What model are the 55s and wrong with them?
Model is a 2008 55 ATA. I believe the problem is that there is a floating valve inside one of the legs that slowly sucks in oil as the suspension is compressed and released, which then restricts travel and gets worse the more you ride. It happened earlier this year after a few weekends at Aston Hill (which Windwave fixed during a service in May, alongside a top-out 'click'), but reappeared during a long weekend in the Italian Alps, weekend before last.
I've been assured that it's a pretty easy fix (take out valve, drain, replace oil in bath), but not something I fancy doing every six months.
I'd be inclined to lean towards a set of Fox Talas RC2's or 2008/9 Rock Shox Lyrik U-Turn's off e-Bay.
Kinda where I'm heading to now – 170mm is a little excessive. 🙂
Do you really need 160mm? 150mm Rev's (3.57lb – U-turn) instead maybe?
Lot lighter than Lyrik @ 5.23lbs (u-turn 170mm)…
I have looked down that line and it's a very good option. However, more and more of the riding I'm doing on this bike is in 'big' areas (Alps, Spain etc.) to the point where I'm looking at possibly replacing the Five with a Blood or Alpine 160 (or even getting a second sus bike? In which case, it's where the bigger forks would go).
My advice would be don't bother with the adjustability, you think you need it but you don't really and it just adds weight. I actually thought that the 5 climbed worse dialled down to 130 than it did at 160. I also think its an unncessary distraction, you spend half a ride faffing about with it.
Normally I'd agree with you as less faff makes a lot of sense, but I do like having the option to drop travel a little, swap to lighter tyres and have a bike far more suitable for shorter rides where I am (Chiltern Hills).