# Fork upgrade input. SID vs Pike vs 34 for DC



## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

Hey!
I've a 2021 epic evo Base model that got a bit of the lighten up treatment. So far 1300gr wheels, XT cassette and crankset. Much more of a fun bike with the lighter hoops! Currently at around 11.5kg with 2.4 wolfpack tires (cross + race combo) but below 11, with rocket ron liteskins..

I come from the road side of things and like a light fast and responsive bike, so keeping that in mind..

I've not really ever been impressed with the fork on this bike, it's my second bike so I don't have excessive comparison, but the sektor (150mm) on my old nukeproof has felt way better.
The Reba RL feels decent on a first hit but as soon as I hit high speed roots it feels stiff and like I'm loosing at bit of control and traction..
Natural way of upgrading would've been the SID Ultimate, lighter and supposedly both stiffer and lower friction(?) should handle better. However, I've been reading about quite some warranty replacements.. Which has rendered me less inclined so so to speak, anybody knows if I should shun away or if issue have been resolved? Currently on sale at 640eur with a remote.. Worth to take a shot? Should I instead splurge 1150 eur on a fox 34 stepcast with fit4 and remote? Worth it? Even lighter, but does it perform as well/better?

I've entertained the though of entering a few xc races, why I'm thinking of above racier forks which will also lower the overall weight, but in general I race triathlon and some road and on the mtb side of things I mostly do general trail riding, with maybe more of a speed and flow focus that jobbing or similar.

So given that I don't currently race the epic excessively.. Would I be better of finding my sought fork performance from a burlier fork like the 34 (non SC grip2), or the Pike? I'm.based in Europe so the 33 would also be 1100-1200eur but the pikes are currently on sale, I'd get the older one at around 670 eur (which I could put a remote lockout on couldn't I?) or the new one which is supposedly better, (but would add 200gr on my bike as opposed to removing 2-300 like the DC forks) for 805.

How would you reason, and do you have any pointers for me to consider? Am I expecting too much from the forks and should just stay on the reba? (Some.ppl write about it as a good fork, and others completely thrash the notion control damper..)

Thanks in advance! ❤


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## Jeremy05 (Oct 31, 2020)

I think it really depending on what you want to do with your bike. The Fox 34 SC is going to be light the best for XC Racing and the Fox 34 is going to be the best for harder trail riding. The SID falls right in the middle of those two in my opinion. I have hear a lot of people that have liked the SID forks and are impressed by it's weight vs performance, but your right there are some that have had problems with them. When I talked with Rockshox they told me the percent failures is relatively low (like 5% or less). 

I have the Fox 34 Grip 2 on my FS Ibis ripley and I also have the Reba RL on my hard tail Chisel. The Fox 34 does a lot better in the chunky sections than the Reba, but if I go on a long down hill with lost of roots it can start to feel a little harsh at times. If I were upgrading the fork on a Epic evo I would probably go for the Fox 34 non step cast. If money were tight I would for for the SID. I have road a few bikes with the SID select + and I would say it is a lot better fork than the reba. It is more plush, and torsionally stiffer.

Here's another way to look at it. Specialized does not spec the bike with a Fox SC fork, and the put the Fox 34 Fit 4 on their best bikes.
Epic Evo base = Reba RL
Epic Evo Expert = Sid Select +
Epic Evo Pro & S-works = Fox 34 Fit 4

On a side note if you are trying to take some of the harshness out of the trail you might look at getting a set of nice carbon bars. The Enve M6 bars do a lot for removing trail chatter.


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## MUSTCLIME (Jan 26, 2004)

The bike is never to heavy, you are to weak.
Light weight, cheap or strong….. you only get two choices.
FYI, the cheaper Rockshox have a lot of issues with bushing play. The only choice is the step cast fox 34.


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

MUSTCLIME said:


> The bike is never to heavy, you are to weak.
> Light weight, cheap or strong….. you only get two choices.
> FYI, the cheaper Rockshox have a lot of issues with bushing play. The only choice is the step cast fox 34.


Hahah yes, at 75kg, 240w LT and 290-300w AT/FTP I’m far from super competitive level, but also am not gonna consider myself weak 🙃
Will the FIT4 damper of the SC really be enough to make it feel like a worthwhile upgrade over the Reba? Tested a friends spectral 27.5 and wasn’t overly impressed with his fork either, albeit I think that one would need servicing.. 

