Submitted by
Badgerlurve
a Cross Country Rider
from lake district, uk Date Reviewed: August 8, 2009
Favorite Trail:
glentress
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
they work...kind of, but thats about it
Weaknesses:
very difficult to set up, they never seem to suit my ride either too much/not enough air, too much,not enough rebound etc etc. The remoite lockout is useful for fire roads etc but the system has broken 3 times, and you cant free the oiuter cables to lube any of the cables...stupid!
Bottom Line:
save up and buy fox or pace (dt swiss)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gerg peterson
a Cross Country Rider
from ca Date Reviewed: January 6, 2007
Favorite Trail:
fg
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
bs
Strengths:
none
Weaknesses:
everything hella sucks dont get
Similar Products Used:
fox rlt(thats the way to go
Bike Setup:
truth
Bottom Line:
they stink dont get
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
andy
a Weekend Warrior
from el cerrito, ca Date Reviewed: September 7, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
used
Strengths:
very stiff, very tunable. Poplock works great with adjustable flood setting so it isn't a total harsh lockout. My favorite rides are more dampened than with the Duke Xc I ran before it. Inspires confidence. Nice looking too in silver.
Weaknesses:
A bit heavier than I had hoped for a 100mm fork. With the pop lock, weighted the same as the old Duke XC.
Similar Products Used:
Duke Xc-- lasted 3 years with no issues.
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz superlight
Bottom Line:
I am not the foremost authority on the new high tech forks, but I can say this is a noticeable upgrade from my Duke Xc. I wasn't about to spend $700 on a FOX, but was told by some hardcore mountain bikers this is very close to the FOX. Great fork for cross country riders with 4 inch rear suspension bikes. I like the lack of annoying "bobbing" when set up right. I run 90/90 on pressure and weight 165 pounds.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
KC Mares
a Cross Country Rider
from Reno, NV Date Reviewed: July 21, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Tahoe Rim
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
29" size, thumb lever lockout is a great feature. Easy to use but does stick occassionally. Soaks up bumps smoothly but rebound is weak.
Weaknesses:
Very flexy--did I say Gumby? Not terribly responsive to bumps on the rebound.
Similar Products Used:
Other Rock Shox, Manitou and Fox forks.
Bike Setup:
Niner Sir 9 with American Classic wheels and Avid brakes.
Bottom Line:
It performs as a mid-level fork. Fairly responsive to bumps but flexy in technical terrain. A performer but not for the technical minded racers.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Benjamin Go
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney, Australia Date Reviewed: February 15, 2006
Favorite Trail:
All of them
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$279.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Light, tough, stiff, and poploc lockout is awesome allowing on the fly activation. The dual air chambers are great allowing for a really plush ride that's very tuneable.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Duke XC Air, Fox FRL, Fox Vanilla.
Bike Setup:
Customised GT Avalanche 0.0, Thomson Elite seatpost and stem. WTB Rocket saddle w/ Ti rails. XTR rear derailleur. Ritchey Pro V3 pedals. Titec Enduro flat bar and ODI lock on grips.
Bottom Line:
These are a great fork, even better considering the price. Very comparable to anything Fox puts out for less $$$. What more could you ask for. Early reviews have panned the Reba's for they're suspect air seals, I have not had any problems so far. Just an awesome plush ride on the full active setting and propedal efects using the compression adjustable pseudo lockout feature. I set mine up using the "20% rule" ie: body weight compresses the travel 20% of the total available, negative pressure at 20psi above positive and 5 click off zero compression for the lockout. Just a great fork - go get one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Traverse City, MI Date Reviewed: February 4, 2006
So far this fork has proven quite durable. Over 1700 miles and all I've done is clean the sliders, inject some Judy butter into the foam rings every few hundred miles and tweak the air to change the ride. The Pop-loc remote lock-out is a nice feature. Although the handlebar control is a bit weak. My has not broken yet, but on the bike I demoed it was. When the control is mounted where it is easily reachable, it also hangs out the back side of the bars. Talk about some intense pain when your rear tire slips and your knee comes up and whacks the poc-loc!
This fork has a lot of tuneability. Compression damping/motion control/lock-out, lock-out blow-off, dual air, rebound damping. It's a good fork for a hardtail or short travel XC bike. Not as light as some, but less expensive and probably a bit stiffer than the flyweights, for more precise steering. If you don't like to tweak your suspension, you might want to find a simpler fork to tune. That's alot of adjusting and tweaking for only 80mm of travel.
