Fox 32 Float R 140 vs RS Recon 351 Air

zero303

Orange offer the Fox as a £65 upgrade over the Recon on the Five.

Without riding them, the pros and cons I'm able to weigh up are (some of these are guesses that need confirming):

Fox Pros: lighter (only quarter pound though), tons of kudos and prestige (lets face it, this is a huge factor lol)
Fox Cons: Maintenance (?), £65 could be better spent else where? I've heard they feel slightly stretched as a 140mm fork. No lock-out.

RS Pros: £65 cheaper, easier to maintain (?), Lock-out.
RS Cons: 130mm might feel mismatched with 140mm rear travel (??), heavier, lot less sexy.

Lockout isn't a huge issue because I do sometimes use it (but mostly forget or don't feel the need) but I tend to climb in the saddle more anyway and I'm pretty light and small.

Maintenance, I'm planning on sorting a winter bike out so I'm not going to be going crud busting on the five, I'd like to learn how to maintain the front and rear shock anyway, so unless the fox needs excessive servicing it's should be alright I think...

Any thoughts?

Splasher

I'd snap their hand of if it were my £65.

papasmurf.

the recon on my g/fs bike is a bit flexy for my liking, but I'm not a massive fan of fox either, though the 08 ones are meant to be better

BOYDIE

Ive had a set of Toras and recons on various bikes,and both were great.Have also tryed Rebas and liked them a lot but they do flex more than my Fox f90 on my Stumpy.I personaly Like Fox forks as they track well and are very controlled.Friend of mine runs the talas on his fsr 100mm to 140mm.Now thats a nice fork.

Id go for the Fox.

zero303

I'll be snapping some hands off then!!! Thanks guys!

Any word on maintenance of fox forks?

dirtbiker100

any word? i can give one - Mojo, if you want to get them properly serviced these guys are really good and quick. dunno about general maintennance though.

Chaka Ping

Great deal, dunno how they afford that.

supersonic

If Fox have sorted out the few problems that were being reported, ie crap seals and lifeless bushings, then it seems a deal. They reckon to have cured the compression damping problems for 08 too. The current crop of RS forks seem to just run and run, and the motion control damper is easy to set up and works well - and on the recon, it has adjustable compression damping, lockout, lockout threshold adjust while the float has none of this. Pity there isnt a Revelation option.

BOYDIE

Recons floodgate is factory set m8,only revs and rebas have the adjust,shame.Most of foxs problems were with the 04 to 06 forks and things like seals and that have been sorted ,you can also PUSH tune you fox to add better features and better double lipped seals......lovely.

Splasher

supersonic wrote:

If Fox have sorted out the few problems that were being reported, ie crap seals and lifeless bushings, then it seems a deal. They reckon to have cured the compression damping problems for 08 too. The current crop of RS forks seem to just run and run, and the motion control damper is easy to set up and works well - and on the recon, it has adjustable compression damping, lockout, lockout threshold adjust while the float has none of this. Pity there isnt a Revelation option.

Yeah, but the Float has light weight and good suspension

supersonic

Good once youve sent it off and had a 150 quid revalve ;-). Its 180g lighter so a little saving.

Not tried the 08 yet, so hopefully better than the older ones which used to dive badly. No doubt the Fox will hold is value better. If buying from new I'd save the 100 quid and get the recon. But for 65 quid? It is a bargain going on the rrp.