And on the other hand, if I go with the non sc 34 at the 200gr penalty, (acceptable) would I miss the ability to lock out the fork in a standing sprint or similar in an xc race ? Or can the low speed compression be tuned so well that one doesn’t need to lock out for a good sprint ?


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

Jeremy05 said:


> I think it really depending on what you want to do with your bike. The Fox 34 SC is going to be light the best for XC Racing and the Fox 34 is going to be the best for harder trail riding. The SID falls right in the middle of those two in my opinion. I have hear a lot of people that have liked the SID forks and are impressed by it's weight vs performance, but your right there are some that have had problems with them. When I talked with Rockshox they told me the percent failures is relatively low (like 5% or less).
> 
> I have the Fox 34 Grip 2 on my FS Ibis ripley and I also have the Reba RL on my hard tail Chisel. The Fox 34 does a lot better in the chunky sections than the Reba, but if I go on a long down hill with lost of roots it can start to feel a little harsh at times. If I were upgrading the fork on a Epic evo I would probably go for the Fox 34 non step cast. If money were tight I would for for the SID. I have road a few bikes with the SID select + and I would say it is a lot better fork than the reba. It is more plush, and torsionally stiffer.
> 
> ...


Thank you very much ! Lots of good info in there and some to think about for sure ! I could probably afford both options but at some point one for sure starts to wonder where the point of diminishing returns lie, especially with the fox being almost twice the price !


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## Zeroselect (Aug 12, 2021)

RockShox just recently updated there line. I would wait for review of the new stuff comes out before deciding.


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## Cary (Dec 29, 2003)

How about one not on your list, Manitou R7 Pro. Better damper than any of your choices, about 650 Euros.


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## Hexsense (Aug 10, 2021)

Cary said:


> How about one not on your list, Manitou R7 Pro. Better damper than any of your choices, about 650 Euros.


Problem with R7 Pro for the OP is availability of remote lockout kit compatible with the current R7 Pro (not the old R7).
If it is commonly available, or OP don't need remote lockout. That'd be my recommendation too.


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## Jeremy05 (Oct 31, 2020)

You can still get a fit4 damper in the non step cast fox 34 fork. You could save a few $$ if you get the fox 34 performance instead of the factory.


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## eshew (Jan 30, 2004)

240? Short stroke a Lyrik or 36.


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## Cary (Dec 29, 2003)

eshew said:


> 240? Short stroke a Lyrik or 36.


240 Watts Long Term, his weight is 75kg, or 165 pounds Merican.


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## eshew (Jan 30, 2004)

I score good in reading comprehension.... Real good. 👍


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

Zeroselect said:


> RockShox just recently updated there line. I would wait for review of the new stuff comes out before deciding.


Yeah haven’t found many reviews, but have found a good deal on the new 2023 version pike 130mm for 800 EUR, albeit it weighs 1900gr. I’m starting to feel that this 1900 gr extreme or the 1500gr of the stepcast are probably both at the extreme ends though, and I should probably go for the SID or the normal 34? Unless someone tells me that the Step Cast (and FIT4) is plenty fine, or that one really needs to step up to the pike to get satisfied 🤷‍♂️


Cary said:


> How about one not on your list, Manitou R7 Pro. Better damper than any of your choices, about 650 Euros.


I’ve only found it for about 800, and suspecting that service parts and servicing might be harder to come by as it is a minor brand ? Living in Sweden so the VAT is a bit higher, might explain some differences. Apart from the big 2 I think Öhlins could be could being local, but they don’t get as favorable reviews, or are heavy. 


Jeremy05 said:


> You can still get a fit4 damper in the non step cast fox 34 fork. You could save a few $$ if you get the fox 34 performance instead of the factory.


so what you’re saying is that getting the 34 I can still switch the damper in case I need a lockout? How big of an operation is that, is it something one would do in prep for a race or race season or is it more permanent? From reading the reviews many praise the grip2 over the fit4, and I’m not reading a lot about the 34 SC being flimsy, so the main reason to get the normal 34 As opposed to the stepcast would be the grip2, am I mistaken here ?


Cary said:


> 240 Watts Long Term, his weight is 75kg, or 165 pounds Merican.


