Description:The TALAS R, RL, and RLC are the ultimate lightweight freeride suspension forks. The premium PSC chassis SDC damper system and the NEW TALAS air spring system make this the most adjustable fork for the ultimate lightweight freeride bike.
Submitted by
david barnett
a Weekend Warrior
from milwaukee Date Reviewed: July 29, 2007
Favorite Trail:
john muir(kettle morain), river east
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
bens bikes .com in milw
Strengths:
unbeliveably light weight considering the very high strength. the rebound adjustment is very adjustable allowing you to truely and easily dial in, unlike others ive used where you really cant tell the difference after spinning the knob, i set it up about a year ago, and have not had to make any adjustments since. the lockout is great, although it is much easier to do on the handlebar(FOX, mabye you will have an upgrade handle lockout kit avail this year?). The hieght adjustment is crazy, being able to set the trAvel height is a huge advantage,though i generally keep mine all the way open. Mean and beefy looking, tough as rock and has a great bling bling factor. If there is anything smoother than butter, this is it!
Weaknesses:
mabye the price, but you truely get your moneys worth,
Similar Products Used:
sid, talas, judy, marzocci drop off, manitou. NONE OF THESE COMPARE
Bike Setup:
07 stumpjumper hard tail, talas rl, juicy seven, chris king hubs, mavic 729exrims
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is I weigh in at 270 lbs, naturally my equiptment takes a devilish beating, whether its clearing a 15 foot gap between 2 dirt mounds, riding down 100+ stair sets, up 12 steps. no matter what I attempt, I do not have to ever worry about this shock
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Submitted by
Nick
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Date Reviewed: March 3, 2007
Favorite Trail:
You Yangs, Victoria
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Fork is buttery smooth, very lightweight, travel adjustability very much suits my riding style (all mountain but still race enduro occasionally). Lockout an excellent feature, and rebound adjust is mad.
Weaknesses:
Some might prefer a handlebar operated lockout lever, but I don't see it as a problem. No personal grievances against the product.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Black Forks
Bike Setup:
Scott Genius MC40, Dt Swiss Ex5.1d/340/Alpine Wheelset, SRAM X.9, Avid Juicy 5, Scott stock trimmings.
Bottom Line:
This fork will absorb some bigger hits, yet still works brilliantly on rutted singletrack. The travel adjustability means that you can ride up the steep climbs and then open it up and hammer back down. Lockout means that riding on the road to my local trails doesn't take an hour. The forks are extremely reliable and will suit anyone from a lightweight XC racer to an all-mountain hard-hitter.
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Submitted by
ROLAND FORBES
a
from BOISE, ID, USA Date Reviewed: August 1, 2004
Favorite Trail:
ANYTHING WITH HUGE DROPS!!!
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
georges cycles
Strengths:
SUPER LIGHT WEIGHT. YOU CAN HUCK THE CRAP OUT OF IT AND YOU CAN LOCK IT OUT AND CLIMB.
Weaknesses:
WEAKNESS? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
Similar Products Used:
DIDN'T NEED TO.
Bike Setup:
SPECIALIZED ENDURO EXPERT: SHIMANO DEORE HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKES, XTR DEURAILLER, BIG FAT 2.5 RED HOT S TIRES, 717 WHEELS, AND THE BEST OF ALL, BIG CHEESE GRIPS!!!!
Bottom Line:
THE TALAS IS THE BEST FORK THAT I HAVE EVER RIDDEN!!! IT IS SUPER LIGHT WEIGHT, LONG TRAVEL, AND YOU CAN LOCK IT OUT. I HAVE TAKEN THIS THING OFF OF A 7 FOOT DROP ONTO FLAT, HARD DIRT, AND IT WAS A SOFT, SMOOTH LANDING. THE BOTTOM LINE IS IF YOU ARE A HARD CORE XC RACER OR IF YOU ARE A DOWNHILLER THAT DOESNT HAVE A SHUTTLE, YOU CAN STILL KICK ASS AND TAKE NAMES!!!!!!!!