I'll give this fork 4 stars overall. It's not a Fox. And 5 stars for value. It is a couple hundred bucks less than a Fox.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nathaniel
a Weekend Warrior
from Lynnfield,mass,usa Date Reviewed: January 10, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Lynn woods in Lynn
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$299.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
*FOR REBA TEAM w/POPLOC AND U-TURN* 32mm stanchions I got citrus yellow, wtf is up with black...bikes need a little color! Dual Air, U-turn Nice Box, I'm savin it till...well I like it. rebound actually works lockout/floodgate And ahhh yes the remote. Motion control is great...great,MUCH better than spv.
Weaknesses:
A tad flexy, and I'm 100lbs, my Manitou Black was a little stiffer. Remote is hard to get on the bar U-turn has to be turned 6 times to change travel 30mm. Lockout could be stiffer. Makes an occasional hiss, or squishy noise.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Black Elite w/spv 120mm Maracocchi MZ Comp 80mm Demo'ed Fox Forx Vanilla RL 130
Bike Setup:
04 Marin Bear Valley, steel 32lbs, Deore, Five D cranks designed for 80mm fork (85 is fine) some upgrades
Bottom Line:
Great, great, great, smooth, smooth, buttery smooth, light, air...Best fork. Demo'ed a few Foxes, RS Team works just as good or better.
Great for AM,XC, or just riden around town. My complaints were minor, and really, I'm not upset about the flex, it does not affect my riding in any way. I'm running 25psi neg., and somthing around 45psi posi.Keep in mind I'm only 100lbs.
I love it, I want one for my other bike, almost cried when I got it. When you go from an MZ Comp to a $650 fork...well it's just a good felling. You should buy one too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Madison, WI Date Reviewed: November 17, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Light weight for a fork thats stiff and full use of travel. Many adjustments and I look the simple design of it.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Black, SID
Bike Setup:
2005 Top Fuel 98
Bottom Line:
Excellent fork and excellent value. I really became impressed with this fork's ability to take punishment when I went off a 4 foot drop to transition and didnt quite lift my front wheel high enough and just nailed my front wheel on the ground and rode an endo for a few feet. Me and my friend were very impressed with my save, but what was more impressive was the fork. It took the hit and progressively got stiffer as it went through the full 100mm and didnt bottom out. Wow! I was riding a SID Team that came stock on the fuel and a creak and play developed in the crown and steer. Maybe because I was putting more abuse than intended on a SID, so I warrantied it and got the Reba and much happier.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
westin
a
from USA Date Reviewed: November 9, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$325.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Light, easy to set up, adjustments actually work! Laterally stiff, too, with the 32mm stanchions.
Weaknesses:
Has the reputation of Rock Shox's junk from a few years back. I was hesitant to buy this, but it's a stellar performer, on par with my 3 Fox forks (125 rlc and 2 F100X's).
Similar Products Used:
Fox F100X, RLC125, blah blah blah
Bottom Line:
Wow! A lightweight xc fork that actually gets all 100mm of travel (with spacers for 85 and 115mm), and has rebound and compression adjustments that can make the terrain disappear. I'm not a fan of lockouts but the Poploc lets you adjust compression for braking or the trail, and then it obviously has a complete lockout. And it has 32mm stanchions just like Fox, but without the Fox pricetag. I purchased two 2005 Reba Teams with Poploc on ebay for $325 each but sold the other frame so I have one sitting here for sale. The fork is a screaming deal, and well worth the money. Overall a much better all-around fork than anything Fox makes. I'd say the only thing comparable is the Marzocchi Marathon XC, but that weighs more.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kirby C
a Cross Country Rider
from Courtice Date Reviewed: October 22, 2005
Favorite Trail:
3 rocks
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$379.00
Purchased At:
ebay baby (geargirl)
Strengths:
Very stiff and light. Tracks great. Excellent tuneability.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
Manitou3 (92) and Manitou Axel Super (03)
Bike Setup:
2003 Stumpjumper FSR with Avid Mechanicals, otherwise stock.
Bottom Line:
Excellent value and quality. If you are a heavier rider (i am 230-240) you will really appreciate the lateral stiffness and damping control. I am riding faster and with more confidence than ever before.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
iceaxe
a Cross Country Rider
from Ann Arbor Date Reviewed: September 7, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$515.00
Purchased At:
Speedgoat.com
Strengths:
Light weight (same as advertised), rigidity, adjuustable, reliable (so far).
