# Suntour Raidon or Recon Gold



## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

Looking to upgrade the stock fork on my marlin.And was wandering if it would be better to get the new Suntour Raidon for 189 through the customer loyalty program or shop around on ebay for a Recon Gold.How are these two comparable in performance and weight?


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

The Raidon weighs 5lbs. The Recon Gold weighs 3.8lbs.
The next step up in performance and weight savings is a 2012 Reba or Manitou Tower Pro.


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

I guess this is my mantra on here. Just be aware that you will be effecting your offset on your marlin by going to one of those forks. You can get forks that are g2 specific but will cost you a little bit comparatively. The manitou's are closer to the g2 offset but still 3 mm shy. 

There are countless debates about the offset change being unnoticeable, better, worse....etc. 

Personally I'm going to try out a manitou tower in the near future


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## DiRt DeViL (Dec 24, 2003)

hankscorpio said:


> I guess this is my mantra on here. Just be aware that you will be effecting your offset on your marlin by going to one of those forks. You can get forks that are g2 specific but will cost you a little bit comparatively. The manitou's are closer to the g2 offset but still 3 mm shy.
> 
> There are countless debates about the offset change being unnoticeable, better, worse....etc.


Was going to mention the same, that's a G2 frame so keep that in mind when selecting a fork because it should be G2 compatible. Having said that the Tower, Reba or even an Epicon will be a great upgrade.


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

Basically you can get a Recon Silver, Reba, and Fox G2. I'm sure there is another fork or two out there in g2 but those are the most common I believe. Suntour does not make an aftermarket g2. I'm not even sure if you can buy a g2 except for through an authorized trek dealer unless its used of course. There was a used Fox G2 on ebay the other day under 300 bucks. Usually you can only find them on ebay for over 500


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

I think im going to pull the trigger on a recon silver since it is G2 compatible and it will be a upgrade from my suntour xcm. And it doesnt hurt that it is easier on the wallet then others.


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## cobba (Apr 5, 2007)

-sparky- said:


> And it doesnt hurt that it is easier on the wallet then others.


Easier on the wallet can sometimes equate to lower quality and less adjustability.


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

The Recon Silver as I understand it is a decent fork. It will certainly be a huge upgrade for you but guys on Fox forks aren't going to be impressed (but you are buying it for the you)

Just make sure that you order it from a Trek dealer and that its G2. You can find a million Recon Silvers on the internet on sale but they aren't likely G2 unless they are used. 

Unfortunately that means you will probably pay more for it since you will likely get it for msrp + shop upcharge. I had a shop offer me one at $350. The Reba is even better and can probably be had for a little over 400


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

I have a friend who has a 2012 Mamba with a Rockshox XC32 and upgraded to a reba and is looking to sell his old fork.Im sure this would be a upgrade from what I have currently have and may be a decent fork.I may be stopping in the trek dealer and pricing a few forks over the weekend and then making my decision.


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

That's perfect if you are looking to save some money. Pretty sure you can get them new for about 150 so used it should be really cheap. It will save you a little in weight but not much but it should definitely ride much better then your stock fork. Its pretty nice though that its already g2 and coming off an almost identical bike.


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

What would be a fair price to offer.He lightly rode it for about a month and its been sitting in his garage ever since.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

I just upgraded my fork from the suntour xcm. Well worth the $ to me. 
I haven't seen the specs anywhere on the 2014 Suntour forks, which is what you would get from the loyalty program. Why not the Epicon?


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## GelatiCruiser (Oct 11, 2012)

I can't say enough good things about my recon gold... But i got it at a steal for $238 when it was on sale. Still a sweet fork.


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

I did not think that Suntour made a decent fork that was G2 compatible.That is why I had not considered the Epicon.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

Aha!
G2 compatibility - new concept for me


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

Just got off the phone with LBS price for Recon Silver was 400 and XC 32 for 250.It seems like that is way above what I have read other payed for theirs.


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## bob13bob (Jun 22, 2009)

if you are patient, I've seen REBA in under $350 in deals subforum. (subscribe there). This is 2nd highest tier fork behind Sid for XC.

also seen them go as low as $370 one ebay
reba in Cycling | eBay


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

If I could get a Reba for that price I would definitely get it.At the moment my budget is 350 give or take.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

I agree with the last two comments!


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## cobba (Apr 5, 2007)

-sparky- said:


> If I could get a Reba for that price I would definitely get it.At the moment my budget is 350 give or take.


Get a Manitou Minute (26") or a Manitou Tower (29"), you can find then for that price or less, they're comparable to the Reba's and some people say they're better.


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

How does and a Tower and Reba compare performance/weight?


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

Disregard last post typed that before I saw previous post


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

I believe that's a good question sparky, lots of threads on that topic in this forum.


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## cobba (Apr 5, 2007)

Start a new thread in Shocks and Suspension and title it as something like 'Manitou Tower or Rockshox Reba', I'm sure that you'll get plenty of replies.

http://forums.mtbr.com/shocks-suspension/


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

Like what I have read about the tower.May try to get his fork here Manitou Tower Expert 29er 120mm Mountain Bike Fork | eBay
My only question is my current fork is a 100mm will a 120mm affect it that much?


