Submitted by
shilka
a Cross Country Rider
from Indonesia Date Reviewed: January 4, 2010
Favorite Trail:
All around
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Salmount
Strengths:
Good rebound, stong, feel easy to take manuver, very2 GREAT VALUE PRICE
Weaknesses:
Lock out movement rather long, should be better about <1 cm
Similar Products Used:
Suntour Epicon
Bike Setup:
Giant atx
Bottom Line:
Suntour epicon 120 mm more comfort at easy terrain with softly rebound. But overall dart 3 is give more advantages, strong, durable, good pop lock, very2 GREAT VALUE PRICE FOR entry level fork.
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Submitted by
MTBERMISS
a Cross Country Rider
from Mississippi Date Reviewed: January 2, 2010
Favorite Trail:
Clear Creek
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
Sportymamabikes.com
Strengths:
120MM of travel is very rare for a entry level fork. The fork offers a lockout and fully adjustable rebound.
Weaknesses:
None after one year and hundreds of miles of use.
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shoc Recon U-turn 351 Full lockout and a Manitou 100mm travel
Bike Setup:
Motobecane Fantom Trail Sub 24 pound hardtail. Full XT components. EXTREMELY LIGHT and CHEAP Selcof stem, seatpost, and handlebars bought on ebay.
Bottom Line:
The 120 mm of travel from a cheap entry level fork is pretty good. The fork is tough and will work well with 6 feet or less jumps. The lockout and adjustable rebound makes it extremely easy to climp hills.
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Submitted by
jlesser
a Cross Country Rider
from new hope, mn, USA Date Reviewed: November 19, 2009
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
the only strength that comes to mind with this fork is that it holds the wheel to the frame
Weaknesses:
zero control over fork. this fork will do what it wants to do. lockout sucks. compression inconsistant. If you plan on riding in any cooler conditions, this fork locks up Rock solid.
Similar Products Used:
rock shox recon and tora
Bike Setup:
motobecane fantom trial
Bottom Line:
spend the extra money. Not worth the sore wrists.
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Submitted by
danielnc06
a Weekend Warrior
from charlotte, nc Date Reviewed: November 15, 2009
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$140.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
good travel, soft ride, decent spring rate. compression and rebound adjustment
Weaknesses:
lockout still allows 1-2cm of movement.
Bottom Line:
good entry level fork for a light, cheap build. the compression and rebound adjustments are great and have a wide range of adjustment for my weight(140lbs).adjustment is sensitive but works. took a few rides to get it right. overall for the price it is a great little shock and rides well on trails. if your wanting a well built, rebuildable, cheap, entry-level fork, Buy It!
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Submitted by
Dark Bike
a Cross Country Rider
from Boston Date Reviewed: October 12, 2009
Favorite Trail:
The Top Secret Ones
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Came With Bike
Strengths:
Preload, Lockout, absorbs most trail trash easy enough
Weaknesses:
mushy, and randomly decides not to travel enough
Bike Setup:
Stock 09 rockhopper
Bottom Line:
The Dart 3 is good for what it is, and entry level component. For blazing down some mildly rough single track it works well, though I had to crank down the preload.
But for anyone who can ride a little harder than the beginner, this fork is a death trap. Almost killed me a few times, now I just avoid jumping over things. Fork isn't responsive enough on large obstacles. I would recommend just getting a better fork.
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Submitted by
MTRIDER
a Cross Country Rider
from Oxford, Ms, USA Date Reviewed: September 16, 2009
Favorite Trail:
All
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
Sportymamabikes.com
Strengths:
120mm Travel, Strength, Durability, Comfort
Weaknesses:
none yet
Similar Products Used:
RST Forks, Fox Forks
Bike Setup:
Motobecane Fantom Trail, Shimano components, Ritchey Bar and Seat Post, MTB Wheelset, JagWire Derailleur lines, Juicy Avid Disc Brakes
Bottom Line:
Great Fork for the money. Would recommend to any rider new or experienced.
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Submitted by
KinglyRider
a Cross Country Rider
from Chichester Date Reviewed: August 22, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Kingly Vale
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Cheap, Strong and Reliable when cared for.
Weaknesses:
Flexy at times and sticks in the cold and wet.
Similar Products Used:
Rockshox Revs/Rebas, Magura Durin, Fox Floats etc..
Bottom Line:
I don't quite understand what people want from these forks, they retail for about £115 which put them very much in the entry level bracket.
Your not going to see sickening performance from a fork like this. They served me well though that's for sure. Slacken the preload and make sure you clean and lube the dust seals every ride it makes a world of difference.
I've had no problems with maintenance I understand that the early 08 models that went out were riddled with problems and Rockshox recalled loads of them. 09 seem fine to me though. I'd go for these if your in the market for a sub £130 fork they're tougher than most other entry level forks.
