RS Pike RCT or MRP Ribbon

[SCD]

Purpose: upgrade from Reba/Sid to a stiffer 120mm chassis for a Rocky Mountain Element. 

Riding WC trails and the occasional marathon. Prefer a point-and-shout style when it comes to rocks and drops. 

 

Anybody with comparative experience on these? Any real data on weight? Servicing?

I know the online reviews already (Pinkbike etc).

 

Let me know your take.

[cpelser]

Pikey is a huge fan of the Ribbon though his name may suggest otherwise.

Both are awesome options, my only question would be - why on a Rocky Mountain element - is it a carbon rear triangle too?

The frame's warranty conditions doesn't even allow jumps so the fork could be overkill. Does

 

I'm also somewhat under whether the Ribbon can be set to 120mm.

[cpelser]

For servicing as far as I know you can have stoke suspension (droo here on the hub) service the Ribbon. I just get him to service my Pike too.

[SCD]

Pikey is a huge fan of the Ribbon though his name may suggest otherwise.

Both are awesome options, my only question would be - why on a Rocky Mountain element - is it a carbon rear triangle too?

The frame's warranty conditions doesn't even allow jumps so the fork could be overkill. Does

 

I'm also somewhat under whether the Ribbon can be set to 120mm.

 

The new Element is built for a 120mm fork. I am currently on the pre2017 Element frame with a 120m SID. It is more fun downhill than the short travel suggests, but I am looking for something more rugged than the SID now, but with a reasonable weight. 

The 2017 Element BC Edition is also kitted with a Pike so the Rocky guys should be ok with it. I am not big jumps anyway, just the small ramps and doubles that are found on our local trails....

[BaGearA]

Definitely the Ribbbon , pike is no slouch but the Mrp will be better.

 

 

But I'm also skeptical about 120mm being possible

[PhilipV]

At 120mm I'd rather suggest a RS Revelation, Pike seems overkill.

I have a 130mm Revelation and a 160mm Pike. Both are great, the Rev is stiffer than I expected and at that travel it is perfect, the Pike is better, smoother and stiffer, but comparing small bump sensitivity on an extra 30mm is hardly fair. I won't put the Pike on the short bike though, I'll take the lighter Rev without batting an eyelid.

 

Support on MRP seems swing and miss, a mate of mine had to wait a month for a lower after puncture get his lower. Nevermind the fact that the Ribbon's walls seems to be very thin, a couple of lowers should be something that a supplier needs to keep in stock. He also needs to go to Cape Town from Somerset West as Trailtech only uses Stoke for support, so that would also dq it in my books.

https://instagram.com/p/BdPivSOBTuJ/

[BaGearA]

At 120mm I'd rather suggest a RS Revelation, Pike seems overkill.

I have a 130mm Revelation and a 160mm Pike. Both are great, the Rev is stiffer than I expected and at that travel it is perfect, the Pike is better, smoother and stiffer, but comparing small bump sensitivity on an extra 30mm is hardly fair. I won't put the Pike on the short bike though, I'll take the lighter Rev without batting an eyelid.

 

Support on MRP seems swing and miss, a mate of mine had to wait a month for a lower after puncture get his lower. Nevermind the fact that the Ribbon's walls seems to be very thin, a couple of lowers should be something that a supplier needs to keep in stock. He also needs to go to Cape Town from Somerset West as Trailtech only uses Stoke for support, so that would also dq it in my books.

https://instagram.com/p/BdPivSOBTuJ/

I would just epoxy something like that until the guys get stock 

[the nerd]

MRP

[SCD]

The new 2018 Revelation seem to have the same chassis as the new 2018 Pike. The Revelation is somewhat cheaper and offers the Motion Control Damper while Pike comes with the Charger 2 damper. On paper the new Pike is actually a bit lighter than the Rev, probably due to the different internals.

Both 29er Pike and Ribbon come in 120mm as their shortest length. Pike needs a specific air spring for each travel option, so it cannot be changed easily. The Ribbon just needs little plastic spacers, so playing around with the travel can be done easily.

 

I read up about most of the theory, it is the practical feedback I am after. That video of the MRP lower was quite intriguing. I never saw something like that. How was this dealt with? Replaced by MRP, insurance or big hole in the pocket? If you paid for it how much were the lowers? 

 

At 120mm I'd rather suggest a RS Revelation, Pike seems overkill.
I have a 130mm Revelation and a 160mm Pike. Both are great, the Rev is stiffer than I expected and at that travel it is perfect, the Pike is better, smoother and stiffer, but comparing small bump sensitivity on an extra 30mm is hardly fair. I won't put the Pike on the short bike though, I'll take the lighter Rev without batting an eyelid.