Thanks for the translation! Haven’t really gotten used to your freedom units, prefer the SI ones . LT= Lactate Threshold (first one), where blood lactate levels go above resting level, and one starts to burn more carbs. It also is about the pace one keeps for longer duration events, such as the bike ride in an Ironman, saving oneself for the marathon at the end, so Long Term is actually a pretty good mistranslation as it describes what it actually means. I might start using it ! What people usually refer to as threshold normally is called anaerobic threshold (at) and it’s the limit where you can transport as much lactate as you’re producing. It roughly corresponds with FTP.


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## PlanB (Nov 22, 2007)

I have a 2022 Fox Factory Stepcast 120mm and a 2021 Pike Ultimate that I use on my 2022 Top Fuel. They both are excellent in very different ways. 

The Stepcast is very light and stiff enough. The damper is very “supportive” but struggles on truly technical terrain. Successive rock/root sections on long downhills kill my hands. I’m not giving up completely, but I think I have realized it’s simply a “race” fork that shines in XCO type settings.

The Pike is better in every way except it’s a couple hundred grams heavier. It has no lockout but I really don’t care. I like to be able to lock the rear shock but a properly set up fork never bothers me.

So, I think I’ll run the Stepcast in our short XC races and probably put the Pike on for technical stage races etc. For reference, I’m about 175 Freedom Units and live on Vancouver island.

A regular non Stepcast 34 with a FIT4 damper sounds like the worst of both worlds: lousy in the rough AND kinda heavy. If you must have that damper you might as well save the weight with Stepcast. A standard GRIP 34 is a fine fork that could have a lockout. I assume this combo exists? The GRIP damper is actually great. Not as tunable as GRIP2 but hey… 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Cary (Dec 29, 2003)

Tichytpf said:


> Yeah haven’t found many reviews, but have found a good deal on the new 2023 version pike 130mm for 800 EUR, albeit it weighs 1900gr. I’m starting to feel that this 1900 gr extreme or the 1500gr of the stepcast are probably both at the extreme ends though, and I should probably go for the SID or the normal 34? Unless someone tells me that the Step Cast (and FIT4) is plenty fine, or that one really needs to step up to the pike to get satisfied 🤷‍♂️
> 
> I’ve only found it for about 800, and suspecting that service parts and servicing might be harder to come by as it is a minor brand ? Living in Sweden so the VAT is a bit higher, might explain some differences. Apart from the big 2 I think Öhlins could be could being local, but they don’t get as favorable reviews, or are heavy.
> 
> ...


We tried to go SI in the late 70s, but it never took. It is funny, because instead we end up with people mixing units. People look at bike parts in grams, but total bike weight in pounds.

Manitou is easily serviced and parts widely available from the German online shops. Ironically, I end up buying a lot of Manitou from Germany and having it shipped to the USA, as it is significantly less expensive, as are tires and Magura brakes.


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## Hexsense (Aug 10, 2021)

Tichytpf said:


> Thanks for the translation! Haven’t really gotten used to your freedom units, prefer the SI ones . LT= Lactate Threshold (first one), where blood lactate levels go above resting level, and one starts to burn more carbs. It also is about the pace one keeps for longer duration events, such as the bike ride in an Ironman, saving oneself for the marathon at the end, so Long Term is actually a pretty good mistranslation as it describes what it actually means. I might start using it ! What people usually refer to as threshold normally is called anaerobic threshold (at) and it’s the limit where you can transport as much lactate as you’re producing. It roughly corresponds with FTP.


Your LT1 is similar to my LT2, so kudo to that.
That kind of power means you are well trained, and definitely not in the beginner race field. I can see why you are serious and concern not to lose those hard earned watts to the suspension bob in sprint.

However, there is no fork with full lockout that ride plush on hard hits (,well Manitou R7 Pro but the remote lock out kit is hard to find). To have a firm lockout with blow off valve when hitting something really hard, the high speed compression circuit must be preloaded pretty heavily and that won't feel plush on hard hits. You can get small bump compliance, you can get support. But as soon as you hit something hard and fast, it won't be too kind to your hands. Suspension tuners can tune out that preload HSC. But that'll also make the lockout less firm. You can't get both plush ride and firm lockout from one damper circuit (You can, with TWO separate circuits. But that'll weight more, like Manitou R7 Pro).

I also come from road background and both my skills and core muscle are really lacking. My upper body is way undertrained to handle race stiff suspension setting.
Personally, I give up on the remote lockout and use damper that allow me to be more comfortable and in control. Then, since I'm more comfortable rather than feeling beat up, I can push harder on later race laps.


