[Potato Junkie]

About to order a Giant Reign frameset.

It comes with the Manitou Swinger 3-Way and I was wondering whether one needs to compliment this with an SPV fork?

If yes, the choice is the Manitou Nixon Platinum with 20mm axle. If no, then it's the Pike Team Air with Poploc.

I'd rather go with the Pike for the small bump sensitivity, not to mention the $$$ saved.

Anybody care to offer an opinion?

Ta.

 

[Jm.]

About to order a Giant Reign frameset.

It comes with the Manitou Swinger 3-Way and I was wondering whether one needs to compliment this with an SPV fork?

If yes, the choice is the Manitou Nixon Platinum with 20mm axle. If no, then it's the Pike Team Air with Poploc.

I'd rather go with the Pike for the small bump sensitivity, not to mention the $$$ saved.

Anybody care to offer an opinion?

Ta.

Go with the pike, the platinum nixon has had a lot of problems, the amount of people (myself included) that have had problems with them is pretty large. When you ride, the fork compresses and "sticks" wherever it's compressed at, it never returns to full height. It's fairly scary and widespread for this fork. You do loose out on progressiveness with the pike, but manitou has dropped the ball with the nixon platinum. You might go for the lower level nixons that are coil sprung, but I'd advise you to stay away from the platinum model.

The Reign runs just fine with the minium SPV pressure, and it is not dependant on SPV technology, so you definitely do not need an SPV fork for this bike. It's a great frame and it rides very nice.

 

[gonzostrike]

define "necessary"

...and as to Jm's comments,

avoid Rock Shox

avoid the Nixon

consider the Firefly/Flick

consider the Marz AM1

consider the Vanilla

 

[Cowboy-jeff]

Say no to Nixon

Go with the pike, the platinum nixon has had a lot of problems, the amount of people (myself included) that have had problems with them is pretty large. When you ride, the fork compresses and "sticks" wherever it's compressed at, it never returns to full height. It's fairly scary and widespread for this fork. You do loose out on progressiveness with the pike, but manitou has dropped the ball with the nixon platinum. You might go for the lower level nixons that are coil sprung, but I'd advise you to stay away from the platinum model.

The Reign runs just fine with the minium SPV pressure, and it is not dependant on SPV technology, so you definitely do not need an SPV fork for this bike. It's a great frame and it rides very nice.[/QUOTE

I agree, stay away from the Nixon Plat. Here's my review of it.

Submitted by Jeff a Cross Country Rider from Switerland
Date Reviewed: 3/27/2005 6:26:14 AM
FavoriteTrail: anyone outside Switerland
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $750
Purchased At: AEbikes
Strengths: I like the idea of IT adjust in a long traval fork. Once it does work (even with the rubber bumper limiter)it works great. Cool looks.
Weaknesses: My first Nixon I recieved was defective, so I sent it back to the Swiss Distb.for repair and came back in the same condition. Which was, the fork was sinking in its traval and locking down only after a minute of riding. I would then have to press the IT almost every other min. to get back up again. (same problem as Chuck)They did send me a new Nixon but this one has the bumper in it to limit the traval to about 133 mm so I don't kill myself. So now I have to send it back AGAIN to get this problem fixed. Also, the IT bar mounted lever can be for some riders a bit of a problem to find place on your bars.
Similar Products Tried: Lefty, Zocchi, Rockshox
Bike Setup: Intense 5point5 Evp
Bottom Line: I just can't recomend this product to anyone! I never had so much trouble with one product in my 9 years of riding untill this Nixon came along.Manitou is having big QC problems and it doesn't look like it's getting better. Look elsewhere if you want a long traval for.
Value Rating: Overall Rating:

 

[PiroChu]

another thing to consider...

I seem to recall reading something here about SPV fork being warranted (or not) per head angle. If steep, it could help. If slack, maybe you don't really need it.

Anyway, although I might have had this wrong, but just another thing to consider...

Good luck,
- PiroChu

PS.
I have a 5th Air shock and a TALAS fork on 69' head angle, and I'm not suffering.

 

[Jdub]

I'm personally a fan of stable platform in the rear, but not in the front. I don't really have bobbing on the fork unless I stand and hammer, so I prefer it to be active.

A switchable on/off platform is probably the ideal situation for those smooth fire road type climbs, but I could certainly live without SPV in my fork.

 

[Cowboy-jeff]

Clear it up?

I seem to recall reading something here about SPV fork being warranted (or not) per head angle. If steep, it could help. If slack, maybe you don't really need it.

