I’ve put off the idea of a new bike for a while so looking at fork options…

Want 34-36 mm stanctions
150-160 mm travel with travel adjust
Independent low and high speed compression damping
20 mm axle
Straight 1 1/8 steerer

Don’t get me started on why the hell 15 mm axels are a necessity for ‘trail’ forks but I need a straight steerer to work with my angle headset. I’m going to have to take a hit on the weight but this is for my only MTB so don’t want silly weight as I have to ride and carry up mountains 🙂

So the options I’ve seen are
RS Lyrik RC2 or RC2L for travel adjust and lockout
Marzocchi 55’s – can get either RC3 or travel adjust
X-fusion don’t do straight steerer
Fox – I’m hearing bad things about the 34 especially TALAS models.

What else is there?

Love my 2010 55 RC3 tis. Wouldn’t touch Fox 34s right now. New Pikes getting glowing reviews.

Personally id go new Pikes every time!

marzocchi all the way baby!

New pikes are 15 mm and tapered steerer only.

So that’s 2 votes for ‘go stick your head in acid, loser’ and 2 votes for the ‘zocchi

given the conditions you’ve imposed on your search, it has to be a 55…

lyriks. bext fork eva!!!

Love my 34’s perfect compromise between a burly 36 and an XC 32.
However I reckon they are all tapered and 15mm.

conditions you’ve imposed on your search

Yeah.. If I want the option of a 15mm axel then I need at least a new hub and to rebuild the wheel. If I want a tapered steerer then I need a new frame…

So maybe I should get a new frame to go with the new shock and forks, by which point I’d might says well buy a new bike… 😈

or maybe you just need to chill out a bit and not read into peoples’ replies so much?

tbh, if i had the money i’d get a 55 RC3ti ahead of all the others anyway, regardless of wheel/frame fitting requirements.

Wouldn’t touch the Fox 34’s with CTD (or any of the forks with CTD – seems to work ok with shocks though).

new Pikes or Marz 55s

Edit: Just seen axle: lyriks or Marz 55s
I have lyriks they are great forks!

So maybe I should get a new frame to go with the new shock and forks, by which point I’d might says well buy a new bike

this was a conversation I had a few months ago, want to take a guess how it ended…

I recently replaced a set of 2011 fox 36 talas 160mm forks with some 2013 marzocchi 55 rc3 Ti Evo 2. Only had them a couple of weeks, but have given them a fair amount of hammer over 4 days of lift assisted riding in southern spain.

They are loads better than the fox at smoothing out small bumps, they dont blow through the travel under braking/bigger bumps. I’d definitely recommend them if smoothing out the trail is your number 1 requirement above all else.

In terms of criticisms:-

– They are a little heavier (only 200grams though) than the fox
– the coil spring does not allow loads of spring rate adjustment if you’re significantly heaver or lighter than average.
– Despite what the marzocchi website implies, the high and low speed compression is not independently adjustable. You adjust compression damping with a single knob, you increase low speed compression and high speed compression decreases and vice versa. No idea why they’ve done this, but to be honest it doesnt seem to be a real problem. the performance is excellent, but you cant set high and low speed compression independently.

A straight steerer? What century are you living in Jon? Just buy the new bike. Go on. 🙂
And stop putting pics of the Port Hills on farcebook. ‘snot fair. 🙁

Magura TS8 R150? Not 34s, but very stiff and very lightweight. And you can get a straight steerer 😉
And get a new front hub that will take a 15mm axle.

BOS Deville missing from that list

I have a spare set of TFT sorted Fox RC2, 100-130-160 Talas, with the steerer and axle you are after…. and without the CTD schnizzle.

Used but in good condition, stanchions unmarked….

this was a conversation I had a few months ago, want to take a guess how it ended

We looked at the list price of a Mach 6 and went 😯 I could build up a fame with better bits for less, but availability is all over the place for the 650b stuff.

‘snot fair. 🙁

sorry 😥

We looked at the list price of a Mach 6 and went I could build up a fame with better bits for less, but availability is all over the place for the 650b stuff.

I pulled the LTc together for less than a lot of other things 🙂