Rockshox Domain 318 Coil U-turn VS. Rockshox Totem coil + Mission control?

PB Forum :: Freeride & Slopestyle
Rockshox Domain 318 Coil U-turn VS. Rockshox Totem coil + Mission control?
Author Message
flag dannyvilladsen
Posted: Sep 20, 2008 at 2:11 Quote
I have a Pike forks at home, so when i do rough all mountain i will just put the pike on, and for freeride, then i will put the totem on! Big Grin
flag pbuser102331
Posted: Sep 20, 2008 at 3:27 Quote
MUnibiker wrote:
I have a Pike forks at home, so when i do rough all mountain i will just put the pike on, and for freeride, then i will put the totem on! Big Grin

some people have all the luck,and parts.
flag hampsteadbandit
Posted: Sep 20, 2008 at 12:09 Quote
the current (2008 or earlier) SX Trail benefits from running a longer fork like a Totem or Marzocchi 66 if you are using the bike for heavier freeride and downhill, because it lifts the bottom bracket height, slackens the head angle and increase the front centre which makes the bike feel less nervous at higher speeds, or dropping off stunts

however, it will invalidate your warranty as you cannot run a 180mm single crown fork or dual crown longer than 170mm on the SX Trail and stay within the terms of your warranty (I work for a big specialized dealer so this is first hand knowledge)

if you are comfortable with this issue, adding something like a Totem or 66 will definitely make your SX a better freeride rig; the problem with the SX Trail is that the frame geometry is "all mountain" because the frame is a modified Enduro (pre 2007) frame with slightly longer stroke shock and different shuttle

the Domain 318 180mm will give you about 80% of the performance of the Totem at about 3/5ths of the price, do the maths and see what you think...I've had Totems (air and coil), Lyric (2-step and coil) and Domain (318 coil u-turn) and highly rate the Domain if you are on a budget, or are lazy and don't like maintaining your bike

the Domain will definitely run smoother with less maintenance as its a simpler fork and the polished steel stanchions (upper legs) keep things running smoother

both Totem and Lyric benefit from a regular overhaul (which means removing the lowers, cleaning them out and relubing with 20cc of 15-20wt fork oil)


the new 2009 SX Trail however, is a totally different thing altogether and a really sweet bike with a geometry much more akin to the Demo 7, and you won't need to plug a big fork into it to get the bike to ride well for freeriding
flag dannyvilladsen
Posted: Sep 21, 2008 at 1:02 Quote
Yeah, I work at a bike shop my self, but the norwegian importer is kinda slow, and its hard to get info like this from them!! Anyways thanks for the info! I have had a look at the domain, and even though it looks "cheap" it still works very well. But with a totem (as you say) you get a slacker head angle, and its easier to ride. hard choice...
flag cap001
Posted: Sep 21, 2008 at 12:09 Quote
hampsteadbandit wrote:
the current (2008 or earlier)

both Totem and Lyric benefit from a regular overhaul (which means removing the lowers, cleaning them out and relubing with 20cc of 15-20wt fork oil)

the maintenance is really pretty minimal and quick. takes 20 minutes at the most and keeps your fork super smooth.

I'd go with the totem.

have one on my Blitz and the 7"/6.7" combo is perfect

photo

2479685
flag hampsteadbandit
Posted: Sep 21, 2008 at 12:15 Quote
he maintenance is really pretty minimal and quick. takes 20 minutes at the most and keeps your fork super smooth.

this is true but you'd be surprised how many riders don't maintain their suspension

I had a guy in with an Ellsworth Rogue with a leaking Totem this week, and he had never even serviced his fork in 6 months

when I speed'lubed the lowers there was muddy brown water in one leg and nothing in the other Frown
flag cap001
Posted: Sep 21, 2008 at 17:20 Quote
hampsteadbandit wrote:
he maintenance is really pretty minimal and quick. takes 20 minutes at the most and keeps your fork super smooth.

this is true but you'd be surprised how many riders don't maintain their suspension