Weaknesses:
may have to many adjustments for some riders.
Similar Products Used:
Fox Float line of forks, manitou black, headshocks.
Bike Setup:
Castellano Fango Softail, Sram X9/XO shifters/rear deraileur, XTR disc brakes/xt levers, King ISO hubs with mavic x317s, race face deus cranks & headset.
Bottom Line:
I must admit, I was very nervous about buying a Rock Shox product after the past couple of years of producing unreliable garbage. I was really set on getting a Fox Talas RLC until I heard about there bushing problems. I got a chance to parking lot test a Reba and was very impressed with the quality of it's travel and steering response. There are tons of adjustments that really allow you adjust the characteristics of this fork. It is my opinion that these forks are better than the fox float line; even if price is not an issue. I have approximately 300 miles on the fork and has proved to be reliable as well. Fox, Manitou, and Marzo better watch out...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ridercapayam
a Cross Country Rider
from Selangor, Malaysia Date Reviewed: August 16, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Bukit Kiara
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$473.00
Purchased At:
KSH Taman Tun
Strengths:
Stiff, Light weight, adjustable.
Weaknesses:
None so far. Only time will tell.
Similar Products Used:
Rockshox Judy, Manitou Black Super Air, Fox Forx Vanilla RL. Fox Float RL.
Recomended to all type of MTB riders, Adjustable travel really helps according to trail characteristics. The first few ride give me a scare as i noticed this fork is too hard.(the recomended settings is a no-no) Did the 60% formula and everything goes perfect. Enjoying every ride now. 100mm setup is the best for a cross country rider like me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ramsés
a Weekend Warrior
from San Francisco, CA, USA Date Reviewed: August 10, 2005
Like all high-end forks, long break-in period before pillow plushness. No v-brake model for old school xc setups. Takes a while to learn the fork and Motion Control can come off too advanced at first.
Similar Products Used:
Fox RL/RLT 100 and F100X, 2004/2005 Manitou Minute 1:00 and 2:00, Manitou Black Super Air 80 and 100, 2004 Marzocchi Marathon SL 120mm
I got this fork thinking that I needed to have 32mm stanchions for serious trail riding. I'm also pushing 200lbs., and my 30mm stanchion Manitou Minute's and Marzocchi Marathon were becoming too flexy for my hard trail riding. The Reba Team was the perfect fork for the options and the money.
I'm not a big fan of automatic lockouts like on the Fox F100X and F80X because it makes it hard to climb with the handlebar fully extended out at ya. The Manitou SPV at least does a better job and doesn't fully "lock" on ya. But Rock fixes this problem with their Motion Control system (and the difficult-to-explain "Flood Gate"). It's certainly more complicated, but it's much smarter to have a fork that will still give you some "play" while in lockout mode and can adapt to different terrain and riding styles. Check RockShox's website dedicated to the Motion Control, it's detailed there. Or check out the awesome MBAction magazine review/advice from the Dec or Jan issue. Expect Fox forx to get cheaper now, Reba's are gaining serious ground.
As for the ride quality. I honestly haven't sensed any difference between a top Fox and a Reba Team. Both are quite plushy and rigid/stiff. But the Reba U-Turn's offer 85-115mm of travel, and that suits my riding style and capabilities better than a fixed travel fork. On long climbs or road riding, 85mm is excellent. On gnarly descents or for occasional jumps I'll opt for the full 115mm. This is as close to having a xc/trail do-it-all fork as it gets. Compared to Manitou Minutes and Blacks, I prefer the Manitou reverse arch for the more confident steering control, but the overall rigidness and responsiveness of the 32mm stanchions on the Reba will win any time.
Get this fork if you're looking for the best value out there. Get this fork if you like to ride hard and be in control. Get this fork if you're more about the ride than the status of the fork.
Don't get this fork if you're doing dirtjumping or freeriding, try a Pike model instead. Don't get this fork if what you really want is to impress others with a fancy/expensive Fox or Marzocchi.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Johnny Sweetwood
a Cross Country Rider
from Oakland Date Reviewed: August 8, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Skegg's or Boy Scouts
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$325.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
Man, this thing is adjustable!
