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Looking at 650b in either 150mm or 170mm depending on the frame I choose. It'll be either solo air RC3T Pikes/Lyriks or Factory 34s/36s. What's the current crop like in terms of reliability, ease of setting, servicing, service intervals, problems etc. They'll be ridden 2-3 times per week in wet and filthy Calderdale. Any performance comments welcome too, but I'm more interested in issues. I want as trouble-free and low maintenance as possible. Thanks.
Servicing, if you want proper trouble free get up with your maintenance, everything will be better for a clean, fresh oil and getting crap out of the seals. If't a simple job once you know what your doing and have the right stuff.
This is when coil forks were king, pretty much fit and forget.
At the moment I'd have to say X-fusion, not fashionable but brilliantly reliable.
I've had Marzocchi 350 CRs running on my DMR Bolt for 18 months now. No problems at all, very smooth, very stiff, and pretty much fit and forget (or as much as an air fork can be).
There's a lot to be said for bombproof simplicity.
Another vote for xfusion... Never had them before. Bought some metrics air version which can be internally adjusted between 160-180mm travel. Every bit as good as my lyriks and friends that have fox 34s&36s say they're very similar too.
1 downside (if it bothers you) is that mine are 20mm axle and have a pinchbolt to keep secure instead of the maxle systems that most forks use these days.... I prefer it personally.
Love my 36 since I modded the air spring.
There is no getting away from the fact I see far more trashed Fox stanchions in the workshop than RockShox. The opposite is true on rear shocks though....
Look after any of them and they will treat you well.
The usual "reccomend what you have"
Have a look at MRP stage forks. I got a set on the reccomendation of the LBS owner.
They seem to have very realistic service intervals. He'd just serviced his after 18 months with no apparent issues. They feel great (to me anyway) very plush. The ramp control is very simple to set up, and fully adjustable out and about. The only downside I've found is they are a bit noisy.
Worth a look though!
Cheers, folk. Good suggestions but needs to be Fox or Rockshox.
Out of interest why does it need to be Fox or RockShox?
far more trashed Fox stanchions in the workshop than RockShox. The opposite is true on rear shocks though....
in my huge sample of myself this +1
Is that still the case with newer Fox forks?
I feel like people appear to complain less about Fox stanchions on the internet in recent times. Have they got more durable or have people just got bored of complaining?
I've not ridden a Fox fork for years, but not likely to as the new Lyrik meets my needs pretty much perfectly.
No irate owners moaning on here, easy to set-up, predictable and basic servicing should be simple if it's like the Pike.
Perfect for Calderdale too IMO, you'll appreciate the extra support and stiffness vs the Pike.
I feel like people appear to complain less about Fox stanchions on the internet in recent times. Have they got more durable or have people just got bored of complaining?
Nobody can afford them any more.
Is that still the case with newer Fox forks?I feel like people appear to complain less about Fox stanchions on the internet in recent times. Have they got more durable or have people just got bored of complaining?
2016 Fox 36, 7 months old that had had 1 or 2 lower leg services done in that time and it was showing signs of wear to the stanchions. The tell tail signs of the coating wearing and leaving faint lines up the stanchion.
It's an Orange I'll be speccing, new Five or Six, hence Fox/RS to choose from. To be honest I'm fine with that, it's just a matter of which. Happy to go Fox rear as I've always had great performance and trouble-free use from them. Not fussed about automatically matching front and rear - really don't think that's necessary IME.
The most reliable you could possibly build? Money no object?
A Yari chassis, mated to a CRConception coil mod and an Avalanche Open bath damper.