A new fork for a K2 4000

[VTT]

I have been riding a 1998 K2 4000 for a few years now and I was thinking about replacing the Noleen Crosslink (with a Smart shock that stopped working a year after I got the bike!!) with a newer fork.  Maybe a 2003 model that I could get at a sale price.  I don't want to change the geometry of the bike(do I make sense?).  I am a fit 6.2, 208 lbs middle age rider, and ride fire roads.
Any suggestions for a fork? Thanks.

[Matno]

Get something with 4" of travel. It will blow you away how much better it matches the rear of that frame.

I've got Manitou X-verts on both of mine and I love them (and they're cheap these days). Gotta be a 2000 or 2001 though. Earlier X-verts suck. If you go with ANY Manitou shock, make sure it has TPC+ damping (emphasis on the "+"). Check ebay for deals.

[Prof. T.]

Last year I swapped my Noleen crosslink fork out for a 2002 Rock Shox Psylo XC, which I picked up for $150.  It made a BIG difference in my riding style.  The travel is adjustable from 3" to 5", so I use the minimum travel for climbs, 4" for general singletrack, and the full 5" for descents.  The ability to change the travel to suit the terrain is a big advantage for me.  There's a slight loss in rigidity/tracking, but to me it's more than outweighed by having a fork that have plush travel and that I can hammer without worrying about getting beat up or endoing.

There's no change in geometry at the 3" setting, and the change isn't a big deal at the 4" setting.  At 5", the steering IS noticeably slower, but that's good when heading downhill!