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Submitted by
Gianni
a Weekend Warrior
from Hamilton, Ontario
Date Reviewed: July 4, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | stiff, very plush, eats up small bumps very well | | Weaknesses: | stock setup needs adjusting | | Similar Products Used: | skareb, black | | Bottom Line: | Ok...i weigh about 230 lbs...i swapped out for the x-firm spring and put 10W oil in. Originally there was only 110 CC instead of 140 CC recommended. Once all that was done, it rides super smooth, almost never bottoms out and it flows very well over small obstacles. Little harsch for brake dive but overall a very good fork. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Al
a Cross Country Rider
from Hull
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Strengths: | ??? seemed nice for the 30 seconds it lasted... | | Weaknesses: | Blew out the seals in less than 30 seconds of the first off road ride. | | Similar Products Used: | Marzocchi z3, Marzocchi DJ3, Manitou 6, Rock Shox Judy C, Rock Shox Boxxer | | Bike Setup: | Heavy XC | | Bottom Line: | I rode this fork on the bike path no problem for a week. When I finally got out to the cross country trails as soon as it hit a series of 2 inch bumps I heard a loud metal pop and the lowers were all loose. Made for a nice walk home.
I've sent the fork back through my dealer and it's been over 2 weeks. Rock Shox is 200 miles from me and it's been longer than with Manitou who took 2 weeks and the fork needed to go overseas. There’s no way to contact Rock Shox other than contacting there head office so I'm in the dark. I'm sure this is not a common problem but bottom line is I'm not impressed and this stinks!
I'll write what happens when I get it back... | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ian
a Weekend Warrior
from Richmond, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: September 25, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$170.00 | | Purchased At: | used | | Strengths: | 5" travel
love the decals on the lowers. | | Weaknesses: | mine's been beaten before I got it.
the soft/yellow spring is useless. dont bother with it. | | Similar Products Used: | (tried) '03 EXR pro, MZ Comp | | Bike Setup: | 04 Steelhead, psylo XC, 8" front, 6" rear. | | Bottom Line: | following up:
I've always wanted a Psylo. I've loved the decals, I've loved the idea of 5" of travel, and I like the price.
However, with that said, I've come to realize that I got a fork that had been hammered mercifully.
just this week I had my bike built up. the guy at my LBS said the rebound was leaking - okay, fine, well, surprise, 15 minutes in, going to a friend's place, the rebound came out.
I expect it to cost $125+ to be fixed.
now, given that you can find a correct psylo that hasnt been molested, go for it. I have no idea how the fork works with a rebound, but I hope once I get it dialed in it'll work like a charm. I had problems with it topping out, but I never had anything to compare to.
In conclusion: if you ride around the neighborhood and are looking for some suspension on a trail on the weekends, this could be your ticket. if you find a good one you'll be set for a long time.
I give it 4 chilis for overall, I love the fork when it works. I only give it 3 chilis for value because after I have the rebound fixed it will have approached the same price I paid for the fork. Next time the fork breaks down I think it's time for a fork change.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joel Hays
a Downhiller
from Loveland, Colorado, USA
Date Reviewed: August 8, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | The Downhill (Winter Park) | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | mtbr.com | | Strengths: | its a fork | | Weaknesses: | the springs are weak, bottoms out way easy. even with aftermarket springs. it doesnt belong on a freestyle bike. | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | Haro X3, rear shock upgraded to 5th elememt progressive shock | | Bottom Line: | shock sucks, i hate it. i got it, broke it, sent it in, got new heaver springs and blew it out again. i cant beleive it. i am upgrading and throwing this shock away. i do not recomend this shock to anyone who rides agressivly at all. go with a different shock. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gregory Topov
a
from Canada
Date Reviewed: May 16, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | on custom built bike | | Strengths: | * Affordable
* Versatile
* Adjustable travel
* Light-weight
* Plush | | Weaknesses: | * Spring upgrade necessary for heavier riders
* Not durable enough for heavy-duty freeriding | | Bike Setup: | 2004 DaBomb Molotov custom-build. | | Bottom Line: | This fork is terrific value, but there are two important considerations to be sure that the Psylo XC is right for you:
