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Most supple 160-170mm fork for 27.5 bike.

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tomboyjr

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Just picked up a used Focus 160mm travel bike in great shape. Has a Magura rear shock which works really well, but the Fox 34 up front is kinda harsh. Plus I cant get all the travel out of it without using too low an air pressure. When I do that, the sag is too much.
I dont jump or do big drops, but I ride steep technical trails. And I'll use this bike when I ride lift serviced stuff.

Any recommendations? Without breaking the bank? lol
 
#4 ·
If change out to at least a 36. Too much flex below that. .

Check the negative spring for too much grease. That can make fox forks harsh.

Increase the travel to 170mm.... Makes it more supple.

Get one of those aftermatket kits.... Maybe go coil.

Lyric is generally more supple in the initial stroke than fox. I generally find fox more supportive in the mid stroke of travel.
 
#8 ·
Maybe look for a used fork on Pinkbike? I have a DVO Diamond and find that fork to be a pretty plush feeling fork. There are some on PB for around $400.

I had some CTD forks and they really weren't that great.
 
#9 ·
tomboyjr said:
The bike is a 2014, the fork is a CTD Evolution. Is that the damper type?
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Sorry to say you've got one of the worst forks Fox ever made. Anything else will be better.

You haven't mentioned your weight. Manitou Mezzer is the best off-the-shelf fork right now. Everything else needs money spent on it to make the springs and/or dampers work properly.
 
#10 ·
Dougal said:
Sorry to say you've got one of the worst forks Fox ever made. Anything else will be better.

You haven't mentioned your weight. Manitou Mezzer is the best off-the-shelf fork right now. Everything else needs money spent on it to make the springs and/or dampers work properly.
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says the guy who needs to sell manitou to keep the lights on. Classic Douglas
 
#12 ·
Jrp103 said:
says the guy who needs to sell manitou to keep the lights on. Classic Douglas
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But no. I do most of my business upgrading and tuning Fox, Rockshox and Ohlins forks. New fork sales are almost a sideline. Especially over the last year!.

I have customers spending more than half a new Mezzer to make stock air-springs and dampers behave and work for them on already very expensive forks.
It would be much, much cheaper if they just sold their current stuff and bought a Mezzer. But it's their choice and I work with that.
 
#13 ·
Dougal said:
Sorry to say you've got one of the worst forks Fox ever made. Anything else will be better.

You haven't mentioned your weight. Manitou Mezzer is the best off-the-shelf fork right now. Everything else needs money spent on it to make the springs and/or dampers work properly.
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Yep, I had one of those POS Fox forks a long time ago.

The Mezzer Expert would be the cost-effective option.

If weight isn't a big consideration, then a Z1 coil would be another cost-effective option.
 
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#14 ·
Curveball said:
But the Mezzer does what he claims it to do. It's not like he's blowing smoke.
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Yeah I’ve ridden one now and its nice. But my bike came with a fox 34 and it was awesome too. My old lyrik is fantastic, both the onyx and the diamond are great for initial bump and fun to work on

Douglas…. You just confirmed my point. Telling people their stock forks are trash so you can make $$ “tuning” them.
 
#16 ·
Jrp103 said:
Yeah I’ve ridden one now and its nice. But my bike came with a fox 34 and it was awesome too. My old lyrik is fantastic, both the onyx and the diamond are great for initial bump and fun to work on

Douglas…. You just confirmed my point. Telling people their stock forks are trash so you can make $$ “tuning” them.
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Truth hurts huh?

Do you think Vorsprung make Smashpots, Secus and Luftkappes for decoration or for badly needed peformance improvement?
Do you think 80kg athletes who spend all week riding or in the gym need the same amount of compression damping you would give a 40kg grade 4 female?

Which Fox 34 did you have that was "awesome"?
 
#17 ·
Jrp103 said:
Yeah I’ve ridden one now and its nice. But my bike came with a fox 34 and it was awesome too. My old lyrik is fantastic, both the onyx and the diamond are great for initial bump and fun to work on

Douglas…. You just confirmed my point. Telling people their stock forks are trash so you can make $$ “tuning” them.
Click to expand...
If you admit that it's a good fork suggestion, then why are you putting down Dougal?
 
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#18 ·
+1 on the new Mezzer. It is absolutely not the Mani-poo of the early 2000s. The regular ride crew was surprised when a buddy put one on his patrol; but now a couple others are thinking about it too. It's a great deal at a couple hundred less than comparable Fox/RockShox options. I had one of those Fox with the CTD...not sure that I'd want to put more money into it if it were my choice to make.

And can everyone just lower their guns and chill the f out? Like there isn't enough violence in the world right now...
 
#19 ·
I have two Marzocchi Z1s— the air version at 160mm and the coil version at 170mm.

I am very pleased with both of them, though the coil gets the nod for small-bump sensitivity. There is only a half to 3/4 pound difference between them. Holding the two together I could barely feel a difference.

I finally had a chance to test the coil one on a really rocky, technical DH last Sunday and it was an absolute monster. No matter how hard I hit stuff it just gobbled it up and remained calm. I went down a sizable, janky rock roll at one point, which has sort of a hole developing at the transition, and despite rolling it faster than I ever have, the Z1 just handled it effortlessly.

The air version is not far behind.

I’m not a suspension engineer like many on this forum, just a guy who likes to go fast on technical, steep terrain.
 
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#20 ·
GeePhroh said:
+1 on the new Mezzer. The regular ride crew was surprised when a buddy put one on his patrol; but now a couple others are thinking about it too.
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Sure, but to be fair your buddy is a weirdo ;)

Mezzer can’t be beat, but if you want the plushest off the top the DVO Onyx is the one. I found it under-damped a bit and a little rattly, but oh so plush. Still a very good fork that lasted 2 years under me without creaky CSU, which is the longest a fork has lasted in many years.

That all said, the Mezzer is a better fork for everything but going slow on wet roots.
 
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tomboyjr
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