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Submitted by
Levi
a Weekend Warrior
from Lewistown
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Crystal lake, but they aren't really mtn. bike trails | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Friend gave it too me | | Strengths: | it's never failed me yet. I can't seem to hurt it and I've hucked some wicked stuff on it. although that's takin a toll on my frame | | Weaknesses: | old | | Similar Products Used: | rst junk, they don't make any decent shocks | | Bike Setup: | diamondback, $200 bike with $300 worth of parts in it, go figure | | Bottom Line: | I love the shock, even when you bottom it it's not harsh. I would like to know if anybody knows where I can find a rebuild kit for it so I can keep abusing it. I can tell it's getting soft after a year and i just need new elastomer springs for it. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin Vokey
a Cross Country Rider
from Kincardine
Date Reviewed: April 18, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | still looking | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$10000000.00 | | Purchased At: | some dude on the street (ya right) | | Strengths: | It surprises me that it has lasted this long. I ride hard and I make the jumps whenever I can. It hasn't failed me yet. The truth is, this year is the first time I've ever taken it apart to lube it up and get it ready for another season! | | Weaknesses: | If you don't service it more than once. It looks pretty ugly inside. Only thing I wished for is more adjustments. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Stumpjumper,xtr everything, Race Face parts, Mavic rims, Maxxis tires, and of course Rock Shox suspension. | | Bottom Line: | The bottom line is, I think this fork is really a good fork. I've really enjoyed using it. Of course it's the only fork I've ever used but I never had a good reason for buying a new one. I've looked at the "BLACK", I once picked up the FOX but almost dropped it because of its weight.(No offence to them but I put that one back on the shelf really fast.) All in all, I think the Rock Shox made a really good fork and I've never really had a reason for changing. I guess in this case I really don't know what I'm missing. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex Pina
a Cross Country Rider
from Traverse City
Date Reviewed: March 27, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | VASA Trail System | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | Grand Traverse Cycle | | Strengths: | Bullet proof, good clean looks, good bottoming resistence, great for xc riding | | Weaknesses: | It is probably not set up right (have played with it a bunch), but the rebounding seems to be too fast - it can get pretty harsh on square edge bumps | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shox Indy C | | Bike Setup: | Mongoose Tetra SX, Shimano Deore & Alivo, Specialized Dirt Control tires, Tectro V Brakes, Judy XC | | Bottom Line: | For the most part this is a pretty decent fork, I have been fairly happy with it. I have yet to bottom the fork, and it has taken some hard hits over the four years I have had it. It doesn't seem to like choppy terrain or hard square edge bumps, the rebound is atrocious - it clanks on harder hits. I have messed with the rebound damping, and can't seem to make the fork smoother. I do a lot of trail riding plus about 3 races a year, and it has been a very reliable fork. For most conditions, it performs very well. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ride Biker
a Cross Country Rider
from Santz Cruz, CA
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | changes all the time | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Local Bike Shop | | Strengths: | 4 inch travel, coil spring, oil bath damping, low maintenence, never leaked (at least that I could see), good match for coil spring rear suspension. | | Weaknesses: | weight, shock boots, not too stiff compared to '03 forks, only lasted 4 years with 0 maintenence - LOL | | Similar Products Used: | RockShox Mag 10- LOL, test ride Fox Float RL (oh yeah, that's what I want) | | Bike Setup: | '98 Santa Cruz Heckler w/ LX/XT/Avid, paid $1650 | | Bottom Line: | This fork came with my bike in '98, I believe it has heavier spings, it came OEM on an Xtra large frame. My LBS set up the damping the way I wanted it and off I rode, and rode, and rode some more. I probably average at least 50 miles a week of medium duty XC riding with some pavement pounding transportation mixed in. I'm not a basher, or a jumper so I can't complain that this fork was bottoming out all of the time because I never really tried to punish it. Not tons of wet riding either, but a fair share of rain rides over the years. Mainly just fast, dirty trail riding. This fork has gone the whole time without a peep. I never even serviced it (I've been