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7,026 Posts
OK, I would like to preface this review with this glance into a pet peeve of mine:
....I hate it when somebody buys a new bike/ component...takes it for a spin & sits down to write a review billing it as the latest greatest of all time.....seriously, does anyone ever critically evaluate a new product?
Having said that, I hope you realize that I rarely review any product this quickly...I am also generally critical...particulary after a new purchase. If anything I tend to over analyze/ criticize any new addition. However, I am truly blown away by this new Fox!!! Where do I start? Having just ridden another local XC trail network (this one isn't nearly as steep, but equally technical. It is loaded with tight, twisty singletrack...peppered with roots & off camber/ rooty turns.) Because the terrain is rolling, you can carry alot of speed & it is a fun & fast ride...a good testing ground for the Fox's high speed damping.
The shock tracks better than any I have ridden (except my avalanche). There are roughly 4 or 5 corners on these trails that are high speed, off camber & loaded with roots. They are hard to carry speed through when dry & nearly impossible when wet. Tonites ride followed days of steady rain here....and the trails were very slick & the roots deadly! I couldn't believe how well the rear tracked!!! It just held it's line like never before, seriously I was impressed. I began to really push it in the turns where I knew typically I had a hard time maintaining traction because of stutter bumps & roots...but tonite it held it's line perfectly. The rear felt so stable & controlled (not to mention very plush).
OK, OK, I know this is hard to convey....but one of the things I like about my Avalanche is the fact that it feels very firm under you. IOW, if you bounce around on it it feels like a MX bike...but the minute you ride through rough sections it comes to life under you absorbing everything, yet still feeling firm under the rider (not mushy or wallowing in it's travel). The DHX has the same ability. I put 175 psi in the chamber & had the PP cranked 1 click out from full on. The shock remained unbelieveably supple for slow-small hits & remained firm feeling underneath me. At speed it just soaked everything up, again feeling firm & supportive underneath. Needless to say I am loving this shock! I know there were mentioned some fit issues, but I haven't had any problems. There is a good sized 4 footer with nearly no transition at the end of one trail tonite. I hit it with some speed to test out the shocks response to a bigger hit.....felt like butter!!!! Still no contact with the down tube. Since a 4 foot drop is the limit on the Spots warranty, I don't forsee any issues with the fit.
All in all, the DHX tops the Romic in every conceiveable way......
....I hate it when somebody buys a new bike/ component...takes it for a spin & sits down to write a review billing it as the latest greatest of all time.....seriously, does anyone ever critically evaluate a new product?
Having said that, I hope you realize that I rarely review any product this quickly...I am also generally critical...particulary after a new purchase. If anything I tend to over analyze/ criticize any new addition. However, I am truly blown away by this new Fox!!! Where do I start? Having just ridden another local XC trail network (this one isn't nearly as steep, but equally technical. It is loaded with tight, twisty singletrack...peppered with roots & off camber/ rooty turns.) Because the terrain is rolling, you can carry alot of speed & it is a fun & fast ride...a good testing ground for the Fox's high speed damping.
The shock tracks better than any I have ridden (except my avalanche). There are roughly 4 or 5 corners on these trails that are high speed, off camber & loaded with roots. They are hard to carry speed through when dry & nearly impossible when wet. Tonites ride followed days of steady rain here....and the trails were very slick & the roots deadly! I couldn't believe how well the rear tracked!!! It just held it's line like never before, seriously I was impressed. I began to really push it in the turns where I knew typically I had a hard time maintaining traction because of stutter bumps & roots...but tonite it held it's line perfectly. The rear felt so stable & controlled (not to mention very plush).
OK, OK, I know this is hard to convey....but one of the things I like about my Avalanche is the fact that it feels very firm under you. IOW, if you bounce around on it it feels like a MX bike...but the minute you ride through rough sections it comes to life under you absorbing everything, yet still feeling firm under the rider (not mushy or wallowing in it's travel). The DHX has the same ability. I put 175 psi in the chamber & had the PP cranked 1 click out from full on. The shock remained unbelieveably supple for slow-small hits & remained firm feeling underneath me. At speed it just soaked everything up, again feeling firm & supportive underneath. Needless to say I am loving this shock! I know there were mentioned some fit issues, but I haven't had any problems. There is a good sized 4 footer with nearly no transition at the end of one trail tonite. I hit it with some speed to test out the shocks response to a bigger hit.....felt like butter!!!! Still no contact with the down tube. Since a 4 foot drop is the limit on the Spots warranty, I don't forsee any issues with the fit.
All in all, the DHX tops the Romic in every conceiveable way......

