MXA TEAM TESTED: MOTOOL SLACKER DIGITAL SAG SCALE

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TESTEDSLACKER

WHAT IS IT? With the Slacker, there is no more fooling around with tape measures and metal sag scales. The Slacker digital sag scale takes the guesswork out of checking sag on both the shocks and forks.

WHAT’S IT COST? $139.95.

CONTACT? www.motool.co or (800) 741-7702.

WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that stand out with the Slacker digital sag scale.

(1) Features. The main unit of the Slacker digital sag scale has a strong magnetic block on the back that allows the scale to attach firmly to just about any steel front or rear axle. A retractable cord is attached to the digital unit that, when extended, activates a millimeter readout on the LCD display. The cord has a clip on the end that can be attached to the side panel or rear fender via a clamp. When the cord is hooked in and the digital display is reset to zero on the scale, the number of millimeters will be shown on the screen when the bike is taken off the stand and you sit on it. The readout stays on the screen for five minutes before the unit turns itself off.

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(2) Remote LCD display. With the Slacker, setting sag is no longer a two-person job thanks to the remote display. This remote display has a Velcro strap that allows the rider to mount it on the handlebars so it is in clear view. Whatever reading is displayed on the main digital unit will be shown on the remote display. A wire connects the main unit and remote display.

(3) Fork sag. Checking fork sag has become more popular since the advent of PSF and SFF-TAC air forks. With the Slacker scale, you can measure fork preload. Place the magnetized digital unit on the steel axle, then clip the cord to the bottom of the front number plate and zero out the display by pressing the power button. At this point, all you have to do is take the bike off the stand gently, and your fork sag measurement will be displayed in millimeters.

(4) Performance. Adjusting race sag is a chore, and it can be tedious, especially if you don’t have a friend to help. MXA has a lot of test bikes and a lot of riders — and we reset the sag on our test bikes constantly. We love that the Slacker tool allows a rider to adjust race sag by himself with the help of the remote display. We also love that there is no guesswork with the readout on the LCD screen. How many times has a friend measured your sag for you and you later found out that he got the numbers on the measuring tape confused. There are no mistakes with the Slacker, because you don’t have to rely on a slacker friend. There is a learning curve to mastering the process, but after that it is a breeze. We did notice that some people took their bikes off the stand rather fast. Don’t do this with the Slacker. It is best to set the bike down softly so as not to jolt the digital unit or the clamp. MXA’s test riders drilled a small hole in the rear fender to hook the retractable cord to—this way we don’t need to use the aluminum clamp every time we want to measure our sag. We also use the Slacker to measure free sag, by simply zeroing out the scale with the bike on the stand and then taking it off — we are looking for between 30mm and 40mm of free sag.

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(5) Warranty. Obviously, you can buy a tape measure for a lot less than $140, but there is nothing on the market like the Slacker. Motool is so confident that you will be satisfied with the Slacker digital sag scale that they give you a 30-day money-back guarantee starting from the day it shows up at your front door.

WHAT’S THE SQUAWK? We wish the remote LCD display were wireless, but that would add to the price.

MXA RATING?
5-STARS

Originally we gave the Slacker four stars, but after living with it, we upped that to “Five Stars.” The Slacker digital sag scale takes the guesswork out of measuring sag.

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