# rockshox xc28



## keaton_SF (Jan 1, 2015)

a few years ago i purchased the 2013 specialized rockhopper pro evo 29.
It comes standard with a rockshox xc 28. I have progressed rapidly, doing bigger jumps and drops. On a few of those jumps and drops I have fully compressed my xc 28 which came with an 80mm spring. I know I can get 100mm springs in it, should I do that or should I purchase a new fork? Note I am just over 100lbs, and have limited money. If I should purchase a new fork, what would be the best choice?


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

This should fit.
Rock Shox Reba RLT TI Dual Air 29er Mountain Bike Suspension Fork Shock | eBay


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## owensjs (May 21, 2009)

The Pro Evo wasn't made in 2013...it came around in 2014 and came with an XC32 solo air fork. Is this the bike you have?

Specialized Bicycle Components

If it is, you might want to consider selling the bike and picking up something more suited to jumps and drops if that's the style of riding you're getting into. If you're set on keeping your Rockhopper, a new fork altogether would be better than dropping a new spring into the xc28.


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## kyle242gt (Nov 12, 2012)

Compatibility:
Headtube - 1.125" straight or 1.125"-1.50" tapered. (there are others, notably Giant's 1.25-1.50)
https://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy166/phlegm2/fork.jpg
Wheelsize - 26/27.5/29
Axle - 15mm/20mm thru or 9mm QR
Brake - Cantilver or Disk
Steerer length - 6"+, depends... you can shorten it if too long, but not lengthen
Headset - Threaded/threadless

I'd be looking for one like eb1888 linked. Air/100mm/rebound.

Deals are out there.


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

Depending what year your rockhopper is, it may have a tapered head tube, which would accept a fork with a tapered steerer. A 100mm spring replacing an 80mm spring isn't going to transform it to a 100mm fork.

That said, if you're really into jumps and drops, the Rockhopper isn't really the right tool for the job. It will take some jumps, and smaller drops for a while, but eventually (especially if you're moving on to bigger jumps/drops), it will show the effects of misuse. My guess, is that you'll start having wheel issues sooner than later. Once you get stronger wheels, other things will start breaking.

A bike like the P-series from Specialized, or an STP from Giant would be a more appropriate choice.


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## ou2mame (Apr 23, 2010)

I recommend a new bike. While replacing the fork might have some immediate satisfaction, your bike isn't made for the abuse. Crank and wheels may fail leading to even more money.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

eb1888 said:


> This should fit. Rock Shox Reba RLT TI Dual Air 29er


Neither the XC28 or the Reba are designed to take jumps and drops. The Reba is mostly aluminium and it isn't going to take it for long. The XC28 is probably stronger but it's still a cross-country fork. You can do little drops on these sorts of fork but no way I'd do big ones, especially with a Reba.


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## keaton_SF (Jan 1, 2015)

I realize i made a mistake when saying i had a 2013 pro evo 29 which of course does not exist, please forgive me. Many people have said it would be best to purchase a new bike, which bike would be best, it needs to be good at climbing, handling rocks, jumps, and preferably specialized because I have multiple local specialized dealers.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

Don't listen to anyone who names himself pig. That rider will be much heavier than your 100lbs. with no idea what it would be like to take a bike off 5' jumps at that weight. That dual air Reba will be around forever dealing with your performance parameters.
Getting a new bike can cost you quite a chunk. 
Here's a $4500 build that you can ride as hard as you can dream. But that costs a bit more than that fork.





The Spec bike close is a Camber Carbon Evo at even more money, and not as good.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

eb1888 said:


> Don't listen to anyone who names himself pig. That rider will be much heavier than your 100lbs. with no idea what it would be like to take a bike off 5' jumps at that weight.


That's not very nice. And not the best advice I've ever seen either. The Reba is a lightweight cross-country fork. No one ever recommends it for jumps because it's not designed and built to do them. Maybe if he was really nice to it would be fine but it's daft recommending he buy a fork that's not right for the job.