bad), but since it never showed any ill function... I was going to just kill it and buy an upgrade. After a solid 4 years, I went to ride the other day and fork had lost all of it's damping. It now just pogo's up and down like a spring and can't support much wait. I don't see anything that leaked, it was an internal problem. My LBS laughed at me when I asked if it could be repaired for cheap. It can't really be repaired at all. They could tear into it and see if some spare parts would fix it, but when all is said and done I would be spending money on an antique. So, my heartbreak has led me to buy a new extra large, 25.6 pound '02 Superlight, specced with custom parts and a Fox Float RL, which will be that worthy upgrade that I have been waiting for. My Heckler will be revived with a '91 Manitou X - Vert, a cheap comparable tank of a fork ($150 at pricepoint, I ordered today), the Judy has been buried for good, 4 years of steady service. If it is new, and you are not a basher, and it's cheap I would say get it. I got some good no-cost use out of it. only 3 chilis overall cause there are much better overall forks out there, but it gets a 5 for value. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cdog Holmstrom
a Racer
from Galveston
Date Reviewed: February 19, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Colorado Trail | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Stock item | | Strengths: | It was a nice first fork when it was new. | | Weaknesses: | Damping went out, bushings went out, spring adjustments broke, now it's sloppy and springy. | | Similar Products Used: | Mant. X-vert, Marzo Bomber | | Bike Setup: | Trek Y-11 | | Bottom Line: | Hmmmm... its not worth buying new, but it ok for a stock part. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Blade
a Weekend Warrior
from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 2, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | World cup xc trail, camp fortune | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | buddy | | Strengths: | Good travel (long travel edition), easy to rebuild, good support, plushtacular | | Weaknesses: | a little flex in the fork, rebounds a little too fast for me. | | Similar Products Used: | marzocchi bomber z1 2k1 | | Bike Setup: | Gary fisher wahoo frame, deore (full) Judy XC's 98 Beauty panaracer fire XC pro tires | | Bottom Line: | It is a good fork if yer a cheap person (like Me!) it has good travel and it is reasonably plush. I have put alot of km on this fork and it hasnt let me down yet, everything is stock (aside from Ibroken topcap which I tightened to hard) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael Karlovich
a Cross Country Rider
from Belmont, Ca, USA
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Waterdog Lake/ Carlmont Hills | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Absorbs large and small bumps well. | | Weaknesses: | Bottoms out on some extreme type jumps, but maybe I don't have it adjusted right. | | Similar Products Used: | none. My first suspension fork. | | Bike Setup: | 1998 K2 Proflex 4000 | | Bottom Line: | A lot of people are complaining about the forks. I've put a lot of mileage on them. I've been pounding them hard for a year and a half, including some fairly large jumps and they are still working great. I think they are a good product. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Fields
a Cross Country Rider
from San Angelo TX
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Good Travel, fast rebound, really light! | | Weaknesses: | None Really! | | Similar Products Used: | Indy, Jett, Manitou Spyder | | Bike Setup: | Specialized FSR Comp | | Bottom Line: | I really like this fork and I would reccomend it to anyone. It is not as high maintainence as other forks of the same calibor. It feels a little firm sometimes, but if you look down its actually taking a lot of punishment. I have done a few races in south TX and this form has peformed perfectly. I will stick with the Judy level forks because of price low weight and maintanence. I just like to ride adn this thing will keep going forever... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dylan Baird
a Downhiller
from N.Vancouver
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Boogy Man | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Cove Bikes | | Strengths: | Triple crown ridged,firm springs,bomb proof | | Weaknesses: | fast rebound, | | Similar Products Used: | 98,Z1 Drop Off, broke that | | Bike Setup: | Cove Stiffie,Hayes Disk frw,LX V rw, Race Face N.S. crankes,
Roox Bomber 4.0 DH bar,Roox DH stem, Intense tires DH 2.7 fr 2.4 r | | Bottom Line: | I thouht this fork would last a couple of months because I am 205 pounds but I have been riding it hard for 1 year and have only rebuilt it once, I have launched six and a half footers, hit trees head on at high speeds and theirs barely a scatch on it.
