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Fox Racing Shox
FLOAT RLC
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Submitted by
Sean Davidson
a Racer
from Richmond, ME
Date Reviewed: December 3, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Downieville | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Sports Center Bicycle | | Strengths: | Dependable, smooth, quick adjustment on the move, stickers last though rough elements and frequent cleaning. | | Weaknesses: | After 6 months of hard, hard riding, one seal began to leak but I would have expected worse. Also, the drops out seem to wear a bit too fast and cleaning out the triangle frame design in the cross over is tedious; big deal right? | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shox, they went quick... | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Superlight, Chris King no threadset. | | Bottom Line: | This shock has taken some serious hits for a 32 on a cross country rig. I've raced the Downieville Classic (won it), rode Mammoth Lakes (9 hours of hard downhill in one day), Noble Canyon twice (that's when the leaking seal occurred), Toad's Wild Ride, Oat Mine Trail in Calistoga; all the toughest downhill rides in California with great results. Other than those rides, I've raced on my Fox RLC for most of the year with great results, screw the light weight others, go with performance. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim Mathes
a Weekend Warrior
from Ladera Ranch, CA USA
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Anywhere in SoCal | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$380.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay | | Strengths: | Stiff, Simple. Plush. | | Weaknesses: | We all hate to spend money. | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shox Reba. Fox Float 100RL | | Bike Setup: | Kona "the King" 19", XTR group, Fox Float RP3. 2.3" WTB Exiwolf tires. | | Bottom Line: | I trail ride, liking the idea of having a lightweight XC machine under me. My rear travel is 4" so I set up the 130 fork up with extra sag so it doesn't ride high. Steering is tamed down, and well controlled. Rarely need the lock-out. This fork has been "set-it and forget-it" for me, and the quality of build is outstanding to the point of inspiring more confidence in my bike than I have ever had. I just followed the set-up instructions, Fox did the magic. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
woody squirrel
a Weekend Warrior
from uk
Date Reviewed: June 30, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | afan forest wales | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | realcycles.com | | Strengths: | incredibly light, barely notice they're propping up your front wheel. Rock solid feel, very reassuring steering precision. Plush as only Fox know how | | Weaknesses: | none. | | Similar Products Used: | mx pro bombers | | Bike Setup: | 2006 Commencal Meta 5, a few tune ups, Conti vertical/gravity tyres for aggresive cross country flings | | Bottom Line: | This review is for the basic FLOAT R, that came with the bike.
The lightness of these forks just blows you away, but you can throw them at anything. No rattle of any sort from my forks, just the high speed shims emitting their typical 'gas leak' sound when you hit the big stuff, nothing to worry about. Occasionally wish I had the lockout but only when pedaling off saddle (very rarely). No bells & whistles, just awesome Fox plushness. Love em.
Once your under the Fox spell its difficult to consider any other fork. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Props
a Weekend Warrior
from Nantes, France
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$650.00 | | Purchased At: | Spad, Nantes, FR | | Strengths: | Light, stiff, plush, great tracking | | Weaknesses: | some play in the stanchions, fragile anodization, creaking noises | | Similar Products Used: | Fox F100RLT, Vanilla RLC, Manitou Black, Rock Shox Duke, Marzo MX, Marathon SL | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Stumpjumper FSR XC Pro '05, XT, XTR, Thomson, Time Z | | Bottom Line: | This is the review of a 2005 model, which is merely the same one.
I purshased this fork last year in replacement with my former fork (Marathon SL) that unfortunately died in a crash... I didn't regreted it !!! This fork has a fabulous all mountain potential. It is *very* plush and yet don't "dive" as much as a Vanilla. Some hot places I don't hesit to jump where one year ago I would have got off the bike !
Adjusting knobs work well, especially the very efficient locking threshold. Well I am a bit skeptical with that low compression ring, does it produce a real effect ?...
Except the noisy crown and bushing play (Fox gently inform us it-is-normal... lol), this fork is great. Wish the new Fox 32 would be greater.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a Weekend Warrior
from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
Date Reviewed: August 22, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | Bobs Bicycles | | Strengths: | Great Lockout, plush, smooth, looks good, rides great strong. | | Weaknesses: | None so far!!! | | Bike Setup: | Giant Warp, Fox Float 130mm, Avid BB7, WTB Laserdisc/ Mavic 317 wheels. | | Bottom Line: | The best fork for 400 bucks. Almost didn't buy it because I didn't want to spend that much, but I would have let myself down with anything less. Strongly recommend buying this fork. Would give it 10 FLAMIN' Chilis if i could!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Williams
a Weekend Warrior
from Wales UK
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Afan Argoed (Whites) | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | Quality of build, Strong, smooth, light | | Weaknesses: | Non yet | | Similar Products Used: | Manitou splice (sort of similar) | | Bike Setup: | Mongoose Tiocali Comp, standard rear shock, Fox Float RLC on front set to 100mm | | Bottom Line: | I am a weekend rider not sure about warrior, I hate wasting money on cheap unreliable parts. The Fox float RLC 130 is a quality product, does exactly what it says on the tin, and save my hands and wrists being beaten up going down hill, soaks up rocks and bumps at speed as if their not there.
