Fork help.

Razor32

Hi Guys.
I recently made a topic here about getting a new chainring, now that is done and i am up to do the last few upgrades on my Specialazied rockhopper 2015 model. I will make an quick ontroduction, i am pretty new in the MTB sport, and loving it. I ride pretty hard considering i am new and have therefor already changes alot of stuff on my bike. I am trying to make my bike feel more laidback and flowy. I know I should of bought a fully, or at least a AM HT. Some say the rockhopper is a XC bike, specialized themselves say it is an entry trail bike.

Anyway the bike came stock with a Suntour XCR 100mm i find myself maxing it out often, and it has startede to feel very tight so to say, even though i have adjusted it to bounce back to its original postion fast. I was thinking about putting a reba on for a new fork. This line of fork will also be the maximum price tag 400 quid as i am saving up for a fully on the side. I will ride this bike for most likely 1-2 years and learn the basics. I wanted to know if i can put a 120 mm on the bike and will it benefit me going down? I know going uphill will be a little disadvantage, but i have no problem going up hill, so that is fine. I have not been able to find out if it stresses the frame more than allowed with a 120 mm fork. Any experience og suggestions is great!
sorry for long post

rockmonkeysc

Should be fine at 120mm but may invalidate your warranty. I would go for a Rockshox Reba.

Razor32

If i choose to stay at 100mm like the frame is designed for. Will i be able to tell the diffrence between the suntour xcr and a reba?

John Wh

I reckon it will be night and day. Missus used to have an XCR on her old bike, now she's got a Revelation and she couldn't believe the difference, and she's still a total beginner like me.

I'd go with Rockmonkey's suggestion and go for a Reba.

Razor32

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19699457#p19699457]John Wh[/url] wrote:

I reckon it will be night and day. Missus used to have an XCR on her old bike, now she's got a Revelation and she couldn't believe the difference, and she's still a total beginner like me.

I'd go with Rockmonkey's suggestion and go for a Reba.

Great. Sound like a plan.
But i was looking for the reba, and now i think my bike came with a really akward headset:
1-1/8" upper, 1-1/2" lower, Campy style, integrated sealed cartridge bearings

I dont seem to be able to find a fork that would match that, do i also need a new headset now?

Again, thanks guys, i know i ask alot

The Rookie

1 1/8th and 1 1/2 is standard tapered steerer, so yes you will, the type of headset is irrelevant, just the size, in fact tapered is now easier to get than plain 1 1/8th.

John Wh

My bike has the same headset. Standard tapered fork should fit just fine.

Razor32

So to sum it up i can mount any tapered fork. Most descreptions i see state Steerer Diameter1.1/8" - 1.5" Tapered. That should fit then right? Sorry if i come off daft, english is not my first language and i am not good with bikes.

The Rookie

Yes, the standard tapered fork (1.125"-1.5" or 1 1/8 to 1 1/2 or any combination of the first and last values) is what you need.

John Wh

Hey we all start somewhere. Better being sure instead of blind

Razor32

John Wh wrote:

Hey we all start somewhere. Better being sure instead of blind

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19699915#p19699915]The Rookie[/url] wrote:

Yes, the standard tapered fork (1.125"-1.5" or 1 1/8 to 1 1/2 or any combination of the first and last values) is what you need.

Thanks guys. I finally got it now

CStar

Useful info for me too.

Another related newbie question my RH 2013 is the same but currently I just have the frame and no headset. Coming from a roadie background, I'm a decent bike builder but not come across tapered before. Suggestions please for a decent headset. And do I need a 'tapered' headset of some sort - How does this work? Are there headsets with different sizes top and bottom? TIA

The Rookie

Road bikes have tapered steerer's as well......

You need to identify the headtube, look on parktool.com or on the cane creak headset finder for that, identify the fork you will use and then select the right headset, if the lower is campy style you'll have to fit a headset for a tapered fork, but you can get an adaptor that allows a tapered crown race to fit on a straight steerer fork.

There are dozens of headsets based on what holes you have in the headtube and what fork you use.

CStar

Thanks