DVO Emerald Inverted Fork- Review

Oct 16, 2014
by Mike Kazimer  


DVO's Emerald downhill fork made quite the splash when it was first unveiled, and for good reason. The high end suspension marketplace has been dominated by the two big players for the past handful of years, so heads turned when DVO made their entrance. The flashy anodized green color of the upper tubes certainly helped to attract attention, but it's the dual crown fork's inverted design and Carbon Torsion Arch, along with easily accessible shim stacks that put this fork on the radar of DH riders and racers looking for something that stood out from the current offerings. The fork weighs in at 3490 grams (including the carbon arch), and is available in 26” and 27.5” configurations with a retail price of $2,239 USD for the 26" fork. In addition to the flashy green color option, DVO also offers the fork in a stealthy black version.



DVO Emerald Specs

• Intended use: downhill
• Wheel size: 26" or 27.5" options
• Travel: 203mm
• Damping: twin tube, open bath
• Adjustments: high and low-speed compression, rebound, air pressure, OTT
• 36mm stanchion tubes, 42mm upper
• Tapered steerer tube
• 20mm thru axle
• Weight: 3490 grams (actual)
• MSRP: $2239 USD (26" version)




Construction

Inverted Design: Inverted designs are not a new concept, but with the exception of Manitou's Dorado, there is a decided lack of mass-produced DH forks currently on the market that use this orientation. There are tradeoffs with both designs, but DVO felt that the benefits of going inverted were too great to pass up, namely less unsprung weight, and better lubrication, since the seals are constantly submerged in an oil bath. The Emerald's upper legs and stanchions are constructed from 7000 series aluminum, with the legs measuring in at 42mm and the stanchions at 36mm. The Carbon Torsion Arch (CTA) that joins the two legs isn't structurally integral, meaning that in theory the fork could be run sans-arch without any trouble, although after hearing DVO's claim that the arch improves torsional stiffness by 25% we couldn't find any reason to remove it. The arch also serves as a guard, protecting the stanchions from getting pummeled by flying rocks.

Damping:The Emerald uses a twin tube, open bath damper. This means there's a secondary, ported tube that the damper piston travels up and down in, but there's oil on both sides of this tube, as opposed to a sealed cartridge style unit where the oil is housed in one chamber. DVO doesn't skimp on the oil either - there are 330cc of 7.5 weight oil in the fork's damper side.

DVO Emerald review
  OTT and air pressure are adjusted on the top left side of the fork, while high and low-speed compression along with rebound are found on the right side.

Adjustments

Damping: High and low-speed compression damping adjustments are made at the bottom of the right leg, and rebound is adjusted at the top. If you've ever wished for easier access to a fork's compression damping circuit, it doesn't get much easier than the design used on the Emerald. By flipping the fork upside down, the bottom loader can be removed without any oil loss, giving riders the ability to easily tweak the fork's shim stack. Of course, this is something that many riders won't have the patience or technical know-how to tackle, but for those who are comfortable diving into their fork's inner workings, the option is there. It does take a firm grasp to adjust the high or low-speed compression, and the edges of the dials are relatively sharp – as a whole, the dials on the Emerald could use a slight tweaking to be more finger friendly.

Air Spring / OTT: The Emerald's air spring is housed in the left leg, and uses between 60-100psi depending on rider weight. DVO has also built in a feature they call Off The Top (OTT), which allows preload to be added to the fork's coil negative spring in order to adjust the sensitivity of the first 70mm of travel. It might seem counterintuitive, but the more preload that is applied, the easier it is to initiate the first bit of travel. The adjustment range of the OTT is rather large, with a possible 15 full revolutions available to play with.

Thru Axle: DVO considered a number of different axle options during the Emerald's development, but ended up going with a tried-and-true 20mm thru axle that's held into place by two pinch bolts on each side.

DVO Emerald review
  The Carbon Torsion Arch adds a measure of stiffness to the Emerald, as well as protecting the fork's stanchions.



Ride Report

Most of our testing took place inside the Whistler Bike Park, due to the easy access to a wide range of lift served terrain, everything from fairly smooth, high speed runs filled with berms and jumps to more natural downhill tracks chock full of roots and rocks. In short, just about everything you'd ever encounter aboard a downhill bike. Getting the Emerald set up does take some time, as the range of adjustments on the Emerald is incredibly broad, with 38 clicks of rebound, 28 clicks of low speed compression, 34 clicks of high speed compression, along with 15 full turns on the OTT dial. This can seem can seem overwhelming at first, but DVO recommends starting with both the low and high speed compression fully open, and working in from there, and they also provide a chart with base settings for the OTT feature.

Sensitivity: Small bump sensitivity is where the Emerald shines brightest - it takes minimal effort to activate the fork, likely due to the combination of its inverted design and coil negative spring. This suppleness lets it glide over brake bumps like a pat of butter on a hot skillet, and helps to smooth out the chatter that can lead to sore hands and arm pump after a long day of bike park laps. Anyone who's had to peel their aching hands off the handlebars after a long day of lift-served runs knows the toll bike park riding can take, but with the Emerald this sensation never occurred. Less fatigue means more riding time, which is always a good thing.

Noise: How loud a fork is doesn't typically affect its performance, but it can be distracting when you're trying to focus on making it down the trail in one piece, and the Emerald is especially noisy. It has a loud, asthmatic wheeze on the rebound stroke, which could be due to the amount of oil that's being forced displaced during each cycle. It doesn't affect the performance, but with how quiet modern downhill bikes are becoming, it's even more noticeable than it would have been a few seasons ago.

Stiffness: Stiffness has always been the bane of the inverted fork design, but DVO has struck a good middle ground with the Emerald. There's no denying that it isn't as stiff as a FOX 40, which still remains the benchmark for overall stiffness, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The Emerald has just enough flex to let it absorb those side impacts and awkward hits that would typically throw a stiffer fork off line, which makes it possible to remain on course and keep charging ahead. Heavier riders may not be able to come to terms with the extra movement, but being on the lighter side I didn't have any issues with it, and found that it helped to fork to track well and reduced the beating that my body took.

Mid-Stroke Support / Bottom-Out Resistance: The Emerald resisted any undue diving, retaining a well balanced, supportive feel even when faced with multiple hard hits in a row. When pushed hard at full speed the Emerald didn't miss a beat, taking care of every obstacle that came its way without fail. It has a strong ramp up at the end of the travel that prevents any harsh end-of-stroke feeling, and no matter what I subjected it to – drops into bombed out landings, chunky rock gardens full of wheel sucking holes, high speed, steep, bermed turns, the Emerald refused to bottom out.

Off The Top: The OTT feature makes a noticeable difference in how the beginning portion of the fork's travel feels, making it possible to have it initially feel extremely soft and supple, and then supportive for the rest of the travel. When I first rode the Emerald, I had imagined regularly changing the OTT settings depending on the trail, making the fork more supple for rougher courses and firmer for smoother, jump filled runs, but this didn't end up being the case. With 15 full revolutions of adjustment available, which equates to 90 clicks of adjustment, plus the fact that DVO recommends letting out all of the air before adjusting the OTT, it's more time consuming than I'd initially envisioned, and I ended up settling on one setting that worked well for all conditions. OTT does work, but I found myself wondering if some type of easy to use bottom out adjuster would be more useful than the OTT feature. I'm typically more concerned about what happens at the end of a fork's travel rather than the very beginning (provided the beginning stroke is fairly smooth), and it would be nice to have an quick way to increase or decrease how progressive the fork is without needing to dive into the shim stacks.

Durability Issues: No issues arose during out test period, and the seals have remained leak-free throughout it all. The fork's stanchions have remained unmarred as well, despite lap after lap through the nastiest trails Whistler had on tap. Servicing the fork is fairly simple, and DVO's website is very informative when it comes to service and tuning instructions. Their customer service is also commendable, and they're more than happy to do what it takes to help customers get their fork dialed in and running smoothly.



Pinkbike's Take:

bigquotesConsidering the fact that this is DVO's first step into the high-end suspension market, the Emerald is a solid initial offering. It has excellent small bump sensitivity, along with mid-stroke support that puts it in the same tier as its competitors, and tuning options galore. That being said, when compared to either a RockShox BoXXer World Cup or a Fox 40 FLOAT, the Emerald is more expensive by nearly $500, and weighs over a pound more, which takes some of the luster off its shiny green appearance. So who is the Emerald for? This is a fork for the tinkerer, the rider whose eyes light up at the idea trying different shim configurations, and wants a fork that lets them easily get into the inner workings to tune away to their heart's content. For those riders, if the price of admission and extra weight aren't deterrents, there's a lot to like about the Emerald. - Mike Kazimer


www.dvosuspension.com

Author Info:
mikekazimer avatar

Member since Feb 1, 2009
1,716 articles

416 Comments
  • 249 20
 I dont wanna be that guy but, 2300 for a fork? what has this world come to?
  • 70 29
 That diarrhea green looks mean. Inverted forks look cool or moto, but for DH maybe not the best design. $2300 i says gets dafugoutahee
  • 204 9
 @fecalmaster Dude, if your diarrhea is that color you should see someone about that.
  • 39 91
flag Jaydenfarley (Oct 15, 2014 at 19:29) (Below Threshold)
 its ugly
  • 55 19
 fox 40s are priced pretty similarly. I don't see whats so surprising.
  • 57 3
 Well there about 600 dollars less but still it doesnt seem too long ago we were spending the same money for an entire bike than a brand new fork today.
  • 13 1
 2014 fox 40 are from $1299 from Dunbar and I beleive the 2015's are around $1800-$1900. (may be different depending on your location though)
The Bos idle rare is equally expensive though.
  • 28 1
 What's so surprising is the fact that (as they mentioned) the 40 weighs a pound less
  • 39 3
 And the BoXXer weighs even less than that... DVO is a good example of a lot of industry hype. Did you notice how many T-Shirts they had sold and how many fans they had before even releasing a product?
  • 36 3
 I tried one once and was blown away...until I jumped on the X-fusion DH fork and thought it just made more sense to get something lighter, cheaper, and still stunningly plush
  • 59 6
 Do the math people! The DVO is 3,490g = 7.69 lb. The FOX Float 40 RC2 = 5.98 lb. Now subtract 7.69 - 5.98 = 1.71 lb = 778g heavier... WOW!!! Comment #2 is that an open bath damper carries the 330cc of oil which weighs 289g [0.64 lb] in the lower tube region which is UN-SPRUNG weight. With this high weight of open-bath damper oil and high weight of Aluminum lower tubes and lower lugs, how can you claim an inverted fork has lower UN-SPRUNG weight compared to a conventional fork with a Magnesium lower leg? I call bull shit on the claims of lower un-sprung weight. I will put my extra $500 towards lighter wheels and a Schwalbe ProCore tube system...
  • 41 3
 I hear that spoons aren't that expensive these days.
  • 9 4
 It seems the DVO is easier to service and fine tune as well as behaving in a much more friendly way for someone of my size so maybe that's where the benefit comes in... although this fork new is just over half the cost of my bike so f*ck it, what do I know? This isn't my market. I can't wait for this to become more accessible. It seems incredible.
  • 7 0
 "Incredible"? It's certainly green.
  • 11 0
 Well, he is the fecal master, after all.
  • 17 0
 It's not easy being green.
  • 75 8
 @ilivetobike24 - to answer your wuestion in a cynical, bitter, yet true way: this world has come to high tech luxuries in 80s, swims in them since 90s, enjoys them greatly since 2000 but since 2010 a lot of people decided to go catholic confession on it and whines how terrible luxury and surplus is while still using it at full tilt. This guilt for consumption fueled pseudo-environmentalism, leftist hipocrisy, that leads nowhere, just btchn and whining on where the world is going as if this alone provided some sort of retribution. If you are on this site, it means that you are into a luxury activity and sorry my friend, if you dig a Boxxer or a Reba, you may as well dig a 2500$ fork. A part of DVO high price is low volume production and I would not be surprised if guys at DVO had smaller margin per unit than Fox for a 40.

Look! It is a cool looking and top performing fork - enjoy the sight of it, enjoy what humans are able to produce! Or you want the other side of the coin that most of us are barely able utilize Domain DC?
  • 15 2
 Well put. I can name a million things I'd rather spend my money on but I do think boutique, out of reach stuff like this is what gives the sport colour. Anyone who has been biking for over a decade can't deny having drooled over Vouilloz' bike and shocks, or wondered what was inside Minnaar's Honda, or how Millyard's military spec damper worked, or...
  • 2 1
 buying a gem for your lady that looks a lot like fecalmaster's diarrhea is certainly not a good thing , lel ....emerald diarrhea color wtf?
  • 11 7
 I love how every one is getting thier tampons out over this weight difference . Tell me how much time is 1.7lbs worth on track ? Ever considered that the performance of some thing could be more important than.how much it wieghs ? For all you know these forks.could be worth 2 seconds on a long track pretty sure 1.7lbs aint gonna cost that much time
  • 1 6
flag jj130 (Oct 16, 2014 at 4:25) (Below Threshold)
 I feel like its the same thing in clothing. why pay for $5000 or more for a limited ed. sweater.
  • 12 1
 It's a nice fork. Waki hits the nail on the head, it's a lower volume boutique fork. Personally I love the sight of it and I'd pay the premium to gaze upon it on the front of my bike over a Boxxer. For many reasons this will not suit everyone, but I don't think that's what DVO set out to do.
  • 1 3
 Yep! Think of it as a panerai watch of the bike world or the Koeniggsegg or something of the Car industry or Brunello Cuccinelli for clothing and stuff. Its expensive in its nature
  • 10 14
flag Bird-Man (Oct 16, 2014 at 5:46) (Below Threshold)
 its a prettied up dorado with old internal tech ( open bath) and a mess of settings that are not usable ( really 90 clicks) and a carbon arch that lets face it, again not needed...I am 200lbs and 6 feet tall and my darado gets me down Mount St anne in a flash. Also the darado very tunable, and user friendly, with adjustment dials that are easy on the fingers and easily turned even if you wore mittens. in short if you want inverted the dorado is sex.
  • 8 18
flag peanutbuter (Oct 16, 2014 at 6:21) (Below Threshold)
 ROCKSHOX BOXXER
  • 9 1
 Dont hate it till you actually try one on the trail.
  • 8 10
 It can be 100 times awesome and supermegacool. but it's weight is 3.5kg. 3.5kg for an air fork. that is an EPIC fail (even more fail than coil negative spring in FOX 40 Float). good try DVO, but no, thanks, my dorado is about 2.95kg and it is not a bit worse.
  • 20 6
 The dorado is just super flexy and leaky seals but not worst than the Emerald right? you don't even notice the weight and if your worried about a pound just take a shit before you ride, there done problem solved.
  • 19 7
 Birdman, the Dorado is a very good fork but the Emerald is far from that fork in basically every respect.
  • 12 1
 I find myself agreeing with Waki...

