Submitted by
olimp
a Weekend Warrior
from Ogre Date Reviewed: September 21, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Riga
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Riga
Strengths:
none.
Weaknesses:
I just chrashed my Dart 2 fork. How is it possible? it just break in half. I like tricks. I ride a bit on my rear wheel and then when landing it crushed. I am 82 Kg. it is not so much.
this fork sucks ass! for real. now I do not know if I will get a free raplacement or not???
Bottom Line:
I just chrashed my Dart 2 fork. How is it possible? it just break in half. I like tricks. I ride a bit on my rear wheel and then when landing it crushed. I am 82 Kg. it is not so much.
this fork sucks ass! for real. now I do not know if I will get a free raplacement or not???
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Vuco
a Cross Country Rider
from Zagreb, Croatia Date Reviewed: August 16, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Medvednica
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Cheap but when tuned and serviced proper, it gives a lot for what it's worth.
Weaknesses:
Preload adjustment does nothing. When you open your fork you can see why it does nothing - it just presses your spring for about an inch.
It's not stiff, and it's heavy (2,5kg)
Similar Products Used:
RS SID, Reba, Revelation, Tora for a short period.
When I got the bike, the fork didn't work good. The travel was not full (instead 100mm, I got ~65mm), it wasn't plush but lockout and rebound adjustment worked =).
Then I serviced the fork by myself (cause it's nothing complicated, simple mechanics), and when I put some motor 15W oil in the left lowers (spring leg; the manual says there should be ~20mL of oil, but mine fork was dry) the fork immediately became plush and it worked 40-50% (in my subjective opinion) better.
Then, during one of my rides I bumped the fork very hard and it leaked oil under the turnkey. So, before I opened the damping side, some oil leaked and I got the full travel :). So, RS made a mistake and put too many oil inside the damping leg. I cleaned everything and got 150mL of 5W oil in the damping leg and now the fork works awesome (for a low end fork that is) - got the full travel, not bottoming out, lockout and rebound works.
You just need a manual and a spare part PDF file (so you can see the components inside the fork), some tool and after 1h of work on the Dart, you get a great working (plush and full travel with lockout for climbing) fork for cheap.
CONCLUSION:
Put some oil (fork oil) in the left lower (20mL 15W), and if you don't have full travel, check the oil in your right leg (150mL 5W of fork oil) - after that, you will be surprised how well Dart works ;)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
pagett
a Weekend Warrior
from London UK Date Reviewed: June 22, 2009
Favorite Trail:
None
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Evan's Cycles
Strengths:
Lockout is great on road (When it works)
Weaknesses:
Fork lockout failed within 8 months of very light use (Travelling to and From Work... No Trails), forunately was witin warranty however replacement estimated to take almost 2 months from manufacturer.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Standard setup Pinnacle Peak 3.0
Bottom Line:
For a recommended beginner-mid fork very dissappointing. I expected more from a light use only.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
crustynikstar
a Weekend Warrior
from !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Date Reviewed: June 12, 2009
Favorite Trail:
cant choose
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
gold cross
Strengths:
lock out, rebound, crappy preloade dosent even work.
Weaknesses:
when i first bought my bike i took it for a hard ride. i was going down hill and hit about three jumps. when i came home i saw when i turned the lockout oil started pissing out. also the preload dosnt work. when i fixxed the leaking problem i took it for jumps it was cold weather the forks were so stiff that when i lannded i almost broke my wrist
Similar Products Used:
sr suntuor
Bike Setup:
hardtail
Bottom Line:
yes they good fork for lite trails but when it comes to jumps dont buy them. i swithched to rock shox pike these are awsome.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
STABrider
a Weekend Warrior
from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, USA Date Reviewed: June 1, 2009
Favorite Trail:
every one
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Strengths:
Plush (used it on my XC bike when I had it)
Looks
Weaknesses:
Travel, nearly bottemed it out on a trail off a jump
Similar Products Used:
noe with this much travel
Bike Setup:
Stock Sette' excemt the fork
Bottom Line:
Great price for the fork, but it could use at least 100mm of travel, not 80mm, I think that only XC riders who don't go off jumps should buy this fork
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
edjski
a Cross Country Rider
from Nashville, TN USA Date Reviewed: May 26, 2009
Favorite Trail:
no one trail in particular
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
Blue Sky Cycling (on
Strengths:
Inexpensive
Similar Products Used:
Quadra 10 (LOOOOOOONG ago)
Quadra 21r
Bike Setup:
Klein Pulse Comp
Shimano LX/STXrc
Bottom Line:
I'm 37 years old, 170lbs and am not going to spend $500 on a fork. I ride trails and am somewhat aggressive so I want gear that will last and take some abuse but I'm also not dirt jumping or riding downhill. I wasn't looking for 12" of travel with an 8oz fork ;-)
So far I'm really happy with the Dart2. It replaced my old Q21r with an 80mm Dart 2, stock coils and with no additional options (no pop-loc etc). The improvement over the Q21r (and the dry rotted bumpers) is a world of difference (as one might expect the Q21r is 10+ yrs. old!) It was exactly what I needed to get back on the trails. And the travel is smooth and plush.
