XC suspension forks

flyingelephant
flyingelephant Posts: 121
edited August 2008 in XC and Enduro
Which are the best xc forks for the money. Sids? Fox? Spinner? other....
A Devonian in Norway

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    what are your requirements? weight/stiffness/use/serviceability?

    the NEW SIDS

    Not the old ones.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • flyingelephant
    flyingelephant Posts: 121
    For xc racing, the odd enduro and the joy of training. Light and stiff being the requirements and maybe last years model to keep costs down. I'm not interested in big travel.
    A Devonian in Norway
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Light and stiff being the requirements and maybe last years model to keep costs down.
    get saving for the new SIDs or look at the Foxs.

    also what brakes? if disc what size disc and what fitting.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • flyingelephant
    flyingelephant Posts: 121
    sticking to V's for breaking as I've just had some new wheels built up.
    A Devonian in Norway
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Is very low weight, stiffness, or performance what you are after? And what budget?
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • flyingelephant
    flyingelephant Posts: 121
    Low wieght and stiffnes is the key. I like ridged but find I ride far faster with front suspension. So I'm looking for a fork that has all the pros of a ridged fork with some 'boing' to smooth out the trail for speed. I hate the soggy feeling suspension gives when cornering with some braking action.
    A Devonian in Norway
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    SIDS or the Fox then - the Spinner has spindly 28mm stanchions, the Pace 30 (thoufgh is still fairly stiff, and lighter)
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    but the OLD sids are sill flexy..But may not be as noticeable with V's. but get ready to service them often.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • xtreem
    xtreem Posts: 2,965
    Hey, what about the Magura Durin, light enough,
    stiff enough (Double Arch Design (DAD)). Someone tested?
    NS Bikes Eccentric Alu custom - 2016
  • flyingelephant
    flyingelephant Posts: 121
    Xtreem wrote:
    Hey, what about the Magura Durin, light enough,
    stiff enough (Double Arch Design (DAD)). Someone tested?

    These look good in reviews, although with a slight weight penalty.
    A Devonian in Norway
  • strodey
    strodey Posts: 481
    Just bought some DT SWISS XRC100, very light! very bling bling :wink:
    Carbon is a mans best freind
  • Bighead
    Bighead Posts: 260
    Strodey how do you get on with your DT forks? I have some Pace RC39s and they are awful. I am wondering wether or not DT have improved the quality control over the manufactoring of these forks.
    My Summer Ride My Winter Ride
  • strodey
    strodey Posts: 481
    Have only done just over 40 miles on them so they are just bedding in, my worry when buying them was some mixed reports i'd had from pace forks but they look really well built and so far i can't fault them, easy to adjust and the lockout feature works really well.
    I only have Tora 302's to compare them to but noticed a big difference they just feel better (may be partly down to weight diff).
    Was ensured by guy in shop that big improvements had been made and he's very trustworthy and usually talks me out of stuff if he doesn't think its a good idea.
    What do you find bad about the quality and i'll have something to look for! I'll get some pics up!
    At the end of the day i needed to satisfy my newly found carbon fetish :lol:
    Carbon is a mans best freind
  • Bighead
    Bighead Posts: 260
    The main issue I have with them at the moment is the large amount of stiction. This means that over fast small bumps I get way too much juddering. I have had to send them back 3 times. 1st time was a flaw in the carbon so oil leaked out. 2nd time the seals were replaced because a vast amount of oil was coming out over the stantions. 3rd time the stantions were replaced because they were binding on something inside the forks and consequently got marked.

    I really don't like these forks and so I am looking for some new ones. I am looking at the Manitous once I can get hold of them in black. DT would be an option although I have had bad experiences with the Pace and they look quite expensive so it would be a big gamble. Look forward to seeing your pics.
    My Summer Ride My Winter Ride
  • Chaka Ping
    Chaka Ping Posts: 1,451
    Pace could be done under the trade descriptions act for calling the rubber bits on their forks "seals", in my limited experience.

    The oil flows out so freely that you have to remember to keep the bike upright.
  • Bighead
    Bighead Posts: 260
    Once a fly landed on my stations and it couldn't fly off because they were so wet with oil. They just sock up all the dust from the trail then take it inside when the forks compress. Then after a few hours they start to perform even more appalling than they did to begin with.

    Yet despite all their problems they seem to get amazing magazine reviews. I just don't get it.
    My Summer Ride My Winter Ride
  • strodey
    strodey Posts: 481
    was out on weekend and got covered in fine dust, had big build up near seals as i would expect so i hope its staying out, went out tonight and they seem to be bedding in well (60 miles so far) i've played around with the pressure pump and have found that at around 110psi they perform really well over the small stuff too, i'll keep you posted as to how they are performing.
    Thanks for letting me know what to potentially look for in way of problems
    Carbon is a mans best freind
  • strodey
    strodey Posts: 481
    forkdts.jpg
    Carbon is a mans best freind
  • jackob7
    jackob7 Posts: 15
    As you are looking around the forum you find the odd decent question and i came across this one and found what your looking for- my bike is fitted with sr suntour 63mm i think, and looking for a buyer. These forks are stiff and my dad says i need to ditch them but i looked at your question and remembered that i need to get rid and it felt like the perfect oppertunity. If you want you can have them. Offers over £10 please


    thanks jacko
  • jackob7
    jackob7 Posts: 15
    As you are looking around the forum you find the odd decent question and i came across this one and found what your looking for- my bike is fitted with sr suntour 63mm i think, and looking for a buyer. These forks are stiff and my dad says i need to ditch them but i looked at your question and remembered that i need to get rid and it felt like the perfect oppertunity. If you want you can have them. Offers over £15 please


    thanks jacko
  • jackob7
    jackob7 Posts: 15
    As you are looking around the forum you find the odd decent question and i came across this one and found what your looking for- my bike is fitted with sr suntour 63mm i think, and looking for a buyer. These forks are stiff and my dad says i need to ditch them but i looked at your question and remembered that i need to get rid and it felt like the perfect oppertunity. If you want you can have them. Offers over £15 please


    thanks jacko
  • kegs
    kegs Posts: 204
    somehow I don't think that suntours are in quite the same league as new Sids, foxs or dt swiss forks ;)
  • thomasali
    thomasali Posts: 179
    My Paces were awful, until I read the manual and let all the air out, compressed them and then pumped em' up again - they actually work now! I have found oldish marzocchis (2003/04) to be great perfomers, I have a 2003 120mm Marathon sl and an 80mm Marathon Olympic Edition (in pink!) both have great small bump sensitivity as well as big hits. I have also got Fox Floats, they are quite linear, plush but blow through travel easily, saying that they track very well, are lighweight and can take a fair bit of hard riding. Also have got Vanillas on another bike, feel nicer than the floats - more progressive, and pretty tough too, I have Rebas on my 29er they are a bit less plush than the foxes, with a bit more resistance coming from somewhere, more than likely the seals which are excellent. The paces feel the stiffest chassis wise, followed by the fox and the rebas, the marzocchi sl are a little flexier, but not so much they feel out of control or get knocked off line and the Olympic is a tiny bit more flexy (but its old and weighs nowt so its excused) Oh yeah I had 75mm suntour XCRs on my first MTB they were adequate for light xc, but got out of their depth real quick at anything above moderate speed off road! Next to no damping!
    http://www.last.fm/user/bobfossil

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