Weaknesses:
Man, this thing is adjustable:< It takes many rides to get the sweetspot
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Black (sucks very hard), Fox Talas, Fox Vanilla, Marzocchi MX (decent)
Bike Setup:
Pimping Ellsworth Truth.
Bottom Line:
This is a very good xc fork. It takes eons to get it just right. Its a 4.75 chili fork. I own the forks listed above so I have direct comparison. Its just as good as the Fox's if not better for racing. You can make the fork very active. The Fox's are more linear feeling on big hits which is nice but this fork soaks up the chatter real well on flat stuff. If you do a lot of steep descents, the Talas is a little better.
Here are my helpful tips: The 60% rule. Positive Air: 60% of your body weight Negative Air: 60% of the positive air now add just enough rebound damping to mellow the action without packing up.
For Example I'm 190. Positive =~ 105 Negative =~ 60 Rebound -1/4 from wide open.
If you run the recommended settings from the manual...your hands will bruise.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Robert Banner
a Cross Country Rider
from Beaufort, SC, Good 'ole U.S. of A. Date Reviewed: July 21, 2005
Favorite Trail:
HardRock, Ocala FL
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$435.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Very stiff, relatively light, awesome adjustability.
Santa Cruz SL, Easton carbon seatpost and handlebar, SRAM twisters, Truvativ crank, WTB pedals, American Classic 350 disc wheels, Marta brakes, XTR der and cassette, Stan's no-tubes,...various tires.
Bottom Line:
Since I'm not racing much anymore, I wanted longer travel and less flex than my SID. The Reba seemed to fit the bill and the price was very good compared to other forks in this class. Although I've only ridden on it a couple of times and I don't quite have it tweeked just right, I am impressed with the stiffness (yeah, I know, anything's stiffer than a SID) and the overall ride quality. Like one reviewer wrote, I think I'm gonna end up running the + air a few pounds less than the manual recommends. I liked the lockout feature of the SID so, I got the Poplock on the Reba. It isn't a true 100 percent lockout like the SID, which is good cuz the fork is still able to follow the contour of the terrain and the floodgate aloows the fork to become active again when a large bump is encountered. Of course all of these parameters are adjustable to the riders preferences. In other words this is a plush (if you want it to be), stiff fork with a myriad of adjustments and the price is pretty good too.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric Schuck
a Cross Country Rider
from Ellisville, MO Date Reviewed: July 2, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Chubb
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
E-Bay
Strengths:
Price, value, adjustability, pop lock
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Fox Talas RLC
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel 100 with Manitou Swinger 3 Way, Crossmax, full XTR
Bottom Line:
I originally had a Talas RLC. It was a great fork but it leaked oil. Eventually, I damaged the right nitride coating on the stanchion. The cost to repair and rebuild the fork exceeded the price I paid for my Reba Team. The Reba is lighter than the Talas, just as stiff, has a remote lockout which I really enjoy using on uphills or sprints, and is easily as adjustable except for the on the fly travel adjustment (I did not buy the U turn model). Like I am sure most readers shy away from RockShox due to their bad reputation but this is one great fork.
I am running the pressures slightly lower than the recommended on the fork (10 psi) and find the action very smooth. I will continue to tweak these.
I also adjusted the travel from 85 to 105 mm by removing a spacer. The manual on the RS website is very good. Just follow the instructions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
SPOKES574
a Weekend Warrior
from Tracy, CA Date Reviewed: July 2, 2005
Favorite Trail:
SKAGGS
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$499.00
Purchased At:
Bobs bycicles in Ohio
Strengths:
Stiff! Lots of adjustibility Lockout Compression adjustment on the fly if you have the poplock adjust Lots of features for the money that Fox can not provide for the same price!
Weaknesses:
Remote lockout (poplock adjust) is made out of metal. So you say whats bad about that - on carbon fiber bars, it scratches and cuts into the bar.
