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Submitted by
Tim
a Downhiller
from SLC, Utah
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$650.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | ULTRA strong and responsive. Relatively light considering it's size. | | Weaknesses: | Bronze color doesn't match my bike. | | Similar Products Used: | Marzocchi Monster T, Super | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Bullit w/ all XTR, Fox Float Rear | | Bottom Line: | Wow. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Downhiller
from Cleveland, UK
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Hamsterly Forest | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | from a mate | | Strengths: | BIG! Look good in black. Very plush, smooth travel, hard to bottom them | | Weaknesses: | slightly heavy, dampening isn't tuneable enough | | Similar Products Used: | Junior T's, Monster T's, Boxxers, Shockworks DH1s | | Bike Setup: | Santa cruz Bullit (5th element rear shock) Hope hubs/discs | | Bottom Line: | These forks look cool. I have had the forks 6 months and not yet encountered any problems. Steering is good. The only problem is that the disc mount isn't a recent international standard. Good thing hope have calipers for every occasion! I have got upgraded internals and from what i've heard they are slightly more advanced but work the same as the originals.
Very good fork get some!!! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
eddie brannan
a Downhiller
from brooklyn
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | williamsburg bridge stairs | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$220.00 | | Purchased At: | ebaay | | Strengths: | read below | | Weaknesses: | read below | | Similar Products Used: | read below | | Bike Setup: | evil imperial now, sun dws, 3" gazzas, bad motherf*cker | | Bottom Line: | just an update. i've had the fork about 9 months now, and no problems at all. still sweet, still plush, yuo can find the manual online and the customer service prople are mad cool. i love this fork, and people keep offering me more than i paid for it. when did you hear of downhill stuff appreciating in value? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
eddie
a Weekend Warrior
from brooklyn
Date Reviewed: February 5, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | prospect park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$220.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | super plush, amazing rebound damping, light weight, good looks | | Weaknesses: | haven't encountered any yet | | Similar Products Used: | this is my first dual-crown fork. it replaces the marzocchi z3 on my p3 and pisses all over it | | Bike Setup: | 00 specialized p.3, front hayes mech, azonic shorty, kore strictly d, tioga dh saddle, otherwise stock | | Bottom Line: | bottom line is that this fork is perfect for my p.3, kicking up the angles just right for light dh and heavy dual slalom and just f*cking around in prospect park gapping steps and whatnot, having a blast. it is awesome compared to the p.3's stock z3 bomber which just feels like a crude spring assembly in comparison to the ud150's wonderfully plush, damped ride. i've read all the weaknesses listed here, and all i can say is mine doesn't leak (the seals were all replaced prior to my buying it) and i haven't cracked it up badly enough yet to determine whether the crowns are weak. so far, nothing but love for this badass fork | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Derek
a Downhiller
from Fresno
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | 007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | trade | | Strengths: | Fairly Plush
Stiff
Light weight (for a DH fork) | | Weaknesses: | Poorly designed crowns
Messy | | Similar Products Used: | z1, boxxer | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz super 8. | | Bottom Line: | I have heard a number of claims of the forks leaking oil, which are all true. This is not the damper leaking oil as some have suggested but infact is the wet bath lubrication system. The UD 150 and other WB forks use a small amount of motor oil to provide the lubrication provided by an open bath system (marzocchi, rock shox) or grease (Manitou). Once the seals wear a bit, the motor oil will leak out of the legs as it dies with the left side of my fork. This becomes a signifigant problem when the oil gets all over your disc brakes, rendering them useless. Replacing the wiper seals fixes this problem .
I feel this fork rides pretty well. It is sufficiently stiff for most riders but the crows are very under designed. They really need a 4 bolt crown and possibly use 5mm screws instead. It is plush with the wet bath but gets a little sticky once all the oil is gone. I ride in very dusty conditions and the fork dries out in about 4 rides. It is easy enough to add oil. The for is 3 years old and is due for new bushings which seems to be a decent life span. The light weight is very nice because it keeps my super 8 at somewhat of a reasonable weight.
