Submitted by
mamasitatire
a Cross Country Rider
from state college, pa, usa Date Reviewed: November 17, 2009
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Price
Weaknesses:
Lockout
Bike Setup:
Salsa Mamasita
Bottom Line:
Someone talked me back into Rock Shox now that they are owned by SRAM. Out of the box the lockout doesn't work - Called SRAM they said oil might be wrong or maybe compression something or other was broken - I said fix it so I can sell it on ebay and I am getting a FOX!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dillrepair
a Cross Country Rider
from milwaukee, wi Date Reviewed: October 1, 2009
Favorite Trail:
makwa trail, camba system
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
original equipment o
Strengths:
I have the 2010 model. perhaps some of the problems mentioned about previous models are gone. So far this fork appears very solid, very smooth, very adjustable. I've only had the bike for a few months so we'll see about reliability.
Weaknesses:
none that i've found yet... i want to purchase the remote damping adjuster because this unit begs to be played with on-trail.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
shock came stock on 2010 specialized stumpy comp 29
Bottom Line:
It works well, and i haven't experienced any of the loose feel mentioned by other reviewers about previous model years.
This is the best front fork I've ever ridden.... i dunno if that says much, but I'm impressed and enjoying it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
agabrielj
a Cross Country Rider
from Louisville, KY USA Date Reviewed: August 25, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Waverly/Ft Duffield
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
Bicycle Sport
Strengths:
Lightweight, looks good, paint is tough, but most of all it's still smooth. Has not leaked oil or air ever.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
Rockshox SID, Manitou Black, Marzocchi Race
Bike Setup:
Niner EMD with above average components.
Bottom Line:
I love this fork. It came on a 2007 Gary Fisher xcal. I'll keep it until it breaks. I've heard some people buy the Rebas and blow seals very quickly or leak oil, but this is a specific review on my fork and I'll give it 5 chilis for performance. Oh yeah, it's a 2007 model.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
creekchubb
a Cross Country Rider
from Omaha Ne Date Reviewed: January 28, 2009
Favorite Trail:
all of them
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Strengths:
Works great, tunable, easily maintained
Weaknesses:
none
Bottom Line:
I weigh 210- 215, and I ride pretty hard. I dont notice much flex or anything else. This fork is easily tuned for body weight, and riding style. Adjusting travel, and maintence is a breeze
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
XTCphil
a Cross Country Rider
from Prince George, BC Ca Date Reviewed: November 11, 2008
Favorite Trail:
3 Blind Mice
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
GT Test Bike
Strengths:
Adjustable travel, simple problem free damper cartridge. Light for 32mm stantions. Good price
Weaknesses:
After owning many Dual Air Rockshox forks this is my first
potentialy exspensive failure. As another reviewer had exsperience (without a solution)the main air chamber bleads down into the negative chamber. I pulled apart the air valve and found a nasty score from the shear pin which holds the top main air seal on the shaft. The pin is loose enough to work it's way out until it starts shaving material off the inside of the station.
So now it needs a station. Will contact SRAM for a solution. Will post again with the final resolution.
Similar Products Used:
A number or Reba's and Psylo Race, Fox air and coil models
Bike Setup:
GT 29er full syspension, now with a Psylo Race 26 inch on the front.
Bottom Line:
It is worth a check to make sure the shear pin of the upper seal/piston is in tight. I believe the press fit on the shear pin is not enough. This is easily fixed if caught early enough, by replacing the pin with the next size up and redriling with the correct size drill. This is the first real issue I have been unable to fix inexspensivly, not like some other fork manufacturers.
Any questions cmoorspevanson@mag-net.com
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike N.
a Cross Country Rider
from SLC, UT Date Reviewed: August 5, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Mo' Pi'
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$343.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Light, cheap to buy.
Weaknesses:
Loose, floppy handling. I bought this fork to replace a Marzocchi SL with worn-out guide bushings. Imagine my joy when I took it out and discovered that it was looser than the 'Zokey, right out of the box! You'll think your headset is loose, but it's the legs of the fork shifting around.
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi Marathon SL '04
Bike Setup:
Gary F. Sugar 292, 2004, with slight-rise bar, long-rise stem, an Soft-a** RX saddle for my big white pattooty.
