Looking to go back to suspension forks on my 1 1/8″ steerer XC bike. The Silver Recons are very cheap now on CRC. Can’t find any reviews of them (2017 model). Except the obvious “amateur” look of the stanchions and being tad heavier are they a good choice for general XC bimbling?

Dear Admin, please move this to the “Bike Chat” forum…. 😆

It used to be that recons were TK damping, which was really basic, but these days, I think the chassis is just heavier and cheaper.

Had both in recent years.

Difference is a noticeable bit of weight and the Recon Silvers had awful damping.

Can only compare the Reba with a new Sektor.

My style of riding didn’t match very good with the Reba. Used the fork with high pressure setting and without sag. Only this way I avoided bottoming out all the time. For me the Reba doesn’t has enough progression. Beside this: no problems with the Reba.

New Sektor: has 30 mm more stroke than the Reba… Bike the same trails as with the Reba – only faster. No bottomed out yet – also having nice “sag”.

In other words: I’am much happier with the new Sektor than with the old Reba. Difference also based on 30 mm more travel?
Run the Sektor only with one click damping.

The Recon TK damper is noticeably poor if you’re used to motion control or better (like in the Rebas).

I run both Recon gold TKs and Reba RLs in 29er guise. The Recon rebound damper doesn’t have enough range, the compression damping is not well controlled, and it’s recently been playing up with some kind of intermittent hydraulic lock. No scope for adding volume tokens in the Recon either (unless you buy a Reba top cap), if you care about that.

I’d get some 2nd-hand Rebas off the classifieds if I was you!

If you’re after 26 ones and tapered I have new Reba’s for sale 😀

1 1/8″ steerer XC bike

you know that you are able to use – most probably – 1.5″ tapered forks – right?

44 mm steerer tube is necessary – then you are able to use headsets like:
https://www.uberbikecomponents.com/view-product/Uberbike-15-Headtube-Tapered-Fork-Headset-Ceramic-Bearings-Red

these headsets move the lower bearing “out of the frame”.

But I’am sure you know this.
If not: opens all kind of “new options” for you.
Forks like:
https://www.bike-components.de/en/Fox-Racing-Shox/34-Float-29-130-Grip-Rhythm-51-Boost-Suspension-Fork-2017-OEM-p61616/

199 Euros (in this case 130 mm travel, 29 inch bike, boost)

steerer tube/frame is 44 mm?

I’m not sure about the 44mm tube to be honest! Will need to measure it – all I know it’s not tapered for sure 😆

It’s actually this bike (you can zoom in on the headtube nicely) – does it look like 44? 8)

Can’t really tell from a picture like that for sure. The Merida spec is a bit short on details. Googling seems to show an FSA no.55E headset but that doesn’t look like what seems to be fitted on those pics.

The important thing is the inner diameter (ID) of the head tube. Inches and MM are used fairly interchangeably which is annoying. If the bottom ID looks like it’s significantly more than 1 1/8” then we may be in business: 44mm is about the smallest dia that it’s feasible to mount an external headset cup to, in order to mount tapered forks.

My gut feeling from the pic is that we’re probably looking at a straight steerer here, but that’s nothing more than a guess at this point.

@medoramas

Nice 29 inch bike you have!
The RST fork has a 1 1/8″ steerer.

Pretty sure the frame headtube is 44 mm then. You can roughly check the outside diameter top and bottom. If they are in the range of 45.5 mm diameter (outside) or so it’s 44 mm inside.

In this case: you are able to fit a tapered fork with the mentioned headset (or similar ones).
In the worst case: the 44 mm inside “machining” of the headset needs to be 9 mm or so. Normally it’s the case.
If not you might have to grind a mm or so off from the aluminium part of the new headset part which goes into the tube. But that’s rare.

With tapered forks you have much more choice now!

If you get only a low priced BOOST fork you also need a new front wheel. Cheapest are (in sale) around 75 Euros. Old model Mavic Crossride 29 inch boost for example.

Less trouble you find a fork with your axle dimensions (quick release).

Additional to fork and headset you need a 1 1/8″ steerer spacer set (aluminium, 6 bucks or so). Couple spacers on top of the stem and you don’t need to cut the fork steerer tube so short. Bigger chances that you are able to use the fork then for an other bike or that you get a better price when selling the fork later (there are bikes around with really long headtubes…).

Hey – your bike gets a new life with a new fork!
Old fork has 100 mm?
Buy a new one with 120 or 130 mm …

More sag. More fun. Plush.

Hey – your bike gets a new life with a new fork!
Old fork has 100 mm?
Buy a new one with 120 or 130 mm …

…and wouldn’t buy a 1 1/8″ straight tube Reba with 100 mm.
Not enough progression…- if you also run the bike a bit harder…

If have some 100mm 29er recon silvers.

They are noticeably heavy, and not really that nice. Really do t feel any where near plush or smooth.

I was given them mind, and they are on a 100mm Orange Clockwork frame.

I will give them a service and see if they improve, but I doubt it.

So I’m looking for something to replace them with.

Might go for a bit more travel and either risk frame damage or see if I can reduce travel or run them with a bit more sag.

Thanks for the replies!

I found this on YouTube and it seems that the guy has answered the question https://youtu.be/8PgxZe8_wd8

Thanks for the replies!

I found this on YouTube and it seems that the guy has answered the question https://youtu.be/8PgxZe8_wd8

great!
The guys uses Cane Creek. Expensive? Uberbike headset 1/4 price?

But yes – looks like you can upgrade your Merida hardtail.
Pick a bit more travel – not “way too much travel” for the new fork. Too much travel will make uphill difficult.

Nice project now. Will change your bike…!