# Rock Shox XC28



## skinnedshin (Feb 1, 2012)

Where does this fork stack up? Better than a Dart 3? Not as good as a Recon? Are they worth it or just hold out for a Recon or better?


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Buying retail, or ships on the front of the bike?


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## austanian (Jun 15, 2011)

It is pretty much a slightly modified dart 3.


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## GotoDengo (Aug 6, 2010)

Yeah XC28 is essentially a Dart, XC32 is a Tora. XC30 is the new tweener. 

Like andrew implied, if it's coming on a bike you're looking at, it's probably a result of the class of bike you're in and will be as good as the next in that price range. If your current fork is shot it's a decent price on a budget. It's certainly not an upgrade over.... anything. 

As for whether to hold out for a Recon, depends again on your situation and budget. What do you want out of your fork... what value/price are you looking? Recon silver coil will give you 32mm stanchions for roughly same weight as the more-flexy XC28 -- but probably at least $100 more. Recon Gold solo-air is a pretty good value for an air-fork, given that you can put a mo-co damper in it.... but more money. Of course, we could keep going and end up at a Talas or something. "Worth" is probably something only you can gauge.


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## skinnedshin (Feb 1, 2012)

Thanks for the feedback. I'm just shopping bikes and don't know much about this fork. I'm kinda weeding through bikes based on the fork. Trying to figure out the lowest level fork I would settle for. Currently pricing bikes in the 750-1000 range.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I don't have ride-time on the XC28 or the Dart, but...

If I could squeeze something that shipped with a Recon right off the bat into my budget, that's what I'd want to do. The numbered XC forks are new for this year. The Recon accepts RS's well-regarded Motion Control damper. I don't care to get involved in coil spring vs. air spring debates, but I think a good damper is very nice to have, and a replaceable, robust damper (or at least availability) might be the difference between a disposable fork and a fork you're content with for the life of the bike.


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## austanian (Jun 15, 2011)

Unless you are buying online good luck getting something above the dart level at that price range.


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## ghettocop (Jul 26, 2011)

If its a new name for the Dart 3..... that fork is super flexy and harsh. Came on my bike stock. Replaced it with a 2012 float. I'd stay away from Dart stuff completely. It would flex and wobble even under heavy braking. Cornering was a nightmare.


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## skinnedshin (Feb 1, 2012)

austanian said:


> Unless you are buying online good luck getting something above the dart level at that price range.


Looking at the Kona Shred. Recon fork for sub $1000. Other components are so-so though so I guess that's the tradeoff.


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## Crash Test Dumby (May 3, 2011)

skinnedshin said:


> Looking at the Kona Shred. Recon fork for sub $1000. Other components are so-so though so I guess that's the tradeoff.


Id take better fork and lesser "other components" anyday. Only tning I would say about the Shred is, if I am remembering correctly, its built stronger than many other bikes, at the penalty of weight. Just something to consider.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Ditto.

The other thing to be aware of with the Shred is it's got a very slack head angle. Good for landing hits and descending, potentially slower in corners and frustrating during climbs.


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

For general riding, you could spend just a little more and get a lot more bike:

Airborne Bicycles. Goblin


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## Trail3n (May 17, 2012)

GotoDengo said:


> Yeah XC28 is essentially a Dart, XC32 is a Tora. XC30 is the new tweener.
> 
> Like andrew implied, if it's coming on a bike you're looking at, it's probably a result of the class of bike you're in and will be as good as the next in that price range. If your current fork is shot it's a decent price on a budget. It's certainly not an upgrade over.... anything.
> 
> As for whether to hold out for a Recon, depends again on your situation and budget. What do you want out of your fork... what value/price are you looking? Recon silver coil will give you 32mm stanchions for roughly same weight as the more-flexy XC28 -- but probably at least $100 more. Recon Gold solo-air is a pretty good value for an air-fork, given that you can put a mo-co damper in it.... but more money. Of course, we could keep going and end up at a Talas or something. "Worth" is probably something only you can gauge.


Hey I've been looking at all the reviews on the xc30 and xc32 and will be upgrading here soon to one of them or another, just depends on what I see on ebay or on sale. I can get an xc30 with the pop lock takeoff from a rockhopper pro for probably under 130 or should i spend the extra and get the xc32 without. Also when looking at forks would you suggest I stay away from older models such as a 2004 white brothers .8 with hardly any ride time. Any help with what direction I should go is very much appreciated.


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

Trail3n said:


> Hey I've been looking at all the reviews on the xc30 and xc32 and will be upgrading here soon to one of them or another, just depends on what I see on ebay or on sale. I can get an xc30 with the pop lock takeoff from a rockhopper pro for probably under 130 or should i spend the extra and get the xc32 without. Also when looking at forks would you suggest I stay away from older models such as a 2004 white brothers .8 with hardly any ride time. Any help with what direction I should go is very much appreciated.


