Like Revs, only more gnar?

.blitz
.blitz Posts: 6,197
edited April 2012 in MTB buying advice
heyyouguys!

Have had some Rev Teams on the trusty Cannondale for almost a couple of years now. Most of the time they are fine - great suspension action, highly tunable and all the rest of it - but (increasingly) I find myself writing cheques the forks can't cash. I think it's a stiffness problem - the 20mm thru axle keeps the lowers in shape but the puny 32mm stanchions let the forks twang backwards and forwards as much as they are moving up-and-down. Not a good feeling.

Soooo....

I'm looking for a 130-140mm air fork that doesn't weigh much more than the Revs, has similar levels of tuneability but is STIFF, STIFF, STIFF! Low(ish) weight is important because the Cannondale is yer typical easy-to-ride-go-anywhere trail bike and I don't want to bog it down with a 6lb fork.

What are my choices?

Comments

  • styxd
    styxd Posts: 3,234
    Fox Float 36 and add some spacers to knock them down to 130mm of travel.
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    Lyric spaced down?
    Dunno if you can get it down to 140mm though.
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • benpinnick
    benpinnick Posts: 4,148
    Bos Devilles? Stil 32mm but stiffer than a rev. Alternatively wait until 34mm foxes become available in 26 inch - cant be long now.
    A Flock of Birds
    + some other bikes.
  • jairaj
    jairaj Posts: 3,009
    Have a look at Magura forks. The double arch forks are supposed to be very stiff.
  • oodboo
    oodboo Posts: 2,171
    The Northern Monkey wrote:
    Lyric spaced down?
    Dunno if you can get it down to 140mm though.

    This
    I love horses, best of all the animals. I love horses, they're my friends.

    Strava
  • 1mancity2
    1mancity2 Posts: 2,355
    Dunno if these can be spaced down but they have got great review in MBUK this month,

    marzocchi 55 rc3 ti
    Finished, Check out my custom Giant Reign 2010
    Dirt Jumper Dmr Sidekick2
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    1mancity2 wrote:
    marzocchi 55
    AAARGH BURN THEM. BURN THEM WITH HOLY FIRE.

    Seriously. Burn them.
    My photos
  • 1mancity2
    1mancity2 Posts: 2,355
    YeehaaMcgee wrote:
    1mancity2 wrote:
    marzocchi 55
    AAARGH BURN THEM. BURN THEM WITH HOLY FIRE.

    Seriously. Burn them.

    I thought the same but the review rates them the best hard hitting trail fork.
    Finished, Check out my custom Giant Reign 2010
    Dirt Jumper Dmr Sidekick2
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    1mancity2 wrote:
    YeehaaMcgee wrote:
    1mancity2 wrote:
    marzocchi 55
    AAARGH BURN THEM. BURN THEM WITH HOLY FIRE.

    Seriously. Burn them.

    I thought the same but the review rates them the best hard hitting trail fork.
    How (un)reliable are they though?
    My photos
  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    YeehaaMcgee wrote:
    1mancity2 wrote:
    YeehaaMcgee wrote:
    1mancity2 wrote:
    marzocchi 55
    AAARGH BURN THEM. BURN THEM WITH HOLY FIRE.

    Seriously. Burn them.

    I thought the same but the review rates them the best hard hitting trail fork.
    How (un)reliable are they though?
    Not very. And extremely easily user serviced. I want some myself.
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    Meh. I've been burnt, bad, by Marzocchi. I wouldn't ever consider giving them any money again.
    My photos
  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    YeehaaMcgee wrote:
    Meh. I've been burnt, bad, by Marzocchi. I wouldn't ever consider giving them any money again.
    They had a bad run but have seemingly sorted themselves out. People are gaining trust for them back now.
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    styxd wrote:
    Fox Float 36 and add some spacers to knock them down to 130mm of travel.
    + europe's potatomountain.
    My photos
  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    YeehaaMcgee wrote:
    styxd wrote:
    Fox Float 36 and add some spacers to knock them down to 130mm of travel.
    + europe's potatomountain.
    400g heavier as well. Personally i wouldn't mind the weight but OP said similar weight to the revs is a critical factor.
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    bennett_346 wrote:
    YeehaaMcgee wrote:
    styxd wrote:
    Fox Float 36 and add some spacers to knock them down to 130mm of travel.
    + europe's potatomountain.
    400g heavier as well. Personally i wouldn't mind the weight but OP said similar weight to the revs is a critical factor.
    Well, you aren't going to get a decent increase in stiffness for nothing.
    My photos
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    A lot of fore/aft twang is from the steerer - so if the fork has the same sort of steerer you may still get the same probs.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    Ok thanks fellas some food for thought there. I could live with 400g I could live with 800g more but not loads more than the Revs.

    SS the Rize has a 1.5" headtube do you think a 1.5 steerer would make that much difference?
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Yep, definitely! This will make more difference than the stanchions.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    BOS deville's are 34mm, very stiff, very, very good, but quite expensive, although I expect the 34 floats will be similar money. personally I would have the BOS if I needed a new fork right now, as it blows anything else out of the water, but if I didnt mind a wait of another few months, it'd be a 26" 34 every day of the week.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Have you tested the BOS? Or the 34 for that matter?
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • jairaj
    jairaj Posts: 3,009
    what steerer type are you running with at the moment? If normal 1.1/8 then a change to tapered or 1.5 should do the trick.

    I've recently been trying a few demo bikes out, tried something with 1.5 steer and a tapered steerer and I could easily feel the reduction in forward and backwards flex compared to my bike with a normal 1.1/8 steerer.

    I know its not a proper test as they are different bikes but you can get a idea.

    I wasn't overly sold when I changed forks for QR to Maxel; it made a bit of difference but not loads. But now I really want a new frame with a tapered headtube.
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    supersonic wrote:
    Have you tested the BOS? Or the 34 for that matter?

    had a quick spin on the BOS over winter, was very nice, not exactly plush, but the damping performance was unreal, very supportive, and it just got better and better as speed increased. As for the 34, no I haven't but seeing as I love the 32's and the damper is the same, the 34 solves the slight flex issues of the 32, and still has the same great all-round performance. there is also no 150mm version of the deville, not sure on a2c heights of the BOS, but I like the geometry of my bike with the 32 150, so in theory at least, a 34 150 should be a similar height.
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Why not space the Rev's down to 140mm or even 130mm. Shortening them will stiffen them up and costs bugger all. Could at least be worth a try for the cost of a couple of spacers.
    Lyriks are stiff as buggery, not massively heavy & if you get the RC2DH they are awesome.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • largephil
    largephil Posts: 358
    YeehaaMcgee wrote:
    1mancity2 wrote:
    marzocchi 55
    AAARGH BURN THEM. BURN THEM WITH HOLY FIRE.

    Seriously. Burn them.

    Best forks I've ever owned!

    I agree if your talking about the 2007-2009 Marzocchi's (they were rubbish) but the 2010 55 RC3 TI forks are a totally different experience. In the last 12 months of riding them they have been reliable, infinately tunable, solid, plush and I love them. Also they can be stepped down to 140mm by switching a spacer when servicing (service interval is every 3 years on these forks!!!)

Categories