|
Dirtworks
Suspension Stuff Dirtworks OTIS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Submitted by
CALVIN DAVIS
a Weekend Warrior
from FAIRFIELD
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$99.00 | | Purchased At: | DIRT WORKS | | Strengths: | EASY TO INSTALL, PLUSH RIDE, NO MAINTANCE, AND WORKS FAR BETTER THEN I COULD DREAM, INSTALLED ON A CHEAP MANITOU PRO LT FORK (80mm) NO ADJUSTMENT BUT PRELOAD OR YEA IF THE PRICE IS TOO HIGH (EST $105, WITH SHIPPING) MAYBE GET A JOB OR AT LEAST A REAL ONE. | | Weaknesses: | NONE | | Bike Setup: | VOODOO FULL SUSPENSION, REAR ROCKSHOCK | | Bottom Line: | I WEIGH ABOUT 200lbs, INSTALLED THE FRIM SPRING RATE, NOW WITH NO PRELOAD I HAVE 12-1/2% SAG PERFECT FOR LIGHT TRAIL RIDING, X/C, OR COUNTRY ROADS, AND NO OUT OF CONTROL BOBING
WHEN STANDING ON MY PEDALS OR DIVING WHEN BRAKING HARD...NOW IF I COULD CHANGE THIS SPRING RATE IN THE BACK...WORK NEVER ENDS...GOT TO FIND THAT PERFECT RIDE, REARS TOO SOFT. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben Lagueux
a
from San Antonio
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2001 | | Favoriate Trail: | McAllister PArk | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$90.00 | | Purchased At: | CycleLogic (LBS) | | Strengths: | Ease of installation, performance, adds new life to old forks | | Weaknesses: | Hard to find, application guide (list of bikes they fit) not complete, price (I'm stingy, that's why I didn't get new forks) | | Similar Products Used: | None, though I found a different LBS that carries MountainSpeed springs... they had to order the right kit - no damper just progressive rate springs | | Bike Setup: | IronHorse ARS 2.0 Team hardtail, XT deraillers, LX hubs with Sun IV rims, Kalloy UNO stem and Profile Freeride riser bars, Specialized Body Geometry seat. | | Bottom Line: | You can teach old forks new tricks! Mt stock forks were too short travel and too mushy. I usually rode them with full preload. I weight 190 lbs. and was too much rider for the RS Jett C elastimers. I never thought to check to see if I had elastimers or springs. All I wanted was springs that suited my weight and riding style. For the price of another junky, bottom of the line for a respectable manufacter shock that still wouldn't fit my weight, I upgraded to above their middle-priced fork. I am super stoked so far and will post again after 100 hours of riding. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson, AZ USA
Date Reviewed: January 14, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | direct | | Strengths: | Works as advertised - plush, reliable oil-damped front suspension. I had a RockShox Indy SL and it was a poor match to my MacStrut full suspension bike when I got it in 1997. Installed the OTIS the next year, with medium springs it is still going strong more than 2 years later after steady riding - no leaks, no problems, and full 80mm of travel. Friends that went with air-sprung upgrades have long since trashed their modified forks & bought new, but I haven't had to. The ride is very responsive and plush. Newer shocks and closeout prices may have made the OTIS less competitive, but I have to hand it to DirtWorks-it did everything they said it would for my old Indy. | | Weaknesses: | None known | | Similar Products Used: | Friends have used (and discarded) various air-spring cartridge hop-ups | | Bike Setup: | 1997 Specialized AimPro MacStrut FS bike, completely rebuilt with lightweight, hi-performance part | | Bottom Line: | An excellent product from an honest and reputable bike guy. It received poor and unjustified press when introduced by MountainBiking 2 years ago (testing a pre-production version), which may have retarded its sales. Nevertheless I have never had anything but wonderful performance from the OTIS, the springs are excellent performance as well. While Mountain Biking (which refused to condemn the Shockster POS) bit the dust, my OTIS is still going strong! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Randy
a Weekend Warrior
from NJ
Date Reviewed: March 24, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | *Easy to install
*Worked like a charm the first time around - no adjustments needed
*Performs well
*reliable - little maint. | | Weaknesses: | It is difficult to change or adjust oil and rate | | Bottom Line: | I'm still riding (and loving it) a Halson fork which went out of business a few years ago. This makes it practically impossible to find any upgrades or replacement parts (the elastomer stacks in my fork needed replacing). Dirtworks was the only company that made products for the Halson Fork. (It turns out that the owner once owned the fork) I lived in the same city as Dirtworks so I visited them personally. The guy was really nice and provided me with everything I needed. Made a huge difference from the worn out elastomers. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross-Country Rider
from Nashville
Date Reviewed: October 29, 1999 | | Favoriate Trail: |
Land Between the Lakes | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Easy installation
Works as claimed
Major improvement in ride | | Weaknesses: |
Some clatter from spring contacting tubes
Minimal instructions | | Bike Setup: |
1997 Trek Y3
Manitou Pro C | | Bottom Line: | Definitely improves comfort and control. DirtWorks was helpful with the setup (spring rate).
Less than half the price of a replacement shock | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jc
a Weekend Warrior
from Newfields, NH
Date Reviewed: September 15, 1999 | | Favoriate Trail: |
uncanoonuk | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Makes a really nice fork out of a really mediocre one ! | | Bike Setup: |
Access frame, XT, ATAC,
Manitou Pro LT | | Bottom Line: | Manitou Pro LTs are not a top end fork by a long shot. The roots, rocks and dropoffs I ride have been rattling my bones for a while, while my friends drop me with ease. This week I replaced the innards of the Pro LT with Dirtworks' OTIS system and whoa ! My test ride was on a section that usually rattles me right out of control, yet now I didn't even notice it until I'd past it. A ride that usually takes me 1 1/2 hours took just an hour this time. The performance difference in this fork was scary. It took about 40 minutes to install the OTIS, mostly because I couldn't get the caps off. I used the oil bath option and lots of Judy butter and it is sweet. Given that you can pick up a Pro LT for about $80 these days add the extra $100 or so for the OTIS and you have a pretty nice fork for under $200 ! | | Overall Rating: |
| |
|
Photo Caption Contest
(sponsored by Maxxis)
|
Enter here
|
|
|
$ 99.00