1. Make sure the spring suits your weight.
Most complaints about this fork are that it is too plush and soft. There's a reason for that: it comes stock with a spring that is rated for riders under 160lb! If you are anywhere near 160lb or more, upgrade to a firmer spring and this fork should perform nicely. The official ratings from RockShox are as follows:
<140 lb. (63 kg) Yellow spring
140-160 lb. (63-70 kg) Red spring (Stock)
160-180 lb. (70-80 kg) Blue spring: Firm
180 lb. (80 kg) Black spring: Extra firm
It is commonly agreed that these figures are probably a little on the "heavy" side, so you may want to take that into consideration, as well as your riding style. Many riders have also found that using a heavier oil (7.5wt instead of the usual 5wt) in combination with the correctly rated spring makes it work perfectly.
I am 170lb and found the stock red spring way too plush, and it kept bottoming out. I'm sure if I had kept riding it I would have eventually blown the seals. I upgraded to a blue spring (rated for 160-180lb) using 7.5wt oil, and found it is now perfect for light freeriding! (The spring cost me Cdn$70 and minimal labour). If most people used 7.5wt oil and had the correct spring, I'm sure many of the people who describe their bad experiences with this fork would have found it quite fine.
2. Make sure the fork suits your riding style.
It is designed for aggressive cross-country riding and light free-riding - it is light, plush, with enough travel for DH bumps. If you are doing huge north shore drops or serious free riding or downhill, this fork probably isn't for you - you would probably need a more expensive and heavier duty fork like a Marzocchi Z1. But if you are looking for a versatile fork that isn't too heavy for cross country riding, but still lets you do drops and light free riding, you couldn't make a better choice than the Psylo XC. Having the adjustable travel with the U-Turn makes it perfect for these purposes. The shorter travel is great for the climbs, and the longer travel for the drops or dual-slalom/four-cross style riding.
So in short, this fork is a great value, light-weight versatile fork. If it suits your riding style (cross-country, dirt jumps, urban, and light free-riding), and you are prepared to spend a little extra if necessary to ensure you have the right spring for your weight (with the heavier 7.5wt oil), it makes a great choice. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stan
a Cross Country Rider
from Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | ...its looks, maybe. | | Weaknesses: | Everything else. Stock springs are way too soft. Lost of lateral flex. | | Similar Products Used: | Fox Float 100RL, Manitou Firefly | | Bike Setup: | 2003 Giant VT1 | | Bottom Line: | This is, without doubt, the biggest piece of junk that I have ever ridden. I am a crosscountry/freerider and weight about 150lbs. This fork came stock on my VT1. In its longest travel mode (5") I have managed to bottom this fork out many times. The Psylo handled so poorly on the downhills that it made me feel on the edge of loosing control and on the uphills it bobed like crazy. I was told that there is an upgrade option to increase the stiffness of the main spring, but why would I want to spend any more money on this piece of crap. So instead I spent my money on a new fork (Manitou Firefly) and couldn't be happier with its performance.
I absolutely do not reccommend this fork to anyone, please do not waste your money. After my experiences with this fork and some very poor customer service with a SID shock, I will no longer support/use Rock Shox products. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ian
a Weekend Warrior
from Richmond, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: March 1, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | purchased used | | Strengths: | - 5 inches of buttery, adjustable travel.
