Freeride/enduro fork with adjustable travel

Sheldon Cooper

Looking for a sturdy fork with with following specs:

- Adjustable travel that covers the 160-180 mm range
- 20 mm axle
- Preferably coil (but I expect I will have to settle for air)
- Steerer straight 1.5 or tarpered 1.5-1 1/8

Thanks in advance for your input

CitizenLee

Rock Shox Lyrik ticks all those boxes.

Sheldon Cooper

Correct me if I'm wrong, but last I checked the adjustable Lyriks were 160-130mm

CitizenLee

Ah, you are correct sir! The u-turns are 130-160mm and the non u-turn can be set internally to either 160 or 170mm. I should know since I have them! :oops:

It’s a shame Marz don't make the 66 ATA any more, as that was 160-180mm.

I think something in your criteria is going to have to give, be it travel or adjustability. If so then that opens up a few others...

X-Fusion Metric (20mm axle / 180mm travel)
X-Fusion Vengeance HLR DLA (20mm axle / 140 or 170mm on-the-fly travel)
BOS Deville (20mm axle / 160mm or 170mm travel models)
Marzochhi 55 Micro Switch TA (20mm axle / 120-160mm adj travel)

Looks like Rock Shox have phased out the Totem but you should be able to find the 2013 model still for sale.

Out of interest what is your bike/current fork?

Sheldon Cooper

Fox 36 TALAS 180 fits my criteria, but I find the price a bit steep. Hence, I'm trying to locate an alternative that doesn't break my bank.

The bike is Nicolai UFO ST with a 2007 180 mm Manitou Travis.

CitizenLee

Haha, Fox didn't even cross my mind.... but yeah, pricey and need serviced often.

Have you considered 2nd hand? Lots of good deals on PinkBike if you don't mind wading through the rubbish.

Nice bike btw, but I can see why you want 180mm. Pity Totems aren't adjustable as they would be ideal for it.

warpcow

Totems were available as two-step (180-130), but had the same problems as Lyrik two-steps of that era and most people changed them for straight solo-air internals.

rockmonkeysc

Why not just get a 170mm fork?
10mm either way isn't going to make much difference.

Sheldon Cooper

Disagree. On other bikes I have used forks with 100-130 (manitou minute) and 110-140 mm (RS pike 454) of adjustable travel and I think it makes a great deal of difference.

CitizenLee

If you can find a fork with a similar axle to crown height as the Travis (572mm from a quick Google) then you shouldn't notice the difference so much, and it won't affect the geo too much either.

As I said before though, I think you're going to have to go for less travel or forget about them being externally adjustable. Unless you can find some 07 Marz 66 ATAs that still work.

lawman

CitizenLee wrote:

Unless you can find some 07 Marz 66 ATAs that still work.

I thought they were always broken from the factory?!

rockmonkeysc

Sheldon Cooper wrote:

Disagree. On other bikes I have used forks with 100-130 (manitou minute) and 110-140 mm (RS pike 454) of adjustable travel and I think it makes a great deal of difference.

It makes a lot less difference on bigger forks, especially when you take in to consideration the 30% - 35% sag as well.

CitizenLee

lawman wrote:

CitizenLee wrote:

Unless you can find some 07 Marz 66 ATAs that still work.

I thought they were always broken from the factory?!

Haha, aye they were

I loved mine, but the ATA would wind itself down when riding, so you'd be on 180mm at the start of a trail and 154mm by the end! A couple of zip-ties sorted it though, albeit at the cost of adjustable travel. Other than that they were pretty amazing forks... super plush and felt bottomless.

arran77

What about these over in classifieds?

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40092&t=12955312

Nothing to do with me by the way

Sheldon Cooper

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Sheldon Cooper wrote:

Disagree. On other bikes I have used forks with 100-130 (manitou minute) and 110-140 mm (RS pike 454) of adjustable travel and I think it makes a great deal of difference.

It makes a lot less difference on bigger forks, especially when you take in to consideration the 30% - 35% sag as well.

Let's see:
-On a 110-140 mm fork range of adjustment is 21% of max travel
-On a 140-180 mm fork (eg. Fox 36 TALAS 180) range of adjustment is 22% of max travel

Of course it all comes down to one's preferences. In my experience adjustable travel is useful and genuinely adds to a bike's versatility. This goes for forks as well as my UFO ST's rear. Also an adjustable fork is more likely to be of use on another frame if need be.

rockmonkeysc

Sheldon Cooper wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Sheldon Cooper wrote:

Disagree. On other bikes I have used forks with 100-130 (manitou minute) and 110-140 mm (RS pike 454) of adjustable travel and I think it makes a great deal of difference.

It makes a lot less difference on bigger forks, especially when you take in to consideration the 30% - 35% sag as well.

Let's see:
-On a 110-140 mm fork range of adjustment is 21% of max travel
-On a 140-180 mm fork (eg. Fox 36 TALAS 180) range of adjustment is 22% of max travel

Of course it all comes down to one's preferences. In my experience adjustable travel is useful and genuinely adds to a bike's versatility. This goes for forks as well as my UFO ST's rear. Also an adjustable fork is more likely to be of use on another frame if need be.

The op only wanted 160-180. A 170mm fork is close enough to both to make bugger all difference.
Your not going to want the weight of a 180mm fork on anything other than a freeride bike.