Strengths: Very light for 170mm travel. Stiff for a single crown Super plush in both 130mm and 170mm SPV valving seems to work fine at reducing bob Bewildering array of adjustments allows you to dial to your tastes. No extended stanchions to dent your top tube or reduce the steering lock.
Weaknesses: 1.5 headtube limits the number of frames that can use it. Uping the SPV pressure does reduce small bump sensitivity. Price!
Overall: Well its not a cheap fork by any means, but then it is worth considering its closest opposition is probably the Maverick DUC, which is even more and has less travel (lighter though). In performance it is closest to a set of Boxxer Team's, although they are heavier, offer less steering and don't get SPV. Performance wise this is all the DH fork you could need in the UK, but light enough that the resulting bike is still OK for freeriding and singletrack. The need for a 1.5 headtube clearly limits its appeal, but I'd say this fork really makes the case for 1.5in. My Klein uses a Fox Float. Its a great fork, but its really just a part of the bike. The Breakout Plus makes my Scott. It is the centrepiece, the heart of the bike. With any other fork it would be a lesser bike.......
Strengths: The ride. Much cheaper than an ML7 The ride Gorgeous Klein paint job The ride Fox Float 100''s The ride Powerful Hayes discs Did I mention the ride?
Weaknesses: Errrm. No QR on seat clamp. Rear brake cable/line guides are not very pretty, a shame when the gear cables get internal routeing. Limited choice of seatposts (though the Thomson supplied is great) Grips are a bit poor quality.
Overall: This bike just does not ride like anything else. It doesn't feel like an FS bike at all. It seems closer to ahardtail as you pedal, but somehow all the bumps seem to disappear. Actually disappear is not the right word, because you still know they are there. Its more like turning down the volume really low. You can still 'read' the trail like a hardtail can, but without getting any punishment from it. For the Race version Klein have built an excellent value for money trail. Despite the name this is not a competition bike, but an all day rider. The Float 100RL's are a perfect match for the M-Bits rear unit (no surprise as both are from Fox) which makes the bike superbly balanced on the trails. The Disc version I have has Hayes new HFX-9 disc brakes, which compare well to Minis and cost less. The rest of the built kit is mostly XT with an XTR rear mech (2002 model). The paint job and construction is something else. As well as Kleins neat welds the frame is coated in a orange/red (depends on the angle you look at it) sparkling paint job. The only bad point about it is that its so fancy you can't read the lettering on the side in some light conditions! All in all an excellent trail bike which basically needs no upgrades from new (I've replaced the grips and thats all) and features a collection of all the best bits around, with a pimpy paintjob. A worthy way of bringing Maverick performance to the masses, so much so you have to wonder why anyone would want to pay so much for an ML7........
Strengths: Smooth travel, exceptional rigidity, quality construction. Basically this forks set the standards in just about every area except weight.
Weaknesses: Well they aren't the lightest forks around.
And the price! Fine if you get them OEM like I did but otherwise.....
Overall: Well there are no better air forks out there. For plushness they beat some coil forks, for stiffness they match some triple clamps, for price they match some frames...... These are the best forks money can buy, but my word you need a lot of it to buy them....
Strengths: self alignment system pad adjustment not too heavy powerful well modulated
Weaknesses: not as powerful or modulated as a good setof hydros nearly as much as some hydros Needs adjusting a lot
Overall: Yes its the best mech disc out there. But then it ought to be, seeing as how it costs nearly as much as a hydro brake. Performance is good but not stunning - its a solid stopper rather than eyeball popping. The self adjusting mounts are nifty, but they get knocked easily requiring constant re alignment. This is easy to do, but a pain.
Strengths: Very effective degreaser. Not that expensive if you buy the big can - and you don't need to use loads
Weaknesses: Rather too good at degreasing for some. Don't get on your hands or shoes - its nasty stuff!
Overall: Used properly its good stuff. Its not a subsitute for elbow grease - heavy deposits will still need scrubbing but it loosens tha cack so its easier to remove. But is really very good at removing grease, so if you aren't really though at relubing it will lead to wrecked bearings etc. Not Muc-off's fault though, yours for not regreasing properly! Not seen this paint stripping effect personally, even when I used some to clean my car (don't ask!) but I got some on my trainers and wrecked them! Also does an interesting sideline in anodising titanium parts as well....
Strengths: Cheap (for the wire bead version) Look the business Great in the mud Not punctured with them (yet!)
Weaknesses: No grip whatsoever on rocks, tarmac etc. Rather heavy Bigger than they sound - the 2.1's barely fit my Marin.
Overall: Jurys still out on these as far as I'm concerned. In the gloop they work really well, but on rocks they aren't just bad, they are dangerous! Thats because they break traction easily and without any warning. OK, so its not really possible to have mud performance and rock perfomance in the same tyre, but I'd have prefered a little more grip on the rocks! Otherwise though they work well, though I reckon the sizing is way out - they are far bigger than 2.1 Panaracers or Contis.....
Strengths: Decent spec for the price Frame seems solid enough....
Weaknesses: Weight - lots of it! Components - though not bad for the money they won't last long Forks - seem to flex backward and forwards more than they go up and down Rear suspension - bobs badly and top out clunk.
Overall: Lets be honest - this bike was built for kids to sit on outside the local Spar. The kid I was with when I tried it wanted one to impress his mates. And that it will too, since bad as is its better than an Apollo Outrage or similar cheaper FS bikes. But its still not good. The spec is great value, and matches that of equivalent hardtail at this price, but the hardtails will ride better and weigh less. That rear suspension is purely for show. And there I'd reccomend just about anything else.....
Strengths: Works far better than crud catchers etc. Removeable Cheaper than the THE guard. Doesn't look too MotoX
Weaknesses: Mounting inside the headtube isn't too secure. Mine fell out a couple of times, and eventually I lost it mid-ride. Didn't even notice it fall off! Also because of this mounting some headlock type devices won't work.
Overall: Very good if you want a mudguard that actually stops mud flying into your face, and don't want to pay the earth for one. Basically it works, and the other don't. Its just a shame it doesn't stay on the bike.....
'BRILLANT FOR SINGLE RING USE - LESS GOOD ON TRIPLES'
Strengths: Light Strong Looks good Cheap Did I mention strong?
Weaknesses: Doesn't shift well.
Overall: Very long lasting, bulletproof chainring. A great piece of machining too which is why it looks so cool. But it lacks pickup pins and ramps so it doesn't work that well if you want to change gear! Blackspire make a version that does have them, and shifts well to, but at much greater cost, thus making them no cheaper than the opposition. Still I love mine, and put up with the poor shifting (which never worked well in the mud anyway) because the Blackspire ring seems to laugh at Peak District gloop.....
Strengths: Great wet weather stopping Cheap Sturdy Easy to fit Seem to last well (too early to be sure) Use a standard lever
Weaknesses: Heavy Not very powerfull Heavy Cables still prone to problems with mud etc. Heavy
Overall: In the dry I'm not sure these are really any more powerfull than a good set of V-Brakes. But that performance doesn't drop off in the wet like V's do, and they don't wear away at the rims either. Very heavy, but then at least that makes them tough. And for the money you really can't complain.