This is a pretty good fork over all but by no means great.With a better crown, less oil leakage and more adjustability, it would be great but for now I will just say above average. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
DAN
a Downhiller
from Maine
Date Reviewed: May 12, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | SUNDAY RIVER | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$450.00 | | Strengths: | very plush, sucks up big hits, rolls easily over big rocks, great in the mud, looks cool!! | | Weaknesses: | twists when you crash because of a weak crown. SOLUTION! DON'T CRASH!!! | | Similar Products Used: | White brothers FR-3(piece of SH*T) | | Bottom Line: | very cool fork. very fast and fun to ride with! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Allan S
a Downhiller
from NewYork
Date Reviewed: March 22, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | CranberrrrryMtn | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | MTBR | | Strengths: | Looks hot, its black, good dampening, smooth and plush, pretty stiff side/side and front/back, fits small headtubes (mine), easy to take apart and rebuild, nice linear travel, doesnt bottem out (compression bumpers), its shiny and light... | | Weaknesses: | lower legs scratch REALLY easily, very short upper tubes so its not good for bigger bikes, NO negative spring/travel, sinks into travel easily, not open oil, seals and wipers get screwed up fast, bolts strip and are too small/too few. hard to take springs out the first time, leaky damper adjuster, plastic adjuster knob, finish gets scratched easily. medium springs too light, even for average riders. | | Similar Products Used: | z1qr20, manitou supernova, z3qr20, jrT..this was my first inverted | | Bike Setup: | 00' pipeline, hayes discs, etc | | Bottom Line: | if you can get it cheap, its a sweet fork. it has its probs but in the long run its plush, light, and stiff. i dont know what people are talking about, how flexy it is...just not true. it flexs like any fork, but its stiffer side/side than the other marzocchi forks ive used, except for the qr20, and far stiffer front/back. perfect for a light, 6" freeride bike with a short headtube. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Will
a Downhiller
from Ft. Collins, CO
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | A-Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Squishy, cheap. Damping is effective. It looks pretty cool. Very strong fork, didn't fail when I stacked into a big rock at high speed. | | Weaknesses: | Not stiff (stiff as in twisting/flexing) enough for a 190lb rider. Though the damping is good, the adjuster does nothing but look pretty and rotate. | | Similar Products Used: | X-vert r, X-vert Ti. Tried a Boxxer once. | | Bike Setup: | Bullit, DH stuff, Hayes brakes, the usual. | | Bottom Line: | I wish White Bros would just go all out and make some seriously massive and beefy crowns for this fork. A few grams of aluminum is cheap insurance that doesn't significantly add to the weight. Stronger crowns would make a huge difference. As an upside down fork, I expected it to be stiffer but it wasn't at all stiffer than the right side ups I've used. On real steep hairy descents the fork really flexes, especially when applying the front brake. It gets very skechy sometimes. The stanchions get bashed and very dirty in a real hurry if you don't use boots. I zip-tied lizard skins rear shock boots (the really long kind) to my fork and they work really well. Overall, the fork works well, it goes up and down and does it at a decently controlled rate. If you need a 6 inch fork and don't know about Stratos, buy it. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
P.D. Nick
a Downhiller
from Denver, Colorado, USA
Date Reviewed: March 28, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Logger's Way, Keystone | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Stiffer than Long Don Silver. Nice travel, easy maintence, easy to upgrade, easily adjustable, SMOOTH. | | Weaknesses: | Can't find one!!!! | | Similar Products Used: | Marzocchi Monster T (demoed), Manitou X-Vert R (old fork), UD180DH. | | Bike Setup: | Mountain Cycle San Andreas DHS, XT/XTR, UD150DH, Hayes disc hyd. | | Bottom Line: | This fork is awesome. I was able to get it nearly half price so I was willingly to change to disc and 20mm. This fork is a must have for DH racers. This fork's cost is significantly less than the UD180DH which has seven inches of travel. There a $25 kit for the UD150DH that add one inch of travel, so in the long run this is one of the best forks in the world. WHITE BROTHERS RULE!!!!!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ZuLu Kay
