Mountain Biking - Thoughts on this fork?

ROCKSHOX DART 3 FORK '07

http://www.cambriabike.com/Images/product/rockshox_dart_3_07.jpg
The all-new Dart featuring TurnKey Lockout hits the trail with substance for entry-level XC forks.
"Cross Country is where it all began. Giving riders the opportunity to go beyond roads and experience new places in nature where no one else goes. It is a test of endurance and technical skills where one must climb up steep hills and descend down narrow trails through wandering trees and over rocks. Giving one an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and excitement with one simple ride." - Kelli Emmett
• Single-sided coil spring system with external preload adjuster
• Turnkey oil damping with external on/off lockout and rebound adjusters or PopLoc Remote.
• 1-1/8" threadless steel steerer with 28mm 4130-steel stanchions fixed into a forged, pocketed 6061-T6 aluminum crown
• 1-piece magnesium lower legs with 9x100mm quick-release dropouts, linear and disc brake compatible (74mm/6" post mount): 2.4" tire OK
• 100mm Travel
• Model/Colors: Turnkey + PopLoc/Black, Turnkey/Diffusion Silver
• *Target Weight 2191 g (4.83 lbs)
* Weight based on a 265mm steerer and disc specific lower



CBO Price:
$129.95



The fork on my current MTB is a Spinner edge fork, it is a peice of ****. Like my other thread states, in a few months i plan on dropping about 1700 on a new MTB. however, Until then, i want to upgrade this fork, to at least something cheap/decent. My current bike will be my back up bike for when i have my new bike. I bike daily to work, so having a decent back up bike is worth the money.


So, how do you feel with this fork? I'm looking to spend around $120ish for one, no more, I'm tired of putting money into this bike. But i need it to hold me over until i get a new bike, and i need it to be in good shape for when i need it

it sucks.........but for the purposes you are describing it would fit the bill.


Giving one an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and excitement
umm.......probably not

If you bike to work daily, I'd get a rigid fork and instead of making your current bike a backup, make it a dedicated commuter.

If you bike to work daily, I'd get a rigid fork and instead of making your current bike a backup, make it a dedicated commuter.
i would want this bike able to handle curbs

Honestly, suspension is really unnecessary for going over curbs. You'd be amazed how much your efficiency improves with a rigid fork. Besides--riding in the street to work I can't imagine you encounter many curbs?

the spinner is probably just as good as that fork..

the spinner is probably just as good as that fork..:mad:

Go rigid. I know guys who ride them on tough XC trails, so I'm sure you can get by with one commuting. You'll be a lot faster when you get back to suspension too. You can pick them up cheap, they're light, and you CAN do simple little stuff like curbs on them! I've hopped curbs mid-race on my road bike for gods sake.

i would save my money. if you're buying a $1700 bike soon, just save your dough. that way you'll have $1850 for that bike

I've hopped curbs mid-race on my road bike for gods sake.
Ditto! Go rigid.

For $129.00?? If you want it buy it. It would be fine for what you want to do with it.

its a good fork i have one of them on my rockhopper. the rebound and preload adjusters can be very useful and it can handle some damage. average life expectancy of the dart 3 fork is about 4 years. don't take it over jumps higher than 3ft and you'll enjoy it.

its a good fork i have one of them on my rockhopper. the rebound and preload adjusters can be very useful and it can handle some damage. average life expectancy of the dart 3 fork is about 4 years. don't take it over jumps higher than 3ft and you'll enjoy it.thank you:)

x34545 on saving your money for your new ride. Take a break from the toke and listen to what people are telling you.

its a good fork i have one of them on my rockhopper. the rebound and preload adjusters can be very useful and it can handle some damage. average life expectancy of the dart 3 fork is about 4 years. don't take it over jumps higher than 3ft and you'll enjoy it.

same here

I'd leave that bike alone until i got the $1700 bike, then put some slicks/rigid/rack/fenders on that bike and make it a commuter. I think the dart would be only marginally better than the spinner. My friend has a spinner, and I have a Judy TT which i've heard is the older model of the Dart, and ours are not that much different. They both can handle curbs, though, if your spinner can't do curbs there might be something wrong with it.

http://uploader.ws/upload/200704/bikecloean_004.jpg
http://uploader.ws/upload/200704/Photo0003.jpg
http://uploader.ws/upload/200704/mebikinginlake.jpg

http://uploader.ws/upload/200704/bikecloean_002.jpg

Honestly, suspension is really unnecessary for going over curbs.Exactly
You'd be amazed how much your efficiency improves with a rigid fork. Besides--riding in the street to work I can't imagine you encounter many curbs?

I've been running one of these (http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=4122&category=85) for the last couple of years on my daily rig and I've loved every second of it. Curbs, potholes, train tracks are no problem provided you know how to ride a bike smoothly.

I totally agree. If your going to be street riding / road riding even city riding rigid forks are so much more efficient then suspension...even if you have a lockout function on your fork.

yeah stay rigid for commuting. what lead you to believe you'd want a suspension fork for commuting? i ride my road bike... and yes, it handles curbs just fine.

I had one of those on my MTB for a bit. It totally sucked balls. Seriously, I just traded it to a guy for a rigid fork. There was tons of sticktion, it would get REALLY stiff in any cold weather, and it was HEAVY. Im much happier with a rigid fork.