...Wait, what?
  • 14 1
 My Dorado kicks ass.
  • 3 1
 @finalgear problem of leaking seals meets only users, that don't know that every new fork must be serviced straight from the box. that is an axiom. dorado has dry seals and awful oil from the box. that's why it starts leaking. I own it 2 years and no leakage even with deep scratch in the leg. don't know about Emerald and Dorado torsion flex comparison but i had no problem with it on my fork. yes, a bit flexy than classic forks, but nothing critical at all. proved by 2 seasons of riding in wild mountains. BTW there is a special way how to tighten axle in dorado. doing it wrong causes really big torsion loss.
  • 3 1
 I wonder how much difference in torsional stiffness there is between Dorados and Emeralds, considering that Manitou is using a hex axle which is stiffer than a conventional axle setup like the Emerald uses. The Emerald will be significantly stiffer with the cta than without it but how much stiffer than Dorados does that equal.
I modified skf oil/dust wipers to fit my dorados and it made a smooth fork really smooth.
  • 27 3
 My V10 with an Emerald weighs 35 pounds. Does anyone really think that is too heavy for bike that only goes downhill?
I have put on somewhere around 800,000 feet of vert on my Emerald this year. It's on the original seals, and has had the oil changed once and was totally clean and clear when dumped. It has not leaked a drop and it's still as slippery as ever with no sign of wear. Mine has proven to be as plush and reliable as a shiver in its hey day, but sits high in it travel, tracks very well and is incredibly tuneable. Yes, DVO helped me out with this fork, but since then 4 of my friends have gone on to buy one after riding mine. So far none have even had an oil change and they are all stoked with them. If you dump most of the oil out the fork like the competition the weight is not far off. Oil has benefits in excess of the minimal weight gain on a DH bike, especially if you're like me and you don't want to work on it. Brakes, suspension and tires; three places where you shouldn't be sacrificing performance for weight. Take it out elsewhere and you can still have a 35lb DH bike.
  • 11 18
flag jordache-keepers (Oct 16, 2014 at 8:56) (Below Threshold)
 Seems like Pink Bike is only reviewing ridiculously overpriced components which practically none of us will buy because the price makes it unattainable for the vast majority. And those who can afford it won't buy it because they refuse to spend that much simply out of principle and common sense.
Pink Bike needs to start reviewing products that are within the price range which most who are on this site can realistically afford so when the time comes to replacing or upgrading a component, we can read a review that is actually helpful to us in making a purchase decision. The forks in this review look pretty cool (aside from the hideous colour) but c'mon! $2239?? Let's keep it real! This review only benefits the extremely tiny minority that actually may consider getting these forks. Lets start seeing some reviews that actually benefit the masses.
  • 6 1
 I totally agree with Darkstar and bonkywonky on this. It's nice to see companies engineer products that try to push the boundaries of performance, give riders more options, and provide variable ride qualities. Of course mass production companies will always have the upper hand in terms of pricing, simply because they have so much more coin to spend on development (though they do not necessarily make better products) and have more profit margin due to the volume of their sales. Even though I could never afford this fork, I still love to see comparisons and shoot outs between these products (lets see a Dorado vs X-Fusion vs DVO!). Personally, owning a Fox 40 RC2 Fit, I was still quite a disappointed compared to the last one I ever owned, the Marzocchi Shiver DC. So far, that is still the standard I measure DH forks to.
  • 6 3
 @Chuvak - I am sorry mate but history repeats itself. 5 years ago In late 2009, people (including me) were whining on price of latest Dorado and it's eventual unnecessary features. They were saying how awesome their Boxxer or Fox 40 is just like you do know. I got smarter I think Big Grin
  • 15 3
 The people bitching about how much this fork costs remind me of the people who come into a bike shop and go '$350 for a bike!? I could get one for $75 in Walmart, this place is a rip off!'
  • 10 0
 I got a brand new Dorado, in the box with warranty for $750. That's good enough for me (and 98% of the rest of you too).
  • 10 3
 Geebus - Domain DC is good enough for rest of us. But life tastes better with nice toys, even being 100% conscious that it is just an illusion. I drink wine as I write this, water would suffice. Nonetheless I dig your purchase policy, I have a bike like 10k SC Bronson, it is just that I paid 3k for it, and that includes new frame, new drivetrain and new wheels with warranty, almost unused crankset, fork and brakes. "There are times - when my crimes - may seem almost unforgivable, I give in to sin, because you have to make this life liveable..." Big Grin
  • 1 0
 It costs more than my full sus bike oO
  • 2 0
 "I'll make your heart smile"

What your bike says to you at the trailhead
  • 3 0
 Everything Counts In Large Amounts....................Gotta love the 'Mode'!
  • 5 1
 I bought a 2008 fox 40 for $480. 2012 rc2 damper installed already. Put on some 2012 lowers that I traded some tires I got for free for. I then traded the fork to a kid for a 2014 boxxer WC. I can now spend the money and pretty much upgrade it to a 2015 with the charger damper for well under $2300. I feel like a lot of people forget how easily fox and rock shocks forks can be upgraded. Just cuz you go out and buy some brand new super expensive fork, bike, wheels ect. Does not mean that you will be any faster. Sure your bike may feel better but that doesn't mean you will be winning WC races. Not saying the DVO is a bad fork in any way I have a lot of friends riding them and they do feel good but for 2300 there are far more things in my life I'd rather put that money towards than one bike part. And not to mention this fork costs as much as some brand new frames. And I also feel that they should make a straight 1 1/8" steer tube version.
  • 10 7
 @WAKIdesigns - I am sorry but what does pseudo-environmentalism and leftist hypocrisy have to do with a mountain bike fork? It seems like a layperson is trying to dazzle all the pre-teens, excuse me, pinkbikers with big words... Go ahead downvote me, you kids are so predictable.
  • 9 3
 OVER WEIGHT OVER PRICED, Love the inversion.
  • 7 6
 The Emerald is superior to the Dorado in every aspect of performance except weight. It's significantly stronger and is the most reliable, maintenance-free fork on the market. Reliability has never been a selling point of the brand Manitou.

The 40 and the Boxxers are essentially a different category of fork with an inferior and outdated design, so comparing the weight only of the fork is like comparing an XC tire with a DH tire and claiming it is superior for DH cause it's lighter.

The 40 has less oil in both legs combined than the Emerald has in each leg, similar with the Boxxer. I'm curious how many FOX 40's uppers have destroyed because the fork didn't review the frequent maintenance that is required? The number is probably in the thousands. Not to mention that the 40 feels like absolute garbage on small bumps if it isn't maintained.

But the big advantage of the Emerald is having significantly reduced binding issues regular forks are notorious for because the reduced sheer force of having the smaller diameter lowers slide up into the larger upper tubes. This, combined with hugely increased bushing overlap and oil volume is why the DVO absorbs bumps much more effectively than the outdated designs from sram and Fox.
  • 4 0
 @finalgear shit is sprung mass ( sprung by arms and legs ) while the fork is unsprung weight ... the fork is to heavy, man! but some will like it though... matter of riding style i guess
  • 8 0
 The 40 and boxxer aren't really an outdated design. You can get away with that style of fork because you aren't abusing it as much as what a moto fork goes through. And look at moto trials riders. They don't use inverted forks. They use the "outdated" versions. Weight is a factor to some peoples riding style. I personally like a lighter front end. Allows me to bring the front end up easier to manual through woops and such. Its just preference. All high end forks now days perform amazingly. Can't bash one or the other. Its all preference. I mean if 40s and boxxers were that god awful then they wouldn't be the top privateer fork. I don't need a $2300 fork to increase my speed. Getting faster is on the rider. I've seen guys on s-works demos with top spec components that are slow. And that's the great thing about today's market is that everything suspension wise is fully tuneable thanks to companies like avy and push and the fact that they develope products that can be fully interchangeable by a monkey. That's what makes this sport good. You don't need to have butt loads of money to get a bike dialled to you . I mean when you can buy a base model boxxer or fox and fully swap the internals to WC/float style for under a grand the average guy might look at that and go with that. Or you can spend 1600+ and get a dialed fork out of the box the guy with more money will go with that. The most important thing is just mainting the product. Without maintenance then any thing can fail.
  • 4 0
 ^this man deserves a medal or putting that time and effort for that comment
  • 2 0
 And sporks
  • 3 1
 @Mtbguy87 The 40 and the Boxxer are outdated and inferior designs and here is why:

1.bp.blogspot.com/-_7C-u1affyE/UyWxLIQXgcI/AAAAAAAALIo/YafKQ9Nwtwc/s1600/888+ripped+in+half.jpg

That would never happen on an usd fork because of the drastically reduced sheer forces involved that I described above. The decreased bushing overlap of the 40 and Boxxer and lack of effectivef lubrication compared to a fork like the Emerald make them not only more prone to binding in certain situations but less effective at absorbing bumps overall.

Obviously can go fast on a regular fork, especially if it is overhauled almost everyday like they are for the pros at World Cup DH races. But alot of Boxers and especially 40s owned by regular riders feel like garbage because they don't maintain them all the time. They go bad quickly compared to the Emerald.

I definitely can see why the pros who have their forks overhauled all the time would choose a lighter 40 or a boxxer but I think for the everyday rider who doesn't want to maintain their fork all the time to keep it working good open bath usd is the way to go.

The motorcycle comparisons are apples and oranges because motos are so heavy that the sheer forces involved aren't comparable and moto forks don't flex like DH forks do. Again, just look at the photoaabove. But it is personal preference and priorities.
  • 1 0
 Protour , you do realise his fork bends like that because of the head angle more than the fact that it's a ' normal ' fork
  • 1 2
 ...aaand that sliders are placed in different area, that is with less bending... I learned a lot when arguing with you - YOU ARE ALWAYS RIGHT!

And I dedicate this song to your flamboyant posts saturated with conviction: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEb2CecR11I
  • 1 0
 I understand your argument but look at the angle and bike upon landing. The fork is so slacked that the force on the landing is directed more straight up causing the fork to bind. Inverted forks do the same thing when compressed like that. My buddy had a Dorado that snapped due to a landing like the one in your photo. And you don't need to overhaul a boxxer everyday to get great feeling out of it. With regular 3 month oil changes and upgrading to the enduro seals a boxxer and 40 will perform amazing. 40s lack the small bump compliance I agree. But the boxxer has good small bump when properly set up. And maintaining the boxxer is easy as can be. All mountain bike forks will offer flex. Materials are light and such. I personally feel a boxxer performs amazing. I've never had a single issue with one. Sure people have brought them into the shop that feel like crap but remember everyone sets their bikes up differently and in some cases people don't know anything about tuning their setup. I have felt crappy 40s and boxxers but I've also felt Dorado's and a few emeralds that feel like garbage as well.
  • 2 0
 well just to get some negative points i will say I already asked DVO to test one of their forks in the past when was in the proto stage well i was told that they had a different approach to a testing and i have to wait until mass production. Well now days not to mention im more keen on boutique stuff like BOS, Avalanche, CR1 Engineering,Fast Suspension, J-Tech, Elka and so on and i can tell you every one of them outruns DVO big time. For a small price you can get something that DVO offers for big cash and its still maintenance free and has outstanding performance. And the other benefit is you don't need new chassis as they fit on the most of the available on the market like 888 Boxxer, Fox and so on. It's true there will be always people with a lot of money and poor knowledge ready to buy something couse they like the advert or the product looks too shiny and chic there will be always someone who drives Ferrari and someone with Subaru the difference is amount of easy cash you want to throw in the bin and the skills to ride your bike faster Smile
  • 3 1
 1.bp.blogspot.com/-_7C-u1affyE/UyWxLIQXgcI/AAAAAAAALIo/YafKQ9Nwtwc/s1600/888+ripped+in+half.jpg

"Protour , you do realise his fork bends like that because of the head angle more than the fact that it's a ' normal ' fork"

I was pointing out the binding of the fork, not the bending. That 888 should be bottomed out, but the head angle combined with the extreme friction of the non-usd design causes it to bind and not absorb the forces effectively.

It's an extreme situation but conclusive results that recognize the weakness of a design, regardless of the field of study, are usually demonstrable in extreme situations.

Telescopic binding also happens sometimes on square-edge impacts where the non-usd fork will flex backwards instead of effectively absorbing the bump, and in some situations will halt the riders momentum, or even worse send the rider over the bars.
  • 2 0
 Mtbguy87: "Inverted forks do the same thing when compressed like that."

