| REVIEW: RockShox 2007 Domain Fork |
Words and photos by Dan Austin
RockShox wanted to enter into the freeride single crown fork category with confidence and determination. With the introduction of the Totem, Lyrik, and Domain, they have come to the table with serious contributions backed by years of experience and fork know-how. RockShox also knew that they had to bring something to the masses that was affordable - shelling out over $1,000 bucks for a fork makes most of us a little weak in the knees.
Like many other people, I can’t afford the top-of-the-line frame, fork and parts group, so I have to make my choices count. And when it comes to freeriding, I'd rather have a better quality fork than drivetrain every time. The prowess of a good fork has more than made up for my lack of skill on more than one occasion. So does the Domain meet those performance expectations without killing your wallet?
The test model I was asked to test the Domain 318 IS U-turn model with a 1 1/8” steerer. My test fork came with 115-160mm U-Turn travel adjust system as well as external rebound damping, RockShox Motion Control damping system (not to be confused with Mission Control, which is found on the Totem and Lyrik), and topped off with the Maxle 360 quick release system. This test fork, the top model in the Domain line, weighs in at 6.5 lbs. with an uncut steerer and the Maxle. |
 The 2007 Domain 318 IS, mounted on a Xprezo Raah |
There are two Domain models: the 318 and the 302. Each model comes in a few variations: both are coil sprung and come in either the 115 - 160mm U-Turn travel adjust, a 160mm or a 180mm version. The difference between the two is the Motion Control damping system found in the 318 model. The Domain is available in a handful of color configurations: Black, Diffusion Black, Diffusion Silver, and Punish-Mint (302 Coil).
 Looking at things from the back of the arch and 35mm stanchions... |
The Domain crown is anodized, forged, hollow aluminum (AL66TV), with the option of either a 1 1/8” or 1.5” steerer. Stanchions are 35mm 4130 tapered wall chromed steel, and the axle-to-crown length at full travel is 545mm +/- 5mm. That number drops by 45mm when the U-Turn is fully wound down. Maximum tire size recommended for the Domain is 2.7” but always be sure to check clearances as tire profiles vary between manufacturers and the rims on which they are mounted. The fork lowers on the Domain are the same as the Lyrik and are made of cast magnesium alloy, for strength and reduced weight. Like the Lyrik and Totem, the lowers have a noticeably larger bulge along each leg called the Power Bulge. This area of increased size, located just above the mid point of the lowers and extending 2.25” upwards, is designed to help support the upper bushings. It also works to maintain/increase overall stiffness of the fork while reducing material use, which keeps total weight down. |
Looking from the rear, the arch is honeycombed keeping strength up and again, weight down. The fork arch also sports a simple but effective brake line guide that holds the line in place with the help of a single zip tie; it's minimal and functional.
Brake calipers are attached via post mounts that accept 160mm (6”) rotors; you will have to use an adaptor for a 203mm (8”) disk. The front wheel is attached by RockShox’s very own Maxle 360 quick release system. The Maxle 360 is a tool-less quick release for 20mm axles that threads into the non-drive side of the fork, and helps keep the Domain stiff under just about any condition. The new QR system is an improvement over the original Maxle in that it allows you to close the quick release in any position you desire, hence the 360 designation. |
 The Maxle360 and post mounts - note the Power Bulge, just above the decals |
The similarity between the Domain and the Lyrik forks end as soon as you look inside. The 318 IS offers external rebound damping plus the Motion Control (MC) system, compared to the Mission Control system in the Lyrik.
 Crank it up or down to the perfect height |
MC, housed in the right fork leg, controls your fork’s performance to make it more efficient or more supple while still maintaining bit-hit capabilities. The left fork leg houses the coil spring and the U-Turn system. The U-Turn variable travel system allows the rider to adjust the travel to any length between 115 and 160mm by turning a tab on the top of the leg. U-Turn is made up of two springs that wind into each other, rather than compressing, which results in consistent and predictable performance at any travel setting. I have had other forks with adjustable travel, but like the U-Turn system better because it provides multiple travels settings with full and consistent fork functionality and feel at any of those settings. That isn't an option on other travel-adjust forks I've used. |
Motion Control is on the right fork leg, while U-Turn is on the left leg. The crown is forged to save weight.
