Basically looking for guidance. I’ve never owned 15mm QR forks before and wondered for most riding- is the flex over 20mm ‘noticeable’? (I’m guessing only in certain circumstances) or alarming(?) as I’ve read on Fox 15mm forks?

I’m 97kg, GSOH etc.

Even if its not noticabale you will think you can so you will sell them and start another thread asking what forks for a Hora.

you need 20mm cos you will die using 15mm…….. 😀

Forks are the one thing I don’t buy and sell within seconds. Frames is my bag. My forks only go after multiple warranty returns (cough Mazz).

I dunno if it’s flex, or all in my head, but I don’l like my 15mm Revelations as much as I did my 20mm Pikes, despite the damping and plushness being noticably better.

And so it goes on…….yawn.

I’m not a heavy rider only 12st in old money but I’m something of a fork whore so I’ll tell you:-

I’ve run the self same RS Sektors (coil U turn) in both 20mm & 15mm and I still have them. Further more on one bike I’ve run the 20mm sektors for a while and then 15mm Revs – same travel and chassis just different damping and spring. On another bike I’ve run the 15mm Sektors for a bit and then 15mm Fox 32 both coil but the Fox’s are 140mm vs sektors at 150mm (although normally run at 140 on that frame)Also to note is that on both bikes, bar height, bars & stem are the same (even the same make).

Having had the luxury of making comparisons (this is potentially even better than so called magazine tests! :o))and I still have all the forks – yes in total I currently have 3 bikes but 8 forks and I sold 3 forks last year, there is soemthing wrong with me ! – these are my conclusions:-

20mmRS vs 15mmRS – I can tell there is a difference BUT only if I think about it or look for it while playing about. The 20mm is stiffer, it is a little more ‘precise’. if I’m out riding it isn’t noticeable. I never think that would/wouldn’t happen if the axle was bigger/smaller.

15mmRS vs 15mmFox – Cannot detect any difference ever, with regard to steering precision, flex and so on.

The big differences I find are:-

1. Tyres.
2. Tyre pressures.
3. Damping – the difference between MoCo in the Sektors RL’s (2011) compared to the MocoDNA (& maybe the dual flow rebound)in the Rev RLT’s (2012) (and for that matter the Fox OB RLC – 2009) is apparent in several ways, but the Sektors are fine at least 80% of riding.
4. Riding style !

All this IMHO 😉 of course.

Steel4real- this is the thing when you are min 42lb heavier than you and you are stood up/fwd and over the forks – all that extra weight will make more of a difference than your 12stone weight. Its a question of ‘how much’.

I find the revs more flexible in a 20mm that some 36s or 55s I have. Would like to properly thrash some 15mm stuff before I buy it though.

Hora I am 105kgs and have had or have the following…

fox float 150mm 15mm

sektors 150mm 20mm

revs 140 and 150mm in both 20mm and 15 mm

magura thors 140mm 20mm

I can honestly say I could not dectect any difference in fork stiffness or twisitng between all the RS and the fox forks.

In face on my current fox forks (150mm float 15mm) I notice flex in the wheel and tyre more than any flex in the forks.

Magura where pretty stiff too.

I’ve had 15mm/20mm revs/sektors as well. There’s a difference, but isn’t night and day like QR Vs 20mm was. I’m not sure how much is a placebo effect and how much is real either.

Steel4real summed it up;

if I’m out riding it isn’t noticeable. I never think that would/wouldn’t happen if the axle was bigger/smaller

It’s there, but it’s not detracting from the ride.

Although knowing you Hora, you’ll notice it!

32’s just get stick because people compare them to 36’s, and similarly Rev’s arent Lyrics.

Im 95(ish) kg, and have 150 Revs and 140 TALAS, both in 15mm flavour. Ive not tried 20mm, but moving from QR to 15mm was like night and day!!

I can’t tell the difference between 15mm and 20mm maxlewhatever on 32mm forks. I’m guessing wheel stiffness and tire pressure would make more of a difference in feel that some would be confusing with fork axle flex…

I had 9mm QR fox 32 forks and went to 15mm revelations and noticed significant stiffness increase (am 90KG). I think 15mm to 20mm would be less of a marked difference

Going 20mm might save you another 0.3s off your strava time but does it really matter? Buy whichever fork is the best deal and matches your bikes ‘colorway’

15mm revelation RCT3s at 150mm are a very nice fork indeed – good mix of weight, stiffness, price and performance

Great post steel4real ,but some people will not take any notice of 2,3 and 4.
You already know what it’s like on here. 🙂

Hora you may recall I am on the heavier side. Currently 103kg. I’ve run Fox 32s 15mm and RS Revs 20mm as well as Fox 36s, Lyriks and now Bos Deviles.

The biggest difference is between a 32mm stanchion and a 34/35/36mm stanchion fork more than it is between the axle width.

Both the 32mm Fox and RS forks felt OK over rough fast ground. Yes you lose some steering fidelity and yes the bigger forks are noticeable stiffer in these situations, but overall the 32mm forks don’t do too badly.

The place where you really feel the flex on the 32mm forks is on landings, drop ins and g-outs where you get a disconcerting sense of the fork compressing forwards against the steerer. I hated that feeling hence I went back to a beefier stanchioned fork.

The BOS Devile is a 34mm fork and while not as stiff as say a 36 or Lyrik, it’s stiff enough to be excellent in use.

The BOS Devile is a 34mm fork

KERRRRR-CHINNNG! 😆