[Killerbarbies]

Another case of can't make up my mind because I do not have the chance to try them out over here. Main use will be DH - for fun and racing in the Slovak National Championships; secondary use is freeride and some Shore.
I'm talking about 2004 and 2005 versions.
I don't have enough cash for Dorado. Don't want to go the way of 888s and definitely not Jnr T.

 

[Threepointtwo]

I rode a Sherman Slider + most of last season and was happy with it.

Pluses:
Light
reasonably stiff
easy to work on
bottomless (with SPV set up right)
no bob - pedals great
no brake dive

Minuses:
you lose some small bump sensitivity
takes a few runs to set up
bolts strip easily

I would recommend it for the purpose you stated. I think it would fit well. The only Boxxer experience I have is from an older version so it's not terribly relevant.

 

[kidwoo]

Maybe someone else has either an explanation or a similar experience but a good friend of mine has a slider+ on his DH bike. He was up in BC late this past summer riding during a pretty wet period and his fork kept locking up on him. He'd take it apart and there would be dirt stuck in the bottom of his lowers. He's a very competent mechanic and has worked on just about every major manufacturers DH products over the years so I'd say it was nothing he had done to the fork. He had to clean it out 2 or 3 times during his trip but said it worked fine again when he did. If you ride in a pretty wet area, that may be something to look out for with the slider.
That thing is surprisingly stiff though.

I'm pretty curious about the boxxer ride fork this year. From what I gather all the damping is the same from 2004.
Maybe find a 2004 super T?

 

[Monkeybidnezz]

I would recommend the Boxxer if it's primarily for racing. The 05 gets some additional refinements that will come in handy as well. Sram has refined the Boxxer a lot over the last couple of years and while there are still a lot of haters out there you will find a lot of guys who like it just as much. The maintenence is very easy on them, and once you get it set up correctly they work/feel great. This year you get an inch upgrade to 8", and better tire clearence. Just my preference, but I think the Slider looks kind of whimpy IMO....just my 2 cents...

 

[jasonw111]

the sherman is definatley not wimpy, i would perfer manitou over rock shox any day

 

[Jm_]

Just my preference, but I think the Slider looks kind of whimpy IMO....just my 2 cents...

Yeah, and a boxxer that has the EXACT same diameter stanchions does not?

Since they are almost the exact same size, and since they have the same size stanchions, I guess both of those forks are whimpy?

 

[Monkeybidnezz]

Yeah, and a boxxer that has the EXACT same diameter stanchions does not?

Since they are almost the exact same size, and since they have the same size stanchions, I guess both of those forks are whimpy?

Just because they have the same sized stanchions doesn't mean that they have the same dimensions or appearence. I'm not saying the slider is whimpy, but in my opinion it looks kind of whimpy for a dc fork. The crowns and arch are narrower than the boxxer if you look at it straight on, so to me it gives that appearence. Ive seen my boxxer next to a slider, and its just my opinion that it looks whimpy in comparison. Both are good forks, I just like the way the boxxer looks and performs better.

 

[Jm_]

The crowns and arch are narrower than the boxxer if you look at it straight on, so to me it gives that appearence.

Ahh, so the slider should be stiffer.

 

[Kevin]

2nd hand dorado?

 

[MikeD]

Don't be concerned with the chassis stiffness on the Slider. It's there in spades. Tough, stiff fork. Be concerned, however, with the SPV (IMHO). Not that it's bad, when it works...it works well, and the small-bump sensitivity is user-set, but it has a tendency to blow, going through a well-documented set of stages (clunking, the stickiness/loss of all small bump sensitivity, then loss of all damping). TPC+ is awesome, but in my experience and that of others, SPV just hasn't held up. Maybe 05 is better, but I've e-heard of problems with the SPV evolve stuff, too. Personally, I'd look at the Stance Kingpin, or just buy the Slider + and have manitou swap out TPC+ internals if the SPV ever blows on you.

Unless you wanted the Boxxer Ride for the adjustable height (and in which case I'd look at a SC adjustable fork anyhow), I'd *personally* steer clear of the boxxer. Certainly not a bad fork, but I think the Manitou's chassis is tougher and the damping slightly better, and it's much cheaper, if I'm not mistaken.

MD

Edit: Looked at the Shiver?

 

[Jester]

I rode a slider plus a the end of the season last year and I loved it. I really like the spv and how tunable the fork is. The only drawback with the slider in my opinion is that when you crash hard you can mess up your brake lines or cables cause the fork gets turned around. But that just comes with any single crown fork. Other than that I love the slider over the boxxer that i had before it.

 

[joelsman]

Hey Jester,

slider + is a dual crown,

sherman + is the single crown fork you rode.

 

[MikeD]

Actually, it's the breakout+.