And I'm not the only person who thinks so:LINK


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

The guy weighs 100 pounds.
Weight matters in this answer.

Look for a Manitou Tower Pro then.
Manitou Tower Pro 100 mm Mountain Bike Suspension Fork | eBay
This is a good choice, newly listed. It needs a Soft helper spring for the air side... about $11. Call Manitou for it or a part number.

Or get a new air cap and add bottomless tokens to the Reba. I weigh 1.75 times more and beat on the current SID version(2 tokens) all season with no problems. 5' drops will not damage it. A couple times he has fully compressed his 80mm fork which says the jumps are not huge, although he probably isn't using the correct spring for his weight.

RockShox Sid XX Dual Air 29" 100 mm Mountain Bike 29er Fork 1 1 8" | eBay


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Look, sure you can use a fork like a Reba for anything you like but the bottom line is that it is not as strong as a fork designed for jumps and drops and you are pushing your luck. One bad or heavy landing could cause it to fail. Even a cheaper fork like an XC32 is going to be stronger. 

If you already have a Reba and choose to use it for jumps that's one thing but that's not the situation. When the guy has clearly said that he is doing bigger jumps and is looking for a fork that is suited to that it seems silly to recommend a fork that is not designed to do jumps at all! Nice fork though it is, he'd be better with a stronger one that's built with bigger hits in mind.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

It's silly to think the thousands of riders on 32mm forks don't encounter jumps and drops.
Both forks and the Tower Pro are designed for just what you are using yours for...normal trail riding with occasional bottoming from jumps and drops. Everyone on this forum encounters those conditions and no one, well except for one, would consider it necessary to take a hardtail and equip it with a special purpose fork. It would be different if you want to ride in the park all day dirt jumping. Then look for a dirt jump bike with a fork appropriate for that style. 
Keep riding and if you start tacoing front wheels look for that jump bike. But at 100 lbs. you have a long way to go.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

I suggest the OP phone a RockShox dealer or RockShox themselves and ask their opinion rather than listening to us go around in circles all day.


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## slapheadmofo (Jun 9, 2006)

eb1888 said:


> . I weigh 1.75 times more and beat on the current SID version(2 tokens) all season with no problems. 5' drops will not damage it. ]


Pics/vid of you and the SID doing some substantial drops or it didn't happen. 

A good sized drop like that is more than you want to subject an XC race fork for to on a regular basis, regardless of weight. And FWIW, a 5' jump looks like this:










Also nothing you're going to want an XC fork for. My son kills parts on smaller stuff all the time and he only weights ~70 lbs.

Now, if the OP is really just finding himself riding more tech terrain with smaller drop-offs and getting a bit of air off smaller kickers, but for the most part just doing standard trail riding and wants a bit of better performance from his shock, that's a different story. I personally would be looking at used shocks in the 120mm range. Slacks the bike out a bit and gives a nice chunk of extra cushion. I always liked what going to a somewhat longer fork does for a bike with fairly XC oriented geometry when it comes to riding more gnarly terrain.

Also, if you find that jumps and drops are really something you want to get into moreso than XC trail riding, smaller wheels are the way to go, hands down. I'd keep the 29er for a trail bike and start saving for something more dialed for that type of riding.


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## ou2mame (Apr 23, 2010)

If jumps and drops are becoming your normal thing, you're also going to crashing more. Is the Reba the fork that you want constantly crash? That's seriously your choice of tough forks? If it were me, I'd be like looking at a bike designed for jumping, probably a used dj and go from there. There's a nice kona by me with a tower pro for 250 in pretty good shape. I'd grab that and jump away.


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## keaton_SF (Jan 1, 2015)

thanks for all the replies just to say, most of the time my jumps are on trails so I'm also doing technical and bumpy stuff as well. I don't want any arguments on this, only information.


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