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From what I keep reading which is probably overthinking is that neither of these is as good as a Pike Ultimate, which for the build I'm looking at represents an extra £500.
So if you have to choose one for Trail use, which would it be and is there really a noticeable real world difference to the Ultimate?
(FWIW in-between the upgrade to the Ultimate is an option of a Helm with a CCDB iL, but a coil on the rear end is too much for my use of the bike).
I have Pike Selects but upgraded to be pretty much Pike Ultimates (over the 3 years of ownership)...they have been very good, reliable and just got on with their job - I've had a niggle in my head that they weren't set properly for me and after upgrading internals and stuff I don't think they were massively off to begin with.
I've not had Fox forks for about 10 years but plenty friends ride with them and they seem happy with them.
I'm not sure you'd be buying a duff fork with either of them.
What frame?
If it were say, a transition spur, I'd fit the pike but if it were a sentinel, I'd fit the fox.
A choice of an Airdrop Filter with a Pike select, or Anthem X 29 with a Fox 36 Rhythm.
Irrespective of the fork, I'd just be more drawn to the Airdrop.
I am, which is kinda why I'm asking. There's a £500 difference between the Luxe & Deluxe (Select vs Ultimate at both ends). I don't really want to spend the £3800 of the latter, but equally I don't want to own a bike that puts a grimace on my face because of some shonky kit.
Not quite the same comparrison but i have a Pike Ulitmate and a FOX 36 Factory
I prefer the FOX 36, much more adjustment and just feels better to me
I had a set of Pike selects on my hello Dave, nice enough for a basic fork, ended up putting a vorsprung coil in them, then I blew the damper, couldn’t get a replacement seal, the £70 kit from which I needed 1 seal for the damper head was unavailable until Jan 23, this was early this year. I then bought a second hand damper and also blew that one, much more terminally this time. Replacement charger 2.1 upgrade was £415!!!! Cut my losses and bought a domain for £390. I think if it’s just for trail use you will be fine. I was racing dh on mine and it wasn’t quite up to the job.
A choice of an Airdrop Filter with a Pike select, or Anthem X 29 with a Fox 36 Rhythm.
Chalk and cheese surely? I'd be wondering what sort of life the latter had had which warranted a burly (and presumably significantly longer than standard) fork like that on an XC frame...
Replacement charger 2.1 upgrade was £415!!!!
I just got a charger 2.1 damper from R2 bike for about £160 total, and AIUI that's the only difference between a new pike select and ultimate. Price will depend on the fork you're putting it into but this was for a 130 29er. Fitting is 5 mins extra during a lower leg service.
Chalk and cheese surely? I’d be wondering what sort of life the latter had had which warranted a burly (and presumably significantly longer than standard) fork like that on an XC frame…
I made a mistake, its a Trance X 29 I'm looking at...
I guess in reality I'm looking for a bargain 2nd bike as a FS Autumn/Winter play bike, although I'm drawn to the Filter. Originally not wanting to spend too much, I'm worried that the cheapest Luxe model is compromised with its Pike Select, worried that the next model up with its Cane Creek Coil shock & Helm is too much of a bike, and worried that the next next Deluxe model which has the Ultimate Pike is too spendy.
Somehow the Raw Filter reminds me of the Raw Turner Flux I always wanted but will never get these days.
I made a mistake, its a Trance X 29 I’m looking at…
Ah, makes more sense!
Assuming it's the latest model Pike Select then I think it's still a Charger damper (rather than the open bath Motion Control of old) so it's still a perfectly decent damper (and, as above, can be easily upgraded at a later date). The 36 will be a bit stiffer but the Rhythm is Fox's lower end damper also. I would say they're both decent forks so wouldn't sweat it too much either way..
I think it’s still a Charger damper
It is indeed, but the V1 not the 2.1 which if you read the reviews is apparently notably better.... I'm wondering, is it really so much better for the average trail rider that I shouldn't bother?
How about a raw aether7 instead? Then you can spec a pike ultimate and balance the groupset or finishing kit to get to the same overall cost.
By coincendence in spec’d one up this afternoon - I don’t get the same emotion with the Bird.
I think I’ll swallow the Filter Luxe, likely won’t notice the fork - the HT it will replace has 2019 Rev and I’m happy with that - and if I’d do could always upgrade the damper as above.
Rhythm's actually a pretty decent damper. Didn't feel any different to my Fit 4 on fully open mode when I hired a bike with one a couple of years ago.
My own recent experience with Pike and 36 selection was a little bit of an education recently.
On the back on my learning experience, my answer to your question is - What is your definition of 'trail riding'?
In my mind, it used to be that a Pike and a Lyrik were kinda the same (we're talking 2014-2018 vintage where my experience with these forks is) - one was a bit beefier and longer travel, but mostly they worked the same.
So, I bought a Pike Ultimate RC2 last year when I built up my Aether 9C, thinking I didn't need a Lyrik on a bike like that, for, you know, trail riding.
I didn't get on with that fork. It was fine on single hits and held up well in the mid stroke and was nicely composed on landings, but try as I might I didn't like its lack of fluidity on small/medium chaos of natural riding especially at speed. Nearly all my riding is natural style. It's deficiencies were really obvious compared to the Fox 36 performance elite on my hardtail which knocked the Pike into a cocked hat.
So, I spoke to TFTuned about things I could modify to make it feel like my 36 without actually having to by a 36.
It was an interesting conversation that left me with the following conclusions - Its all about the terminology and because I'm an old trail rider using old nomenclature I'd bought the wrong fork.
- Old school trail riding is now Enduro. The riding hasn't changed but the word used to describe it has.
- The Pike has been setup for trail riding. The new definition of trail riding is trail centres.
- Enduro (old skool trail) forks are the 36 or the Lyrik, or the 38 or the Zeb if you're Enduro racing (which, of
course is just DH stage racing).
Obviously, YMMV, but I went and bought another 36. No harm done, except to my bank balance. I am now content.
I had a pike rc3
Eventually it creaked and after much faffing I replaced it with a 36 factory for trail riding.
The 36 is good. Not sure if it's better, it's not worse.
There are some helms on eBay being sold by alpkit for £600.
If you don't like what arrives, why not sell it and get some different forks.
I have one of both. Ride in the lakes. I prefer the fox performance massively. It’s much more plush, and try as I might I can’t get the pike to feel as good. I’ve added tokens, taken them out, added air, removed air and still can’t get full travel, where the fox was bob on from the start.
Thanks for the input. I bought a '36 albeit attached to a new shiny frame 🙂
Came to post that the cheaper simpler damper in those low end F36 are brilliant, and to go with that. 🤗