I had a guy in with an Ellsworth Rogue with a leaking Totem this week, and he had never even serviced his fork in 6 months

when I speed'lubed the lowers there was muddy brown water in one leg and nothing in the other Frown

oh so true. i think alot of it comes from people being scared of working on their stuff or just don't know. I have a buddy who was complaining about his Totem leaking and feeilng stiff. I showed him how to change the oil and shorten the springs on the seals and wipers and now he is stoked on his fork. no leaks and super plush.
flag dannyvilladsen
Posted: Sep 22, 2008 at 1:59 Quote
Hehe, anyway, Coil rockshoxs are so easy to service! Good forks to learn on!
flag pbuser102331
Posted: Sep 22, 2008 at 7:06 Quote
hampsteadbandit wrote:
he maintenance is really pretty minimal and quick. takes 20 minutes at the most and keeps your fork super smooth.

this is true but you'd be surprised how many riders don't maintain their suspension

I had a guy in with an Ellsworth Rogue with a leaking Totem this week, and he had never even serviced his fork in 6 months

when I speed'lubed the lowers there was muddy brown water in one leg and nothing in the other Frown

does the differing weight of the oil for the speedlube affect damping in anyway.
flag AqueousBeef
Posted: Sep 22, 2008 at 7:11 Quote
MUnibiker wrote:
Hey there!!

Just bought a sx-trail frame, and am wondering about the forks? should i go for a totem or a domain? will be riding lots of freeride, but also the odd heavy duty "all-mountain". have already got a pitch pro with pikes on it. Is the domain a lot like the pike? is the totem better then?
You're comparing a top of the line fork to its budget minded version. The choice is obvious, Totem if you can afford it.
flag hampsteadbandit
Posted: Sep 22, 2008 at 12:14 Quote
does the differing weight of the oil for the speedlube affect damping in anyway.

no, because the damping is taken care of by the damper which sits in its own oil bath, seperate to the lubrication chambers

if you use 15wt instead of 20wt it simply won't last quite as long, in terms of lubrication, because the 20wt is more viscious (thicker, like treacle) and will stay put where it is needed....

it won't do the fork any real damage using 15wt but you will probably need to speedlube it more often Wink
flag pbuser102331
Posted: Sep 22, 2008 at 12:47 Quote
hampsteadbandit wrote:
does the differing weight of the oil for the speedlube affect damping in anyway.

no, because the damping is taken care of by the damper which sits in its own oil bath, seperate to the lubrication chambers

if you use 15wt instead of 20wt it simply won't last quite as long, in terms of lubrication, because the 20wt is more viscious (thicker, like treacle) and will stay put where it is needed....

it won't do the fork any real damage using 15wt but you will probably need to speedlube it more often Wink

bugger i should of thought of that,and cheers.

any recomendations on oil ar should i just give tftuned a ring.
flag hampsteadbandit
Posted: Sep 22, 2008 at 12:51 Quote
one of the biggest scams in the oil trade is the "re-badging" of oils which allows niche companies to inflate prices

as an example, UK company "Rock oil" makes suspension fork fluid and DOT brake fluid for about 15 different companies in the UK

Rock Oil also sell the same stuff in their own name, and its available from MX shops for about £3-4 for a big bottle

if you can't find Rock Oil then try Silkolene, about £5 for a big bottle

if you buy MTB specific stuff you can get charged £7-8 for a little bottle of DOT brake fluid or £15 for a little bottle of fork oil
flag pbuser102331
Posted: Sep 22, 2008 at 12:53 Quote
hampsteadbandit wrote:
one of the biggest scams in the oil trade is the "re-badging" of oils which allows niche companies to inflate prices

as an example, UK company "Rock oil" makes suspension fork fluid and DOT brake fluid for about 15 different companies in the UK

Rock Oil also sell the same stuff in their own name, and its available from MX shops for about £3-4 for a big bottle

if you can't find Rock Oil then try Silkolene, about £5 for a big bottle

if you buy MTB specific stuff you can get charged £7-8 for a little bottle of DOT brake fluid or £15 for a little bottle of fork oil

rock oil or silkolene it is then.
flag Frumpy-Housewife
Posted: Sep 23, 2008 at 0:47 Quote
If you're looking for a coil fork with 180mm travel then the Totem & Domain are pretty much the same, you'd get the Totem if you really wanted the extra adjustments or if you are after an air fork for the weight / tuneability benefits.
In my opinion the Domain would be more bullet proof, would weigh about the same as a 180 coil Totem, but wouldn't have as many adjustment parameters - kind of like 80% of the performance at 50% of the cost.

In my opinion just because the Totem is more expensive it doesn't make it a better buy - it totally depens what you want in a fork. If low maintenance and set & forget is your kind of thing then the Domain may just be worth considering instead of a Totem.

 


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