 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Not asking for your thoughts on the aesthetics, I have eyes and can see for myself, but would like to hear from owners how they perform.
How they feel going down a rocky track. How they feel going up a rocky track. How they feel going round a tight bend. How they feel bombing through tight singletrack & dodging trees. Do they take some getting used to? Y'know, pros & cons.
Trail Racer Boost specifically.
From two mates who have used them, they are great for XC but hit singletrack or rocky stuff and they suffer from twist for want of a better word and holding lines becomes a lottery.
used by roadies who want to be mtbers but have not got a clue about fork set up 🙂
as above  by MM have a friend who has had 3 of the forks back for warranty due to the springs delaminating!
edit what do I know I ride a lefty occasionally
I had a Lauf Carbonara on a fat bike (no longer owned by me), and I liked it.
I'm not a fast or particularly skilled rider, but for me they are really good.
Just put the forks that came with my new bike up for sale (Fox 34's), and have the TR boost forks on order.
I think most people will find them a bit lacking for hard riding, but they are excellent for cross country riding.
Light weight, simple and no maintenance.
Will be used with a 650 b plus tyre, the lower pressure from the wider tyre will give some comfort, but obviously nothing like a modern fork set up.
I've only had a brief go on one. No damping so a bit logo stick like.
They do take the sting out if bumps and if you are riding fairly straight trails then are a nice low weight edition if you are inclined to be shying away from a full rigid set up.
My last 2 xc bikes have both been fully rigid and can wholeheartedly recommend going down that route, the direct steering you get from a rigid makes for a great ride.
There was a review in the mag a while back. I think it was Lee Cragie who tested it so I'd imagine more than capable of judging its performance:
http://singletrackmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/review-lauf-trail-racer-boost-forks/
Based on a 5 minute go that was little more than a car park spin: if you're worried about how they feel they might not be for you, the real question is how much faster/further will they make you ride.
I did actually write a load of stuff, then looked at that review, and thats what my (brief) foray with them found. Its a suspension fork in the mold of old fashioned curvy forks and Quadras.
It'll take the sting out, but at the cost of tracking and rigidity.
Probably why the front row at most marathons has gone back to telescopes and lefties.
When the lauf were new and exciting a good number of riders at the pointy end of elite were on them. But if they don't work, they don't get used.
Still see them around on the long open gravel marathons. Cykelvasan for instance, 90km of gravel with one root at about km 60 and a rock at km 75. (joke, but it's not very bumpy).
Compared to Billingeracet which is pretty much 75km of rocks, drops and roots. Everyone is on telescopic forks there...... mostly on FS as well. Cykelvasan was nearly won by a straight barred CX bike 3 or 4 years ago.......
Lee did not use on the Tour Divide as her harness buckle at the front wore through her carbon forks!
"the real question is how much faster/further will they make you ride."
Surely that depends on the alternative and the terrain.
Speed and distance are not a function of fork.
Given where they, Lauf, are from (Iceland) then they are best suited to bumpy gravel type riding - removing lots of very small juddery type shocks to the bars. Probably good for washboard as well. Better suited to something like the Tour Divide than a UK trail centre.
Wouldn't you be better off with a flexstem?