K2 / Proflex Riders Group
General => Tech Forum => Topic started by: pedro on September 01, 2003, 06:03:26 am
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I use a 2" stroke fox vanilla R in the rear, which yields approximately 5.2" of rear wheel travel. My riding is mostly: "all mountain": trails, cross country, basically no drops, just the up and down hills present in most trails. Parts of our trails do have lots of loose rocks.
I would like to replace my 5+ years old Z1 Bam, but don't know if I should get an 03 Marathon S (coil on both legs) 105mm travel, or an 04 MX pro w/ETA, coil on one leg, air on the other with 120mm of travel.
I like the Marathon, because it should have a bit more quality,(should be more expensive but is on sale in supergo), and because it uses coil on both legs. (don't want air leaking hassles), the white, pearl color goes better with my evo color scheme. Available right now
I like the MX because....it is an 2004 model, and has 120mm of travel. I feel the 120mm should provide a smoother ride, especially when traversing rocky, rooty sections. will not be available for a couple of weeks
Which way should I go?
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I would go with the MX pro. I have a 2002 MXR and have been very happy with it. The more trave of the prol would seal the deal for me.
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I would go with the 120mm. with the ETA climbing should be fine. I am not familiar with the 04 fork but have a friend with an older coil/air combo marzocchi who is big and rides fairly hard and he's had no probs. I was using a $130 Z5 air for 2 years and abused the hell out of it with no complications, so i don't think you need to worry about going with a partial air fork. IMHO 105mm is not enough for an Evo!
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my type of riding should be similar to yours, caribbean forests, and you also ride the evo with fox van r, so if you say 120,,,,,,,,,,I beleive you. I guess I will have to wait for the MX to be available. For 2004 the marathons and MX's come in either 105, or 120 mm settings.
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I have the same 8" van r [with 2.3 stroke] so should be set up the same. My shock is a 2001 Z1 with 130mm and I was riding it without the ECC for a month or so. Really steep stuff was tricky going up but the extra travel is so nice going down. Now i have a new ecc so can lock down on the uphills climbing is a breeze. If i had the money i'd get the z1 slr, an adjustable 130mm freeride air shock, my friend has one on his Dare and it is sweet, but probably overkill for your average ride!
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I am using a 02 psylo xc and love it. I have a stratos helix type on the rear. Stay away from Manitou Blacks, my rinding buddy has totally thrashed his in just one year. I has been at the factory for nearly a month....still not back yet. Needs all new guts and seals. As for the psylo, I have done some truely brutal things to mine with no problem. The G outs on our trails are brutal causing my fork to bottom from time to time and no leaks, creaks or probs. Does good with air too.
Good Riding
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I've got an '03 Z1 FR with the ETA and it's phenomenal. A little chunky, but the performance is stunning.
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I currently run an 02' Psylo XC in the 4" mode. I had a Marzocchi Z1 wedge before that. I felt @ 5" the head angle was too steep (67-68*). I couldn't imagine what a 7.8" rear shock and a 5" fork would feel like- lazy steering. I purchased a 110mm travel kit and SSVF kit for my Z1- should do the trick.
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I would recommend you go for the longer travel. I run a Manitou Sherman on my Evo (Stratos in the back) and it's just about right, IMO. Mine has 130mm of travel with the option to lock it down to 110. I've only locked it down once, for extended climbing in Moab.
The Sherman is much better quality wise than the Black... I also trashed my Black in a year. But I've been riding this for about a year, and no problems yet.
I would also consider something like a Fox Vanilla or a Z1FR for the Evo. I know someone who blew out the air chamber on his Z1FR-SL, but I don't know if it's a fluke or what.
I don't like RockShox but that's a personal thing.
(http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/May18d.jpg)
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Can't speak for the Z1 FR-SL, I have the coilover. I ride Marzocchi on all three of my MTB's. Z2, Z4 Air(no leaks), and Z1 FR. All of them have been incredibly reliable(and I ride year round in the Pacific NW).
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:) Look into the Fox fork. If you get a chance to ride one you will love it but it is a little pricey. 8)
[smiley=beer.gif]
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Can't speak highly enough of the FOX Floats, the best XC forks on the market at the mo, just look what all the top end bikes are fitted with at the factory. (Except for the sid black boxys but they are flexy xc race forks just to save a couple of ounces).
