Öhlins Inverted Downhill Fork

jbg

jbg

Likes Dirt
^^ yea great marketing strategy if it's true, must be good if pro's are willing to spend $$ on your product
as for looks yes it looks like an old 99 model Risse Trixxy or white bros 180 (except that one on Robin's bike, those crowns!!) but I think Ohlins put all their effort into performance and when it comes to aesthetics the only requirement is the color gold.
 
riderseventy7

riderseventy7

Likes Dirt
Yes, ohlins don't have to sponsor people or teams. Their products are that good. Even Honda, who own Showa suspension and have the largest racing budgets , buy ohlins suspension to use on their factory motoGP team.

All the posers can worry about what their gear looks like. The pros that aren't limited by contracts will buy what works best.
 
D

driftking

Wheel size expert
Ezkaton said:
And here I was reading the thread thinking I must be the only person here that thinks these look like shit (and the gold looks tacky).
I know function should win over looks, but can't we have a nice balance? :p
Click to expand...
back in my day riding was about performance.

ok I can agree they look pretty unpolished and unrefined but I think sometimes that appeals to riders especially those who like the say 'so moto' (I hate that term) equally a large number or racers and riders care more about performance and feel. I would hope they are more refined over time, DVO look much nicer.

Given specialized worked with ohlins for the rear shock I am not surprised they moved into a fork too. I do question their performance in regards to a custom tuned rc4, vivid, bos etc and how much better it actually is. It would be good to see a blind test on them. We see lots of big claims come and go but few of them stand the test.
 
K

khdh

Likes Bikes
I have to agree with other posters that the fork does look wimpy.
In contrast, my stratos S8 with ohlins cartridge has more presence about it, it's the beefiest fork I"ve come across, and tallest.
As for plushness, I've had or tested boxxers, dorado's, 40s, 888, DH3 etc etc. Nothing comes close to the S8 for plushness, I'm assuming the ohlins cartridge has a lot to do with it.
 
dirt lover

dirt lover

Likes Bikes and Dirt
While previously there has been golden forks seen on bikes, there's now a model which has the Ohlin's stickers to match under Brad Benedict.

10838830_377113645790594_424447884_n.jpg
 
Beej1

Beej1

Senior Member
I know its written most anywhere that they flex more than conventional non-inverted MTB forks, but I still think they look awesome. Dorados. Shivers. Those old Foes with the gargantuan stanchions. Awesome.
 
S

soddo

Cannon Fodder
They look huge when you consider and compare them to moto x or even a road bike fork/shock and how much extra weight they have to deal with.

inverted might flex traditionally, but it all comes down to design and looking at the size I bet there isn't much at all.

Compare the 2 pics of the crowns used, you can even see one is a trimmed down version with beefier upper tubes and the 2nd pic is
a larger crown with what looks skinnier. They are not stupid, flex comes from tubes and lower crown. Bushes and placement also effect it.

My concern would be weight, not so much of an issue for the pro's, if they can bash through a lot more stuff faster a bit of extra
weight will be of little concern, but for me, I gotta push my bike back up the hill
 
Linga

Linga

Likes Dirt
Ohlins offer amazing stuff for the factories and teams able to afford them in racing, but their "customer model" that we see is a very different thing. Oil blacks quickly and non anodised parts inside. A lot of Superbike teams are running K-Tech nowadays for that reason.
A little off topic, but I thought I'd give a Motorcycle point of view.
 
heavyp

heavyp

You heard it here first
Not inverted but seems as if Mr Gas To Flat has been testing Ohlins cartridge in the new boxxers.

brayton.jpg
 
Live2DieTrying

Live2DieTrying

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