Even though the damping system on the Domain isn't as sophisticated as the Mission Control system on Totem or Lyrik forks, it still works very well. With the MC dialled fully to the right, the fork is almost locked out for low-speed (rider influenced) compression and to some degree, it acts like a stable platform system. This makes the fork great for climbing because pedal bob is negligible. With the travel cranked down to 115mm and the MC fully engaged, the Domain behaved like a good XC fork, just burlier.
The nice thing about MC is that although the low-speed compression is dialled in, the fork is still semi-active for high-speed (big hit) compression. You don’t have to worry about switching the damping setting every time you want to go over something. That’s not to say it’s as plush as when the damping is dialled out, but it’s still active enough to take the sting out of bigger hits.
 The rebound knob / hex key assembly |
So, as you probably guessed, the fork is more forgiving throughout its travel with the MC knob turned to the left. Basically, it’s super plush. It's important to note, however, that MC is not a two-position system; there are 10 clicks for you to choose. It's not hard to find that perfect amount of damping somewhere in between all on and all off. The external rebound adjustment, located on the bottom of the right fork leg, works very well and is easy to change to match the demands of the trail. Turn one way for slower and one way for faster rebound. The rebound knob also comes off to expose a 2.5mm hex key, which can be used to adjust the Floodgate damping system on Mission Control forks. The only uses on the Domain are to take off the U-Turn cap and compression knob, or to adjust the reach on your brakes. |
Performance
I can sum it up in one word – NICE! I have never used a fork that has such a palpable change in compression damping. The Motion Control compression damping system actually has a noticeable affect on fork performance. The compression adjustment actually only turns about 90° - 10 clicks - and within that range, the fork's performance is significantly altered.
With subtle changes in the settings, the fork can be set up to a performance level that actually matches the type of trail you are riding. You can have it set slow for a climb, super plush for rough trails where you need your fork to move dramatically to match the terrain, or somewhere in the middle. I found that I set it mostly at the opposite ends of the spectrum, depending on the situation at hand.
While riding XC this summer on my test bike, I would dial in the compression and crank the U-Turn to 115mm on climbs. The fork climbed like a dream with those settings. Once at the top, I would turn the compression completely to the other end, extend the travel to 160mm, and enjoy the plush downhill I just earned. Not bad for a fork that is supposed to be aimed at the big-hit crowd.
Going down - a full 160mm of travel on the left and wound down to 115mm of squish on the right
I never felt the need to fine-tune the fork that much, which is likely because the compression rate of the fork never felt too soft. I punished that fork for most of the summer at Silver Star and beyond, and it got its fill of hard hits. I was regularly getting the full travel out of the Domain, but I never felt the fork bottom out in the park. I did notice it bottom out on rougher, less manicured trails off the mountain, though, so adding a couple of clicks of compression damping then was always a good idea.
The author at the top of a long Okanagan singletrack climb, just before cranking back to full travel || Photo: Alex Lane
As with the compression adjustment, the rebound adjustment also had a noticeable affect on the fork’s performance. It is easily accessible and easily adjusted to make the Domain perform as you wish.
I find that I do adjust rebound, depending on the trail conditions, more than compression. High speed, bumpy trails require a fairly quick rebound from the fork so that it doesn’t stack up and become effectively rigid, which was a common problem on older forks. I would set the rebound a little slower on larger hit, flowy trails so the front end would behave calmly rather than bucking like a bronco. In the end, rebound adjustability was key in keeping the fork working the way I wanted it to.
How did it ride?
When I was told before the test that the Domain was RockShox's price-point fork, I immediately thought "cheap" with the very next thought being "average performance". The Domain showed me that in some cases, affordable is definitely not a bad thing.
Out of the box, the Domain provides as fine a ride as any other fork I have ridden. I have always been a single crown type of guy, so this fork was right up my alley. It was up front on both the Xprezo Raah all-mountain frame I tested as well as my trusty Bullit, and in both cases the Domain performed beautifully. I had the opportunity to ride a Manitou Travis 150 and the Domain this summer, and the Domain’s performance was definitely comparable to that of the higher-priced Travis.