Other than that small issue there are no weakness
Similar Products Used:
Rocksox Sid SL w/ Black Box <-- great fork if you weigh less than 165lbs
Bike Setup:
Components Y05 NRS Composite Frame 18.5" Fox FloatR w/ fixed neg pres Thompson Elite X4 31.8mm 200mm Juicy 7 Brakes Reba Team U-Turn Air 90mm Race Face Dues Cranks Selle San Marco SKN Pro seat Easton Y05 EC70 31.8 0.75"26" Grips Time ATAC XS Carbon Pedals SL Rims Shimano XTR Front Derailler SRAM XO gripshifters SRAM XO Rear Derailler SRAM 990 cassette USE Alian Carbon Seat Post Sette VX Ergo Carbon Bar Ends Serac Tubeless Tire-Rear Fire XC Pro Tubeless-Front Specialize Odometer Bell Wimperman Graphite Chain Stans Latex Sealant Lizard Skin
25.7 lbs - light, stiff racer
Bottom Line:
Great fork! Do not get worried about earier reviews on this fork about the air leak issues. I called SRAM before my purchase and they were aware of the mfg issue and they told me they did a recall on all the forks out there and fixed the oring issue.
This forks holds air perfectly! I ordered this fork for my new bike because I wanted a very stiff fork with all the adjustability that I had with my Sid SL. SID SL is a great fork but when I went down hill it flexed way too much for my 178lb body. The Reba has vertually no flex when I bomb down a rough trail which gives me more confidence and better control and less vibration at the handle bars.
I looked at the fox forks but they did not come with a lock out and I wanted a fork with a lockout and ~85-90mm of travel - 80 is ok, 100mm or more is too much, but 85-90 is perfect for racing and trail riding. Also I watched people with the fox forks on the trail with the special valving, and they still bob when climbing up hills! I know what I want and when I want to lock out and can do do effectly with the lockout which fox forks do not come with and fox does not think there forks need - they do so need it!!!!
I set my fork with 12mm of sag and 10 extra psi in the negative chamber, ~90mm of travel.
There are two poplocks, I got one with the blue dial which is known as the poplock adjust. The blue dial is for when you are riding on the trail and the fork is bobing a little bit on a slight incline or flat when pedling, you can add more compression by turning the blue dial a bit. It prevents the need of getting off the bike and adding air to the fork. I have used it once and know understand its need. I would recommed ya getting it, it cost about $40 more than the regular poplock. The regular pop lock just locks out the fork w/o any compression adjustment on the fly - which is what the poplock adjust gives ya.
The GATE works great. When you lock out the fork, by adjusting the GATE you can determine how much give you want the fork to have when locked out so that it will fork will track a bit with the ground. I setup mine so that when I get out of the saddle the fork moves less than 1/4" which allows the fork so track when not out off the saddle and when I hit a big bump it opens up fully.
This is truely a great fork.
For SID SL users thinking of swithing over. The REBA has 1" longer legs! so what does that mean. It will change the current geometry of your current bike. I had to remove the carbon spacers under the stem and drop my stem 1" to get the same riding position I use to have.
This fork acts like my SID SL w/o the flex. Yes it does weight ~.5lbs more but it is well worth it due to less flex allows ya to track better and go down hills with more confidence and less busy handle bar movement!
Fox can not give ya the adjustability that this fork has for the money and the realiability issue has found and fixed on the produuction line! I am extreamly happy with this purchase.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James MacPherson
a Weekend Warrior
from London Date Reviewed: May 31, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Afan or maybe Cywncarn
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$694.00
Purchased At:
Evans, Fulham, London
Strengths:
Price and performance. For £375 GBP you cannot get anthing close to this fork in terms of performance or spec. Light, stiff and adjustable - with remote lockout too. Excellent.
Weaknesses:
None for far - just took RS too long to sort their act together.
Similar Products Used:
Came from a great RS SID, but just to flexy and lightweight. Also tried RS Psylos and Marz Z3 Flylight - Z3 and most Marz totally overrated IMO.
Bike Setup:
Turner Burner with XT and Ritchley nice bits - but not too chi chi/light.
Bottom Line:
In the UK we are asked to pay the equivalent of $1100 for a Fox TALAS RLC - the Reba cost the equivalent of $694. I'm only one, hard, race into this fork but if it holds up I can see difficult times ahead for Fox, and quite right too. The Reba was as light as it claimed - with the steerer tube, unlike the Marz Marathon... It is easy to set up and is very stiff. Travel is super easy to change and adjustments make a significant difference and are easy. This fork really encourages confidence and blasts over, instead of around, any obstacles. The Poplock adjust is simple to install and use, instructions are clear and comprehensive and reliability seems to be OK so far from the LBS I purchase from; who have had no returns for far. If long term reliability works out OK then this really is a bargain fork. Fingers crossed, really impressed so far.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gregg Behmer
a Cross Country Rider
from SF, CA Date Reviewed: April 15, 2005
Favorite Trail:
two elks in vail is good
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
When it is newly adjusted the fork feels good, but it only lasts for about 2 hours. I like the lockout feature. It's good on long or steep climbs.
