Submitted by
chris mitchell
a Weekend Warrior
from henderson, nv Date Reviewed: December 13, 2004
Favorite Trail:
bootleg canyon
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$500.00
Strengths:
works very well when it works. takes the small bumps well and handles the big bumps like butter.
Weaknesses:
it flat blew up on me once. bottom of a short steep hill, shock rockets it's innards upward and shoots oil all over me.
Bike Setup:
jekyll
Bottom Line:
fox fixed it under warranty. unfortunately all three of the fox shocks products i have purchased have crapped out in under a year though. the engineering is quite simple so if you are mechanically inclined you can learn to perform your own service. it seems bike shop employees love fox shocks but they also get their stuff serviced free. one honest bike shop employee layed it out for me honestly, "the forks are great but you have to have a spare to put on while your other one is being serviced".
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason Tan
a Weekend Warrior
from Auckland, NZ/KL, Malaysia Date Reviewed: April 9, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Woodhill/Kiara
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$680.00
Purchased At:
Adventure Cycles, Auckland
Strengths:
Not heavy for the amount of travel it's got, very good quality finish (anodized metal knobs, etc), super plush
Weaknesses:
Paint chips off real easily. No big deal
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi DJIII, Manitou Mars, RST Gamma
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Heckler, Deore/XTR, Julie brakes, cheapo wheelset
Bottom Line:
Bloody plush fork, especially for someone like me who weighs 130lbs, it's hard to get a long-travel fork suited to my weight. Could only ever get 90mm travel from my DJs but that might have been solved with a lighter spring. Anyway, these forks are super-adjustable; use the correct weight spring and you'll be happy with it. They're not cheap, but worth every cent.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matthew McCulloch
a Cross Country Rider
from Las Vegas NV. Date Reviewed: February 23, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Bootleg Canyon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Bike Stuff
Strengths:
Everything. This fork is super plush, adjustments work, 5" of travel, not too hevy, and looks cool.
Weaknesses:
Makes a knocking sound sometimes, its just the springs rubing on the spacers.
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shox and Manitu crap, and Z1 bomber and Durt Jumper 2
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Superlight, custem built with XT and LX parts. valant rims and avid brakes.
Bottom Line:
For a 5" travel fork, there is no better on earth. The knocking sound is not heard on the trail just when on the street.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from Rochester Date Reviewed: January 12, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Covert
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$450.00
Bottom Line:
This is a update of a previous review I submitted ages ago.
The clunking gets worse but the sticking lock out has eased off, still sticks a bit though!
Overall I love these forks but that clunking really starts to bug you on a long ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul Cormier
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Springs, CO USA Date Reviewed: January 6, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
123bikes.com
Strengths:
Stiff torsionally, good tunability, not a lot of pedal bob for a 5-incher. Seems more sturdy than RockShox with Tulio Thru-axle.
Similar Products Used:
RockShox Duke SL U-Turn, Psylo Tulio
Bike Setup:
Turner 5-spot, SRAM, King, XTR, Mavic, Thomson, Easton, etc.
Bottom Line:
I have noticed a little noise that sounds like the coil spring hitting the inside of the stantion tubes. It is subtle and doesn't bother me.
I weigh 210 lbs and the Yellow fat boy spring works great for me. I use all the travel on most rides. The sag is correct.
The compression and rebound knobs work well.
This is a great fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Francisco
a
from Monterrey Mexico Date Reviewed: December 30, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Smooth on the small stuff
Weaknesses:
To much Flex. Compresses to much when pedaling. Terrible big hit capabilities.
Similar Products Used:
Marzochi Z1, Minute, Talas 125 RLC, Maverick Fork (the Best)
Bike Setup:
Foes FXR with the works (Curnutt Shox, tubless tires, all XTR etc)
Bottom Line:
If you are an aggressive rider do not buy this fork. As much as I tinkered with this fork I could never get to the point where I felt comfortable. I tried different springs and when that didn’t do it I tried different oil weights but I just couldn’t get the feel I wanted. Another thing that annoyed me was that it moved too much under pedaling, you have to lock up the fork, if not you’ll feel your poggoing all over the place. When going through big hits such as jumps or G outs and the fork bottoms out it has a tendency to rebound in a very weird way that it just doesn’t inspire confidence. IF YOU WANT THE BEST TRAIL FORK OUT THERE BUY A MAVERICK FORK. I have been riding this fork for about a month and it’s the stiffest fork I have ever ridden. Imagine a fork that’s as light as a SID but as stiff as a Boxxer. I can climb better on this fork than I ever did on the Fox and descend like never before. If you don’t want to shell out big $$$ then go with the Minute or the Z1 or even the Talas but do not buy a Vanilla.
