160mm fork advice

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160mm fork advice
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flag daveduarte
Posted: Jul 26, 2012 at 16:04 Quote
hi there
i have an orange five, and i use it for xc/am/dh riding (it really does real dh, uplift days, megavalanche etc)
i have some basic rockshock domains on it but i want to get some gucci forks on it

what would you recomend?
my thoughts
-light = wouldnt mind air, or a really light coil
-36mm ish stantions
-160mm maximum travel
-Tapered steerer
-20mm axle
-easy compression adjust/ lockout (for going up hills)

im torn betweem fox floats, rockshox lyrics, marocchi 55. i cant figure out what spec/model i'd need
anyone used xfusion/bos? any other maufacturer out there i'm missing?

cheers
flag wonny
O+
Posted: Jul 26, 2012 at 22:09 Quote
I've demoed the best selling brands. My favorites for air: fox float , rock shox lyrik 170 solo air and x fusion vengeance in that order.
flag Ploutre
Posted: Jul 27, 2012 at 2:36 Quote
"Problem" if you go for a BOS Deville, you'll want a Vipr for the rear to match with the front Smile

Thing is what is your budget ?
flag daveduarte
Posted: Jul 27, 2012 at 7:25 Quote
I have no budget, I am happy to pay for top end for this bike. I have a cane creek double barrel titanium could on rear which is staying on the bike
flag Ploutre
Posted: Jul 27, 2012 at 9:14 Quote
Oh well the CCDB works like a charm so it wouldn't be unbalanced much with a Deville front. Next problem is getting one in the UK, and then deal (if ever needed) with the French support ... they don't speak much English, and may be reaaally slow to answer, but eventually you'll get what you need to keep it running. And for the look, they sadly only make 1 set of colours ... which isn't the best looking imo ...

Safe bet would then be a Fox 36 Float RC2 2012, they're good, not too heavy, but don't come cheap.

In France if you asked me the same question, I'd probably go for a Deville, and if not, a RockShox Lyrik with custom air valve and custom damper (air valve from Meca06, French bloke who's been working in suspensions for a few years, including some time at BOS suspension, and damper from CRConception). That Lyrik would be lighter (it should come down to 2.1kg I think) than a Deville (2.4kg?), yet just be as good as a BOS. And it's "easy" to find spare parts for lyriks such as stanchions or lowers (if you ever crack/scratch them, of if you wish to have it painted)

My 2cts.

(the custom air valve makes the ratio almost like a coil one, so really predictable to setup your suspension, unlike the stock valve...)
flag daveduarte
Posted: Jul 27, 2012 at 11:30 Quote
Ploutre wrote:
Oh well the CCDB works like a charm so it wouldn't be unbalanced much with a Deville front. Next problem is getting one in the UK, and then deal (if ever needed) with the French support ... they don't speak much English, and may be reaaally slow to answer, but eventually you'll get what you need to keep it running. And for the look, they sadly only make 1 set of colours ... which isn't the best looking imo ...

Safe bet would then be a Fox 36 Float RC2 2012, they're good, not too heavy, but don't come cheap.

In France if you asked me the same question, I'd probably go for a Deville, and if not, a RockShox Lyrik with custom air valve and custom damper (air valve from Meca06, French bloke who's been working in suspensions for a few years, including some time at BOS suspension, and damper from CRConception). That Lyrik would be lighter (it should come down to 2.1kg I think) than a Deville (2.4kg?), yet just be as good as a BOS. And it's "easy" to find spare parts for lyriks such as stanchions or lowers (if you ever crack/scratch them, of if you wish to have it painted)

My 2cts.

(the custom air valve makes the ratio almost like a coil one, so really predictable to setup your suspension, unlike the stock valve...)

Wow great advice! Thanks! Hmmmm seems like fox floats are worth it really. Also I can send to mojo for servicing. I haven't heard much about bos, but they are ment to be good. I can get fix at a near reasonable price through work, so maybe I should do that.

What's the difference between open bath and rc2? Rebound, compression? Does the open bath not have that?
flag daveduarte
Posted: Jul 27, 2012 at 11:31 Quote
Custom valves sound great, but I'm a bit worried about changing how the fork was ment to work. Hahaha too many choices
flag max14221
Posted: Jul 27, 2012 at 11:32 Quote
have a look a fox 36 float but wait until 2013 models come out they have gone back to the FIT RC2 damper it works better
than the RLC FIT damper than comes in the 2012 models.
Bos forks are sick as well lol , give the guys at Tf tuned a call they stock Fox and Rockshox and they are so good at what they do
http://www.tftunedshox.com/default.aspx
flag Ploutre
Posted: Jul 27, 2012 at 13:39 Quote
daveduarte wrote:
Wow great advice! Thanks! Hmmmm seems like fox floats are worth it really. Also I can send to mojo for servicing. I haven't heard much about bos, but they are ment to be good. I can get fix at a near reasonable price through work, so maybe I should do that.