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## combfilter (Jan 10, 2012)

I have a base model EE and upgraded both the Reba and the **** select plus whatever the shock. They had to put a gnardawg token in that thing to try to make it feel stiff on the ramp up, but it's just crap. The reba wasn't bad, it just wasn't good. 

So I got the 190x40 dps and the SC34. Night and day difference. I finally have small bump compliancy now. Which is mostly what I need for XCM/XCO stuff. I am not the biggest weight weenie so I did not upgrade for that reason. I just wanted something that would be better with small bumps when sag is set correctly and also something that can rebound a bit faster. The REBA just couldn't. 

I am a light rider on a medium bike. 145lbs. So far on my initial 2 rides with the new fox fork/shock everything already seems perfect. Like I believe the SC comes with 1x token, and not even sure what the dps comes with but I don't feel I need to add any tokens at all. It ramp's up nice and linear and doesn't bottom out with 25% sag (yes i know specialized says 30% on the EE but they are all screwed up anyways)


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

PlanB said:


> I have a 2022 Fox Factory Stepcast 120mm and a 2021 Pike Ultimate that I use on my 2022 Top Fuel. They both are excellent in very different ways.
> 
> The Stepcast is very light and stiff enough. The damper is very “supportive” but struggles on truly technical terrain. Successive rock/root sections on long downhills kill my hands. I’m not giving up completely, but I think I have realized it’s simply a “race” fork that shines in XCO type settings.
> 
> ...


Really nice to hear the comparison! I'm starting to doubt the SC34 for the reasons you describe, apart from being pricey. 
Will look into either the normal 34, the pike, or just taking my chances with the SID being on sale and hoping they got their stuff together.. I've found a new takeoff. 34 factory 130mm with grip2 at around 650. Should be a no-brainer? 


Cary said:


> We tried to go SI in the late 70s, but it never took. It is funny, because instead we end up with people mixing units. People look at bike parts in grams, but total bike weight in pounds.
> 
> Manitou is easily serviced and parts widely available from the German online shops. Ironically, I end up buying a lot of Manitou from Germany and having it shipped to the USA, as it is significantly less expensive, as are tires and Magura brakes.


Haha yeah, mixing units is FUBAR. But even mixing feet, inches and miles with no even base is also a bit WTFBBQ . 



Hexsense said:


> Your LT1 is similar to my LT2, so kudo to that.
> That kind of power means you are well trained, and definitely not in the beginner race field. I can see why you are serious and concern not to lose those hard earned watts to the suspension bob in sprint.
> 
> However, there is no fork with full lockout that ride plush on hard hits (,well Manitou R7 Pro but the remote lock out kit is hard to find). To have a firm lockout with blow off valve when hitting something really hard, the high speed compression circuit must be preloaded pretty heavily and that won't feel plush on hard hits. You can get small bump compliance, you can get support. But as soon as you hit something hard and fast, it won't be too kind to your hands. Suspension tuners can tune out that preload HSC. But that'll also make the lockout less firm. You can't get both plush ride and firm lockout from one damper circuit (You can, with TWO separate circuits. But that'll weight more, like Manitou R7 Pro).
> ...


Thank you dear sir for kind words. I do a bit of road, and race triathlons these days, mountain biking is more for fun on the trails as of now, so I don't need the pointiest most racy setup, but I do like to keep a high pace and keep the bike feeling quick. You seem to guide me onto the idea of just going for the non-lockout table forks. I rarely lock up now, would also not do it on most part of the race unless a gravel sprint. Sitting and spinning I don't feel I need to lockouts currently.. 



combfilter said:


> I have a base model EE and upgraded both the Reba and the **** select plus whatever the shock. They had to put a gnardawg token in that thing to try to make it feel stiff on the ramp up, but it's just crap. The reba wasn't bad, it just wasn't good.
> 
> So I got the 190x40 dps and the SC34. Night and day difference. I finally have small bump compliancy now. Which is mostly what I need for XCM/XCO stuff. I am not the biggest weight weenie so I did not upgrade for that reason. I just wanted something that would be better with small bumps when sag is set correctly and also something that can rebound a bit faster. The REBA just couldn't.
> 
> ...