You can,t kill this fork | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
C Mewes
a Weekend Warrior
from Minneapolis
Date Reviewed: May 8, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | intertie in paisley Oregon | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Strengths: | popular name with label recongnition | | Weaknesses: | You name it, it's week. The thing is like riding a pogo stick after you put twenty miles on it. | | Bike Setup: | Mongoose 7x7 pro frame, hayes disc brakes, atx components | | Bottom Line: | This fork should be avoided at all costs. I've had in in on warranty six times. Had the product replaced twice. Makes no difference, it's just plain crap. Bushings blown, cartridges fried, springs are weak. I could go on and on. Save your soul and buy a manitou or something. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a Weekend Warrior
from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$95.00 | | Purchased At: | Mail order | | Strengths: | The price was definitely right.. for the most part, the fork takes pretty much what I throw at it. Relatively easy to rebuild. Also, I got the long travel kit so it's about as much as I'd want on my hardtail. | | Weaknesses: | Crappy top caps that nearly stripped the first time I rebuilt the fork, gets water in the seals pretty easily. | | Similar Products Used: | Indy C, Jett C, | | Bike Setup: | '96 Raleigh serengeti, stx-RC, Avid brakes. | | Bottom Line: | This fork is good for the money, especially if you get it the year after, like I did. I wasn't happy about how annoying it was to relube, and the fact that I have to do it every time I go through any significant water. The fork performs like a charm, just as long as you did a refit recently. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from Kernersville, NC, USA
Date Reviewed: April 11, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Owl's Roost | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Stock on bike | | Strengths: | ? | | Weaknesses: | Damper Cartride blows out often, flex, bushings wear and difficult to lube, not very adjustable, and oh ya the cast in arch broke. | | Bike Setup: | Gary Fisher Joshua | | Bottom Line: | Bottom line is that the cast in arch broke on my last ride. And I have had to replace the damer cartride ever year. One time it was sitting on my work bench while I had it apart to clean and lube the bushings, and the damper cartride exploded on its on.
I never did get a good ride on the fork. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Fletcher the cat
a Weekend Warrior
from Ohio
Date Reviewed: November 24, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Hueston Woods | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$190.00 | | Purchased At: | Price Point | | Strengths: | brand name, initial ride feel | | Weaknesses: | flex, damper cartridge, bushings | | Similar Products Used: | rigid cro-mo(not really similar), Mach 5 SX, Headshock(short term) | | Bike Setup: | KHS team cro-mo, Hugi/517 ceramic, XT and XTR, Magura HS-33 | | Bottom Line: | I really enjoyed this fork for the first few months that I rode it. It treated me well during local riding and a trip to West Virginia. After only about 6 months the bushings started to go, it felt like a loose headset. That brought on the first rebuild with a change to heavier weight oil. That helped for about 4 months and the bushings went away again. To make a long story short, 2 1/2 years and four rebuilds later the damper cartridge took a crap and threw me on my head.
After putting my old Mach 5 back on I also realized that the Judy was super flexy although it had much better quality travel than the SX. As I write this I'm waiting for a new X-Vert Super. I expect this to be 10 times the fork that the Judy was(no kidding!!). The bottom line is that although this is not a terrible fork for beginners, anyone that rides a substantial amount of miles will use this thing up in no time. You could upgrade to Total Air, but that only partially fixes the problems this thing has. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon Evans
a Weekend Warrior
from Forestville, CA 95436
Date Reviewed: November 15, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Poaching at Mt Tam | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Came with Schwinn | | Strengths: | None that I can think of | | Weaknesses: | Not very plush, damping disappeared over time, and then the cartridge decided to blow | | Bike Setup: | Schwinn Homegrown Factory FS | | Bottom Line: | These things have a pretty mediocre ride and are flexy as sh!t, but what really sucks is the price to replace the cartridge. 100 f*!king bucks?!? No thanks. I'm tossing these turds in the trash and replacing with some Marzocchi's thankyou. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
cory taylor
a Weekend Warrior
from windsor, ont. can
Date Reviewed: November 7, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | morten terminal (windsor) | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$75.00 | | Purchased At: | GT's bike shop Leamington Ont | | Strengths: | it eats pretty much what i throw at it, low maintenance, light weight, not too much travel so it doesn't raise my bike to high | | Weaknesses: | bottomed out a few times on big air, but nothing i didn't expect | | Similar Products Used: | 01' jets (crap, broke em twice in three weeks, but rock shox did fix em up for me both times for free) | | Bike Setup: | 01' trek 4500 Shimano and Bontrager everything | | Bottom Line: | I bought my 98' Judys used and I put speed springs in em they work fine for me. If your pulling huge air or doing big drops you might want to go to something with a bit more travel but I think it's an all around good fork for the cash | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Fox
a Cross Country Rider
from Burly, VT
Date Reviewed: November 6, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Any single | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$169.00 | | Purchased At: | mail order | | Strengths: | I was surprised to read the negative reviews of this fork. I bought one at a killer price to replace a worthless Manitou Mach 5. I found this fork to be excellent, and it held up well considering the punishment it recieves here in the East, and the the fact that I'm pullin' 200 lbs. | | Weaknesses: | Rock shox need more maintenance than other forks. The newer models are better I'm told. Follow the schedule and you will be fine. I have never experienced the problems of some of the other reviews. | | Similar Products Used: | Manitou Mach 5 (they should of called it the junk 5) and Manitou pro. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Stumpjumper M2, XT/gripshift, custom wheels, etc. | | Bottom Line: | Rock shox are the sh*t. The product is superior, as long as you stay with the later models. At current prices, you cant ask for a better XC suspension. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Pennsylvania, USA
Date Reviewed: September 13, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Weaknesses: | the damping cartridge
MCU Bumper
and the rest of the internals | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shox Indy XC
Manitou SX R | | Bike Setup: | Schwinn Frontier, Rock Shox Judy XC, Shimano LX and STX | | Bottom Line: | When I first got the shock, it seemed like it was a good investment. After about 2 months the compression became kind of rigid. One day when I was riding the shocks just bottomed out and I wipedout. When I took it to my local bike shop, I was told the damping cartridge was blown, and the MCU Bumpers were cracked. It was still under warranty but Rock Shox said they wouldn't replace or fix it...