Do you have any evidence or even a technical explanation that supports your assertion that inverted (usd) forks "do the same thing when compressed like that."?

The reduced sheer forces of a usd fork combined with the increased bushing overlap absolutely decrease the chances of binding. To prove it, imagine your normal telescopic fork design taken to the extreme: A telescoping fork with even less bushing overlap and then somehow increase the sheer force upon impact. The result in performance would obviously be worse.

I unfortunately don't even own a usd fork but this whole debate seems like a no-brainer to me, and I definitely have experienced the telescopic binding that occurs on square-edge bumps that can halt your momentum.
  • 2 1
 The picture you showed only shows that the riders rear suspension was bottomed out before the front. How did he land? By his rear being like that he would have landed extremely back heavy. Bottoming out his rear end and pushing his front wheel out making his head angle more slack. The force being put on the fork is in a direction that causes it to bind up. I've seem the same thing done to Dorado's just on the nw cup racing. Is the direction of the force which is causing the actual Axel path of the front wheel to go in a negative direction causing the fork to bind against itself and not compress. Is the type of landing that causes that not because he wasn't running inverted. A standard USD fork works perfectly fine. Guys have been dominating race circuits all over the world on a "primitive" design since the late 80s. And like I said before moto trials still use the usd style and they put all kinds of awkward force onto their bikes. No design these days is a bad one. Its all a matter of opinion and preference. Wanna ride a badly designed fork then go back and ride an elastamer manitou from the early 90s
  • 1 0
 You guys talk about bushing overlap, sure bushings further apart are better. Are we just spouting what we've read in reviews, or does anybody have any actual overlap meaurements? If not, there is no science to the arguements. Bike companies could claim an advantage if their overlap is 2mm more, in which case the only advantage would be in marketing not physics.
In GP motoracing, there used to be problems with bushing binding on braking, which prompted Britten to reinvent the girder fork, with great sucess. Bearings on pivots are much less likely to bind from forces out of plane with the stantions. That said though, girder forks never really caught on, everybody likes the telescopic, because they are used to it I guess.
  • 1 0
 if Protour was really into his example he'd be sporting a Lefty. Bushings further apart are easily achievable at minimal weight increase, you can see that in case of 36 180mm. The only reason they aren't is the marketing point of lower weight and every gram counts. With all due respect that is not a fault of companies but of people who will always measure top end product's performance in grams. Sure, you could make a point about stiffness and reach people with it, but that would require another point on the list of features of each fork and that would be a number determining the stiffness. Maybe there should be one. Right now, in many cases, right on the top, before you see how much travel any RS fork has, you see weight and then your eye is caught by aesthetically pleasing icons with anagrams, showing "technologies" used in the fork. We are not going to kill all those weight weenies aye? Big Grin
  • 1 0
 Weight weenies rule hahaha
  • 1 1
 Jesus, these guys need to get a room...
  • 1 1
 Just make sure it's sound proof
  • 2 2
 I bought a used 2012 Giant Reign1 for $1500, works and looks great too, damn for $2300 I can buy a brand new Yamaha BWS scooter or a used decent Enduro bike... I wouldn't feel confortable paying that amount for a fork
  • 1 0
 Mtbguy87"The picture you showed only shows that the riders rear suspension was bottomed out before the front. How did he land? By his rear being like that he would have landed extremely back heavy. Bottoming out his rear end and pushing his front wheel out making his head angle more slack. The force being put on the fork is in a direction that causes it to bind up. I've seem the same thing done to Dorado's just on the nw cup racing."

So your technical description basically consists of "I've seen the Dorado do the same thing", which isn't convincing at all.

Non usd telescopic binding also happens sometimes on square-edge impacts where the non-usd fork will flex backwards instead of effectively absorbing the bump, and in some situations will halt the riders momentum, or even worse send the rider over the bars. This is much less likely to happen on a usd fork because of the reduced sheer forces.
  • 1 0
 Waki: "if Protour was really into his example he'd be sporting a Lefty."

Nothing wrong with the Lefty, as long as it's reliable.
  • 1 1
 You see! There baby - you made a compromise! A std fork is a compromise of price, action quality, stiffness, lightweight and reliability - this is the reason why the design is used so often in MTB - compromise! tadaaaaaa!
  • 2 0
 How did I make a compromise?

I just vomited because you called me baby.
  • 2 0
 You made a compromise by not choosing lefty for it's reliability issues, which will never ever stop haunting this fork, because one is putting too many dicks into one tube. Just like USD forks will never catch on in MTB as a most frequently used design, because their weight to stiffness ratio will never freaking beat a STD fork, at least in a price of a STD fork. STD forks are easier and therefore cheaper to make because they do not require such tolerances. People need ot take off their pink glasses when looking at progress - it is not linear and it is no neverending, it is not sustainable. The development of non-electornicaly supported MTB forks is almost over, OVER for fuks sake! Sub 10kg DH bikes will never happen, and there is nothing wrong about it, stuff we get these days is more than freaking sweet. Poeple must learn to like what they have and companies must learn other ways of earning money than changing stuff every year by 2mm or just flipping things upside down and voting it a breakthrough.
  • 2 1
 I never said I wouldn't ride a lefty, I've heard some good things about the reliability of the new one's and I was impressed to hear about the guy who won a Pro grt DH race on one. There is alot going on in a lefty, but it still has less parts than a Fox Talas.

USD forks will never catch on?

There are now two companies selling them successfully, and more than a few guys still love their old Shivers. Not for the weight weenie racers, but I would make the claim that most guys who own DH bikes are not racers and are not as concerned about the weight of a fork as much as the performance and reliability.

I'm designing a bike using the Emerald for both the front and rear suspension duties. Imagine that. The hype will be off the charts! Perfectly balanced suspension axle path front and rear. Specialized will realize how stupid and unsafe the new Demo is and stop production. Gwin will worship it it like he worships his Bible. Wait till you see it Waki! I'm calling it the Protour Bfarsap.
  • 6 1
 just PM each other you fucking cocks.
  • 3 0
 @scott-towns He blocked me! Just like deeeight!
  • 1 0
 Now why would someone block YOU, waki, its not like youre annoying or anything...
  • 3 0
 I tend to make myself as welcome as a fart in the space station. I am a very polite and funny guy in person, it is only internet where I use complicated cynicisms, multifolded sarcasms and double bluffs just to make sure that that I insult only imbeciles and beigists.
  • 1 0
 If you were a woman....well idk what I'd do
  • 1 0
 "it is only internet where I use complicated cynicisms, multifolded sarcasms and double bluffs"

You forgot to mention your smoke-screens.
  • 2 0
 @Protour: how is the emerald superior got the dorado in every respect? The only respect I have seen is the CTA. The air spring is inferior to the new IRT as is the damper. The great thing about the emerald is the help you custom tune the fork. I have done the same thing with my dorado and it blows every emerald I have ridden out of the water, mainly because of the spring curve. The tpc+ also allows you to tune the fork to handle big impacts without feeling hard in the rough stuff, something you can do with a damper like DVO's. DVO has made a great fork, but isn't any better than a well tuned and maintained Dorado.
  • 66 2
 Finally, a conclusive review after over two years of hype....
  • 28 0
 "the Emerald is a solid initial offering"

and I'm sure that's the strapline they were hoping for
  • 6 0
 It is a conclusive review, but I do wonder why the need when stating the weight of the fork to then put : (including the carbon arch). You'd hope so since it's an integral part of the product!
  • 3 4
 @bigtim I'd run it without the carbon arch and with some normal guards if I found the stiffness sans arch to be acceptable (I personally find the look with the arch to be unpleasing to the eye).
  • 15 8
 bmxrace121: the production Emerald has been out for about a year now, that's 12 months, and thus far, we have a couple thousand happy customers who are really stoked to have purchased he product. That to us is the most important aspect, a happy customer who's pleased about his or her purchase is well beyond the hype.
  • 12 0
 DVO, do you guys think this fork will attract customers away from the Dorado, which is lighter, cheaper and comparable in performance?
  • 8 4
 DVO don't let any comments under your skin, this is a brutal arena here. I am loving the aesthetic of this fork and although I don't need a fork right now you are on my radar.
  • 5 3
 I own a Dorado and am moving on to the Emerald nest year.
  • 5 0
 @DARKSTAR63 My comment was honestly not trying to be sarchastic or provoke DVO, I am genuinely interested about how they see their place in this market. What I was trying to ask was if they think the performance of the Emerald (which by reviews I am assuming is comparable or marginally better than its competitors) will offset the high cost and weight
  • 2 0
 Yeah it's tough though to compare things just on paper. We do that all the time, how light is it? How much is it? Like we should then calculate that ratio to decide on purchase. There are other factors and different aspects that will appeal to different people, and in fact that is pointed out in the article. When choosing a suspension fork, feel, in my personal opinion is the most important. This will have the most effect on the enjoyment I get from the fork. I want to be fast and comfortable, and a fork that feels good to me, and behaves how I expect it to is paramount. Weight is important, but not as. I would add weight for feel. Example.The Boxxer fork that I run now is lighter than the 888 I rode before it- but I miss that fork because of its superior small bump sensitivity.
  • 6 5
 @DVOSuspension All I was starting was that finally a actual review was posted here on PB, not just more hype videos, or articles. No need to get your panties in a bunch.
  • 3 2
 Kids feel powerful when they an "tell a company off" online. It is surprising that DVO takes the time to comment on Pinkbike, it must be so aggravating.
  • 3 0
 Haha. Yes, I love "telling off" companies online. The power is such a rush... I'm asking them a legitimate question about their product as a consumer. The fact that they actively respond to questions on Pinkbike speaks loads about their service and how they prioritize customer satisfaction. It's not as if they need to respond to every kid on Pinkbike who has a criticism
  • 2 2
 Do you think you will lose your girlfriend to your best friend who is taller, better looking and about as athletic?
  • 1 0
 Thanks buddy!
  • 4 0
 It's actually cool to chat with everyone. Yes it is at times a bit frustrating but it's well worth it! Cheers, DVO.
  • 52 1
 I purchased the black DVO fork (with black bumpers) in May 2014 and put it on a large 2014 specialized demo 8 frame. With gear I weigh in at 192 lb and I am 6 ft 2 inches. I went to Whistler this year for a week and spent a great deal of time at NorthStar California because I live in near there. Can you hear wheezing in the rebound, yes in the parking lot but not so much on the trail. Some people might find it really irritating but I didn't. What I really appreciated was the fact that my hand did not suffer from hand fatigue after riding. That was awesome!! I can’t say the same thing for other dh forks I have used in the past. The weight I did not notice when I was tearing downhill. I also wasn’t doing backflips where maybe I might have felt the weight penalty. For set up I read the manual and took 2 days at NorthStar to find the setting that I liked. After that . . .it was all downhill. Smile Never had a maintenance issue with the fork. I like the way it tracked and never felt that it was flexy. I love the off the top feature, it really made the brake bumps disappear. I really like the fact I can easily make all kinds of adjustments on it. Having a dialed fork is one of the best feelings in the world for dh riding. I have been extremely pleased with the Emerald.
  • 35 1
 shhhh JD, this is the haters thread
  • 6 0
 this isn't my post...mine is below....LOL
  • 2 0
 Haha, the internet is awesome sometimes!
  • 2 1
 @pantsonfire

How do you know when to adjust the OTT or the LSC, it seems that they have some cross over in their function. Traditional preload has been for setting sag and ride height where none seems to be ideal to maximize fork suppleness and traction, this OTT seems to be more about fork feel and support initially more like a damper less like preload?, why not run it full on ie full soft and up the lsc or do you run it less supple and lower the lsc. Curious how the OTT is differentiated between the LSC and how you know which one to adjust.

Feedback on this? trying to understand the forks workings from a tuning point of view.
  • 7 0
 That wheezing just means the damper is moving lots of oil. Lots of oil movement means more control. Its a good thing. The first thing all the aftermarket damper makers (Avy and PUSH) do when they design a better damper for 40's, boxxers, etc is to push way more oil through their design.
  • 8 0
 I have enjoyed my Emerald immensely. So much better than the Boxxer it replaced. It won't make braking bumps vanish, but damn close. One thing that DVO is doing wrong, IMHO, is sending the forks out with WC-level damping. I'm just a regular guy, I don't need compression damping that starts at "Rampage" and goes up from there. Thankfully, working on these forks is a piece of cake, and after-sales support direct from DVO is outstanding.
  • 5 3
 Pantsonfire: glad to hear you are enjoying the product and thanks for supporting DVO!
  • 5 2
 Slidways: the OTT and LSC are two completely different features. The OTT is a preload adjustment for the negative spring which affects the air spring curved when adjusted through its range. The LSC is an adjustment through a bled port in the compression circuit.
  • 9 3
 Cougar: you're spot on here, we have 300 plus cc's of oil flowing through ports and yes there will be some sound from that. With more oil means less wear and tear on internal parts and better damping performance.
  • 6 0
 Same reason MX dampers can be so well controlled, huge oil flow = easier to tweak process controls (in this case shims / ports) to acheive slightly different results. Electric circuits that are high voltage are also easier to control (atleast elementary wise) same as hydraulic circuits.

By the way DVO you should give me an emerald so I can continue to spread the positive explenation of your product in further detail. Smile
  • 1 0
 @DVOSuspension
Yeah I understand how they are adjusted but conventionally with other forks the LSC tends to effect small bump and the initial compliance in the begging stroke. I'm trying to understand how do you know if you want to change the OTT or the LSC for more support initially. The damper is still activated during the first 70mm of travel is it not? which would result in the OTT and LSC having some cross over and a close relation and balance needed for ideal set up.