As far as the weight increase over the Q21r; The hundreds of dollars difference in price to get something a little lighter was definitely not worth it. Besides, who are we trying to impress? If you can ride, no one cares about the gear.
If you haven't ridden in awhile because your old forks are shot, and have other things to consider in life than your bike's components (mortgage, food for the kids etc) then do not hesitate. The price for the Dart2 doesn't accurately convey the performance. As far as I can tell, there is nothing else at the price point that even comes close.
Go ride!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Papa Smurf
a Weekend Warrior
from San Juan Capistrano, CA USA Date Reviewed: November 20, 2008
Favorite Trail:
all of Orange County
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
By My Bikes
Strengths:
came on bike (inexpensive bike), lock-out
Weaknesses:
Very heavy, not very good shocks. Changed to Reba Race (2 pounds lighter!!)
Similar Products Used:
N/A
Bike Setup:
Giant Yukon FX
Bottom Line:
Cheap forks. Once I decided I like this sport I upgraded. If new to mountain biking, not a bad deal.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cro0019
a Cross Country Rider
from Melbourne Victoria Date Reviewed: September 19, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Warbeton Trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$235.00
Purchased At:
Lilydale cycles
Strengths:
Lock out.Adjustable. It is a good price and is a very good shoc. It hasent given me any problems yet. Has proven to not let me feel much of a bump at all.
Weaknesses:
I havent noticed much of an adjustment when i adjust it.
Similar Products Used:
N/A
Bottom Line:
I really recomend these shox. They havent let me down at all yet and seem to absorb every bump really well.The lock out is a great feature for on the road, and is really easy to turn on. The shoc doesnt bottem out but it still has alot of movement. 80mm. I recomend these to people the age of 12-18 because i am 14 and it is great for me but if someone weighs to much for the shox, it may bottem out. But im shore that you could quite easily adjust it to full hardness.Good luck with them, but i dont think you'll need it and have fun...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kawasaki80
a Downhiller
from Kamloops Date Reviewed: August 16, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Fist Full Of Dollars, [KBR]
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Strengths:
I like how soft they are.
Weaknesses:
Not very strong, break very easy. Crappy preload adj. I regret buying these. its really annoying when they dive when cornering fast.
Bike Setup:
2007 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc
Bottom Line:
Dont buy them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jef f Watson
a Weekend Warrior
from State Line, PA, USA Date Reviewed: May 25, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Gambrill Mountain
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Adjustable preload, rebound and lockout
Weaknesses:
Spring possibly too weak for heavier riders. This probably shouldn't be on a 21" bike.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
21" Gary Fisher Marlin disc
Bottom Line:
I have to run the preload at max + setting or the thing just collapses against any moderate sized obstacle that it should roll right over, usually resulting in me eating dirt. Your not going to do any jumps with this thing, either. It was suggested to me that me being 195 lbs the spring is too weak for my weight & I could look into installing a heavier spring, but I'm thinking upgrade.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zach Orton
a Cross Country Rider
from Loganville, GA, US Date Reviewed: March 11, 2008
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Strengths:
Works well for singletrack cross country riding, 80 mm , perfect for the singletrack cross country riding i do
Weaknesses:
WEIGHT
Similar Products Used:
sr suntour mg80
Bike Setup:
access xcl, full xt
Bottom Line:
great entry fork to get your project running or a good upgrade for outdated products, weight is only downside so i will be upgrading to a SID soon, but for the price is excellent
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
nick Johnson
a Weekend Warrior
from Pottstown PA USA Date Reviewed: December 27, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Drop Out
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Online
Strengths:
You get what you pay for... It works well on most single Track, but it can lock up in cold conditions. Really good Price.