I know have a pair of Manitou SX R and they work great.
I threw my broken XC's out and got a real shock. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Karl
a Cross Country Rider
from Ontario Canada
Date Reviewed: June 24, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Plush, sorta light, inexpensive. | | Weaknesses: | Not as stiff as i would like them to be, bulky. | | Similar Products Used: | indy sl's, z3 bombers | | Bike Setup: | '99 specialized stumpjumper m2 comp | | Bottom Line: | My old bike (devinci phantom) came stock with sl's, and i was really pleased with those, they kicked ass, super light,easy to maintain, and looked good. when i bought my used stumpjumper, and started riding with it with 98 judy xc's, i wasn't as pleased as i was with the sl's. bulky, and not as responsive as the sl's. i sort of regret selling my sl's, if you have sl's, just by englund air cartriges to upgrade. it would be lighter and better than upgrading judy xc's. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
steve
a Cross Country Rider
from East Shore, MA
Date Reviewed: May 31, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Yellow, good for......leme think...nothing
reasonably stiff | | Weaknesses: | for a low travel fork, heavy. flimsy | | Bike Setup: | stumpj m2 | | Bottom Line: | Started riding full time this season, and the cartridge blew. I said oh hell, I'll just get it fixed at my LBS and then save up for 'zokes. 3 weeks later, another blown cartridge. No way in hell I'm shelling out another 80 wasted bucks. I bottom this suck-er out av'g 4 times a ride. Rock Shox sux, go for some real shocks. And remember, keep the spirit alive, ultra technical, and support with me the EAST SHORE movement, see if Kranked will come to our glacial boulders. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian Brown
a Cross Country Rider
from Washington, Pa
Date Reviewed: April 30, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | The Edge | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Name Brand | | Weaknesses: | Several | | Similar Products Used: | Answer 99 sx | | Bike Setup: | Trek Y-50 | | Bottom Line: | I have the long travel in order to match the rear end better. I blew the aluminum cartridge out, while under warranty. Haven't had any problem since then. If you are a hard rider over 175 pounds the springs will need to be upgraded. The other problem is that it has a great deal of flex in it. Just pull the brakes and rock the bike back and forth. Feels like the headset, it isn't it is the fork. Just imagine how much better it would track if it didn't move front to back and probably side to side too. Just save your money and get a bomber, I am! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Amos Gibson
a Weekend Warrior
from Shreveport,LA 71106 USA
Date Reviewed: March 23, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Ruston Trails | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Its pre-load adjusters really work. The fork is real plush and responsive. | | Weaknesses: | NONE | | Similar Products Used: | Indy C, Jett T2,Jett C | | Bike Setup: | Gt Ricochet w/ RS Judy XC | | Bottom Line: | The shocks are really great and are well on big bumps and jumps. I love these Shocks! I think Beginer Mt.Bikers would love these shocks. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Rahbany
a Weekend Warrior
from Boulder
Date Reviewed: March 6, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Porcupine Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Good looks? Well, I quess I haven't had to replace any parts... | | Weaknesses: | Flabby, mushy ride. | | Similar Products Used: | RS Mag21, Mach5 | | Bike Setup: | Merlin Mountain, XT/XTR, Hugi wheelset, Panaracer tires, Grip Shift. | | Bottom Line: | I blame a 25-stitch wipeout on the 98 Judy XC because it just bottomed out on me after some not-so-massive air. The stock Judys seem to have very little adjustability; I wiegh about 180lbs and was unable to achieve a ride that didn't feel like there was a stack of marshmallows inside the fork legs. I'm looking at the Englund Total Air upgrades to salvage what's good about these forks. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Sennes
a Racer
from La Crosse, WI, USA
Date Reviewed: February 28, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Squeezer | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Great reflex, and wonderful absorbstion | | Weaknesses: | would like more travel | | Bike Setup: | moab 1 98` | | Bottom Line: | Great shock, had it for 2 years with no problems and it is still going just as good as when i first bought it | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
eliot kim
a Cross-Country Rider
from oakland, ca
