Pretty much as per title, I’m weighing up various new bike options including spectral and 5010 and not sure what for to choose.

Always used to be fox for me, but they lost their way with ctd era. Are they back at the top? Should I just go for the pike for stiffness.

I’m looking at Surrey hills and occasional alps/northern use, weigh 10stone. I would like good stiffness and low weight, and a moon on a stick!

Anyway, what do you like these days, which have the best damping? Etc

I’m looking at Surrey hills and occasional alps/northern use, weigh 10stone. I would like good stiffness and low weight, and a moon on a stick!

well coming in good 3 stone heavier I can say my original 34’s are stiff enough, not found flex in them over a lot of riding (at 160mm) both them and the pikes should cover that. Stiff and low weight is actually quite normal these days especially at your weight.

Again the damping setup/performance will be different at lower pressures than high some people find it harder to get it right at the lower air pressures.

Whats on the 5010? Given thats a bike you can get out and demo then give it a go and see how it works for you.

You might not get the top end fit4 on factory spec build, but Pinkbike reviewed the GRIP damper performing admirably!
Fox 34 Grip, pinkbike
For butter smooth performance, you can’t beat the 36! Though I always thought it too much fork for anything less than bike park. My 2017 Spark will run a 36 without question.

I weigh 10st and I’ve had various Pikes (26 and 29), Fox 34 (basic model), old Lyriks (35mm, beasty), and now 36s (29er, Factory FIT4) and also 32s and Revs… And tbh I’m really not that fussed about stiffness. Everything bar the 140mm 32s was stiff enough for the job. (the 32s were obviously an XC fork stretched too far). So stiffness, ymmv but 34s and Pikes were plenty stiff enough for me.

Performance, I actually really liked the basic 34. It was spikier and a bit less responsive than my Pikes but the basic damping curve was more what I want from a fork and it didn’t have to be filled with volume spacers. The Pike I think had better parts but less good setup (I had to have the compression rolled all the way off, I think maybe it’s just built for bigger people than us? A custom tune would have sorted this I’m sure)

Now on the FIT4 36s and they are superb tbh. They should be at the price. Very nearly as good as my ancient coil Lyrik DHs were.

Sooo what’s the point of all this rambling? Basically they’re all good. I really don’t think you’ll hate any of them. And they’re all pretty upgradable (I was going to stick a coil in my Pikes and tune the damper a bit more) so even if you’re not happy on day one there’s room to grow.

…v Manitou Mattoc Pro, great fork.

How about the Ohlins fork? http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/components/forks-suspension/product/ohlins-rxf-34-fork-review-50453/

Left field option if you know what you want from your suspension could be to get a RS Yari and get it Avalanched. Probably cost the same as a 36 Fit4.