Umm, other than the kind of fork, I wonder exactly why the original fork is on the verge of kicking the bucket. Riding in that much water can cause alot of damage to a bike's bearings in the headset, bottom bracket, hubs, will also make the fork feel like garbage when there is water trapped in it.

On the topic go rigid.

Exactly

I've been running one of these (http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=4122&category=85) for the last couple of years on my daily rig and I've loved every second of it. Curbs, potholes, train tracks are no problem provided you know how to ride a bike smoothly.

Good to see you back and spittin' truth Raiyn. :)

I don't understand. Why do you need suspension to ride up a curb? Do you lift the wheel or bunny hop it, or just plow into it? If its the latter, you're doing it wrong.

I don't understand. Why do you need suspension to ride up a curb? Do you lift the wheel or bunny hop it, or just plow into it? If its the latter, you're doing it wrong.I am 250lbs, I am not interested in having a bent wheel after one week. Plus i take my bike off roading on weekends when i bike 30 miles to the city, just the other week i went off a 2-3ft drop on my bike. By the time i saw it, it was too late as i was going to fast, so i had to take the chance. I made it just fine with this fork. The week before the drop was not there. But i am lucky i had a fork then or i would have been in serious damage

Well if you're 250 then i guess you need the toughest, most advanced wheelset available.

I am 250lbs, I am not interested in having a bent wheel after one week. Plus i take my bike off roading on weekends when i bike 30 miles to the city, just the other week i went off a 2-3ft drop on my bike. By the time i saw it, it was too late as i was going to fast, so i had to take the chance. I made it just fine with this fork. The week before the drop was not there. But i am lucky i had a fork then or i would have been in serious damage Im 275lbs. Learn some Technique and you wont bend wheels. I dont bend wheels. Ever. 2' drop, on a rigid bike all day long, no problems.

Im 275lbs. Learn some Technique and you wont bend wheels. I dont bend wheels. Ever. 2' drop, on a rigid bike all day long, no problems.

On behalf of those who can't ride as smoothly as you, I have to ask how did you learn that mad technique without bending any rims?

I ride Trials as well as XC/AM. Honestly, I have never Taco'ed a wheel. Sure, I have to true them up every now and then, but a 2" drop really isnt that much.

I am 250lbs, I am not interested in having a bent wheel after one week. Plus i take my bike off roading on weekends when i bike 30 miles to the city, just the other week i went off a 2-3ft drop on my bike. By the time i saw it, it was too late as i was going to fast, so i had to take the chance. I made it just fine with this fork. The week before the drop was not there. But i am lucky i had a fork then or i would have been in serious damage


I'm 240, and I ride hard. But I also ride smart. A 2-3' drop is easy to take w/o suspension, if you know how to handle a bike. Just land rear first, take the hit with your legs, ease the front down, you're golden. All the suspension you need. It can help to run a nice fat tire up front though.

I'm guessing you have a hardtail, or you'd be talking about rear shocks too...so why isn't your rear wheel bent from that drop? It has no suspension, and since you didn't say you endo'd into a tree, I'm assuming you didn't land front wheel first, so the rear took the brunt of the drop.

That kind of thing just comes down to smoothness, and when you weigh as much as we do, then wheel strength matters too, to a degree. But suspension just smooths it out. It doesn't magically make it easier.

I'm 240, and I ride hard. But I also ride smart. A 2-3' drop is easy to take w/o suspension, if you know how to handle a bike. Just land rear first, take the hit with your legs, ease the front down, you're golden. All the suspension you need. It can help to run a nice fat tire up front though.

I'm guessing you have a hardtail, or you'd be talking about rear shocks too...so why isn't your rear wheel bent from that drop? It has no suspension, and since you didn't say you endo'd into a tree, I'm assuming you didn't land front wheel first, so the rear took the brunt of the drop.

That kind of thing just comes down to smoothness, and when you weigh as much as we do, then wheel strength matters too, to a degree. But suspension just smooths it out. It doesn't magically make it easier.
I let the fork take most of the impact.

I am not interested in snaping my rear axle again, or getting a flat tire

I let the fork take most of the impact.

I am not interested in snaping my rear axle again, or getting a flat tire

The only way you can let the fork take most of the impact is to 1) land flat or nearly flat (as in front and rear at same time) and not use your legs as the suspension they are -- which is really hard on the bike; or 2) land front-first, and risk an endo, also really hard on the bike; or 3) land rear first but let the front slam down, which is also really hard on the bike.

All of the above are really poor technique, and no amount of equipment will fix that. if you get a really expensive fork, abuse it, and ruin it; or you get a really cheap fork, abuse it, and ruin it, the common thread is not the fork -- it's the abuse.

And seriously, curbs are 8"-1' and can be taken on road bikes without worry, even by big guys. A 2' drop is very small for a mountain bike with 2" tires, and 3' is nothing that can't be ridden easily with a little technique.

Falling from 10" can break a leg if you do it with your knee locked, and a 2' drop can break your bike if you treat it like a trampoline. But you can drown in the bathtub too. Doesn't mean that's the proper way to bathe.