[Closed] Buying a Five - fork upgrade and sizing (6'1")?

i have lockout forks on mine and i likes 'em.

got mine in Jan - I am 6ft with inside leg 32". Fine for me but I am going to get a layback sometime - 70cm stem. I got the talas 140's - nice fork and can wind down - def like lockout!

I got a Demo Five Pro for the weekend (thanks J E James !!) and that had 140 floats on it, I found it a bit tricky going up steep hills in the peaks ..When i placed my order i got the 140 talas so i could drop the front end down and its so much better at going up hill now. I used to use the lockout at first but dont seem to use it now

I am just about 6 feet and got a 18" which fits me fine, just did not want to get a 16" and feel a bit cramped in,

Great Bike !!!

Yikes, sounds like the Talas are the forks to go for, but thats another £240 on top of the standard £2500!! Might try and blag a bit of a discount..

Thanks for the reassurances about the 18" frame, my recollection from a few years back was that it was spot on.

Other important factors to consider are the standard 2010 colour of Mandarin Orange or the SE colour which is Chrome Grey or sumit.

Thanks again, very exciting!

Stupid question no doubt but would the bike be supplied with a shock pump?

I went for the Float R's on my five originally and didnt think i needed a lockout but have recently changed to a Pike which has a lockout and is probably worth having.

I use the talas to wind the fork down way more than the lockout, get discount blagging!

I'd very strongly recommend the TALAS forks. I tested a 5 without them before I bought and was a bit shocked about it's climbing ability (ie bad!) With the TALAS forks dropped to 100 or 120 it's amazing though.

I'm 6ft and bought a 20" (had an 18" previously, before it was nicked) I prefer the way it feels more planted on the trail and it climbs better for me.
The shop I bought from actually talked me out of the Talas based on reliability issues. I was all ready to hand over the cash, but ended up with the standard Float 32. So far I haven't regretted it and have no problems with the climbs, mostly South Wales trails.

'Horses for courses.' Definitely demo before you buy.

I am 6 2" and have a 20" 2008 Five Pro. Suits me perfectly, found the 18" just a bit cramped- but I do have a long back and arms. Went for the Talas upgrade and have never regretted it. I also use the lockout fairly regularly. Also had Hope headset, Thomson seat post/fizik Gobi, Thomson stem and Monkeylite bars upgrades all for £50 ( inc. Talas) above list. Dealers often do have deals available I think

6ft 1" and 34" inside leg here. Tested an 18" but found it cramped and needed a mile of seatpost out of the frame. Bought a 20" and love it. Haggle over the price as my lbs gave me performance pack, Hope pack, Hope headset and coloured floating rotors for same price as a stock Pro.

6'2" and have test rode a 18 and 20 and 20 is much better the 18 felt to cramped and had lots of seat post out

fishboy - probably not from orange IME. i have a spare fox pump (BNIB) you could have for a tenner posted 😉

Picked up mine a week ago, 18" and I'm about 6ft 1.
It does come with a silly stem for people at the taller end of an 18 but i've changed that and am more than happy.
Put 90 miles on this week and not felt cramped.
Went for an 18 so that I could drop the post and play a bit if i wanted too.

Edit: I went for a Fox 36 Talas in the end.

I used to have TALAS RLC and now have the Floats R's.To be honest I don't miss any of the functions on the TALAS.I used to use the functions now and then just cause they were there. Now I've not got them, it's less messing about.

08 Five Pro here - upgraded to the Fox 32 RLC - lockout on fireroads only.....

Cheers all, much appreciated! Seems to be some uncertainty about forks and the need for anything clever and, given that I never touch the ones on my hardtail (only MTB at moment), seems likely I'd fiddle for a month or two then leave them as is so perhaps, perhaps, the Float R's would do me.

The problem I have is that it'll be part paid for by the bike2work thing (£1k) so apparently that means the bike shop are already taking a 10% hit on that part of the sale - so less room for bargaining around forks, performance pack etc. Not sure they'll go much further than a Hope headset which is (just) a £50 upgrade..

Re: sizing - I'm 6', 32inch leg, and I find the 18" perfect. I wouldn't want bigger.

I don't know about the lockout - but I use 36 Talas, and the ability to drop the front a bit is more useful then, in my opinion. I don't think I'd have gone for the lockout on the 32s. Save the £150. The Five is nice and simple and balanced - why not go for a simple fork too?

I'm 6'1" and I've got the 09 Pro 20" and it's just right for me. I had a little go on an 18" but felt a bit short.

Before the Five I had an Evo 6 with Toras that I used to lockout whenever I was climbing, but haven't miss it with the Float R's. Totally different ball game those so I wasn't surprised.

Sometimes I think the Talas would be good to wind down on steep climbs, but it hasn't bothered me really.

When I demoed it I remember that they'd taken out the steerer spacers and put them above the stem, dropping the bars a bit. I haven't tried this yet on mine, but would this help on v steep climbs?

I've got an 08 5SE with the tighter head angle and TALAS RLCs, I use the talas quite often but never the lock out. I have the low speed compression damping set just right for me, that's probably why I don't feel the need to use the lock out.
To be honest, I hardly ever use the pro-pedal on the rear either, the bike climbs better with the forks wound down to 120mm and the rear shock still open.
I imagine this would be even more the case on the later models with slacker angles.