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Submitted by
Neville
a Cross Country Rider
from Hong Kong Date Reviewed: December 29, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Plenty available on the secondhand market.
Weaknesses:
Noise : These forks have made a knocking sound since new. Sounds like a loose headset, and drives you nuts.
Fox Service Support: Rebound adjustment broke under warranty. Shipped back to Fox in USA, but they refused to fix them unless I paid for it, even after purchase receipts were faxed over. Eventually I pursuaded them to courier back to me at their expense under warranty, but they still have not been fixed.
Bike Setup:
Giant NRS.
Bottom Line:
Seemed good at first until the knocking became apparent, and the rebound adjustment broke. I was disappointed at the lack of response from Fox while the fork was under warranty. This lack of service is simply not acceptable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
theodore jump
a Weekend Warrior
from austin, tx Date Reviewed: December 26, 2003
Favorite Trail:
emma long metro park mx trail
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Hammerhead Bikes
Strengths:
Plush, reliable, stiff, tunable, easy maintenance, designed for 7" disc-brake rotors - yay!
Weaknesses:
slow-speed compression doesn't make MUCH change ( but does make a difference ), lockout adjuster usage usually changes slow-speed compression ( not that this really makes a huge difference ). Possibly develops crown-creak from constant hard use of a Clydesdale like me, original fork developed bad creak after two weeks. Fox replaced uppers w/o qualm very promptly and have over 1000 uninterrupted miles of service since.
Similar Products Used:
Fox Terralogic, Fox Float, Rock Shox, Marzocchi Marathion, FR SL, MX Comp
Bike Setup:
Titus QuasiMoto 5.9" travel, Vanilla RC rear shock, Vanilla 125 RLC front, carbon stuff, aluminum stuff, CK stuff, big tires
Bottom Line:
I've been very happy with the fork, changed oil / seals at 6 months usage and found it a lot easier than I expected. I would heartily recommend this fork to pretty much anyone, if they're weight-weenies than maybe send them to the Float.
The "infamous knock" I don't hear any of, but then may that is because I use a fair amount of preload and that keeps the spring pressured? Hard to say.
I got a pretty good price, but the MSRP is pretty dang steep.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd
a Weekend Warrior
from Pleasanton, CA Date Reviewed: December 7, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Adjustability you can actually feel, alot of tuning options. Very tight steering feel.
Weaknesses:
The knobs are a bit too tight, sometimes moving one will move another one. Not a huge deal...
Similar Products Used:
RockShox crap
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Tazmon - Risse Astro5 Rear, Fox V125 Front
Bottom Line:
I love this fork! Works well on my current frame, bought it with the intention of going to a 03-04 Heckler in the future, which it should truly shine on. It does make the popping noise that some people complain about, but its not a nuisance for me at all...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jose Rodriguez
a Cross Country Rider
from Littleton, Colorado Date Reviewed: December 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Indian Creek
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Janson
Strengths:
No flex. Maintenance free. No need to adjust stupid levers and knobs
Weaknesses:
It only comes in black
Similar Products Used:
Roch shox and Manitous for many years
Bike Setup:
Sugar and Paragon, good, usable stuff like XT and RaceFace
Bottom Line:
I bolted this thing to my two bikes and I have never regretted doing so. The best fork ever. Plush, stiff, trouble free, and it works. I like to ride and I hate adjusting crap each ride. These forks were bolted to the bike as they came out of the box and since then I have put the long miles in them and they work as good as the fist day; all I do is keep them clean. I would not consider buying any other fork. I'm giving these forks five flaming turds because I'm as happy as a pig in mud.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg
a Weekend Warrior
from austin, tx, usa Date Reviewed: September 11, 2003
Favorite Trail:
street
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
bucksbikes
Strengths:
very plush with a good solid feel in hard turns.
Weaknesses:
audible "spring slap" inside stanchion when fork is unweighted. not a big deal though.