Floats - All day, super stiff, super plush, reliable, tuneable, point and shoot beauties.
I will never use anything else again. ;D
By the way, whilst we are talking forks, what is everybody's (except me) obsession with travel?????
My EVO now has a set od 03 Fox Float 80 RLTs, yes thats right ......80mm....... of travel. They never bottom out, don't bob up and down, the steering is like a rigid and the damping is world class.
Reading your question these are what you want, WHY do you need any more travel?
XC riding is about a lightweight, neutral, quick turning, resposive, non-energy sapping bike, with top brakes and a drivetrain that alow u to concentrate on the lines and change gear and shave off speed without thinking.
For a start replacing the crosslinks with a sodding great long travel fork screws up the geometry, it's like riding a bus. If I want a DH rig I'll build one.
As you can see I have a bit of a thing about this!!!!!
[smiley=disbelief.gif]
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GB, i think you just hit on the beauty of the Evo design, it can be cross country or freeride or even a bit of a dh, just depends on how you set it up. My trails and style have progressed from XC to gnarly trails and i definately benefit from the 130mm travel, but i agree that not everybody needs it and it can be a disadvantage, kinda like driving around Miami in a jacked up SUV. If Pedro's Caribbean forest/ mountains are like the ones we're attempting in Jamaica then he'll need some travel. I also like the idea of balancing out the f +r [5 + 5] but again I know it's just a preference.
PEDRO, I don't know if you have the same problems we do getting stuff fixed/replaced/serviced but we have to go with stuff that will need the least factory/shop attention, look at reviews to find out if there are any reliability issues with whatever you decide. Have FUN [smiley=nod.gif]
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Your XC riding sounds more like XC racing to me. The trails around here are pretty much too technical to worry about "scrubbing off speed".
I'm not obsessed with travel, I just know what works best on the trails I ride because I've tried short travel before, and it comes up short. Also, my Evo (2002 Disco Monkey) came with a 125mm travel fork originally, so I don't think 130mm is that much different.
If all I was riding was smooth singletrack, I wouldn't even have an Evo...
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When I bought my 1st suspension bike (my evo is only my 2nd one) 7 years ago, it was considered a bit radical for xc racing, which I did. The maker claimed 3.75" of rear travel, (turns out it was only 3"). I bought a bomber z1 (now on my evo) and then a White brother sc72ul (a SID type fork but stronger, and more rigid) I still own my xc racing rig, and ride it once in a while, but for general riding I prefer the comfort of the longer travel evo. An 80mm travel bike pedals better,mmmmmmmm.........is lighter....................tracks better.............handles quicker, climbs better, I would not race any other, but for long trail rides the longer travel is just so much more comfortable, and fun.
In the fox line of forks, the only option for me, would be the vanillas. The others seem to have complicated internals, only serviceable by the factory, and sending it would be expensive and complicated from my location.
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OK, I hate having to retract previous statements, but I just rode some real tight singletrack today, and my DM felt just like a pig in the handling dept. I have come to believe that maybe it is too slack, and now I'm planning on getting a slightly shorter travel fork, probably a Marathon. So, I have changed my mind!
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Again it depends on what you are riding, Yesterdays ride is probably my favourite at the moment, a long steep climb on road and doubletrack which definately made me use the ecc followed by a long rooty,rocky droppy twisty fast downhill singletrack back to sea level. The ecc sucks on rough stuff because it is locked out but i don't think i could do that uphill with 130mm, but the down is a dream with the longer travel. I have done the same trail with a HT and 3" fork and with the Evo with 4" fork and i am definately riding better, faster and having more fun with 5". But i wouldn't call that trail XC ! I also have a pretty short stem, moderate riser bars and i drop my seat all the way for that track. If anyone is in JA and wants to ride with us that is where we're gonna take ya !!! Having said that we took a chap with us on one of our spare bikes, an old steel Scott HT with toe clips and a fork that probably had 2" originally until we replaced the internals with fish gun rubber, and he made it down in one piece and had fun, we just had to wait for him.