Can we have an honest conversation about suspension forks

[MORNE]

Lauf, it's a pleasure

also the price of that fox 34 you recently sold these days lol. 

[MORNE]

Honestly, I am looking at going back to rigid. Suspension is bloody expensive. Throw in some straight steerer constraints, and It’s basically sold it’s self.

 

At the cost of me enjoying going down hills fast.

Jewey trying to convince me to do an enduro event on my rigid trail bike haha.

I thinking of biting....carpal tunnel and all. i don't have to be the fastest...just enjoy the day out I reckon. and to be honest, I'm so used to it by now...probably wont even be that bad.

[Headshot]

Rockshox*

 

Rockshox is mainly disposable components, bushes(can't be bought) and internals are hard to find and local distro doesn't bring them in. Their tech is also not nearly where it would be considering how big they are.

 

Fox is more expensive but every single spare is available and can be bought easily in this country with multiple people that are capable of installing.

 

Suntour should be massive considering how much they are likely making with their oem deals. Service and parts are very difficult tho with dragons

 

 

Ohlins, DVO and cane creek are only hardfulls but all their spares are available and serviceability isn't an issue but very very expensive.

 

 

Even with dogsh#t damping I rate the 30 above the xcm cause it's easier to adjust the spring for noobs that most likely don't care about damping anyway

 

 

Fox and rockshox will continue dominating and I don't see it changing any time soon.

 

Entry level is A crap Shute at best, Manitou are making some awesome products and there is enough info on the web for home mechs but the products are more difficult to find here than it should be.

 

Buy fox here if you want something that will give years upon years of service

With RS I think it depends on what breaks. For instance, if you pop the damper bladder on your Pike, you can get spares. I've had no issues with my other fork, a Yari.

 

The shocks are a different story. My otherwise perfect Monarch Plus was reduced to scrap because the damper shaft developed a stress fracture. No such thing as a spare part anywhere in the world because because RS don't bother making one. Fox on the other hand does have spares for theirs. I've hammered Fox rear shocks in the past - by that I mean using them beyond their intended purpose and never had an issue with the three I've owned. I would not touch another RS rear shock, ever. 

[Mtree]

OFF-TOPIC post
 

I saw a Marzocchi Z2 on a Giant Stance the other day. https://www.giant-bicycles.com/za/trance-29-3

 

Some that haven't been mentioned:

 

X-Fusion: Not that popular, but they make some nice forks and shocks.

 

DVO: Higher end, pretty nice.

Another that hasn't been mentioned is MRP.
Not quite sure where they fall on the scale, but their damping and performance is decent.
Not one that is well known in SA.

[DieselnDust]

With RS I think it depends on what breaks. For instance, if you pop the damper bladder on your Pike, you can get spares. I've had no issues with my other fork, a Yari.

 

The shocks are a different story. My otherwise perfect Monarch Plus was reduced to scrap because the damper shaft developed a stress fracture. No such thing as a spare part anywhere in the world because because RS don't bother making one. Fox on the other hand does have spares for theirs. I've hammered Fox rear shocks in the past - by that I mean using them beyond their intended purpose and never had an issue with the three I've owned. I would not touch another RS rear shock, ever. 

 

 

I'm surprised that the damper shaft for your Monarch Plus is so hard to come by. The MOnarch XX is fully rebuildable. You sure it was not just a case of no stocks of spares due to #500BillionreasonstoLockDown

[Headshot]

I'm surprised that the damper shaft for your Monarch Plus is so hard to come by. The MOnarch XX is fully rebuildable. You sure it was not just a case of no stocks of spares due to #500BillionreasonstoLockDown

 

Nope, I think you're thinking of the shock body. The damper shaft is the bit that pushes the piston inside the shock body. RS simply do not make this part for any of their shocks. Crazy stuff.

[Andymann]

I rode a Reba on my 26" Giant, a Fox CTD on my Scott 940 and now a Reba again on my Chinese frame.  The Reba's I felt were both better than the Fox, but the best fork I ever had was the Magura Durin on my Merida.  It was just like riding on butter.

 

I would have gone with another Magura at the drop of a hat - I just couldn't afford the asking price of one new.

[the nerd]

Honestly, I am looking at going back to rigid. Suspension is bloody expensive. Throw in some straight steerer constraints, and It’s basically sold it’s self.

 

At the cost of me enjoying going down hills fast.

 

Its the only way... 

[DieselnDust]

Nope, I think you're thinking of the shock body. The damper shaft is the bit that pushes the piston inside the shock body. RS simply do not make this part for any of their shocks. Crazy stuff.

 

 

Ah yes apologies you're right I'm referring to the damper body.  You're correct in that the thin 6mm damper shaft isn't  replaceable anylonger. This was mentioned at the training course last year since that part requires the entire disassembly of the shim stacks and that SRAM decided to discontinue the practice as they were inundated with shock repairs after consumers and bike shops often got the shim sequence wrong. So when servicing the damper there's a plastic spacer that is required to fit over the shaft to prevent it being damaged during the operation.  

I had to replace that Shaft on my RP23 a few years back on my old Scalpel. It was an expensive exercise, should have bought a new unit

[Super Sywurm]

I am no fork expert, but in my opinion, the best forks for me would either be a Reba or Sid.  I currently ride a Reba.  I had a Recon for 5+ years, no problems at all.

 

I had a Manitou Markhor, sold it and got the Reba. At this stage, the Manitou was easier to set up.  I am battling to get that sweet spot on the Reba.

[RocknRolla]

Lauf, it's a pleasure

I lauf every time I see the price.

 

I also lauf at my stupid puns. It’s just so laufably easy.

 

i’d rather ride a unicycle before I ride a lauf, or fit a seatpost mount bottlecage 

[DieselnDust]

Laufing out loud

[Wayne pudding Mol]

I lauf every time I see the price.

 

I also lauf at my stupid puns. It’s just so laufably easy.

 

i’d rather ride a unicycle before I ride a lauf, or fit a seatpost mount bottlecage

You will lauf at this - I have a little trail and rode it using my hardtail just after this post. My skills meant a very small jump and when I landed the fork did a weird recoil and I had a hard fall - I’m blaming the fork. On corrugatiins though it can’t be beat

 

I have 2 and also sourced one for a friend - all for under 8k here on Le hub so maybe build you unicycle with one and I’ll donate your seat tube bottle cage

[CAAD4]

I lauf every time I see the price.

 

I also lauf at my stupid puns. It’s just so laufably easy.

 

i’d rather ride a unicycle before I ride a lauf, or fit a seatpost mount bottlecage

Maybe not the Lauff, but as far as a seatpost mounted bottle cage, go and wash your mouth out with soap son, for even mentioning such an obscenity.

[arendoog]

Why do children's bikes have suspention forks ?

Edited October 27, 2020 by arendoog

[Grease_Monkey]

Why do children's bikes have suspention forks ?

The same reason any other bike does.

 

Some kiddies on Helderberg, Jonkershoek, Hellsend dirt compound doing double black trails and massive jumps and techy rock gardens at break neck speed - I don't care what we did in the good ol' days - no one can do those trails on rigid bikes and honestly say it's fun.