Bottom Line:
Very disappointed. Will replace ASAP.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mtbnachos
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego Date Reviewed: June 23, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Noble Canyon, CA
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$275.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Price, solid, reliable
Weaknesses:
Flex, no cable guides, offset
Bike Setup:
Soma Juice
Bottom Line:
Great 29er fork under $300. I've beaten it pretty well and shows no signs of breakage. Flex on corners but you cant beat the price. If you're beginning 29er hardtails this is a must buy. Not a fork to end all forks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from omaha Date Reviewed: April 27, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$400.00
Strengths:
I weigh 210 nlbs, and this fork works great, no flex. It is easy to take apart to change the travel, and service. Much less $$ than Fox, but just as good.
Bottom Line:
works great last long time
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
TaintPretty
a Weekend Warrior
from Austin, Texas Date Reviewed: April 14, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Dumptruck
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
HammerHead
Strengths:
When it works it works great.
Weaknesses:
When the positive pressure leaks your pedals ride lower and you hit things while trying to get off the trail.
Bike Setup:
Intense Spider 29er
Bottom Line:
About to take this into the shop for the forth time. On the first time in they thought it was a loose valve and tightened. The second trip the seals were replaced. The third trip it was sent back to SRAM and catridge replaced. Now with about 25 hours of hard riding I have the exact same problem. This has led to weeks without riding and the frustration is to the point of taking a loss and switching forks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Simon Z
a Cross Country Rider
from Gilbert, AZ Date Reviewed: December 20, 2007
Favorite Trail:
hawes
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
competitive cyclist
Strengths:
It's reliable and plush. Great feel when decending the rocky stuff. Relatively light. Easily converted from 80mm to 100mm.
Weaknesses:
none so far.
Similar Products Used:
other fox and rockshox 26" forks
Bike Setup:
steel 29er ss
Bottom Line:
I highly recommend this fork based on overall performance and value. It just has a good feel. Stable on the climbs and active on the decents.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Charlie Roscoe
a Cross Country Rider
from Cheraw, SC, USA Date Reviewed: August 20, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Plush, easy to expiriment with, lockout, light weight.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Similar Products Used:
Cheap rubbish.
Bottom Line:
This fork came stock on my bike. It's the first higher end fork I've used. It's plush, has adjustable parameters, adjustable travel, and a useful lockout. So far, the fork has been great. No complaints here.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Wellborn
a Cross Country Rider
from Bremerton, WA, USA Date Reviewed: July 13, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Porter Creek
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Set up the air pressure as recommended, and it was dialed in the first time! Best price point in 29er forks right now. You can hear a nice solid "squish-squish" when the fork cycles hard.
Weaknesses:
The fork has forward/back flex under braking that takes some getting used to, compared to WB forks.
Similar Products Used:
White Brothers BW 1.0 White Brothers BW .8 Marzocchi Marathon 29er Maverisck SC-32 Psylo 26ers
Bike Setup:
Niner SIR-9 singlespeed, Stan's No-Tubes, miscellaneous parts from my shop.
Bottom Line:
Only had a few rides on the fork, which was from a demo bike at a shop. It handles really well (aside from the steeper head angle), and felt very transparent. The pressure settings in the manual were dead on (for me), and I dialled in the floodgate all the way down for max lockout/compression damping. I look forward to riding this fork, until I get my hands on a Fox to try out. If the durability of the internals has improved since I last rode a RockShox fork, the Reba SL might be a keeper....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a Cross Country Rider
from Louisville Date Reviewed: June 30, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Stealthy looks(black),plush,80 or 100mm convertibility,reasonable price,decent weight.
Weaknesses:
Some front to back flex on technical steps/drops for a heavy rider.
Similar Products Used:
26" Fox,Rockshox and Manitou forks (80-130mm, coil and air spring).
Bike Setup:
Niner hardtail,geared,fork set at 100mm.
Bottom Line:
This has been a really nice fork,especially for the $400.00 I paid for it new. Plush and predictable, and much better for me set at 100mm-started out with it at 80mm. Adding too much air in the negative spring (to make it more active) will decrease the travel-as you add negative air above the pressure in the positive air chamber you can see the travel lessen as you go above a certain level.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a
from PA Date Reviewed: June 30, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Smooth and very adjustable.
Weaknesses:
Needs a TA model. Developed a creak at the stantion-crown interface; waiting to see if RockShox will fix it.