Bottom Line:
this fork is amazing! one of the best i've ever ridden. been working in bike shops for about 8 years and get to ride a lot of different suspension setups. it's very solid in the turns, no noticable flex or stiction. extremely plush on landings. great damping features. the blow-off threshold adjustment makes for great urban sessions. i know everyone wants to complain about that noise. it's not a big deal. just a little spring slap in the stanchion. an old shop trick to solve this is to find the thinnest diamter innertube you can get and stretch it over the spring. 700c tubes usually work great. this has solved "spring slap" problems in the past. a lot of other of other forks do this too. hope this tip will help others. if you can't handle a noisy coil spring, get an air fork so you can hear the constant sucking noises.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jimmy amaral
a Racer
from gilroy Date Reviewed: September 8, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Its the best product on the market today. I came off a 6" travel jr.T and was skeptical about it, but after the first ride i knew i made the right decision. I went down in travel and i still got faster!
Weaknesses:
none.
Similar Products Used:
marzocchi jr. t
Bottom Line:
simply the best, no question about it. FOX did there homework and I give them an A+. THERE JUST THE BEST! DO NOT BUY ANYTHING ELSE.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tony Rat
a Weekend Warrior
from England Date Reviewed: August 21, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Coed y Brenin or fast singletrack
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Leisure lakes Cheltenham
Strengths:
Precise steering and very plush from the box, adjustable, different springs included, pretty light, look the business.
Weaknesses:
Lower leg paint finish flakes easily. Damping could be a bit faster, occasional slight noise over stutter bumps as if there is a air pocket in the damper. None are major.
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi Z1 and Z3's. RS Judy's.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Enduro with Hope E4's & Hubs on 219's, Raceface & XT running gear, Thompson, Easton & WTB components.
Bottom Line:
I have a 2003 fork and don't seem to to have the problems others have had. The Enduro front & rear suspension now feel balanced allowing me to go faster than ever before with much more control. I am far more confident thanks to these forks (and a decent bike behind them).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas,Tx. Date Reviewed: July 21, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
My fork came out of the first batch of 2003 forks. I had to wait 3 weeks for it, and it was worth the wait! I read all the reviews below, and have not experianced any of those problems. My fork is still as solid as the first day it was put on my bike.I have ridden it hard 2 to 3 times a week for 9 mos. now, and I am a Clyde at 242lbs. If anyone should screw one up, it should be me!
Weaknesses:
None,but I could have a complaint if I used the lock out.
Similar Products Used:
2002 Psylo SL, One flexy fork!
Bike Setup:
2003 Ellsworth Id with all the chi-chi's!
Bottom Line:
Love this fork, and would buy another in a heartbeat!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
phil rowlands
a Weekend Warrior
from blackwood Date Reviewed: July 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
coed y brenin
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
stif
Strengths:
extremely plush / laterally very stiff
Weaknesses:
slightly annoying that using the lockout upsets compression and rebound adjustment - I intend to invest in a remote lockout when available - I here there's one on the way
Similar Products Used:
manitou magnum r (pogo stick)
Bike Setup:
santa cruz heckler '03 with 5th element rear shock - 5" front and back.
Bottom Line:
Haven't had any of the issues seen by other reviewers - no knocking - even after 6 months riding / no problems apart from the one gripe about the adjusters this is one top piece of kit. This fork complements my O3 Santa Cruz Hecker perfectly.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David M
a Cross Country Rider
from Eugene ORegon Date Reviewed: July 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:
How do you narrow it down?
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Paul's bike shop
Strengths:
Smooth as butter, lock out, adjustability, tough.
Weaknesses:
Other than this is an expensive piece of equipment I haven't found any issues, "No knocking" in 3 months of hard cross country riding. The guys I ride with who have this fork don't have any issues or knocking either. So, all is good.
Similar Products Used:
Marzocci Z-1 and Bam Z-2. The Fox compares with my 130mm Marzocci.
Bike Setup:
99 Santra Cruz Heckler. Old School now and what a sweet ride. This bike is still getting better and with Stable platform technology soon it'll continue to improve. Hard to justify a Blur or anything else when a ride is this spot on sweet. Anyone looking to save some bucks and looking for a good all mountain ride, pick one of these up on e-bay or some where, custom paint it and you'll have one sweet new ride for yourself.
Bottom Line:
I think the Fox 125 rocks. I haven't had any knocking or other performance issues though I have primarily ridden in cross country, hard though, in the 4" setting. It's taken my bike to the next level of performance and comfort. I am making more tough technical steep sections, smaller 3.5ft drops, roots, rocks, lava and the like which are out here in Oregon everywhere. Nothing but aces here. I strongly recommend it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Boulder, Colorado, USA Date Reviewed: July 1, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$480.00
Purchased At:
PricePoint
Strengths:
Positively none. Well, it is all black.......
Weaknesses:
knocking that feels like a loose headset. using lockout changes compression setting.