The Domain was fit for the job from the get go. Although it isn't as massive as the Totems, the Domain is still noticeably larger than a typical long-travel single crown fork. The stiffness afforded by the Domain's size was evident in its ability to be pointed in a direction and go there regardless of what’s in the way. The Domain tracked flawlessly, which allowed me to maintain dubious lines that would have left me in a wreck with a lesser fork.
The author comes off one of the walls at Silver Star, going fast and staying in control
Break-in time for the Domain was reasonable - a couple of days on the hill. Initially, it made a weird clunking noise on hard compression, but once it was sufficiently broken in the clunk disappeared and the smoothness of the fork started to show through. The Domain is not as smooth or buttery feeling as other similar forks I have ridden - the Travis, for example - but it still offers supple stiction-free movement you can depend on.
Big-hit performance on the Domain inspired confidence in my ability to stick landings that would have bottomed-out other forks I've ridden. Knowing that I wouldn’t have my body subjected to harsh landings gave me the cojones to try slightly larger, slightly trickier stunts and lines. When riding at speed, the Domain tracked brilliantly, and with the rebound set up properly, the front end was always in control. I rarely had that feeling that I was just along for the ride.
I would say that the overall performance of the Domain rivals other forks from a higher price bracket. I was always pleased with how it worked, and the Domain’s performance never left me wanting for more.
Not everything was perfect
There are inevitable issues with products as complex as forks; the nice thing is that the Domain’s are relatively minor.
The first one and probably the biggest is that I had a problem with the fork winding down about 0.5 - 1.5” over the course of a ride. I found this to be an issue on long, fast downhill rides where the fork was working overtime. I never noticed it in the beginning of the test, but about halfway through I needed to check my U-Turn for wind down after each run. After talking to RockShox, we figured that the springs and ball bearings that keep the U-Turn cap in place may have been the cause so they sent me a new cap, springs, and ball bearings. Once replaced, the wind-down issue was solved and the fork was good as new. This can be interpreted in two ways. The first is that the cap or ball bearings or springs were in fact defective, which is an easy fix. This problem didn’t crop up right away, however, so there may be another possibility. |
 This is what makes the U-Turn system click |
It also could be that because I was testing the Domain on an all-mountain bike, I was adjusting the travel continuously on rides - short for climbs, long for descents. It's possible that after a lot of adjustments, the tiny springs don’t put enough upward pressure on the bearings to hold the U-Turn cap in place under heavy-use conditions like the bike park. Without putting another two months on the fork with the new springs, there is no way for me to figure that out, but it may be something to keep in mind.
The second issue was oil leakage. I found the left fork leg, the coil side, started to leak oil from around the seal. RockShox recommended wiping the dust seals once in a while, which isn’t too much to ask. If you find oil leakage to be an issue, I recommend giving the seals a wipe a little more often; it cleared my oil problem up immediately. [RockShox is aware that some of their forks, most notably the Totems, are experiencing issues with oil leakage and is looking into the situation. - Ed.]
Finally, be careful when replacing the rebound cap / hex key. DO NOT force it back into position. I did that and the hex key got stuck in the fork. I ended up dislodging the key from the cap and then I had to remove the key from the fork with a pair of vice-grip pliers. It didn’t affect the fork’s performance, but its something to be careful of.
The wrap-up
The bottom line is that the Domain is a great fork. RockShox has done a awesome job of providing a high-performance fork for the everyman rider. It’s stiff, durable, easily adjustable, and performs as it is intended to. I loved the way it worked for me and no matter how far I pushed, it kept me straight and helped to keep me rubber side down.
The author subjected the Domain to a summer of this kind of abuse, when he wasn't out on the occasional XC ride || Photo: Stuart Kernaghan
Canadian MSRP for the Domain 318 IS is $840, but very few if any shops will be charging that, and one online retailer in Canada is selling the fork for $625. US MSRP is $595, and online retailers are selling them for $530. That's not a bad price at all for such a high performing fork.
So has RockShox they done it? Have they provided a high-performance fork that the masses can afford? I would say they have.
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