Worth servicing a Non-Boost 27.5 fork? Or wheel rebuild with boost?

My son’s Orange Five, we bought second hand and the fork looks a bit scabby.  (Yep, I may be a being a princess over aesthetics)…but it is due a looking at anyway. I did a lower leg when we got it.

But having looked, there now doesn’t seem to be much by way of non-boost forks out there, NOS etc.

Three options really.

1. Just get the fork professionally serviced. It’s a RockShox Pike RCT3 so decent spec.

2. New non-boost fork (maybe limited choice)

3. Bite the bullet, wheel rebuild and a new fork.

4. Boost adaptor. Not keen on this. Looks a bit heath Robinson.

It’s 5mm either side of the hub, so perhaps it’s really not perceivable what stiffness gains there are to be had with going boost at this stage, with an out of fashion little front wheel?

Thoughts invited…

Service the fork yourself?

In order of preference:

Service – as you say it’s a good fork, if you’re that bothered about aesthetics get a new sticker kit. They’re not hard to do yourself as long as you lay everything (O-rings and clips) out in the order removed. RS will have the service manual online, I found one for my ancient Rev 426s and Boxxer Rides. Otherwise any decent workshop will do it, it’s really not much harder than a lower service though.

Replace with boost kit – it’s not that big a deal to use, just remember to catch the axle spacers or use a 10mm and redish the wheel.

Replace fork and wheel – most expense for least gain.

Boost adapters work perfectly fine and aren’t particularly noticeable in use …. the downside is they can be a bit of a faff if you remove the front wheel regularly, particularly putting the bike into the car.  Imagine getting to the end of a two drive to find you forgot about the spacers when you took the wheel out and they’re lying on the floor somwhere near your house.

I think the answer to your question really is if your son is of an age that’s going to need a bike size upgrade in the forseeable and whether the forks/wheel will form part of that upgrade.

The bike is likely to stay as, size wise, it’s OK. He’s 18, 6’ and it’s a Large frame.

I did look at servicing myself but the damper aspect looks like it’s fraught with me dropping a washer/nut and as it’s been clearly a long time since done, a professional service seemed preferable.

Just service the fork. Boost fronts were just about allowing plus size tyres to fit.

Proffesional service should be the most cost effective option. You’ve got a very good bit of kit that works for the end user. Service will return it to like new condition.

If you do want a new fork, depending on the hub dont discount the adaptor option though. On my hopes it looked just as neat as the stock hub, didn’t come out when removing the wheel (my bikes go in the steel shead wheels off, so its off every ride), and actually improves the wheel lacing symmetry.

It does have hope hubs.  Evo2 I think.

If the stanchions are ok, just service/get it serviced.

Ive literally just trashed the stanchions on some nearly new forks with a fairly small off. Never seems to happen with old forks.

That fork is pretty decent and upgrades do/did exist

If you do decide to sell I could do with some internals to replace the ones in my son’s Pike RCs.

I have a set of unused, boxed, non-boost, 27.5” Pike RCT3 to sell if you are interested.

I bought them a while ago for a bike rebuild that never happened.

Edit: photo posting still not working. Drop me a dm if anyone would like pics.

Orange 5, non-boost 27.5 Fox Float…

I got them rebuilt – under £200.

The alternative was a new fork + dodgy Boost spacers that get lost trailside  or a new hub = new wheel by the time you’ve paid for a rebuild and spokes.  That’s gonna be north of £1300.

I couldn’t find a non-boost fork I’d go with either.