Similar Products Used:
all of 'em
Bike Setup:
'03 santa cruz heckler
Bottom Line:
Fox Forx Sux! The knocking described by virtually every reviewer below will drive you nuts. Fox claims that this knocking is just part of the design - I claim that this knocking is just part of a POOR design. Due to poor quality and weak customer service (i wanted a refund for this crappy product), I have to give this fork the finger. I also give it just one flaming pile, which what this fork really is.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ArrowJumper
a Racer
from Northwest, WA Date Reviewed: June 28, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
FOX
Strengths:
Smooth as butter until the knocks come out. I pretty much agree with the reviews below. So I will just go off that!
Weaknesses:
I easily bent my fork (dirt jumping). I do not case often, but when I do I expect my bike to hold up! So I sent the fork in for warrenty. I felt that a possible poor heat treatment of the alloy must have been the cause. I was kinda discouraged about the customer service I received after sending my fork in for repair. They gave in some but the repairs were still expensive. Now, after two full days of jumping the wonderful knocks are back. The knocks are only a nusence, but dirt jumping is best experienced with a silent fork. Such a large company should provide exceptional customer service. The fork is a little weak for dirt jumping. I do not feel Brian Lopes should represent this product. Not unless the company is willing to back it up 100%. Which they are not. My paint chiped alot. I dont care so much about aesthetics except it was due to a poor powdercoat, and the chips mainly happened around the dropouts which made for uneven seating of the wheel axle. I must say other aspects of the forks engineering are exceptional. On another note. During the short time that I raced the WIM series the local Fox racer/product rep raved about how great the forks and shocks are. His bike was set up with a 5th element with a fox sticker. How tacky is that?
Similar Products Used:
Lots!
Bike Setup:
First used on a 2003 Bullit....Now it is on an Arrow DSS.
Bottom Line:
Buy Marzocchi!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bruce
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Cruz, CA Date Reviewed: June 7, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light....for a coil/oil fork with 5" of travel. Strong and smooth.
Weaknesses:
See the bottom line
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi Z1 FR
Bike Setup:
Turner 5 Spot
Bottom Line:
I just can't give these forks a good rating. I know that they work fairly well, but the negatives are just too much:
1)Knocking. Just like many of the other reviewers here, I noticed the fork knocking after about 1 hour of riding....and it never goes away after that. It's most noticable when the fork is unweighted while climbing a long hill. It sounds like a loose headset. It's enough to drive you crazy. Noise during long, slow climbs is the worst.
2) Compression Adjustment: Activating the lockout causes the compression adjustment knob to turn. Every time you lock the forks out, you change the compression setting....unless you use 2 hands. Who want's to stop to make adjustments every time you want to lock the forks? It takes a decent feature and makes it unuseable.
3) Lockout - The lockout only works in the fully extended position. It's not a defect....it's a feature. The ETA on Marzocchi forks locks down with the flick of a switch...much better.
I wish the forks had worked better. I really wanted to keep the Fox. THat darn knocking was just too much. Add the other issues and forget it.
I ordered a Marzocchi Z1 FR fork. It'll be heavier, but I know it will work better and doesn't have any of the annoying problems associated with the Fox Vanilla RLC.
Bottom line: THe Fox fork is not ready for prime time. Buy this fork if you are a deaf weight weenie that doesn't mind paying for features that don't work correctly.
I could kick myself for not going with the Marzocchi in the first place.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mista Blix
a Weekend Warrior
from Minnestrohta Date Reviewed: June 2, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Speedgoat
Strengths:
Clean asthetics and stiff.
Weaknesses:
Clank, bonk, clunk, bang. Adjuster stack binds. Sounds like it is breaking all the time.
So, I've now run my Vanilla RLC in all travel modes - currently settled at 80mm on my SS.
The thing is clanging like a mother. The damper side has recently developed a nasty clunk about halfway through its travel and of course the left side spring has clanged all along. Oh yeah, the adjuster stack is a nightmare although I do appreciate the lockout on long standing climbs on the SS. Too bad it un/readjusts the rebound and low-speed compression settings every time I use it. Then again, the latter has never demonstrated to me that it does anything other than spin.
Not to totally trash Fox - it is a pretty fork and is stiffer than the pre-03 Z1s, but my new '03 Z1FRQR20 pimp slaps it into noodly oblivion.
Oh yeah, I thought I was smart and cut the plastic shrink wrap off my "red" (heavy) spring thinking it was sloppy QC at Fox. Reading some other posts/reviews this was their apparent attempt to resolve the left side clanging. Seems like a real half-arsed solution to me. Funny, never had those issues on a Zoke.