I'm trying to understand the relation between the two.

In short how do I as a rider know that if I want more initial support to increase the LSC support or increase the progressiveness support of the OTT.

At first it made sense that the OTT is an overall spring curve/progressiveness adjustment. But this article said this that threw me off. "which allows preload to be added to the fork's coil negative spring in order to adjust the sensitivity of the first 70mm of travel" making it appear more as a intial adjustment only. This fork seems like while its simple it an be very complicated if you want to get into shim stacks and the like with so much room for changes. (that's a good thing obviously, easy to use but also very capable of full tuning).

From what I gather at the moment the OTT will be used as a progressiveness setting where the initial is still very soft unlike LSC adjustments that tend to delay the initial activation of the damper by increasing threshold the. I can see the two working in unison to create the ideal initial feel?
  • 1 0
 Slideways, I not sure if this is the correct way but this is what I did when setting up the fork. I left the OTT feature open with no clicks. The LSC I left open also with not clicks. First I set the sag then I messed with the rebound and compression. Once I got that to the level I like I then adjusted the LSC. My last adjustment was the OTT. I found without it my hands were getting fatigued. I added in OTT and messed with it until I had the feeling I liked. You have a great question with when to adjust the LSC and OTT. For me I noticed the need for adjustments the worse the brakes bumps get in corners or before jumps. Late in the session brakes bumps get really bad at a few runs at NorthStar. I backed off the LSC by a click or two and increased OTT by a click or two to get the feeling I liked back. I did not suffer from brake dive after the adjustments. My settings at Whistler are different from my settings at NorthStar. There might be better ways which I am open to hearing from other DVO riders. Smile
  • 3 0
 The OTT works in the first day 70mm of travel. The LSC can operate through the entire 200mm of travel. The OTT combats the force it takes to compress the air spring allowing you to run higher pressures without the harshness therefore improving traction and comfort. The two features are completely different but they do relate only when you would slowly compress the fork at the very beginning of the travel. If you want to get more details feel free to call us and we can give you a complete run down. Cheers, DVO.
  • 1 0
 Thanks @DVOSuspension
I understood the role of the two it was as you say that cross over in the initial 70mm that I was speaking about when the two can effect the other while not directly but indirectly. In the most simple terms possible it allows you to increase the support without sacrificing the traction.

Another basic point would be that is has solved the issues in the past that more support either via damping (usually LSC) or spring rate tends to have the draw back of less suppleness and initial traction.

At this point with all the adjustments and external workings, I couldn't imagine many users would need to even touch the shim stack.
I don't own the fork but It is very impressive fork so far on paper and in reviews, which is why i am so interested in the workings of the fork. Also good to see you on here answering questions, shows good support for the product.
  • 1 0
 slidways: You are right that its possible for the LSC to affect the first part of the travel if its turned in too much. The way we like to have people set up the Emerald is to adjust the air pressure and OTT first and then start adjusting the compression, that way you can isolate the independent feeling of the individual adjustments. Based on our feedback from the forks we have out there, we have been detuning the shim stacks for both rebound and compression, this opens up the fork more. Cheers and thanks for the great questions.
  • 1 0
 Is this change something that is stock now or is it something you have to have done after purchasing the fork.
  • 43 12
 Looking forward to reading DVOs comments where they argue with everyone that doesn't like the fork
  • 10 5
 LMAO.

in all serious-ness. i would like to argue about the lack of riding picks. a whole year, and not a single riding picture?!

we've seen this fork a bazillion times already (not being ridden), ridding pics would have been nice Smile
  • 3 1
 Pretty sure CG raced these in some of his last WC rounds... Were you not watching?
  • 13 4
 Nothing to argue about when it comes to people's feedback. We refer to it as information enlightenment!
  • 3 0
 @sam264

im talking about the reviewer, who reviewed this fork. a whole year and not a single riding pic is in here
  • 5 11
flag kc358 (Oct 16, 2014 at 16:11) (Below Threshold)
 Yeah, they never liked my comments calling out the bullshit in their designs. Thankfully for them they were able to build the hype so much they sold like hot cakes. It seems more people now have stopped drinking the cool-aid and are starting to think. I'm sure the product works good, but they have their own set of issues, like all the other brands, and aren't the second coming of Christ like everyone treated them before.
  • 2 0
 Looking forward to reading everyones comments where they complain to everyone because they don't have the fork
  • 4 0
 kc358 I am 100% positive you know less then DVO, I'd like to see you point out the flaws in their design. It would be funny to see.

Parallax, name another company that responds to pinkbike comments and questions.
  • 7 0
 Bullshit designs? Come on buddy, really?
  • 2 1
 kc358--- well every company that has had an "ask me anything" for one, but that isn't the point. My point is that comments under a review are not for the company to defend themselves and try to persuade everyone like they do. Look at the diamond review, they were acting like 13 year olds with their comments. if they want better reviews they should make better products, no comment and argue on MTB blogs.
  • 2 0
 @Kc358 - Bullshit designs? What do you know about design? If you're going to make wild assertions, you could at least back them up with sonething. Over to you, this should be funny.
  • 4 0
 Okay, he is trolling. Or someone at DVO beat him up in highschool.
  • 1 0
 mtbrider71: that's fricken funny!
  • 5 1
 I have been working in the moto suspension industry for a few years under an expert who has been fixing OEM design issues from Showa, WP, KYB, Marzocchi, Ohlins and Sachs for over 15 years. I am also an active mechanical engineer outside of that work. I know how stuff works. I'll give some examples of the bullshit. And that doesn't necessarily mean what they have done is crap, just that it isn't the most amazing stuff they, and fanboys, tout it to be.

1) Open bath Emerald: that is 10 year obsolete technology no longer employed in MX because it is inconsistent
2) Bladder shock: has known issues of leaking the air/nitrogen into the oil side, negating the point of the bladder
3) Finned reservoir: it has been tried by many companies in the moto industry and hasn't caught on because no benefits, just marketing
4) CTA could have been done by other methods likely with out as much weight gain, but not as marketable as a big carbon part
5) Excuses on why the air shock prototype couldn't have both high/low and a 3 position adjuster
6) High flow pistons have been employed by many aftermarket and OEM companies with no performance gain, because the damping comes down to the shim stack and how that controls flow

I'm not saying the products aren't going to work fine, but aren't game changers and perfect suspension specimens.
The Diamond seems like a very solid trail bike offering to me though and no complaints there.

Sorry I don't just blindly follow like so many did and actually analyze what they are doing.
  • 26 2
 All that talk about about gliding over brake bumps like a pat of butter on a hot skillet and absolutely refusing to bottom out has got me all hot and bothered.
  • 20 0
 Pair these up with a Romic rear shock and the noise from the front will be the least of your irritations! Even better, slap them both on an Orange 222 and you'll sound like an asthmatic mechanic dropping his toolbox down some stairs.
  • 13 0
 I ride a 2014 Specialized Demo with a DVO and I love it!
I switched form a Fox 40 and before that a Marz 888. The DVO is what you would get is the 888 and the Forty Air had a baby. The DVO has the pulshness of the Marz and the poppiness of the 40. I have been on the DVO for 6 months and have ridden it at Whistler, Coast Gravity Park, The North Shore, The Canyons, Trestle, Keystone, Snow Summit and many other places, and it has preformed flawlessly.
I found setting up the DVO to be simple... and the OTT (off the top) setting is awesome and allows me to easily adjust from trail to trail if I am hitting smooth park runs and then decide to ride some more technical DH trails like Shlyer at Whistler or Trestle DH. Once I set up the for to my liking, which was simple...I found that the only thing I ever adjust is the OTT.
I didn't notice the added weight of the fork moving from the Fox Forty...I am surprised to read that it is over a pound heavier. It isn't as stiff as the Forty but I think that has actually helped my riding and the flex helps keep my wheel planted. As far as the noise...I did actually notice the added noise...but it who cares!
Yes $2300 is expensive...but the engineering and detail that went into the DVO is well worth it. The performance is amazing and definitely a step above the other forks in your LBS. This is not another off the shelf fork that needs work to get it to preform how it should. You are buying a fork that already has the tune work done to it...no need to send it to Push or whoever your local suspension person is to get more work or upgraded cartridges.
In my opinion...$2300 is well worth it....and I am a cheap bastard!
  • 8 0
 Idk, I'm pretty cheap!
  • 15 0
 I prefer the asthmatic oil slosh sound of the Marz 888 and DVO to the more silent offerings on the market.
  • 4 1
 My BOS shock and my crconception cartridge both make noise. Maybe quality dampers all make noise?
  • 2 0
 I've had multiple boxxers that made plenty of sound on rebound. I don't even know why people complain...
  • 15 0
 I just ordered one of these along with a new Jedi frame..Can't wait until spring to try them out
  • 1 0
 Let me know man! I just picked up a Jedi frame to build up for next season, and I am having a hard time deciding on which fork.
  • 2 1
 Unfortunately I won't be able to give you any input until after the first of the year when the new frame comes in..I can tell you that the Jedi that I am selling felt best with the Dirado, THE 8888 was a close second and the boxxer sucked. From what I have read about the DVO it looks like it's going to have the beginning stroke like the 888 ( plush and smooth) and the control if the Dirado..Best of both worlds..
  • 1 0
 Thanks. A used Dorado is so much more affordable. However, I am headed to Thailand in December and have a buddy there with a bike shop and going to see what type of deal he can get me on an Emerald from their Taiwan neighbor. I spoke with Sean at Canfield and he thinks the world of the DVO on the Jedi.
  • 2 0
 The guys at Canfield love all the forks they run. Whenever I go in there they are always on something new. Perks of it though is that them being a bike co they probably get their stuff tuned from the factory from them. Vin and lance were raging on the suntours a while ago and I think Vin is still shredding the rux
  • 15 2
 I have marshmallows as suspension I find them super plush and when I get board I just eat them and get some new ones there easy to service and not to expensive.
  • 15 6
 I tried the 40 Float last year, and I'm a 230lbs rider, who (like most 230lbs riders) does a wonderful job of going in a straight line. I found the 40 to be lacking in small bump sensativity (apparently the negative spring was too weak for people of my size), and I sold it and went with the Manitou Dorado. Riding the Dorado in the bike park, I freaking love it! It puts all other forks I've ridden to shame, and I'm stoked to ride it again next year.
  • 9 2
 There are five different coil negative springs available for the 40 Air. You seem to be aware of this, so I'm surprised you didn't try maybe, I unno, tuning it?
  • 5 3
 The upgrade came out after I sold the 40 Float. Those were the 3rd set of 40's I have owned (2 previous coil, and were fantastic!) but the Dorados are just better. I bottom them out, but never feel it, and are amazing in the rough stuff
  • 4 0
 Maybe through a Canadian distributor...because those negative springs where available at launch. I'm too light for the stock setup and swapped in a lighter spring.
  • 2 0
 Oh, and the Dorado will leave enough money in you wallet to upgrade the rest of your bike's parts too!

I love mine as well Smile
  • 1 2
 I think you posted on the wrong article, this article is about the DVO Emerald.
  • 12 2
 I'd rather rebuild my Marzocchi Shiver DC. Italian build quality from before Zokes went to crap, and buttery bottomless travel.
  • 7 1
 I agree with you, but in many cases the words Italian and build quality don't exactly go together (any Italian car)
  • 10 1
 Read the 2015 zocchi 350 review on enduro mtb... sounds like the good marz may be back and better than ever
  • 9 0
 I still have my Shiver DC, maybe I can ano the tubes and tell err'one I have a DVO
  • 1 0
 Not as bad as any Chinese car... (the alternative to Italian fork building)
  • 12 10
 The guys that are behind DVO are the dudes from Marzocchi. I don't really trust marzocchi fully yet because they really did lose some of the smartest guys from that company
  • 4 1
 Didn't dvo openly say they get sun tour to build there forks?
  • 6 11
flag biker3335 (Oct 15, 2014 at 21:01) (Below Threshold)
 The dvo guys are like the main guy in marzocchis son or something
  • 12 0
 @dancingwhale - Marzocchi Italy almost went bankrupt because the kept to high quality and testing standards. They were spending too much time and money on delivering great products that too few appreciated. There are many great Italian products, Dainese is an absolute leader in protection when it comes to quality, function and aesthetics. Cars on another hand... Italians (from North) are just good in small scale production.
  • 8 0
 @nmpearson Ride any Marzocchi Dh fork from 2011 onwards (when the 888 RC3 Evo was released). I'm now on a 380, the lightest fork on the market with and amazing initial stroke, solid race platform mid-range and very tunable end stroke. You'll never look at an overpriced over-pampered 40 or a Boxxer again.
  • 3 0
 @thestigmk1 yeah i've ridden them. If you look at the dampers atleast when comparing the dvo, you can def see the similarities. I was just saying that the really smart people that designed everything have left the company. I've been having problems getting tech/warranty stuff working with marzocchi usa. They never are able to help or have any spare parts in stock for any of my customers
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns Totally agree with you there. I have AGV gear, LAS helmet, Campagnolo, and ride a Colnago road bike and Ducati streetbike. The made in Italy Marzocchi's of yesteryear...absolutely top notch products. I'm still very fond of my first Bomber fork and wish they still made the Shiver DC. They have style, character, flair, and have such amazing quality. Never tried Italian autos so can't say anything about those. But even the Italians have caved in to globalization. Most of these companies have a majority of their products made elsewhere (mainly in asia) for cost-cutting and to be competitive with the rest of the industry.
  • 1 0
 @nmpearson I see your point yeh. I am lucky as Windwave in the UK are awesome for support etc. Marz do need to step their game up stateside.
  • 4 0
 Suntour helps us assemble the forks. We engineer, design, test, and oversee every aspect from concept to completion.
  • 14 6
 Just picked up a Marzocchi Shiver DC for $60. Rebound carts are in perfect working order seals don't leak silent with my headphones in and it doesn't have 190 clicks of adjustment! Did I mention I didn't have to sell an organ to buy it?
  • 2 0
 I have one too. It rocks! Simple, solid and supple! Just wish it weighed less!
  • 11 1
 Have you noticed how much praise for DVO dropped as soon as they released the price? What were people expecting when they were chanting so loud for them? Nothing to DVO, just another example how false people are.
  • 5 0
 To bring that into perspective Waki, I'm willing to bet 90% of the people on here who were chanting for DVO are actually not in the market (nor in the target market, i.e. - people who race or ride DH and have money to do so) for a high end fork.
  • 3 0
 It's true, I'd love to have one, but they've priced it out of my range. So I'll just keep running my Shiver, though I've thought about trying to retrofit a 'zocchi compression damper to it, like one out of the 888 RC2 or similar.