Weaknesses:
Unfortunately I am falling into the category of reviewers who have a brand new fork that doesn't perform.
I've had my brand new Trek 8500 back to the shop 3 times in less than 3 months because the fork keeps fully compressing and losing all travel. I'm hoping they don't try to "fix" the problem too many more times before they are willing to provide a replacement or a different brand fork. The bike is rideable. There is just no suspension. So far my review is a thumbs down. If I get a replacement that works I will let you know how it performs.
Bike Setup:
Trek 8500
Bottom Line:
Thumbs down
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Larry
a Cross Country Rider
from California Date Reviewed: February 7, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Very stiff. Very adjustable (positive air, negative air, rebound damping, lock out threshold). Love the remote lock out feature. U-Turn feature is great.
Weaknesses:
Am getting nervous about the quality issues identified in the other reviews.
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shox Duke, Marzocchi X-Fly.
Bottom Line:
I can finally stand up and climb out the saddle again! This fork works really well (at least, so far :-() It's very adjustable and can be tuned to suit just about anybody's preferences. It's noticable lighter than the Duke SL I just retired.
The pop-loc remote lock-out feature is really great for standing up on steep climbs... no matter feeling like you're on a bungee cord.
While I haven't had the pos air to neg air failure described below, I have noticed that I can't put nearly the recommended negative air (for my weight) into the fork before the fork starts compressing itself.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Luke Miller
a Weekend Warrior
from Yuma, AZ, USA Date Reviewed: January 29, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Sugar Loaf, AZ
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$515.00
Purchased At:
Trek Superstore, CA
Strengths:
Absorbes solid lava rock on hard-packed desert surfaces GREAT! Remote works great for up-hill and through softer terrain. Light.
Weaknesses:
No weaknesses yet!
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Trek EX-9 2005
Bottom Line:
This is my first mountain bike. I purchased the Trek EX-9 about 3 weeks ago. I've been pounding it every weekened. So far, the only bad review I have is on the Jones ACX Bontrager tires (gone through 2 already!).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andy
a Racer
from Berkeley, CA Date Reviewed: January 23, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
from Trek
Strengths:
well, it was a good fork until it broke! but, I do like the Pop-Loc handlebar remote.
Weaknesses:
weight, breakingness
Similar Products Used:
Fox Float 80
Bike Setup:
05 8500 w/ eggbeaters
Bottom Line:
basically what everyone else said- i have ridden this fork for, lets see, 5 rides, and now it breaks. the exact same thing that happened to the previous reviewer happened to me. I'm not even sure I want this fork on my bike, even if the shop does fix it. Its a little to all-mountainy for my taste as well. Bottom line, this fork wasn't really what I wanted in the first place, and now I have an excuse to get a different one.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MTBikerInSC
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Cruz, CA Date Reviewed: January 20, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Lost Watch
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$415.00
Purchased At:
Phat Tire
Strengths:
They seem to be irrelevant since it hardly worked. I guess it is highly tunable and Rock Shox support both from HQ and their retailers exceeded my expectations.
Weaknesses:
It is defective, and I am not the first reviewer with the same issue.
Similar Products Used:
This was the first air fork for me and it was not a pleasant experience.
Bike Setup:
SC Blur, XTR drive train, Thomson seat post and stem, Easton XC MonkeyLite bar, Hope Minis, SRAM Attack triggers, Mavic XC 717 with Onyx hubs.
