giant trance x4 2012 fork upgrade

nickfree

hello everyone
i saw previous posts quit similar to what I'm gonna ask but couldn't get a definitive answer. so sorry for bothering.
well, i just bought that new bike and i think i need to upgrade the fork.
i am not quit familiar yet with the technical aspects of all tons of fork i've seen across the web.
ill make it simpler, lets say my top budget is around 350$ and i wanna 140mm fork. and i think i want an air fork(one that i put air in with a pressure pump)i think its better then the one i got with the bike in which i cant put air. right?
i don't know about single or dual air(dual sounds better).
in other threads about upgrading front forks for giant trance x4 i saw forum members suggesting the rockshox revelation series. but on the sram website i couldn't understand the technical specs.
i saw two other brands mentioned:marzocchi and manitou but i got the impression rockshox was better and Fox too .
any how i came across two deals :
1-RockShox Revelation RL 26in Suspension Fork 150mm 1.5in 15mm Thru White @ 280$
2- RockShox Revelation Race Dual Air Fork 140mm @ 340$
so the question is :will it blend
well kind of, my question is are they any good? which one is better and most important will they fit into my bike.

on bottom line; what is the best fork for the best price i can get for my bike .

any information would be much appreciated .

cooldad

What's on there now?

97th choice

Rock shox xc32 120mm, tapered steerer. Replacement needs to be 15mm bolt through as we'll.

If I was going bigger, and its one of my planned upgrades, then I would look at the RS sektor solo air or fox fit 32 second hand. Both 140mm.

cooldad

Based on assumption. Spec differs.

nickfree

cooldad wrote:

What's on there now?

it's : "RockShox XC32 TK Coil w/ Tapered Steerer, 120mm Travel"

and for '97th choice' reply; i don't know what is a "15mm bolt" .
i just watched the RS sektor solo air , it looks nice, a bit over budget but maybe it's worth it. i'll keep this one in mind(or in bookmark:). for the Fox one, i don't want second hand.

will one of the two i mentioned would fit?and are they any good(meaning, would i benefit from this upgrade?):

RockShox Revelation Race Dual Air Fork 140mm Specifications:
Weight: 4.0 pounds
Steerer tube: 1 .5" threadless
Brake usage F/R: Front
Crown Race: 30.0
Steerer Tube Length: 222mm
Brake Type: Disc
Wheel size: 26"
Fork Travel: 140mm
Front Hub Spacing: 110mm
Front Axle Type: 20mm thru
Spring: Air
Wheel Mount Center Offset 0mm
32mm 7000 series aluminum upper tubes
Hollow AL-6061-T6 Crown
20mm Maxle Lite version

RockShox Revelation RL 26in Suspension Fork 150mm 1.5in 15mm Thru White specifications:
PSI guide on left leg
Bike Type: MTB
Wheel Size: 26"
Steerer Diameter: 1.5"
Steerer Length: 265mm
Brake Compatibility: Disc
Travel: 150mm
Adjustments: compression, rebound control
Stanchion diameter: 32mm
Dropouts/axle type: 15mm thru-axle
Hub Spacing: 100mm
Color: White
Weight:1800g

thanks for replying.

97th choice

15mm bolt through is what I am assuming your axle type is, based on the spec of that model.

There are 3 types, 9mm quick release, 15mm or 20mm bolt through.

The two forks you have referenced above have differing axle types, so you need to be sure what you have at the moment.

150mm might be a bit too much travel though, the most giant put on that frame is 140mm

nickfree

Hub:[F] Giant Tracker Sealed/CNC w/ 15mm Axle, [R] Giant Tracker Sport, 32h
so i guess mine is a 15mm bolt, which means the 'RockShox Revelation Race Dual Air Fork 140mm' wont fit, or I'll have to change the wheels(which i won't do for the moment), or can i just change the bolt?or extend it or something,
any how seems a bit to much of a hassle.
and 150 is too much travel you say.
so for now i think i'll opt for the one you suggested and wait to see if i get some other users opinion.
thanks very much for the help.

cooldad

And you need to match the steerer. Tapered isn't 1.5.

sprite1275

If your frames not a tapered head tube then you can widen your search to other steerers, you'll just have to change the head set.