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Submitted by
Dean Moss
a
from Raleigh Date Reviewed: May 12, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Franklin Stree Cycles
Strengths:
The travel (5") is great. Made a huge difference in my riding ability. Soaks up things at full-speed that I would have had to slow down for previously.
Weaknesses:
Something broke internally on the fork after about 3 months of riding. It would make an audible "clunk" during the first part of the travel. Sent the fork back to Fox and they re-worked it. Just got the fork reinstalled last night and will update this posting whenever I have some time on the new reworked fork.
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shox SID Air
Bike Setup:
Trek Liquid 30 Stock
Bottom Line:
Love the fork. Jury is still out on the reliability.
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Submitted by
martyn nash
a Weekend Warrior
from Whitland UK Date Reviewed: May 3, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Llanddowror
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$750.00
Purchased At:
Leisure Lakes Cheltenham
Strengths:
Solid in tracking
Weaknesses:
Performance, never had the best feeling out of them,
Similar Products Used:
Breakout Plus, RS Judy RS SID RACE And now Manitou Breakout Plus
Bike Setup:
03 S-works Epic & 04 S-works Enduro, Disc Brakes
Bottom Line:
I never had good performance out of them, they ramped up too quickly and when I set the rebound slower would blow through the travel very quickly. Had too much stanchions showing so never had 125mm only 110 mm which is four inches plus a bit. The Lockout lever would often clog up a bit with mud, but was doable, It went back for a service after six months but never improved it, only another service at 1 year with a proper race tuner got them working to what they should have been from new. These are not freeride forks, more XC. I now have a new bike with Sherman Breakout Plus forks which seem to do the trick.
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Submitted by
Ernest Lam
a Weekend Warrior
from Hong Kong SAR Date Reviewed: November 26, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Any off road
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
Tin Fung bikes (LBS)
Strengths:
As plush as coil spring fork. Light weight for it's performance. Super stiff, no flex at all! The fork which can do both freeride and XC. Last but not least, TALAS!!!
Weaknesses:
Any?? Send me an e-mail or something to let me take a look of mine!
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Ti-Spring. Marzocchi Shiver SC '02.
Bike Setup:
Tank Hartail (Taiwai brand but using Easton tubing). Full XT. Mavic 221 with DT and ringle hubs. Hayes HFX-9XC oil disc. Thomson post and EA-50 stem.
Bottom Line:
Most of what I'm going to say here is just repeating other reviews. But hey, I really have to say it!
This air fork, remember, it's using air spring, is as plush as my old Shiver, I didn't feel any different on plushness between them, and, it's has plenty of travel(really 125mm, I've bottom it out once), more then the shiver (which only has about 100mm useable). I feel I can do more big drops in this fork.
The stiffness is non-questionable, my old Shiver, flex like toothpicks, but on this fork, I feel the wheels will not flex, the only way to flex it is the bent it. I'm now more confident on the rocky cornerings and stairs.
At last, the TALAS, it's really a nice feature. I only have one bike, so everything has to be done on it. I mainly play XC and my brother played DH with his V10, so some weekends, I join him, of course, with the same bike, so in this scene, I turn it to full travel and rush with him on the DH tracks, it suck up all the bumps and didn't bottom out once. For XC, I usually take it to 100mm and leave it. Last week, my brother joined a local XC race with this fork and have it finished in a good results with the 85mm setting, the comment from him after the race was a lightweight XC fork with short travel for the climbs but still give him the confidence as if he was with his DH Shiver DC on the drops.
Overall, this is a lightweight do-it-all fork, you can race XC on it even you're a heavy rider(Won't worry about losing air like the Rock Shox), or you can take it to some technical DH track and still stick with the guys with their 10inches travel bikes. I still give it five flamming chilles for value, because by pay this price, you get yourself both an XC fork and a Single Crown freeride fork.
P.S. I'm 150lbs and my brother is 160lbs. I will come with another review after I use it for longer.
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Submitted by
Sean
a Weekend Warrior
from SLP, MN Date Reviewed: October 15, 2003
Broke my lowers. Fox replaced. Now it is creaking at the steerer/crown or crown/stanchion junction. Annoying. Sending back to Fox for 2nd time.
