New Fork!

[kev8pt]

I'm doing a little research for a friend who needs a new fork for his Santa Cruz Heckler. Travel will be a personal decision he's going to have to make, depending on how high he wants to rasie the expectations of those of us who ride with him:) Santa Cruz said he can go with either 160mm or 140mm, but recommended the Rock Shox Pike 454 (140mm).

We're looking primarily at Fox and Marzocchi.

Are there any strong opinions one way or the other which company he should go with?

His riding style could best be described as agressive cross country - Lots of Lynn Woods riding, as many rock drop-offs as possible, a few endos, and one or two run-straight-into-a-log-without-lifting-front-wheel per season.

Thanks!

[Slappy]

Based on the riding style description, I'd lean towards Marzocchi. :fat:
I've been beating on their forks for years w/ little or no maintenance and they seem to hold up really well, far far better than any I've tried from Manitou or RS. Foxes feel great, but I believe they're a good bit more delicate than Bombers.

[xcslowpoke]

FOX! Why decide on second, third, and forth when you can have #1. Get the 36 and it won't disappoint.

I've heard good things about the Pike but I would never spend another penny with RS. As Slappy eluded to, no one likes working on their suspension. I've spent way to many hours rebuilding RS products. I've ridden Fox for years now and have changed my oil once a season and only because I've wanted to. The shocks have performed well.

Stay away from any air suspension product if you plan on doing big drops, spring is the only way to go. I don't care whose product it is, including FOX, if it is air and you do big drops then its going to break! Air was made for XC rides not FR/DH.

[xcslowpoke]

Oh one last thing, prior to riding Fox Suspension I rode RS and Manitou never actually owned Marzocchi. The few Marz products I tested seemed harsh. Fox was the first suspension fork or shock that I used that all the adjustments actually did anything. RS is the worst, dial any of their products from top to bottom and you will notice little difference. Any click inbetween will do nothing. Manitou and Marz are better than RS but still don't have the adjustment of Fox.

Oh and Fox's setup page is great, plus their shocks now come with a DVD.

At the end of the day everyone has their own opinion. Have him ride different forks and see which one he likes.

[leebo]

I'm on the bigger side of large,200+lbs. I have an 06' fox vanilla 125mm, on my Kona dawg supreme, its awesome. I would recomend it . Plush and smooth.It is the RLC version. Just make sure to get the right spring for your weight.

[Plywood]

Stay away from any air suspension product if you plan on doing big drops, spring is the only way to go. I don't care whose product it is, including FOX, if it is air and you do big drops then its going to break! Air was made for XC rides not FR/DH.
i have an air fork... they r a pain to deal with, b/c u have to get a pump and pump it up to the "correct" pressure.

funny story: i was supposed to only pump the fork to 25 psi. but i was pumping it up to about 150-200psi. so i was riding in the Blue Hill and when i got home i realized that i my fork looked funny, it turned out that i had blewout the shock....

[tozovr]

After years on coils and being over 210#'s I'd say the air is far easier...no swapping prings, just pump it up. On my trail bikes it's not a big deal as I tend to set ot and forget it, but on my park bikes the air is very nices as I can drop the fork to 90mm and crank the air up to stiffen it WAAAAY up. To do this with a coil you often need to swap springs as well as get a drop kit. I now have 2 air forks.


The new generation of air forks just continues to amaze me.

[radair]

...His riding style could best be described as agressive cross country - Lots of Lynn Woods riding, as many rock drop-offs as possible, a few endos, and one or two run-straight-into-a-log-without-lifting-front-wheel per season.

Thanks!

For the riding style you describe, I think a coil/oil from either Fox or Zoke is the way to go. I've owned 3 air forks; while the adjustability is nice, all have gone flat on me in cold weather. In my experience, air forks don't have the plushness of coil/oil.

My $.02

[Mt.A TODD]

Fox 36 all the way, super fork and they’ve been always been a great supporter of Nemba, share the love, buy a Fox.