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Submitted by
Univega RAM9DH
a Downhiller
from Amsterdam
Date Reviewed: August 18, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Morzine | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | came with Trek Y11 | | Strengths: | Light and with the long travel kit mounted relatively much travel. | | Weaknesses: | When aplying the front brake you can see the thing bending. I've always had the idea that the travel had two ways to go, 1:The sliding of the fork tubes, 2:bending of the tubes. My friend had broken it and I felt unsafe using it any longer. | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shox Psylo XC, als has the bending problem. | | Bike Setup: | Univega RAM9DH, Magura HS33, Vuelta Airline1 rims, manitou SPV 4-way rear shock. | | Bottom Line: | Although it is light this fork is not suitable for taking medium/big hits. Marzocchi has MUCH!!!!! better forks to offer for the same price!! Only good for extremely light crosscountry riders. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
William
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco
Date Reviewed: September 26, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Any | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Strengths: | Very, very light. Good amount of travel. Stiff when climbing. Low maintenance. | | Weaknesses: | Looks skinny and takes time to adjust when you were so use to the Marzocchi forks with huge legs. Not as plush as many of the other forks available today. Not as agressive on turns as I would like it to be. Feels a bit flexy at times. | | Similar Products Used: | Marzocchi Z-1 and Z-4. Chubby fork from Proflex. Rock Shox Judy SL. | | Bike Setup: | '97 Gary Fisher carbon fiber Procaliber with XT parts. | | Bottom Line: | Good fork if you do not have a strong desire to throw a bunch of cash in something you don't exactly need. For XC riding, it is in excellent choice. The fork is light and that is a trade off. You sacrifice adjustability, although some is available. The forks can just downright be scary when descending fast since I use to ride a bike with the Marzocchi Z-4 and it sucked up and handled everything like it was cheesecake. On turns it takes time to learn how the weight is distributed since it has no type of angle, just straight perpendicular to the floor. I've seen this being blown out at under $100 a pop and I definitely recommended it for a user who wants a decent fork. Unfortunately, these will go back on the garage wall as I am going to test out the 2001 Rock Shox SID XC. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Black Ice
a Weekend Warrior
from Bathurst, Australia
Date Reviewed: April 26, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Mount Pan | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | It's a RockShox ? | | Weaknesses: | Stiff as a rock | | Similar Products Used: | RST 280 Team Series
Malvern Star (those original ones with springs) | | Bike Setup: | stock Haro Extreme EX2 | | Bottom Line: | These things came on my friends bike, we bought them at the same time. He got the Haro, I got a GT Palomar. Great shocks.. to look at. Adjusters DON'T ADJUST, they're stiff as a rock, even in the middle of summer, 2mm of travel, gritty and sticky feeling. Kinda like having rigid forks with the headset tightened up way too far. The RST's on the GT are a lot smoother, and do a lot better job of soaking up the potholes and train tracks. As for the Haro frame, he cracked the rear triangle. Woohoo, Quality ride all the way. Oh yeah, they feel like those early MalvernStar front shock bikes with the fake shocks that looked the business but didn't do anything. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doctor White (Evil phD)
a Cross Country Rider
from Steeple Bumpstead, Great Britain
Date Reviewed: February 22, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Long gruelling climbs which make you sweat. | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Came on bike as standard | | Strengths: | I suppose you could say that the light weight, but it doesn't mean much compared to how crap they are. | | Weaknesses: | Soggy bananas have more stiffness. First ride and the brakes were rubbing when out of the saddle on both rims. I thought that was standard thing for suspension forks until I bought some proper ones. | | Similar Products Used: | Pace RC36 EVO (Buy these they crap from a great height on the yank toss that we get forced on us because some paid off bike journalist says it is good) | | Bike Setup: | Klein Attitude Comp (97) with Pace RC36 EVO forks and some other standard shimano pants stuff. (don't get me started on Shimano) | | Bottom Line: | I weigh between 9.5 and 10 stone depending on my daily pie consumption (and level of latest tropical disease) and these crap arse forks were thrashed in 18 months. The bushes were shot so that there was 1/8" of front to back play at the wheel. They had more stiction than a pair of nun's knickers, and they were practically unserviceable. Oh, did I mention the flex.