But realistically, that fork is sitting in the closet ATM, because modern 160mm bikes allow me to do almost everything I did on a DH bike 10 years ago. Much more likely to give DVO money for a diamond (or possible inverted single crown.)
  • 3 0
 I have a shiver SC and I think stiff forks are for little girls.
  • 1 3
 I think you posted on the wrong article, this article is about the DVO Emerald.
  • 4 3
 You're gonna ride DH on a 14+ year old fork that you payed $60 bucks for?
  • 4 0
 We tend to agree with ya darkstar
  • 4 1
 yeah why wouldn't I if the fork still works? I picked up a shiver a while back for $100 and rode it with zero issues. I'm not racing or competing so I cant justify spending $2k on a fork when I can ride virtually the same on a fork that cost $600 or in my case $60. The Emeralds are sweet looking and I would love to ride a set someday!
  • 4 0
 therook110 - There is only one problem with the synthesis of your idea that Emerald is unnecessary to exist on earth because a 14yr old Shiver suffices for you - there are not enough Shivers for all of us - buahahah Big Grin So... as with all idea like yours - enjoy it, and don't tell anyone. Someone has to buy new forks so that people like you can buy them on second hand market for pennies. I won't buy their Enduro fork because I tend to buy barely used 3 year old forks for 30% of original MSRP, but I am genuinely thankful to everyone who eill buy it first hand and will barely ride it (and service it often).

As to DVO - I think it is a kind of compliment that people still use your fork after 14years and they are happy with them. Not many people can say that about 32 Boxxers, pre 2010 Fox 40s Travises or Shermans DC.
  • 4 0
 One of the main reasons a 14 year old Shiver is still going strong is that fact it has a lot of oil in it. The concern we have riding a 14 year old fork is the fatigue factor. You don't have any prior knowledge of previous use or "crashes" and metal does have a limited fatigue life no matter who made it, just want everyone to be safe.
  • 1 0
 Thanks for the response DVO you guys really seem like you care about what people say be it negative neutral or positive! I completely understand the fatigue factor that you have to consider when buying second hand, which is why I'm very picky if/when I do buy second hand. Since you guys produce a USD fork right now, are there any specific areas I should pay attention to that may fatigue faster than others? I'm personally not worried about the fork since I do know the original owner, know the fork saw less than a season of use, and was stashed away due to stripped bolt heads that were in the crown.
  • 8 2
 Ya know since you're relying on the hub axle to really tie the lowers together more than those carbon guards, why not use a stiffer material axle ? If you're insistent on the weight savings of Aluminium... you could always use a metal matrix composite instead... virtually the same density but far stronger and stiffer. If Specialized could make frame tubes and stems out of it TWENTY THREE YEARS AGO, surely now DVO can make an axle from it.

For example... Materion AMC225XE T4 Aluminum/Silicon Carbide MMC is basically 25% (by volume) silicon carbine ceramic particle reinforced 2124 alloy, with a density only slightly greater than 7075 aluminium alloy (0.104 Ibs/cubic inch vs 0.102 Ibs/cubic inch), a third greater tensile strength, good machinability, and most importantly for a hub axle, 60% greater stiffness. For the price tag of a DVO fork, they could have splurged on the axle and done more for the wheel stiffness than that carbon guard does.
  • 6 0
 yea but what has a higher cool factor, a Materion AMC225XE T4 Aluminum/Silicon Carbide MMC axle or a CARBON! TORSION! ARCH!!!!!
  • 12 0
 Baxter. You know I don't speak spanish
  • 5 0
 an m2 stumpjumper came into the shop after falling off the rack on the interstate and being stuck dead on by a semi. thing just looked nuts - everything bent and folded except the frame. the frame was dead straight with no cracks. i told him 'sorry, it's fine.' true story
  • 1 0
 I completely agree. I have no doubt you could make an axle that would improve stigpffness by over 25% and not weigh 300 grams more. Even without exotic materials. But it would be cool to see what could be done with Materion or Liquidmetal.
  • 3 1
 I dont think the axle flexing is the issue, more so it slipping within the drop out.
  • 3 1
 I heard about the arch thing a while ago, then I felt one. That arch is so fucking stiff it's unbelievable
  • 5 0
 That's the reason manitou has hexagonal dropouts.
  • 6 2
 lmao this nigga think he some sorta space age chemist
  • 2 0
 Then it would be even more expensive! I would compromise
  • 2 1
 Deeeight: the axle isn't where the torsional flex comes from.
  • 1 0
 Where does the torsional flex come from?
  • 1 1
 wow Deeeight you must be an engineer.......or just French!!
  • 2 1
 And yet they tell us the brace, secured at the dropouts next to the axle, acts as a torsion spring to stiffen the fork. If the legs aren't twisting in torsion at the dropouts, then where exactly is the flex coming into the fork?
  • 1 0
 @deeeight well the flex could just be the legs because they aren't linked like a conventional fork, but I guess the axle would have something to do with it. I don't think the axle material would change much.
  • 1 0
 A material 60% stiffer when you're limited to meeting existing axle dimension standards for the same weight would make a huge difference. It would be the same as stepping up to a 23mm axle diameter. Hell you could achieve the same using a titanium axle or even better with a steel axle. Of course a better way to go would be to use the same internals layout as Lefty forks... square channels riding on four columns of roller bearings...poof, no twisting.
  • 11 1
 Kermit would be proud
  • 7 0
 Ride one for 10 months. Really the best plow fork ever and the sound is more like Darth Vader. Lost 10lb - so weight is not an issue....
  • 1 0
 Exactly!
  • 5 1
 Boxxer: The weight AND performance of an XC fork!

But seriously people. I ahve 2 of the exact same bike, one with a dorado, and one with an Emerald. The emerald blows away the Dorado. Period. This is after a summer of hundreds of thousands of vertical feet at Whistler and the California resorts. (And the Dorado blows the doors off a boxxer, 40, and 888, dunno about the 380).
  • 3 0
 Hit the nail on the head. Period
  • 1 0
 I modded fox 36 skf seals to fit my Dorados and it's amazing how much smoother the fork is now.
  • 3 0
 I purchased this fork for my M9 and really like it. The factory support is top notch, and the fork works great. A lot more tuneable than the fox 40 I removed (although I liked it as well). The initial plushness was what I was after, and it delivers. Also when jumping it doesnt do anything funny on the face of a jump and bottom out resistance is good, even when over jumping something. I say its a good product. I got it new for 1900 bucks.
  • 2 0
 Thanks for the support!
  • 5 2
 I enjoyed my Dorado that i had, one of the best forks i been on. Easy to service and the customer service was amazing , plus you get a free service the first time. If you guys want all the thrills and little extras that DVO is hyping up, simple get your stuff sent to Avy. Craig is the man, honest, and knows his stuff and has been around for a long time doing it all. I will also say that he probably has better and more knowledge and experience then these guys do. Companies like DVO feed off the people that are willing to blow their money away , and thats why prices have inflated so much due to supply and demand. I dont mind paying for quality but i do live in reality and dont fall for the marketing bs.
  • 3 1
 And to add to that, no matter how well DVO designs their cartridge (which seems average anyways), it has to be set up for a general rider . On the other hand, an Avalanche kit will be tuned for your skill, weight and terrain making it work for YOU. The mountain bike community is slowly learning this, there is a reason there are many big suspension tuners in the MX industry that do custom tuning/valving as a full time job.
  • 2 1
 We feed off people willing to blow their money? That's a pretty bold statement.
  • 1 2
 Take it as you wish, im sure you have a great product but there are other products just as great and i personally prefer a fully tuned custom setup to my weight and riding style rather then blowing my money away on a general modified setting.

I understand, small company just starting up, costs are expensive , R&D , employees, material, rent , profits, etc. But if you can justify and convince me as to why i should spend that type of coin on your fork rather then a custom setup then i would gladly purchase it for your price.
  • 2 2
 Aedubber..The compression stack is set up to be easily adjusted so the need to send your fork off to a custom shop is not needed.You can customize it yourself if needed.
  • 4 3
 The damper isn't set up for a general use/rider. It's based on the feedback ins input from CG. If anything it's a bit on the burley side. Not sure where you're getting your info on our set ups but it's really out in left field.
  • 2 2
 Okay and what you are saying is really left field as well. So you are saying it's not a general setup but it's designed from feedback from the rider but that rider is not me or anyone else here . We all have different riding styles and terrain .. Again I'm sure you have a great product I'm not sold on the hype.
  • 2 1
 So aedubber, is it " a great product "( as you put it ) or not?? Jackass..
  • 1 1
 I'm sure it's a good product , just not $2300 good. Why are you so offended by my own opinion ? Jackass......
  • 1 1
 no just your nonsense
  • 2 1
 You sound pretty butt hurt, oh well. Nonsense to you but my opinion so too bad. I have experience with different forks and custom kits from Craig at Avy racing, worked amazingly for me and plenty of people that race. You can be an idiot that over pays for something, your money not mine but i prefer function over looks. I have been plenty happy with what i have ridden on and it works for me.
  • 3 1
 Good for you douche
  • 2 1
 Avalanche MTN-8 fork retails for $3200, and yes I've used their AVA Advantage carttridge in a Boxxer.
  • 3 0
 As im a proud owner of Avalanche cartridge and i'll promote Craig is the man Smile and Avalanche definitely gives you better support outstanding performance durability and tuning according to your needs heey i forgot to mention everything that on a very reasonable prise ..... Wink
  • 3 1
 As aedubber said, we are not CG, so no matter how well it is set up for him, that doesn't mean it will work for us. Terrain, ability, speed, weight and geometry all will affect how the fork needs to be set up. So even if the stock product is good, a custom tuned one will be better. So the $500 saved over this can be put into a kit or tune and the end result will be better damping performance than the Emerald. And if you think you can pop the loader out and modify it as good, you are in for a shock. There is a reason so many professional tuners exist in the MX, ATV and sportbike worlds that do it for a living. Sometimes making it stiffer makes it softer. It isn't a simple concept and takes time and experience with hundreds or thousands of forks and shocks worked on to understand. And those people are still learning and adjusting how they do it.
  • 2 2
 Kc358. There are a few things In your statement that I disagree with. First, all manufacturers set up their base settings using feedback from their sponsored pro riders,so why should DVO be any different. Second, You have a couple of options when it comes to modifying the loader. You could call DVO and talk to them about how you want The fork to handle and they can set you up with the proper shims or you could send the loader to them and they can modify it for you. I dealt with the guys at DVO when they were with Marzocchi and they can custom tune suspension as well as anybody. Its not like they are just going to throw a bunch of shims at you and tell you to figure it out on your own.
  • 1 1
 ok CG is the man but why he is sponsored to do that do you believe his results in DH ware improved since he went on DVO stuff how many riders on WC are riding DVO DH stuff how many are on the podium if there any at all. The world is Marzocchi, Boxxer, Fox, and few Boss so far. I don't believe any rider will sacrifice his career to go with DVO emerald on the WC. So far if you can afford expensive forks why don't you buy Marzocchi 380 its also shimstack tunable has everything you need and its the lightest on the market so far, and has a chic colours too. The other question is boutique cartridge stuff full of options and affordable price.
Recently i rode the new Boxxer Charger and i can tell you its far away from perfect still spike and ruff that's why Craig from Avalanche offer's Charger Update for the new Boxxer so you choose but be wise Razz
  • 1 0
 I have had work done by Avalanche and I was happy with what they did for me . I just would rather not have to send a suspension part out for service if I don't have to. The price for the DVO originally put me off as well. If you look in the right places and do your homework you can land some pretty sweet deals. I am getting an Emerald for less than any of the other forks you have listed. Honestly, if your paying full price for any of your components then you're doing it wrong.
  • 1 0
 well im not the man how is keen on marketing tricks this type of spells do not work on me Smile i did my homework long time ago when i ordered just the cartridge,self install and im keen to do it myself its not a rocket science to put some shims on here and there and use my brain what to do its a simple physics and a bit of testing and since the work is done you feel better then ever Wink no more words to say for a small price and a good will i can convert the baddy into a WC level tool Wink
  • 3 0
 Everyone bitchin' about weight? How about less fatigue? I'll gladly trade a 1.5 lb. for a more comfortable day riding with less arm pump and hand fatigue. If we want to talk weight most people carry 5-10 lbs. of beer gut around with them. I know I could easily lose 10 lbs.
  • 8 5
 After trying this fork out and trying to tune it to feel as good as other top forks, I couldn't. The knobs were annoying to use, not very easy, and not very noticeable on change unless you cranked it. Ive set up plenty of bikes and that fork was by far the most difficult to deal with. Usually a Fox or Boxxer will feel ok right out of the box and even better with tuning, not this DVO!