Weaknesses:
I put it on my Trek Top Fuel so most of the faults the Dart 2 has, the Fox rear shox totally makes up for.
Similar Products Used:
none at such an affordable price
Bottom Line:
It is a great fork for light use, but will ultimatley so you down under intense relentless usage. Good Price. Lot of fun. I'd recommend it for beginners.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jack Cottam
a Cross Country Rider
from Bridgnorth, Shropshire, England Date Reviewed: December 13, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Wyre Forest trails
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
John Atkins Cycles
Strengths:
decent for the price they are lock out useful for the long fire road hikes back to the top of the trails perfect for entry level hard tails
Weaknesses:
oil gets very stiff in the cold spring way too stiff for my weight (a bit over 50kg) so an optional softer spring would be a good idea. rebound is slow, even on fast setting
Similar Products Used:
crappy suntours
Bike Setup:
commencal combi disc (2008)excellent bike!
Bottom Line:
perfect for entry level cross country riders, not sure how well it would hold up under intense use but i doubt any fork for that price would feels nice n solid when braking hard lock out is great, although rebound is a bit slow for when it gets really bumpy even when adjusted oil getting stiff in the cold - so bad i thought the fork was broken!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Justin
a Weekend Warrior
from Fremont, CA Date Reviewed: November 24, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Eden Cycles
Strengths:
great beginner fork, oil dampened
Weaknesses:
lack of adjustability, set up to stiff (though i am to soft at 155lbs).
Bottom Line:
Great fork for the beginner and better than no fork at all. Perfect for those of you looking to explore the back fire roads and trails. OBVIOUSLY NOT A DH fork or for serious riding (Hucks, jumps, drops, etc.). GREAT if used for what they are intended for!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
nathan bunting
a Cross Country Rider
from wales Date Reviewed: November 20, 2007
Favorite Trail:
delimere
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
£60
Strengths:
they are the worst forks i have ever had there was no strengths about them dart 3 all the way no point in having dart 2 waist of money no matter how cheap they are
Weaknesses:
very weak crap oil rubbish damping no adjustment complete waist of time no need buyin them i have had all kinds off rockshox about 8 diffrant types dart 3 are the best dart 2 are a waist of money and time
Similar Products Used:
nothing can be asbad as them
Bike Setup:
hard tail
Bottom Line:
they are carp .
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Julio
a Cross Country Rider
from The netherlands Date Reviewed: October 29, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Rock shox looks nice Lock out
Weaknesses:
To stiff and to slow,In cold weather the fork is eaven stiffer.Not plush at all.I'm a ligth rider(55kg).The list goes on.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou,RST,SR suntour
Bottom Line:
This is not a good fork,The preformence isn't hat good and this is a bad Rock shox product and rock shox makes better forks.For beginners that don't whanna have a high end fork this is a good fork.but for riders that are experince this is not they fork for you.Worst fork i rode
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
steve h
a Weekend Warrior
from courtice Date Reviewed: October 19, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$71.00
Purchased At:
northern cycle
Strengths:
its pretty good for light mountain biking and takes the bumps well
Weaknesses:
not good for jumps it kind of sticks when in use
Similar Products Used:
havet used any similar products
Bike Setup:
good for mountain bikes
Bottom Line:
they are good for light biking in most areas like mountain biking and small jumps and they are really good for beginners who dont do a lot of heavy biking. they work good on my bike and i like dirt jumping well im also getting a new one but this one is good for now. i wouldnt buy this if you are doing dirt jumping, heavy mountain biking, and downhill
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim F
a Weekend Warrior
from Auckland, New Zealand Date Reviewed: October 8, 2007
Favorite Trail:
hunua
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Strong spring, adjustable rebound damping, and lockout, confidence inspiring
Weaknesses:
doesn't seem to use all the travel you would expect?
