Fork Choices for Zion (26") Frame SS

I have got two forks available in the pile... One is a Fox Vanilla RLC (Coil Spring - reduced to 100mm travel with lock out), the other is a Fox TALAS R (Air Spring - 90mm to 130mm).

Opinions on which would be okay, or suggested for the Zion frame 660ebb are requested...

Thanks!

 

If I go with the 737, I'm thinking Zion's suspension corrected rigid.

 

Why so much travel on a SS?

 

My opinion is always go air over coil for XC/trail use. So go with the TALAS and just keep it set around 100mm or below.

Good luck with that. What's the ETA on that new bike anyway?

 

Go Vanilla. You'll like the lockout on the long fireroad climbs. Plus, according to weightweenies.com you're only saving 100-200g by using the Talas. The Zion is designed around an 80mm, 100mm should be enough.

 

Why not try them both since they're available to you and pick the one you like better?

 

i agree go air bud...i have a coil fork right now and totally HATE it. I'm not a weight weenie but i do notice a weight difference with this fork. and dont go more than 100mm of travel you'll really screw with your geo

 

Cause it is what I got laying around in the garage at the moment. Tried rigid before, won't work for these old bones.

 

Yeah, my goal was to stick to 100mm due to the geo. Just wanted some opinions as the fork I do not use, goes up for sale along with a box full of parts (we CLEANED the garage finally) The Fox Vanilla is a super fork and may be worth the extra lbs (plus I can lose a few myself).

Tried rigid a couple of years back, and my wrists etc could not take the beating. I tend to be a "run into it" type of rider and my old road racing (moto) bones can't take it. Need some cush...

Plus I can lose a few grams as well...

 

Couldn't agree more on the rigid thing. I ran a Reba on my SS and decided to try a rigid. That lasted all of 4 rides. I absolutley hated it. I know others like it, but it just wasn't for me.

I recently put the Reba back on. I knew it was time to go back to the Reba when I found myself making excuses to not ride the SS.

 

kind of ontopic but why is everyone's choice a REBA when i read that the TORA 318 w/ travel adjustment is very similar in spec but less costly?

 

Is the Tora available in dual air? The coil adds weight.

I just wanted something with a lock-out and something that was really light. The 318 Solo Air Tora weighs 4.5 lbs. The dual air Reba SL I run weighs 3.5. So, you're talking a pound heavier with the Tora. I'd like to go with a Fox F100 when I can afford it.

 

i went through the specs after i asked you and the weight is a lb more dam that does make a big difference

 

The F100 is even lighter than the Reba. Well, lighter by .20 lbs. Not very much really, but hey, it's a Fox. I've been partial to Fox stuff since I started MTBing. Plus it's so d@mn sexy!!

 

I run a Talas on my Zion. I keep it at the 100mm setting at all times no matter what I'm descending and the weight is of no concern on a $200 frame. I've tried using longer settings on the fork and it just throws the bike's handling in the sh!tter.

 

Lately it's looking like sometime around hell freezing over. I need Foo's Jedi mind trick.

 

if you want to know how it's done...do you have stuff that is yours that you're no longer using that you can sell? if you do technically the proceeds of that sale belongs to you since it was your "toy". That's how I did it, only tapped into the general fund once for brakes ($90) and that was it. wife couldnt argue that

 

Foo, you don't need 100m. Heck you don't need 80mm. You just need some flex/muscles in your arms. Run a carbon fork! Feel what the full frontal nature preserve has to offer.

 

Well neither of the garage forks will work so off to the pile of stuff to sell for them. Due to the Zion's head tube being approx 3/4-1" longer than the Schwinn or past bikes they were on, I do not have enough steerer on the forks (they were cut down to around 7.5") with an almost 5" head tube (size large), the Cane Creek S3 headset and the short steerer tube, no can do safely.

In addition to that item, my available front wheel had a torx rotor bolt sheared off at one point in time, so gonna try tapping it out...

Time to look for a fork...

 

If you're interested in an F80, we've got one that used to be on my Surly. I don't have the specs on the steerer tube length, but you can PM Mechmann.