Canyon Nerve AM - keep 32 or buy 36 ?

mattjevans
mattjevans Posts: 253
edited December 2012 in MTB buying advice
I just bought a used and cheapish Van RC shock to try out and ordered a CC spring from TFT in (what i hope is) the right weight - to replace the RP2, which I just wasn't getting on with.

I was going to convert the fork - which is a 32 TALAS RL 150mm - to a Van 140mm (conversion costs around £110 including a tool I would need) and put a Works angleset (another £80 plus paying LBS to install) to slacken it out another 1-1.5 deg when they become available for this bike in January (I've already got Burgtec Ti offset mounts in).

But I've just come across a 36 Van 160 RC2 FIT Kashima that I think I could get for a similar price to selling my TALAS (unless I am massively over-estimating the value of my current fork) plus the £110ish cost of the Van upgrade for the 32. I'd have to swap out the front hub for a 20mm but hopefully that can be acheived at lowish cost. With the 36 I doubt I'd need the angle headset as the 25mm greater a-c should slacken the bike another degree, so that also provides a bit more £££ headroom...

Any thoughts? I worry that the 36 might be "too much fork" and it obviously weighs a fair bit more, but then I've never seen anyone say they wished they had kept a 32 over a 36, and the RC2 damping should be a sh*tload better than the RL open bath (which has terrible brake dive).

I really only ride trail centers in the southern UK (might do an Alps trip next year, might not as well) and I don't really jump in any meaningful way.

Yes I know it now appears that I bought the wrong bike, but here I am. helpful comments appreciated

Comments

  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    I wouldn't spend the money converting your fork, is an extorniate price.

    The 36 is a good idea, especially if you want a stiffer fork and plan to ride harder, but also consider the 34.

    I doubt your Fox will fetch much more than £200.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • mattjevans
    mattjevans Posts: 253
    supersonic wrote:
    I wouldn't spend the money converting your fork, is an extorniate price.

    The 36 is a good idea, especially if you want a stiffer fork and plan to ride harder, but also consider the 34.

    I doubt your Fox will fetch much more than £200.

    Thanks. Converting to a Float is £50, for some reason the coil conversion is a lot more

    Price guidance also appreciated
  • mikeysickalrigh
    mikeysickalrigh Posts: 246
    Had the same fork, it's pretty crap. Sold mine for £275 and got a revelation. The fork was really letting the bike down for me, glad I changed
  • mattjevans
    mattjevans Posts: 253
    mikeysickalrigh wrote:
    Had the same fork, it's pretty crap. Sold mine for £275 and got a revelation. The fork was really letting the bike down for me, glad I changed

    Pleased it's not just me then. Fork and to a lesser degree brakes seem the weak spot on an otherwise good bike. Makes me wonder if converting to coil with the open bath damper will just net me a crappy coil fork
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Get something with adjustable compression damping, at least an RLC damper if stick with Fox - stops a lot of the diving.

    Personally I'd get the RS Revelation RL. Available in 15mm so no messing about there. Unless you really want that stiffness as boost, as before.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • mattjevans
    mattjevans Posts: 253
    Also need tapered or it will mean a headset change which I think can be difficult with a Nerve
  • mikeysickalrigh
    mikeysickalrigh Posts: 246
    mattjevans wrote:
    mikeysickalrigh wrote:
    Had the same fork, it's pretty crap. Sold mine for £275 and got a revelation. The fork was really letting the bike down for me, glad I changed

    Pleased it's not just me then. Fork and to a lesser degree brakes seem the weak spot on an otherwise good bike. Makes me wonder if converting to coil with the open bath damper will just net me a crappy coil fork

    Yeah got some XT brakes which are amazing. I got the Rev RCT3 for £440 and sold my talas for £275
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    You don't need a 36 for trail centre riding and you don't want to add a load of weight for a riding trip once a year.
    Sell the rubbish bottom end Fox fork and get a decent Revelation or even a dual air or coil Pike. Anything is better than a basic talas. If you really want a bigger fork for the alps then get a set of used Domains for £150 and jsut swap them over when you need them.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • mattjevans
    mattjevans Posts: 253
    RockmonkeySC wrote:
    You don't need a 36 for trail centre riding and you don't want to add a load of weight for a riding trip once a year.
    Sell the rubbish bottom end Fox fork and get a decent Revelation or even a dual air or coil Pike. Anything is better than a basic talas. If you really want a bigger fork for the alps then get a set of used Domains for £150 and jsut swap them over when you need them.

    Or a new set for 195 apparently - that opened my eyes. thanks for the advice.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROCK-SHOX-ROC ... 3f1e63f0ed
  • mattjevans
    mattjevans Posts: 253
    mikeysickalrigh wrote:
    Yeah got some XT brakes which are amazing. I got the Rev RCT3 for £440 and sold my talas for £275

    I got a Zee front and SLX rear (Zee lever) to be put on over the holidays.

    Wondering if converting the 32 to coil (adds 100g to the weight of TALAS, can cope with that) would compensate for the compression damping.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Would not do a thing for the comp damping or brake dive.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • mattjevans
    mattjevans Posts: 253
    Right - might as well just get a float conversion then

    Or as suggested sell the things

Categories