Can't believe that baboon's bum yank company are still making these under a different name. Rhymes with wet? Hey, YOU CAN'T POLISH A TURD!!
Does anyone want to buy a pair, 60 quid to you mate, one careful owner. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
The Pimp
a Cross Country Rider
from London (in the UK, yankee schmuck)
Date Reviewed: February 22, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Snail trail baby! | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Came Schtock | | Strengths: | Lighter than my wallet baby, heavier than my soul. | | Weaknesses: | Flexes more than a Russian gymnast, and baby they flex. Bugger to take apart - can't get the elastomers out, but apparently mine are part of a faulty batch - had the UK distributor service them twice for me free of charge. | | Similar Products Used: | Pace Evo2 and Evo3 (Pace rule in a big way), Manitou, Judy, Sid. | | Bike Setup: | 97 Fisher Paragon, SX-ti, ATACs, ESP 9.0sl, XT, Contis - tuned to the point of no return, like a fine woman getting it on, and about to get off. Ooo! Sometimes I lurve myself! | | Bottom Line: | These puppies are light. They work for me, but I'm pretty light (only heavy where it counts, baby). I very rarely bottomed these babies out, but they get stiff during the winter, whereas I'm far more of a summer man in the great outdoors. Oooo! Sometimes I just want to touch myself! They flex though, which makes rolling on the front wheel braking a bee-hotch. Also get rim slap (just slap it baby. Ooo! That's soooooo goooooood! Did your Mumma show you that?) on the brakes when you honk out of that saddle. Adjustment is a pig, and I only ever got mine apart once, and I'm an ex-Shimano Service Centre mechanic.
Get some Pace baby, or for those reading in American, still get some Pace. They rule the roost cat, a bit like me. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Martijn Scholten
a Weekend Warrior
from Amstelveen
Date Reviewed: January 4, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Portes du Soleil (France) | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Light and with Englund Air suitable for lightweight riders. | | Weaknesses: | FLEXXXX! | | Similar Products Used: | - | | Bike Setup: | Trek Y11/ Vuelta Airline 3 rims / XT | | Bottom Line: | The only reason I had this fork for so long is that I simply didn't know ALL other suspension forks on the market are better. This thing is a dangerous in turns and absorbes shockes mostly by bending back- or sidewords. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a
from Moscow, ID, USA
Date Reviewed: November 1, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Strengths: | Light. Looks alright (but who gives a crap about looks) | | Weaknesses: | Flex, travel, bottoms easily, damping sucks | | Similar Products Used: | Various 2000 judys | | Bottom Line: | My biggest problem with this fork was the flex. It seems to have more horizontal travel than verticle. I can't say how scary it is now having complete control over your wheel.
Another problem was that it bottoms easily. 63 mm doesn't cut it these days. I can bottom it simply by throwing my 160 pound body onto it.
In cold weather, this thing feels like it is lubricated with tar.
I broke the thing the other day. Went off a jump, came down, and one side of the brake arch broke off. I got a Judy XC, which is soooo much nicer. Hard to bottom, stiff, bit heavy.. but hey, you want to lose weight, lay off the damn cheeseburgers.