Similar Products Used:
Rockshox Jett
Bike Setup:
2008 Kona Blast, hayes mech discs, all stock, i'm 165 lbs
Bottom Line:
Think it's a great entry level fork, couldn't really ask for more. I particularly like the rebound damping feature which is damped by oil.
Handles the big bumps great. Rigid, even with hard braking downhill on bumpy ground... Spring is pretty firm, I have not used any preload adjustment at all.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pete
a Downhiller
from Australia Date Reviewed: September 8, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Anything crazy
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
It is a decent beginner fork but it could be better as the travel adjuster is really hard to change when u stiffen it.
Weaknesses:
It is not soft enough and is a bit heavy.It would be better if sram made it solo air or something
Similar Products Used:
RST ...... (a whole lot of steel and plastic)
Bike Setup:
Giant Yukon With rear maxxis highroller and maxxis sticker on top tube.Mtb velo seat(or something like that)
Bottom Line:
It is a decent fork for beginner riders but is bad if you are a decent rider like me.If your bike comes with this fork(like mine did) have a few good rides then if you don't like it change your forks to Tora or Recon or something.Overall allright fork for beginner riders.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim Johnson
a Weekend Warrior
from Northern NM Date Reviewed: September 6, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Any one in the Jemez Mts
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$79.00
Purchased At:
Bike Island
Strengths:
Cheap. Rock Shox quality.
Weaknesses:
Very basic hardware. Heavy. Really did not feel I could rough up this shock
Similar Products Used:
RST 481
Bike Setup:
18" Mtn Tek Aluminum fram. SRam Twist shifts XT rear LX front and cranks Avid Single 7 V brakes
Bottom Line:
This is a great shock for the money. Perfect for newbies or replacing outdated useless stuff. Would not use it for the XC trails but great for dirt trails aroun the neighborhood. This shock can't be beat compared to other shock under $100.00
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
josh nemec
a Cross Country Rider
from cleveland ohio Date Reviewed: September 3, 2007
Favorite Trail:
anything
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$100.00
Strengths:
steel tubing, 100mm of travel, inexpensive
Weaknesses:
heavy, sort of shocky, not good in cold
Similar Products Used:
other rockshox products
Bike Setup:
ironhorse maverick 4.2
Bottom Line:
great beginner fork that will hold up in most conditions and last u at least a couple yrs
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kristina
a Weekend Warrior
from Australia Date Reviewed: August 21, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Any dirt trail will do!
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Stock on Giant Alias
Strengths:
Rebound Damping adjustment Lockout Clearance for 2.5" tires & bigger
Weaknesses:
It's very much on the firm side particularly for lighter riders like myself (65kg) so it would be good if it came with the option of a softer spring.
Similar Products Used:
2001 Judy TT, 2006 Rock Shox Tora 318SL
Bike Setup:
My bike is a Aussie Trance 3 with the Tora. Husbands bike which I ride occasionally is a Giant Alias with the Dart 2, Syncros FL 2.5 tire on the front, Michelin Hot S 2.2 on the back and Mosh Bikes Hlaf Step pedals, Sram X7 Twist shifters.
Bottom Line:
I think it's a great entry level fork, couldn't really ask for more. I particularly like the rebound damping feature which is damped by oil. As mentioned before I find it pretty firm compared to an air sprung Tora but that would be easily fixed with a lighter spring I tend to think. As it is I don't think it really needs the lockout, it hardly moves if you pedal out of the saddle!
For an entry level hardtail it's specced on I think it's great. Certainly a lot better than my old elastomer / coil Judy TT was on a similar priced hardtail ('01 Hardrock).
I didn't have any complaints riding it in the rough, the Alias exceeded my expectations, handling was great and the fork seemed to work as it should even though I didn't use more than 50% of the travel (tora would have used 90% on the same track).