- Matches my frame nicely | | Weaknesses: | - Tops out too easily
- Pedal bob at anything over 3 inches | | Similar Products Used: | 2000 Judy XC | | Bike Setup: | '03 Giant Iguana Disc stock parts except fork and back tire. | | Bottom Line: | I've had a bit of a rocky start with my fork. First of all, the fork needed oil, which was no worries, I got it cheap, so 35 bucks that was. next, my fork didnt fit. so I had to get the ring off my old fork. another 8 bucks. also, when I got it oiled, I found out the rebound doesnt work, so next time I get it oiled, I should get the part put in so I can adjust the rebound and have less top outs. otherwise, I like the fork, it's plush, it's buttery smooth, it's adjustable. I weigh about 140 pounds, 5'7, and for all you guys with the AC2s, the fork is improperly matched with the fork. This is an aggressive XC fork, not drop off 50 feet and pound the poop out of it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Agustin Lopez
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles
Date Reviewed: February 26, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Came with bike | | Strengths: | Plush, when setup with properly has nice compression damping and rebound. | | Weaknesses: | Needs proper setup to work properly, not as forgiving as other forks when it comes to improper setup. Definitley undersprung from the factory. Slightly noticeable flex at full extension but nothing to worry about. | | Similar Products Used: | RST Gila T4(POS), Fox Float 130RLC | | Bike Setup: | Two wheels, cranks, pedals, blah blah blah.
Came stock on Specialized Enduro, currently installed on a Mongoose Wing Comp. | | Bottom Line: | This fork came stock with on my Specialized Enduro. When I purchased the bike I weighed 265lbs. and the stock spring was definitely not for me. I decided to order the extra firm spring, I installed it but I didn't like the way the fork felt. It still bobbed and felt underdampened, the fork sat on a shelf for the next year with only three rides on it, not even broken in. I instead purchased a Fox Float 130RLC and installed that on the Enduro.
Fast forward a year and I needed a fork for my Mongoose but I just did not want to spend more money on this particular bike. I decided to install the Psylo but I went ahead and changed the oil to a heavier weight oil. Good thing also because I saw what looked like metal shavings in the stock oil that came out. Once that was done I took the bike for a test ride.
First thing I noticed was that it didn't feel like a pogo stick any longer. It rode very plush and soaked up the bumps quite nicely. Before the oil change, I had to have the rebound damping fully closed to keep the fork from topping out. I now had to open the valve more to allow the fork to rebound properly. The spring and the oil combined have allowed the fork function properly and the rebound knob now has usable adjustment range.
This is one of those forks that needs proper setup and if you don't have the time or the will to change oil to experiment, then don't bother using it. It doesn't deserve as bad a rap as it has gotten from alot of the reviewers. It also isn't meant for freeriding or hucking IMO. This is definitley a x-country fork and if used for this purpose will work quite well.
If this fork came on your freeride bike and it breaks while using it, don't blame the fork; blame the manufacturer for having poor judgement when equipping your bike, don't blame Rockshox or the fork.
If you want to try one of these forks don't let the bad reviews scare you away, especially if the price is fair. Just make sure whoever you buy it from didn't abuse it, but that goes for any other fork. Just remember that it takes attention to detail to set it up properly.
So, 3 chili's for value based on the original sale price. 3 chili's overall because it works fine after proper setup up but not as feature laden as other forks out there. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg
a Cross Country Rider
from Minnesota
Date Reviewed: October 26, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | lebanon Hills | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$207.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | Durable,Plush,U-turn adjustment works well, Gun Metal Grey color looks very cool! | | Weaknesses: | stock springs to soft, a little flex noticed when I set travel over 100mm,tops out if rebound is set to fast. | | Bike Setup: | Ellsworth Isis,Race Face,Chris King,Avid mech disc brakes. | | Bottom Line: | This review is for the standard drop out model!!
