Rock shox domain? Suitable for DH, maybe even racing?

PB Forum :: Downhill
Rock shox domain? Suitable for DH, maybe even racing?
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flag MRLONDON
FL
Posted: Oct 5, 2009 at 15:17 Quote
Do you think they're crappy, or good enough forks to hande some amateur downhill racing?
flag garrettmacintosh
Posted: Oct 5, 2009 at 16:39 Quote
I would say no. Personally i feel sketchy going fast on techy terrain on a totem, but with that said the totem IMO should be the minimum for any race.

but to tell you the truth, the domain will more then likly stay in one piece, prolly will not perform very well at all especially after a few races, but if your only planning on having for a shorter period of time(like your getting it 2nd hand for cheap) then i would say youll be fine.
flag odin333
Posted: Oct 5, 2009 at 16:43 Quote
depends on the race. obviously if your doing a world cup race its probably not the best. but for pretty much any minor racing league you will survive. there is tons of kids who ride them in my local league and don't have any issues.

its a FREERIDE fork. it will survive, its not a $100 budget XC fork made of plastic. don't listen to these kids who are probably just basing there opinions on what they have heard. the fork will hold up to most conditions. if you do have the extra money, maybe get a Totem though, they do feel alot nicer. but once again, the Domain is a fine fork.
flag Frumpy-Housewife
Posted: Oct 7, 2009 at 1:22 Quote
I've chosen a Domain 180 for my bike (old Orange 222) and have never regretted it, but I did the mod where you can take out a shim, I purely did it out of interest. At this stage I haven't been riding much at all but I don't think I can really tell the difference, it just seems to track the smaller bumps a lot better now, but I'm yet to confirm with more hours on the bike. Mind you I'm very much a beginner at DH and not good enough yet to even think about racing (my local track is pretty difficult from what I hear though).

Why I would chose a Domain over a Totem....
The both weigh about the same
The domain is coil (which I'm liking) the Totem is air.
Domain only has motion control as opposed to mission control, but motion control probably works fine for amateurs anyway? Besides if you take out the shim (apparently a common Boxxer mod anyway) it's supposed to be better.
Price, that's a big factor!
Oh and versatility, besides I think single crown forks are appearing on more and more bikes these days.

I've had an air tora and an air pike, the Domain is like a burlier and longer travel version of those but coil to me feels so much nicer than air, and honestly there wasn't all that much difference between the Pike and Tora apart from some adjustments and extra travel.
I'm around 65-70kg and find it hard to get an air fork to feel perfect, just seems to have more stiction or something.

I don't see why a domain wouldn't last, how much burlier is a totem? Or is the only real difference between the two internal?
flag
Posted: Oct 7, 2009 at 1:45 Quote
may not bee of help for you but i have a fox 36 on my bike which is 160mm like the domain??

and ive got a race this weekend ill tell you how it holds up etc if itll be of help to you towards sc and dh races
flag almightybenners
FL
Posted: Oct 7, 2009 at 2:31 Quote
the domain uses the same lowers a lyric but has more travel.so its still pretty burly. also stay away from the 302 its has an awful damper. but the 318 is a very good fork.

also canadianfreerider how hard are you riding to make a TOTEM feel sketchy?! lol

but seeing as spesh spec the big hit with a domain it'll handle most downhill tracks just fine. but i wouldn't try and ride a track like schladming flat out on them.
flag matty-dh
Posted: Oct 7, 2009 at 2:41 Quote
my domains were excellent i really regret getting rid of them... used them for every kind of riding for approx a year and had zero issues with them.. make sure you change the oil on a regular basis and everything should be fine!
flag garrettmacintosh
Posted: Oct 7, 2009 at 17:08 Quote
almightybenners wrote:
also canadianfreerider how hard are you riding to make a TOTEM feel sketchy?! lol

moose, Mt. seven, kicking horse, panorama, fernie, sun peaks, whistler. been to quebec once too.

my Sunday came with a Totem and i rode it for a couple weekends before i replaced with the boxxer i already had. for true DH the totem is not very stiff IMO. and I dont mean through its travel.
flag garrettmacintosh
Posted: Oct 7, 2009 at 17:08 Quote
odin333 wrote:
don't listen to these kids who are probably just basing there opinions on what they have heard.

you are correct sir.Rolleyes
flag odin333
Posted: Oct 7, 2009 at 17:09 Quote
canadianfreerida wrote:
odin333 wrote:
don't listen to these kids who are probably just basing there opinions on what they have heard.

you are correct sir.Rolleyes

not you, but the majority of the forums base there opinion on what they think about something, even though they haven't spent any time on the product.
flag garrettmacintosh
Posted: Oct 7, 2009 at 17:11 Quote
odin333 wrote:
canadianfreerida wrote:
odin333 wrote:
don't listen to these kids who are probably just basing there opinions on what they have heard.

you are correct sir.Rolleyes

not you, but the majority of the forums base there opinion on what they think about something, even though they haven't spent any time on the product.

this is true
flag jhart12
O+ FL
Posted: Oct 7, 2009 at 17:25 Quote
Frumpy-Housewife wrote:
I've chosen a Domain 180 for my bike (old Orange 222) and have never regretted it, but I did the mod where you can take out a shim, I purely did it out of interest. At this stage I haven't been riding much at all but I don't think I can really tell the difference, it just seems to track the smaller bumps a lot better now, but I'm yet to confirm with more hours on the bike. Mind you I'm very much a beginner at DH and not good enough yet to even think about racing (my local track is pretty difficult from what I hear though).

Why I would chose a Domain over a Totem....
The both weigh about the same
The domain is coil (which I'm liking) the Totem is air.
Domain only has motion control as opposed to mission control, but motion control probably works fine for amateurs anyway? Besides if you take out the shim (apparently a common Boxxer mod anyway) it's supposed to be better.
Price, that's a big factor!
Oh and versatility, besides I think single crown forks are appearing on more and more bikes these days.

I've had an air tora and an air pike, the Domain is like a burlier and longer travel version of those but coil to me feels so much nicer than air, and honestly there wasn't all that much difference between the Pike and Tora apart from some adjustments and extra travel.
I'm around 65-70kg and find it hard to get an air fork to feel perfect, just seems to have more stiction or something.

I don't see why a domain wouldn't last, how much burlier is a totem? Or is the only real difference between the two internal?
you can get a totem coil
flag Frumpy-Housewife
Posted: Oct 11, 2009 at 17:57 Quote
snowtrooperjr wrote:
you can get a totem coil

Yes I stand corrected, I thought they only cam in air versions which in itself would have been a little strange.

Oh Totems come with anodized stanchions right? I've personally found that chromed steel stanchions seem to be more durable against scratches etc (My Pike scratched very quickly from one small off compared to my Tora that I've had for years more!). That was another reason why I was happy to go Domain over Totem.

I guess it depends a fair bit on what you personally require in regard to performance and adjust ability from a fork, or if you're more of a set and forget type that only has an occasional fiddle.

I don't race but I am guessing if you brought the Domain and you were really progressing in your racing then you would probably end up looking for more than that fork can offer? So in that instance you have to consider if 6 months or a year down the track you're happy to go shopping again? Or are you better off spending the extra money now?
flag MRLONDON
FL
Posted: Oct 11, 2009 at 18:12 Quote
Well, i've actually decided to sell my xc bike and my bighit with the domains, and to start saving for a full on racer
flag downhillchild4life
Posted: Oct 11, 2009 at 18:17 Quote
In my mind a domain works really good for DH.But the compression and dampening is horrible!But then again i had to ride DH with a blown domain so i would really know what cuts it or not for you guys,just my 2 cents
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