Rock Shox Jett

Pros: Cheap, good for light-duty tooling around
Cons: Short, poor quality travel, poor cold performance, better deals around here

My Gary Fisher Joshua F4 (full-suspension) came stock with Rock Shox suspension. At first, I thought that this was great, and it really did feel good for a while. Then I got a Cane Creek AD-8 rear shock, and it was like getting a whole new bike, the ride...

Pros: Cheep Upgrade, Name Brand
Cons: Spring Based, Little Adjustment range, No Disc Brake Mounts On Mine

After evaluating 3 bikes, the last one I purchased had all the extras including a set of Rock Shox. The second bike had a very basic set of shocks. Those shocks popped up and down... as if you were riding on a flat tire.. there was no bouncy or smooth...

Pros: Price, I guess.
Cons: Unpredictable travel, sluggish rebound, poor cold weather performance, substandard warm weather performance.

This suspension fork came stock on my 2001 Giant Iguana. Back then, suspension forks were just beginning to become mainstream, and the Jett came on most entry level mt bikes. However, it performed so poorly that I eventually replaced mine with an aluminum rigid fork. It froze up in cold weather, had unpredictable dampening even on warm days and had such a low rebound pressure that I felt like I was riding in sand most of the time on dirt trails. It was sluggish. All of that poor performance, and it added about 4 pounds to the front end of my bike. When I replaced it with rigid forks (strapped for cash), it was actually an improvement over the Jett. If you find these forks online and think you're getting a good deal by buying them, you're in for a disappointment. My advice to anyone who is considering them: no matter how cheaply you can buy them, you're better off with rigid forks and saving for better suspension. The RS Jetts will ruin the ride of your bike.