a Downhiller
from Czech Republic
Date Reviewed: March 14, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | double trail (trinec) | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | plush, not progressive travel - plush on first cm as on 14th cm... nothing is as plush as this one | | Weaknesses: | Forks twist in their crowns when you crash hard. (ehm, even if its not so hard :(( and parts like sliders and crowns r tooooooooooooo expensive! | | Similar Products Used: | not used but tried a : bomber, | | Bike Setup: | benest frame 190, benest shock 65, tioga 2.3, alex rims, hugy, magura gustav M, aaaaannnnnnnnnddddd WB150 :) | | Bottom Line: | after one year of downhilling no problemz, no oil leakages, like guys here r writing, no sticknes, just as plush as possible, i am 85kg, and riding with soft spring in it with little preload. Its easy to bottom out the forks, really, but who matters. there is never sound like CLUNK! I like this fork very much, as i type above, the only one weakness is weak crowns, cuz when u r in race and u fell down, (it neednt to be a hard crash and then u have to twist it back :(((((
and what is the winner for this year? i think (know) that this year i will rode WB150 again
i am giving four chilis, cuz spare parts r too expensive, and u have to buy new crowns to avoid twisting legz
happy traiz, bros... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob Brown
a Downhiller
from Orange Co., CA
Date Reviewed: March 9, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Direct Dial | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Plush, easy to maintain, looks great. | | Weaknesses: | Forks twist in their crowns when you crash hard. | | Similar Products Used: | Boxxer, X-Vert Ti | | Bike Setup: | Intense M-1 | | Bottom Line: | I've been so happy with my UD150s that, I will always run White Brothers Forks. I'm looking forward to getting their new DH3 forks. Buy these forks. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim Akhoundov
a Weekend Warrior
from Moscow
Date Reviewed: February 1, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Good forks, plenty of travel, plush and look great (let's face it). | | Weaknesses: | Even with my type of riding (no crazy downhills, etc), I managed to break the bolts out of the upper bracket. Had to buy a new bracket instead of rethreading the old one, and it is not cheap. If you have the same problem, get the top bracket from UD-180, fits perfectly and is way stronger (bigger bolts). | | Similar Products Used: | Marzocci Bomber-Z1 BAM, Rock-Shox forks | | Bike Setup: | San-Andreas frame, UD-150 up front, Fox Vanilla R back, Hope disks, Tioga tires, XT, etc. | | Bottom Line: | Nice set of forx, design is not perfected though, UD-180 is a safer buy. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Thom
a Downhiller
from Uk
Date Reviewed: January 28, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Pretty wood, UK | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | The forks are very strong And work like ought | | Weaknesses: | The forks do somtimes top out and they do require regual services | | Similar Products Used: | RSR, Rockshox | | Bike Setup: | Downhill | | Bottom Line: | This is the fork I use for downhill racing here. It can easily uses it plush 6 inches but requires massive jumps to bottom them. I have only bottomed them out a few times. Use some pace gel and these forks can be plush as ought. Expoensive but worth ever penny! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brett
a Downhiller
from Klamath Falls, Oregon
Date Reviewed: November 13, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Klamakaze | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Plush
Easy to maintain | | Weaknesses: |
Leaks oil | | Similar Products Used: |
Cannondale Moto(crappy fork)
zzyzx | | Bike Setup: |
Santa Cruz Super 8
XTR | | Bottom Line: | This fork is good. The suspension is plush and it is a great buy (if you get one on pro-deal) My fork leaked a fair amount of oil. This really didn't matter though, because I had Magura Gustava and they will stop you know matter what. One bad thing is the small crown bolts, they stip easily. Overall a good fork though. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Im a kook
a Downhiller
from Australia
Date Reviewed: September 26, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
