Giving up on my 66 ATA...



180mm fixed Domain. Same weight as the 66, and since I found myself not using the adjustable travel (ATA) anyhow, no loss there. Damping feels great right out of the box, just like all the other Motion Control forks I've used, without having to fiddle with a bunch of crap. Stock spring is a little soft - going to swap in the firm vs. the stock spring. Rebound adjustment makes a much more palpable difference.

I also far, far prefer the Maxle to Marzocchi's quick release 20mm thing.

It's quiet. None of the sloshing or clicking sounds my 66 ATA was making.

Same axle to crown height - no issue there. Checked the oil level right out of the box - spot on. Seems like every company has issues with that from time to time.

I'm playing with the idea of taking a Boxxer Ride U-turn coil, swapping the topcap/knob setup from a Domain U-turn coil onto the thing, and attempting to make a Domain 180mm U-trun fork. (ok, well 133-178mm reall) The top bits from the U-turn coils are able to be removed, just not really intended to be.

Not that I need it, just more to see if it can be done.

I think I'm at a size/weight that the stock RS stuff seems to work pretty well for me. Stock springs or one heavier have always worked without more fiddling for me. I get good sag, don't have heavy bottom out, and don't wallow in the travel.

Once I get thing set where I like them, I don't like having to f#%k with them, either.

Very nice.

I'm really impressed with the Domain line, at least the 318 IS version. It's a lot of fork for the money. For said money, it blows away anything from the other major fork players at a similar pricepoint. IMO. Under 6.5# for a 7" fork that you can find for less than $500 is a steal. The Mo-Co damping is great - I find myself never really messing with the Floodgate and so on with the Mi-Co damping on my Lyrik, so don't miss it. I'd just as soon have that more basic damper on it as well. Rebound control works well. They are plenty stiff, and the Maxle rocks. Less full feature, but also less to mess up/break/go wrong. I find RS forks to be stupid easy to work on, as well.

Granted if someone is one who likes to fiddle and tune their forks to no end, then the Marzocchi stuff is better for that. But for set it and forget it, RS stuff works great.

Only thing I think Rock Shox/SRAM missed the boat on with these and the 180mm coil Totem was not offering a U-turn version. IF they could do it with the Boxxer Ride (133mm-178mm) why not with these?

I approve.

Now I want a new fork too. Everybody's doing it.

This winter I'm going to have my TALAS "Pushed". It will be like having a new fork, but not.