Will a used '04 Fox Talas/Float RLC out perform my new Tora 318 U-turn???

[SoCal Life]

Hi all,

I built my bike on a budget with a promise to myself of upgrading the weaker parts along the way. I've had my Tora 318 U-turn for about 3 months now and it's the nicest fork I've ever ridden(on a trail). My buddy has offered to give me what I paid for it, cause I got a killer deal on a Early Christmas deal, to upgrade from his RST. For another $100 or so I can move up to a used '04 Talas or Float RLC.

Is it worth it to upgrade from a new lower end fork to a used higher end fork, not really knowing how well the used fork was treated? And would a used Fox fork noticably out pserform my newer Tora 318? And the 1 lbs+ in weight loss would be nice too.

Oh, and I have an '04 Enduro.

Thanks

[tkblazer]

if the fox has been maintained, then it shouldn't be a problem. I've never ridden a tora so i can't really help there. The floats aren't too bad of a fork, i rode one on my friends bike but i didn't like it too much. I've found my marz forks a lot more plush, which i need since i have bad wrists

[SAR_boats]

Hey Art,
You already know that I ride on nothing but Fox so I am kind of biased but I would go for it and get the Fox. Remember that I had a float rlc on there and it balanced the bike out well. If you do go used on a Fox you need to factor in the price of a rebuild by Push or Garageworks in the price of the fork. When you look to buy, try to get one that has no marks on the sliders as those will cause the fork to leak and not much can be done except replace the upper assembly.
Go with the RLC model. It lets you adjust the fork to exactly what you want. I can help with whatever questions you have.
Since the new line of 140mm travel Talas and Floats came out the price has dropped on the older (2006 and prior) 130mm models. Try to get an 05-06 model.

I know a guy who might have one for a decent price. I'll see if I can find his number

[TURNERob]

The older Fox Talas forks (pre '05) are not very good. I had an '03 and I hated it. They made changes to the dampeners in '05 which improved the ride quality quite a bit. I have since bought an '06 Talas but I had it Push'd and it feels incredible. If you're gonna get the Talas prepare to spend another $150-$175 on getting it Push'd as you probably will not like it stock as much as the Tora.

[PacMan]

I still run the stock '04 TALAS on my Enduro and love it. I've never ridden on a Tora, but I would imagine the TALAS would be significantly better.

[SoCal Life]

Hmmm... I've heard a little about the pre-'05 Fox forks and how they were claimed to have 125mm., but most say that it was only about 115mm. Not to sure on that though.

TURNERob- I'm kinda curious why I wouldn't like it over my stock Tora. Are they much stiffer? So would a Pushed '04 Talas be better than a stock '05 Talas?

The Tora 318, is actually a pretty good bang for the buck, from what I've read. It's basically the Recon but with Steel uppers instead of Aluminum. So it functions exactly the same, just weighs about 1 lbs more.

Doug- We should go ride SMaRT and maybe we can swap bikes for a mile or so (on the easier stuff so you don't have a heart attack with me on your bike).

Chris- Let me know about that fork.

I either get the fork or some exhuast for my S4. Seeing how the exhaust runs between $800-$1300, I should be able to talk the wife into a decent fork.

[PacMan]

Absolutley man, let's set a ride up!! We are riding Daley Ranch in Escondido Saturday morning at 0900 if you want to come. It will be a little over 12 miles with about 1,800' of climbing. You could ride it there. Let me now.

Also, be careful which fork you buy. I wanted to get an '07 TALAS--mainly because I have too much money to spend on bike stuff--but, the '07s are 140mm and the '04 Enduro frames are only spec'd to handle a 130mm fork max. The mechanic at my LBS called Specialized to confirm this and they said that was accurate(I was there listening on speakerphone when he called them).

Anything over 130mm voids the warranty. Although, if you ran a bigger fork and cracked the frame, how would Specialzed know?? I'm sure there's a way for them to tell. For me, it wasn't worth the risk of voiding the warranty to gain 1/2".

[Pain Freak]

I have a 02 TALAS which I've had rebuilt once (Fox did it for free even after the warranty had expired) and I have an 06 also on my other Turner 5spot. I can't tell a difference between the two and I'd have to say it's still the best componet upgrade/purchase I've made since I started mtb'ing. I don't have a lot of experience with other forks, but the Fox Talas have been very good to me. I had a Vanilla on my ss, but I didn't like the angle it put the bike at, and the fork never seemed to preform that good to me. I know nothing in regards to the Tora, nor have I've ever seen one to talk to anyone about.
If you do get the Talas and are concerned about wear and tear, send it to PUSH, and they will go through it for you. They are very reasonable for any other repairs that need to be done.

[SoCal Life]

Originally Posted by PacMan

Absolutley man, let's set a ride up!! We are riding Daley Ranch in Escondido Saturday morning at 0900 if you want to come. It will be a little over 12 miles with about 1,800' of climbing. You could ride it there. Let me now.

I might hit you up on this, if I don't go snowboarding. I'll call you tonight.