What I need, as soon as possible, is a set of forks to run on my Chammy as I have borked yet another set tonight.

Coil suggestions only please.

They need to be good for DH duties and a bit of AM/XC (with a lazy up, fun down outlook). I don't really want travel adjust, I'd rather have less to go wrong with a simpler design as I am forever having fork problems. They really are the bane of my life. 😕

I'm loving the 2011 Lyrics, but looks like the non-u turn are going to be 170 mm which, even for me and my love of far-too-much-travel-for-my-ability is probably a little overkill for a small Chammy frame.

Oh, and they absolutely HAVE to at least have black lowers. Preferably black stanchions as well. It is, afterall, all about the look.

Any ideas?

Fox van rc2's for coil 160's. I'd also recommend the 36 floats, especially the newer ones with the fit damper.
The only forks you'll find with black stanchions i think are 06/07 marzocchi's or if your currently on the blackbox programme you could get some sorted lol!

Marz 55Rs? I've had two pairs – first were bought pretty cheaply from USA but had the oft mentioned damping cartridge problem – as they weren't covered by warranty it cost me £45 for a replacement cartridge from Windwave. Second pair I bought from Merlin Cycles for not a lot more cash. I'm running 170mm Lyriks now 'cos I'm a bike tart but I don't think a lighter rider can go wrong with Marzocchi's – i love them because of the air preload feature – at my weight they are plush straight out of the box with very little preload added . . . oh, and they're travel adjustable internally (down to 140mm)

Sorry 'bout the spelling mistake edits – yes I have had beer . . . hic.

Rockshox coil U-turn is pretty bomb-proof, I wouldn't worry about breaking it. Fundamentally, it's just a block which screws up and down within the spring coil. Mine has lasted 2 seasons guiding in the Alps!

I have a few sets of 36 van's on the way at good prices if you decided to have vans?

Fox Van 36R's work for me.

Well lovely and they come with loads of different coils so you shouldn't need to spend another £45 on top of the purchase price like you do with RS forks.

I've had some Marzocchi 55's for nearly 2yrs now, although they have be repaired once by windwave due to the internals dieing (2008 model) I have had no issues since. Love them as they are really smooth, great for days in the peaks etc as well as DH uplift days. Cant agrue with them for the price either!

mamadirt – Easy to adjust the travel of marz' down to 140mm? I'd be very tempted if so.

didmatt, mine were both 2009 models iirc and to reduce the travel it was just a question of moving an internal spacer from the top of the main right hand side coil spring, to the pumping rod (which needed a circlip removing to get at).

There you go – http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=216889 – you need to remove part no 85 from the pumping rod and place it on top of the main coil spring – job done . . . or was it the other way around . . . flinkin beer! I'll recheck and edit appropriately 😉

locks tool box . . . step away from the bikes, mama.

mamadirt – Cheers! I'll give it a look!

Sheesh 🙄 , sorry, I was right the first time – to reduce the travel just do the reverse of the instructions linked above (remove spacer from top of the main coil spring in the right-hand fork leg, and replace on the pumping rod). I'll go to bed now . . .

Lyrik U-Turns, either find some 2010/2009 ones that are 160mm or get the 170s and wind them down.

My 36 vans are awesome. V expensive now though.

Thanks for the input all, much appreciated.

Hadn't really thought about the 36's as I'd heard their stanchions weren't particularly hardwearing, but I think I'll definitely look into them.

I think I'm going to go the secondhand route and see what I can get – either lyrics or 36's as I need to get some forks sorted ASAP and will then make a decision on a new pair once the 2011's have all been released.

If I buy new it'll be from TFTuned again as it's so good to know the forks have been set up perfectly for me.

I've had my own fingers burnt, and seen too many others as well to risk buying Marz again (either new, or secondhand) until I am certain they have sorted out their issues….

….unless they actually do release those ones with lovely red stanchions, of course 😛

Van 36 R's here too, no issues at all, done everything I've ever asked of them and reasonably light too.

LBG – I have a set of Lyriks for sale. £320 posted with either a regular (medium) or x-firm spring if you're interested. In very good condition, only cosmetic issues on the lowers, nothing on the stanchions.

Mail me if you're interested.

geetee – YHM 🙂

Been on both Lyriks and Fox 36s in their various incarnations. I have some 09 Lyriks now, U-Turn coil which are just great plus you can effectively lock them out on climbs with the motion control knob. I have some 2 Steps too but they stopped functioning as 2 Steps after a couple of months. Poo. Coil shocks rock! Shox.