The lock out on uphills is very useful as I am not the fittest of people yet.
I was recommended to go for rock shox Pike 454 on the Mongoose which would spec the Comp to Super spec, but friends were saying Fox, so opted for the Fox. Which also saved on buying a new wheel/hub for the 20mm Maxle QR on the Pike. (I have not tried the Pike 454 so a comparison would be unfair)
I would recommend to anyone, I know a quality product when I see one, and boy do they do their job well.
As for the cost new- as far as I am concerned you pay for quality.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jackson
a Cross Country Rider
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: May 19, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$544.00 | | Purchased At: | Rodalink | | Strengths: | Stiff
Lots of adjustments
Ultra smooth and plush
Beautifully made
Good aftersales service | | Weaknesses: | 130mm is too much for some | | Similar Products Used: | RS Judy,RS duke,RS reba,Marz Exr Pro | | Bottom Line: | I was never a fans of Fox forx, Fox is expensive and I always believeing there are some other fork which is on par with fox's performance with lesser $. I changed 3 forks within 1 1/2 year of cycling, this fork had changed my mind completely. RS Reba was a good performer, but realibility is really bad with bad aftersales service locally.
From the moment I installed the float on my bike, whoa... it's so plush even before i made the settings. I took it onto the trail soon after that, small and big bumps are sucked up without any problem. My front end grip improved, encouraging me to tackle the corners at higher speed.
There's very little bobbing on the climb. On the decend, i simply let go of the brakes and bomb down the slopes. It went throught the full travel smoothly(I've mine converted to 100mm).
I give it full rating, i could not ask for more =) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jamie solomons
a Cross Country Rider
from newstead australia
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | moonlight flat castlemaine | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$900.00 | | Purchased At: | dragon cycles maryborough | | Strengths: | this is a super plush fork that works wel in all conditions | | Weaknesses: | found none | | Similar Products Used: | manitou skareb , rst mozo pro 3.5 , rock shox quadra 5 | | Bike Setup: | stock fork on top of range GT i drive 5 1.0 | | Bottom Line: | fantastic all round fork handles technical descents with ease ,light enough to takle cross country style ridng and strong enough for all mountain
all of this forks adjustments are spot from the lock out , rebound and compression it is easy to dial in to your desired setup and the adjustments actually work and change the fork alot | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sam Samaha
a
from Phoenix, AZ USA
Date Reviewed: March 14, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | back yard | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Great workmanship/construction.. perfect all-around fork for MTB/XC riding, and priced very well compared to other forks with similar performance. | | Weaknesses: | None that I've seen | | Similar Products Used: | RockShox Reba | | Bike Setup: | See here: http://homepage.mac.com/sjsamaha/PhotoAlbum39.html | | Bottom Line: | I don't think I could have gotten a better fork than this for my riding style. The LBS had actually put these forks on this frame before I bought it, but I didn't changed it out after doing some research on my style of riding. I though I'd give it a try.. Needless to say, after a few rides both in urban and off road environments, I am completely pleased. I've taken curves without pulling up on the handle bars with these 130mm babies and hardly felt a thing.. they can be adjusted to cadillac softness or porsche stiffness.. Great design, and great quality. Lot of bang for the buck! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rex
a Racer
from Woodland Park, Colorado
Date Reviewed: March 10, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Anything in Crested Butte | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$599.00 | | Purchased At: | Price Point | | Strengths: | Great travel, smooth, stiff, expensive. | | Weaknesses: | A little weighty compared to my SID, but I will take the weight trade for the function. | | Similar Products Used: | RockShox SID, Manitou, Cannondale Head Shock. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized M4, Mavic CrossMax SL wheels, XTR drive train, Avid Juicy7 brakes. | | Bottom Line: | I have taken this bike through trails around Colorado Springs including Palmer Park, Section 16, Capt Jacks, and Red Rocks. The fork functions so much better than my SID that I am sorry I haven't changed until now. The rebound is great, and it is the first fork I have had where I didn't have to almost double the manufacturer pressure recommendations to get it to not bottom out. Float is a good name for the fork. It is an accurate description of the ride. I don't rate it the highest, because nothing is perfect, but it is still a great fork.
I think this fork is great for anyone who wants a nice cross country bike, but still likes to ride something technical once in a while. It's a nice all around fork. Weekend warriors shouldn't buy this. Save your money. Go to K-mart. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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