technical and crazy | | Duration Product Used: |
tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: |
Pretty smooth action, tyre clearance from well spaced legs | | Weaknesses: |
Doesn't feel like a 6 fork, not as stiff as it's rivals, some are plusher and it's gotta have preload adjustment, I mean come on! Too progressive | | Similar Products Used: |
Boxxer, MX-6, Champ, Sigma TL, X-vert Carb. and ti. Monster T, Mr T, ZZYZX and Hanebrink | | Bike Setup: |
Cannondale Super V DH '98,'99, Fox Vanilla RX, Hayes | | Bottom Line: | Yeah, yeah it's ok but I don't think it's worth the dough, grab a Stratos MX-6 instead (better fork, not just for the price). You can't expect to make a pro-level DH fork which lacks the basic adjustments. Come on White Bros, get with it! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott Wells
a Racer
from Schroon lake NY
Date Reviewed: August 27, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
RIDGE RUNNER | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
wieght, performance, serviceablity | | Weaknesses: |
head tube length | | Similar Products Used: |
boxxer, man ti, noleen | | Bike Setup: |
mongoose 9.7, kore dh stem | | Bottom Line: | people complaining about this fork bottoming, have it set up wrong! I wiegh 200 and ive bottomed this fork once, off a huge drop, with a flat landing. If your having problems with it bring it to a real mech, your doing something wrong.You cant go wrong with it. 3 of the guys i race with have boxxers, and theyve had nothing but problems all season | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from Isle of Man
Date Reviewed: August 5, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Light Weight, Looks. Smooth action. | | Weaknesses: |
Damping Adjustments, No Spring Preload adjustment. | | Similar Products Used: |
Judy XL | | Bike Setup: |
GT STS 1000DS. RS Super deluxe. | | Bottom Line: | Have I missed something here? Oil leakage? Blown seals? My manual mentions nothing about pooring oil into the forks. I have a UD150 with Chrome sliders and black uppers. I keep them clean and well greased with the supplied slop, and they never complain. It's nice to be able to move them up and down to alter head angle and ride height. Damn fine fork. However, if they had seperate comp. rebound damping adjustments and spring preload adjust, they could be nigh on perfect. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Neale M.
a Weekend Warrior
from North Shore B.C. CANADA
Date Reviewed: June 23, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Reaper on Cypress mtn, B.C. | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Super plushness, Now the bigg 10 foot wheelie drops are are nothing, Great looks and excelent turning radius... 20mm is stiff and goes where you point it. overall really cool! and suits the rate of the rear suspension on my norco really well. | | Weaknesses: |
I cannot find any support! (ie manuals/ authorised dealers within 15 hour drive etc.) | | Similar Products Used: |
monster T, nice and all but too heavy for my liking. | | Bike Setup: |
Set up on a 98' Norco VPS-1 with custom DH plate and fox vanila rcr (about 7) or so Hayes f/r with custom rear mount(not standard on 98 VPS-1) gazoladi 3.0 and 2.6 F/R a really cool set op | | Bottom Line: | Really cool and fun, not only for DH but the twisty trails and steeps of the north shore, tthis for has really saved me allot by taking hundreds of big hits that normally would have sent me to the moon and back on my old pos hardtail
:) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Carl Costin
a Downhiller
from Victoria, Australia
Date Reviewed: June 16, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Cairn's DH world track | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Weight, Simplicity, Mud clearance, Don't Flex. | | Weaknesses: |
Blows trough travel as its not linear, BENDS easily $400 for new legs, initial stiction hard to stop, $120 spacer broke. | | Similar Products Used: |
Boxxer '99, 8in Haninbrinks, Mantou X-Vert R, Z1 Bombers, '98 Juniour T's. | | Bike Setup: |
ATX 1-DH, Super deluxe, Pro-Taper Bars, Chris King Headset, Race Face Crankset, Formula Discs, DMR V8 Pedals. | | Bottom Line: | Nice Forks but continously have to top up with oil and lube to stop stiction and I bent the legs and they wouldn't warranty them (costly). Nice and light, however travels doesn't ramp up and as a result they bottom out to easily for a fork with that much travel. Due to the problems I have since changed to 99 Boxxers which are tons better. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Kay
