[bighitfsr]

Anyone ridden both the 2003 and 2004 180mm TPC+ dorados?

Does the 2004 TPC dorado really have 32mm stanchions? (it looks the same as a 2003 dorado in the pictures but without the intergrated stem).

From answerproducts.com:
"This year’s Dorado gets the same voluptuous carbon uppers, 32mm stanchions, and giant lower crown as the MRD X-Works, but retains its 180mm of travel and TPC+ damping system"

It really doesnt look like the 2004 TPC+ dorado has "the same voluptuous carbon uppers, 32mm stanchions, and giant lower crown as the MRD X-Works" from the pictures on the website.

Which fork is lighter 2003 or 2004?
Is the 2004 TPC+ dorado DH significantly stiffer than the 2003 dorado?
Does the 2004 dorado DH retail product include all the disc brake adapters and fork springs included with the 03 dorado?
Is the TPC+ cart in the 2004 dorado wider in diameter?, does it offer improved performance via larger (wider) pistons in the TPC+ damper?

 

[vitox]

cant say for sure but i know i saw a giant dh bike with a dorado that had the new style bulging carbon lowers and it did not say x-works on it, the guy on the shop floor said it was the normal non-spv 2004 dorado but then again he might not know what spv means, but i think it was the one the text you pasted in there referred to.
looks real good, its a dorado without the 30mm lowers so its got to be pretty good, no idea about the weight though.

anyway, you might just go for a dh2.0, if youre into the dorado i cant see why youd be worse off with a 2.0

 

[Pip3r]

Ive got an 04 regular one. And the pic on the manitou site is wrong. Everyone keeps asking me if i have an SPV fork but alas, i do not. It looks exactly the same other than being a bit shorter.
I was pretty dissapointed to see when i got it that it no longer comes with an integrated stem, bumpers, or extra springs. All you get now is a brake adaptor.
Its weird because it feels pretty stiff but still has been doing a good job soaking everything up. It finally is broken in now and feels nice and smooth. Unfortunantly my last time out riding i think i busted the topout springs and the last 1/4 to half inch of travel the fork just drops. It also makes a real loud click/snapping noise the first time i push down on it after getting off the lift. Im looking into it getting fixed now but i raced on it this past weekend and it still held up. It was super scary over choppy stuff the fork was just dropping off on me but i got used to it.
I havnt spent enough time on an 03 to compare. Besides, every dorado seems to feel different.

 

[Curb Hucker]

anyway, you might just go for a dh2.0, if youre into the dorado i cant see why youd be worse off with a 2.0

actually he'd be much better off with one www.whitebrotherscycling.com