Bottom Line:
Nice fork for the price. Very smooth and very adjustable. Not too heavy.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Will RockShox please make after market TA lowers for this fork!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ray
a Racer
from Puyallup, WA Date Reviewed: June 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Skookum Flats
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Like the airspring. Easy to set up and adjust
Bike Setup:
GF Ex-cal
Bottom Line:
The fork has been great so far. It did develop a leak in the seal between the neg spring and pos spring chambers (that's what I was told). It happened on my first lap of a 24hr. race, so it was a little bit of a bummer. I had 295 miles on the bike / fork; approx. 100 of that from racing. I would agree with the other posts I like the fork and how it handles. I would also add that RockShox was awesome in getting it fixed. Took three days, no charge. Shipping took more time, but that has nothing to do with the shock or repair. I don't think it is fair to expect parts / components to hold up perfectly under the conditions. Sometimes things wear out / break. What makes the difference is how well the manufacturer stands behind the product. 5 chili's for the folks at rockshox and the fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Douglas Ling
a Cross Country Rider
from State College, PA, U.S. Date Reviewed: April 24, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Rothrock Forest
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Mt. Nittany Wheelworks with bike
Strengths:
Extremely adjustable; Easy to use; Very little maintenance. Great for cross country riding.
Weaknesses:
It could be a bit more stable on downhills.
Similar Products Used:
26er forks.
Bike Setup:
'05 Gary Fisher Xcaliber; Sram shifters w/ X-9 rear derailleur & Shimano front derailleur; Bontrager crank & wheels; Maxxis tires
Bottom Line:
Overall, I really like this fork. It has held up well in summer & winter weather. It has been easy to adjust & maintain. It's been great through the rock gardens & climbing hills.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sal
a Cross Country Rider
from Idaho Date Reviewed: January 29, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
B&L Bikes, Pullman WA
Strengths:
Reliability, functionality, directional control.
Weaknesses:
Never seems like I get the full 80mm of travel
Similar Products Used:
Had a 26" Reba U-turn that was a fine fork. Only 29'er fork is the Reba being reviewed.
Bottom Line:
Fork works well, seems stiff enough, not too heavy, lets me hold a line through the rock gardens and over the roots, love the Motion Control. I have not adjusted the travel as my bike was made with 80mm in mind so I don't want to jack with its geo, so I can't comment on the fork at 100mm. I use my bike to commute on as well, all winter long, and the fork seems unphased by prolonged cold, white, weather.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jerry
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson Date Reviewed: January 22, 2007
Favorite Trail:
dirt
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
Solid fork, easily adjustable, not too heavy, everything works correctly. I'm 170 lbs and have no problem with flex.
Weaknesses:
Like any suspension fork, it's heavier than a rigid.
Similar Products Used:
Only 29er
Bike Setup:
Stock SuperCaliber by Fisher
Bottom Line:
No complaints, no problems, no sweat.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Arlington VA Date Reviewed: December 4, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
LBS w\bike
Strengths:
Smooth action, readily available and supportable, tuning options
Weaknesses:
Flexy at 100mm
Similar Products Used:
WB Magic 100, WB BW 1.0, various 26er forks
Bike Setup:
El Mariachi SS,
Bottom Line:
Good, adjustable fork with smooth action throughout travel. !00mm settings adds plushness and flex, so pick youtr poison. I have added the remote poploc, which is useful, if it fits into a comfortable spot on your bar. This is a solid fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Evel Knievel
a Weekend Warrior
from Sandy- rocky- steep Date Reviewed: December 4, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Porcipine Rim/ BartletsWash
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
Light, set and forget, easy lockout
Weaknesses:
QR?,wheres the maxle? mild flex is passive suspension ehh, carbon fork users. Mild flex also causes wear on the bushings. Long term we will see.
Similar Products Used:
RS psylo coil version. Fox TALAS
Bike Setup:
Stock HT SS
Bottom Line:
This fork is plush. Lockout via the compresssion circuit works just fine for me. LO Lever is easy to flick in a glove. Downtube shifters were tougher.
Have not need to fiddle with air pressure. The recomended is good for average trail rides. Get hard on the pedals and brakes a small dial of compression firms it up. Turn a bit more its lockedout for extended climbing. Big plus for SSing.
A bit of flex durring hard braking. Better than the psylo by some.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
speedy
a Racer
from athens ohio Date Reviewed: December 1, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
extremely plush, infinately adjustible, fits fat tires, easy to set up, can make chatter bumps seem like a parking lot
Weaknesses:
extreamly flexy, idk if it was a worn out seal or what buy they flex soo much, to their credit they havent broke, but on some downhills i get a little scared, it could be that im used to my DH bike and fork but this thing flexes a good couple inches under hard breaking and bumps
Similar Products Used:
just 26er stuff
Bike Setup:
05gary fisher x-caliber
Bottom Line:
great fork if you are really light and like to climb insted of bomb the downhills(not my style)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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