Bottom Line:
The fork failed after three rides. My story is similar to one below, positive chamber leaked into negative chamber causing fork to loose all travel. I stored the bike like I normally do by hanging it from the rafters in the garage and it recovered within a couple of hours. This all happened on the day before the bike was being shipped to Sedona, AZ for a MTBing vacation. I gave the shop where I was shipping the bike a heads up and they gave it a going over when it arrived. On the day I got there, 10 minutes into the first ride, the problem reared its head again, checked pressure on both chambers and It was within acceptable limits. Took it back to the shop and we removed all the air in both chambers and pumped it up again and it was fine. Next day (Saturday) went out on a ride and within five minutes I had no travel fork completely compressed. Had to go back and rent a bike in order to ride that day. This SUCKS! Next day the bike was check and Schraeder valves changed and it was fine for 10 minutes. By now I am extremely pissed. The guys from the Mountain Bike Heaven (Dean and Chewy), whom I was riding with took me back to the shop and put a Pike on the bike and said they would deal with Rock Shox on Monday. Within 30 minutes they had installed the new fork and we were on the trail again. If it weren't for these guys I would have gone to SRAM HQ and thrown it in their faces. They (Dean and Chewy) were the ones that saved the day. On Monday, they were able to sort everything out with Rock Shox and I even got a PC-99 chain in exchange for having to pay for labor on the install of the fork. I am pleased with the support I got from both the manufacturer and the retailer but I would not feel comfortable recommending their products at this time. We'll see how the Pike works out. For now all I can say is the U-Turn knob on the Pike split in half one hour into the ride just from normal adjustments. A replacement is on the way, but that is another review,
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Skmeetz
a Racer
from Roanoke, VA Date Reviewed: January 9, 2005
Favorite Trail:
All of them.
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
Dirty Harrys,Verona,PA
Strengths:
Stiff. Tracks great. Great on small stuff. Great on big hots. Super-tunable. Pop-lock is sweet.
Weaknesses:
I was going to say heavy, but it rides light! The only thing missing is a built-in MP3 player!
Similar Products Used:
SID SL (2001), Marathon SL (2003)
Bike Setup:
KonaExplosif single speed, REBA Team, King headset, Thomson stuff.
Bottom Line:
Nice. Rock Shox got this one right for sure. I ride a single speed and most of my climbing is done by shifting into the "stand" gear from the "sit" gear. One flick of the bar mounted pop-lock and the front end stiffens up so I can tourque my way up the Virgnia mountains. The external floodgate is cool because I can still tune the fork to respond to an unexpected hit. The nice thing is that the fork doesn't completely "lock-out", but can be tuned to get a whole lot stiffer when you're out of the saddle climbing. I find myself using the U-Turn feature more than I thought I would also. A few twists for a liitle more travel before a rocky downhill makes a big difference. This fork is worth a good look if you want something that you can tune on the trail. Also, it comes in several hundred $$$ less than a high-end Fox.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Samuel Hagler
a Racer
from Flagstaff, AZ, USA Date Reviewed: December 31, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Singletrack Bicycle Shop
Strengths:
The lockout works flawlessly, even during the muddiest rides. Also, it is very adjustable, stiff, and easy to use.
Weaknesses:
It has the same design as, say, the Judy. Do something artsy, RockShox! This fork is saving your reputation.
Similar Products Used:
R.S. Sid, Fox FRL
Bike Setup:
Trek 8500, Full XT, Race Lite wheelset, egg beaters
Bottom Line:
I almost listed "difficult to lock out without remote" as a weakness, but why wouldn't you use the remote lockout? The lockout and the entire fork are easily adjustable, and the lockout works flawlessly. After RockShox tainted their reputation by producing some unreliable forks over the last couple of years, I am eager to see how the Reba holds up. I heard the 2005 line, especially the Reba, is supposed to be amazing. Will the Reba help to improve RockShox's name? Yes, for now. As for the long run, time will tell.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sequoia
a Cross Country Rider
from Austria Date Reviewed: December 31, 2004
This fork eats every bump, it literally irons any trail! At this price it is really incredible, though I have never ridden Fox forks .... For me at 148lbs this is the perfect fork. Go, get it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
[]D[][]v[][]D
a Cross Country Rider
from Norwalk, CT Date Reviewed: December 6, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$450.00
Strengths:
Stiff, super-tunable, good looking and great price
Weaknesses:
none yet.....
Similar Products Used:
Psylo's SID's Judy's, Fox Vanilla, Fox F100X, Manitou Black
Bike Setup:
Intense Tracer with lots o' goodies....
