Andrew Barkley Posted March 9, 2017 Share So a few months back I decided to re-enter the MTB scene having last ridden the slopes on an mtb some 15 years back. I set off with a budget more suited to a gaming consul than a respectable carbon something or other but I was determined to get rolling without delay with a view to learning on the fly (in respect of tech) with a unit of measurement for comparison, in this case a Giant Talon 4. Stop laughing! It's heavy ish but with agreeable geometry and I can stomach it for now with one huge exception, the fork! The fork mated to this rolling scaffold is a notably dreadful Suntour XCT which is much like 2 pogo sticks welded a tyre width with clearance apart. As I understand it, the Talon 4 has the same frame as the Talon 1 which sits at around the 13k price point, the difference being the fork and components. Please bare with me as I attempt to frame my circumstances and make my point before suggesting that a Santa Cruz or similar as a solution to my woes. To outline the title of this post and the disillusion of which I speak, one needs only to glance at the current pricing of kit namely mountain bikes and components. While I know it's ultimately cheaper to buy a bike out-rite, I am neither a hedge fund manager nor trust fund beneficiary. I cannot simply dip into a non existent access bond, swipe a credit card or finance kit as i am pretty bloody sure many have done if I just look around at the equipment rolling on our roads. If you have 30 to 50k cash lying around for a bike, power to you, I do not. Ok so to my mind the only option available is to do the uneconomical and over capitalise by replacing that dog of a fork with something rated for actual offroad use. I was rather alarmed when after riding hard over reasonably heavy single track and taking jumps (within reason, not downhill or serious trail stuff) to discover a warning label which pretty much excluded all of those activities or anything harder than an estrogen inducing ride along the promenade. I did ask the chap at the bike shop if the bike could handle some level of abuse as I come from a mountain unicycling background and as such am far from fearful and wanted to have more fun and not less. I was assured of the suitability of the kit before committing so I'm feeling a bit unhappy about that but spilled milk is just that. Online reviews and vids from reputable sources give the bike 4/5 as a rating at it's price point and all condemn the fork. So, can I replace the fork (27.5) without changing my front hub to Thru-Axle and if I can find a new unit at a good price that happens to be of the quick release variety, can quick release handle a thumping? Should I opt for a new hub to take a thru axle is the conversion doable? Thank you in advance folks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicanZA Posted March 9, 2017 Share word, this **** is expensive, never owned a new bike have always gone second hand. Im sure you can find a new to you fork in the classifieds that will help you cause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NelAndre Posted March 9, 2017 Share I cannot answer your question but welcome back in the MTB world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V12man Posted March 9, 2017 Share So, can I replace the fork (27.5) without changing my front hub to Thru-Axle - Yes and if I can find a new unit at a good price that happens to be of the quick release variety, can quick release handle a thumping? YES Should I opt for a new hub to take a thru axle is the conversion doable? Yes - you might even find that your existing bub can take conversion adapters to thru axle -but you would have to be exact on what it is to check - generally at the very low end it's not possible, and at the high end hub it is possible - still - nothing wrong with a QR setup provided you have a decent quality skewer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odinson Posted March 9, 2017 Share Quick releases are fine. We tend to forget that just a few years ago even freeriders and DHers ran quick releases at one point or another. Before buying a new fork, perhaps go through this process: https://youtu.be/vvaPjoIA_tI It's not going to turn the fork into a PIKE, but it should give you a bit smoother suspension feel. You can still find decent decent QR forks, if you're hubs cannot be converted. A RS Reba at 120mm travel should be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikebloke Posted March 9, 2017 Share just get a used reba (which converts from 100mm to 120mm) https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/236190-new-275-650b-rockshox-reba-rl-100mm-travel/ soooo much moaning over soooo small a problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headshot Posted March 9, 2017 Share As others have said, just buy a used RS or Fox 100 - 120 mm fork. 120mm if you like the trail riding side of things as you appear to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piston ZA Posted March 9, 2017 Share Nothing wrong with the Giant Talon. I've been amazed at some of the abuse I've put mine through, and it is still going strong. I have the 2014 Talon 1 which came with the RS 30 Gold fork though. Just a note that the Talon has a straight steerer afaik. Not sure if it can take a tapered folk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Barkley Posted March 9, 2017 Share So, can I replace the fork (27.5) without changing my front hub to Thru-Axle - Yes and if I can find a new unit at a good price that happens to be of the quick release variety, can quick release handle a thumping? YES Should I opt for a new hub to take a thru axle is the conversion doable? Yes - you might even find that your existing bub can take conversion adapters to thru axle -but you would have to be exact on what it is to check - generally at the very low end it's not possible, and at the high end hub it is possible - still - nothing wrong with a QR setup provided you have a decent quality skewer.That's reassuring. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Barkley Posted March 9, 2017 Share Nothing wrong with the Giant Talon. I've been amazed at some of the abuse I've put mine through, and it is still going strong. I have the 2014 Talon 1 which came with the RS 30 Gold fork though. Just a note that the Talon has a straight steerer afaik. Not sure if it can take a tapered folk?Noted, thank you, will keep that in mind. Probably best to drop out the fork and take it with me when buying something new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droo Posted March 9, 2017 Share The Talon has a 44mm head tube, so it can take a tapered steerer if you replace the lower headset assembly with an EC44. Odinson, nice try but that Suntour is exactly as described in the first post. Couldn't have said it better myself actually. Attempting to improve it is putting lipstick on a pig. OP - Keep an eye out for a second hand Reba. Just make sure the steerer is long enough and make sure there's no sign of stanchion wear. And budget for a service off the bat so you don't inherit someone else's *** service record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odinson Posted March 9, 2017 Share The Talon has a 44mm head tube, so it can take a tapered steerer if you replace the lower headset assembly with an EC44. Odinson, nice try but that Suntour is exactly as described in the first post. Couldn't have said it better myself actually. Attempting to improve it is putting lipstick on a pig. OP - Keep an eye out for a second hand Reba. Just make sure the steerer is long enough and make sure there's no sign of stanchion wear. And budget for a service off the bat so you don't inherit someone else's *** service record. Yeah, I know. I've had two Suntour - an XCR and an XCT. Both were effectively rigid anchors holding my front wheel to the bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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