Mornin’ all.
I’m based in France and ride with my local club, “les castors grimpeurs” (the climbing beavers!). We’re near Versailles and our outings are mostly forest-based with a sandstone background but with far more uppy and downy than you’d expect in the Sun King’s back garden! That said, every summer I holiday in the Alps at Aussois (which has a World Cup DH run, yes…). I’m currently on a Breezer Team Lightning Team 29, which I like a lot but I’m finding I’m more into cocking about than gurning up hills euro-marathon style. The average age of my club is about 50 and whilst most of them are very experienced mountain bikers I have the extra energy to be popping around either side of the trail whilst they keep it steady and serious (that said, there is a 58 yr old I can’t beat over any distance!). I also find myself having to brake a lot on descents as I don’t know the trails well enough to go first and even if I go last I tend to catch up in no time. I don’t compete but at 35 years old I want to push my riding style whilst my knees hold out (running already forbidden :(). In brief, I’m certainly still very very amateur and probably needing a good smash to calm me down.

I run a Cane Creek suspension post as I just can’t take the hardtail beating any more, which of course stops me using a dropper post. Thus I’m wanting to move to a full suspension, which I’ve never had (excepting a 2nd-hand 1997 Trek Y22 in my mum’s barn) with mid-travel (140-160mm) and also drop down a wheelsize or two so I fail my wheelies less badly. I’m not rich but I’m a saver, so it’s not the overall cost that matters (within reason) but the cheaper a build is the sooner I can have it. I’m not asking for bike advice specifically but I’m looking at the Bird Aeris, Banshee Rune/Spitfire, YT Capra, Canyon Spectral/Strive, Cotic Rocket (by the time I’ve saved…). My question to you, which I could never express correctly on the French forums, is do I really need more than an x-fusion shock and fork set up? I can read all the reviews of Pikes etc but the detail doesn’t really mean much to me. I am not blind to the feeling of my current RS Reba and know how to adjust my sag etc but is there anyway in which x-fusion is really going to hold me, an amateur, back? The cost difference between x-fusion and the more upmarket competition probably equates to 2 or 3 months more saving, which I’m prepared to do if it’s really worth it. Would a premium-ish frame like the Spitfire be totally wasted without the Cane Creek shock? Ditto for the others but of course you don’t get the choice for Canyon.

A bit rambling but I hope you get the idea.

Confused, frustrated and sore-buttocked of Versailles.

I’ve X-Fusion forks on my hardtail and they are fine. There was a bit of stiction to begin with but that disappeared after a month or so of use.

I’ve been running X Fusion Slants for the last year and a half, and they’re great. Easily serviced, reliable, stiff and well damped, what more do you need?

They can get a bit flustered if you’re taking repeated big hits, but for the price, they can’t be beaten.

Yes its a worthy product. The O2 RLX and Stage RCX shocks are definitely competitive with the likes of Fox and Rockshox, while the Sweep, particularly the HLR Roughcut versions, give the more expensive RS forks a good run for their money, and I’d rather have a Sweep than a 2015 Fox 34 of any spec… Pikes are definitely the better fork between a sweep and Pike, but not as much as you might expect, and the big price saving is worth it.

I’ve used X-fusion on both my NukeProof Mega and my On One 29er, the Mega has a Vector HLR Air shock and a pair of Vengeance 170mm HLR Air Forks, both are superb and far better value than the previous units(Fox Float RP3 and Float 36 160mm), the 29er had 120mm Slide’s.
Personally I cant fault them, and after my experiences with them a few of my riding mates have swapped over to them. I certainly don’t view them as poorer alternatives to the more mainstream choices, just better value for the same perfomance (if not better)

I have X-fusion Trace forks which I ran at 120mm on my hardtail, and have since had them serviced and upped the travel to 140mm for my FS bike, they have been faultless! The only minor complaint I have is that they feel a little too soft for my liking at during initial suspension movement.

