Ok, might be abusing the mini DH bike label a tad, but nevertheless.

I’m building up a bike for DH and general tomfoolery (uplifts, DH tracks, big jumps, the alps etc) and cannot decide on what fork to go for. I will be running 2×9 as I will need to pedal it about occasionally.

The frame is a reign x with 170mm rear travel. I’m slackening the head angle to about 65 degrees with offset bushings and possibly a works headset.

The two forks I am looking at are a 36 van and a totem solo air (price, simplicity and weight).

I’ve ridden a few big DH rigs on tamer DH tracks and I preferred my enduro.

Is more travel always more fun on proper DH tracks? I’m leaning towards the totem as I think that I might as well go for the burlier fork just for the fun on it 🙂

Thoughts?

Marzocchi 55 RC3 Ti 170mm?

Too expensive, needs to be 2nd hand.

160.

I found 180mm Totems just weird. I had a stiff set of handlebars coupled to a Thomson 50mm stem and the stem/bars flexed around the steerer more than any other setup I’ve ever had.

I don’t know…could have been increased forces being transferred to the steerer because of the increased axle-to-crown….or something…..

Dunno, probably the Totems. If budget is an issue, I always liked them 2006/7 66 rc2x forks with 170mm of travel. Probably pick some up for £150 or so I’d guess (I imagine Totems are about £350+?)

Although “uqality” of travel is perhaps more important than the amount? Dont know which are best out of those two you listed.

My 36 vans would be fine for most DH tracks (if I wasn’t such a pussy).

Depends what YOU prefer.

Personally I dislike 8″ forks even on my DH bike and run one rate higher spring in my boxxer so it performs like a 7″ fork. Ie. Sits higher in it’s stroke, less sag/dive, more stable and better pop.

Also, beware sticking a monster single crown fork on your newly lowered slacker bike, you may well be taking the geometry back close to where you started.

The vans seem to get a lot of praise, but I can’t help thinking the totem would take more abuse and be more fun down a gnarly hill.

I’ve heard good things about the older marzocchis, but am being a bit of a tart and want something a bit newer.

Depends what YOU prefer.

I have only ridden DH rigs at mellow DH tracks so I don’t have a lot to go on. Rode my enduro at some spots that are a bit rougher and it was pretty good, but got out of it’s depth blasting through rock gardens.

Also, beware sticking a monster single crown fork on your newly lowered slacker bike, you may well be taking the geometry back close to where you started.

The frame is designed around a 160mm fork so with a 180mm and offset bushings the bb is still likely to be lower.

It’s just going to slacken your bike out by another degree. I really would stay away from 180mm single crowns though, they are entirely pointless except for huckers who do tricks when dual crowns with their integrated stems have better stiffness and usually have very similar axle to crown heights.

…..but that’s just me. You should ride a set before you decide.

Does not understand why you’re looking at Vans and Totems but not coil Lyriks- adjustable up to 170mm with a little effort, good damping, very durable… Better used proposition than the Vans IMO.

Anyway- answer is It Depends but there’s options that can be lengthened (or reduced), so get one of them to keep the options open.

Does not understand why you’re looking at Vans and Totems but not coil Lyriks- adjustable up to 170mm with a little effort, good damping, very durable… Better used proposition than the Vans IMO.

Because the don’t tend to come up cheap.

What I really want is a set of lightweight (maywbe some 2010 boxxer WC) dual crowns lowered to 180mm, to give them practically the same axle to crown as my Lyrik U-turns.

I would be in heaven.

Because the don’t tend to come up cheap

Yeah they do. Even new you can find them for 400 quid. Abused second hand Lyriks tends to perform better than abused fox forks as well.

Cant you space the Solo airs down with internal spacers anyway? So you could run them at 170 or 160

You find me a set bwaarp and I’ll consider it.

Yes you can space them down, another reason why I am tempted.

A-C on a 180mm single crown should be around the same as a 200mm boxxer at it’s shortest position in the crowns.

Oh.. and your frame probably won’t be DH low even wih the OS reducers.

kudos100 – Member

Because the don’t tend to come up cheap.

I got mine for £250, sold another set for £250. Here’s a good looking set.

http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1053751/

Usual Pinkbike disclaimers apply though. Personally I’d be incredibly suspicious of a 36 going for less than that.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p3872.m570.l1313&_nkw=rock+shox+lyrik&_sacat=See-All-Categories

I got mine for £250, sold another set for £250. Here’s a good looking set.

http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1053751/

Usual Pinkbike disclaimers apply though. Personally I’d be incredibly suspicious of a 36 going for less than that

I don’t need travel adjust, which is why I’m looking at vans and solo air totems. Haven’t seen many 170 coils about.

