# Forks (price no object)



## mild beast (Jan 15, 2008)

i am getting another UA/DJ bike. i want a fork that is lighter than [my] DJ 3 and has less travel. i searched this forum and was unsuccessful in finding a thread about this. i looked through the review section as well, but it didn't really answer my question.

so, if you could spend whatever on a fork, what would be THREE of your choices. needs to be lighter than a Marzo DJ3 and less travel.

also, off this topic, i was at "The Tap" in Mammoth last summer. soakin' up beer after ridin' all day. there is a lot talk in there. some dude was spoutin' off about a DH fork that was "$5000". i.. i never hears of such a thing. seems extremely unlikely. anyone know of such a thing?


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## -.---.- (Jun 15, 2007)

I dont know in which order, but a pike, 4x and... argyle 418? All very light for their sturdiness and capabilities.


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

Most expensive DH fork I know of is the Foes F1-XTD ringing in at 2382 bucks. 5k sounds like BS to me.

If you have a DJ3 you probably have QR dropouts... so most forks won't fork for you. You'll need a new hub for the 20mm thru-axle.

Gold Label is a good fork and light. Pike is very versatile. 4x is light. There are some people beating up XC forks like the Reba, Revelation, Van, Float, etc. Most of these forks can all be reduced for less travel and a lower A2C height.


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

'08 Nemesis Project Tuned 4x WC @ any travel you wish
Gold Label II 80mm
Argyle Air(don't remember the number of the model) @ 80 or 60mm.

If price is no object at all, a Fox Racing Shox 36 Float lowered to 80mm would be a nice one too.


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## BikeSATORI (Mar 20, 2004)

money no object for a susp. fork... I would contract Ohlins or Showa, or heck, even fox for their internals, then have doug bradbury (or hey, GMD, you up for another project? hahaha) machine up some old school stuff like the original Manitous, have an a2c of around 440mm, have about 60-70mm of travel, and have lateral laser fire on demand with wheelie hang time in order to cut opponents spokes when shredding hell track. and with the fork boots on too, just for good measure. I don't want any sand getting in my seals then having the lasers turn it to glass.

Or heck, I'd try out one of those atomlab forks too.

I like my DJ2 slammed to 55mm, and with the disc tabs shaved off. Pike with a duke u-turn is trick.


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## mild beast (Jan 15, 2008)

ok.. so i am seeing this "chop the fork" thing. i had seen this in other threads and know nothing about it. i am curious about the cost / benefit of it. i mean, how much weight are you going to save? 

the reason i say "less travel" is that i never come close to bottoming out the forks. well, there is like an 1.5" inches left. so that's like .. ~35mm of unused travel.

as for the through axle vs. quick release, yeah, i have NO problem getting an entire new wheel setup.

glad to hear the $5k thing was BS. i mean, i obviously don't know that much about forks. but as a common sense thing, it didn't seem even possible. i mean, the most expensive DH bikes are prolly $7-$8k ... i can't see the fork being more than 50% of the cost. wtf? 
and yeah.. you get a bunch of mtn hippies together and brewed up, they'll come up with all sorts of ridiculous things. 

i'll check on each and every one of those forks mentioned. but i still have questions about the fork chopping thing. seems like that would cost a lot of money to have that done. i mean, you can't just have some donkey doing that kind of work.


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

Actually, lowering a fork isn't all that hard.


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

I can reduce the travel on any of the above forks in well under half an hour. Longer for those who haven't done it before...


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## mild beast (Jan 15, 2008)

i checked out the Manitou Gold. price is very nice. 

sounds like yer not actually cutting the fork, which i interpreted to be a weight saving thing (wrong). i like the rise. i'd keep that. 

thanks for point me in the right direction.


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## BWVDubya (Nov 19, 2007)

mild beast said:


> the most expensive DH bikes are prolly $7-$8k ...


That is until you buy a Nicolai Nucleon TST frame for roughly 10 large
1 euro = 1.47 USD
Nicolai Nucleon TST frame 6191,58 euros = $9,050.16 (I think I did the conversion right)

Oh yeah, and as for the fork...I have a PIKE but am yet to ride it because Im still waiting for my headset dammit. Anyway, I ordered it for its versatility and specifically the 426 for the steel steerer tube, the 409 has a steel one as well, but its up to you


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## Mountain biker 41 (Oct 13, 2007)

Just a suggestion/questions: What if you/could lower a manitou nixon?theyre like 4.5 pounds, and I have one that I love....just my 2 cents


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## Uncle Cliffy (Jul 7, 2006)

Argyle 409. Easy to set-up, smooth as buttah. :thumbsup:


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

Mountain biker 41 said:


> Just a suggestion/questions: What if you/could lower a manitou nixon?theyre like 4.5 pounds, and I have one that I love....just my 2 cents


I actually think you could on the TPC models, they have very similar internals to a sherman.