Similar Products Used:
Vanilla RLC, '03 Z1FRQR20, older Z1s, RIGID
Bike Setup:
Turner RFX, On One Inbred SS
Bottom Line:
Great performance, still working out the wrinkles. I've had great experience with their customer service. Being polite and detailed goes a long ways.
4 for value (pricey), 3 overall due to failures and cost/time to resolve. This is what happens when things are brought to market too quickly. That said, Fox is quick to fix/remedy (as they should be).
Living on the bleeding edge,
Sean
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Submitted by
Scott
a Weekend Warrior
from Littleton Date Reviewed: August 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Buffalo Creek
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$436.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Big bad stiff fork, travel adjustment is really cool, I was a little skeptical.
Weaknesses:
Inspires a little too much confidence going down.
Similar Products Used:
Previous fork was a sid sl.
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz blur
Bottom Line:
Coming from a rock shox sid to this is really just not fair. Comparing the two is apples to oranges. The sid was like having a plastic fork, the hell with the weight. The talas is a real mans fork. It is extremly strong, laterally stiff and the adjustability factor is nice to have. I usually keep it at around 100mm going up. But once I hit the apex and head down, just turn the knob as far as it will go and presto a 125mm or 130mm. The guy down below has a point with the math. I don't know what the actual travel is, but I do know that it's plenty for me.
The price thing isn't really a factor anymore, I got mine brand new on ebay for $436.00, still a lot of money for a fork, but not just any fork mind you. Check out ebay and look for the seller downtube. The weight really isn't that big of deal, if you race you won't want this fork, but if you want buttery smooth travel that is extremly stiif, this is your fork. Highly recommend.
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Submitted by
MARK
a Cross Country Rider
from MONTEBELLO Date Reviewed: July 24, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$599.00
Strengths:
Very stiff,silky smooth with no stiction right out of the box. Feels very much like a Vanilla with the spring rate adjustability of air.
Weaknesses:
None...
Similar Products Used:
F80RLT, Vanilla RLC, Manitou Black 100-120
Bike Setup:
Turner 5 Spot
Bottom Line:
The best trail & XC fork Ive owned. It is remarkably stiff and inspires confidence when pushed hard in any terrain. Easy to adjust spring rate etc. Ive climbed steep technical sections forgetting to reduce the travel from 125 mm and couldnt beleive how well the front end stayed planted and worked through the really tough rocky stuff and ledges. FLAWLESS!!!
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Submitted by
g money
a Cross Country Rider
from boulder Date Reviewed: July 24, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Ned to Boulder
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
University
Strengths:
It's strong, light and works as advertised
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shock SID
Bike Setup:
Stock NRS1
Bottom Line:
After having a very bad experience with the stock Rock Shock SID on my bike, (3 repairs in 2 months) I talked my shop into replacing it with the Fox Talus. I'm a 180-pound aggressive x country rider and have given this shock more hell on 3 rides than the SID took since I bought it this spring. I have the travel set at 125mm and the air pressure set to slightly above standard for my weigh. The shock works well in a broad spectrum of conditions and I have found that even with the additional height, I don't have a problem steering it through the intricate details of the trail. The lockout is a nice feature if you don't want the bike to sag under you when you stand up.
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Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Canmore, Alberta Date Reviewed: June 7, 2003
Blur, all xtr, mavic 317 with chris king hubs, hope brakes
Bottom Line:
This is an update from my earlier comments. My Talus has now been repaired by Fox. It turns out that the problem in getting my fork back was caused by the distributer screwing up and not promptly sending it to the Fox factory. Once Fox got the Talus, they returned it within a few days.
So far I love the Talus. It works the way it was intended. I've tried the adjustable Rock Shox forks, and I find the Talus to be superior. The movement of the shock is smoother, and it is more laterally rigid than the Rock Shox.
The adjustable travel is nice. I've been able to nail some steep climbs with the shock set at 3.5 inches with more ease than with my old Sid 100, and long somewhat steep climbs are less tiring with the shock set at this level because the front wheel has less tendency to rise up. Set at about 4 inches, the fork is a good length for cruising single track. At the full five inches, the fork performs nicely for steeper descents. Overall, I find adjustable travel to be a good idea, although I was initially a skeptic about the utility of adjustable travel.
