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2013 Boxxers?

- seb

Turbo Monkey
Apr 10, 2002
2,924
1
UK
Would I be foolish to get some 2012 Boxxers at a good deal right now? How long until 2013 stuff will be available to buy, and does anyone know what will be different about them?

Probably looking at the R2C2s, as many people have told me not to bother with WCs.
 

Santa Maria

Monkey
Aug 29, 2007
653
0
Austria
Would I be foolish to get some 2012 Boxxers at a good deal right now? How long until 2013 stuff will be available to buy, and does anyone know what will be different about them?

Probably looking at the R2C2s, as many people have told me not to bother with WCs.
Get youself a 2012 and the new decals and turn the leg with "xer" on it on the inside - that's what I will do with my 2011 after the season when I am bored in winter!
 

gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
What would you recommend, and why?
Honestly, anything else.

All out performance: Dorado
Reliability: 888 Ti
Value: 888 CR

The dampers in boxxers are a total joke. They feel moderately okay at best, and if you don't rebuild them every 2-3 of SADDLE time then they feel terrible. The seals suck as well.

Dorado's and 888's feel great week after week. Although I've noticed the seals on the Dorado's don't seem to last quite as long. But the damper is definitely far superior to the 888's. 40's are better than the boxxers, but they seem to have slightly worse reliability than the Dorado's and dampers that are about the same as the 888's.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
What would you recommend, and why?



Not as much as I used to be, but a lil bit, yes. Fox 40s are very similar weight to R2C2s though, IIRC.
I'll leave weight up to the rider/consumer, as that's of perceived value to them alone. My experiences with multiple Boxxers was good, bad, and marginally better. I'll elaborate if you'd like, but I'm thoroughly satisfied with the performance of my 2008 66 RC3, as compared to my 2011 R2C2 (and that should say something). I would not switch back despite slightly loose bearings and an inch less travel (and almost two more pounds in weight). The increase in stiction and dramatic decrease in small bump performance is not worth it.
 

bustanutley

Chimp
Jul 23, 2008
10
0
You'd be foolish to ever get a boxxer, not matter what the year or price.
Yes, I mostly agree, a stock boxer is a bad call for anyone that plans to do more than a single race run in a day. I had to put an Ava damper in mine to get it up to snuff. No matter what I did to lube-er up, it was, just, hash. I’m not sure what weight weenie thinks dry holeing suspension is a good idea. I always kept up with the maintenance which really is a PITA and the damper performance was underwhelming. With the Ava damper being open bath and the mechanical bottom out is rendered un-needed I run significantly more oil in the spring side (90cc). Both, harshness is cured and service is now a yearly event. The damper is awesome and I generally like the fork now. However, we got my chick a 888 evo and it feels great, pretty similar to my fork maybe even slightly smoother. The damper works well. The only complaint is the extra weight of the (non-ti) evo is noticeable. I would most likely get an evo or evo ti if I did it again. But, if you are just nuts for the boxxer, find a cheep one to gut, and put an ava in it.
 

bustanutley

Chimp
Jul 23, 2008
10
0
Why does avalanche even sell the damper kit without adapters and 'midvalves' (whatever those are)?

Is there a way to get that in there without them?

Thinking for a boxxer here.........

I have no idea, it might be a small marketing ploy to make the cart seem less expensive than it actually is?

I don’t have any experience riding the cart without the midvalve, but, supposedly keeps the fork relatively motionless in very slow speed compression conditions which translates into it staying high in its travel during braking and berms, which the stock boxxer seemed to do well with which one of few things I was stoked on about the stock fork. I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t notice a difference in this property with the conversion to the ava cart with midvalve.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
I have no idea, it might be a small marketing ploy to make the cart seem less expensive than it actually is?

I don’t have any experience riding the cart without the midvalve, but, supposedly keeps the fork relatively motionless in very slow speed compression conditions which translates into it staying high in its travel during braking and berms, which the stock boxxer seemed to do well with which one of few things I was stoked on about the stock fork. I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t notice a difference in this property with the conversion to the ava cart with midvalve.
Yeah I agree......I think the low speed damping on the boxxer works pretty well. I also run my forks pretty damn stiff though.

But you're a fan of avy cart huh? My WC rides a little rough on fast chatter but I'd been assuming it was just the stickiness of the air spring piston. I had a team before that and I was honestly pretty satisfied. I'm wondering now if the avy cart would be an improvement......or if I should just buy a fox 40.

But first I need to figure out what I'd actually need to buy from avalanche.
 
Last edited:
Oct 14, 2001
67
8
Colchester, Ct
Yeah I agree......I think the low speed damping on the boxxer works pretty well. I also run my forks pretty damn stiff though.

But you're a fan of avy cart huh? My WC rides a little rough on fast chatter but I'd been assuming it was just the stickiness of the air spring piston. I had a team before that and I was honestly pretty satisfied. I'm wondering now if the avy cart would be an improvement......or if I should just buy a fox 40.

