front fork axle sizes?

swod1
swod1 Posts: 1,639
edited April 2016 in MTB buying advice
Got a boardman hardtail frame that I want to build up and take parts of my trek frame. I've looked on ebay for some 26er forks around 120mm travel and noticed a few but with 20mm front axle.

Is 20mm axle going to be overkill on a hardtail for light to medium trail use? I can easily switch the front wheel to 15 or 20mm as its a hope pro 2 evo and already got the adaptors.

The forks I'm looking at are rockshox recon or reba's with a tapered steerer

I don't see its going to be an issue but just wondered as thought 20mm axle was more for downhill bikes than trail use where 15mm maxle seems the norm and surprised to see it on forks around 120mm travel.

Are there any decent new forks still made in 26er as I would consider new as well.

Comments

  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    I wouldn't worry. They aren't significantly heavier than a Deore QR skewer. And stiffness isn't a bad thing.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

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  • poah
    poah Posts: 3,369
    be able to get reba or sid in 26 120mm in 26 form also manitou marvel and minute forks too. DTswiss make a few but they are not cheap. just a case of looking around for them
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  • swod1
    swod1 Posts: 1,639
    POAH wrote:
    be able to get reba or sid in 26 120mm in 26 form also manitou marvel and minute forks too. DTswiss make a few but they are not cheap. just a case of looking around for them

    Yeah seen a few on ebay and wondered about the axle size as some are 15mm maxle and others 20mm.

    Is air spring better than coil a couple on there are coil spring.

    I've already got a set of rebas on another bike but they are straight 1 1/8 steer tube and want some tapered to fit the boardman frame better and have the bolt through maxle as I've got the hope 9mm bolt through QR adaptors on my front wheel but there is still some flex in the front end.

    Should make for a better bike as the frame is much lighter than my trek until I can jump on the full suss bandwagon and get me a transition scout.
  • poah
    poah Posts: 3,369
    air is better for most people and particularly at the cheap end of the market, coils are used because they are cheaper to make
    CCDB IL coil CS first impressions

    MTB Scotland youtube channel
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Depends on the fork. I quite like coils, both of my current regular rides have steel springs.

    Feel more plush on smaller bumps with less stiction.

    But overall air is better, and much easier to adjust, most of the time.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

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  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Air is lighter than steel (obvious really), more easily adjustable (you can't change spring rate with a coil without buying a new spring, you can only change preload) and usually is on a better quality fork (damper) for this sort of bike.

    Coil springs have a natural plushness that air never quite matches as CD mentions due to the 'stiction' from the air seals, but later air forks with dual air chambers (whether pressurised separately or via one valve) overcome this to some extent.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    The cruncher for me being both sets cost very little, and they are both on bikes I built from random bits.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

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  • swod1
    swod1 Posts: 1,639
    cooldad wrote:
    The cruncher for me being both sets cost very little, and they are both on bikes I built from random bits.

    yeah that's the thing I got the frame for cheap but don't want to spend too much on parts to build it up. I only need to buy a new headset and adapter bb to use my shimano chain set.

    Some rebas I already have aren't tapered and are those 1.5 to 1 1/8 steerer adaptors any good plus I'd need to change the air spring from 100 to 120 travel.

    The coil spring forks I looked at were recon gold rl with preload and compression adjustment, guess these don't have rebound adjustment either like my rebas have?
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    The 1 1/8 to 1.5 crown expanders work just fine.

    The Recon have rebound adjustment as well, yes.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.

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