After installing xtra firm springs,I have had no problems with this fork,I'm 195lbs. Still very plush w/xtra firm springs. I ride aggresive XC and am very pleased with it's performance. It does get a little flexy when travel is set over 100mm and the fork does tend to top out if you set rebound to fast. When setting up rebound, I turned it to it's slowest point and then turned it back about a 1/4 turn and it quit toping out. I think if you use this fork for it's intended purpose you wil be very pleased with it's performance. I know I am! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Morales Vincent
a Weekend Warrior
from Whittier
Date Reviewed: September 20, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Aliso Woods | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$180.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | Travel; U-turn, external adjustment, rebound, | | Weaknesses: | soft spring, but after changing it to to he right its cool | | Similar Products Used: | black platinum | | Bike Setup: | AC2 stock | | Bottom Line: | i'm 215lbs and this fork still holding on me. i'm doing aggressive FR and downhill run..its just a matter of being fluid on your ride and learning how to ride right. for the value this fork is ok. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from HB, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Modjeska | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$450.00 | | Purchased At: | SuperGo | | Strengths: | Adjustable Technology | | Weaknesses: | Orig. Springs too weak and compress when riding. Lock out broke while riding and no longer locks out. Plastic knobs suck. Metal logo is superglued on and fall off. | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shox Judy, Manitou, Fox Talas | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Blur | | Bottom Line: | Don't buy this fork. spend $50 or another $100 more and get a good Fox fork. I will never buy Rock Shox again. They are trying to make up for their lack of performance with tricky trash. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kurtis Campbell
a Downhiller
from Glendale Az
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Pima/dynomite | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$215.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint.com | | Strengths: | none yet found, i guess u-turn is handy? | | Weaknesses: | ok lets see...
1. 5 solid inches of peadeal bob, not somthing you want/need for the long rides, or approching a dj.
2. flex, whoa. the flex is teribble. or should i say amazing, it must have atleast 2 inches of lateral flex.
3. The internals suck. Nothing but plastic. | | Similar Products Used: | never used anything that even compares to this heap of poop. I guess maybe the marzocchi mx comp? | | Bike Setup: | Azonic Steelhead. Marzocchi Z-1 drop off II. Truvativ crank setup. Avid Mechanical Disc brakes. Alex rims. Maxxis ignytor tires. | | Bottom Line: | Save your self, don't buy this death trap fork. It's a time bomb wating to blow up on you. Very very very dissapointing fork. What can you expect from rock shox i guess ? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jamie
a Cross Country Rider
from ca
Date Reviewed: August 10, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | deadmans downhill | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | supergo.com | | Strengths: | sweet looks, little flex, rebound ajustment, u-turn, thru axel | | Weaknesses: | i went off a 3 foot drop and it exploded, oil went everywhere, but i got it rebuilt and put hevery springs in it nows it works just great. | | Similar Products Used: | 02 jr t, boxxer race, sherman flick | | Bike Setup: | iron horse | | Bottom Line: | great fork after some ajustments. i only weight 120 pounds but i do 11 foot drops and it withstands everything but i am upgrading to a super t. if ur going to get 1 put heaver spings in it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nick
a Downhiller
from NH
Date Reviewed: July 19, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$289.00 | | Purchased At: | Nault's | | Strengths: | NONE WHATSOEVER! Unless you like a fork that breaks in less than a week. | | Weaknesses: | There are so many weaknesses to list. Here are just a few:
-plastic internals
-poorly made crown
-poorly made lower section
-its lack of any lateral stiffness WHATSOEVER!
-plastic knobs
-the whole fork | | Similar Products Used: | K-Mart bike forks, ALL other Rock Shox products. | | Bike Setup: | A 2003 Giant VT2. The only changes are I switched out the stock Hutchinson tires with some Tioga 2.3 DH's. | | Bottom Line: | The Rock Shox Psylo has exactly NO STRENGTHS! It is a fork built as cheaply as possible and passed off as their "all-mountain/freeride" fork. I have disected Rock Shox trash such as their Psylo and have found parts made out of flimsy, weak and useless plastic. I have had one of their forks one my new VT2 (this fork came stock)and 6 days into ownership I have already lost the rebound function. You're probably thinking something like "Oh, whatever, he probably abuses the fork in ways its not supposed to be used". Well,if you thought that, you're totally WRONG! I've only ridden the useless thing about 20 miles and the piece of junk is already broken! I would have better luck with a K-Mart bike fork! As you can see, I am very angry and disapointed with the deplorable quality of the Rock Shox Psylo. I know what I am saying, and from my experience of working at a bike shop for several years, I stand behind 100% of what I say and all my co-workers equally dislike the quality of ALL Rock Shox products. You may also be thinking that I just a lemon fork. Well, you are wrong. At the bike shop where I work we see more broken Rock Shox forks in a month than any other porduct we sell in a year.