If you care about money and weight but not about performance, this is the fork for you. If you want real suspension, however, fork (no pun intended) out the extra $ for a SID or Judy (Judys probably have the best price for what you get of any fork), or even a bomber if you feel like spending some more. I give it 2 flaming chilis because it's cheap, but it doesn't deserve a flaming dildo overall, much less a chili. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
scooby doo
a Weekend Warrior
from scooby land
Date Reviewed: August 13, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | dirt | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | light | | Weaknesses: | flexy
not enough travel
stiff
not good in the cold | | Similar Products Used: | judy xc | | Bottom Line: | although they are very light mine is a piece of junk, to stiff in stock setting, freezes up in the winter and not enough travel, the only thing good is the travel | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tanner
a Cross Country Rider
from calgary, ab, canada
Date Reviewed: July 26, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Very, very light....pretty plush, decent travel with the long travel kit | | Weaknesses: | a bit flexy, tuning ability?? | | Similar Products Used: | a bunch of crap not worth mentioning | | Bike Setup: | GT avalanche mod. trail bike | | Bottom Line: | Great fork never riddin in cold so can't tell you about performance in cold like other guys...this fork rocks cause its light but would rather have sid race or judy race even though its heavier so a could tune it better..........if you have this fork get the long travel kit it helps so much for trail ridding so you won't bottom out and makes it plusher..........4 flaming flamingo crap nuggets | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross-Country Rider
from Menomonie, WI
Date Reviewed: November 5, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
It's light
cool color | | Weaknesses: |
doen't respond well in cold weather
not as plush as other shocks I have tested | | Similar Products Used: |
Judy XC
First SID
SID XC
Spyder R | | Bike Setup: |
Rockhopper Comp
Drivetrain LX,XT
Indy SL, with other upgrades | | Bottom Line: | For lighter riders the shock responds great. Only shock really lighter is the SID race and I don't think it gives a better ride. Not as plush as other shocks I have tested but all of them weighed more. Cold weather tends to stiffen shock. For the weight and the price you can pick one up you can't beat it. Better shocks with comparable weight would be SID's XC & SL, SX-TI & carbons. On my next bike I would want a shock to be a little plusher than my indy. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken Chang
a Cross-Country Rider
from Tucson, Arizona
Date Reviewed: October 15, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Starr Pass, Tucson | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
It's frickin' light.
As light as a SID.
It's beautifully yellow! | | Weaknesses: |
Meant for light riders. | | Bike Setup: |
1997 Gary Fisher Kai-Tai
Full XT drivetrain
blah blah blah | | Bottom Line: | I weigh about 150lbs. and this shock is very comfortable. I hardly ever bottom it out and I have it set to the lightest spring load. I think it is definitely meant for lightweight riders though. I like the fact that it's 2 years old and is still as light as the new SID's (although when I save up enough, I'll probably get a SID). | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom R. Engelsen
a Cross-Country Rider
from Norway
Date Reviewed: September 16, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Very light!! (1,1 kilo)
Nice and plush travel.
Cool colours.
Boots stays on! | | Weaknesses: |
A little bit flexy. | | Similar Products Used: |
Rigid (came stock on my bike)
AKELA suspension (cheap crap bought on sale) | | Bike Setup: |
A norwegian extreme piste cr-mo 19 frame
LX gears/shifters/hubs
Tektro V-brake/levers
Impel Sugino 350 crankset | | Bottom Line: | I bought these forks used from a friend of mine. They rule! Nice, plush travel (I'm 76 kilos). Cool colours on my black and yellow cr-mo frame!
They are extremely light(same weight as the SID!!) I took off 750 grams compared to my old AKELA fork. Some flex, but it doesn't bother me. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Glen Hunmplik
a Cross-Country Rider
from calgary, alberta
Date Reviewed: August 31, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
greenstone mountain | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
This for is light!!!! | | Weaknesses: |
Very flexy....
quality of travel,
amount of travel | | Similar Products Used: |
rigid crap | | Bike Setup: |
avalanche fully modified trail bike. | | Bottom Line: | This fork is okay. Too little travel, locks out on the stutters and bottoms on big hits.....but is freakin' light!
3 flaming dog terds. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill Keeler
a Cross-Country Rider
from Ottawa, ON
Date Reviewed: August 31, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Kanata Lakes | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
light, | | Similar Products Used: |
Bombers | | Bottom Line: | My buddy and purchased this fork with our bikes last year and a couple of nights ago his snapped coming down the hill, The snap took place right at the brake holders. my buddy went for a dive and lucky for him he only had some scratches but I will get back to you when he deals with RS and our local retailer. I hope mine doesn't break too.... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Moscow, Idaho
Date Reviewed: August 16, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Anything around Moab, Utah | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Light as hell. | | Weaknesses: |
Kinda Flimsy | | Similar Products Used: |
Rigid | | Bike Setup: |
Giant Yukon w/ Aluminum frame | | Bottom Line: | What can I say? It's... well.... light. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tyler Morrison
a Cross-Country Rider
from West Hartford,CT
Date Reviewed: June 23, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Very Light! | | Weaknesses: |
FLEX, FLEX, FLEX
not much travel | | Bike Setup: |
97' Trek 8000 | | Bottom Line: | Though the fork is very light, it's not very strong and it flexs alot. I think if I ride it any longer it will break, can u say dangerous I'm going to upgrade to a judy SL. 2 chilis for the weight and color. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
roadrunner
a Cross-Country Rider
from Winona, MN
Date Reviewed: June 12, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Holzinger | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Light as Hell!!!
