# MTB suspension forks



## phil120867 (27 Jun 2009)

I've just built up a 2001 Gary Fisher Big Sur and I'm currently running 100mm carbon rigid forks but I've looked at the original spec and it has a 80mm fork. I want to change the current forks for a cheap suspension fork. What's best at around the £150, £200 mark, air or coil and does it matter if I run 100mm with an original frame designed for 80mm?


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## RedBike (27 Jun 2009)

Air is often lighter and easier to adjust to your weight/riding conditions. Coil is plusher and cheaper. 

The measurement you really want to look at is the axle to crown length. The more travel the forks have the larger you would expect this measurement to be. However, it does vary slightly between makes anyway. 

Increasing/decreasing the axle to crown length will change the way the bike handles,


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## Mr Pig (28 Jun 2009)

RedBike said:


> Coil is plusher and cheaper.



I have RockShox Tora forks and they're still sticky after nearly a year. I expected them to loosen up but they're taking their time. Other than that they work fairly well. 

You can adjust the sag on most forks so I can't see the 20mm being much of an issue.


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## Cubist (28 Jun 2009)

Phil

At that price point RockShox Tora are probably your best bet. They are very highly spoken of, and after much research etc etc young Cubester has some on his bike. His are nice and plush, with rebound and preload adjust. Some Rockshox have been said to be sticky, but usually a strip down service will sort them out.

Tora come in a choice of air or coil spring. The coils are said to be better damped than the air ones, and having ridden Cubester's I can't fault them. There are several models, but most out there seem to be the adjustable travel ones (U-turn)


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## RedBike (28 Jun 2009)

Coil Tora forks are very heavy but they certainly aren't sticky. Probably smoother than the top of the line air Rebas.


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## Steve Austin (28 Jun 2009)

You can get Rebas for a very good price at on-one at the moment.


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## Mr Pig (28 Jun 2009)

RedBike said:


> Coil Tora forks are very heavy but they certainly aren't sticky.



Mine are and I've heard of others that were too. I'm sure they will smooth out, eventually.


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## Cubist (28 Jun 2009)

Steve Austin said:


> You can get Rebas for a very good price at on-one at the moment.


Yep, loads out there, but £100 over the OPs budget.


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## Steve Austin (28 Jun 2009)

well he can choose not to buy them then.


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## phil120867 (28 Jun 2009)

thanks guys I might just defrost the credit card esp as the are over £400 everywhere else


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## Cubist (28 Jun 2009)

You won't be disappointed. I've just put some Reba Race on mine!


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## Mr Pig (28 Jun 2009)

I have to ask, if you've been coping ok with a ridged fork what are you going to ride than now needs you to push the boat out on a suspension fork? Although I've had one on my last three bikes I remain unconvinced of their ultimate worth for the average rider. 

I've been out riding in groups where half of the people had ridged forks and it did not seem to slow them down at all, even on very sketchy ground. I'm sure they do help at times but I recon only on the very worst of terrain. The rest of the time they're just extra weight to drag around, and they're not light.

Not trying to talk you out of it, just want you to be sure you're buying them for the right reasons.


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## phil120867 (29 Jun 2009)

I haven't thought about them in those terms at all. I have a Scott scale 20 and a Cannondale Carbon Rush 4, both great bikes with great forks (Fox f series). I've had these carbon forks I bought last year to enter the MTB section of the Catford CC Hill climb at Yorkshill (on the Scott scale) and then took the off again and they've been hanging around in the garage since. I've only used them once or twice for gentle off road and there is a bit of give in them, I'm up in Wescott (north downs) on Wed night so I'll try the carbons on some decent terrain then before I buy the rebas. ( by the way I won the MTB section of the hill climb and took 12 sec off the 2007 MTB record time (the Scale weighed about 9kgs) Its not about the bike (sometimes)!!!!)


