Why are just about all 160mm forks so much money? I know everything is more expensive but over 700 quid for single crown forks?

Having blown £700 on some 36 Talas the answer is yes! (the missus said buy once and buy right..)

One of the team bad boys ordered his direct from Hong Kong via Ebay for less than £400

One of the team bad boys ordered his direct from Hong Kong via Ebay for less than £400

What are his like compared to yours? 😉 we need to know!

probably identical but importers will make grumpy noises about the warranty – remember you could buy 2 sets at that price so not an issue !!!

Yes its crazy money for forks – in the current economic climate, I can see lots left in shops.

I still don’t understand why anyone would want 160mm singlecrown forks 😕

GW – have you ever ridden in the Alps?

ha ha…

yes, many many times (first went in 1996)

Who can justify the cost of 160mm forks?

[quote]I still don’t understand why anyone would want 160mm singlecrown forks[/quote]

You’re now changing your question.

To answer the first – Me, that’s who.

To answer the second – some bikes are designed to ride correctly, or at their sweet spot, using this size fork. However, I believe axle to crown is a more important measure than mere travel.

For example, I like my forks to be supple in their initial travel, but ramp up towards the end. Ths helps maintain geometry around the bike’s sweet spot, but gives a bit in reserve if it all goes a bit wrong. If they had a long axle to crown but short travel, a bit like marzocchi of old, then I feel like the fork is out of it’s depth.

Sure, some might argue I’m using them as a skill compensation, but I couldn’t give a hoot what they think – as long as I’m happy and not hurting anyone else – who cares?

I currently run 140mm Rev’s on my 5, and 180mm Totem’s on my Quake. neither bike feels over or under forked – they just feel right for those bikes.

I think those two quotes were by different people.

mildred – all I meant was that I’d rather have dual crowns if I was going over 150mm as axle to crown height is shorter but adjustable on dual crown forks and they aren’t really any heavier.

You can’t get as much rotation out of dual crown forks, some of the switchbacks in the alps call for a lot of rotation!

that’s utter **** bollox mate!!

My Lyriks cost me £460 new, but that was over a year ago.

GW – Member

I still don’t understand why anyone would want 160mm singlecrown forks [:?]

To match the 160mm rear wheel travel on my bike!

GW – Member

mildred – all I meant was that I’d rather have dual crowns if I was going over 150mm as axle to crown height is shorter but adjustable on dual crown forks and they aren’t really any heavier.

Yep, you’d rather have dual crowns, me I’d rather not, each to their own.

Doh!

(mental note, read things properly)

Personally, I have found dual crowns a pain in the arse in The Alps. E.g. There is a trail off the back of the golf course ont he Col de la Joux verte in Morzine/Avoriaz that is impossble on a dual crown fork (virtually impossible on a single crown).

Also, I’ve damaged a frame with dual crown forks in a stack, but never with single.

So do people own a bike just for going to the alps for a week or two each year??

A few of my riding buddies do.

Me personally, i couldnt afford a fraction of the prices mentiond above. Mountain biking is starting to implode up its own arse imo.

How about a 170mm single crown fork with an AtoC height of 595mm. That makes for interesting handling on a hardtail 😉 but very good on downhill sections.

I’ve tried triples (boxxers) and singles (66s) and much prefer the single crown forks.

I have 160mm forks on my hardtail. As it was designed to take up to 180mm single-crown forks 160’s are right in the sweet spot and the bike rides perfectly with them. Originally I had a pair of Domains because they were cheap, (£300), and now I have a second-hand pair of Nixons which cost £170 and have knocked 2lb off the weight of the bike. I don’t ride in the alps, the bike generally gets used for general all-day rides on the Marlborough Downs, with some FOD and Welsh trails thrown in. Can I justify 6.3″ forks on a bike used for general riding? Sure I can. Quite honestly, apart from downhill racing, I can’t see any point in dual-crown forks on any bike, when single-crown forks are so good and are so light.

single crown forks really aren’t much lighter and they are noticably heavier around the crown (while riding)than most dual crown forks.

I don’t have a bike specifically for tha Alps but I do have a few specifically for DHing.

Andy paice – I wouldn’t really compare 66s to Boxxers :?… to me sticking 170mm forks on a hardtail turns it into a plow bike – the funnest part of riding a hardtail for me is the skippiness, pump/jumpability.

I like my totems and prefer them to the last generation of boxxers. If I had the money I’d replace them with 2010 boxxers in a flash.

I only ask because I’m trying to talk myself into getting some Van 36 RC2’s for my Heckler.

I can justify the cost. Love my 36’s. Then again we have our own set of Alps here in NZ…

My 36’s at play

I agree with GW’s hijack, the stiffness you get from double crown forks is more than you get from having a bolt through axle. So why no have a 140mm trail fork with double crowns, like the enduro?

totems are stiffer than the outgoing boxxers.

“Andy paice – I wouldn’t really compare 66s to Boxxers :?… to me sticking 170mm forks on a hardtail turns it into a plow bike – the funnest part of riding a hardtail for me is the skippiness, pump/jumpability. “

why wouldn’t you compare them? Pretty similar in travel and height aren’t they? The 2005 66rc is the smoothest damped fork I’ve ever used, far superior to the 2007 66s I’ve got. They are just a bit too tall and heavy.

And I quite like ‘plough bikes’ 😉

Clearly 😕

Boxxers & 66s feel completely different, a comparison between 66s and 888s would be more relevant is all.

I can just about justify it. But only because I can get trade rates. I’m not sure what I’ll do if I had to pay full price for stuff – forks are unbelievably expensive. Especially when they never seem to last that long these days.

GW, you cant X-up with 170mm triples 😉

why oh why oh why did they stop making triple crown sids?

oh yes, its because they were shit.