Bottom Line:
This fork has been a grwat match for my Tracer. I have the U-turn feature but I keep it at max travel...115mm. This is by far the stiffest fork I have ridden...blows away my old Psylo. It holds a line a eats everything in its way. It's super adjustable...you can have it way plush to super efficient to almost Fox Inertia-like by using the floodgate setting and locking compression, and all this can be done within secons on the fly. PLA handlbar adjuster is cool, but not a necessity. Price i8s fantastic...fully loaded with all options cost me $450. Light weight at 3.6 lbs. (weight is legit) yet burly. Very happy thus far with my purchase
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jake
a Cross Country Rider
from Lubbock Date Reviewed: November 15, 2004
Favorite Trail:
GSL @palo duro
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$340.00
Purchased At:
Broadway BIkes
Strengths:
Extremely stiff and fairly light. PSI ratings right on the fork, always helpful for the absent minded. Price is unbeatable for the level of adjustability.
Weaknesses:
Dual air cartridge is risky, mine blew out first race and it is a known problem at SRAM
Similar Products Used:
Marz marathon, manitou black on this bike
Bike Setup:
Salsa caballero. 2004 XT crank, SRAM X9 rear, XTR front, SRAM trigger shifters. XT hubs, Mavic X3.1 rims. Hayes 9 on the front, shimano XT at the rear. Salsa cockpit, selle italia flite ti saddle. Hutch spider 2.1 tubeless tires
Bottom Line:
Pluch effective suspension. MCD is smooth and a worthy upgrade. Mine came with a faulty O-ring in the dual air chamber. Bad sign from a company trying to fight their poor percieved quality. The + air chamber bled into the - air chamber, locking down the upper stanchions down in the lowers during its maiden race. SRAM was suprisingly fast in handling the problem. Even offered to send me a replacement fork, but I couldnt let go of my citrus. Had it back in 4 days, o ring hopefully wont be an issue anymore. We'll see how it does next season. Excellent value, 4 habaneros for screwin up my race
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gerr
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta Date Reviewed: November 11, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
EBay
Strengths:
Best on the fly adjustable fork I have seen for travel and motion control (you can mico-adjust the Stable Platform/MCD on the fly.) Pos/Neg air valves. Light, great price compared to less adjustable more expensive competitors. No V-Brake bosses(a plus for me because I wouldn't use em.) Using Metal bushings instead of plastic commonly found in forks these days (so I am told by my mechanic.)
Weaknesses:
Maybe so new and hasn't been around long enough to stand time test. (See torture test review in Dec 2004 MBA.)
Similar Products Used:
Fox, Manitou, etc over years.
Bike Setup:
SC Blur/XTR Spinergy PBO Mech. Disc 7" rotors, LP Composite Grips (see the Grips Bar end review)
Bottom Line:
I use the remote MCD and the blow off valve all the time to change the fork for various areas I am riding. Also, it is real easy to stiffen the Motion Control Dampening on long climbs; just spin the blow off valve clockwise 2 rotations. When you get to the top, just pop-lock off for the descent. Really, the MCD makes the bike less plush even when dialed in pretty close compared to having MCD turned off by the remote. Read the MBA review mentioned above for a pretty good review of all the finicky tech nerd stuff you can do while riding. Will update review after a few months, when my grasp of the english language will hopefully be better......not !
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
CONRAD
a Racer
from WISCONSIN Date Reviewed: October 8, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
LIGHT FOR IT'S STIFFNESS. VERY PLUSH, EASE OF SET UP, POP-LOC (HANDLE BAR MOUNTED LOCK OUT), SMALL AND BIG HIT COMPLIANCE, REINVIGORATES A COMPANY THAT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS DEAD. COMPARITIVELY INEXPENSIVE.
Weaknesses:
FOR SOME THE NO BRAKE BOSSES COULD BE AN ISSUE, ESPECIALLY SINGLE SPEEDERS WHO RUN A FRONT SUSPENSION FORK WHO WOULD LOVE THE POP-LOCK AND DON'T WANT DISC. THAT IS A LET DOWN AS THE TRAVEL IS INTERNALLY ADJUSTABLE TO 85 MM, I WOULD BUY A SECOND ONE IF IT HAD CANTI-BOSSES.
Similar Products Used:
VARIOUS FOX, MANITOU, ROCK SHOX
Bottom Line:
AS GOOD OR BETTER THAN ANYTHING OUT THERE. WON'T BS AND SAY ITS THE BEST, I LIKE IT, IT WORKS TAKE A LOOK OF YOU ARE IN THE MARKET FOR A FORK. DON'T LET ROCK SHOX CHECKERED LAST FEW YEARS SCARE YOU AWAY FROM A GREAT FORK,(DON'T LET THE DUKE SCARE YOU AWAY).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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