So, it's bought and paid for but otherwise disappointing. I've never had to do anything other than change springs and oil in my Zokes. This Fox is like an annoying high maintenance girlfriend. She looks good, but you know she's gone in a heartbeat when some that "performs" better comes along.
F80X..???
--Sean
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gordon
a Cross Country Rider
from Magpie, Vic, Australia Date Reviewed: May 28, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Dave's handywork
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Ted's, Footscray
Strengths:
Oodles of adjustability with the spring pack as well as the dials. Able to adjust everything on the fly which is great when first setting up...eg bottomed out: one more click please...
Weaknesses:
From other reviews, the knock is normal and it doesn't affect operation, so I don't care about it. Compression lockout works but you don't need it & I hate the concept of accommodating the whingers who think that you lose power through your front suspension...its your pedalling, guys.
Similar Products Used:
Judy XC, SL, Pilot C (puh!!)
Bike Setup:
Mongoose Wing Super with a Stiffy. (Me too now that I have this fork).
Bottom Line:
Adjustability should make it suitable for a wide range of XC riders. The travel issue that someone else found seems weird, I have no problem bottoming out when the preload is low and there are two guys I ride with using the same fork with only praise for it. Serious honesty check for RS & Marzoccchi.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a Cross Country Rider
from Hood River, Oregon, USA Date Reviewed: May 15, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$425.00
Purchased At:
Discover Bicycles
Strengths:
Stiff, stiff, stiff. Plush, plush, plush.
Weaknesses:
Noise. Inability to get anywhere near 5 inches of travel.
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi Z-1.
Bike Setup:
Turner XCE with King/WTB wheels, avid disc brakes, and XT 8 speed parts.
Bottom Line:
Another rant about this fork's noise. I wish I would have read the reviews before choosing it. Have never gotten over 4.5 inches of travel, either. Lockout lever always dragged on compression dial, so anytime you used the lockout more than twice, the compression dial was fully open.
So, bless Discover Bicycles. They tried and tried to make this fork right. Many calls to Fox (response--what problem), three tries at refilling damping cartridge. Still no luck. Still noisy and somewhat "loose" feeling, even after 50+ hours. Thankfully, they swapped the fork out for a new TALAS RLC which has been perfect, though not quite as plush.
It's sad to see Fox stub their toe on this fork. Such a great company, with such great products, but now they seem to be avoiding owning up to this issue. I rode a marzocchi Z-1 for three full years. All I ever did was change the oil twice a year. It never saw the inside of the shop after I first bought it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Pac. N. West Date Reviewed: May 11, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Plush, almost infinite adjustability, stiff - on the fly lockout works great and with blowoff can be co-adjusted and used to provide minimal travel.
Weaknesses:
A little knocking - which is less disconcerting than Marz swishing, spring clanging and rebound clunk.
Similar Products Used:
Marz - many diff years and models from atom bomb to 03Z1Fr (great forks but time for a rebound damper update) - RS - many diff years and models air and spring (all garbage except the original)
Bike Setup:
Heckler & Cove Hummer - good components with Fox Forx's
Bottom Line:
Fox 125 RLC is a very good fork -- if you ride mild to serious technical terrain get one it is the best "suspension worthy terrain" single crown fork available. If you ride S.Ca. fireroads and buff track use a rigid fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
pgo
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin Date Reviewed: May 9, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Great balance of stiffness and plushness. Very little bob on climbs. Consistent. Easy to service, and Fox has been responsive. Comes with multiple springs that allow adjustment of stiffness/travel.
Weaknesses:
A little noisy, but see below.
Similar Products Used:
RockShox Duke XC
Bike Setup:
Superlight
Bottom Line:
This is a great fork and far superior to my prior RochShox. I too had a problem with the noise, but it turned out that when I changed the spring, I had mistakenly cut off the shrink wrap that is in the center of the spring. Without that plastic wrap the fork was rattling unbelievably. I called Fox and they immediately sent out a new shrink wrap, explained what its for, and explained how to put it on. Simple. I got it in about 2 days. Put it on with a blow dryer. The plastic almost entirely solved the noise. I also note that on some springs, the shrink wrap can rotate off center (higher or lower on the spring--away from center where it should be), which would lead to the same problem. Since I fixed that problem, the fork is working flawlessly and has almost no noise (not as quiet as an air sprung fork, but close). Great fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
stuart
a Weekend Warrior
from LA ,CA Date Reviewed: May 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
anything technical
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Bicycle johns
Strengths:
Sucks up a lot of hits , feels really plush compared to other forks in the same travel range . Looks good .
