I posted on here a couple of days ago, I'm giving my Intense 6.6 some well deserved TLC and it's in getting new bearing's & bushes…

But enough on the frame on to the fork dilemma, I'm currently running some 08 Fox TALAS 36 R's, there's a scratch on on stanchion and they desperately need a service (which is going to costa small fortune with the new uppers) and to make things worse my hope reducer headset has seized in a stupidly short amount of time, which is going to cost me £37 for the new parts!!!

OK Dilemma time, there's some good deals on some 1.5 steerer big forks at the minute so do I

– Replace the Fox forks with some 09 36 TALAS RLC's along with a new headset & Stem & eBay the old forks
– do the same but replace them with some 09 2 Step Lyrics

or
– Fork (sorry about the pun!)out the cash and replace the hope headset parts and get the forks serviced?

Hmmm decision time – please help

Ben

I'm a born recycler so I'd fix it all. My OCD would be constantly triggered knowing there was a repairable set of forks languishing in the back of the shed…

Although I hate air forks so if you are going to fork out get some van 36's, coil lyrik's or similar..

i'd have a word with hope about your headset – they are sh1t hot with their csutomer service. how long have you had the headset?

no idea about the forks bit though – sorry!

I've just replaced a pair of 08 36 Talas with 09 2steps.

Only had a couple of short rides out of them but the RS unit feels far more compliant / adjustable over a wider range of trail conditions. However, the 36's were definately stiffer. On balance I'm happy to trade off some of the stiffness for what feels like a better trail fork

Externally at least I think the 36's are ahead of the RS on build quality but SRAM offer 2 year warranty against the 1 year from Fox. early lyriks were plagues with problems iirc but I think ( hope) the 09's were largely fixed. Never going to be fit and forget tho with all the complexity / sealing inside ;-(