It would do for a while particularly if you ride a mixture of road and trails. In the longer term or if you were exclusively on the ruff stuff I would say that a more expensive fork would give you better performance or probably should say more comfort!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Owen
a Weekend Warrior
from Saint John Date Reviewed: July 31, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Rockwood Park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Bike Works
Strengths:
LOCK OUT. This is a wicked feature for climbing especially on-road, You don't lose as much energy.
Weaknesses:
Haven't noticed any yet. I'm sure theyre not nearly as durable as some more heavy duty shocks.
Bike Setup:
Kona Blast 2007
Bottom Line:
I like the shock a lot. It seems light, performs well...Locks out...It's got all the features that I'd really want for the kind of riding I do right now.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Thai Giang
a Cross Country Rider
from Windsor, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: July 23, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Some Local Bike Store
Strengths:
Pretty good for the price. Won't bottom out on you unless you're jumping from your garage roof or higher.
Weaknesses:
Is not sensitive over small bumps, it gets stiffer when in colder temperatures
Similar Products Used:
N/A
Bottom Line:
The fork is good for the price! I recommend getting it if you're starting out. If you're going into the more hardcore stuff, I'd totally recommend getting a better fork. This is a fork for you if you're low on budget but want a fork that would last you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Robbie Kerr
a Weekend Warrior
from Auckland, New Zealand Date Reviewed: July 11, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Woodhill / Riverhead
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Avanti
Strengths:
Cheap, they look good and they don't let you down.
Weaknesses:
None so far - although the lockout worked itself off the other day!
Similar Products Used:
Everything on bikes in a similar price bracket
Bike Setup:
Straight out of the box Avanti Montari
Bottom Line:
I've given this bike all I can for the last couple of months and I can't get the forks to bottom out however much I try. I weigh about 75kg and they have coped with holes, tree stumps, jumps and some dodgy landings without a hint of wobble or failure. I know they are cheap but there is no way I would upgrade until they let me down, and I just can't see it happening. Obviously a beginner's fork, but be warned, justifying an upgrade will be difficult!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter
a Weekend Warrior
from Columbus, GA Date Reviewed: July 4, 2007
It's a huge improvement over the stock RST front fork. The bike rides and handles alot better and at such a low price, you can't beat it with a stick unless someone gives you a free fork thats better! It's handled some good abuse, I do alot of bunny hopping and jumps on the trail and it performs flawlessly! You can get this fork and new headset from pricepoint for $99, so it's a real bargain...but your LBS might have them in stock if you can't wait. For a weekend warrior, I love it and have no complaints about it's performance. So if you want a simple upgrade that wont break the bank, I recommend this!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
josh
a Cross Country Rider
from Plano Tx USA Date Reviewed: May 21, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Arbor hills
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Mad Duck
Strengths:
Came on bike. Good for a beginer. Cheap.
Weaknesses:
They weigh a metric ton. I have them cranked as tight as they will go and they still bottom out.
Similar Products Used:
Almost every thing
Bike Setup:
Cannondale F5 -choped the bars 2",XT front derailer, cateye enduro,shimano spd clipless PD-M540, specialized roll pro x tires .....more to come!
Bottom Line:
I have had them for a month now, I am upgradeing them to an Ultra Fatty Headshok DLR. I would not recomend them as an upgrade. However if your on a budget or a once a month rider, they may hold you over.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Delisio
a Downhiller
from Australia Date Reviewed: May 17, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
super elliots
Strengths:
Looks good, performs excellent, never lets me down
Weaknesses:
Gets a little stiff when its cold, preload adjuster is made of cheap plastic and breaks if turned to hard.
Similar Products Used:
el cheapo forks of kmart bikes
Bike Setup:
2007 Giant Yukon with shimano alivio rapidfire shifters, michellen XC tires, avid juicy 5 front brake
Bottom Line:
These forks came stock on my 2007 yukon and i must say they are excellent. The only problem is they have 70-80 kilo springs in them and i weigh 58 so there a little stiff. but this dosent bother me. I have done XC, Freeride, Light Downhill, dirtjumping and AM and these forks have never failed. They have been riden completely submerged in water and still continued to work. My only gripe is the preload adjuster is cheap plastic and i broke it when using it so i had to glue it on. But beside that they are an excellent Beginners fork that wont blown the bank
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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