Sweet ride! Really nice to hear you got it sorted! It also gives me confidence that whatever I choose its will be an upgrade, if even the light SC34 with the FIT4 gives the sought small bump compliance and suppleness over repeated hits, maybe I should reconsider and go for that? Also a bit funny that you hate more on the shock? Coming from a hardtail I enjoy the shock and feel its alright, whereas the fork feels nah.


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

Ping! 
Anybody knows if the 2022 34 oem factory are different from the retail in any significant manner apart from being matte (in this case) rather than glossy? Higher weight? As good?

I've a deal going on a new takeoff 2022 34 Grip2 from a Cube Stereo 120 for EUR 650. Yay or nay for me, fellow threaders?


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## V8Interceptor (Aug 24, 2014)

Has the SID Ultimate avoided the bushing issues the lesser SID’s have?


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

V8Interceptor said:


> Has the SID Ultimate avoided the bushing issues the lesser SID’s have?


From what I’ve heard they all have the issue. I did however get the following answer from RockShox : 
“We have fixed the issue of bushing play at our manufacturing plant for the SID chassis forks. If you purchased a SID fork today that developed bushing play, this would be covered under warranty if you're the original owner and the original date of purchase is within two years.”


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

Thanks a lot, especially @Jeremy05 @PlanB @Cary @combfilter @Hexsense. 
your input proved valuable and I took the plunge. Bought the 130mm Fox 34 Grip2, it’s more plush, has better small bump compliance AND support through berms and braking. Better than I could’ve imagined. The Reba felt like it both wasn’t soaking up the small bumps but also dove in turns etc.


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## TrustyAxe (Dec 21, 2020)

FWIW I recently put a 2022 Fox 34 130mm Grip2 on my 21 comp and I couldn't be happier. Magic carpet on our local roots and a very slight but appreciated BB boost.


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

TrustyAxe said:


> FWIW I recently put a 2022 Fox 34 130mm Grip2 on my 21 comp and I couldn't be happier. Magic carpet on our local roots and a very slight but appreciated BB boost.


Completely agree to this! I couldn't believe how big the difference from the Reba was! With the comp, you had the SID Select+ right? So big difference also from this one? 

Now i wonder which damper to get 🤪
And do I dare to go long-stroking for a 120mm rear end?


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## TrustyAxe (Dec 21, 2020)

Tichytpf said:


> Completely agree to this! I couldn't believe how big the difference from the Reba was! With the comp, you had the SID Select+ right? So big difference also from this one?
> 
> Now i wonder which damper to get 🤪
> And do I dare to go long-stroking for a 120mm rear end?


Yes I had the Select+, and I liked it.. but putting the Fox Factory 34 130mm with the Grip2 damper...made a HUGE difference. Some folks on the EE thread suggested the Grip2 and I had the Fit4 on another bike so I wanted to try it. I kept the rear travel the same and had the off the shelf shock sent to fox for the epic evo specific tune. It is a solid platform and climbs like a beast. Some of the best money I've ever spent.


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

TrustyAxe said:


> Yes I had the Select+, and I liked it.. but putting the Fox Factory 34 130mm with the Grip2 damper...made a HUGE difference. Some folks on the EE thread suggested the Grip2 and I had the Fit4 on another bike so I wanted to try it. I kept the rear travel the same and had the off the shelf shock sent to fox for the epic evo specific tune. It is a solid platform and climbs like a beast. Some of the best money I've ever spent.
> View attachment 1992369
> View attachment 1992373


How do you appreciate the difference from the Deluxe Select to the DPS?


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## TrustyAxe (Dec 21, 2020)

Tichytpf said:


> How do you appreciate the difference from the Deluxe Select to the DPS?


Night and day difference.


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

TrustyAxe said:


> Night and day difference.


 so as transformative as the fork swap? Better small bump sensitivity? Better support? Do you reckon I'll get 95% there with a DPS Performance? I've found one used (and newly serviced) at about 130EUR. Quite the difference from 700 for a new Factory (+tuning??)


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## TrustyAxe (Dec 21, 2020)

Tichytpf said:


> so as transformative as the fork swap? Better small bump sensitivity? Better support? Do you reckon I'll get 95% there with a DPS Performance? I've found one used (and newly serviced) at about 130EUR. Quite the difference from 700 for a new Factory (+tuning??)


