To upgrade or not.. 29er air fork..

[Thomasf]

Hi all.. do I need it or do I want it. Bought a 27.5 Silverback slade 4 one year ago to start out and get the feel for mtb trails. I'm 1.79cm, approx 70kg and struggle to get front end in the air to go over obstacles. The slade 4 has normal coil fork and was wondering if I should get mtb with air fork? Would it make enough upgrade difference if going for something like a Silverback Sola 3? Budget between R10k - R12k.

 

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[Kalahari Vegmot]

Okay, struggling to get the front in the air is bad technique and lack of skill. Upgrading will make NO difference to that.

 

You know, unless you're a MAMIL, then upgrading will solve all your problems...

[V18]

Your current bike seems fine. Think a skills session will make you more at home on your bike. Rather save for a proper dually with rockshox/fox suspension. And please buy something capable/playful and not just the routine marathon bike. For that price range you should be able to pick up something descent in the classifieds. Just run it by a friend/trusted mechanic to see if it's not too mif.

[Thomasf]

Not a MAMIL thanks lol.. just looking for something good/better.

 

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[T-Bob]

Go for 3 x skills sessions and do your home work as well between sessions and you will be flying. If you're CT then Nixon at the bike park is a wizard. Peach up north will get you firing.

 

On a different tack on I'm always amused as cheap forks are coil based then all reviews of air forks are searching for that 'coil feel'. You can spend £160 on a coil upgrade to your air fork after all the extra chargers, chambers etc .... but I'm struggling to remember or understand what that coil fork feeling is like because last time I rode a coil fork it was a low rent fork and was very average. Which was why I moved on to air forks and never looked back.

[BaGearA]

Go for 3 x skills sessions and do your home work as well between sessions and you will be flying. If you're CT then Nixon at the bike park is a wizard. Peach up north will get you firing.

 

On a different tack on I'm always amused as cheap forks are coil based then all reviews of air forks are searching for that 'coil feel'. You can spend £160 on a coil upgrade to your air fork after all the extra chargers, chambers etc .... but I'm struggling to remember or understand what that coil fork feeling is like because last time I rode a coil fork it was a low rent fork and was very average. Which was why I moved on to air forks and never looked back.

Cheap 'coil' frks use an elastomer rather than an actual coil.

 

A proper coil fork ( like old lyric's and totems) is one bloody awesome piece of kit.

[Mamil]

Someone taking my name in vain? "Baby you and me lets do it like mamils, lets do it like they do on the discovery channel"

 

Warm blooded, slightly furry .... have you loved your mamil today?

[Pah Bear]

See MAMIL's are creatures of the night. 

[Robbie Stewart]

Skills always help. You can also get some cool advice about skills on the GMBN YouTube channel.

[shaper]

You could just upgrade the fork on your current bike and save quite a bit of money!

[BaGearA]

You could just upgrade the fork on your current bike and save quite a bit of money!

https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/256626-forks/   like dis 

[s14phoenix]

Technique is most of the problem for most mtb riders and hence tend to battle getting over anything. Many think 29ers are the answer as it will just roll over everything but then they have pinch flats from hitting stuff and wonder why or want "better tyres" or "better forks"

 

Other than the sheer weight of the fork to pickup the front - the fork is not going to help that much.

I also battle with doing long manuals but its skills not equipment that fixes that.

 

 

Now who can recommend a good coach in CPT where the OP is from?

[Jewbacca]

Technique is most of the problem for most mtb riders and hence tend to battle getting over anything. Many think 29ers are the answer as it will just roll over everything but then they have pinch flats from hitting stuff and wonder why or want "better tyres" or "better forks"

 

Other than the sheer weight of the fork to pickup the front - the fork is not going to help that much.

I also battle with doing long manuals but its skills not equipment that fixes that.

 

 

Now who can recommend a good coach in CPT where the OP is from?

Dan Dobinson from iRide Africa.. Renay Groustra has all the pedigree and hosted skills classes last weekend... Chris Nixon at the bike park also does the same... All 3 would do most people wonders for their riding.

 

I also know that Nico Pfitzenmaier ran 1 on 1 skills wherever you were based around cape town... 

 

Do it.. 

[shaper]

Technique is most of the problem for most mtb riders and hence tend to battle getting over anything. Many think 29ers are the answer as it will just roll over everything but then they have pinch flats from hitting stuff and wonder why or want "better tyres" or "better forks"

 

Other than the sheer weight of the fork to pickup the front - the fork is not going to help that much.

I also battle with doing long manuals but its skills not equipment that fixes that.

 

 

Now who can recommend a good coach in CPT where the OP is from?

http://www.irideafrica.com/skills-clinic/

[Thomasf]

Thanks for all the advise. Will have a look at all suggestions.

 

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[BaGearA]

Someone taking my name in vain? "Baby you and me lets do it like mamils, lets do it like they do on the discovery channel"

 

Warm blooded, slightly furry .... have you loved your mamil today?

I'm disappointed in how wrong those lyrics are 

 

 

 

" you and me baby ain't nothing but mammals , so lets do it like they do on the discovery channel ....getting horny now "