DG5 said:
it IS physics. A larger thin walled tube is stronger and stiffer than a smaller thin walled tube.You may want to check some facts before you tell someone they are wrong. There is nothing "wrong" with a Fox fork,but they decided to simply create a new standard for no other reason than to be different. If what I said was not fact,then why are we riding around on giant-tubed aluminum frames? My OPINION is that I like Reba forks better than Fox forks. The FACT is 20mm is stronger and stiffer than 15mm.
I remember just a few weeks ago in a thread about your new RIP (switching from a JET) you were contemplating going from your non tapered steerer fork and 9mm QR to a tapered steerer fork and a TA.
Have you ridden a tapered steerer tube fork with the 15mm TA on your RIP? All of your posts seem to indicate that your new REBA is your first and only TA fork, so I wonder why you are so negative on the 15mm TA? At least in your posts and what you've stated, you've presented yourself as not having owned one before - so it sounds like opinion rather than experience.
FOX is not the only fork company to use 15mm TA. In fact, Rock Shox itself is even coming out in 2011 with 15mm TA as well.
Perfect solution for XC and Trail bikes.
Search and read articles on the differences between the steerer tubes of 1 1/8, 1.5 and the tapered tube. You might as well throw in stanchion diameter and carbon rims to the reading as well.:thumbsup:
Forks from Rock Shox are available in 20mm and 15mm for 2011. For a trail bike such as the RIP, the argument of 15mm vs. 20mm in the light version TA's may or may not be worth the effort (both offer excellent performance).
Great article here on the whole ball of wax of 20mm vs. 15mm and the reality of it all.
A few quotes from that article....
I got the official word on the new fork offerings at the 2011 RockShox product launch in Colorado from Sander Rigney, RockShox Product Manager for the company's Performance Trail and XC categories. The response was a mix of realism and opportunity.
The realism part of the equation, according to Rigney, is that wheel makers aren't particularly interested in making a light XC or trail wheel based around a 20mm axle. It's overkill and overweight, as far as they're concerned.
Whether or not that's actually true is irrelevant. This, as is often the case, is a matter of perception. We ride in an age where everyone from the bike manufacturers all the way down to consumers are pushing for the lightest bike possible - even in the 5" or 6" travel range. That means building bikes with lighter parts, particularly wheel parts. If wheelmakers aren't interested in making XC or trail-weight wheels or hubs to accommodate 20mm axles, then it doesn't make sense for RockShox to turn out XC or trail forks with that axle size, regardless of how light the Maxle Lite may be. Pretty simple.
Another element of that story is market share. Bike manufacturers are spec'ing 15mm forks on their XC and trail bikes. Both Fox and Marzocchi make 15mm forks, and there was a real danger that RockShox would lose a sizeable portion of the 100 to 150mm-travel fork market to the other two companies if it didn't start making what bike manufacturers were choosing to spec. RockShox doesn't want to dwell on this part of the story, but it's worth acknowledging.
Now, what about 15mm for certain types of riding? The article also says this:
15mm forks are not for everyone.
15mm forks are well suited for XC and trail riding because they combine light weight with a reasonable degree of stiffness, but they're not designed for particularly technical / demanding all-mountain riding. Or freeriding. Or downhilling. They never were intended for those types of riding, all of which place a premium on stiffness over light weight. That desired stiffness is only possible (at this time, anyway) with a 20mm axle.
If you ride particularly rough terrain (think the North Shore), if you like to hit big drops, if you're a larger rider, if weight isn't a concern or if you are riding a bike with more than 6" of travel, you won't want a fork with a 15mm axle. Hell, you probably shouldn't be using one. You're not the intended user. So don't buy one to replace your existing 20mm fork when it wears out. And don't buy a bike that comes spec'd with a 15mm fork. Realize and accept that 15mm forks have limitations, and spend your money accordingly.
So it depends on what kind of riding one is doing on their RIP (or any bike). Heck, I'd argue skipping the RIP and going directly to the W.F.O. for the description above of all mountain and freeriding with a 20mm.
And the article says this about 20mm...
20mm forks are here to stay.
There is a very real place in the mountain biking world for 20mm axles. Long-travel forks make up a smaller, but still significant, part of the fork market. People who ride North Shore-style trails, who ride bike parks, who shuttle, who demand the stiffest fork possible will have that option for the foreseeable future. There may come a day when advances in materials make it possible to build a 15mm fork that is as stiff as today's 20mm fork, but that day isn't here yet. So relax - your 20mm hubs aren't in danger of becoming obsolete.
Back to the RIP.....
DG5, your particular riding might fit into that category where as another rider on a RIP may not fit into those categories. So it would be pointless to pound the table as an absolute and say you've got to use a 20mm or a 15mm on your RIP because it all depends on the type of riding. 15 works great for me, but that doesn't mean it would for you or the OP. Likewise with the 20mm coming from your recommendation. Just because you like it and it is great for you doesn't mean it is the best solution for everyone else.
I would, however, point out that the benefit that both the newly designed RIPs and JETs with the tapered head tubes coupled with a tapered steerer tube fork is where we are seeing a good portion of the improvements up front.
To the OP, I happen to have a couple of sets of wheels I can run on my RIP. One of them has a front hub that can swap between 9mm and 15mm, and the other front hub can do just about whatever I want to throw at it for an axle (I9 Enduro). Depending on wheels and tires I run, my XL size RIP with the 120mm Fox 15mm fork weighs 27.5 - 28.5 pounds. Rank me in that market segment that wants a blend of durable and light. And yes, I know how to get my RIP down to the 25-26 lb. weight class. Those 1600g all mountain carbon Haven wheels really look sweet and would cut weight while still providing über-stiffness. Alas, I will continue dreaming....
Your choice between the 20mm or 15mm might come down to how much you weigh and what type of riding you plan on doing with your Hot Tamale. Are you Clydesdale Class or slim?
BB