So I would say yes, equal to the fork swap but keeping in mind the fork (to me) is a greater suspension component in general. Small bump chatter is all but gone, and the support is much improved, more than expected as the stock RS seemed pretty good until I put the DPS on. Getting my bike specific tune from Fox is something I don't regret, off the shelf is a medium linear tune and the EE is light linear. Tuning was $160 but I did get a deal on my shock from another member who had it on back order and then went another way.

It's a "buy once cry once" situation. People think they are saving money when buying a lesser product but your actually spending money...just a little less. Saving is putting it in the bank, if you're buying something then just get what you want and never look back. 🤙🏻✌🏻


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

TrustyAxe said:


> So I would say yes, equal to the fork swap but keeping in mind the fork (to me) is a greater suspension component in general. Small bump chatter is all but gone, and the support is much improved, more than expected as the stock RS seemed pretty good until I put the DPS on. Getting my bike specific tune from Fox is something I don't regret, off the shelf is a medium linear tune and the EE is light linear. Tuning was $160 but I did get a deal on my shock from another member who had it on back order and then went another way.
> 
> It's a "buy once cry once" situation. People think they are saving money when buying a lesser product but your actually spending money...just a little less. Saving is putting it in the bank, if you're buying something then just get what you want and never look back. 🤙🏻✌🏻


Good input! Yeah compared to the Reba I found the shock definitely good enough. Compared to the fox 34 I can feel the shock not being as nice as the fork, but also regarding that, not sure how much improvement one could reasonably expect  
Did you ever ride the stock before tuning? 
How (and how much) is shock "support" appreciated. I didn't know I lacked support on the Reba but immediately felt it jumping onto the fox where I felt it.wpuldnt bog down and throw me forward on turns and during braking.


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## combfilter (Jan 10, 2012)

Tichytpf said:


> so as transformative as the fork swap? Better small bump sensitivity? Better support? Do you reckon I'll get 95% there with a DPS Performance? I've found one used (and newly serviced) at about 130EUR. Quite the difference from 700 for a new Factory (+tuning??)


You weren't talking to me but I think I can help with your decision. As you might have seen previous in this thread I also went from a REBA (which wasn't bad, it just wasn't good), to a Fox fork. Now I went to the Fox SC 34 factory. I also went from the crappy select + or whatever the RS name is that was on my EE to the DPS. I went with factory on both, but that is because I get EP pricing (which with fox isn't much at all). 

With my history of riding both fox and RS in XC/XCO settings, I can tell you that on the fork, I'd go with factory all day long because the area you will typically experience stiction is on the fork. Now on the shock because it's under constant load with more centered weight on it, I think you are fine with performance in that area. Seems like stiction doesn't become a problem until you start increasing stanchion size. Now this is from a light rider (145lbs)...YMMV. I am also not a suspension expert but I know enough and what I've experience. 

It also depends on your riding style. My personal view is this
Fox = Better small bump compliance, smoother action but more responsive if you run faster rebounds. 
Fox Warranty = Total ****. They act like there is nothing and never could be anything wrong with their forks. It's a PITA dealing with warranty for them. Even if your suspension is 1yr old.

RS = Better Big Hit stuff. Tend to have more stiction. Way hard to get correct SAG vs Actual proper fork action. It's hard to find that balance. Typically I have to run greater sag to get it to feel right. 
RS Warranty = Much better than fox. For the most part they are pretty easy to deal with. SRAM is like that actually with most of their stuff. 

IMO Get that performance one if it's not leaking and in good shape.


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

combfilter said:


> You weren't talking to me but I think I can help with your decision. As you might have seen previous in this thread I also went from a REBA (which wasn't bad, it just wasn't good), to a Fox fork. Now I went to the Fox SC 34 factory. I also went from the crappy select + or whatever the RS name is that was on my EE to the DPS. I went with factory on both, but that is because I get EP pricing (which with fox isn't much at all).
> 
> With my history of riding both fox and RS in XC/XCO settings, I can tell you that on the fork, I'd go with factory all day long because the area you will typically experience stiction is on the fork. Now on the shock because it's under constant load with more centered weight on it, I think you are fine with performance in that area. Seems like stiction doesn't become a problem until you start increasing stanchion size. Now this is from a light rider (145lbs)...YMMV. I am also not a suspension expert but I know enough and what I've experience.
> 
> ...


thank you very much! I guess this is the point of public forum, that you don’t necessarily speak to an individual but for everyone, and that anyone can chime in.

thank you very much for your input! Your explanations of the differences between fox and rockshox also do make sense in what I’ve experienced so far, and why I’d want fox. I like riding at high pace over rocks and roots and occasionally fiddling with the odd smaller table top jump. I don’t need big hit capabilities, but I want smooth action to deal with the chatter and handle like medium sized square edges hits quite the bit.