What is your budget?

Do you have any riding buddies that could help you shop for a used fork in good condition?

I would rather take a chance on something used or save up for a while longer than spend good money on an XC28/30/32. JMHO.


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## GelatiCruiser (Oct 11, 2012)

skinnedshin said:


> Thanks for the feedback. I'm just shopping bikes and don't know much about this fork. I'm kinda weeding through bikes based on the fork. *Trying to figure out the lowest level fork I would settle for.* Currently pricing bikes in the 750-1000 range.


This is seemingly a good idea. The fork is the only thing I'd like to change out (for now) on my current ride. I wish I would have looked into it more first.
Are you an experienced rider or just getting into it? And how do you know which fork you'd be willing to settle for? It should probably be something you've ridden, not read reviews on. Though you generally can't go wrong with advice from the guys/gals around here.


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## Trail3n (May 17, 2012)

jeffj said:


> What is your budget?
> 
> Do you have any riding buddies that could help you shop for a used fork in good condition?
> 
> I would rather take a chance on something used or save up for a while longer than spend good money on an XC28/30/32. JMHO.


I'd say my budget is $200, I've been looking for quite some time now at upgrading and I haven't ridden a bike with a dart 3 or tora that I can remember I did ride a buddies 2012 trek 3700 and it has a suntour fork on it, it was okay but I'm looking for something a bit better and with 100mm travel at least. I search all the sites and ebay frequently for forks, I just figured if the rockhopper pro has an xc30 on it that it would be good for me as well.


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## sfb12 (Dec 27, 2012)

price point has xc28 on sale for 75$ and its new of course.


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## cobba (Apr 5, 2007)

Trail3n said:


> I'd say my budget is $200


Spend about $50 more and you could get *this*.


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

Trail3n said:


> I'd say my budget is $200, I've been looking for quite some time now at upgrading and I haven't ridden a bike with a dart 3 or tora that I can remember I did ride a buddies 2012 trek 3700 and it has a suntour fork on it, it was okay but I'm looking for something a bit better and with 100mm travel at least. I search all the sites and ebay frequently for forks, I just figured if the rockhopper pro has an xc30 on it that it would be good for me as well.


A Dart (or XC28/30/32) is not worth spending money on as an aftermarket fork IMHO. Some of the older Tora forks were decent forks (the ones that came with the Motion Control dampers) for what they cost, and some even had aluminum steerer tubes (like the one I have installed on my adult daughter's bike). At least some of those older Tora forks can be upgraded from the Turnkey damper to a Motion Control damper for not too much money ($50 to $60 IIRC). If you're not going to get one with a Motion Control damper, I would hold out for something else.

Over the past few years, instead of technology trickling down the line, as is the case for lots of things, Rock Shox has gone in the opposite direction. I don't even know if you can even get a Recon with Motion Control anymore, let alone a Tora, and most Recons now have steel stanchions instead of aluminum ('silver' = steel, and 'gold' = aluminum). So, you really have to know your stuff when shopping for forks from RS these days, or you could over pay for a fork, or not get what you thought you were getting.

Your best bet is to have a little patience, and ask here about specific deals before pulling the trigger, and get forum members to decipher the BS for you. I'll keep an eye out for good deals and post back if I find anything. Good luck.


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## Trail3n (May 17, 2012)

cobba said:


> Spend about $50 more and this one here]
> 
> I'd actually looked at that fork today and it is more of what i really want in a fork since it can be had in 130mm travel at a good price. I'm building my 29er to be like the new trek stache, or diamondback Mason with the long travel up front but will settle with 100mm travel for the time being. Thanks for all the replies fellas!


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

There are some cautions to bear in mind if you're planning to use a longer-travel fork than what the frame was spec'd for.

The horror story is that you might snap your head tube off. While this is a bigger possibility than if you used the right fork, it's not really what would stop me.

You'll probably void your warranty.

You'll definitely mess with the handling of the bike. Whether that's good or bad is subjective. Expect the front wheel to be less planted on climbs, something that can be really irritating if you do technical climbing. Of course, you'll also get more of a chopper feel on the way down.

I'd want to at least be able to dial back the travel if I found I didn't like the handling.


