…you add a new bit and it feels like a totally new bike!

Not ridden my mtb for ages but dug it out of beside the bed, slapped some modest new forks on and took advantage of the sun. Wonderful up the the Peak today!

New fork is a Magura Odur coil 100mm no nonsense German engineering. Very pleased with it. Weighs a ton but the bike isn't exactly light anyway and its very sure footed and very smooth.

more piccies here…

Forks that work are a proper treat. I went years with naff forks without realising it then one day hey presto efficient smooth riding.

them Maguras always look the nuts, flippin expensive though

They weren't expensive at all actually. Got them from CRC for £159 I think. That was 40% off though!

Oldgit – I had some Marathons SLs on before which were (still are) very smooth and light but distinctly flexy and didn't induce much confidence. When I rode those trails twice a week they were fine but I don't have the confidence any more.

I've got the 80mm version and although they are heavy they are really reliable. Mine have been on for over a year, commuting off road all year round have only ever had the stantions wiped and still work as good as new. My only gripe with them is that at under 60kg I can only ever get 50mm out of them even with the soft spring.

avdave,
Thats interesting. I weigh about 65kg myself but wearing a daypack and carrying 2 litres of water I found I got about 80-90mm. I was riding around Hayfield today and think I'd probably get all of it doing stuff like the Beast or potato alley.

I'm not the smoothest rider!