What's the difference between open bath and rc2? Rebound, compression? Does the open bath not have that?

If you can, go for a Deville, just knowing it might be tricky to get some customer service if you need it. That's the only drawback I see. If through your work you have contacts with BOS, well then it should be much easier. It will be better than a Fox (maybe not as sexy though ... Big Grin ) and will work like a charm with the CCDB. Oh and it's good you're looking for a tapered fork, some riders notice some really small flex with the 1-1/8 straight steerer on the Devilles ... Tapered steerer removes all that.

Then you have the TRC option. When it's on, it's like if you ran on a much smaller air chamber: same feeling while riding, it's just that you'll feel the fork being much more progressive, and you'll need much more force to use all the travel. Good for the climbs, good for hucking (forks maybe not made for hucking to flat though Big Grin ) and good to stay high on the front in the downhills.


For the Fox:
RC2 means you have knobs to tweak the low and high speed compression and low speed rebound.
RLC means knobs for low speed rebound, low speed compression and a lockout

If you have the choice, just go for a FIT RC2, and check with mojo/tftuned to tune it.

Even out of the box, they can have something better for what you'll be doing with the fork. I wouldn't worry much about locking the fork for the uphills, you could always dial in all the low speed compression (and remember the number of clicks you turned, so you can pop it back when you're up there), but don't be fooled with a lock out. RC2 > RLC Smile

Finally keep the stanchions lubed! (that applies for all the forks)
Leave the bike upside down during the night every few rides (to let the oil go down to the seals)
Carefully spray some teflon oil on the stanchions, cycle the fork a few times, wipe all the dust/mud/oil that's on the stancions (careful not to put too much on the left leg, it may go down to the brake pads). Do that before all riding sessions and that'll make sure you have a long living fork Smile
flag richard01
Posted: Jul 27, 2012 at 15:24 Quote
daveduarte wrote:
I have no budget, I am happy to pay for top end for this bike. I have a cane creek double barrel titanium could on rear which is staying on the bike


off topic but where did you get the ti spring from.

i have a sub 5 with a ccdb and 36 van r(140mm). coil and coil work well together. there is also a review on the orange website of a 5 with ccdb and 36 van FIT RC2. have a read of http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/news/view/cane_creek_double_barrel/
i had an air shock(old manipoo) and it didnt mix well with the coil, but it depends on how you want it to feel. next upgrade for me is the RC2 damper from mojo or maybe pushed by TF tuned.

see if you can get a test ride on a five AM
flag daveduarte
Posted: Jul 27, 2012 at 15:45 Quote
richard01 wrote:
daveduarte wrote:
I have no budget, I am happy to pay for top end for this bike. I have a cane creek double barrel titanium could on rear which is staying on the bike


off topic but where did you get the ti spring from.

i have a sub 5 with a ccdb and 36 van r(140mm). coil and coil work well together. there is also a review on the orange website of a 5 with ccdb and 36 van FIT RC2. have a read of http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/news/view/cane_creek_double_barrel/
i had an air shock(old manipoo) and it didnt mix well with the coil, but it depends on how you want it to feel. next upgrade for me is the RC2 damper from mojo or maybe pushed by TF tuned.

see if you can get a test ride on a five AM

yeah thats a very cool article. interesting what he says about having air forks with ccdb. maybe a good coil fork then? .... back to looking at forks again
flag richard01
Posted: Jul 28, 2012 at 3:48 Quote
i think its so the bike stays level when you go through the travel, which is why it wont feel right. falling rate at the back and the front since the forks are at an angle. an air shock would ramp up in places. i think you can feel it more because the rear has a larger falling rate. but i am just speculating.

you said you had a ccdb titanium is that a ti spring, if so where did you get it?
flag daveduarte
Posted: Jul 28, 2012 at 5:24 Quote
richard01 wrote:
i think its so the bike stays level when you go through the travel, which is why it wont feel right. falling rate at the back and the front since the forks are at an angle. an air shock would ramp up in places. i think you can feel it more because the rear has a larger falling rate. but i am just speculating.

you said you had a ccdb titanium is that a ti spring, if so where did you get it?

oh yeah sorry, i bought it second hand with the shock. not sure where it came from sorry
flag Ploutre
Posted: Jul 28, 2012 at 12:22 Quote
Don't worry, if you go for a Deville you won't feel the difference with a coil sprung fork. That's also why they released an Air DH fork, which handles exactly the same, yet something like 400gr lighter. They managed to have a proper valving that allows an almost linear air spring.
flag SamDF
Posted: Jul 28, 2012 at 13:32 Quote
AFAIK Nukeproof do ti springs for the CCDB, and do you recommend a specific teflon oil, I use Lyriks, and can I do the same to the rear shock? Hijacking the thread a bit but it's great advice! :-)
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