If you are considering buying any Rock Shox product, DO NOT! I suggest forks that don't use any cheap internal components, such as Fox and Marzocchi. BOTTOM LINE ON ANY ROCK SHOX PRODUCT: THEY ARE TOTAL JUNK! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from CT
Date Reviewed: July 13, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | nepaug | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Pricepoint | | Strengths: | -U-Turn is great
-Feels good climbing with right springs (more on that later)
-Looks good
-Affordable | | Weaknesses: | It doesnt really fit into any category that well:
Not enough travel for DH or FR
Too heavy for XC
Too flexy for slalom racing
Too plush for all mountain (when its stock springs)
It's a fine fork, but it doesnt excel in one type of riding
Also, it bottoms out with stock springs, tops out with any other springs | | Similar Products Used: | Suntours, DJ 1, gone for runs with friend's Manitou six and Marzo JR. T | | Bike Setup: | Raleigh M50 frame, full XT [almost], Psylo XC, Avid 8" Mechs, Mavic 223's, New shimano pedals, SRAM Gripshift, Paul's Levers, Panaracer 2.1" tires | | Bottom Line: | This is a follow up review, ive had this for about 8 months. This fork seemed like the greatest thing ever a few months ago, but now i see it as mediocre. RS cut us out of 10mm travel. Unacceptable. They give this BS that the fork is supposed to sag when your sitting on it like its some incredible new discovery. If other companies don't do it, its probably not too great. Now too the main issue; springs.
The way RS sees it, the spring chart goes like this:
Yellow - Plushest - 200 LB
Heres the way it should be, if your doing moderate riding:
Yellow - dont bother
Red - 0-100 LB
Blue - 100-160 LB
Black - 160-200
Dont even try it if your over 200 pounds.
Overall, this is an OK fork, but there are much better choices in the price range, including Black Elites and Z1's | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Frhld
Date Reviewed: July 5, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Round Valley | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | Jensonusa | | Strengths: | amazingly smooth, can keep up w/ any other fork (fox vanilla, manitou black,etc. | | Weaknesses: | some pedal bob | | Similar Products Used: | judy tt(stock crap) | | Bike Setup: | 4500 trek(2002) m959 pedals easton stem race face crankset, cane creek s2 headset | | Bottom Line: | awesome shock but have been riding for over 50 hrs and the shock is topping out... is it bc the oil bath need to be replaced??? any1 who has knowledge on this matter please e-mail me i want to get back 2 riding asap!!! i have done nothing to the shock yet besides ride... im not completely sure y its topping out..possibly the oil is to thin due to high humidity and high temp... i have the preload set at 85mm and the rebound is set to the middle... again.. ne1 who can help me, it will be greatly appreciated; thanks.. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sam
a Racer
from Su
Date Reviewed: June 6, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | Wadescycles | | Strengths: | Looks pretty cool. thats it! | | Weaknesses: | Firstly after a couple of months using this fork the rebound adjuster seized up because the internals are made of plastic and aborb some of the moisture of the oil which makes it expand and it don't work! Then the same problem happens to the base valve making the fork feal really sticky. And to top it all the internals all came loose giving me no damping at all. Also the forks are really flexy especially on full travel, the u-turn adjuster broke and the metal stickers were never properly attached. They bottom too easily you can push your forks up and down and use all the travel. | | Similar Products Used: | Monster T, MX comps, DJ 3,loads | | Bike Setup: | P3, Truvativ cranks, raceface kit, azonic | | Bottom Line: | Absolute S**t. These fork were good for the first few months, for XC riding anyway anything else and they bottom out straight away. Suddenly though they all went wrong and just died. If you buy these forks you must be insane. I'm getting DJ1's, so much better a proper DJ and Street fork. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dirty
a Weekend Warrior
from Yucaipa
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Cal State SB | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Yucaipa Bike Center | | Strengths: | Better Design than the old style Easy travel Adjustment for the climbs. Easy to Dissasemble and work ontook me all of 45 Minutes to Overhaul it couple Bolts and snap rings and its apart | | Weaknesses: | was designed for liughtweight riders about the 125 range
