Which Reba's?

Bromski
Bromski Posts: 239
edited October 2007 in MTB buying advice
HI all

I thought I had finally worked out what was the best fork for my bike for my local rides through Guisbrouugh forest/North Yoorks Moors and weekend trips to trail centres like Dalby and Grizedale - the mighty Reba.

Problem is, theres 3 different types!

As far as I can make out, there's SL, Race, and Team, but whaich do I need?

Do I need adjustable travel? Do I need a poploc?

Which is the best value for money?

I have a 2006 Trek 4500.

Your thoughts appreciated

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    well on RS's webby it has all the info. left to right is going down in damping platform and materials.

    you therefore have to decide which platform you want and then what options, travel/poplock/etc.......

    and most of that comes down to your bike and pocket.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • jacktheoc
    jacktheoc Posts: 1,556
    adjustable travel is helpful at guisbrough! and at most places, you dont really need a poploc i have one and dont really use it that much :!:
  • Bromski
    Bromski Posts: 239
    Sorry to sound dumb, but what do you mean by platform?

    Also, I dont know whether I need adjustable travel - all I've ever known is the J1's that came as standard.

    The site isn't particularly clear, IMHO. Looking at the specs for each seems to make it less clear... :?
  • Bromski
    Bromski Posts: 239
    Cheers Jack

    What's the benefit of adjustable travel then?

    And how much do I need (or indeed how much would work on my bike?)
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    if you get a reba that has the spring loaded cap you WILL need a poplock.

    when you say adjustable travel which? all travel or U-turn?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • jacktheoc
    jacktheoc Posts: 1,556
    adjustable travel helps as if you are going over lots of bumpy stuff or drops etc then you can put your travel high and it will absorb it more and less if not needed or just or road/flat trails..
    im not sure how much travel your bike has ! if its 100mm now you can put 130mm on max probs best sticking with 120mm but now much difference if 130 is what you want..
  • Bromski
    Bromski Posts: 239
    Well that's sort of my question - what is the difference? Are they "brand names"?

    I'm just getting more confused!
  • jacktheoc
    jacktheoc Posts: 1,556
    in order of performance:
    reba sl,race,team
    team being the best
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    Bromski wrote:
    Well that's sort of my question - what is the difference? Are they "brand names"?

    I'm just getting more confused!

    well U-turn is a dial that allows about 30mm of travel adjustment. All travel means that during a service the forks travel can be reset to one of the 3 standard heights for rebas. 85/100/115mm.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Bromski
    Bromski Posts: 239
    Travel Adjust All-Travel, U-Turn (AM) - from the webby

    wtf does this mean???

    Are these options?
  • Bromski
    Bromski Posts: 239
    Ahhhhh

    Sounds like I want Reba Team with U-Turn then....

    Wow they're expensive! :o
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    The structural and weight differences are labelled quite clearly, and upgrades over the previous fork in the range. the base ones represent the best value IMHO.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    Bromski wrote:
    Ahhhhh

    Sounds like I want Reba Team with U-Turn then....

    Wow they're expensive! :o

    why do you want U-turn? dont you know what travel your bike takes?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Bromski
    Bromski Posts: 239
    nope
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    :roll: well what is it?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Trek 4500 comes with a 100mm travel foirk, and I do not hink is warrantied to go above that. So the Uturn would be a wasted feature. Sounds like you want the standard 100mm version. Get one with a poploc if you fancy a bar mounted lockout lever.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • Bromski
    Bromski Posts: 239
    OK

    2 more questions - Super - do u mean the sandard 100mm SL?

    And can all models be locked out without the poploc?
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    pop lock isjust a lever which moves a spring loaded dial to lock the fork. if the dial is a friction on then you do can not use a poplock but you can still lock the fork out.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • dunker
    dunker Posts: 1,456
    team with poploc here and i love it :D the poploc is soooo handy for climbs and road riding i'd hate not to have it. there's such a small difference in weight between the race and the team i think, you might aswell go for a race+poploc i reckon. or if you can find a good deal on the team get that.
    Merlin Malt4,
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/7405500@N0 ... 025278584/
  • Bromski
    Bromski Posts: 239
    Cheers Dunker

    I've seen these - do you think I should hold out for the Race or even the Team?

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROCKSHOX-REBA-SL-SUSPENSION-MTB-FORK-INC-POPLOC-NEW_W0QQitemZ330171799597QQihZ014QQcategoryZ36135QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

    What I can't make out is what the REAL benefits are of each upgrade. I keep being told to look at the RS site, but there's a lot of marketing mumbo jumbo - it's hard to tell what is important...
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Thats a good deal. If you want a bar mounted adjuster - but you cant just take it off as nick says, it MUST be used with the fork, as the fork is modded to accept it.

    There are two types of pop loc - poploc and poploc adjust - the second one allows more precise tuning of the compression damping on the Motion Control.

    The Team has a lighter crown. It also has an external floodgate adjuster - this sets the blow off force of the lockout.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    be aware the external adjuster can catch on some down tubes.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • wiseman4454
    wiseman4454 Posts: 35
    http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=produ ... egoryId=18

    About £206 Delivered 2008 model if your not bothered for the poploc....Also. I know it says £230, but you get 10% off. So it works about 206 ;)
    Cheers
    Tom
  • The Spiderman
    The Spiderman Posts: 5,625
    I have the Rebas SL which are great forks.You can still reach down to reach the,lock out from a seated postion on the bike so think very carefully about if you need a remote,bar mounted poploc,before you pay the extra.

    The external floodate,would be quite a nice feature,but I reckon most people will find the SL more than enogh.

    Look at Merlin for the best deals.
    2006 Giant XTC
    2010 Giant Defy Advanced
    2016 Boardman Pro 29er
    2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
    2017 Canondale Supersix Evo
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    edited October 2007
    Yes but if the blue dial/knob is sprung you NEED a poplock. i know too many people who have got the forks with the sprung top and then had to splash out on the poplock.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    if you get the sl (a great choice in my opinion) you wll save some cash, not be carrying around the unnescessary travel adjust and still get the motion control MANUAL lever, which means you can adjust compression and loc-out on the fly.

    (that said, i have team dual air with remote poploc and uturn traveladjust on my stumpy and think they are the business end of xc forks :D )
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    Bromski wrote:
    Cheers Dunker

    I've seen these - do you think I should hold out for the Race or even the Team?

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROCKSHOX-REBA-SL-SUSPENSION-MTB-FORK-INC-POPLOC-NEW_W0QQitemZ330171799597QQihZ014QQcategoryZ36135QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

    that looks to be all the fork you will need. and at a very good price, plus you get the convenience of poploc. if i had 200 to spend on an xc fork, that'd be theone i went for

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