I just got a 2012 Reba RLT (29er) from bikerbob (he's in the classified section here) for $450 and absolutely love it. I switched from a FOX RLC FIT and the Reba feels much more supple, and the compression damping seems to be more "tunable" than the Fox (at least for me).

 

Look around for an older Fox Float 130 RLC...the open bath ones. I see them every so often for like $250 tops. They can be reduced to 100mm in 15 mins and are pretty friggin' buttery. The only down side, I think you'll be limited to QR w/ these older Fox Float, unless you get new lowers.

 

Thanks for the suggestions guys - I don't really know too much - what is QR?

 

I would look into this

 

Yeah the Manitou would probably be a good choice, the ABS+ damper is fairly well regarded. My friend who has one is pretty happy with it.

Look for something with adjustable compression damping at minimum (the fork specs will specifically list "adjustable compression damping" or something to that effect so you don't have to worry about confusing this) and even better still if you can get something with adjustable floodgate.

QR is the standard wheel attachment skewer you've got in your wheel now. There are new systems out there that have thicker axles that offer less flex but they'll most likely require you to get another wheel and a lot of people are still running QR and are perfectly happy with it so it's still a pretty viable option.

 

All set with getting a new wheel unless I have to - it seems like most if not all of the shocks I am looking at need disc brakes and I currently don't have that. Not sure I am a fan of needing to upgrade another part of my bike because I want better suspension.

 

A front disc BB7 caliper can be had for about $50, and used with your current v-brake lever.

There is a pretty huge improvement between discs and v-brakes, even more so if it's wet.

 

To be honest you're probably going to see as much of an improvement in your overall ride just upgrading to disc brakes as you would with a better fork. I think it's a totally worthwhile upgrade

 

meh - i have used disc breaks, I am sure they were not overly good but to be honest I did feel like I gained anything from the one's on my main ride. Have never had the chance to ride good ones.

And it's not that I don't want to go to disc breaks, it is the extra money to get breaks back on my bike that sucks.

 

Properly set up rim brakes can have the same power as disc brakes. The difference comes when you ride in wet/muddy conditions or have long down hills. Rim brakes do not work very well once they get in those conditions and disc brakes will feel the same regardless of the conditions. Discs also have better modulation and lever feel(assuming they are BB7 cable brakes or hydraulic, anything less and you are better off with rim brakes)

 

I will take that into consideration... Just saying that it sucks that in order to upgrade my fork, I have to upgrade my breaks, and probably have to upgrade my wheels. I mean I just went from 300-500 to like 500-800 (or more) just kinda sucks.

 

Thats very true. It comes down to the trail types and conditions your ride in. If you have dont ride in wet conditions, you can get away with rim brakes and be fine.

I definitely would skip spending 800 bucks on on upgraded front end. I would save up a few hundred more and upgrade to a bike that comes with a good fork, disc brakes, as well as better drive train, wheels, and other components before spending that much on upgrading only part of my bike.

 

I have done wet conditions before and have noticed the decline of the rim breaks but was still able to ride.

I fell that the frame I have is a good enough frame to upgrade on. Also, not sure if I would be able to talk the wife into letting me get another bike but thanks for the suggestion. I do kind of wish when I was buying the bike someone had spoken up and said hey if you spend a little more now it's gonna save you a bunch later. Oh well - live an learn.

 

So I think it is between the Minute Pro and the X-fusion... any reason for one over the other?

 

X-Fusion is the real deal - their stuff flat out works; they're the up-and-comers. Manitou is going the other direction.

Nuff said,

G MAN

 

You want a new fork, but in order to get a new fork, you need to use disc brakes, and in order to use disc brakes you need a new wheel set (or I guess a disc on the front and a new front wheel), but you dont want to buy anything else? How do you plan on doing that besides not using a front brake?

 

Not sure what you mean, I don't think I said that I didn't want to buy anything else well I guess I said I don't want to buy a new bike. I don't get how that means I can't use a front break.

 

Have you tried to adjust the rebound speed on your present fork? Make it slower. If that doesn't help perhaps you could have it "Pushed". That's a company that does custom shock rebuilds for higher performance. Much cheaper than changing a bunch of parts.

I do not agree that rim brakes will stop you as fast as discs. However a disc has a MUCH bigger chance of sending you over the bars by stopping too fast, espically in a panic.

 

Push only deals with certain forks, and the OP doesnt own one, So that isnt an option

 

Hey Guys,
I'd like to jump on this fork discussion. I have a 2009 GF Mamba 29er with RS Dart 3 fork. It's fine for now but should I look to upgrade in the offseason do I need to be concerned about the offset and G2 geometery of my GF frame?

Sorry if this is a bad question, I just started riding this season and am trying to learn as quickly as I can. I appreciate any insight!

 

Hey Guys,
I'd like to jump on this fork discussion. I have a 2009 GF Mamba 29er with RS Dart 3 fork. It's fine for now but should I look to upgrade in the offseason do I need to be concerned about the offset and G2 geometery of my GF frame?

Sorry if this is a bad question, I just started riding this season and am trying to learn as quickly as I can. I appreciate any insight!

Thats a very good question actually that most people do not think about. Changing to a standard off set fork will change the handling of your bike, But but not enough to be overly concerned about. As long as you stay with a fork with the same amount of travel you will be fine.

 

X-Fusion makes some solid stuff and they will properly take care of you if something ever goes wrong.

 

I tried my current fork at a few different settings for as much as it can do I guess. There are really only two settings and one of them I can't say I can feel a difference at all. There is the side the does the lock out and the amount of force it takes to make the shock work (sorry I don't know what it is called) and that works pretty good. And then the other side, there is a + and - and I have tried it all the way up, all the way down, and in the middle and it feels the same. Either way I am going to upgrade.

I really want to thank everyone for the help they have been giving on this it really means a lot. From the sounds of it there really is not a huge difference. There is about a $50 price difference which looks to be the price of Avid BB7 disc breaks...

Any thing else I should be considering before my purchase?

 

Any thing else I should be considering before my purchase?

I think you have all the information you need. IMHO, your going to be happy with either one. The only thing left to do is pick one, order it, then relax and day dream about how much better your bike will perform.:thumbsup:

 

Fair enough! thanks for all of the help... I will have to post a comparison vs what the current fork is like vs the new fork