With a 27.5" wheel attached it was so damn heavy and sluggish in the front end. I hated how the fork would dive even with it adjusted as stiff as possible and the flex on the fork is just scary. After being a mechanic and a DH racer for years, this is literally scary. I dont understand what the "torsion arch" does except look really cool while its flexing. If you hold the whee parallel to the frame with your legs and grab the bars, you can turn the bars so far with out moving the wheel. Even more than a Dorado that I tried right next to it. That's brand new out of the box and its very noticeable when riding which is scary after hopping off my boxxer fork. Cant remember seeing any Emeralds at Red Bull Rampage but I saw tons of Boxxers!

Fork looks cool, flexes too much, is too heavy, and is hard to tune even with experience with suspension. Also very expensive compared to a spring/oil fox 40 or boxxer which is easily found under 1000$. Going to be hard to sell I think but keep pushing guys. The Jade rear shock felt great right off the bat and looks great though but wasn't the same story with the fork
  • 5 1
 Where did you try the 27.5 DVO? We just started shipping these versions and not many are out there. The ride characteristics that you explained are contrary to the performance goals of the Emeralds design so it may of been set up very poorly. In regards to not seeing the Emerald at Ramoage....we don't have a lot of rampage style athletes yet, but in no way should that be considered a validation of how well a product works.
  • 2 0
 In Southern California. Ive tried the fork on two bikes, one being a 951 which was new with the Jade in the rear. I spent hours tuning this fork to the point where my fingers were sore, made sure the fork had the proper oil level, and it still would never feel that much more responsive. I never was wow'd to the point that I would want to spend over 2000$ on a fork that weighs so much. I just don't understand why someone would besides if they really like the color. It never felt like the fork would use all the travel and it was sluggish and heavy feeling. You can usually get a fork to feel a lot better out of the box by taking it apart and using better fluid mix, slick honey, etc. but not this. It was hard to make it feel that much better and Im back to the 2015 Boxxer now with a lot more confidence riding and the knobs dont hurt to turn along with the easy adjustability slimmed down to a few knobs where almost anyone could buy the fork, slap it on, and tune it better than what I think you could get an Emerald to feel like. I though the rear shock felt really good initially but my fox shock feels great and has always worked so I dont see myself changing for any other reason than the color again. Did I say how much scary flex there is? I really couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it flex, maybe I just set it up poorly..
  • 1 0
 I can imagine you were on a demo bike which probably needed some love, we have seen a few of these bikes and they were in the need of a tune up.
  • 5 0
 What other fork company will come into a thread and talk to the costumer and answer every question? That alone says alot about them.
  • 3 0
 Thank you! The bottom line is that we care about how people feel regardless if it's negative or positive, there's something to learn and take note of for future designs.
  • 3 0
 DVO- Rode your fork on a Demo 8 on a PNW shuttle day. The setup was for someone 40# lighter and with a very different style and I still thought it felt magic. The plushness created great traction in every situation I threw at it. Thanks for making a fork for people who like to adjust everything and then offering parts and support to your customers. Stoked for your next products!
  • 3 0
 Lots of interesting comments here, so I figured as an emerald owner I might chime in with my observations. I have a 2013 carbon demo that came with a horrible base boxxer (whatever it's called, feels like a broken piece of wood). I found myself shuttling my small bike due to my hate for this fork. One thing led to another and I bought an emerald. It is the single fanciest mtb component I have ever owned. It completly transformed my bike. suddenly I wanted to ride my dh bike all of the time. It just mows over obstacles. Which is very convenient for my imprecise riding style. another thing I found is that now my hands hurt a lot less than they did before.

When I first put them on I found that the first ~1.5" of travel was very soft, smooth and stiction free but then that they ramped up quickly and would always sit in this zone and be overly firm. Apparently some people find this to be ideal but I did not. Over time I worked out that I needed to run lower pressure than recommend and increase the compression dampening. Now they are smooth and progressive right through the travel like an old 888 but don't dive, jack down or suffer the oil migration issue of the 888.

The DVO guys were at crankworx and were very helpful with set up, etc. Other than the sticker shock I think these forks are mint. I love them and they will go on the front of whatever bike I get next. The performance of the fork is way more important than the frame/shock imho.
  • 2 0
 Had the exact same issue with mine- and the exact same solution. It's weird what the recommended settings where.And that the the shock pumps are all off alot . I would had expected a replacement by now since they know of this issue. But , beside that, it's absolutely amazing. 33.70 lb build with this fork!
  • 19 16
 I would not recommend the Emerald to anyone. The performance never outweighed the price and weight, and mine had a harsh knock on top out that I couldn't get to go away, not to mention the oil levels were way off from the factory. I sold mine within a month of owning it. Spend your money on something tried and true.
  • 10 11
 You should have called them and got it figured out... Simple as replacing a bumper..... Your loss
  • 14 5
 yes because you should need to call to figure out all factory issues after buying a $2300 fork. I called, had my LBS call, it never got sorted out. A "bumper" isn't going to take 2 lbs off the fork either. DVO has their marketing down to a science but thats it.
  • 9 4
 I agree its a drag to have a brand new fork with an issue, but manufacturing isn't always perfect. I would imagine its pretty damn hard to get 100% perfection. All I'm saying is that you're missing out over something so trivial... and really a pound heavier? who gives a shit I'm sure you really noticed the weight difference.
  • 8 6
 It is 2 lbs heavier than my current Marzocchi 380, and yes its noticeable. I've tried every major fork out there and the DVO would be at the bottom of the list. This is simply my opinion. Yes 100% perfection is impossible but even Pinkbike's first test fork had a seal issue. If you love yours, great. There are just much better options in my opinion.
  • 5 3
 Fair enough, I disagree
  • 5 2
 Dan255,
You sold it within a month? I am interested to hear how you arrived at that decision so quickly.
  • 11 8
 I love people who hate equipment because of a lbs. or 2 of weight. go ride XC if you're that conscious about weight. You're riding a lift, you sally. An extra couple of lbs. aint affecting your riding when its gravity fed... unless you're WC and your career depends on it or you've never been on a bike beyond 3 years ago. Otherwise, you're just being a spoiled sunt about it. There's always one like this dude when a "new" tech is attempting to become the norm in mtbing. Just wait, 5 years, single crown inverts will be common place. Take his review and my opinion with a grain of salt.
  • 7 1
 the dude didn't like the fork give him a break. It really just sounds like your angry for no reason and are blowing it on this poor guy while making fork prophecies haha. Go ride your bike and calm down, its nice to hear from someone who has actually ridden the fork. Im sure you haven't.
  • 3 8
flag scott-townes (Oct 15, 2014 at 22:09) (Below Threshold)
 Relax, its the internet. I guess you missed the last bit where I said take my opinion with a grain of salt. And its not unusual for bikers to think of others as weak or senseless for caring so much if their gravity bike is a lbs. or 2 heavier... I honestly think you're a pussy if that matters that much to you and I know plenty of others who think the same but wouldn't openly write that on a public forum. And I ride my bike plenty, just not at 10:30-11:00 at night on the cusp of winter, thank you. Smile
  • 5 0
 If a company advertised that one of their quality control people, whether for a fork, set of wheels, frame, brakes…whatever, took every product they made out for one or two laps on their local trail or bike park to make sure they were good to go, I think I’d be more apt to buy from them. (yes I realize it’d be way too cost prohibitive but still…) I’ve lost a lot of time riding because of new, faulty components that should’ve never left the factory. Let’s just say I’m a fan of everything SRAM except for their brakes because they’re hit or miss…in my experience, always a miss. The attitude of “your loss’ because you don’t hound a company to fix their product is backward. It’s THEIR loss; a loss in not just a sale, but reputation and probably more sales. Reputations are earned as Fox found out in 2013 with their 34s as well did Rockshox with the Pike.
  • 6 0
 Scott, while I would agree that 1.5 or 2 lbs in total weight isn't a huge deal, but I have a fairly light carbon DH bike and the last thing I want to do is hang 2 extra pounds off the front of it. Placing 2 extra pounds up front is a different thing than equally distributing 2 extra pounds over the entire bike. This would for sure make a light or semi-light bike ride funny.
  • 3 2
 I find a lot of bikes have a rearward weight bias, so it might not be as noticeable as you'd think.
  • 9 0
 @scott-townes obviously you didn't comprehend what I said. So I'll say it again. The fork is no better than the other top of the line options out there, and the performance doesn't justify the weight and price. But I guess what I should have done was rode the fork so Scott "I don't give a shit about weight cuz I've been riding since Tomac was king" townes doesn't call me a sally or a pussy. I sure wouldn't want his buddies that won't write it on a public forum to think any less of me either. I should've drank the kool-aid and dealt with all of the problems to end up with a 2 lb heavier Dorado because I want to support the "new tech". I do race and I was interested in the tunability but it just didn't do it for me. Like I said, there are better options.
  • 3 3
 Dan255: If you really owned one and you and those issues we are really sorry. Did you contact Us to work through the problems?
  • 3 6
 Dan if you expected the first real attempt at a modern inverted fork to be the best out there, then 2 grand must have been nothing for you to drop. You'd figure if you were going to spend that much money, you would have actually researched the fork or at least tested it out. If you did have it, it stands to reason you would have put some effort into making the thing work properly instead of going, "ah crap, screw it, month later, selling it at a few hundred buck loss, oh well. its junk". But yes, sorry, I think weight weenies like you are funny and yea its hard to not see you as spoiled after seeming to blindly drop that much cash on a fork only to give up on it so quickly, based on what sounds to be silly issues. The company does seem to be very easy to approach... hell, they just commented above and seems they would have been more than happy to help you through whatever issues you were supposedly having.
  • 3 0
 @scott-townes I never said I spent $2300 on the fork, I said it IS a $2300 fork. For what I got it for I figured it was worth a shot to see if it lived up to the hype. For me, it didn't. I got it working decently once I had the oil levels within spec, and sold it for a very low price and didn't take a loss. I didn't think the price I paid for it mattered. It seems that you really want to love this fork though, so you should definitely try it for yourself. It seems that a lot of people on here love them, whether they tell themselves they love them to justify how much they spent, or they actually do love them, I don't know. Mine was probably from one of the first batches since I had it back in January, so maybe by now they've gotten their quality control together.
  • 2 1
 You're a lucky fuck then, haha. Yeah first batch I can see there being an issue, thankfully its seems you were one of only ones who had a bad experience with them. Anyways, you hooked someone up with an insane deal and that's tight! Personally I'd never spend MSRP on any bike-related gear which is why I'm waiting for the lower cost stuff to come out... hopefully eventually a long travel single crown if possible. Until then, just waiting to get my hands on some demo gear equipped with this. Basing this tech. on what they use for moto, I'm super excited and not surprised at all by the test results.
  • 8 0
 3490 grams = 7.7 pounds
  • 6 2
 Yeah, that seems awfully heavy to me for something so high end, especially when there are so many offerings from the competition at better prices and weights, not to mention the DVO performance was no better than anything already available (Dorado).
  • 10 2
 wouldnt even consider buy this fork
  • 8 0
 The new boxxer is 5.5 , the DVO is over 2 pounds heavier. I like DVO but damn that's hard to overlook.
  • 6 6
 honestly, fork weight doesnt matter aslong as its sub 8lbs. The extra oil, extra bushing overlap, I think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages here, just not if you're a gram counter. Personally I could give less of a fuck aslong as my bike isn't over 40-42 lbs or so. Bike weight is negligable to downhill performance with how light bikes are now, I dont even know if I'd want a sub 39 lb bike under me riding downhill.
  • 3 3
 Yeah but it's so much more then fox, marzo and rockshox it's not going to compete with the big 3 suspension company's
  • 8 2
 Really, you think there is more than the existing products? I include the now fringe brands like Manitou and Marzocchi, the once go to brands before Fox existed and when Rock Shox sucked.
The DVO fork is an upgraded version of the Shiver, which is a fork Marzocchi last made in 2005, it worked well, but the problem was it was too heavy (DVO still seems to have the same issue) and it was too expensive to make (DVO is much more expensive then the competition). So in the end, nothing has really changed. The same people, making the same fork, with the same issues?
  • 2 0
 ^too expensive to make? only manufacturing difference would be billet upper tubes done on a lathe vs cast mag lowers(for the shiver, obv dvo has the cta also which you can bet is a big reason for the high price tag). Don't assume so much tonestar, there is no performance comparison drawn in this review aside from a few remarks comparing chassis stiffness to the fox 40. Sounds to me like you see an inverted fork and assume they're all the same. Saying its an upgraded version of the shiver is along the lines of saying my boxxer is an upgraded version of what palmer ran at the worlds in 96.
  • 6 0
 Game, there's a ton of more manufacturing cost in the Emerald than say a fox 40 or a boxer and honestly speaking those forks should be a lot lower in price when you really look at how cheap it is to produce them, especially at higher production volumes.
  • 3 0
 "The Carbon Torsion Arch (CTA) that joins the two legs isn't structurally integral, meaning that in theory the fork could be run sans-arch without any trouble, although after hearing DVO's claim that the arch improves torsional stiffness by 25% we couldn't find any reason to remove it."