Price!!!
Stiff enough for me. | | Weaknesses: |
None so far. | | Similar Products Used: |
Manitou stuff. | | Bike Setup: |
Trek 8000, XTR and XT stuff.
Long live 8 speeds. | | Bottom Line: | The fork is 100% better with Englund Cartridges installed.
More tuneability and works good in all tempetures.
Lighter than anything else out there! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chadwick
a Racer
from Nashville, TN
Date Reviewed: May 11, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
NONE | | Weaknesses: |
PRETTY STIFF, not the Smoothest. Hinting--- Smooth= Marzocchi Z2 Atom Bomb | | Similar Products Used: |
Shock that comes on a Magna at Target. Really, it is the same shock I swear. | | Bike Setup: |
KONA EXPLOSIF-MARZOCCHI KONA EXPLOSIF-MARZOCCHI KONA EXPLOSIF-MARZOCCHI KONA EXPLOSIF-MARZOCCHI | | Bottom Line: | GOT RID OF IT FOR 60$ | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ed
a weekend warrior
from Apex, NC
Date Reviewed: March 8, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
You get what you pay for...That age old mantra rings truer than even in regards to the SL...Not a sophisticated shock by any means, but very effective in my opinion...I weigh 180 lbs and have found this shock to be plush enough for my needs, and stiff enough so I don't ever bottom out (and I do ride some on the most techinical trails in NC)...Easy to adjust, although I don't do it much...Extremely light and just plain works!!! I grease it everytime I do any real wet rides and I have never had a problem with it...In fact I even replaced my Judy XC with the SL (from my older bike) mainly because it was lighter and less problematic...Real happy so far...And for those who b!tch about so much, please refer to my first statement above... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Storker
a weekend warrior
from Norway
Date Reviewed: February 26, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Got a standard travel Indy SL on my GT Avalanche a couple years ago. They get stiff as *¤%&@$ as soon as the temp. drops below 15C (60F), so any place with colder-than-subtopic climate you might as well ride a rigid rather than an elastomer-based RS. That'd be stiffer, too. After about 1000 km they developed a noticable play. I've kept the fork boots on all the time and hosed off the bike every time it's become dirty. Pryed loose the boots and slided them up to clean & lube the legs once in a while, but since it's a pain in the a** to get those suckers on again, you don't want to do that after every ride. Haven't bothered taking off the boots & cleaning the legs after riding on non-muddy trails, though, because it's such a pain. Light, though, and OK response at above-20C temperatures, but we don't have that too often here.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian013
a cross-country rider
from ohio
Date Reviewed: February 15, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
never had a problem with it....i'm just getting ready to do one year maintenance on it since i bought a '97 last winter during close outs, so we'll see how all that goes. i upgraded to this from an old rst 131 pile and it's probably saved my *ss more times then i'm willing to admit (two 8 step flights of stairs that i didn't see at 20 mph coming around a corner could have been really ugly). now maybe it's just me but when a bike component prevents me from needing surgery i like it. granted, not a lot of travel, but there was enough for those stairs. some forks have more features but for my money ($200 instead of $340) this was the best fork i could've gotten.5 flaming chilis for saving my face from concrete sampling
4 for the features (as their top line elastomer fork in 97,
it should've had more)
5 for adjustability (i decided to dial a real plush ride on
day of said stair incident, if it weren't easy, hi
mr. surgeon)
4 for price (retail was to high for what you got, but the
sale price was just right)4.5 overall chili's (mtbr needs to put that half-a-chili option in)ride hard get bloody don't faceplantBTW for all of you complaining about the plastic adjustment knobs...there's a reason mine has the aluminium ones | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dan
a racer
from wi
Date Reviewed: February 5, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
this is a nice fork overall. it does have a number of problems though. i had to have the legs replaced after about 4 months due to bushing problems. the bushings became so loose that it would knock badly if you even rode over a crack in the pavement. i did get good service when i took it to the rock shox tent at the Red Wing National. in a half hour i had new legs for it for free. it is very light at the expense of stiffness and steering response though. i've eaten spagetti that has been stiffer than this fork. fortunately it was very plush and there were no problems with the lack of a damper and it was a very low maintainence. overall three chilis | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eduardo
a cross-country rider
from Michocan, Mexico
Date Reviewed: January 19, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
La indy sl que tengo trabaja muy bien, aunque sea de poco recorrido, en los impactos fuertes no se siente tanto el tope, ligera, bajo mantenimiento, buen diseño.
