[Prexus2005]

Looking to upgrade the stock SunTour 75mm travel fork on my 04 Giant Yukon.

Which one of these forks would be better or pretty much a toss up?

Manitou Splice Super '05

RS Reba SL Air 05

Any other forks in the $250-300 price range I should be looking at? Or I could try finding a used higher end fork... in that case, which forks do you guys think would be best?

Or... Should I not even bother trying to upgade the Yukon...? =( That was what a guy at Performace Bike told me: "Save your money for a better bike that has a frame worth upgrading. Give the Yukon to a friend or donate it for tax write offs..." wtf.. I've only had the bike for 4 months and it feels great except the fork... and I was also planning on gradually replacing most if not all of the low end components that came stock...

My ears are open.. Thanks!

Phil.

 

[mahgnillig]

The thing you might have trouble with is the geometry of the bike if you put either of those forks on it. Since it only has 75mm of travel to start with, putting either a 115mm (Reba) or 100-130mm (Splice) on it is probably going to play havoc with the handling of the bike. Your best bet if you want to get a new fork is to get one with a similar or only slightly longer travel, that way you get better quality, but you don't have the problems associated with changing the geometry.

- Jen.

 

[chad1433]

Reba. But I don't have any experience with the Splice. However, both forks are in their first years and both have reps with a lot of bad blood.

You might look at Fox or Marzocchi if you can still find them cheap, or buy used.

 

[chad1433]

The thing you might have trouble with is the geometry of the bike if you put either of those forks on it. Since it only has 75mm of travel to start with, putting either a 115mm (Reba) or 100-130mm (Splice) on it is probably going to play havoc with the handling of the bike. Your best bet if you want to get a new fork is to get one with a similar or only slightly longer travel, that way you get better quality, but you don't have the problems associated with changing the geometry.

- Jen.

With the Reba, he could get the U-turn option. But either way, it's adjustable between 85mm and 115mm. The U turn adjust anywhere in between, the regular model internally adjusts 85-100-115mm.

 

[Prexus2005]

hmmmm... ok. I was thinking 100mm wouldn't be too big of a increase over the 75mm.

Think the Fox are our of my price range unless I find a used fork. Marzoochi... I hear most people like them and they make solid forks... they just need to drop those ugly v-brake bosses! =p Maybe I'll go with the Marathon S 04 that's on sale fron Jenson for $275? oh yeah.. better double check on travel.. I think that's 100+ too... yeah, it's 120mm.

What about this Manitou Black Elite .. though I have no idea what year it is.. 03 or 04 maybe.. blah.. it's also 100-120mm.

Another thing.. I'm 6' 190lbs.. once i get on my bike... if I had a 100mm fork.. it would become 75-85ish with my weight no? =p Because I notice that on the Suntour 75mm fork. It would sag down an inch once I get on it.

Phil.

 

[Warp]

Looking to upgrade the stock SunTour 75mm travel fork on my 04 Giant Yukon.

Which one of these forks would be better or pretty much a toss up?

Manitou Splice Super '05

RS Reba SL Air '05

Any other forks in the $250-300 price range I should be looking at? Or I could try finding a used higher end fork... in that case, which forks do you guys think would be best?

Or... Should I not even bother trying to upgade the Yukon...? =( That was what a guy at Performace Bike told me: "Save your money for a better bike that has a frame worth upgrading. Give the Yukon to a friend or donate it for tax write offs..." wtf.. I've only had the bike for 4 months and it feels great except the fork... and I was also planning on gradually replacing most if not all of the low end components that came stock...

My ears are open.. Thanks!

Phil.

Get the Reba... the Splice is more similar to a Pike.

Don't sweat too much the geometry change as the Reba is a fork that actually will sag some 25mm against a Suntour that despite being 75mm it's 450mm axle to crown and sags nothing. I have one of those crappy SR Suntour XCP 75 and it's a PITA to ride. It's rather stiff to give some merit to Suntour.... as stiff that some guys at 180 punds get close to only 1-2mm sag with the preloads knobs all the way out....

Did I mention those XCP 75 are pogo-sticks???? Get anything but a Suntour and you'll be fine.

Another cheap options are the Manitou Axel Super and Zoke EXR and MX Comp. I would pick the EXR if I couldn't afford the Reba.

 

[Strafer]

What about this Manitou Black Elite .. though I have no idea what year it is.. 03 or 04 maybe.. blah.. it's also 100-120mm.
Phil.

This one is 80-100 MM and $189.
http://www.greenfishsports.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=704
I got one of these a year ago and had no problems at all. Rebound, compression and lockout.
It is pretty stiff in 80mm setting, tho.

 

[Mr.P]

I have an 02 80-100 Black Elite and it was great for 3 years. I just recently upgraded to more travel as I have a new frame that can handle it. I bought another Black, cuz I trust it and am comfortable working on it. I had no issues except spring tuning to my weight in 3 years and it still works great.

I am going to sell it. PM me if you are interested.

Mr. P

 

[Jekyll89]

Looking to upgrade the stock SunTour 75mm travel fork on my 04 Giant Yukon.