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Submitted by
Forceofwon
a Weekend Warrior
from Cashion, Oklahoma USA Date Reviewed: August 15, 2009
Favorite Trail:
NuDraper, Bluff Creek
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
Sage Cycles
Strengths:
Like its looks, like the options (lockout, etc) even though some dont seem to do anything. As what was said, it never seems to bottom out, but the first 3" of travel is too spongy
Weaknesses:
Too soft, rebound adjustment does NOTHING
Similar Products Used:
RST Gila, Suntour
Bike Setup:
2008 Trek 4300
Bottom Line:
One complaint is it said "100 mm" of travel. My stock RST Gila forks also say 100mm. My RST forks have over 6 inches of travel where the Dart 3's have maybe 4.5 inches. The dart 3 forks make a large popping noise in the headset on large bumps. I put my old RST Gilas, back on-and no problem. Think Ill keep the Gilas on it.I thought I was upgrading to a better product with the Dart 3's but I guess not
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Submitted by
riverman
a Cross Country Rider
from ontario, canada Date Reviewed: July 23, 2009
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
cheap, looks okay, postmount, lockout
Weaknesses:
about as stiff as a wet noodle, lockout only works if the preload is set way too high, rebound adjustment knob is really hard to set properly but really easy to knock out of place
Bike Setup:
'09 trek 6000
Bottom Line:
came stock on my bike, knew I was going to replace it down the road but I didn't realize it would be this awful. the fork has soo much flex thank to the teeny stanchions that I'v almost died a few times. they do beat not having a fork and they are alright for mild xc if they came with your bike, but you would be much better off buying a good used fork than a new dart3
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Submitted by
Jeremy3
a Weekend Warrior
from Kitchener,Ontairo Date Reviewed: June 27, 2009
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$160.00
Purchased At:
Mcphail's cycle and
Strengths:
Smooth. kinda light compreed to RST. Makes my ride feel smooth and nice. Got it for really cheap and free Poploc!
Weaknesses:
Preload knob is hard to turn and makes no difference.
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi 55 R, RST Gila T-7
Bike Setup:
07 Hardrock sport disc, Rock Shox Dart 3
Bottom Line:
This is a good fork for the price that you pay. This is for starters i would say...(I am one). The only downside is the preload and the fork gets kinda sticky.
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Submitted by
sirtwist
a Cross Country Rider
from London, UK Date Reviewed: June 7, 2009
28mm Stanchions are a bit flexy
Standard Spring never felt that plush for my weight (76kg)
Similar Products Used:
Dart 1, Reba Team, Pike 454
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper race bike
Bottom Line:
I bought these as an interim solution whilst I decided what bike I wanted to spend my money most on (eneded up being this race bike, so I upgraded to a reba team). Really like these forks during initial stages of getting fit and they are a huge upgrade over the Dart 1, with actual damping of the rebound, and a poploc for the climbs. I seee this only has an average of 2.88, seems a few people have had reliability issues. Well, mine work fine, and I think that mostly people only write reviews when they're annoyed with a product. So I'd like to say, great for the money, if that's all the money available to spend on forks, and you're not expecting to tackle fast and hard xc race courses on it. It's great for recreation xc riding, at beginners pace. 5 for value - I paid 90 pounds, with poploc! 4 for overall, as really, they're only recreation standard, nothing more.
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Submitted by
Maboo
a Weekend Warrior
from ATL, GA Date Reviewed: May 14, 2009
Favorite Trail:
ALL
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
When taken off the bike, its makes for a good club!
Weaknesses:
Oil Leaks.
Bike Setup:
Cannondale F5
Bottom Line:
Had the bike for a few months and the forks started leaking oil. They were under warranty so the LBS tried to fix them but Sram keep sending the wrong parts. Due to a time constraint, I had to swap them out with a downgraded (RockShok 2) fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wmass
a Cross Country Rider
from MA Date Reviewed: May 7, 2009
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$160.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Good value. Has good adjustability for the price. Never seems to really bottom out. Remote poplock is great. Feels solid. Can take a good beating.
Weaknesses:
Fork movement is a little "sticky". Although, it felt alot better after the break in period, it still sticks a little. Compression adjustment knob can be a little tough to turn at stiff settings but is still very usable. Very temperature sensitive, although when its cold it will still move when it has to. Makes a little bit of metal clanky noise but its really not a big deal.