Support on MRP seems swing and miss, a mate of mine had to wait a month for a lower after puncture get his lower. Nevermind the fact that the Ribbon's walls seems to be very thin, a couple of lowers should be something that a supplier needs to keep in stock. He also needs to go to Cape Town from Somerset West as Trailtech only uses Stoke for support, so that would also dq it in my books.
https://instagram.com/p/BdPivSOBTuJ/

[CJ Van]

I would just epoxy something like that until the guys get stock 

That thought did cross my mind but I was not aware that it would take that long to get the new lowers. 

 

Back to the OP's question..... I am with PhilipV on this one.  If you have a very aggressive 130mm travel bike that you are planning on riding hard on the downhill then the Pike or Ribbon will be worth it.  On a 120mm bike I am not sure that you will get more bang for your buck than what you will with the Revelation.  

 

I have ridden the Pike set to 130 on an Evil The Following demo bike and I have the Ribbon on my Following MB and I'm still not sure which one is better.  I think you will be able to tell the difference in stiffness if you run it with more travel.  I can tell you that the ramp control on the Ribbon is a very nice to have and being able to set the air pressure in the negative chamber to how plush you want your fork to feel is also really nice. 

 

I am still happy I bought the Ribbon because that was the fork that I WANTED.  I just hope that my puncture in the lowers was a freak accident and not that all their lowers are made out of tin foil. 

[BaGearA]

I think the Op might want the good damping that comes with mrp/pike

 

Obviously the rev now also comes in 35mm but then one could also look at the yari

 

if money is not an issues I'd stilll say go for The MRP

[CJ Van]

I read up about most of the theory, it is the practical feedback I am after. That video of the MRP lower was quite intriguing. I never saw something like that. How was this dealt with? Replaced by MRP, insurance or big hole in the pocket? If you paid for it how much were the lowers? 

Tree jumped in front of me and I crashed so no warranty would have covered that.  This was an insurance claim.  The lowers was R3250, so not really more expensive than the other brands.

[peds]

At 120mm I'd rather suggest a RS Revelation, Pike seems overkill.

I have a 130mm Revelation and a 160mm Pike. Both are great, the Rev is stiffer than I expected and at that travel it is perfect, the Pike is better, smoother and stiffer, but comparing small bump sensitivity on an extra 30mm is hardly fair. I won't put the Pike on the short bike though, I'll take the lighter Rev without batting an eyelid.

 

Support on MRP seems swing and miss, a mate of mine had to wait a month for a lower after puncture get his lower. Nevermind the fact that the Ribbon's walls seems to be very thin, a couple of lowers should be something that a supplier needs to keep in stock. He also needs to go to Cape Town from Somerset West as Trailtech only uses Stoke for support, so that would also dq it in my books.

Weird you have issues with MRP support, it is quicker for me to courier my fork to Trailtech get it sorted and it gets couriered back than what some of these LBS do with the "popular" brands. Guys even sent me a loan fork whilst mine was being sorted out. 

 

Don't DQ MRP based on their location. You will be surprised on the service these guys give you. Anyways my 2 cents my fork will be back tomorrow ready for Sani

[PhilipV]

Weird you have issues with MRP support, it is quicker for me to courier my fork to Trailtech get it sorted and it gets couriered back than what some of these LBS do with the "popular" brands. Guys even sent me a loan fork whilst mine was being sorted out.

 

Don't DQ MRP based on their location. You will be surprised on the service these guys give you. Anyways my 2 cents my fork will be back tomorrow ready for Sani

Well servicing a fork is easy, and I'm pretty sure they have bags of service kits in stock. They did however not have basic chassis items like a lower for him, and no offer of a loan fork.

 

I've only ever had three day turn around times on my fox when it went in to Omnico, I can't comment on rockshox as I haven't sent something to them yet.

[Hairy]

The new 2018 REBA's are also coming out with a 35mm stanchion, and come in 120mm travel variants .... but the guts in the RCT3 may be trump the REBA.

 

And to make your life more complicated, would you also consider DVO?

 

http://www.dvosuspension.com/products/sapphire/

[SCD]

Hairy J, where did you get the reference about the 35mm Reba? Interesting but cannot find it...

I haven't looked at DVO yet. The Sapphire seems to be a 32mm fork. Apparently 32mm forks don't agree with my riding style, which may turn out like an expensive lesson for me to learn...

 

The new 2018 REBA's are also coming out with a 35mm stanchion, and come in 120mm travel variants .... but the guts in the RCT3 may be trump the REBA.

 

And to make your life more complicated, would you also consider DVO?

 

http://www.dvosuspension.com/products/sapphire/