Mine i ofund out was actually short on how Much oil was supposed to be in they need 140 cc to function properly i had bout 1/4 cup is all i got out of Both sides | | Similar Products Used: | psylo sl Marzocchi exr | | Bike Setup: | khs fr1500 Psylo fork xt drivetrain hubs Avib Mech brakes 8 front 6 rear | | Bottom Line: | Bottom line this fork works well If you take the time to fine tune it to your self Tulio types....... Buy a better fork if your going 20 Mm. im a 250 lb rider and i have this fork owrking very well for me First thing i had to do was replace the Spring got there ehaviest spring and its close enough But to get the compression and rebound in line i had to Dump the Rockshox 5wt crap out and i used fox racing type 7wt that with the Spring Put this fork right were i need it and iride it Hard. Take your time and figure what spring you need and what weight oil will work Best for you will take some time But really thats what this fork really needs if you plan on running it any decent amount of time | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan
a
from Aurora, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Too many to pick just one | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | online | | Strengths: | These things have a ton of travel. There is a ton of adjustability on the shock. It a very user friendly product. For being the lower end of the Pyslos these things perform. The damping performance is adequate. | | Weaknesses: | The laser engraving on the side is nice, but it'd be cooler if the entire travel was shown. According to the guys at RockShox the other unlisted travel areas are taken up at the seals, but that kills a little bit of the coolness. | | Similar Products Used: | Duke, demo'ed Marzoochi Z1 | | Bike Setup: | Trek hardtail, Deore LX front and rear nothing too special | | Bottom Line: | Lots of people seem to complain about these shocks, but the bottom line is they aren't the most expensive shock on the market, and if you aren't jumping of 6-10 foot drops you'll prolly never have a problem with these. Mine have handled full sets of stairs to the occasionally four foot drop without an issue. Definitley a good buy for the price. Best suited for those with thin wallets and demands of high performance. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Noah S.
a Cross Country Rider
from Fort Collins, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: March 12, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Devil's Backbone | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$230.00 | | Purchased At: | Pricepoint | | Strengths: | Travel Adjust, Rebound control, PRICE | | Weaknesses: | Finish, Detail, Stiction | | Similar Products Used: | Judy XC Air | | Bike Setup: | KHS Alite 2000, Psylo XC, 545's, Monkey bars, LX/XT, Kenda Karisma | | Bottom Line: | Overall a huge step up for people only willing to spend <$250. U-Turn is great, it comes in handy on climbs and descents. I primarily ride aggresive XC and this fork fits my needs, no huge drops. It handles the rocky trails of northern Colorado well, staying stiff under torsion. My sweet spot is about 105mm, after that it gets sloppy with my frame geometry. A bit soft, but I only weigh 155lbs. so no bottoming out just a lot of sag. The decals are coming off already, but oh well. No leaks so far. It was a good upgrade and it put some life back into my bike and legs! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
seth
a
from albuquerque
Date Reviewed: March 4, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | the rebound works really well, nice range. | | Weaknesses: | i'm 210 the stock springs pretty much bottomed out just sitting on the bike, i upgraded to the extra firm springs (which is the strongest spring they make) and they still seem a little too soft, i take up about half the travel when i stand up on the pedals. i would also like to have a preload adjustment and a compression damping adjustment. i am the head mechanic for the shop i work at with more than six years personal experience and the fork is very difficult to work on. i have the tullio model with the 20mm thru axle. the first time i saw the handle that is supposed to twist the axle out i told another mechanic that it would break, sure enough the first time i ate it with this fork...the axle lever broke off, advice for others with same problem, don't