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## Imfamousinkorea (6 mo ago)

PlanB said:


> I have a 2022 Fox Factory Stepcast 120mm and a 2021 Pike Ultimate that I use on my 2022 Top Fuel. They both are excellent in very different ways.
> 
> The Stepcast is very light and stiff enough. The damper is very “supportive” but struggles on truly technical terrain. Successive rock/root sections on long downhills kill my hands. I’m not giving up completely, but I think I have realized it’s simply a “race” fork that shines in XCO type settings.
> 
> ...


I also have a similar situation.

XC racer riding an epic. I used to have a sc32 but I found it lacked in just about every way imaginable so I just upgraded to a 120mm Pike ultimate and hoping this is just what I'm looking for. 

The 300 extra grams over the sc34 seems almost negligible to me, but we'll see after riding it a few weeks.

For reference, I'm about 170 pounds and have around a 310 FTP. I ride super aggressive so I wanted something a little more capable than the Stepcast 32.

Curious on anyone else's thoughts on racing a Pike. I tend to do 50 miles and up distance.


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

@combfilter @TrustyAxe any point in going for a dpx2 or a float x? Or no point on such a small bike?


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## Hexsense (Aug 10, 2021)

Imfamousinkorea said:


> I also have a similar situation.
> 
> XC racer riding an epic. I used to have a sc32 but I found it lacked in just about every way imaginable so I just upgraded to a 120mm Pike ultimate and hoping this is just what I'm looking for.
> 
> ...


hmm and wouldn't that be a bit imbalance between cushy ride Pike and brain-equipped rear shock Epic?


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## combfilter (Jan 10, 2012)

Tichytpf said:


> @combfilter @TrustyAxe any point in going for a dpx2 or a float x? Or no point on such a small bike?


I don't see a reason. I Just got back from hammering my bike in Angle Fire, NM. Both on the rocky/chunky descent down southboundry black, and the bike park at Angle Fire. While my friends were on 150 travel bikes, I was on my EE with the SC 34/dps and it was never a limiting factor. I mean yeah if I could have had 150 for some of the bike park it would have been better, but my EE with that setup did just fine and the climbing part of south boundry obviously my EE was the right choice. 

I don't see trying to go much more aggressive on the EE with the dpx2 or float. YMMV.


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## TrustyAxe (Dec 21, 2020)

Tichytpf said:


> @combfilter @TrustyAxe any point in going for a dpx2 or a float x? Or no point on such a small bike?


No I'm quite happy with it as is. I've been riding our roughest local trail exclusively and it climbs better than stock and nothing is sore after a ride.


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

combfilter said:


> I don't see a reason. I Just got back from hammering my bike in Angle Fire, NM. Both on the rocky/chunky descent down southboundry black, and the bike park at Angle Fire. While my friends were on 150 travel bikes, I was on my EE with the SC 34/dps and it was never a limiting factor. I mean yeah if I could have had 150 for some of the bike park it would have been better, but my EE with that setup did just fine and the climbing part of south boundry obviously my EE was the right choice.
> 
> I don't see trying to go much more aggressive on the EE with the dpx2 or float. YMMV.


Thanks! Sounds great! 

Also @Hexsense, I've come across your write-up of some DC fork/shock comparisons over on star-bike as well as the Mara thread on this forum. Knowing what you know now, would you recommend the online mara or the DPS? (Or maybe even cc il/Öhlins IL?)


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## Hexsense (Aug 10, 2021)

Tichytpf said:


> Thanks! Sounds great!
> 
> Also @Hexsense, I've come across your write-up of some DC fork/shock comparisons over on star-bike as well as the Mara thread on this forum. Knowing what you know now, would you recommend the online mara or the DPS? (Or maybe even cc il/Öhlins IL?)


Do you mind a bit of extra weight? If you don't. Then Mara Inline is superior.
If weight is more important than (rear) suspension performance then DPS. Like, people do fine with hard tail right? So any rear suspension is already a trade of weight for comfort/traction over hard tail in that sense.

Personally, I have too much extra fat to care about these weight diff. I'm not in a racer shape right now.