Which one of these forks would be better or pretty much a toss up?

Manitou Splice Super '05

RS Reba SL Air 05

Any other forks in the $250-300 price range I should be looking at? Or I could try finding a used higher end fork... in that case, which forks do you guys think would be best?

Or... Should I not even bother trying to upgade the Yukon...? =( That was what a guy at Performace Bike told me: "Save your money for a better bike that has a frame worth upgrading. Give the Yukon to a friend or donate it for tax write offs..." wtf.. I've only had the bike for 4 months and it feels great except the fork... and I was also planning on gradually replacing most if not all of the low end components that came stock...

My ears are open.. Thanks!

Phil.

STAY AWAY FROM THE SPLICE SUPER!!!! I bought a Cannondale Jekyll with that fork on it. I lost all of the oil riding down a road on the first 5 miles. They replaced it completely, I then lost all oil and lockout withith the next 15 miles on that. They are junk, 2 pairs same problems. I know many people with good results from Manitou, but after my experiences I just can't say anything good myself. Last night I picked up my bike with a new Rock Shox PIKE complements Cannondale. My opinion, scratch the Manitou Splice Super completely, I love RockShox, had them on all other bikes. Good luck!!

 

[LyNx]

I'd say go REBA SL, but maybe I'm biased I am loving mine so far - 55+ hours and 730+ miles on it. Has nice adjustments and I love the "motion control" system - allows you to have it fully open or "locked-out", but also lets you set it in-between. As mentioned the REBA is internally adjustable to hieghts of 85mm, 100mm and 115mm it comes set to 100m stock you would need to disassemble it and add in the 2 spacers to make it 85mm if you want to maintain roughly the same geometry.

As to the REBA only being 100mm over 75mm, if you look at it that's a 25% increase - 4" instead of 3". You can keep the REBA @ 100mm travel and set the sag to 25% / 25mm and as you said be back to the 75mm setting - run my sag around 15-20mm. 20% sag is what RS recomends, but to each their own. Personally thinking that when I service my REBA I'll take out the spacer and convert it to 115mm.

Or... Should I not even bother trying to upgade the Yukon...? =( That was what a guy at Performace Bike told me: "Save your money for a better bike that has a frame worth upgrading. Give the Yukon to a friend or donate it for tax write offs..." wtf.. I've only had the bike for 4 months and it feels great except the fork... and I was also planning on gradually replacing most if not all of the low end components that came stock...

I'd say the Yukon is worth upgrading - To a Point - I wouldn't dump a crap load of money on super duper parts for it, just upgrade as stuff breaks or wears out to some better stuff. In other words I wouldn't go putting full XTR on it, maybe Deore or Deore LX.

 

[Prexus2005]

Thanks for the advice. =) Guess I'll cross the Splice off the list.

I agree with ya Lynx, I won't be putting very high end stuff on there is why I'm only looking for mid range forks. Think the Reba would work...or one of the Mazoocchi Marathon or MX Comp... I've heard/read enough negative opinions on Manitou so I'll just stay away from it completely. =p



Phil.

 

[LyNx]

Thanks for the advice. =) Guess I'll cross the Splice off the list.

I agree with ya Lynx, I won't be putting very high end stuff on there is why I'm only looking for mid range forks. Think the Reba would work...or one of the Mazoocchi Marathon or MX Comp... I've heard/read enough negative opinions on Manitou so I'll just stay away from it completely. =p
Phil.

Make sure you try to keep some steerer tube on whichever fork you get so that if you upgrade you have the option of keeping it.

 

[Ratt]

....... I won't be putting very high end stuff on there is why I'm only looking for mid range forks. Think the Reba would work...

Don't let the price fool you, the Reba SL has some empressive stats. Enough to rival or surpass forks costing twice or three times as much as its $288 price.

... I've heard/read enough negative opinions on Manitou so I'll just stay away from it completely. =p

Phil.

Fox, Manitou, Zokies, and Rockshox are really equal in reliability when used in their intended applications. Its more of a Chevy vs. Ford thing here.

 

[LyNx]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Prexus2005
....... I won't be putting very high end stuff on there is why I'm only looking for mid range forks. Think the Reba would work...
Don't let the price fool you, the Reba SL has some empressive stats. Enough to rival or surpass forks costing twice or three times as much as its $288 price.
Quote

I agree the REBA is a stellar fork, but I think he was more refering to the other components on his bike.... derailers, cassettes, shifter etc.

 

[Prexus2005]

Oooo. thanks for that $288 price Ratt. =) The lowest I've found was on Jenson for $330. The only one concern on the Reba is that it's an air fork with no spring coil right? Will the air slowly leak out over time? Can I pump air back in if that happens or will the fork just slowly die?

Lynx is right again! I was refering to the other components I was planning on upgrading to. But I also understand what Ratt is saying... that the Reba isn't a mid range fork even though it's mid range in term of the price.

Thanks again. =)


Phil.

 

[[]D[][]v[][]D]

Reba

no conteset compared to the splice...your comparing triple A to the major leagues