25%…. that's gotta be crap?
  • 2 0
 Yes, it most likely is crap. They were saying 50% in the beginning. The arch is attached by 4 tiny screws, close together, at the bottom of the fork. Have seen guys running them without it, no worries at all. Go figure.
  • 1 0
 Definitely not crap hillatoppa, the CTA acts as a torsion spring, that means as the torsion load increases, so does the resistance. Under extreme torsional forces, the CTA can increase the stiffness by more than 50%.
  • 1 0
 I was skeptical when I first heard it. Then I felt the arch. I couldn't even move it by hand
  • 1 0
 @DVO, is there any data available to back this up?
  • 1 0
 Yes we have a lot of data. We wouldn't of just spent a year of engineering time designing it along with a huge financial commitment. You can feel it by hand, simple flex the CTA and initially it's compliant then it gets progressively stiffer. That's in the intended design which allows for traction but when the forces increase so does the stiffness.
  • 1 0
 Ummm, clever marketing maybe but the legs themselves will load in torsion also on any inverted fork getting progressively stiffer... that's how torsion bar suspension works... but most folks would rather have a stiffer fork to begin with, and you still haven't answered anyone's complaints about the weight for the price tag.
  • 3 0
 If its too expensive don't buy it. Or get a second job. Easy as pie.

I wonder:
What percentage of people who think its too much still buy a 40 or Boxxer then dump the extra $500-$600 into a tune kit such as push or avalanche?

It seems like whether you get this product or spend the money on other parts at the end of the year you will have spent the money on your bike no matter what. Spend $6000 on a bike and $2000 on a fork, $7000 on a bike and $1000 on wheels or $6000 on a bike, $500 on a helmet, $1500 travel expenses. Come year end all the money spent still gets spent supporting the bicycle addiction.
  • 4 1
 If you look around you can find them a lot cheaper than $2300. I just bought a used one for $1200 haven't used it yet though. After riding a Boxxer RC for years I'll be looking forward to less arm pump and hand lock!
  • 2 0
 I love the sound of the oil movement.
My stock boxxer RC was silent and a piece of crap.
I threw in an avalanche cartridge it makes whoosh sounds and preforms just incredible.
My buddy new 888 far out preforms his r2c2 it replaced in his opinion.
Open bath is the way to go IMO.
I would ride an emerald if I could afford one but I cant. Doesn't change my thoughts towards the company at all. I wasn't in their target maret.
The fact they reply to comments and questions speaks loads about their customer service.
Everyone I spoke to at whistler this year riding one all said a variation of "I love this fork it's much better than my previous ___!"
  • 2 0
 Couple notes on the Emerald.

Some background: I came from a pretty well tuned Marz 380. Have done a couple laps on a Fox 40 Air and mostly ride SoCal trails (rocks, loose, tech, and a bunch of jumps at the local park (Snow Summit))

This forks reminds me of the CCDB in that it is extremely adjustable and comes with the backing of a great company that has done their research and provide their customers with a ton of information on set-up and "how-to".

The Off The Top (OTT) is great and has made the fork nearly as plush in the initial stroke as my coil sprung Marz 380.

The fork tracks incredibly when it is dialed in. I've been able to do a click here and there and the thing works great in a variety of conditions!

People are talking weight a lot, but it is not really noticeable, even coming directly from a lighter fork. Also talking "loud". Its slightly loud only if you are jumping up and down in the parking lot, if you are worried about it being loud on the trail you probably shouldn't be riding this fork anyway.

Looks awesome!!!

Issues:
- Had to change out the negative spring (that is all better with the current forks though)
- The range of adjustment is all really close to the "full open", but that could be my weight and it still is sufficient
- The air pump that came with it was quite a bit off
- Expensive

Conclusion: Worth it! Great fork!
  • 2 0
 i rode with a guy two weeks ago that was rockin the DVO. The kid works at a bike shop and was an obvious tech geek. He said its the most badass thing he's ever ridden. I never heard any squishy sounds from it either. Maybe all the haters should really find a different hobby. Internet trash talking is so enduro. Like rainbow flag waving, pride parade marching lame.
  • 10 8
 You get what you pay for, and the Emerald delivers on every aspect. Until you have beat the living shit out of it for days on end you can't appreciate what a bad ass fork it is. Beg borrow and steal if you have to... You're missing out if your riding anything else.
  • 1 0
 Thank you for the support!
  • 6 4
 Wow..there's a lot of crying going on about a pound of weight..I thought the downhill community was tougher than that..I guess I'll be seeing a lot of spandex on the trail next year by the sound of it.If you want to be a weight weinie go ride xc..
  • 4 0
 With the price point where it is, they will never challenge Fox and RS. They'll be niche, like BOS. Great products, but not all that viable for the everyday rider.
  • 7 5
 Very positive review! DVO is not for every one. These forks are for people that want a no BS no Hype fork that is ready for them every time they go for a ride. Boxxers and 40s need servicing at least twice a year if you are a bonnefied hard core shredder. I have trashed plenty of forks but not my Shivers or my old school Marz forks. The review reminds me of how my Shivers perform. Only I dont have half the adjusments on my fork. Im certain you can get a better deal from your LBS but forks of this caliber cost big bucks. In this case you are paying for quality.
  • 1 0
 Thanks!
  • 3 1
 I would say it's probly closer to the design of the Foes F-1 but with a ton more tweeks. I just went from my old Foes F-1 fork to a boxxer and all I can say is Rock Shox have not really changed they still are the biggest piece's of crap around. I love the inverted style. Also who really cares about the weight your GOING DOWNHILL. I mean really If I would have the 2300+ to drop on this fork it would be on my bike.
  • 2 0
 As an owner of a Manitou Dorado, and a card-carrying member of the I LOVE GREEN club, I'm wondering why no comparison was made to the aforementioned Dorado...?
Both the Fox and the Boxxer are RSU, thus feel totally different than a USD. A comparison to the Dorado would've at least painted a clearer picture for those of us who own/have ridden Dorados.
One last thing... USD forks on motorcycles are stiffer than RSU forks, mainly due to the the diameter of the outer tubes.
Why is it the opposite on mountain bikes?
  • 3 0
 Weird review. There is more to read in the comment section then in the article. A fork is only as good as the tune. Do a proper review when Dvo sets you up with diffrent tunes and test. Maybe you did? if so mentiont it
  • 5 0
 Dark side+dvo=I could only wish I had the money
  • 4 1
 we just need to buy from the companies that make the stuff that works. no way am i taking a chance on a 2300 dollar part from a company that just "showed up"
  • 5 0
 We have been making suspension for over two decades but collectively with all our employees with have 80 plus years in this business. DVO is a new company but this isn't out first rodeo.
  • 1 3
 ok that makes me feel better. ill buy one
  • 3 0
 keystone, no need to be a dick about it. If you don't buy one the sun will still come up tomorrow
  • 2 0
 im sure that makes DVO feel better too. i do dig the green color though. its about time someone used an actual color on their forks and shocks
  • 3 0
 For some reason some people like be a dick on the Internet. It's kinda like being an exhibitionist behind closed doors! Fortunately we have pretty thick skin!
  • 4 0
 DVO i am proud of u guys for breaking in to the mtb market with products that look very stunning. i must say i have never tried any of your products but i am sure they are tested well, and stand up to abuse otherwise you would never attempt to sell one. that being said, it is hard for me to walk away from a proven design and jump on board with a relatively new product. especially for 2300 bucks. it is a matter of commitment and 2 grand is a commitment no matter who u are. if you guys are designing and building these things here in the U.S. i would seriously consider buying one purely for the faith i have in U.S. made products. and i will admit this, replying to these posts is a definate proof of commitment on your end so i take back what i posted earlier. thanks for taking the time to hear people.
  • 1 0
 dont knock em till you have tried them,,, they are a good fork, they perform well and feel every bit as good as the bos fork they replaced, and in my opinion bos make the best dampers on the market, price wasnt to bad got my fork in canada so saved 800 quid, and weight is the same as the fork it replaced so thats not an issue either, my dh bike weighs 35lb, not to heavy really for a dh bike...
  • 1 0
 This fork is also great for any rider under 140lbs. The tune-ability allows for a broad spectrum of rider sizes and riding styles. I can't speak for Rock Shox but a Fox 40 is not going to function properly for someone who should run less than 50psi.
  • 2 0
 What? Where in te world did you get this info?
  • 1 0
 buying this fork, given the other options out there just doesn't make sense. if you make a direct comparison and assess overall performance, this fork does come on top. it is heavier and much more expensive. id does look badass though, but so does a dorado
  • 1 0
 this is insane. i have a marzocchi shiver 48 on my motocross bike and i believe they cost around 1600. plus i just bought a marzocchi 44 for 200 and rebuilt and bumped the travel out to 140 and it works awesome. i just don't think i could ever slap 2300 bones on the front of my mountain bike.
  • 1 0
 Probably produced in larger numbers, plus I dont think they include axle, steer tube, crowns or leg guards with the shiver 48
  • 1 0
 probably true, still that's a lot of money!
  • 1 0
 I had one of the First Emeralds in Germany and i can say shes not Worth the Money. As i can say she was way to Heavy and the Rebound was too slow even fully Open. A friend got a Suspension Center and we checked the Fork out from every side. The Arch gives not much Stiffness (not worth the 450g he have) I have also riden some selfmade Dorado Forks from him and I ride now a Dorado Pro and i can say the Fork is much Better than the Emerald. More Sensible way not so heavy and for a way better Price. An Air Fork at this weight makes no sense. Even so much Oil. DVO have great Marketing but the Fork isnt worth that price absolutly not.
  • 1 0
 Hey DVO, since you're the same folks that created the Shiver how about releasing some aftermarket replacement guards and decals or a fancy carbon arch. Them guards are a hard find for us who still run them since they never seem to give out. Can't believe a 2002 fork still feels so plush and the stanchions arent rubbed raw. That shows how durable the emerald will be. That alone is well worth the cost.
  • 1 0
 Bos idylle RaRe is also expensive and I don't see such a controversial discussion over it's performance. it is also very conservative in the looks department. No flashy stanchion colors, plain black lowers. I rode Boxxer WC, fox float and I love the RaRe.
  • 6 3
 Is the asthmatic sound similar to some of the older Marz forks? Seldom is noise factored in a review that didn't result in a crack or something.
  • 7 0
 Yes it's weird he pointed that out as an issue. We generally consider the sound of oil flowing through the valves as music.
  • 1 0
 The reasons boxxers are so light are that they have skinny legs and more importantly don't contain much oil. I believe the selling points of dvo are looks, service interval and tunability in that order. I'd buy one over a fox or rockshox if I wanted a dual crown fork.
I'm more interested in dvo's usd single crown though. When is that coming out?
  • 7 2
 Over hyped Over priced Over weight
  • 5 1
 DVO what ever you do dont give in to the whiny cheap twits that want a lighter and cheaper fork.
  • 3 1
 Lol, agreed!
  • 3 0
 Can't believe the amount of hypocrisy there is from the seemingly "DH" crowd on here. Well then again I am not surprised.

It's unfortunate that there is so much negative criticism from them. But it is fortunate that the truly negative ones have never touched or ridden the fork. Lol
From what I have gathered, is that those who have ridden it love it, and those who have not ridden it like to bitch about it. Bunch of bitches.
  • 2 1
 We have been running DVO for a year, and love them. We have not had a single problem or issue. Set it up, and run it! I have always had someone pick up the phone when I've called, and open the door when I've stopped in.
  • 2 0
 At this price and weight, it doesn't matter how good it is… Never had issues with my Boxxer that weighs a lil more than a 40 and cost me 400€… lol
  • 3 0
 Funny how the comments section goes on FOREVER when it's something expensive
  • 1 0
 650b gave the consumer market trust issues
  • 1 0
 No it didn't... because pinkbike doesn't represent much of the consumer market at all... even if EVERY single registered member ever, including the dozens of scammer accounts made everyday, were 650B haters, that's less than a percentage point of the world mountain bike consumer market. In canada alone there are about a quarter million bicycles purchased each year, and the active commenting/polling membership count of pinkbike is maybe 1/10th of that. At this moment there are 1,602 registered users online out of a claimed 800k total membership (going back to the site founding over a decade ago).
  • 1 1
 German BIKE magazine did a test of the Emerald this summer. They checked torsional stiffness with and without the carbon arch. Difference was around only 5%... In comparison it was about 30% stiffer than a Dorado but 30% less than the established 40's, Boxxer, BOS etc.... German WC Rider Johannes Fischbach tested them on track and was'nt really impressed... too heavy.
  • 1 0
 Euro bitches
  • 1 0
 Looks to me that the torsion arch could have been designed to work as a basic mud guard too. Now it just takes the place of ah-so-well-functioning piece of bendable plastic and some tiny velcros.
  • 11 9
 Really, a complaint about fork noise? Is there really a rider that exists to be so dense to worry about something so trivial?
  • 34 3
 Yes.
  • 18 2
 Honestly, when forking out over $2,000 for a fork (see what I did there), little things like that should at least be mentioned in a reveiw.....
  • 12 1
 The sound of a well lubricated piece of awesome destroying the dirt beneath it.... Yea that's a problem... Never!
  • 6 5
 A wheezing noise would be annoying as fuck so ya I think that's important. My old forks compression knob rattled around and it was the most annoying this in the whole world.
  • 7 2
 I have yet to ride a bike that did not make some sort of noise while riding it, guess I just do not give a shit.
  • 2 1
 Some noise while going through a rock garden is fine but constant wheezing would get pretty annoying I think.
  • 5 4
 Should be mentioned, but not presented as a problem, come on. Sounds like Kazimer is lacking the skills to push this thing anywhere near its limit if a hissing sound is enough to throw him off on a run.
  • 2 1
 Ever drive a car with the window stuck 1/2 inch down? You can do it just fine but after about 3 minutes you either adjust or go crazy.

