Are Shivers any good?

bluechair84

I've been wanting some Dorados for the Soccom but I think they will always be out of my budget. And really, the biggest reason for buying the Dorados is cos they lookz the ballz. So, Shivers are a pretty pretty fork too. And I knooow I should buy Boxxers for cost/performance ratio but, I'm not the serious a DHer. I just want a fork that is well damped and not too heavy.
I've seen a Shiverthat's pretty cheap. Can anyone give me much info on shivers of old? The advert doesn't say what year, I've emailed him. I'll add that info when I get it. Are they still a decent enough fork or is it seriously outdone by a 2010 boxxer?

rockmonkeysc

Shivers were the best downhill fork Marzocchi made untill the latest top spec 888. They are old now though so most are pretty tired and will need some attention, not sure what spares availability is like now.
A 2010 Boxxer Team in good condition is a better buy, they are awesome forks and much more modern than Shivers.
Dorado's are ok but unreliable.
You could always go single crown with a Rockshox totem, same AtoC measurement as the Boxxer, extremely stiff 40mm stanchions and bombproof. Plus you can do bar spins with a single crown!

nicklouse

old heavy as fook and flexed like mad.

bluechair84

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Plus you can do bar spins with a single crown!

Believe me, it's not the number of crowns on my fork restricting my sick moves!

Hmm... old, heavy, flexy... probably outweighs their looks. On paper, flex shouldn't bother me too much as I'm not hitting the most technical terrain at atom splitting speed. But I don't want a heavy fork. Id rather go light and flexy than heavy but girder-strength.

downhillbike

have a look for manitous cheaper dorado expert that they have just brought out have a look on ebay as the experts are under £700 on there

bluechair84

I'm looking second hand thanks. £300 is around my budget

supersonic

How much travel do you need? What headtube standard do you have?

ilovedirt

Old, heavy, flexy as nicklouse said, and really need to be kept on top of in terms of maintenance because of the amount of censored that gets on the seals etc. I wouldn't bother, personally. Just sort your boxxers out, mine are great!

bluechair84

I think the Socom is after 200mm. 1.5head tube, but I'm running reducer cups for my 2005 boxxer. I've serviced the Boxxer with new oil and seals, and they're still censored . Bang about and oil seeps still. The rebound adjustment was broken when I picked them up and they don't make spares for it anymore. It ok for the time being apart from it hurts my wrists from time to time when the rebound is being dim-witted. I'm running it until its fooked, no more servicing. Just no point really. I'm keeping my eye open for it's replacement.

The Northern Monkey

Domina DC's are well under £300

rockmonkeysc

2010 Boxxer Teams or later R2C2 would be a huge improvement over 2005 Boxxers. Domains are good but even with the Motion Control damper they don't recover too well between fast big hits.

ilovedirt

Could pick up a decent used set of older style boxxers for around £200. Got my 2009 ones for £200 and they looked mint. Serviced them myself and they still feel lush.

bluechair84

Well, 2010 was the year they moved from the 32mm to 35mm chassis and changed their damping cartridge assembly to the R2C2 which is still their current damper. I think from '06 to '09 they were hydracoil which was pretty similar to the '05. Anyway, the 2010 is the cheapest you can get the most contemporary design and it's in my budget. Unless anyone corrects my Boxxer knowledge!

rockmonkeysc

The 32mm stanchions were a bit flexy compared to the latest 35mm forks.
It's worth considering Totems as well, they are even stiffer, extremely well damped and often cheaper used. They are 180mm travel but have the same A2C as Boxxers so your geometry will be the same.

bluechair84

Weight is my biggest bug bear... and looks like the totems are marginally lighter than a boxxer team. Probably won't forgo the extra travel, but it's probably an option worth bearing in mind and one I hadn't considered. Cheers

supersonic

Seen Totems new for £400.

bluechair84

Yeah, I could stretch to that if it was everything I wanted, but I'd feel I'm restricting a 200mm frame with 180mm forks. I'd have to research if others who have done this have felt it limited things.

nicklouse

what is up with the Boxxers that are on it now?

bluechair84

well, they hurt my wrists sometimes on impacts during rebound. the damping doesn't seem to cope when this happens. The rebound adjuster is broken and TF tell me they don't do spares anymore. even with brand new seals, they weep oil so i think the stanchions are worn, and the spring bangs about inside.

nicklouse

bluechair84 wrote:

well, they hurt my wrists sometimes on impacts during rebound. the damping doesn't seem to cope when this happens. The rebound adjuster is broken and TF tell me they don't do spares anymore. even with brand new seals, they weep oil so i think the stanchions are worn, and the spring bangs about inside.

Banging springs is just the rubber sleeve not being there or slipped.

eBay for some with snapped lowers or some other problem?

IIRC up untill recently you could mix and match most Boxxer internals.

Please check.

I think you might be better doing a make new approach with two Boxxers. Maybe look for an air one with broken lowers?

Or.... You see where I am going.

bluechair84

It would be possible to make do and mend, but there's so much wrong with them I don't think there's much point. However, I'll open them up and have a look for a sleeve on the spring. If not, I'll bodge one out of a skinny tube. I'm planning on running them into the ground, then getting something more modern.