Best forks for hardtail carrying heavy git fast DH?

billtongmckinleysons

Hi wise MTBers,

I have a new Genesis Altitude 20, a steel hardtail, which I am very much enjoying hurtling down the South and North Downs, and pootling up and across hills and trails.

I am an ex-rugby guy, and currently weigh 18 stone on the nose, tho' this is heading downwards gradually (but won't get below 16.5). So there's a fair job to be done in smoothing out the physics of my ride

Currently have 'Rock Shox Revalation 409 Dual Air, 115mm, Motion Control' which are fine so far, but I do properly tank it downhill (and enjoy every fricking second) and want to hit Cwm Carn / Glentress and so on for the very occasional trip away to do 'proper' DH.

What would be a very good appropriate upgrade fork for these needs and current setup?

Thanks in advance for your advice,

Billtong

Northwind

How much fork length can you run in that frame? Pikes seem a natural choice, if it'll take a 130mm-140mm fork...

supersonic

130 I think. Is a tough bike, but proper DH will kill it. Quickly.

elPedro666

Maverick DUC32s...
Light, shortened 'climbing mode' and totally tunable, sorted!

billtongmckinleysons

Thanks for suggestions guys. Appreciate it.

Why would Maverick DUCs be better than Pikes?

bomberesque

DUCs would be lighter but not better

Pike Uturn coils with an uprated spring (the standard one will be too soft for you) is the answer I think. They're around 1/2 a kilo lardier than the revelation (which is a very good fork btw) but bulletproof. You will need a new front hub/wheel unless yours is convertible or you're using a '09 20mm rev already. For the DUC, iirc these all need a specific Maverick hub. SS is right though, don't be surprised if you crack teh frame before long if you really hoon it on DH

billtongmckinleysons

A wonderful and useful response Bomberesque - thanks man.

I am alarmed that I may crack a Reynolds steel frame :shock:
I already hoon it down quite tasty trails but not granite or proper mountain stuff.
Oh well, let's see what happens 8)

Thanks again for the useful responses guys.

bomberesque

depends how it has been built and how you ride it. I have a reynolds 853 steel frame aswell, but it's an Evil Sovereign and 6.2 lbs of mountain eating monster (with a Pike on the front) 8)

A light weight XC frame though is a different issue, whatever it's made of. I say enjoy it, a steel frame can be mended much easier than an alu one, looking it up that is one tasty bike for the money, you can be asked to pay 800 just for an 853 frame.

billtongmckinleysons

Ballacks! I don't have Revelation Shox, I have Recon...
Oh well, sounds like Pike is still the recommendation.

Cheers.

nicklouse

billtongmckinleysons


but you will need a new front wheel/hub.

your current forks will be fine. if you use the bike for what it was designed for.

but you may want to look at the usage and the cost to sort the bike against the right bike.

elPedro666

Not sure that isn't a very appropriate bike, if by 'downhill' Billtong means 'normal' trails, pointed downwards, as oppose to Fort Bill...

Billtong?

Reason I recommend the DUC is it's really tuneable (and serviceable), at home, with no special tools, spare parts (like springs) or great knowledge, which makes them very cheap in the long term.

I did forget to mention the hub though :oops: Although I got mine second-hand with a wheel thrown in, making them a total bargain! 8)

Think they're about £50 otherwise, then take your pick of rims...

Last thing - got to agree that's a great looking bike, especially for the money!

RealMan

another vote for pike

joshtp

The rev's are great forks, but now you reveal that its actualy recons....... well i would put in another vote for pikes, although the mavericks are suposed to be VERY good, my mate swears by them, the marazzochi 55 would also be worth a look, heavy though, although posibly more reliable.it all depends on budget. the pike and 55 come in different travel, and damping varients, so a choice has to be made, that incudes travel too. and, unless you already have one, you may need a new hub for a the 15/20 mmm axle

BlackSpur

joshtp/mbukman wrote:

the marazzochi 55 would also be worth a look, heavy though, although posibly more reliable.

*snigger*

ride_whenever

marzocchi, reliable... lol

Pikes, bombproof. The coil u-turn with a heavy spring would be perfect.

joshtp

BlackSpur wrote:

joshtp/mbukman wrote:

the marazzochi 55 would also be worth a look, heavy though, although posibly more reliable.