nickfree

i think mine is tapered.
I'd be glad to get the name of the best air fork model between350-450$ that would fit my bike out of the box.
or maybe it's that with that amount of money i haven't got many choices and will just have to browse trough the sram website and take the one that i can afford.
Thanks much
here are the specifications of my bike:

Sizes M
Colors Black/Blue
Frame ALUXX SL-Grade Aluminum, 5" Maestro Suspension
Fork RockShox XC32 TK Coil w/ OverDrive Steerer, 120mm Travel
Shock Giant Air-R
Components
Handlebar Giant Connect, Low Rise 31.8
Stem Giant Connect
Seatpost Giant Connect, 30.9
Saddle Giant Performance MTB
Pedals Alloy Platform
Drivetrain
Shifters Shimano Alivio, 3x9 Speed
Front Derailleur Shimano Alivio
Rear Derailleur Shimano Deore
Brakes Avid Elixir 1, [F] 180mm, [R] 160mm
Brake Levers Avid Elixir 1
Cassette SRAM PG 950 11x34, 9-Speed
Chain Shimano HG-73
Crankset Shimano M542, 22/32/44
Bottom Bracket Shimano Press Fit
Wheels
Rims Giant S-XC2
Hubs [F] Giant Tracker Sealed, [R] Giant Tracker Performance, 32h
Spokes Stainless Steel
Tires Schwalbe Nobby Nic, 26x2.25 Performance

nickfree

i just browsed through sram's site
it seems like i havent got many choices there
maybe the Sektor RL
so what about another brand? or its better to have a lower on specs rockshox.?

97th choice

Is your budget US $ ?

nickfree

97th choice wrote:

Is your budget US $ ?

yes

cooldad

Any 1 1/8" straight steerer will also fit with the right headset. But most people on here are in the UK so a bit difficult to know what's available in the US at what price.
As a matter of interest, why do you think you need to upgrade - what's it not doing that you want it to do?

nickfree

cooldad wrote:

As a matter of interest, why do you think you need to upgrade - what's it not doing that you want it to do?

it feels a bit bumpy,like not really absorbing the shocks,
like the difference between having a rear spring shock absorber and an air one.

cooldad

You lost me on that comparison.

nickfree

recently i had a rear , (i think its called coil shock), it was better than having a Hard tail bike but you could still feel its action(the bump), now with a rear air shock i feel nothing, its just smooth and absorbing all shocks quietly.
and i had the impression i would get the same with a front air fork instead of the coil one i got now.(maybe i'm wrong)
and i wanted it also to be 140mm instead of 120mm.
so to make it clearer, i'm looking for the best 140mm air fork i can get, within the budget of 450$, that would fit my bike specs
cheers

Grovsie29

You can fit a non tapered fork, I have to my 2011 Trance. Just needs this: http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/m ... ducer.html

nickfree

Grovsie29 wrote:

You can fit a non tapered fork, I have to my 2011 Trance. Just needs this: http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/m ... ducer.html

and is it as perfect as having a tapered fork?

Grovsie29

Well as far as I can tell yes. Fits fine, took it out Sunday and it felt great.

The reducer goes on the fork steerer at the bottom, recess facing up, and the crown sits on top so it goes in the headtube. Really easy.

nickfree

thanks a lot, that's good news

nickfree

i need some advices,
i see many forks on the internet, some seems like good bargains,
but i dont know exatly if they'll fit my bike.
so what are the important characteristics i have to look at?
first of all my bike is tapered, but im not sure about the size, are there many tapered sizes. and im not sure about mine, is it 1.5 - 1 1/8?. (is 1.5 - 1 1/8 the same as 1.5 - 1.125 in?)
second, i saw i need to mind that i got a post mount brake system, so for compatibility, are all the post mount forks the same or do i have to mesure the legnght between the two holes?
third, about my axle, im not quit sure about it, its written that its a 15mm and i got it with a quick release but changed it to secure bolts(anti theft), well i see there are 9mm 15mm 20mm and maxles and bolt Through and thru axle and QR and qr and whatever so what do i take for my bike?what do i check on characteristics?
fourth, about the steerer tube length, i saw that i might need to cut it and thats ok but is there a chance it would be to short by default from the shop, cause then i think i got a problem..
fifth, about the rotor size its written about the fork i saw that it has Max Rotor Size: 203 mm so how do i check this with my bike?
Stanchion Diameter: 32 mm is it ok?
and a noob question: when its written Spring Type air, it means i have to fill it with air wtih a pump(yes?), is it possible it will be both coil and air spring? what's better? right now i got a dual coil but i feel its a bit harsh,anyhow i want an air one, i think single air is fine.
ok thats it for now.
thanks in advance.