a Downhiller
from Bohumin, Czech Republic
Date Reviewed: May 26, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
T.R.I.N.E.C., Spindl Black Trail | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
the mayor strenght is the weight. it's not so heavy as monster - i like the feeling that - I AM riding the bike. Wheelies, jumps, cornering - everithing is much easier with fork like this
ready for motoX like stems, forks r super plush, damping is pretty fine and spring curve is the best - even on 13cm of travel it's plush as in 1st cm!!! | | Weaknesses: |
@crown design - the legs r doggy (put your front wheel between legs and hardly turn with bars... | | Similar Products Used: |
Kangaroo, Tatanka, Monster, Boxxer 151, RST XXL, Manitou DH | | Bike Setup: |
Benest Hatchet, Benest Shock, MotoX leverage | | Bottom Line: | some guys r talking bout leakages from wipers :/ hey, u r not ridig WB150! because wb150 have a closed cart. in right leg and spring in left - there's no leakages (if u r puring oil under wiper - u don't know, what u r doin' - they r talking they bottom it out everywhere - have u tried a good motoX fork? - u bottomed it out only to the 2cm elastomer, but not metal on metal clunk! - super fork for that moneyyyyy.... 4 star cuz design of crowns (hope the new one (for UD180) will fit to UD150 | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from England
Date Reviewed: April 7, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
peak district (ladybower) | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
build quality and price
dealer backup sevice, good performance and weight. | | Weaknesses: |
crown bolts are very poorly designed, seals allways leak oil down this is now my review after 1 month of owning the forks. legs and ont wheel/disc etc. fork legs bend when you stack your bike. | | Similar Products Used: |
monster, superstar. | | Bike Setup: |
marin dh-frs, xvert-r | | Bottom Line: | buy them while they are cheap (new models now avialable with most of the design flaws ironed out) but you will wish you payed a bit extra for a fork that has no problems (like the xvert Ti or superstar) | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
TOM
a Downhiller
from ,UK
Date Reviewed: March 29, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
COURCHEVEL,FRANCE | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
THIS FORK IS SO LIGHT YOU WOULD NOT BELEIVE IT, ABOUT 5.5 POUNDS WHICH COMPARED WITH BOXXERS, MONSTERAS ET AL. THEY ARE SO MUCH LEIGHTER. THEY ARE WAY EASY TO LOFT IN THE AIR, ALTHOUGH WHY YOU YOU NEED TO WITH 6 INCHES OF TRAVEL. pLUSH DOES NOT COME ANY WHERE NEAR DESCRIBING THE FEELING. THE FIRST TIME I RODE THEM I THOUGHT I HAD FLAT TYRES, IN FACT THEY WERE SUPER PLUSH BECAUSE I WAS RUNNING TIOGA 2.3 AT 40 PSI JUST TO SEE HOW PLUSH THEY WERE. THE DAMPING IS INCREDIBLE, TUEN THE DIAL AND THEY COMPLETELY CHANGE. THEY MATCH MY BIKE REALLY WELL AND I COULD NOT HOLD A BIGGER TORCH FOR A FORK COMPANY THAN THIS. HOT TIP FOR UK BUYERS. BUY IN THE US-THE WARRANTY STILL APPLIES AND YOU END UP PAYING £500, THATS THE SAME AS A PANTS PAIR OF BOMBERS. BARGAIN | | Weaknesses: |
AT THE MOMENT ALL I CAN THINK OF IS THAT THE LACK OF SHOCK BOOTS AVAILABLE FOR THIS FORK. THEN AGAIN IF YOU ARE BUYING THIS FORK THEN YOU WILL BE COMPETENT AND DEDICATED ENOUGH TO STRIP AND CLEN THEM, IF YOU AREN'T THEN YOU DESERVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU GET. | | Similar Products Used: |
MONSTER T, JUNIOR T, MISTER T, BOXXER PRO, BOXXER 151,RST SIGMA, AND ALL THOSE OTHER CHEAPO FORKS-XLS,BAMS ETC | | Bike Setup: |
MARIN DH-FRS,PIGGYBACK 6.5, HOPE BIG-UN DISCS, FULL XTAAAAGH, DMR, CONTROLTECH STEM, ANSWER BARS, AZONIC RIMS. REALLY TASTY BUILD WOULD ADVISE IT TO ANYONE. | | Bottom Line: | INCREDIBLE FORK, I USE IT AS A FREERIDE FORK(I RUN A TRIPLE CHAINSET)AND HAVE NO TROUBLE UPHILLS, DOWNHILLS, WHEELIES, ETC. IF I COULD GIVE THEM MORE CHILLIES I WOULD.P.S.-JERRY DYER(DA PHAT FUNKMASTER) IS A LOSER.PERIOD. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sam B
a downhiller
from Seattle WA
Date Reviewed: February 8, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I raced this fork most of last season and rode it a bunch to boot. I've been very impressd with the performance. The damping is a little slow but not bad, the negative travel is great and the spring curve couldn't be better. I only bottom it out every once and a while, but it settles in to it's travel really far. It is extremely sensative, and needs very little maintenance.