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

Hexsense said:


> Do you mind a bit of extra weight? If you don't. Then Mara Inline is superior.
> If weight is more important than (rear) suspension performance then DPS. Like, people do fine with hard tail right? So any rear suspension is already a trade of weight for comfort/traction over hard tail in that sense.


I guess sort of but not really.. I don't think I'd put a 700gr coil on this bike... And whilst dropping 100 gr of the stock deluxe select+ would've been nice it's not the primary reason for switching..I feel like the Deluxe Select is either snot upportive enough or either not plush enough depending on the pressure I run, compare to the fork it almost gives me the hardtail bum kick.. The Mara is comparative weight wise to the Deluxe Select so at least I'm not making the bike any heavier..


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## colourwyj (2 mo ago)

Tichytpf said:


> Ping!
> Anybody knows if the 2022 34 oem factory are different from the retail in any significant manner apart from being matte (in this case) rather than glossy? Higher weight? As good?
> 
> I've a deal going on a new takeoff 2022 34 Grip2 from a Cube Stereo 120 for EUR 650. Yay or nay for me, fellow threaders?


34 grip2 is a good choice,fit4 is bad.but factory don't have 120mm grip2, u need take a short.
If u want to take XC race,i think sid ult 120mm is better.


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## Tichytpf (May 24, 2021)

colourwyj said:


> 34 grip2 is a good choice,fit4 is bad.but factory don't have 120mm grip2, u need take a short.
> If u want to take XC race,i think sid ult 120mm is better.


I went with the Fox 34 grip2 in 130mm and the DPS (still at 190x40, but planning to make it 190x45). I tried cycling the suspension the whole current range while deflated and to my eye the yoke reaches the maximum seat stay deflection point already with 190x40, meaning that 190x45 will actually flex less at the bottom out, but make for a slightly more regressive or linear spring curve at bottom out. Might not be a completely bad thing on air suspension, or might be tuned with the tokens. The seatstay bridge has another 13-15mm of range so another 5mm of stroke should not be a problem, so I think it's gonna be absolutely fine to run 190x45. 

Now I'm slightly debating with myself why I didn't try the Float X instead, or even went for it when it could've been had for 460 EUR during Black Friday .
Trying to tell myself that 2 bottles wouldn't have fit ot a medium size frame with a piggy back to make myself feel better, but is that even true?


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## colourwyj (2 mo ago)

Tichytpf said:


> I went with the Fox 34 grip2 in 130mm and the DPS (still at 190x40, but planning to make it 190x45). I tried cycling the suspension the whole current range while deflated and to my eye the yoke reaches the maximum seat stay deflection point already with 190x40, meaning that 190x45 will actually flex less at the bottom out, but make for a slightly more regressive or linear spring curve at bottom out. Might not be a completely bad thing on air suspension, or might be tuned with the tokens. The seatstay bridge has another 13-15mm of range so another 5mm of stroke should not be a problem, so I think it's gonna be absolutely fine to run 190x45.
> 
> Now I'm slightly debating with myself why I didn't try the Float X instead, or even went for it when it could've been had for 460 EUR during Black Friday .
> Trying to tell myself that 2 bottles wouldn't have fit ot a medium size frame with a piggy back to make myself feel better, but is that even true?


I also went with the Fox 34 grip2 in 130mm
and ROCKSHOX Superdeluxe has a size of 190*42.5, is a good choice,but I didn't find any purchase channels


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## colourwyj (2 mo ago)

Tichytpf said:


> I went with the Fox 34 grip2 in 130mm and the DPS (still at 190x40, but planning to make it 190x45). I tried cycling the suspension the whole current range while deflated and to my eye the yoke reaches the maximum seat stay deflection point already with 190x40, meaning that 190x45 will actually flex less at the bottom out, but make for a slightly more regressive or linear spring curve at bottom out. Might not be a completely bad thing on air suspension, or might be tuned with the tokens. The seatstay bridge has another 13-15mm of range so another 5mm of stroke should not be a problem, so I think it's gonna be absolutely fine to run 190x45.
> 
> Now I'm slightly debating with myself why I didn't try the Float X instead, or even went for it when it could've been had for 460 EUR during Black Friday .
> Trying to tell myself that 2 bottles wouldn't have fit ot a medium size frame with a piggy back to make myself feel better, but is that even true?


I hope FLOAT X will produce 190*42.5mm


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