[dado_]

Hello! I have recently purchased a second hand bike (2017 DB Sync'r) with a RS Recon Silver 130mm fork. Comared to the 2017 150mm RS Pike on my other bike, this fork sucks. It feels like a wet noodle in terms of stiffness, and I find myself washing out the front wheel in turns because of the worse damping (as far as I can tell, but I'm no suspension expert).

Anyway, I am looking at my options for upgrading to a better fork on a budget. I have found some older (2014ish) RS Revelations at good prices ($150ish), but I am concerned that this fork with the 32mm stanchions will not give me the increased stiffness that I desire, and may not even perform that much better than my Recon. Has anyone had experience with both of these forks to have any input here?

Other than that, I guess I am considering a newer Revelation or Pike with the 35mm stanchions, but that comes at a much higher price, and this being my 'beater bike' I am not sure how much I want to invest into this upgrade.

Am I best off just living with the lower performance and just enjoying my Pike on my other bike? or would a slight upgrade to an older Revelation or something give me a noticeable boost in performance?

Thanks for any input!

Also, I guess it might be good to mention that I am 6'2" 185lbs without gear. I ride primarily in southern Michigan, so the trails arent very extreme. But I am looking to travel around more and take my bikes to more 'serious' trails out of state in the near future. I might even be moving to CO before too long.

 

[TwiceHorn]

One caveat about RS. They seem to change the hierarchy within their lineup of model names like Reba, Judy, Recon and Revelation. So, today a Revelation is a better fork than a Recon, but five years ago, it may not have been.

If you can translate it to stanchion dimensions and materials and dampers, you are less likely to be misled, I believe.

 

[Boulder Pilot]

What's your other bike, the one with the 2017 RS Pike 150mm. Why did you buy the DB Sync'r?

 

[dado_]

What's your other bike, the one with the 2017 RS Pike 150mm. Why did you buy the DB Sync'r?

The other bike is a DB 2017 Release 3

I'm pretty sure that n+1 is the best answer to your second question

But I have never owned a hardtail mountain bike before and had to see what it's about. I like it!

 

[Boulder Pilot]

If you feel your 32mm Recon is "a wet noodle" then you ride much harder than most and will not feel comfortable on anything less than a Pike, Fox 36, you get the picture. Spend the money, regardless that the fork will cost close to or more than your bike. It really sucks when your equipment is not on par with your riding ability.

 

[dado_]

Another aspect that I forgot to mention: The bike with the Recon fork is 15x100 front while the Bike with the Pike is 15x110. How big of a factor is this in the rigidity? I'm also starting to wonder about the wheels/hubs and how they might be affecting the situation.

 

[Boulder Pilot]

Michigan must be way more hardcore than SoCal if a 130mm travel fork on a respectable trail bike cannot handle the trails. Some people just ride hardcore and have to pay for the appropriate components. Your Recon will never feel like your Pike, so if you need Pike-like stiffness on a 130mm hard tail trail bike, buy any 35-36mm stanction fork.

Less wondering, more riding.

 

[rlouder]

What compression damper does it have? Are there still upgrade options for the RS dampers? If so, that might make a big difference.

Edit...

Jenson shows that fork is coil fork. They come with a spring suitable for a much lighter rider. Installing a heavy spring should make it serviceable for your weight.

Keep in mind that a used suspension component may need to be serviced.

 

[One Pivot]

Mattoc comps can be had brand new for under $200 right now. Screaming deal for a very good fork. It's comparable to a pike, even with the comp damper.

Boost makes a small difference. The recon is a shitty fork, I wouldn't think too much about it.

 

[Mr Pig]

I think it's probably more the damping that anything else. The Recon will not have a great damper in it.

Also, do both bikes have the same tyres? Unless they do all bets are off. The washing out may have nothing to do with the fork at all. Personally, I'd rather have great tyres and an average fork than the other way around.