Similar Products Used:
1998 Rock Shox Indy XC 72mm travel.
Bike Setup:
1998 GT Pantera
Bottom Line:
Don't be totally misled by my long list of weaknesses because this fork works just fine. It does what it's supposed to do. I have the 100mm version. I crash and bash my bike full speed down an abandoned ski area almost every weekend. The dart seems to hold up just fine. It made my bike more downhill capable with the extra travel and laid back stance (Although I still wouldnt bring it to Killington or Mt Snow). It's true I have never used a real expensive fork so I dont know what a "serious" fork is like in comparison, but what I can say is that the Dart 3 holds up great. the damping seems to keep it from bottoming out. My only real complaint is that it is a little sticky compare to the Indy, but the Indy had about 3,000 miles on it so it was well broken in, plus the Dart is built differently. I got the Dart after the Indy crown screws broke off inside the thing. The remote poplock works great, no compalints there. Rebound adjustment also works well although the knob is sensitive at slow settings. I got a deal on the remote poplock for only $10 extra. For 150 bucks you cant go wrong here for almost any bike in the less than $1000 dollar range. This fork is WAY more adjustable than the old Indy. This fork handles steep rocky mountain trails, as much as a hardtail will handle before flipping you over the bars. Overall I'm happy with my purchase, but I would probly not go out of my way to buy another one unless i'm looking to spend as little as possible for a fork that will handle "legitimate" riding, may try a Tora or something next time if I feel like spending the money. You really wont be disappointed with this fork for the money, I'm not sure why people bash this thing so much in the reviews. Like I said, It will handle a small ski area and it will work like it is supposed to.
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Submitted by
ionutzmarius
a Cross Country Rider
from Arad-Romania Date Reviewed: April 12, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Combined
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Online store
Strengths:
Adjustabilityes, good rebound
Weaknesses:
As allot of consumer said: it leakes oil!!! spring is to stiff for the small bumpes..
Similar Products Used:
sr-suntour
Bike Setup:
Altrix Mistral -
Bottom Line:
If you change the compresion spring in it with a more loose one in the fisrt inches of travel , and resolve the problem with the oil leak , then the fork does it's job as it has to..
But this things had to be done by Rockshox, so is a big dissapointment.. I wahnt to sell it , anyone interested? :)
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Submitted by
FireLikeIYA
a Weekend Warrior
from Gilbert, AZ Date Reviewed: April 3, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Desert Classic
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Fairly light for given price range. rebound adjustment. Looks nice.
Weaknesses:
When on the street the shock feels really good. It feels like it could sock up a lot of rough stuff but out on the trail it can start to feel a little stiff if the trail gets choppy... Even with the preload backed off all the way.
Similar Products Used:
None. Just got into MTB.
Bike Setup:
2009 Rockhopper
Bottom Line:
When I first bought my bike I thought this fork was awesome but the more trail riding I do the less compliant it feels. For a fork that came on a starter bike I do feel it is great but I see myself moving to something else within the next year. If you are looking for a starter bike and are trying to choose between one with a RST, Dart 1, Dart2 or Dart 3 fork I would go with the bike that has the Dart 3. If you are upgrading than I dont think it would be worth the money. It would probably be better to save the cash if this is all you can afford to upgrade to unless you can get it for less than a hundred bucks.
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Submitted by
fatperson32
a Weekend Warrior
from Westport, CT Date Reviewed: February 7, 2009
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Bethel Cycle
Strengths:
well it sometimes moves
Weaknesses:
I got this fork with a 2009 Cannondale F5. It broke three times. First off the rebound knob fell off twice, the second time when I was riding and oil leaked all over the place. It got replaced free under warranty...then I got a new one...and it got cold and froze up...then Rockshox replaced it under warranty...same problem...
Ok this is a horrible fork. If you have it on a bike, replace it with something better because this fork is an embarrasment. Dont buy it either
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Valeking
a Cross Country Rider
from Chichester, UK Date Reviewed: February 7, 2009
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Lockout, Preload + Rebound adjust. Plush travel for an entry level fork, provided it's maintained correctly!
Weaknesses:
Cold Weather (Easily Fixed)
Bottom Line:
I think people expect to much out of the Dart series and don't maintain them properly. The other guys that reviewed this product got it right. Change out the oil if you need to to prevent ceasing and/or make sure you wash them down with warm water and keep the dust caps clean. Can also slacken the preload off and slow the rebound in cold weather to help keep the travel clean and smooth. All round a good entry level fork!
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Submitted by
leaux
a Cross Country Rider
from Huntersville, NC Date Reviewed: December 13, 2008
Favorite Trail:
USNWC
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
Marin Alpine Tr 29er
Strengths:
Not bad, though this is my first suspension fork I've used. I like the how you can lock out the fork movement.
Weaknesses:
There was a recall on the product. Turns out the oil leaked out due to a problem with the washers in the forks. Rock Shox will provide the rebuild kit to the dealer you bought the forks or bike from. Bike still in the shop will update you all later.
Under warrantee so the work is free :) Just have to wait :(
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Marin Alpine Trail 29er
Bottom Line:
Overall a good product. I did see someone change the oil to a lower SAE weight. BEFORE doing this, contact Rock Shox so you do not void your warrantee. The manual states 15W suspension oil, 5W may be too light. Ask if you can use a 10W, specifically Mobil 1 products they are used in Aston Martin, Bentley, Cadillac, Corvette, Dodge Viper, Mercedes Benz, Pontiac, Porsche.
$ 220.00
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