The only flaw is the crown design, which leads to poor rigidity. If they used a double bolt taller clamp (like on the '99 UD 180) it would help a lot. If it had this it'd get 5 stars.
I love this fork! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CHRIS WRAY
a weekend warrior
from ENGLAND
Date Reviewed: February 5, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
THE WHITE BROTHERS UD-150 FORK HAS COME DOWN IN PRICE TO 800 POUNDS WHICH IS THE MAXIMUM I WAS GOING TO SPEND ON 6 INCHES OF TRAVEL (BREAK IT DOWN ITS ALLOT OF MONEY FOR JUST SIX INCHES OF TRAVEL) I HAD MY FORKS FITTED TO A MARIN DH-FRS BIKE SO AS TO MATCH THE 6.5 INCHES OF TRAVEL AT THE REAR.
THE FRONT WHEEL HAD TO BE RE-CENTRED WHICH WAS DONE FREE OF CHARGE, THE HOPE DISC BRAKES FITTED PERFECTLY AND QUICKLY.
I WENT FOR A RIDE ON THEM DOWN SOME VERY ROCKY FAST, DECENTS IN THE PEAK DISTRICT AND THE WERE AMAZING SOAKING UP ALL THE BUMPS WITH EASE IT WAS LIKE SAT ON A SOFA.
MY ONLY COMPLAINT ABOUT THE FORKS IS THAT THEY TEND TO LEAVE A BIT TO MUCH OIL ON THE LOWER LEGS, BUT I SUPPOSE THAT THEY ARE DOING A GOOD JOB OF KEEPING EVERYTHING OILED.
OVERALL FOR PERFORMANCE WEIGHT PRICE AND BUILD QUALITY THEY ARE THE BEST 6 INCH TRAVEL FORK AROUND FOR THE BRITISH WEATHER CONDITIONS. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James H
a cross-country rider
from Anacortes, WA
Date Reviewed: January 28, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
The UD-150 is without a doubt my current favourite Extreme XC play bike fork. It's weight is just slightly more than a Judy XL (another good fork BTW) and the current selling price is great (825$ mail order). It's no where as stiff as a Hanebrink (But what is?) but it's quality of travel is about on par with Rockshox or Answer/Manitous 6 inchers. And it out does a Zyzzx in every way but price (Bullet Bro's fork is only 100$ less). A few points that should be brought up. For riding around in the Greater Northwest area bump up your Spring rate to the next level, you'll still get full travel on big n' nasty hits, but won't be swearing your head off quite as often on the climbs. Some people have blown oil after a short time, this seems to happen only with a particular time period of UD-150's manufactured. These are completely sold out, so you're chances of getting one is slim to none. Also, some the of bike rags complained about the stanchions getting beat up, they certanly can, but not much worse than any inverted Mt bike fork design. Also WB is very good in the customer care area. You shouldn't have much trouble if things should go less-then-perfect.For DH they're average at best, spend more get a boxxer or 'brink. For people who consider 3-1/2 foot drops-offs, 12 inch rocks, and near 90 decents as singletrack, its hard to beat. With their current price so low, they are highly reccomended. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dunnie
a downhiller
from Norfolk Ma.
Date Reviewed: January 13, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
First off let me say that there is no other fork on the market that can compete with this fork for the money! When you take into account the price ($1000!), the 5.5lbs of weight, the almost hands off durability and the excellent level of performance you have yourself a winner! I have ridden and raced multiple different DH forks, a couple that would retail for over $2000 and I can tell you that the UDH150 beats them all. Not until the National finals at MT. Snow VT. did I have to do any maintenance, thats after a full season of racing and riding!
The fork tracks very well for a sub 6lb fork, it's very consistent through it's travel and although I have heard of some people complaining about poor damping, mine was fine right out of the box. My seals held up fine, even after popping them off, turning the bike upside down and pouring 8wt oil into the sliders, wich by the way made the fork much smoother than I even thought possible. In short this fork has helped to the podium many times , I would recommend it to anyone who has racing aspirations (even as high as pro!) or as a great freeride fork. You can't go wrong! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
sean
a downhiller
from northern cali
Date Reviewed: January 3, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! (except for the weak threads on the crowns they strip.) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Grabber
a
from downhiller
Date Reviewed: December 27, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Mmmm what to say?. The fork is great for its lack of weight, no flex and funky UD look. But i did have a few initial problems- over dampened but nothing a quick cartridge rebuild cant fix, and keeping it super plush, but cleaning it once a month and putting a tablespoon of heavy weight oil ( 30/40 ) down the legs between the bushes certainly helps. Dont use light weight fork oil , 5, 10 or 15 weight, the wiperseals dont cut it as oil seals and spray your brakes with oil.