Kazimer certainly doesn't lack the skills. He's been to Plattekill a few times. Its not exactly his first rodeo.
  • 4 0
 The sound is 330 cc's of oil flowing through the valves. You can hear it in the parking lot but not on the trail.
  • 2 2
 Because trails have noise reducing qualities usually...
  • 4 0
 2585g for 26" boxxer world cup.
3490g for emerald.
905g difference!
  • 4 5
 Yet your probably 10 lbs overweight, but your bitching about 2 lbs.
  • 3 0
 165#, 6'0"
Bike currently weighs in at 38#, so not too worried about weight.
Just don't want to add a extra 2 pounds up front for $500 more.
I also have a hard time believing there is less un-sprung mass with the addition of the carbon arch.
  • 2 0
 bjorntsc=> there is no "unsprung weight advantage" in a inverted design. boxxers casting are lighter than the stanchions alone of an equivalent usd fork. Add dropouts, and a cta for DVO, and you actually have more unsprung weight.

Even the lubrification part is half-bullshit, because most of the frictions don't come from seals. (bushings and misalignment are worst than dry seals)
  • 2 0
 faul, I think you're probably right, Its most likely only in motocross the inverted forks carry an unsprung weight advantage. However one can't deny the advantage of an additional 3-5 inches of bushing overlap, along with the reduced sheer forces from the smaller tube being on the bottom. This is going to result in much less binding under heavy braking, resulting in more traction going hard into turns. This is why MX went to inverted, with the backwheel pushing the bike and the heavy braking they do, fore aft stiffness is very important for them.

I also have to disagree about the seals comment, I notice a major difference after re greasing the seals on my boxxer(when i went from using white lithium grease which you shouldnt on seals, to using slickoleum, also a noticable difference). Have also noticed additional stiction when i dont store the bike upside down between rides. So I would say seals when improperly lubricated definitely do cause noticable friction.
  • 2 1
 I didn't say USD haven't any advantages (I think they can be the best forks, if stiffness issues are solved). But unsprung weight are not one of them.

And, for seals lubrification, a non-USD fork with open bath cartridge, and enough oil inside the spring leg, is as well lubricated as an usd fork.
And, a dry seal makes about 10kg of stiction, when a bushing has an "unlimited" amount, depending on the direction of impacts. On a parking lot bushing don't makes a lot of stictions

Remember McGarry's crash at Rampage?
www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10204169105899257
Now try to look at the fork: it start moving after the wheel starts imploding! (forks was 45 degrees when front wheel hit the ground)
Here:
scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/1653701_10205079033313592_8797275170495338023_n.jpg?oh=dcc8756a078585f133d5a7c59104d4ce&oe=54F5EF90

It's most likely due to the bushings' stictions
  • 1 0
 I'm not saying angle of impact doesn't affect binding, but in mcgarry's crash, he landed with his back tire first then slammed down on the fork a moment after that still frame, thats why the fork isnt compressed in that still. Also nobody is running dual cartridges any more, so you have one leg with open bath. I'm running an avy cartridge in my boxxer, so my experiences with seal differences are with an open bath setup.
  • 1 0
 I agree the current up-right forks have less un-sprung mass. Part of this is the damper not being open bath in the big 2 companies. The bushings are exposed to the lubricant more in an inverted fork, not just the seals. The initial break away force is going to depend on the seals near the top of travel due to the force on the fork not being very large initially.

Other things the new boxxer has going for it:
The larger air volume of the negative chamber reduces the change in volume initially. This reduces initial ramp up that makes air forks feel harsh.
Lighter lowers and damper. Better shim stack arrangment rather than relying on orifice damping.
Post proccess machining for the crowns and lowers. This decreases friction by keeping the fork straighter with less bushing binding.
  • 1 0
 The one major problem is its still a boxxer. Historically the most unreliable fork on the market.I have seen more boxxers with blown seals and smashed plastic internals than I would care to mention.But hey..its lite.
  • 2 0
 Take apart a Boxxer and you'll find out why it's so lite (plastic internals). Can't believe everyone is so obessed with weight on DH bike?
  • 1 0
 Same reason the pro's are obsessed... the days of dump truck weight bikes are a decade behind us.
  • 6 3
 The lesson is - a fancy shade of anodization does not a superior product make.
  • 2 0
 Ricky I thought you were going to get your grade 10
  • 1 0
 You must unlearn what you have learned.
  • 4 0
 You guys are all missing the point. IT'S GREEN!!!!!
  • 3 0
 me likey but i think the only OTT thing on them is the price?
  • 1 0
 If any one is in the NJ Vernon Mountain creek area let me know i will gladly let you demo my Emerald so you can see for yourself.
  • 1 0
 Thanks for the support!
  • 1 1
 Wonder who the guys marzocchi replaced them with were who seem to have made a whole load of awesome since they left... Almost winner if these guys were the hindrance that nearly sank marzocchi...
  • 1 0
 @DVO you guys gonna make any other dh forks that are lower end models..looking to get a fork but this is a bit more than i need...
  • 1 0
 f*ck that. Im still rocking my marzocchi 888 bombers and STILL shredding. Didnt cost me $2,239! Luxury sport? Since when? Hah
  • 1 1
 888 = reliable!!
  • 1 1
 Would rather get a set of well looked after 05 shivers, and prob still have 2k left tp spend. Dont get me wrong it looks fantastic and prob rides well too but when do we say "price too high"?
  • 1 0
 Saw a 13 y.o. kid with this fork at the bike park - very cool - but I was thinking to myself the whole time "you definitely didn't pay for that"
  • 1 0
 Was he on a Black Canfield Jedi?
  • 1 0
 Can't remember. Why?
  • 1 0
 I know a 13 y.o kid named Tucker who has one, he shreds and throws suicide no handers on some massive gaps!! I know he worked his ass off for an Emerald. It's not cheap, but well worth the investment.
  • 1 0
 i rented a bike with these on it. i personally own fox 40 factory. and the fox are better and cheaper. FOX 40's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • 3 0
 Any comparaison to the BOS idylle ?
  • 2 0
 Sounds like a great fork that I am never likely to own as can not even justify having a DH bike anymore
  • 3 1
 Came into the fork market a lil heavy!!!
  • 2 0
 Someone just listed one in buy and sell
  • 1 0
 Looks great and I bet it performs great, the green colour is awsome ... but green doesn't just go with every colour scheme
  • 1 0
 Gotta' love the ref' the the 'Mode', proper old school synth band, nice one buddy!
  • 1 0
 @DVOSuspension how much is the single crown going to be whenever it comes out?
  • 1 0
 The extra weight of the fork will be offset by your substantialy lighter wallet!
  • 1 0
 Where does the DVO made, I heard that made in TaiwAn and belong to Suntour company like marzoochi fork
  • 1 0
 just picked up a pair for £630 ( $775 ) brand new so im not complaining about the price tag
  • 2 0
 $750 helmet now this, what's next??
  • 14 0
 $4 coffee
  • 4 0
 Just get out and ride, but let's drink coffee first in the morning.
  • 3 0
 Probably graphene handlebars that cost $600
  • 3 0
 an 8-10 thousand carbon 2015 demo... or a carbon, unobtanium, kryptonite, hovering spaceship bike
  • 5 0
 hey atleast all this expensive shit works nowadays. Do you guys remember the 90s and early 00s? Bikes and parts were about as expensive back then, except about 80% of em were abortions that should have never made it out the door. Thank god for 3d engineering programs.
  • 2 0
 The bygone days of 50 pound bikes that were built to handle the apocalypse when and if they worked. I suddenly feel the need to rebuild the bighit in my basement and go huck something to flat or stairs.
  • 1 0
 a $10 pinkbike membership fee
  • 1 0
 That color combo is like a good acid trip. Sorry but Ive downsized, 7 lbs is way off the radar.
  • 2 0
 My WhiteBros fork in the '98 was ahead of the game Smile
  • 2 0
 Over weight lover in da house!
  • 4 3
 That fork is almost as much as my bike coasts...
  • 14 1
 Time to coast less?
  • 1 1
 "The fork weighs in at 3490 grams (including the carbon arch)"
well you lost me there...
  • 1 0
 The green is mean, its as simple as that!
  • 1 0
 Like the fork... but prefer the Dorado instead.
  • 1 0
 Care to elaborate. I am curious why..
  • 1 0
 I prefer the looks of the dorado and like how smooth they work, the setup is easy. but I have never riden a dvo, so I cant say if the dorado is much better thatn the dvo or other way around, still if i could aford it, I would got a dvo emerald anyway. I like inverted forks! and like the green on them emerald's!!
  • 1 0
 I really like my Dorado too. I am building a new bike for next year and was pretty sure I was going to get another Dorado but I was able to get the Emerald for less. So I guess I'll find out if the DVO is on the same level or above..
  • 1 0
 yeah that was my idea to, if i build up another bike I wanted to get emerald. I am sure its a good fork. bit i think a looks of the dorado are nicer, in my opinion... still think the dvo is a good fork, for that money better be!
  • 1 0
 ----Full sized rider. Pass. Ok, maybe I'll demo one.
  • 4 0
 im 225lbs, and i have been riding mine for well over 6 months.. it was awesome out of the box. I have pounded it into rocks and trees more than a few times. no issues at all... i crash all the time.. lol i couldnt say enough good things about this fork. and i came off a marz 380 to this bad boy. it was a really great feeling straight away. my marz had to be tuned twice before it was working correctly. i really like the tunability here. and i dont need to go to a suspension expert to get it done. that itself is worth the extra money...
  • 2 0
 Thanks for the support and we are glad you're loving our product!
  • 1 0
 I like how your name is Canfield... you must be some sort of odd.
  • 2 1
 Thats a lot of $$$$ for a heavy a** fork!
  • 1 0
 Almost 2500?! No... just no.
  • 1 0
 Buy a new Jedi and you can get the fork for $1,250.00..
  • 1 0
 Haha exactly what I was thinking.
  • 1 0
 Ordered mine last week..Can't wait until next year.
  • 2 4
 Is it a Marzocchi Shiver just re-done?
Serious question.
It looks VERY similar in construction and sounds like the dampers are the same too
  • 4 0
 those boys came from marzocchi. and did r+d for marzocchi the last years. my emerald had 3540gramm. anyone remembering this? it looks like the boys where using the mz money and then quit there jobs to make there own company with everything they learned hahaha jade damper, and shiver www.pinkbike.com/news/marzocchi-suspension-2012.html
  • 2 2
 Yes this is the same crew and these are the guys that made Marzocchi the brand that they are today and yes that 888 and Shiver that everyone loves guess who developed that? ding ding ding you guessed it the owner of DVO was responsible for that.
  • 1 1
 This seems completely different on the inside than a Shiver. Shiver's had simple adjustable rebound carts, no compression(unless you did old school moto tricks like adjusting the oil weight to gain your desired amount of compression, but that's not speed or position sensitive.)

This has an air spring, with a negative spring(that has it's own separate preload) speed sensitive compression, & if I remember correctly, speed sensitive rebound(just like the dual flow rebound on a Mission control DH damper, where it's speed sensitive, but only the high speed is adjustable.)
  • 2 0
 There's a huge difference between these two forks. Yes we are the guys that made the Shiver but that was 14 years ago.
  • 1 2
 @groghunter pretty sure the shiver had speed sensitive compression damping, just no adjustment knob for compression.
  • 1 1
 I know how boath works boys. think there is a missunderstood here. i couldnt work with the rebound. never find a perfect middle. i sold mine then. and yes, u feel the 600gr more. but this isnt a tragedy.
  • 2 1
 So its an evolution of the Shiver?
Basically stiffer and now with more adjustment.
Sounds fair enough - thanks for responding DVO
  • 2 1
 yes its defently a good fork.
  • 2 1
 @game : I've been riding a shiver for 10 years. I've had it apart many, many times. the cartridges are simple rebound affairs. There's an oil port in the lower part of the cartridge, & you can adjust it's flow rate via oil viscosity, but there's no shims or anything else than can change flow based on shaft velocity. AFAIK, the first speed sensitive 'zocchi damper was the RC2X, which they introduced on the 888 in '06.
  • 2 1
 hmm, maybe it was the later years that were speed sensitive? DVO, mind droppin some knowledge on this?
  • 2 1
 No, there was only ever one damper setup for Shivers, & two models, single crown & dual crown. the didn't make them anymore in '06(though you could still buy new old stock from previous years production runs,) which was the first year they had SSD on ANY fork.
  • 3 2
 @groghunter you can get Avalanche cartridge for your Shiver m8 www.avalanchedownhillracing.com/Marz/Marzocchi%20Shiver.htm not that expencive as a new DVO and paint it chic green and claim its DVO and it would be far better anyway Razz Razz
  • 2 1
 $500 is more than I would pay to find a old RC2X damper by far, though.
  • 2 1
 Its alot of performance for the money though, worth every penny(that is if you truly want to run your shiver with modern damping performance for years to come). I have an avalanche cartridge running in my boxxer and its absolutely amazing, has kept me on the bike in some hairy situations where any lesser fork would have ejected me.
  • 1 1
 @groghunter i can send you mine RC2X damper as im not using it any more but nothing common with Ava and not that good as well a bit spike and compression goes away in the middle of the trail as soon the oil is formed up i even shim stacked it but same performance bubbles not friendly Smile
  • 1 2
 Wanted one since they teased me n walked away.
  • 2 3
 DVO with the Canfield Jedi...I just can't think this is "odd"
  • 1 2
 I thought why not give them a try but since they are loud i 'll pass...
  • 1 3
 You still can't even buy an Enve wheel set for that price lol.
  • 1 3
 Inverted? Wtf? Crazy...pros are lucky they get to try all this shit.
  • 1 3
 that bike looks awesome, love the colours
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