Though I might have this wrong, but just another thing to consider...
Good luck,
- PiroChu

I'm not sure I understand what you mean???

 

[Cowboy-jeff]

Sans SPV fork

I'm personally a fan of stable platform in the rear, but not in the front. I don't really have bobbing on the fork unless I stand and hammer, so I prefer it to be active.

A switchable on/off platform is probably the ideal situation for those smooth fire road type climbs, but I could certainly live without SPV in my fork.

I feel the same way! My next fork I buy (not a Manitou) will be 'Sans' SPV.

 

[derby]

I seem to recall reading something here about SPV fork being warranted (or not) per head angle. If steep, it could help. If slack, maybe you don't really need it.

Though I might have this wrong, but just another thing to consider...
Good luck,
- PiroChu

Yes slacker angled head tubes (slacker forks) don't bob quite as easily as more steeply angled XC forks, due to more reaward rider weight distribution with a slack fork's longer wheelbase reach and greater fork travel for a given rider's vertical input.

Idealy you should tune damping for coasting and braking handling balance, with no compromises for pedaling efficency. I think platform damping in the rear feels unbalanced when coasting if the fork is not also at least mildly platform damped too.

For the most efficient pedaling and advanced bump compliant DW-Link style suspension that Giant copied I'd get a fork that could turn off platform damping such as the PIKE or REBA, or a fork without platform damping if the rear shock is not platform damped too.

It is still really unknown if Rockshox will provide better product support. Now that Sram owns them it is highly likely there will be excellent support going forward, and much improved products from Rockshox in the future too, the PIKE and REBA are a huge step up.

Hopfully Fox will produce an RP3 adjustable platform type TALAS/36 fork soon.

- ray

 

[PiroChu]

imagine 90' vs 45' (as example)

Hi Jeff,

If I understood correctly of what I recall reading, it went something like this...

With steeper headangle (your fork standing more vertically), your vertical movement (ie. bob, etc) is more easily/directly translated to move the fork (sliders/stanchons). With slacker headangle (your fork standing less vertically), your vertical movement (ie. bob, etc) is less easily/directly translated to move the fork (sliders/stanchons).

The easiest visualization of this for me would be to imagine the two extremes, like a hypothetical bicycle with a fork mounted vertically (90' headangle, with your weight is more directly over it) vs a radical chopper-type motorcycle where a fork is mounted almost like at 45' angle. Then try to imagine bouncing up & down on those in comparison.

Well, that's the best I can describe it, and I hope you're catching where this is going...

Others can probably further elaborate better (and/or correct me).
- PiroChu

 

[Ronnie]

The Nixon Platinum is great!

I need to add my $0.02 to the issue of the Nixon Platinum. I also received a fork that was defective. In fact Jeff and I both got our forks from AE bikes. The serial numbers were two apart. I am convinced that there was a faulty production run on earlier forks. I managed to get mine fork changed directly by Manitou and it was a much later production. The date of production is on the box. My fork has been faultless and I'm very happy with it. Would I buy it again? Hell yes!

Does it not seem strange that the Nixon Super which has the exact same left leg with IT as the Platinum has not had the same problems. For that matter, the 05 Minute forks have the same IT system as the Nixon and you have not read the same bad press. You can look at the product reviews here on Mtbr. and initially the reviews were 5/5 and then suddenly there was a whole spate of problems. If the design was inherently at fault you would have had no good reviews.

Ronnie.

 

[Warp]

About to order a Giant Reign frameset.

It comes with the Manitou Swinger 3-Way and I was wondering whether one needs to compliment this with an SPV fork?

If yes, the choice is the Manitou Nixon Platinum with 20mm axle. If no, then it's the Pike Team Air with Poploc.

I'd rather go with the Pike for the small bump sensitivity, not to mention the $$$ saved.

Anybody care to offer an opinion?

Ta.

No, you don't need a SPV - much less with the Reign - fork but it's desirable. Get the Pike. You can't go wrong. Some other forks have similar features but cost like 200 more.

BTW... there's a Zoke AM1 on e-bay with a BIN price of 475. I would pay those now if I would have the money. It's not mine of cousre. I'm in Mexico.

 

[frankenbike]

An SPV fork is not necessary. With smooth pedaling and limiting your out of saddle riding, a regular fork is fine.

With that said though, I have to admit that I do enjoy my SPV Minute 1. It has opened up new ways of riding for me like being to set it so I can sprint with little fork bob. As much as I like it, I would say it's not an absolute necessity.