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

Some of the Nixon came with a IT (infinite travel) adjust. Brilliant!

Keep in mind it's intended purpose though... don't cry when you smash it into the lip of a jump and break it.


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## Mountain biker 41 (Oct 13, 2007)

Boy, I might just do that once I get my STP(right xsl will? LOL)


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## -.---.- (Jun 15, 2007)

XSL_WiLL said:


> Most expensive DH fork I know of is the Foes F1-XTD ringing in at 2382 bucks. 5k sounds like BS to me.
> 
> If you have a DJ3 you probably have QR dropouts... so most forks won't fork for you. You'll need a new hub for the 20mm thru-axle.
> 
> Gold Label is a good fork and light. Pike is very versatile. 4x is light. There are some people beating up XC forks like the Reba, Revelation, Van, Float, etc. Most of these forks can all be reduced for less travel and a lower A2C height.


on my current so called "dj"bike, I've got a old suntour from all the way back... 2000 or 1999.
It handels drops, crashes and force extremely well, while the new price for such a fork then was only 100$. And yes it's a suntour.:thumbsup:


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## buckoW (Feb 7, 2007)

a 36 Float at 90mm?


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## dpspac3 (Oct 4, 2007)

I have an oem dj3 I've been trying to trade for a used dj frame for months. the fork is straight from factory, unused, with 20mm thru axle, not qr. the sticker over-sheets are still even intact. If you've got an old frame laying around you dont use, I'd trade.


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

dpspac3 said:


> I have an oem dj3 I've been trying to trade for a used dj frame for months. the fork is straight from factory, unused, with 20mm thru axle, not qr. the sticker over-sheets are still even intact. If you've got an old frame laying around you dont use, I'd trade.


Why don't you sell it on ebay and buy a steelhead or something?


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## dpspac3 (Oct 4, 2007)

yeah, thats the plan. I'm actually back in the money and may even be able to buy the '08 steelhead, maybe even a DMR drone complete.


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## euroford (Sep 10, 2006)

lowered fox float 36 rc2. duh.


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## dhmtb7 (May 27, 2005)

any fox. travel adjust makes it easier but you can make any of them (except the 40?) at around 100mm. i have an 07 talas rlc that works great, ridden the crap out of it and it is still going strong. and it is light


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## pancho4 (Jul 4, 2006)

nempro tuned 4x mmmmmm oh the things that are missing from my bike.....


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## mild beast (Jan 15, 2008)

HEYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

serious question: is it ok to 'store' you bike upside down? 

a friend of mine said it is NOT good to leave your FORK upside down. ok, my 66 has oil in it. but the DJ's, i don't think there is oil damping. 

anyway.. the question is, is it ok to store a bike that way. they are so much tamer in the inverted position. 

if you know the truth on this, lemme know. word.


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

mild beast said:


> HEYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> serious question: is it ok to 'store' you bike upside down?
> 
> ...


Wrong.

Actually it's better to keep it upside down as it keeps the seals, bushings and dust seals moist.


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## mild beast (Jan 15, 2008)

snaky69 said:


> Wrong.
> 
> Actually it's better to keep it upside down as it keeps the seals, bushings and dust seals moist.


sweet. they are all getting inverted when i get home.

thanks for the response.


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

snaky69 said:


> Wrong.
> 
> Actually it's better to keep it upside down as it keeps the seals, bushings and dust seals moist.


Unless you had something like the Psylo where air could get into the damper and make it not work right. And of course if your brakes are not bled correctly this could give you problems.


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

XSL_WiLL said:


> Unless you had something like the Psylo where air could get into the damper and make it not work right. And of course if your brakes are not bled correctly this could give you problems.


Ah the psylo, brings back memories from a buddies bike.


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## euroford (Sep 10, 2006)

fox recommends storing the bike upside down to keep the seals lubed. i personally don't ever store my bike as i ride it almost daily, so every now and then i'll get a squeak indicating the seals are dry. just flip it over, give the shock a couple of pumps to move some oil through the seals and your good to go.


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## mild beast (Jan 15, 2008)

i really really really hate how this forum organizes posts. i.e, not chronologically. seems really stupid, imo. or when i post something and all i can see is my post and the stupid tree thing. very clunky/not user friendly. 

bah.. whatever. get some good info on here.


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

mild beast said:


> i really really really hate how this forum organizes posts. i.e, not chronologically. seems really stupid, imo. or when i post something and all i can see is my post and the stupid tree thing. very clunky/not user friendly.
> 
> bah.. whatever. get some good info on here.


Go in a thread, click on display modes on the upper right corner, and pick linear, should work as you wish.


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## mild beast (Jan 15, 2008)

done!


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