
price but that isnt a weakness just a barrier
Similar Products Used:
Manitu Elite
Bike Setup:
Fox 32rlc talas Thomson post XT / Lx Mavic 117 Basically Marin East peak 'cept for what I have broken
Bottom Line:
See strengths... Compliant, finally I understand what that means in biking. Tracks great over the roots rocks etc...will update if anything changes but you get all 5 chilies for both
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
galbyripper
a
from bellingham, wa Date Reviewed: October 25, 2006
Favorite Trail:
911
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$690.00
Purchased At:
dropnzone.com
Strengths:
stiffer than the old talas and more plush. for real...it is a different fork than the 05 talas
Weaknesses:
no thru axel for the price...but hey, i didn't have to buy a new bike tray for my truck!
Similar Products Used:
fox vanilla and talas 125-130s, other brands whose names i can't spell..both start with m's...
Bike Setup:
5 spot built with things that last over things that are light
Bottom Line:
great fork for 5.5. it makes a bike "all mountain" without busting the scales past 32 lbs...the fork is stiff and i am heavier rider at 185 lbs. a much better produce than the old forks, and that is saying a lot...the old forks were bomber for me. if you can pony up the cash you will like enjoy this fork, but it is not the 36...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scuba Steve
a Weekend Warrior
from Wagga, NSW, Australia Date Reviewed: October 23, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$799.00
Purchased At:
Wagga Cycle Centre
Strengths:
Very stiff...Plush...Very easy to use adjustment knobs...adjustments DO make a difference...Light weight...Smart travel adjustment...Coil feel...Tunable without having to be a tech head.
These forks are stiff...Forget other brands with a thru axle, you dont need it...Travel system is easy to use and sets up air pressure at lower travel settings nicely...Forks take a couple of hours for bushings to break in (not a problem)...They have an amazing feel, plush, whilst being able to adjust nose-dive (with compression dial)...Never before has a fork had the dual use as a XC weapon and true all-mountain aggessive weapon...I am heavy (220 lbs) and this fork does it for me, so it will do it for you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
I am dangerous
a Weekend Warrior
from Orange County Date Reviewed: October 17, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$699.00
Purchased At:
Surf City Cyclery
Strengths:
Travel adjust is absolutely amazing. It's blazingly quick. There's only a 90 degree sweep to extend from 100mm to 120mm to 140mm. I used it all the time! Whenever I come up to a steep hill, I reach down and twist the lever 90 degrees and the front of the bike drops to 100mm and climbing is as easy as my Fox Float RL 80! Then on the downhills, I extend it out and it just soaks up the terrain! I go so fast that I scare myself when the turns come up lol.
The fork leaves oil residue on the stanchions but Fox believes in replacement seals over poor ride. I agree.
Weaknesses:
Forget trying to set your sag. Just rely on air pressure. I'd need to be at 35 psi to get 25% sag. Realistically, I'm 190lbs and with 90psi, I get great response and fantastic travel. Anything below 80psi and the fork sags from just the weight of the bike.
Similar Products Used:
Fox Float RL 80 on a '06 Trek 8500 hardtail.
Bike Setup:
'07 Intense 5.5 w/'07 Juicy 7's 185mm front 160mm rear, '07 SRAM X9 triggers, LX FD, X0 RD, '07 Fox RP23 shock, Race Face Atlas crank, Mavic 717 wheels, Thomson stem and post, Easton Monkey Lite XC composite bar
Bottom Line:
Last year's Talas was my dream fork. I loved it's ability to XC and climb as well as it's ample travel for AM downhills. The 2007 Talas RLC is better than I could've ever dreamed. The instant travel adjust makes it a realistic climber. The extra 10mm of travel for the full 140mm is enough to be a serious all mountain fork. And believe me, the extra 10mm helps ;)
The rebound and compression controls are so precise it reminds me of my motorcycle controls. The lockout is easy to turn on and off or anywhere in between. And the lockout blow out adjust is outstanding incase you forget to release the lockout or just too busy to do so.
This is an outstanding fork. There's seriously nothing they can do to make it better next year. Buy this fork now! It'll be the last fork you ever buy.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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