Weaknesses:
The damn knocking that everyone metions is not a figment of their imagination , I've ridden the thing for close to a year and it's worse than ever . The other thing is that the lock out ( which barely works anymore ) is too close to other controls on the top cap and it's hard to use it without screwing up your other settings .
Similar Products Used:
RS Pshylo , Mars z1and Shiver DC
Bike Setup:
Was on uzzi SLX , now on " freeride" hard tail .
Bottom Line:
I've seriously abused this fork over the last year , huge , steep roll-ins and up to 8' drops when it was on my uzzi and now it gets ridden on the trails almost every day with some night time urban ( lots of concrete flat landings ) rides too . IT HAS NEVER LET ME DOWN ! But , I have to say that the knocking is driving me mad and it does not exactly instill confidence when you are trying to step up to something out of your comfort level . Still , I love it and after trying all of it's closest competitors I would still buy it over all of them .
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
steve
a
from bellingham, WA, USA Date Reviewed: May 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
911--RIP 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
stiff and light. also it movement is buttery-smooth right out of the box
Weaknesses:
that annoying little knock on climbs...same as everyone else. i have 30 hours now on the thing and it hasn't gone away. i have also ordered the red spring, as the stock one is too light for my 195 lbs. i bottom out this thing just riding trails with 1-2 ft drops.
Similar Products Used:
z1 bomber, man. rx,
Bike Setup:
heckler, raceface, hayes, xt/xtr, gazz duals
Bottom Line:
great fork for bombing down trails, but not so much for big drops. go with a qr20 if you are heavy and/or like to go down hill more than up. i like to climb as much as i like to descend, so this was a nice fork for me. however, i am almost 200 lbs and if i was a little more daring, i would've gone with the jrT.
great fork, but problems and the inabiltiy of fox to offer a solution make this a "wait until next year" buy. i hope this helps. and if you figure out how to get the knock to go away, please drop me a note...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gerry
a
from Lakeland Date Reviewed: May 5, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Bottom Line:
This is to correct an error in my previous review. I just noticed I put in 1 year instead of 1 month as the length of use of the product. Actually it is now going on 2 months and I am still having the same knocking noise on every little or big bump I hit. No change in review, just length of use.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
GERRY
a
from LAKELAND Date Reviewed: April 27, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Stiff, handles any terrain beautifully. Performance so far has been excellent.
Weaknesses:
Knocks unbelievably! Every little bump makes a terrible knocking sound. This started about half way through the first ride. Up until then it was great. My LBS says it is not bushing play like all the other reviewers are thinking. He said the rock shock psylos made the same knocking sound when they first came out and the solution was as easy as adding some oil. The shop mechanic tried to talk to fox repeatedly about the problem, but could only leave messages and no one would call him back. Finally the LBS Owner called and demanded to speak to a supervisor who finally got him to a tech who gave him the same old song and dance everyones getting. He did add that it has a 20 hour break in period and if it's still doing it call back. Of course they will have to go through the same problems trying to get through again. Unbelievably horrible customer service.
Similar Products Used:
Marzochi, and I had none of these problems with the same excellent performance!
Bike Setup:
Giant VT2, Mavic Cross Max XL Tubless, Avid Mech. Discs
Bottom Line:
If we can get the knocking out of this thing it will be an incredible fork. If not, it may drive me insane. At this point I wish I had stuck to Marzochi. My marzochi on my other bike gives the same great performance and is silent, no annoying noises. If fox decides to handle this issue better I would gladly recommend this fork, but so far that's not happening. I have a lot of faith in my LBS mechanic and I think he is on to something, but so far fox won't let him add any oil or tinker with it since it is under warranty. With all the reviews talking about the same knocking problem you would think that fox would be open minded and try his potential fix. They may take notice soon if their rating keep falling. Take a look fox! The ratings on the Vanilla keeps falling. YOU HAVE A PROBLEM! It may not be a big one and that is what really drives me crazy about the horrible customer service. Fox forks are in such demand right now that they seem to basically be ignoring these complaints. That won't last forever, and by then you will have driven off repeat sales. It's too bad too because I really like the overall performance of this fork. I just can't handle the knocking. For the price of this thing you owe it to the consumer to get it fixed or give us our money back.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Al
a Cross Country Rider
from North Yorkshire, UK Date Reviewed: April 20, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$600.00
Strengths:
Superb smooth action, easy maintenance, adjustability in amount of travel and the RLC bits
Weaknesses:
Only grudge is the slop, which most other reviewers have commented on. Seems an odd characteristic for a fork which costs 430 quid.. A bit concerning when you first notice it, you instantly think it's the headset. It is only noticeable when you're off the bike and rock it with the front brake applied. To date i have not had any adverse effects when riding as this fork works superbly!