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## Mr Pig (29 Jun 2009)

Congratulations dude :0) Do not take advice from me, I'm a fat bloke with a bike who gets beaten by everyone he goes out with! ;0)


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## mocker (30 Jun 2009)

phil120867 said:


> ( by the way I won the MTB section of the hill climb and took 12 sec off the 2007 MTB record time (the Scale weighed about 9kgs) Its not about the bike (sometimes)!!!!)



blimey thats some going! well done...

as to your question..

im a bit out of the loop so cant really comment on todays good forks...however, air forks will be lighter, and i doubt you ll have a problem with an extra 20mm travel ( equates to a 1 degree slacker head angle?????)...will probably feel better on the techy descents

perhaps have a look for some old marzocchi air forks on ebay? theyre a bomb proof brand and last for ever...my old 2004 X flys were cracking

as to the merits of suspension...rigid forks belong on road bikes...if youre riding off road you MUST have suspension in my book...your bike WILL handle a lot better ( youll attack harder, more technical lines that might have spat you off on rigids ) will track the ground better and youll be less fatiqued ( no more aching between the shoulder blades )

sure they weigh a bit more but so what...how many pro XC racers still ride rigid?

there me pennys worth!


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## phil120867 (30 Jun 2009)

I'll try the rigid forks on some trails up by Leith Hill on wed night (yoghurt pots, telegraph road, summer lightning and Barry Knows best) and see how it goes, If I get back in one piece then I'll decide. It should be an interesting ride and it should be really fast if it keeps dry. I'll let you know how I get on (hopefully).


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## Mr Pig (30 Jun 2009)

Disclaimer:
If this guy dies because he's ridden down a mountain on rigid forks, it is not fat Pig's fault.


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## phil120867 (2 Jul 2009)

I bottled it and took the Cannondale out last night and I needed the whole 120mm travel, it was dry, dusty and very fast. I've decided that the £200+ investment on a bike that's only cost me as much to put together isn't worth it. I've asked a few people to have a rummage around to see if they have an old pair of half decent coil forks (bombers etc) they want to sell for less that £100 and I'll use the bike as a hack / pub bike and for towing the twins in the tandem tag a along (off road of course,). Thanks for all your help guys.! no one died


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## phil120867 (5 Jul 2009)

I'm just back from my first real blast using carbon rigid forks. There is quite a bit of flex in them and they are good up to a point esp if you choose your lines carefully. It all goes a bit Pete Tong when you get into the bigger stuff esp down hill. Its fun but I wouldn't recommend it for your only bike. This will be MTB number 3 and I'll us it for light duties (towing the twins on the tandem tag-a-long). I'm also going to fit some clipless pedals too


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## Berger and Chips (6 Jul 2009)

Magura Odur 100mm are the best forks you will get under £200 unless you find someone giving away last years Reba or some decent Marzocchis elsewhere for like half price or something crazy.
Its a much better fork than the Tora. I have Toras on my Scott Scale 60 and Odurs on my Carrera so I do have experience of both.


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## phil120867 (29 Jul 2009)

I've still not got proper forks but I did fit new candy C pedals and the whole bike does really well, I feel my skill levels are improving and I can keep up with the full sus guys on most things and pass them uphill, I'm not sure I'll get a set of suspension forks although On One still have really good deals on at the minute


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## GrumpyGregry (30 Jul 2009)

I'd never trust carbon forks off road, even if ridden gently. It's irrational and prejudiced and illogical and dated as an opinion I know..... I've had a fo expensive carbon seat post 'go' on me on Mouse Lane, Steyning, off all places and saw my riding companions Trek ?OCLV? carbon frame exotibike unravel spectacularly in Glencoe back in the day when riding in Glencoe was what something I was capable of.

I feel like carbon stuff is for pro's and sponsored riders who can chuck things away and replace them before they break....

Rigid fork of choice for me is Kona P2


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## phil120867 (30 Jul 2009)

Mmmm, I don't mind much if they break as they were £40 off ebay (totally unbranded far eastern jobbies),,,,, maybe I should think about this again! I've only got one face, ugly as it may be


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## GrumpyGregry (30 Jul 2009)

phil120867 said:


> Mmmm, I don't mind much if they break as they were *£40 off ebay (totally unbranded far eastern jobbies)*,,,,, maybe I should think about this again! I've only got one face, ugly as it may be



step away from the MTB now! I could be completely wrong maybe the tech has moved on a lot since my day.


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## phil120867 (31 Jul 2009)

I'll use it as a pub bike until I can afford something from On One


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