Date Reviewed: December 10, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Weaknesses: |
weak cartridges | | Bottom Line: | the overall performance was greatly improved over the '97 judy's, but the improvement came at a cost. i blew my cartridge about three months ago and i've been forkless ever since because rock shox has some of the worst customer service in the industry. from speaking to many bike shops and those on my team, this experience isn't uncommon. the fork gets one star because it can't do much if i don't have it.... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ti Rider
a Cross-Country Rider
from the Deep South
Date Reviewed: November 12, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Plush
Durable
Low Maintainence
Inexpensive | | Weaknesses: |
Flexible
Cheap Plastic Top Caps | | Similar Products Used: |
Quad 21
Indy XC
Mach 5
JudySL
Sid SL | | Bike Setup: |
Litespeed Hiwassee HT, Judy XC | | Bottom Line: | One of the best mtb products I've bought. It's inexpensive( $229) from Cambria. I bought the alloy steer tube model which is the Judy SL without the yellow legs. I weigh 190 lbs. and ride 30+ miles a week and haven't had any cartridge problems. The ride is as plush as any of the other forks I've ridden. I highly recommend this fork. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stu
a Cross-Country Rider
from Ottawa, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 10, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Reverse Powerline | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
It goes up down | | Weaknesses: |
Flexy | | Similar Products Used: |
Marzocchi XC500
Marzocchi Z3 Lite | | Bike Setup: |
Stock on Giant Xtc | | Bottom Line: | It isn't a bad fork, but it just is not as smooth and controlled as the Z3. It's too bad that I didn't have disc brake mounts on the Z3 because I would have swapped the Judy out in a heartbeat. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
biker
a Cross-Country Rider
from toronto,canada
Date Reviewed: November 10, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
moderate plushness
responsive over small bumps
easy to tear down and rebuild
enough travel for xc bike(63-80mm)
minimal stiction | | Weaknesses: |
somewhat flexy
plastic preload caps need work | | Similar Products Used: |
none | | Bike Setup: |
gt
xt components | | Bottom Line: | I bought my fork in 97 which had the mcu/spring setup with the plastic damper cartridge.In winter the mcu's get hard which cause the fork to become too stiff.In 99 I upgraded to the type 3 setup dual springs and aluminum c3 cartridge.My fork is much more responsive,alot plusher, and in colder weather the springs are not affected.The cartridgemight be slightly affected by colder weather so I might use a lighter oil but otherwise the upgrade was a wise investment. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bike Master Mike
a Racer
from Canton, MI
Date Reviewed: October 31, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Island Lake | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Stiff
Great Damping
Keeps front low | | Weaknesses: |
Uh, nothing | | Similar Products Used: |
Mag 21 LT
Mag 20
Manitou FS
Judy XL
Indy SL LT | | Bike Setup: |
Cannondale Hardtail, XT components, for racing XC in MI | | Bottom Line: | This fork is great. It came with 63 mm of travel and the aluminum steerer. I paid $100 for it brand new!!! Great deal, working at a shop kicks ass. I put a firm set of Speed Springs in and its still just as smooth but the extra spring force helps on the larger hits. It has never bottomed harshly and the damper has worked prefect for 850 miles. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Allen Macaulay
a Cross-Country Rider
from Toronto, ON
Date Reviewed: September 28, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Simple
Easy to service
Works well when not broken | | Weaknesses: |
Breaks down a lot
Cartridges die too easily
Bushings wear out soon after they break in | | Similar Products Used: |
Rigid fork
99 Manitou SX-R | | Bike Setup: |
Oryx 4000s
Full XT | | Bottom Line: | On the bright side, this fork does work quite well when its not broken. It soaks up bumps quite nicely and doesn't bottom out. I've had the fork for a bit over a year, but have ridden it for only about 6 months (my bike was in storage this winter). For the first 3 months of riding, everything worked great, but after that, I suffered many breakdowns. 2 cartridges died on me, and then the bushings wore out and had to be replaced. Right now, I've toasted 3 cartridges and 2 sets of bushings, and I don't care to use any more time or money trying to warranty or repair this fork. |
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