Great forks

Thanks very much for the re-assuring responses. Fingers crossed, with a x-fusion set up I should be able to replace the Breezer just as the trails dry out next spring!

I owned some XFusion Vengeance HLR 160 2011 from 2012-2014. These were the best functioning forks I have owned. I even replaced the lowers last year after badly damaging them at Megavalanche at about £300 instead of buying new forks. They were so plush and excellently adjustable. Unfortunately I sold them as my 650 wheels didnt give much clearance and the weight of them was bugging me. My Marz 350ncr are good, but not as good in use and adjustability.

I’ve just gone from a 29er Reba to a 29er X-Fusion Trace (2013 old stock from CRC) – straight out of the box the X Fusion is a great fork. No stiction, no play, easily adjusted and not a big increase in weight for much more stiffness and a bit more travel. Current opinion is they just work.

whitestone – Member
I’ve X-Fusion forks on my hardtail and they are fine. There was a bit of stiction to begin with but that disappeared after a month or so of use.

I’ve got Slides on mine. I’d had Reba’s on my previous 2 bikes.

I like the fact that I never have to think about the Slides while out riding. Where I often felt the need to tweak something on the Reba.

That said, I have an issue in that if I leave the bike to stand overnight or even if I’ve ridden early morning and then go out in the evening, I need to do a few ‘full body weight’ pushes to free the fork up.

Once that is done they are fine. It’s like breaking an air lock or something.

At first I was told it’d go I’m time. It hasn’t.

Then to try fork juice to cure it. No change.

Now I’m told it’s normal?

I’ve had both x fusion sweeps and the o2 rcx shock. They are good value for the money. I still have the sweeps on the front of my bike.

One thing that I found was that the compression damping was quite firm on the shock, even with lever turned to the minimum setting.

This is not a huge deal, but I found that the damping on the fork was not as firm and so the setup was not my ideal preference.

The sweeps can have quite a lot of stiction out of the box and a number of people I’ve met have not liked them and assumed they are harsh (they take longer to bed in the rockshox or fox) but if you give them enough time they become really plush and are a great fork for the money. The shock also takes longer to bed in than other brands.

They don’t have the Tuneability of the pike and can be a bit prone to diving when riding slow steep stuff, but the RL2 ‘mid valve’ works amazingly well when going fast and through rough stuff. If the sweep had adjustable low speed compression like rockshox MoCo it would be pretty much perfect.

I’ve ridden pikes and there is not a huge amount in it between the two forks in terms of performance considering the difference in price.

Unless you are like a lot of tuneability and are quite particular about your suspension setup, they are good products and no they won’t hold you back.

They don’t have the Tuneability of the pike and can be a bit prone to diving when riding slow steep stuff, but the RL2 ‘mid valve’ works amazingly well when going fast and through rough stuff. If the sweep had adjustable low speed compression like rockshox MoCo it would be pretty much perfect.

that echoes my thoughts on my Slant. If I want to run it so that it’s working as you’d expect, it gets way too divey when on the brakes or proper steep riding. I compromise by adding a little more air pressure (2psi makes enough of a difference) to hold them up in this situation, but it does take away from their bump eating abilities.

I have x-fusion Velvets on my 4x bike and have no problems with them. Once I got them ‘setup’ I’ve not had to touch them.

that echoes my thoughts on my Slant. If I want to run it so that it’s working as you’d expect, it gets way too divey when on the brakes or proper steep riding. I compromise by adding a little more air pressure (2psi makes enough of a difference) to hold them up in this situation, but it does take away from their bump eating abilities.

Yes, I do the same, but then I typically run a bit less sag on my fork than most people anyway, so doesn’t bother me too much.

I think this is where the pike is better, but considering it is quite a bit more expensive it’s not something I think is necessarily worth the money.

I think they missed a trick by choosing a lock out rather that adjustable low speed compression. I’ve never used the lock out, but a tad more low speed compression would be great.