buy a new axle just use a 5mm allen wrench and twist the axle out. the scale on the side reads that it only gets about 115mm travel, when i called rock shox about this they told me that the other 10mm of travel are under the seal, i knew that to be true but the should have put the scale on the fork to show 125mm travel when the fork is fully extended, not 115mm. | | Similar Products Used: | nothing else with this much travel, but i've had multiple manitou forks with no problems. | | Bike Setup: | 2003 giant AC 2 (psylo came stock). | | Bottom Line: | unless this fork comes stock on the bike you ride DO NOT buy it. and if it does come stock try and talk the shop you are buying from to trade you for something else. manitou and marzocchi would be my personal choices. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney
Date Reviewed: February 21, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | itchy & scratchy | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Hmmm stiction stops them from bottoming out? | | Weaknesses: | Stiction, broke uturn adjuster on second ride 115mm travel? think there supposed to have more! Came on a freeride bike. Right fork seal blew on third ride. | | Similar Products Used: | Answer sherman breakout | | Bike Setup: | Stock giant ac2 | | Bottom Line: | Not really all that impressed. For such a big company there product must miss the quality control sometimes. A mate rides the same fork and his is muuuuuch nicer than mine. I only weigh 60 kilos so springs arn't to bad for me but the massive amount of stiction doesn't allow me to use the travel anyway. Going to get them fixed under warranty and possibly transfer them to my Specialised FSR (to replace the judys that blew up) and replace them with the answer sherman breakouts. Been told they will complement the swinger shock on the back beautifuly. Really not a freeride fork so don"t understand why they came on a freeride bike | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dylan Lacsamana
a Weekend Warrior
from Angeles City, Philippines
Date Reviewed: February 11, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Sapang Uwak, Porak, Pampanga | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$250.00 | | Purchased At: | from a fellow mtber | | Strengths: | Travel adjustability. Very plush coil spring. Brand name reputation and recognition. | | Weaknesses: | 1. Wiper washers need to be replaced (with a motor vehicle oil filter) because the bushings leak.
2. U turn knob disintegrates. | | Similar Products Used: | None. | | Bike Setup: | XC: Giant NRS, Mavic223 & XT wheelset, Nokian tires, Deore/XT compo, Titec hbar, stem & seatpost, SRAM cogset | | Bottom Line: | The best travel adjust fork for the $200 to $300 price range. The 03 version fixed the disintegrating uturn knob but since am stuck wt a 02 version, have to live wt that knob AND I hope my own remedy for the leaking oil problem suffices until I save enough for my dream fork - FOX! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jim jam
a Racer
from ENGLAND
Date Reviewed: January 25, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | home | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$220.00 | | Purchased At: | Chester ,england | | Strengths: | looks sweet, i have the gun metal grey version
nice rebound
plush | | Weaknesses: | as many ahve said before, the stock springs are poor. i weigh 180 pounds and so i have hardly seen top out. Definately upgrade to black springs. After 1 hour the seals blew and oil was in abundance, and my hayes discs dont fit even with IS adaptor....eerm. just poor from the word go. | | Similar Products Used: | marzocchi mx pro, DJ 3's, fox forks, eerm and a whole lot more. | | Bike Setup: | specialised p1...greatly modified....24" rear halo, hope mono mini's etc........ | | Bottom Line: | They are not a bad fork if you are willing to mess about with personalising them: changing springs and oil, fitting new seals etc.....but Madison say that you can't do it yourself 'coz it voids the warranty, so you have to post them to a specialist...or lie. once they work though, they work well.....for a while. Then you have to fix them again. so buy some good old marzocchi's and save time and money. you could buy it if you weigh 60 pounds and do laid back xc. If you are an urban/4x rider like me then look away. Huzzah | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CTPELOK
a
from Odessa, Ukraine
Date Reviewed: January 21, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | <
|
$ 400.00
