new forks and crankset

giantgiant08
giantgiant08 Posts: 14
edited May 2008 in MTB buying advice
Just in the proccess of upgrading my giant terrago when budget allows, currently thinking of rockshox tora 318 +poploc, and raceface evolve x-type.

any advice much appreciated, budget of £200 and £100 respectivly but im always out for a bargain.

cheers folks

Comments

  • mr mangos
    mr mangos Posts: 174
    On that budget I'd go for this:

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=25146

    and this.

    http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=1070&categoryId=18
  • Beatmaker
    Beatmaker Posts: 1,092
    Old XT stock here:

    http://www.on-one-shop.co.uk/acatalog/O ... e_181.html
  • artillerydave
    artillerydave Posts: 715
    Merlin are doing 2008 XT cranks for £89 better bet than the Raceface Evolve cranks to be honest. the Evolve ones can look a little bit rough, whilst the deus ones are megabucks.

    Had the Deus ones myself and whilst they are very attractive and stiff and the rings are great, they are not very user friendly.

    Fork wise what travel are you looking for? as this would effect choices. the Toras are a good basic choice but depending on your current forks may not be much of an upgrade.
  • giantgiant08
    giantgiant08 Posts: 14
    currently running a pair of manitou black 120's which are far too soft and keep bottoming out at even the smallest of jumps.
  • Larok
    Larok Posts: 577
    mr mango's suggestions look good to me
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  • S_J_P
    S_J_P Posts: 908
    I can't rate the Rock Shox Reba SL's too highly, and Merlin are currently knocking them out for £230 (though they're available for £200 every now and then). The Reba was one of the first upgrades to my Terrago :D

    To be honest, whilst the Truvativ crankset isn't the best, you can get replacement BB's for £12 and I'm sticking with the original for the time being, I have been tempted by the Merlin XT deal though :? As already said by others, I'd avoid the RaceFace setup.
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  • mr mangos
    mr mangos Posts: 174
    If you want to keep the 120mm travel you have currently (Reba SLs are 100m) then look at a U-Turn fork like a Recon or Revelation Coil. They can both be had for around £200 if you shop around.
  • giantgiant08
    giantgiant08 Posts: 14
    what size will the geometry of my frame allow? because i do like the look of the reba
  • mr mangos
    mr mangos Posts: 174
    Seems to be designed around a 100mm fork so the Reba will be fine.
  • giantgiant08
    giantgiant08 Posts: 14
    oh and sorry but one more thing, is it worth changing the rest of the componentry i.e. the chain and cassettes whilst im at it? is so any advice there?
  • mr mangos
    mr mangos Posts: 174
    Assuming you're fitting a new crankset, if your chain and cassette are worn then yes it would be a good idea.
  • giantgiant08
    giantgiant08 Posts: 14
    any thoughts on the Xc600 from marzocchi? better or worse than the reba?
  • mr mangos
    mr mangos Posts: 174
    No experience with that fork so no idea.
  • S_J_P
    S_J_P Posts: 908
    The Reba tends to be the fork everyone recommends in the £200-£250 price bracket.

    Have you decided on your crankset upgrade?

    I recently upgraded both front and rear deraillers, cables, chain and shifters as the old Deore units were beginning to get a little slack (there was a good 2-3mm of movement on the front derailler pins before anything actually started to shift). Total cost was around £100 and it has transformed the bikes shifting.

    Through choice deals on-line I went for a bottom-swing X7 with X9 shifter up front (£25) (The bottom-swing derailler is far easier to keep clean than the old top-swing unit) and XT Shadow/XT shifter at the rear (£55), plus some Clarkes sealed cables and a Shimano chain.
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  • giantgiant08
    giantgiant08 Posts: 14
    thanks very much guys definatly some food for thought there, S_J_P may i enquire where that set up was from? sounds a great deal
  • S_J_P
    S_J_P Posts: 908
    SRAM X7 Mech £9.99 from CRC
    SRAM X9 Shifter £14.99 from CRC
    Shimano XT M770 Shifter £24.99 from CRC
    Shimano XT M772 Shadow Mech £29.99 from CRC
    Shimano HG73 Chain £9.99 from CRC
    Clarkes sealed cable set £8.99 from Halfords.

    I must say that I prefer the XT shifter to the X9, especially the 2-way release :)
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  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Pretty sure the Terrago is only warrantied for a 100mm fork max - and besides, is an XC bike designed around 80-100mm of travel. Going on that, the Reba is the best bet, at 100mm. Tora is a better bet for longer travel and harder riding, but I think it would be overkill given Rebas are 200
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  • giantgiant08
    giantgiant08 Posts: 14
    thanks supersonic, but where can i find the reba's for £200, the best i can find is £220? i know its not a lot but im a student and need to save wherever i can lol
  • giantgiant08
    giantgiant08 Posts: 14
    thanks supersonic, but where can i find the reba's for £200, the best i can find is £220? i know its not a lot but im a student and need to save wherever i can lol
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Ah, the price at Merlin keeps fluctuating - sometimes 200, sometimes 220!
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

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  • artillerydave
    artillerydave Posts: 715
    I think you'll find at merlin with V brake bosses £200, without £230. personally i'd pay the £30 extra for no bosses.
  • BlackSpur
    BlackSpur Posts: 4,228
    There's no V brake option any more - probably sold out.
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