97th choice

.0125 x 8 = 1

15mm axle or you'll need to change your hub, wont really matter if it's called 15mm bolt through or QR.

Measure the steerer tube on your current fork, that tells you your minimum steerer length unless you want to remove spacers.

Your front rotor will 99% be 180mm.

The Rookie

97th choice wrote:

0.125 x 8 = 1

FTFY

nickfree

i think i found a 140mm fork in my budget that would fit my bike:
http://www.amazon.com/Fox-Racing-Shox-F ... ywords=fox

its a Fox Racing Shox 32 Float 140 RL
but i'm not 100% sure it'll match:
- tapered 1.5 - 1.125 seems good but i discovered a new issue with the Giant's overdrive, on my frame it's written overdrive not overdrive2...is it a problem?are there any adaptors?according to giant's site it seems im ok>http://www.giant-bicycles.com/technology/overdrive/50/
-about the 9mm QR i think that that's what i got since the default fork(xc32tk) only fits 9mmqr(as written on sram's site)and not 15mm as writen on giant's site(am i wrong?).[i have the simple thin axle.]
-Axle To Crown isn't mentioned on amazon, should i mind it?
is the Brake Compatibility: post mount the same in fox as in rockshox or do i need to get an adapter for my brakes?(avid elixir1)
that's about it for the moment.
thanks.

rockmonkeysc

nickfree wrote:

recently i had a rear , (i think its called coil shock), it was better than having a Hard tail bike but you could still feel its action(the bump), now with a rear air shock i feel nothing, its just smooth and absorbing all shocks quietly.
and i had the impression i would get the same with a front air fork instead of the coil one i got now.(maybe i'm wrong)
and i wanted it also to be 140mm instead of 120mm.
so to make it clearer, i'm looking for the best 140mm air fork i can get, within the budget of 450$, that would fit my bike specs
cheers

This makes no sense. Coils are much more plush than air and better controlled (some exceptions) The advantages of air are adjustability and weight.

nickfree

ok maybe your right, i never had one, any how this is what i feel like buying now, and the one i mentioned seems perfect for me, i just wanna be sure it'll fit before buying, so can i get a straight yes or no answer of someone who knows if this fork will fit fine.
i have doubts about the overdrived tube,
and is it possible that a new fox fork might have a to short steer tube compared to what my bike needs?
also have doubts about this 9mmqr since the giant site seems to be misleading or am i wrong.
and other few things i wrote on my previous post.
thanks.

rockmonkeysc

I have just fitted a straight 1 1/8" steerer in my Anthem which has an overdrive tapered head tube. All you need is a reducer crown race. If its the original FSA headset then just order a FSA reducer crown race, I think they cost around £10

Grovsie29

RockmonkeySC wrote:

nickfree wrote:

recently i had a rear , (i think its called coil shock), it was better than having a Hard tail bike but you could still feel its action(the bump), now with a rear air shock i feel nothing, its just smooth and absorbing all shocks quietly.
and i had the impression i would get the same with a front air fork instead of the coil one i got now.(maybe i'm wrong)
and i wanted it also to be 140mm instead of 120mm.
so to make it clearer, i'm looking for the best 140mm air fork i can get, within the budget of 450$, that would fit my bike specs
cheers

This makes no sense. Coils are much more plush than air and better controlled (some exceptions) The advantages of air are adjustability and weight.

Well the pike I bought off you, feels a lot nicer than the stock fork that was on my Trance and that was coil.

rockmonkeysc

Thats because you went from a budget coil fork to a high quality air fork with Push internals. An equivalent coil fork will be plusher but heavier.