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth isis l
Bottom Line:
These forks get all types of riding thrown at it, xc, downhill technical stuff and never disappoints. A very good fork which works a treat.I understand other peoples criticism regarding the slop but when you're on the bike riding, it isn't apparent. No regets in purchase
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doug Brummett
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Cruz, CA, USA Date Reviewed: March 28, 2003
Favorite Trail:
UCSC trails
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Sleak looking, no brake bosses, very stiff laterally and pretty good front to back as well.
Weaknesses:
No 20mm option, 7" disc max, weepy seals, bushing slop
Similar Products Used:
marzocchi z1&dj models, rock shox dho&dh judy
Bike Setup:
Intense Uzzi SL, freeride build with triple ring up front
Bottom Line:
I am a little dissapointed with this fork. For all of the rave about it there seems to be some very basic oversights. The fork does have a discernable loose feeling in the bushings. It isn't as bad as rock shox, but it is there none the less. The oil seals consistantly weep oil onto the stancions which then collects dust and will wear the seals faster. My last complaint is their choice of springs. I ordered up yellow and green springs only to find that the stiffest one still bottoms out. I weigh just under 200lb and bottom this thing out on trail rides with 2-3' drops. That is lame. Kind of like marzocchi when mountain speed stepped up and made stiffer springs back around 1999. I get about 3" of travel when I stand and pedal, so climbing sucks unless it is locked out.
Okay, so all grumps out of the way now. How about the fork? This is one amazing fork. It takes an entire range of riding conditions. I ride everything from trails, dh, freeride, to full urban with stair drops and big gaps. The fork is incredibly plush. I would compare it to my marzocchi's buttery smooth travel, but I think it is even better. Full range of external adjustments makes for easy custom adjustments to suite any trail or ride. The damping adjustment are very detectable. If you change by 1-2 clicks you can actually feel the difference immediately. So dailing it in becomes a minor issue. The lockout is also great. Adjustable blow over valving and an easily accesible lever really make it easy to justify using this feature on those 10+minute climbs. I usually won't mess with it for anything shorter though.
Bottom line: Good fork. I will be riding it for quite a while if I can get it adjusted better for my weight. I am still impressed for a realatively new product line, but am dissapointed since I expect more of Fox. I would recommend for a lighter rider. Bushings and seal complaints don't really effect performance, but it would be nice if Fox straightened this out. Basically the same complaints people had with their 02 models.
5 chilis for value, at employee purchase this fork is a steal. 3 chilis overall, performance is great but the complaints are real
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver, BC Canada Date Reviewed: January 29, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$525.00
Purchased At:
Tailwind Cycles
Strengths:
Nice looks!
Weaknesses:
The fork bushings where loose right out of the box. When cycling the forks with the front brake on the lowers would knock and rock like the bushings where worn out.
Similar Products Used:
Fox Float 100RLC, Marzocchi Z1 QR20, Marzocchi Z2 Bombers, Rock Shox Judy
Fox Racings' quality control in questionable! Every manufacturer has issues. Its how they handle them that counts. The Fox Racing technical rep said that this bushing play was within tolerances and was actually intentional. My Fox Float 100RLC doesn't do that and I love them. To this, he said that every production run is different, and that some have loose bushing and some don't. How can that be intentional! As a result I returned them for a full refund!
Better customer service please!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from Kent UK Date Reviewed: January 16, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Canterbury Covert Wood
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$440.00
Purchased At:
Leisure Lakes
Strengths:
Bouncy, stiff, plush, every thing about this fork is quality. They also look so good.
Weaknesses:
Pricey, Lock out sticks a little when turning off.
Im your average slightly overweight weekend rider who rides 10 -20 miles on a sunday with a recovering broken upper arm and shoulder blade so a good plush fork was a must when I got back on my bike 3 month ago.
After my Psylos these forks feel awesome, anyone who rides real trails and desends quick will love these forks, short of full on downhilling these forks will take it all.