Go 160, I’ve got a set of Domains going cheap :p I’d probably stick to shorter and u-turn if you want to pedal it, though saying that i managed to ride up snowdon on my Bullit with 180 boxxers on so its not the end of the world!

though saying that i managed to ride up snowdon on my Bullit with 180 boxxers on so its not the end of the world!

That’s the thing, I’m not overly fussed about climbing performance as long as it gets me there.

kudos100 – Member

I don’t need travel adjust, which is why I’m looking at vans and solo air totems. Haven’t seen many 170 coils about.

Don’t walk past a good fork just because it’s got uturn, it doesn’t add much weight and it’s reliable, and it works just as well as a fixed length spring.

All lyrik coils can be extended to 170mm, you just need a wee machined spacer (not commercially available as far as I know, but it’s a simple part) And how many cheap Vans will go past 160?

180 Domains on my Iron Horse 6.4 (came with 160 Marzocchi 55R) never made that much of a difference to how it went uphill and made it a lot more fun coming back down. Mind you air to coil was a big part of how much better it felt I think.

Oh ffs, now I am considering bloody lyrik and totem coils.

Have you hammered the hell out of set of coil lyriks Northwind?

I spaced my coil totems down to 160 to run on my miniDH

All lyrik coils can be extended to 170mm, you just need a wee machined spacer (not commercially available as far as I know, but it’s a simple part)

Hmmm, tell us more…

Credit to accu, here:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/rs-lyriks-160-u-turns-to-170#post-3368602

Keep meaning to make myself one but I’m the worst machinist in christendom so it’s not hard to make excuses Wonder if there’s enough demand to get a wee run made up…

My Lyriks U turns have been great Kudos. They are more buttery than my old mans older non fit/non kashima Fox 36’s. The ramp up is a little more linear and the compression adjustment appears to have a finer but more tunable range. The lyriks need less regular servicing. The downside is that the U-turns are not adjustable for preoload, you can only change the springs so you may end up a little “between” the spring rates. However you can send the to TFtuned to have them modded into regular 170mm coils.

The fox’s feel as though the ramp up a little more which is good and the build quality feels a little nicer. Compared to the Lyrik U-turn they also have preload adjust. Downside is that they need more regular maintenance.

What kind of riding have you used them for? I need something that will stand up to a decent level of abuse (10 foot drops, big jumps, rock gardens)

I gave my air lyriks a bit of stick, but I’m not sure how long they would last long term. I don’t want to worry about the bike when jumping off stuff.

They’ll take as much stick as a set of 36’s. But generally I steer clear of large drops like those these days.

If you are into massive hucks I’d go with dual crowns, the only places I’ve seen Lyriks/Totems or 36’s snap is at the steerer and with a 180mm fork you are putting more forces through the steerer.

Someone feel free to enlighten me.

since when was a 10ft drop a “massive huck”? 😕

It’s a pretty small huck, but I’d like to know that if I give the fork a bit of a beating on a regular basis that it will stand up to it.

I’m sure they are up to the job in the short term, but over the longer term I have no idea as I have never owned a set for long enough.

The ‘all mountain’ tag puts me off a bit.

of course it will, a Reba will stand up to it as long as it’s not to flat!

“all-mountain” is a bullshit “made up” marketing term to sell XC bikes to folk who think they are too gnar to ride XC.

10 ft drops are not “massive” but the general impression he was giving me was that of a freerider. But 10 foot is nothing to sniff at depending on the landing.

Generally the slopestyle guys do much larger on smaller 100mm forks. If you want it to last a lifetime doing 10ft+ drops several times each weekend, by all means get a bigger fork.

I cannot say whether they will last as long as you want, they should last as long as a 36 and that’s all I know. I won’t do anything more than 5 foot because I don’t feel like **** bones up (time out of work etc).

Would’ve thought Lyriks would be more than enough, I’ve hammered my air Pikes and they’re still going strong after a service. Would think the Lyriks are built at least as well as the Pikes.

Well maybe not flat, but occasionally to less than ideal transition.

“all-mountain” is a bullshit “made up” marketing term to sell XC bikes to folk who think they are too gnar to ride XC

Preaching to the choir GW.