*snigger*

you seem to disagree? why would the 55 not be a viable alternative, Marazzochi, and infact anyone that isnt RS or fox seem to get laughed at nowadays, but the truth is they make good forks, if you are laghuing at the reliabilaty issue, well, some 55's have been reported as unreliable, but some are praised for their reliability, hailed as exelent forks!

joshtp

ride_whenever wrote:

marzocchi, reliable... lol

Pikes, bombproof. The coil u-turn with a heavy spring would be perfect.

yes the pikes are bombproof, but the 55's are as well, well most of them are.

ride_whenever

marzocchi have had a couple of years of poor reliability, they claim to have fixed things for this year. But I wait to see if they actually have.

joshtp

sorry what make is the fork on the front of the "silly little bike" i cant quite make it out, is it, um , oh yes MARAZZOCHI, the DJ is one very good, RELIABLE fork.

ride_whenever

from everal years ago, when they were reliable. Which is why i bought them, I wouldn't buy the new DJ as they've kept reducing the spec. If i were to buy new forks i'd get toras or argyles.

But tbh, the silly little bike is my play bike. I have it for messing about on, and i doubt i'll replace anything on it, not needing one new set of wheels and wanting another atm!

supersonic

joshtp/mbukman wrote:

The rev's are great forks, but now you reveal that its actualy recons....... well i would put in another vote for pikes, although the mavericks are suposed to be VERY good, my mate swears by them, the marazzochi 55 would also be worth a look, heavy though, although posibly more reliable.it all depends on budget. the pike and 55 come in different travel, and damping varients, so a choice has to be made, that incudes travel too. and, unless you already have one, you may need a new hub for a the 15/20 mmm axle

Nowt wrong with recons!

joshtp

ride_whenever wrote:

from everal years ago, when they were reliable. Which is why i bought them, I wouldn't buy the new DJ as they've kept reducing the spec. If i were to buy new forks i'd get toras or argyles.

But tbh, the silly little bike is my play bike. I have it for messing about on, and i doubt i'll replace anything on it, not needing one new set of wheels and wanting another atm!

fair nough, i cant be bothered to argue anymore, the pikes are beter, and marazzochi are still good, if not that reliable
end of

elPedro666

joshtp/mbukman wrote:

ride_whenever wrote:

from everal years ago, when they were reliable. Which is why i bought them, I wouldn't buy the new DJ as they've kept reducing the spec. If i were to buy new forks i'd get toras or argyles.

But tbh, the silly little bike is my play bike. I have it for messing about on, and i doubt i'll replace anything on it, not needing one new set of wheels and wanting another atm!

fair nough, i cant be bothered to argue anymore, the pikes are beter, and marazzochi are still good, if not that reliable
end of

And Mavericks the best... :twisted:

nicklouse

elPedro666 wrote:

joshtp/mbukman wrote:

ride_whenever wrote:

from everal years ago, when they were reliable. Which is why i bought them, I wouldn't buy the new DJ as they've kept reducing the spec. If i were to buy new forks i'd get toras or argyles.

But tbh, the silly little bike is my play bike. I have it for messing about on, and i doubt i'll replace anything on it, not needing one new set of wheels and wanting another atm!

fair nough, i cant be bothered to argue anymore, the pikes are beter, and marazzochi are still good, if not that reliable
end of

And Mavericks the best... :twisted:

at what?

Northwind

Knobbing kelly mcgillis.

nicklouse

Northwind wrote:

Knobbing kelly mcgillis.

you take my breath away

elPedro666

Just poking fun at the slightly fruitless argument

elPedro666

EDIT
Friendly, good-natured fun! :roll:

(I have a small, fragile glass house, with 'bike pedant' written under the bell)

elPedro666

Northwind wrote:

Knobbing kelly mcgillis.

Sometimes they are a bit sticky in the mornings...

joshtp

Northwind wrote:

Knobbing kelly mcgillis.

knobbing kelly who?

elPedro666

joshtp/mbukman wrote:

Northwind wrote:

Knobbing kelly mcgillis.

knobbing kelly who?

We have a young'un in our midst!

If you google her, be aware that amongst the images of her as the wet dream of a million young boys, are many images of her as a naked old lesbian, looking not dissimilar to Judy Dench (I imagine)...