What forks? Long travel single crowns...

junglist_matty
junglist_matty Posts: 1,731
edited May 2009 in MTB buying advice
I have built up an NS Surge (see sig below) freeride hardtail bike, currently using Marzocchi Z150 FR's, but they are really really really heavy at about 3kgs!

Anyone suggest some relativley cheap alternatives that are lighter, I need something that will take some abuse, maybe not someting quite as strong as the Z150's would do.

Something with 140mm <> 160mm travel, no more and no less. Looking to spend no more than £200 if I can avoid it and thats for secondhand stuff!

Cheers.

Comments

  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    post in the classifieds..

    def recommend the domain 318 ( bet you knew that was coming lol)

    whats wrong with the z150's? not sure how heavy domains are in comparison.

    guess the only way would be to reduce travel (longer forks are generally heavier) or get some air forks (aren't z150's air anyways?)

    140mm pikes?
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • hucking_fell
    hucking_fell Posts: 1,056
    Fox 36 Floats if your hub's 20mm. Dunno how much they might be 2nd hand though. They're 160mm travel but have a shorter crown to axle length than most other manufacturers 160mm forks.
    More freerange chicken than Freeride God
    Bighit , 5 , BFe
  • junglist_matty
    junglist_matty Posts: 1,731
    I believe the Z150's come in two versions:

    FR - coil
    SL - air

    The coils being about 2.9kgs so about 6lbs! - Most of the weight of the bike is at the front because of the forks, although this doesn't bother me too much, I'm just thinking for the future as the only upgrades will be weight saving, I'm tempted to get some RaceFace Deuce kit on it as its really light and affordable yet pretty strong (have it on my dawg).

    I was looking at the Float 36's, I've got a 20mm hub, don't think the Z150s did a QR model, could prob get some off ebay for about £300 if I waited around and found a bargain! - 2009 model brand new is about £600-£700!!!!!!!

    Don't think the domains are much lighter than what I've got, will prob start on other areas before the forks to save weight!
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Domain 318 are 6.3lbs.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    i like pikes, have had them twice, once the tip top air 454 and now have a coil uturn version. both are as good a fork as i have ever ridden.

    i have a 160mm lyrik and think it is ace too, mine is the air 2 step one and weighs about 2.5 k and they ride like a really good xc fork, nice and firm for pedally stuff, very plush for lumpy stuff.

    dontknow how much these can be got for second hand but if you are lucky, all of the abov are coolio!!
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    oo yea.. forgot about the lyric..
    classed as an all mountain fork, but i dunno what type of riding that'd involve.... sheepsteeth?? :lol:
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • yoohoo999
    yoohoo999 Posts: 940
    shamless plug, but i've got some almost new Pikes for sale in the classifieds :oops:

    140mm U-turn.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    bigbenj_08 wrote:
    oo yea.. forgot about the lyric..
    classed as an all mountain fork, but i dunno what type of riding that'd involve.... sheepsteeth?? :lol:

    hmm, we are still adresing that very point. however, i thnk the term all mountain for the fork refers to its suitability to all mountain bikes (i think everyone is happy all mountain is a legitimate word for describing bike types)

    i like mine but lots of folk had trouble with certain year 2 steps, a conversation i once had with a certain mr tim flooks suggested that the coil lyrik was his personal preference for long forks....................
  • Chaz.Harding
    Chaz.Harding Posts: 3,144
    I know it's £100 more than your budget, but look at that saving, on an '09 fork!!!

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=29958
    Boo-yah mofo
    Sick to the power of rad
    Fix it 'till it's broke
  • bungalistic
    bungalistic Posts: 543
    My Surge is set up with Pikes and the travel and geometry of it feels just great at 140mm. I have ridden it with the 55's on it too and at 160mm it just felt too slack, plus I much prefer the feeling of the Pikes anyway.

    You'll definately need to look secondhand for the price you're wanting, Lyrics and Fox 36's are the only ones I can think of with the travel you're after and weigh a little less than your current fork.

    If the front end is too heavy as you say try lightening up your bars and stem and front wheel. Weren't you running spank rims on your bike in Wales, they are some super heavy rims, try a lighter rim for the front, you could possibly lose about 200g of weight just there.

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