The forks are easy to set up and take large hits with ease, they also soak up trail buzz giving a smooth ride and a front wheel that tracks the ground constantly
Im not sure XC wippets will love em as their a bit heavy but the floats are for them anyway.
The only down side is they make my rear Rock Shox Shock feel nasty, time for an upgrade!
Buy these forks you wont regret it. True bike porn.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Custom60
a
from Virginia Date Reviewed: January 15, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$475.00
Purchased At:
Speedgoat
Strengths:
Superb build quality, very easy to adjust, all metal construction will last a long time, buttery smooth action, relatively light for a coil-spring fork. Nice looking, really rigid, very very responsive, even on the small chattery stuff. Just soaks up the big hits like a charm.
Weaknesses:
Makes a little noise right now, but that's just fork seals breaking in.
Similar Products Used:
RockShox Duke
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Heckler w/5th Element, Vanilla 125RLC, XT drive train, CrossMax wheelset, King headset
Bottom Line:
Setup of the fork is incredibly easy, and the range of adjustment is nice. The high-speed compression setting doesn't seem to have too much range, but that's OK, as the fork handles the chatter bumps very well. Great responsiveness, and very very stiff. Big hits are soaked up nicely and make you want to take bigger drops. The build quality is excellent. All metal parts, no plastic, nice and durable looking seals, which stay put. Also, comes with extra set of springs, at different spring rate, I believe.
To one of the previous reviewers: I was told by bike mechanics that the Fox Forx in general make some creaking/squeaking noise as you pedal or go over really small bumps - just break-in noise from the for seals. Just clean the stanchion tubes after each ride and wipe with a tiny bit of light lube that's rubber-friendly, and cycle the fork.
absolutely everything best fork ever made......ever. Scratch proof too. can't bottom it out. saved my life twice.
Weaknesses:
had to wait to get it.
Similar Products Used:
SR SUNTOUR!!! BLECH!!! SID SL
Bike Setup:
specialized stumpy mod- fox 125 rlc, shimano m545 pedals, getting carbon bars, raceface stem, thomson post bike has all xt/xtr avid ti brakes, mavic x517 rims DT onyx hubs. totally sweet all prupose machine
Bottom Line:
BEST FORK EVER MADE. EVERYBODY COMPLEMENTS ME ON MY CHOICE OF COMPONENTS AND THE DUDES AT WHEELWORKS SET ME UP WELL. I ONLY PAID $75!!!! I TRADED IN THE CRAPY PLASTIC FILLED SID SL for the all American all hand machined metal buttery smooth vanilla rlc 125. I also found out that RS makes 3000 SID forks at a time when fox only makes 10 at a time. BIG JUMP IN QUALITY CONTROL.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from SF Bay Area, CA Date Reviewed: January 10, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Skeggs Point
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$520.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
> Clean Looks > VERY easy to adjust > NO PLASTIC PARTS > Stiffer than rigor mortis > Different rate springs are included with purchase! > Turns babyheads & logs into butta when rocketing downhill
Weaknesses:
> Pricey > Low-compression damping doesn't seem to do much (not really a weakness, just seems like a useless extra adjustment) > mild 'clank' at very beginning of travel (only while climbing), makes it feel like the headset is loose (which it isn't) *in Fox's defense, this is brand new and may either need break-in time or slight adjustment*
Similar Products Used:
RockShox Psylo SL
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Superlight, XTR, Chris King jewelry, Shimano XT discs with 8" front rotor....more of a freeride setup, with the 125 fork set at 100mm travel & the heavier spring installed
Bottom Line:
This fork is replacing my POS Rockshox Psylo, which blew 2 plastic bushings & the plastic compression control, spewed oil, and locked out unasked in the middle of a bomber descent, nearly killing me. Thanks Rockshox!
Anyway, I've had the Fox on one long ride, and in fast descents it's nothing short of AMAZING. It's slightly heavier than my old fork, but the weight isn't noticeable, especially when you're gliding on a cushion at 35mph while everyone else is rattling their teeth loose.
This is the smoothest, least sticky, most responsive, stiffest fork I've ridden. Hard turns can be wheelbending-hard and the fork won't flex a bit. The bike goes right where you aim it.
I'll write a more detailed review when I've broken it in, and had a few months to ride it. However, if ride #1 is any judge, this fork is the shiznit! I'll take the tiny clank and the occasional grumpy noise it makes while climbing....noise or not, it's soooo smooooooth.
Basically would have 5 flamers across the board, but at $520 this is a serious commitment....so only 4 chilies for value; but the performance on the trail rates an easy 5 chilies.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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