Next project, replace the 8mm bushes with commercially available 40mm bushes. I have felt this on a pair of 150s' and they had no stiction for that annoying first little bit of travel.Anyway, happy travels and get yourself a 7 Keewee DH bike, nothing roosts better!
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dana Townsend
a downhiller
from Moscow,ID
Date Reviewed: December 7, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The ud150's performance is what I would expect from a prototype,the problems read as follows:excess flex(due to improper crown design and under-sized stanchions(sp?)),harshness(this is a moderate problem due to poor valving and having to run an increased spring rate to compensate for that error),too little weight creating an unstable front end,under-sized clamp bolts which lead to misalignment after large impacts and stripped threads in the clamp (I would expect at a minimum dual M4s' and ideally two M5s' or M6s' at each clamp),could have a better through-axle design(alignment is critical for easy axle insertion), The first ud150 I recieved had machining defects on one stanchion(sp?), the length of the sliders allow for only very short head-tubes which means more stress (compression,tension,and torsion) is being placed on the frame junction that now has less weld inches,also the bolt-on WB stem limits head angle adjustment due to handle bar position(I know of no easy solutions to this problem) and the handlebar clamping surfaces at the edges were not chamfered to reduce stress fractures on the handlebars.The bottom line is that I hope they did not acheive there design goals because they produced a very limp fork.Thats what you get when you pay $700 and expect performance.I would however rate it as five stars for an x-c fork. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gilbert
a downhiller
from Aus
Date Reviewed: October 14, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have just put these on my Dh bike and they rock! For the price NOTHING comes close in performance. Actually I dont know hat would beat it at any price. The Monster T is far too heavy for me and blows through travel at the sign of any bump, Boxxer is good and so is the Manitou. I Do think that the White Bros is the best, add a Hayes disk and you have a killer combo. Also it fits big tyres, unlike all the right way up forks. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a weekend warrior
from USA
Date Reviewed: June 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Demo'd it...didn't like it much. Not much more to say but I have to fill up the required numbers of words. I guess the shock is okay, but not up to the standards we've all come to expect. I don't like the looks of WB forks either. Manitou rules, and Zokes is cool too. Okay thanks. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ian
a cross-country rider
from Philadelphia, Pa
Date Reviewed: May 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I haven't ridden or felt a fork as nice as this one. I like it so much, I bought a second one (the first was stolen). It's like when I bought my first Bomber - so plush and stiff, yet it's weight:travel ratio is worlds better than a Bomber. If you are looking for a Dh fork that will not keep you from winning, this fork os worth every penny. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon
a downhiller
from Jersey
Date Reviewed: March 14, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Can you say kick ass!!!! This fork is awesome, you can slam into anthting with it and feel like you rode over a twig. I was going crazy searching for a fork I couldn't make up my mind on what to get. I was concerned with travel, braking and axle size. Well I definitely feel I made the best decision. The travel is awsome and it doesn't bottom out but works great everwhere in the stroke. With braking I put on hayes with an 8 inch disc. The power is absolutelu unbelieveable. If you touch the lever with more than 1 finger you going for a test flight. The 20mm axle is super stiff which lets the fork track where you point it. Don't settle for less buy a fork with a through axle and at least 6 inches of travel or you'll probably regret it. I have this fork on a Super *, and they work great together. I hope this helps you in making a decision. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael
a downhiller
from UT
Date Reviewed: March 4, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
DOH! After a great run, I hit the brakes and woooosh.
My front disk had a nice coating of oil on it. Not very
good for stopping power. The result of a blown seal.
I like the way they ride, but durable??? Hmm.
Well I fixed it. Maybe it was a fluke.
If it holds up I'll upgrade my rating to a 5.
For now, only 2 due to a blown seal after only 6 rides.
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