Through the rough fast stuff I don’t think there is really anything between the two forks, although admittedly I haven’t spent a huge amount of time on the pike.

Thank you so much for all your input. I’ve also just spent 20mins on the ‘phone with Ben Pinnick at Bird Cycles, who was extremely helpful on the x-fusion topic and the other silly questions I asked. I must say, first time I’ve posted on STW and the reactivity of the community is really impressive. My club has asked me to organise a trip to Wales next year, so if you see a bunch of French ‘beavers’ at BPW give us a wave (and not a kicking :D).
Cheers,
Oli

You do understand the English alternative connotation of beaver, yes? 😯 😆 I think you’d be roundly welcomed to BPW!

I’ve had Slants on my FS for nearly 2 years now, great forks though they do take ages to bed in! I like them so much I’ve just bought a set of Trace for the HT.

The x fusion shock on the Aries preformed incredible with a much more noticeable difference between its 4 settings over the fox’s 3 once set up its performance is incredible. I can’t comment directly on there forks but my brothers seems to rate his slants and when I borrowed themntheybseemed pretty goodnsit a little far into there travel than I liked but I’m sure that could have been altered pretty easily

My Velvets were a fit and forget item and felt stiff and reasonably well damped, much impressed for the price.

I sold them thinking I was splitting the whole bike and having to give up biking for a while, have just installed the best forks ever (Bos Deville) and can confirm, if that they are the best forks ever ridden, and I dialled them in easily enough over 1 or 2 rides.

I would say go X-fusion then if you think try booking a test ride or try your mate’s other forks i.e. Pikes/36’s etc and if you feel the difference again then go for it.

IMO those of us that can feel the difference and know what they want from a fork and can afford the best, the BOS is worthwhile by a million miles.
Can you tell I am happy … 😀

Here’s our public club page if you want some cheeky beaver shots – https://www.facebook.com/castorsgrimpeurs?fref=ts

And yup, I know what ‘beaver’ means in English – born in London grew up in Dorset!

The one to watch out for is the new HLR Roughcut version of the sweep. This has 16 clicks of low and high speed compression damping adjustment, taking you from next to nothing to mega slow.

Also worth noting for those finding the fork a bit divey, you can add oil (float fluid etc.) to the positive air spring in lieu of tokens easy enough. Does the same job, and because the fork uses a coil spring negative, you wont fill the negative chamber full of oil (which would suck). Probably go in 5ml increments and see how you get on.

Who is stocking this years x-fusion forks?

Freeborn are always good for stock.

Also worth noting for those finding the fork a bit divey, you can add oil (float fluid etc.) to the positive air spring in lieu of tokens easy enough. Does the same job, and because the fork uses a coil spring negative, you wont fill the negative chamber full of oil (which would suck). Probably go in 5ml increments and see how you get on.

Yeah that does help. Annoyingly I can’t remember how much i put in last time round. I wonder what the max you could put in would be before having issues….

Well arguably you can fill it up! The design means no volume will cause problems, but of course your air spring will start to feel a bit weird the more you add!

White are currently available from the distro, black is on back order. (HLRs that is).

My Trance came with RS Revs and a Monarch…nice, rode it like that for a few weeks then decided I wanted 160mm of travel up front….got some X-Fusion Sweeps and they are great, total lack of adjustability which for me is good….just pump them up to the required sag and away you go.

They are plush in a way RS never were, they take about 20psi less for my weight!….I can’t describe the feel, they’re immense and as someone else said the ‘mid valve’ thingy they have going on inside means you won’t bottom them out either even with low pressure….bottomless tokens?!…pah, not needed, sounds like RS put out a half finished product to me….(runs for cover).

I like them so much I ditched the Monarch and have gone for the X-Fusion O2 rear shock too, again limited adjustability but the rebound dial actually visibly works and changes the feel of the bike unlike items from Fox and RS I’ve had over the years.
I’m a convert as you can probably tell!