should i buy: Rock Shox Tora 302 U-Turn Forks - Poploc 2008

Alex-nutsaboutbiking
edited August 2008 in MTB buying advice
Hey im getting a 'saracen raw 2' bike for my birthday and wanted to upgrade the forks to Rock Shox Tora 302 U-Turn Forks - Poploc 2008 is this a good idea?

if not any suggestions on what else to buy i can only afford 150 quid but it may stretch to 200 i need something that can be ajusted as i do a lot of differnt riding.

Comments

  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Surely it would be better to put the extra £200 into the new bike. Bike manufacturers have more buying power than you...
  • GibboGT
    GibboGT Posts: 287
    I got them without the poploc, can't fault em really. Love the U-turn.

    Although you would probably benefit far more from spending an extra £20 and getting the 318 without poploc. Poploc is great i'm sure, but personally i'd rather have the motion control dampening of the 318.

    Although if you can stretch the recon is better!
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    If you are comparing them, the 318 is definitely the one to go for. The tora is strong cos it is made of steel, and the 318 has the same damping as the more expensive RS forks, apart from those with mission control (really big forks) and blackbox MoCo (expensivest little forks)
  • ok wel im not spending the extra 200 quid on a bike as 1 thers nothing rong with gettin the bike and upgrading it and 2 ive only got enough for the bike atm but ill have to save up fo the forks
  • oh and what does motion adjustmant actually do?
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Okay, fair enough!

    the motion control gives better rebound damping IIRC and so the fork is much better behaved.
  • GibboGT
    GibboGT Posts: 287
    oh and what does motion adjustmant actually do?

    Motion control?

    motion control as in on the 318 and not the 302 treats fast rebounds and slow rebounds differently. ie the fork will react when you hit a rock of root or etc etc, but it wont react when you apply a slow force to it ie by peddling or braking.

    rebound adjust is an adjustable feature that controls the rebound speed of the fork, one of those things to play around with until the fork gives the ride you want.


    Oh and one thing, not all frames will take a 130mm fork!
  • ok thanks so its woth the extra 20. and does any one know if you can buy it in black its only in white on crc

    thanks guys
  • GibboGT
    GibboGT Posts: 287
    edited August 2008
    merlin have it in black, not 100% this is the 2008 though. Although i'm sure the 2008 can come in black.

    merlin are cheaper too.

    But again, check the warranty on the frame you are getting!

    edit: just realised that the bike comes with 120mm front forks.
  • ok nd ye it doesnt say on there but its the same usual price as the 2008 model just a lot cheaper in the sale

    i was also going to get a Fox Racing Shox Float R as i prefer air shocks as there more adjustable is this good?
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    It is certianly possible, as long as you get the same stroke and i2i length.

    But you really have to question the sense of sticking ~£180 of forks and ~£200 of rear shock on a ~£350 bike? If you but the raw and stick the £380 into a bike fund account then you could start saving for a really good bike.

    Whilst the raw is an okay beginner bike, (I think you'd be better off with a HT for your budget) you'll end up with good parts on a budget frame, and it'll have cost you a fortune.

    For the total you're spending there are some very hardcore hardtails and some pretty tough FS bikes available. This months WhatMTB has a good performance breakdown at several pricepoints, might be worth picking up a copy.
  • ok and the shock is 100 in crc and the forks are 130 from merlins so its 230 but the reson i had the idea of doing it this way is because its my birthdai soon so im getting the bike for it but then im gunna save up and have the shock and forks for christmas :P
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Okay, well if you're buying a shock, as above, i2i and stroke length have to be the same.

    Have fun riding :P
  • yer i keep forgetting the i2i but as i havnt got the bike yet i dont knoe what it is lol

    and thanks for your help guys
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    I did the same with a Saracen Dtox - upgraded forks, shock and wheels. BUT I sold the original parts from new, nearly making all my money back!

    They are decent frames, great geometry, stiff, tough - but heavy.
  • nice idea for some reason that idea has completly missed me but that wt ill do now then lol just out of intrest how much do you think i could get if i sold the forks, shock and the tyres (im buying more grippy tyres too) of the saracen raw 2
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=27318
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Forks: £40
    Shock: £25
    Wheels: £70

    I paid 300 for my DTox, but it had a Marzocchi MZ fork which I got £80 for, plus £85 for the wheels and tyres and £25 for the shock. I bought an RS Tora for £90, an RS Bar air shock for £60 and a set of Deore hubs on XM317 rims for £70.

    So for £20 I transformed the bike!

    I admit I got lucky though, and you need to know what you are doing. Not something I would recommend to everyone.
  • yer well i know that to get new tyres, shock and forks (maxxis swampthing DH, fox racing shox float R and RS Tora 318) i need 275 quid so i guess its not a 20 quid transformation but its still gunna reduce the toal loss :lol:
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    dtox.JPG

    With the old coil shock on, and my Psylos.
  • nice! the frame apears to be the same there using on their raw 2 model