En pocas palabras es excelente. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Barry Thorn
a racer
from England
Date Reviewed: January 15, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I have INDY SL's on my Principia MAC B-SL. They are the bollocks, they are the best and cheapest version of a lightweight race fork, I have ever come across. I am a 14 year old cross-country racer and sponsored by PRINCIPIA and PLANET BIKES in Bishops Stortford. For my size and weight they work really well and I love them. My bike is 23.5 lb's and it flies. Thankyou very much and Good night.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
david
a cross-country rider
from chile
Date Reviewed: January 10, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
i buy this shock two weeks ago and it´s fantastic, i have a bianchi super grisly, and now is flying. My last shock was the girvin vector, it was very good, but it´s very problematic with the mantainment, Indy SL, is cool and lighter. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben
a weekend warrior
from Australia
Date Reviewed: January 8, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I got Indy sl on my 97 Gary Fisher X1 (excellant value package)
Flexy piece of poorly constructed garbage from rox shox as usual.
I had mine for just outside the warranty period and found many cracks
either side of the brake bridge.Long live oil filled shocks. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mark
a cross-country rider
from ct
Date Reviewed: January 7, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
There's so many bad reviews below I figured i'd throw in my success story. I got an 75 mm. Indy SL on my Gary Fisher Jsohua X bike and it works really well for
me. That may be because I weigh 152 lbs. and the stock internals are set for
a 150 l. rider. I like it because its VERY plush, and I have only bottomed out a few times in 2 years, and I can honestly say I have never missed the lack of rebound control (although the lack of rebound on my RS coupe deluxe does really suck). Perhaps those of you who complain about bottoming out have springs that are too light for your weight. Yes it is a little flexy, but so is a Judy. Also, i still haven't re-lubed or serviced it, although I kept the fork
boots on it and don't ride through water or mud. If it had a little more rebound
though it'd be perfect | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pat
a weekend warrior
from USA Scranton PA
Date Reviewed: January 2, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Great shock i gota great deal on it from a dealer i am good friends with everything about this shock impressed me it was unbelievable. My bike unfortunetly got stolen though but i got a new full suspension but it only came with the indy c so i have to seatlle with that till i get a few bucks to spend | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve
a weekend warrior
from Scottsdale, AZ
Date Reviewed: December 27, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Actually I do a bit more riding than a weekend warrior but do not consider myself a racer considering I have only been in 3 of them. Indy SL came stock
on my trek 8000 and it has proven to be a worthy shock. I have had it for
over a year and have not had any service done to it(even though they say you should) Only problem is the flex I experience with it. I am in the market for a new shock. but only because I am a bike junkie and love putting new things
on my bike. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Walt Wehner
a cross-country rider
from LA, NM
Date Reviewed: December 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Indy SL seems like a decent fork - until it gets cold and freezes up. I'm using a SID now, but I'm holding onto the Indy because it's lighter and works pretty well for a light rider like me (140 lbs.) The boots won't stay on the damn thing, though, so I think I'll cut them off and deal with cleaning the fork legs off all the time. It came standard on my OCLV Trek, and it was a good fork for mellow stuff. For really gnarly downhill, the SID is better, though a little heavier.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ET
a weekend warrior
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: December 16, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
It looks great and best of all,it works. I bought it when i bought my giant 840.
