Change from the rather poop Rockshox dart 2. What next?

grazo22

I'm pretty new to the whole serious biking scene and for my birthday I worked really hard to get my Merida AM 500. Now I have the kit to do so I would like to get good at downhill and a bit of jumping. I am really pleased with the bike but the forks seem to be lacking a bit with the whole downhill image of the bike. I would like to change them in about 6 months after I have had time to save up. I have about £200 to spend and would like lockout. What do you think the best set of forks I could get. I like large travel but also like the ability to lockout. The front also sits a little low at the moment and would be really good if I could buy forks with more than the current 80mm travel to raise the front.

Thanks Guys

papasmurf.

Rockshox Tora 318 is in your price range, its 100mm and you probably don't want to go over that, depends what your bikes warrentied to no idea on Merida frames, plus it'll screw up the geomentry (if it can take longer then maybe the Tora Uturn which will give you more when you need it, but can sit at 100mm for the rest of the time


EDIT: actually looking at the bike, it says the forks 100mm, and theres some with a 120m..so reckon you'd be fine with somthign like the Tora 318 U-turn that'll give you 85-130mm travel

BlackSpur

This year's AM 500 has a 120mm Dart so I would think you should be OK with a fork with this much travel, would be a good idea to ask Merida themselves though.

http://www2.merida-bikes.com/en_GB/Bikes.Detail.84

grazo22

BlackSpur wrote:

This year's AM 500 has a 120mm Dart so I would think you should be OK with a fork with this much travel, would be a good idea to ask Merida themselves though.

http://www2.merida-bikes.com/en_GB/Bikes.Detail.84

I'm not quite sure what model my bike is but when I bought it they said it was a 2007. I think it is but it is not the AM-500-d but the AM-500. The forks are dart 2 with preload adjust, seems to have no effect, and having looked at your post do you reckon I could get 120mm travel forks on it. I have written to Merida asking but just wanted some advice on what fellow bikers thought as Merida may have a deal with a company like Rockshox.

grazo22

Have had an email back from the guys at merida and they have said it can take up to 140mm what sort of lockout forks are there in this area for £200 cheers

BlackSpur

Rockshox Recon 351would be a possibility - can get the U-Turn model for £200 from JE James Cycles. This has lockout and U-Turn feature, which means you can adjust the amount of travel.

Andy B

Over £200 http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=24389

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=produ ... egoryId=18

Under £200 http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=produ ... egoryId=18

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... 0mm%20Fork

supersonic

Recon or Tora

BlackSpur

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/id35025.html

On a slightly different note (sorry for the hijack grazo22), could someone please clarify the difference between a Tora and Recon for me. I have got the impreesion that they are both designed for XC/trail/light AM use, with the Tora being slightly heavier and stiffer and the Recon lighter, more adjustable and plusher. Am I right?

supersonic

Recon this year has an XC version and AM version. Tora has steel stanchions which adds weight, but makes them stronger and stiffer. They use exactly the same internals.

BlackSpur

OK cheers SS!