[andyecc]

Hi there,
Apologies if this has been done before - I'm new on here.
I'm currently running my Heckler with a Fox TALAS fork. It's a good fork but feels a bit out of it's depth occasionally. Especially on drops and jumps.
So I'm after something a bit stiffer, with a bit more travel and not too heavy. I'm most tempted by the Pikes but have never ridden any - though the reviews seem pretty impressive.
Any suggestions/opinions would be very helpful. What's the ideal "freeride lite" (or whatever buzz word we're using now) fork?

 

[islander]

I'm running a Pike Team on my Heckler - amazing fork. Really versitile. Timo jumped the Berln wall with it, and I'll do 7hr epic all-mountain rides with it. The U-turn is key - because the right geometry for climbing is inherently different than for descending into technical singletrack. So, put it in 90mm setting for that hour long climb, then dial it out to 140mm for the moshpit descent down that steep granite wall. Plus, the Maxle is far and away the most ingenius dropout design ever. They're low maintenance and easy to overahaul, and the price is very competitive. Not sure how you can go wrong. My friends on Nixons and Sherman definitely have to do more maintenance than me to keep their forks feeling smooth, and the Marzocchi AM1 (no 20mm option) and Fox36 options are a lot more $$. Easy call..........

 

[yagimax]

go for the pike

Islander is right, for the price nothing comes close.
I've been using the Pike team for almost 10 months on my Heckler with zero maintenance.
You will have to add the cost for a 20 mm. hub, and decide for either the coil or air version.

Gary

 

[andyecc]

Thanks guys. That's very helpful - will just have to go and chat with the local bike shop to see if I can get a deal on the forks and a new hub/wheel. Any suggestions for the hub? I guess it needs to be reasonably strong, not stupidly heavy and reasonably priced. Was thinking about a Hope Bulb, but they're pretty pricey...

 

[67degrees]

Pike On Heckler

I have a Pike Team on my Heckler too and love this fork. I had always been a Marzocchi guy over the last few years but they really did not have a fork with the features I wanted plus a 20mm axle so I rolled the dice and went with the Pike. I am really glad i did. It is amazing in every way. You'll love it on your Heckler. Rock Shox should be charging a lot more money for these forks because they blow away forks costing much more. They have lots of cool features but the Maxle axle is pure genious! Get one!

 

[jaredbadams]

Heckler Fork Quandry

I've had my Heckler for over two years now and have had two forks, a Vanilla RLC and the 36R. The 36 is perfect for this bike especially if you like to visit lift accessed trails. The weight over the Vanilla is nominal and the stiffness, thanks to the through axle, is better than anything else on the market.

 

[DtEW]

Go for the Pike.

I've had a Vanilla 130RLC on my Heckler and now run a Pike Team. There's no going back. The Pike is just a perfect match for the Heckler.

 

[yagimax]

Thanks guys. That's very helpful - will just have to go and chat with the local bike shop to see if I can get a deal on the forks and a new hub/wheel. Any suggestions for the hub? I guess it needs to be reasonably strong, not stupidly heavy and reasonably priced. Was thinking about a Hope Bulb, but they're pretty pricey...

Ask your LBS for a 20mm Novatech hub. They are a copy of Hadley but made in Taiwan.
I've been running mine( front and rear hub) for a couple of years with no issues.
However, stay clear of the Formula hubs.

Gary

 

[andyecc]

I had been thinking about the Fox 36 - one of my riding buddies has one on the front of a Turner Six Pack. It's a seriously good fork but it's plenty expensive.
I think I can get the Pike without too much marital strife, but the Fox 36 could get me into serious trouble at home......