I got it for S$350 [S$1.7 to US$1]. And it just weigh about 1.7 Kg. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew Burton
a weekend warrior
from Canada
Date Reviewed: December 13, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The Indy SL is beautifully light at 2.8 pounds. Only a really pricy air spring fork like the SID can beat it. The suspension is very reasonable, taking the edge off the medium to big hits. The Indy line is billed as easy to maintain. Unfortunately, my elastomer and spacer expanded with use and were impossible to remove. After a season, the fork had become really sticky, so I had it warranteed. The fork rode like new, but I still couldn't maintain it. Eventually it degenerated back to it's original condition. The fork is very light and performs well, but I am disgusted that I couldn't take care of it. I have now replaced it with a Judy SL, and I'd better be able to disassemble it. If anyone has any suggestions about what to do with a sticky Indy SL, let me know. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sam
a weekend warrior
from Alpharetta, GA
Date Reviewed: November 27, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This shock came standard on my 1997 GT Karakoram (had since Apr '98). It has performed exceptionally well. However, this is not a low maintenance shock. A Rockshox rep told me that this shock was designed to be reluped (Judy butter) every 2-3 months of serious riding. He recommended to keep the boots on and use ties to seal the top part of the boot (this keeps them good for 6 months). I recently reluped, cleaned and installed a Rockshoxs long travel kit. WOW!!!!!
These shocks provide excellent performance while keeping weight at a minimum. It has some flex, but it is not bothersome. Rockshox sells this shock as the Jett something (forgot the model #). | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Reid McNamee
a weekend warrior
from Brisbane,Australia
Date Reviewed: November 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I was surprised to see someone else could'nt find the bloody stupid combination of tools that are required to service these shocks. I thought it was only an Australian problem. My local bike shops have not got the gear and the local tool shops don't stock the weird stuff required. Tool shops say they are not made any more. I had to cut up a long allen key and wack this in a combination of socket extension pieces. I did ask the rock shop workshop dudes at their internet site to ask where it could be found and they say its as common a tool as a screwdriver. i wonder now if that was cruel joke. guys get your act together on the simplicity/maintanence side of design right . | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dan
a cross-country rider
from Sheffield, UK
Date Reviewed: November 7, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I had a pair of SL that came with my Klein. I only had them for about six weeks, then i snapped, straight across the arch. It was a crash, fair enough, but rockshox did nothing about it, I now have PACE and they are the best forks in the world. I managed to crush one of the Pace carbon fibre legs in a(nother) crash and Pace replaced it free of charge. So I'd say Indys are weak, they flex (or snap) but they're good for light, or light riding people (I only weight 64 Kilos so I din't snap the Indys with my weight). No rebound so 'Englund' cartridges are a good idea. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joa
a cross-country rider
from Karlsruhe, Germany
Date Reviewed: October 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a Gray Fisher with an Indy SL for some 6 months. My experience:
1. good uphill - it's light
2. good in town - but you don't need shocks anyway (even no MTB)
3. unusable for MTB - after bottoming it, rebound is so hard you almost fall off your bike - flex is so high, you will often have situations like: steering straight and driving left => no trust, no fun!
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike
a weekend warrior
from
Date Reviewed: October 18, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
i`m got the my rock shox a couple of month ago,ok it`s light and the travel with
the long travel kit 80mm is ok.but this flex in fast corners or downhills is
soooooooo bad.even even on gravelroads the control over the front is so bad,just
rode my friends bike with the marzocchi z2 bam on it that`s a fork so stiff and
working so smoooooth.so better save the money and get you a marzocchi.
but i still give the fork 2 chillis for the good travel and low maintanace | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan
a cross-country rider
from New Jersey
Date Reviewed: October 6, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Notice if you sort the shock reviews by rating ALL
Rock Shocks are in the bottom third and all the Bombers
are in the top third.
The ride is good enough.
The weight is fine.
The flex is rather bad.
And the construction is the worst.
