Suspension Forks Advice Please

edifice666

Hello,

I have just bought a Carrera Kraken and wanted some advice regarding the upgrading of the forks. Firstly is the bike in your opinion worth spending more money on? I am very pleased with the overall build, just not so keen on the Suntour XCR's that are stock!

I just want to know if getting new forks is worth the effort? As I have heard good things about the frame and this bike is a compromise with my wife to re introduce myself to Mountain Biking after so many years of not owning a bike.

If the answer is yes, I would also appreciate some advice as to the best 120mm examples to choose from all the major manufacturers etc.

Any advice would be much appreciated,

Thank You

nicklouse

http://www.sram.com/rockshox/products/tora-trail-302
or for a bit more money
http://www.sram.com/rockshox/products/recon-gold-rl

I would not look at any other makers.

you may find some deal on some Rebas if you are lucky.

NatoED

Or magura if your feeling flush .

supersonic

What is your budget, and in what way are the XCR leting you down?

BikeSwan

I've looked up your bike and I honestly dont think it's worth upgrading, a new fork (thats better than you current Suntour XCR) would set you back at least $400 (200-300 pounds).

Despite what most some people think, bike companies think long and hard about what components to put on their bikes. The fork will almost certainly be matched (quality, and performance wise) to the rest of the componentry. I would save your money and buy a whole new bike and get a better specced component group on the new bike.

If you still want new forks:

I tend to prefer Fox forks over the equivalent Rock Shox, but it just so happens that the equivalent Rock Shox are usually cheaper. If your treating yourself i'd look at some DT Swiss's, i've got 3 of their forks and I personally think there the best out there.

Fox and Rock Shox have been competing for years and you will get a similarly feeling fork from both companies, I like to think the Fox forks are more reliable but you hear horror stories about both brands. I also think the Fox's look better, if your into that kind of thing.

I would recommend these:

- Fox Racing Shox 32 120 F-Series, Or Alps 120
- Rock Shox Toro 120, Recon 120, Or SiD 120
- DT Swiss XMM 120

The forks i've mentioned range from about $200 to about $800. I'd go to Chain Reaction Cycles (Online) to get the forks, but make sure you get the right size and everything.

I would in general stay away from changing forks. They are usually one of the most expensive components on the bike. It's almost never worth changing because when the time comes to upgrade you wont want to because you'll think to yourself "I just spent a load on those really nice new forks." Buy a new, better bike and keep the current one as a commuter or hack bike or something.

cavegiant

I would slightly disagree, changing a fork is the easiest way of making a huge change to the performance of a bike. If you get a good fork you can always carry it over to your next bike as well.

Rock Shox tora 302 or if you are feeling flash (worth the extra) 318.

Manitou Drake or RS Reba if you are made of money.

Do not cut the steerer that short as this will let you move the fork from bike to bike as you grow with the hobby.

diy

Personally I would live with the bike for at least 6 months as it is. If you change the forks and something breaks, you probably wont have a warranty claim on the retailer. But more importantly, no fork feels great when they are new, they take some time to bed in, so I'd say run with it for 4-6 months. If its still poo, then at least you will be in the MTB sales season and wont have to pay the summer premium.

quality forks which were going for 90-100 quid in January are going for 150 quid now.

The Rookie

The XCR will always be poo though....

Probably the best bet is to look in the classifieds or on fleabay and get a good used one, make sure the steerer is long enough, that way it will cost a lot less for a still significant upgrade, keep your old fork and then if you upgrade the bike later you put the (still nearly new) XCR back on and keep the better fork.

Simon

supersonic

I definitely disagree with bikeswan, the kraken is a very good bike for the money, and a lighter, more adjustable fork will push the performance even higher. I'd look at a Tora 318 or Recon RL if you think the xcr needs improving.

bamba

Sorry to high jack this thread, rather than start a new one,
Was wondering if my current forks are up to what i put them through,
bike, 2010 trance X4, with RockShox Tora 302's 120mm travel,not had any problems with them but noticed there described as a trail fork, probably ride 50/50 trail and rough rocky type stuff on dark peak, and tend to prefer this kind of ride to trail.
Was thinking about may be changing latter this year may be if there not quiet suitable,
What do you think ?

supersonic

The tora is one of the toughest and stiffest qr forks there is. A cheap upgrade would be a motion control damper.

bamba

Thats the other thing i forgot to mention,any upgrade type stuff available for the fork i have.

xand_xand

I asked the very same question only last week - and was given some sound advice.

I too have a Kraken and love the bike and only had a dart2 fork with it -

Took advice from the forum went for a Rock Shox Reba air fork and am absolutely chuffed to bits with
it.

BikeSwan

I can understand what everyone's saying. But if you do upgrade to a low end Toro or something like that, you most likley wont notice a massive differnce. I also agree with "diy", new foirks take time to brake in and they will feel better after youve ridden them for a few months and adjusted them a bit. I will still stick by my original comment and say, keep riding the current bike until you want to upgrade the whole system.

richg1979

toro's work just as well as a reba ect but your paying more for the reba for alloy stantions and steerers and duel air ect.

hainman

i have toras on my bike(genesis core20)and they are a crackin fork.they handle anything that theyv'e had thrown at them.wouldnt mind a lock out option on them if thats possible as it would be a cheaper option than an upgrade,

bamba

Had a search around for a tora motion control damper as a possible upgrade for the existing forks, would seam there is not one listed for the 302's but the one for the argyle is the same dimensions and does the job.
Here is a link to the thead on mtbr,

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=632913

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=593875

will look into it further, could be useful ?

97th choice

I'd condsider the reba sl with through axle if you can find one at the right price.

unixnerd

I have an XCR and to be honest for 40 quid I can't complain. It works well enough for me, I don't jump off tall buildings or do anything really technical. I mainly ride for fairly long distances on established paths.

It's one downfall is that in dreadful (Cairngorms in winter) conditions the seals let dirt through. This means that in winter I need to strip and clean it once a month, I ride 3-4 times a week for 20 miles in winter. It's not hard to strip down and I can service it in well under half an hour.

bamba

Think this is what i was looking for to up grade tora's , may be

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/rockshox-tora-p ... grade-kit/

Can any one explain the benifits of poploc ?

supersonic

Poploc is a bar mounted lever. If it doesn't have the blue compression adjuster, it is useless as you lose most of the feature of motion control.

The Tora 318 moco unit should work in the 302. Many have tried it it and reported it does.

diy

You can mod a poploc to work with motion control, by adding dimples on the lever. It makes it easier that trying to turn the compression dial. But is obviously not as flexible as a lever with compression dial fitted.

Personally if you got it, great, if not stick with fork mounted adjustment.

I have a poploc with compression adjust and its only slightly more convenient than turning the dial on the fork upper.

thegiantbiker

Rockshox Recon Silver TK

Got these for my birthday and they're great after a week or so to break them in.