But first I need to figure out what I'd actually need to buy from avalanche.
The Cartridge kit is $427, we sell the parts separately if you want to convert the cartridge to a different fork or if you need to add a midvalve, if you did not the first time around.http://www.avalanchedownhillracing.com/Rock%20Shox/Boxxer%2035mm.htm
You could also buy an old Fox40 and install our new Cartridge Kit. ;)http://www.avalanchedownhillracing.com/Fox%2040/Fox%2040%20RC.htm
 
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kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
The Cartridge kit is $427, we sell the parts separately if you want to convert the cartridge to a different fork or if you need to add a midvalve, if you did not the first time around.http://www.avalanchedownhillracing.com/Rock%20Shox/Boxxer%2035mm.htm
You could also buy an old Fox40 and install our new Cartridge Kit. ;)http://www.avalanchedownhillracing.com/Fox%2040/Fox%2040%20RC.htm
Okay so my little fantasy of saving about 150 bucks by drilling into my existing stuff and not buying the adapters is just that......


Thanks for the clarification!
 

bustanutley

Chimp
Jul 23, 2008
10
0
Yeah I agree......I think the low speed damping on the boxxer works pretty well. I also run my forks pretty damn stiff though.

But you're a fan of avy cart huh? My WC rides a little rough on fast chatter but I'd been assuming it was just the stickiness of the air spring piston. I had a team before that and I was honestly pretty satisfied. I'm wondering now if the avy cart would be an improvement......or if I should just buy a fox 40.

But first I need to figure out what I'd actually need to buy from avalanche.
Durrr, yeah, the midvalve is just a lowspeed compression valve, I don’t know why I diverged…

I’m a big fan. I was a bit skeptical before I bought it since all the reviews read heavily with fanboyism. But, I decided to take the chance. The most notable difference is after a day of riding lifts with the old internals my hands and wrists would be beat to ****, but, maybe I’m a weenie. That isn’t the case anymore; I can ride more runs, which translates into more fun :) Actually, this deep into the season my hands and wrists have never been better and I have been spending more on the big bike this year than I can remember. I have a late 2010 fork and found that the old internals spiked occasionally further beating me up. Maybe if you are riding the later model year boxxer(s) with the adjusted shim stack this problem was resolved? Probably the best feature of the cart that doesn’t seem to get any love is the hydraulic bottem. Its hard for me to describe, but, its beautiful. I imagine that if you like pretty stiff dampening that you will like how they set the stuff up for your weight style ect. Anyway, I’m happy with the fork now: Its lite, its stiff, its controlled, and now, its plush (for lack of a better word), oh yeah, its no longer needy either.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
I have to admit, the banboi-ism is what scares me the most. I'm not after plush as much as I'm after supportive and controlled. But I do have those days when banging out a bunch of consective fast runs where it seems my wrists could use a little love. My carpal tunnel starts to rear its ugly head.

Thanks for all the info. I guess it wouldn't be hard to sell one used if I don't like it............not here at least :D
 

gnarbar

Monkey
Oct 22, 2011
136
3
My WC rides a little rough on fast chatter but I'd been assuming it was just the stickiness of the air spring piston.

......or if I should just buy a fox 40.
what year WC? I was on a 2010 with a modded stack for better small bump compliance. hated the thing, guess I just grew to live with it and the hatez faded. tried running silly high and low air pressure, pretty much everything over a few seasons, just felt like a stick that never performed. now on a new 40 just breaking it in and the difference is unreal. haz moar kashimas for unstiction. like comparing chalk and cheese really, feels like bicycle suspension should feel. and man has the 40 changed since my first 2006 experience
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Mine's a 2011 (I think)

Yeah the newer 40s are sick for sure. I'd pretty much decided to save my pennies and get one but if I can keep the relative weight of my WC, and just get it a little more 'tuned', that has some appeal for me. I actually really really like the like of dive and general 'looseness' of the thng. It feels a little rough on my wrists after a bunch of runs but my wheel is where I put it and keeps the pressure on the tires when I need it. Plus I just like the adjustability with the air spring and its bottom out volume reducer thing.

Plus it's just cheaper at this point to try the avy cart. :D
 

JimLad

Monkey
Sep 23, 2009
101
2
Whistler
Just swapped my 2011 solo air out for a coil. Definitely smoother feeling all around, particularly for small bumps.
 

W4S

Turbo Monkey
Mar 2, 2004
1,282
23
Back in Hell A, b1thces
my 2010 Boxxer RC2C Coil (team) feels amazing, ridden my friends 40's with kashima and I like my boxxer better. I have never ridden a WC boxxer that felt good, they all have amazing stiction and never use much travel.

kidwoo, rain at mammoth was sick!