Simplicity of design these are not. They have too many
parts that require to much maintainance. they are a p.i.a.
to COMPLETELY service. I especially like the 4 long 6mm, 3/8 drive
allen socket needed to service tis unit. Sure bikes have special tools,
but this socket doesn't exist, not in my Snap-on, Craftsman or Proto
catalog. I had to weld a socket to a allen key to make it work.
After this I would never buy another Rock Shock product.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Glen
a weekend warrior
from Los Angeles, CA
Date Reviewed: September 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These forks, like the rest of the Rockshox line, are too flexy. I thought my Judy XCs were bad until I tried some Indy SLs with Englund cartridges. Sure they're light, but the flex is just not acceptable for mountain biking. Also, what's up with Robert's review complaining about the lack of aftermarket goodies?!!! You aren't serious are you? If a fork is good, IT DOESNT NEED AFTERMARKET PARTS TO MAKE THEM WORK RIGHT! Also, since the Indy line is Rock Shox's lower end line, its made for those who are more worried about price. Thus, if you can afford to upgrade the forks right off the bat, why not just spend a little more money and spring for a higher end fork?Really, there are much better fork deals around - like the $198 Manitou FS-Ti 80mm travel fork w/ titanium spring at Supergo or all the deals on the 98 Marzocchi forks.I got tired of wimpy, flexy Rock Shox forks with completely ineffective adjustments and bought a Z1 Bam. Now that fork kicks ass. I don't even notice the weight difference. and the cost? Only $344 - with absolutely no need to add any aftermarket stuff to make it work right.2 stars because they're light | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robert
a cross-country rider
from Montreal
Date Reviewed: September 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
WOW SO LIGHT !!!I upgraded to this shock from my first fork (mrz XCR) and it was loads better. I feels a lot like my dad's 96 judy SL. The shock tends to smooth out bumps and round them out, unlike a bomber which just eats it up as if it was never there. The rebound is just too fast, though. If the fork would slow down a bit it would be heaven. My complaints are the flex, the limit in aftermarket stuff, damping, and servicing. In hard turns or hard brakeing you can feel that unwanted flex. You would think that there are a ton of aftermarket goodies. there is basically: long travel, risse cartridge (jones), Total Air, and Super struts. You can't get fork wipers or others of that genre. On my fork I found the internals hard to remove the second time. If you are looking to buy one, get it over a judy XC for the same price. I think it might be woth it.four Flamin chili pepperes!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CANDYMAN
a weekend warrior
from BURNSVILLE, MN
Date Reviewed: September 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
THE INDY SL, IS A PIECE OF SH.... I BOUGHT IT NEW LAST YEAR, HAD 2 DIRT WORK SHOCK KITS PUT IN, THE WEIGHT IS NICE, BUT IS IT ME OR IS ROCKSHOX F'ING UP!
I WAS THINKING ABOUT A 98' JUDY SL, AM I WASTING MY TIME WITH ROCK SHOX, AGAIN?
THE ONLY FORK THAT SEEM TO BE SMOOTH WAS THE SID, BUT WHO'S DUMB ENOUGHT TO FORK OUT $600? | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Richard K
a cross-country rider
from Malaysia
Date Reviewed: September 5, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Loved the light weight, did not like the flex when braking hard or on hard hits. Quite a bit of sticktion until I greased it to death. Upgraded to a RST delta TL mainly due to the flex which is aggravatedcause I weigh about 85kgs. Moving it the the otherhalf's bike where it will probably survive longer cause she weighs 50kgs. Liked it though it was pricy. Don't like the stiff adjustment knobs and all that plastic insides. too easy to cross a thread when servicing. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marc
a cross-country rider
from USAF in Belgium
Date Reviewed: August 30, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Outstanding fork! Ordered a 97 SL from CBO for $149. Installed on my Exotec Comp 3 aluminum hardtail and took it on an aggressive 50 mile ride over single track, road, and cobbles. Fork performed great; plush with good travel and dampening. Flex was almost imperceptable, not a problem for rider of my weight (160 Lbs). Fit, finish, and materials are very high-quality. This fork rules! | | Overall Rating: |
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