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Submitted by
Larry
a Cross Country Rider
from Orlando Date Reviewed: May 21, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Razorback
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$600.00
Strengths:
Stiff, smooth as butter, full 125mm travel
Weaknesses:
ummmmm...price? But you get what you pay for.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Black Elite
Bike Setup:
2002 Truth, Romic rear, full XTR, Hope disks, Cross Max wheels.
Bottom Line:
Great fork. The guy below must have received the one bad fork. No problems at all with mine. Some initial stiction but breaks in within 2-3 rides. Super plush and stiff, even stiffer than the Manitou (very disapointed with Manitou, see reviews). Very wide range of rebound damping. Feels even better than a coil fork. Excellant fork. Have used it for some CC racing (at 85mm) and trail riding and works great in all conditions.
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Submitted by
Murphy
a Cross Country Rider
from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Date Reviewed: May 10, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
This fork is stiff! Goes where it's pointed, great adjustability and plush!
Weaknesses:
Price... but then it's only money, right?
Similar Products Used:
Manitou 3; Judy SL;
Bike Setup:
Rocky Mountain Vertex/XT Shifters/XTR/Magura rim brakes/Mavic 217
Bottom Line:
I've only had this for a few weeks, but wow what a difference from my old Judy SL! Okay, the Judy is about 5 years old so that's a no-brainer. I did look at several forks for possible purchase but the TALAS function (and all the reviews posted here) sounded too good to pass up. On uphills I leave it set at 85mm, but even if I forget to crank up the travel before hitting some rocky, root-filled downhill runs, the fork just soaks up those hits. Tracks great!
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Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Boulder, CO Date Reviewed: April 23, 2003
A whole new experience in riding! The fork easily adjusts to riding style, bike set-up, etc... Super plush feel and solid steering. I waited a month for the fork and it's worth it! Highly recommend this fork (and the Float RL shock and the Tracer) to anyone looking for a totally adjustable full sus system.
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Submitted by
Scott Beckstead
a Cross Country Rider
from Fountain Hills, AZ, USA Date Reviewed: April 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Little bear, Flagstaff AZ
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$549.00
Purchased At:
MTNHIGHCYCLERY
Strengths:
Stiff, extremely plush. I get full travel, as measured by a zip tie, for the first time ever with a fork. Travel adjust and lockout work well.
Weaknesses:
Would be nice to have only 3 or 4 travel setting clicks instead of 15 (takes a while to do full adjust)
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shock Psylo Race. Fox Float 100 RL, Marzocchi x-fly 100. Manitou Carbon
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Blur with full XTR, Discs, Easton carbon bars and post, CK headset
Bottom Line:
This is a really great fork. It feels 30-40% better in front of the bike than my Float 100 did. The linear spring rate seams to be working because I get full travel in any setting (85-110 is all I use) as measured by a zip tie. The fork really balanced my Blur (which has a super plush rear end. I am really happy with the fork. Expensive but worth it to me.
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Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Canmore Alberta Date Reviewed: April 18, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Strengths:
none noted yet - the travel adjustment didn't work -
Weaknesses:
I bought a Talus in March. From the beginning the travel adjustment did not work, which is really not excusable considering what I paid for the shock. After three rides I sent it back, and the fox rep. reportedly said that the fork would be returned in 10 days. It's now been a month & no shock! What gives??? Fox had a good reputation for bicycle shocks, but if you read MTBreview.com, you will notice much frustration from some customers. I feel ripped off. Several of my friends who were wise enough to wait to see if the Talus worked have now decided to go with other manufactures.
In sum, the weaknesses are:
1. Poor customer service - promises are not kept 2. Faulty Manufacturing 3. Product does not work as it is advertised
Similar Products Used:
Rock shox - various shocks
Bike Setup:
Superlight, all xrt, chris king hubs, mavic 317 wheels
Bottom Line:
Do not buy this shock. Do not buy bikes with this shock. Avoid Fox products that are not proven. Don't expect much from Fox service if you have a problem.
$ 649.00
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