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## Trail3n (May 17, 2012)

jeffj said:


> A Dart (or XC28/30/32) is not worth spending money on as an aftermarket fork IMHO. Some of the older Tora forks were decent forks (the ones that came with the Motion Control dampers) for what they cost, and some even had aluminum steerer tubes (like the one I have installed on my adult daughter's bike). At least some of those older Tora forks can be upgraded from the Turnkey damper to a Motion Control damper for not too much money ($50 to $60 IIRC). If you're not going to get one with a Motion Control damper, I would hold out for something else.
> 
> Over the past few years, instead of technology trickling down the line, as is the case for lots of things, Rock Shox has gone in the opposite direction. I don't even know if you can even get a Recon with Motion Control anymore, let alone a Tora, and most Recons now have steel stanchions instead of aluminum ('silver' = steel, and 'gold' = aluminum). So, you really have to know your stuff when shopping for forks from RS these days, or you could over pay for a fork, or not get what you thought you were getting.
> 
> Your best bet is to have a little patience, and ask here about specific deals before pulling the trigger, and get forum members to decipher the BS for you. I'll keep an eye out for good deals and post back if I find anything. Good luck.


Thank you jeffj for all the good information and helping me get the best deal. I am being patient and am looking all over the place for the best deal for the money. I'll take all the help I can get. Thanks again jeff


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

Trail3n said:


> Hey looking at forks would you suggest I stay away from older models such as a 2004 white brothers .8 with hardly any ride time. Any help with what direction I should go is very much appreciated.


I have a White Bros 1.0 on a bike I use for technical trails. It is light, stiff and doesn't need very much maintenance other than a dribble of silicone spray at the wiper seals. The compression circuit is sealed. It is very ridable and at 100- or so would be a good value choice. The RS dual air Reba or Manitou Tower Pro would be better but more expensive. I would choose it over any XC or Recon. Tech support at White is friendly and will email ypu the service manual. I run mine at 70-75psi.


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## Trail3n (May 17, 2012)

AndrwSwitch said:


> There are some cautions to bear in mind if you're planning to use a longer-travel fork than what the frame was spec'd for.
> 
> The horror story is that you might snap your head tube off. While this is a bigger possibility than if you used the right fork, it's not really what would stop me.
> 
> ...


Thanks Andrew I currently have a 100mm fork now and have read about the precautions of adding a longer travel fork and will take into consideration the ability to dial down if need be before buying a new fork.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Best of luck, and report back how it goes.


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## Trail3n (May 17, 2012)

Hey jeffj I can't reply till I have ten posts


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## Trail3n (May 17, 2012)

Thanks Andrew I will keep everyone posted on what I get and will post a pic of the finished product.


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## Trail3n (May 17, 2012)

jeffj said:


> A Dart (or XC28/30/32) is not worth spending money on as an aftermarket fork IMHO. Some of the older Tora forks were decent forks (the ones that came with the Motion Control dampers) for what they cost, and some even had aluminum steerer tubes (like the one I have installed on my adult daughter's bike). At least some of those older Tora forks can be upgraded from the Turnkey damper to a Motion Control damper for not too much money ($50 to $60 IIRC). If you're not going to get one with a Motion Control damper, I would hold out for something else.
> 
> Over the past few years, instead of technology trickling down the line, as is the case for lots of things, Rock Shox has gone in the opposite direction. I don't even know if you can even get a Recon with Motion Control anymore, let alone a Tora, and most Recons now have steel stanchions instead of aluminum ('silver' = steel, and 'gold' = aluminum m). So, you really have to know your stuff when shopping for forks from RS these days, or you could over pay for a fork, or not get what you thought you were getting.
> 
> Your best bet is to have a little patience, and ask here about specific deals before pulling the trigger, and get forum members to decipher the BS for you. I'll keep an eye out for good deals and post back if I find anything. Good luck.


Hey jeffj I can't pm yet, what do you think is a good price?


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## watts888 (Oct 2, 2012)

I got an XC32 29er for $130. Of course, it's back up at $180 now, but if you wait for a good sale, it's worth it. However, after comparing a 28mm to the 32mm stanchions, I think the larger stanchions are worth it if you weigh over 200lb or if you're doing jumps/technical trails.


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## GelatiCruiser (Oct 11, 2012)

Scope out ebay... You can get xc32 29er forks (new) for right around $100 if that's what you're looking for.


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## FSROLDSCHOOL (Feb 24, 2016)

I have a 1999 Specialized FSR I have rebuilt and sort of modernized and I had the orginal Manitou LT shock on it that finally starting creaking and getting stiff so replaced with a Rock Shox XC 28 and am very pleased with the shock. Granted, I went from 1999 technology to 2016 technology lol but I think the shock is well worth the money. It changed my geometry as I have a full inch more travel but luckily for the better as it is a lot quicker handling but not twitchy and still very predictable. Dampening is very good. Takes anything I throw at it and I ride some pretty rough rocky and technical stuff and it gobbles everything from small bumps to huge rocks and big dropoffs. If you are on a budget or keeping an older bike on the trail, it is an excellent choice in my view. Something to think about if you are keeping a dinosaur running like I have.


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