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## İhsanus (Jul 4, 2013)

Hi guys
Maybe a foolish question but what does mean the g2 stuff?


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## syl3 (Apr 23, 2008)

you don't need g2 it's all marketing mumbo jumbo, even the trek racers run non-g2 forks on their frames.

most current forks are 47-48 offset, g2 is 51 you feel no diiference. 

this g2 fixation only made sense 5-6 years ago when non-g2 forks were 38mm.


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

Thanks guys for your help,I think im going to go ahead and order this fork soon New Manitou Tower Expert 29 100mm Black QR Free SHIP | eBay


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## wmac (Sep 29, 2010)

^I'm not confident you will really notice $140 worth of difference between the Raidon and the Tower. If you do go with the Tower, keep the old fork and keep the steerer as long as rational so you can swap it to your next bike and put the old one back on your current bike.


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

Just when I thought I had my mind made up haha. If I go through the customer loyalty program I can get the Raidon for 189.So that is what initially drawed me to the Raidon but I was under the impression the Tower was a much lighter/better performing fork.


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## cobba (Apr 5, 2007)

One thing with Suntour forks is that spare parts or replacement can be harder to find then with other brands.

http://forums.mtbr.com/shocks-suspension/suntour-fork-replacement-parts-692721.html


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## wmac (Sep 29, 2010)

The only replacement part is a cartridge and since you are buying direct through Suntour, you shouldn't have the same problem as the guy in that thread who bought it though Amazon.


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

The raidon is almost a pound heavier than the tower is it not? Also the tower is a 48mm offset. So 3mm you likely wont notice. I have yet to find the Raidon offset but I'd put good money on the fact that its 46. You might notice 5mm difference. 

I'm in the same boat as you. I'm likely getting a tower or waiting to see when the Marvel 29's come out.


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

Well Rock Shox offset is 46 mm "correct me if im wrong" and there is no complaints from their forks on a G2 bike.


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

Most Forks are not 47-48. Most forks are 46, some (Fox) can be even lower at 44. Manitou is 48. G2 is not marketing Mumbo Jumbo, Its geometry. Whether or not the change in geometry is noticeable to you is completely personal. 

Rock Shox forks that you see for sale aftermarket are 46mm. If you order them through a Trek Dealer to be G2 they will be 51. In regards to if there are complaints you would have to talk to people who have done it. I've seen more people stay G2 or go to a Manitou then go straight 46 offset, at least from what I've seen on this forum. Some people will claim its a large adjustment some people say they noticed it and adjusted. 

The only real question is do you want your wheel closer to your frame (shorter wheelbase)? Do you want it to stay the same, be 3mm closer, 5mm closer, or 7mm?


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

I just pulled the trigger on the Manitou Tower Expert. Its on sale through the end of the day for $299 at pricepoint. I'll let you know my thoughts on the 51 to 48mm offset change in a few weeks but i'm guessing it will be a lot less noticeable than the significant improvement in the performance of the fork


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

Wow that was a good deal,good find.Be sure to let us know how you like it and how the change in offset affected you. I'm at the point now where i'm not sure I want to throw all this money around on it. I'm thinking about just riding and enjoying it the rest of this season and then next year depending on how I like racing and if I want to get more serious and competitive ill sell it and get something better.But like I said still not sure what to do.Any opinions?


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

Upgrading vs selling the bike is always a debate. For me personally 300 was the most I wanted to put into a fork (I also needed a new seatpost, saddle, and tires this year) and the MAX i could see getting for my Marlin was $500. 500 is wishful thinking too considering the fork is so beat up and its a small frame. So let's say I got $450 for it (still being optimistic) and wanted to go up to the Mamba which is close to 1000. So now I need to spend $550 and I'm only getting an x32 which imo is a lesser fork then what I'm upgrading too for $300. Now of course with the Mamba I'd be getting slightly better components in a 9 speed drivetrain and hydraulic brakes. I dont care about hydraulic brakes that much and while it is an upgrade in the drive train its not what I want or what I would upgrade my Marlin too. So essentially I'd probably be upgrading the drive train and fork on the Mamba too.

I could spend 1200 on a Cobia but it's still a similar ball game. Closer to what I want but I still feel I have a better or at least equivalent fork. Now at that level I'd probably be fine with the drive train and brakes etc but now we are talking $750 difference. 300 for the fork and 450 to upgrade drive train and/or brakes if I want. 

Its totally personal though. For me upgrading the Marlin frame is what makes sense because I dont have $750 to shell out upfront and I can slowly put money into as I go along. I also learn a lot more about my riding style and preferences which will help me personalize the aftermarket components I want later on. 

If the fork isn't bothering you I say ride it out. If it starts sticking badly its time to make a decision


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## wmac (Sep 29, 2010)

At least you thought it through. Keep the steerer tube a bit long in case you ever want to swap it over to a different bike.


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

I'm still so undecided,I just don't know if it is worth it for me to turn it into a money pit.I thought about waiting for a good deal on a used bike to come along that I like next year and selling mine.But then I start to think well why not build what I have now into what I want,I could always transfer stuff over.But upgraded like I want I still don't know if it would a as capable xc bike as others out there that I could get.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

Luke, trust your feelings, use the power of the force.


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## CannondaleF9 (Nov 17, 2012)

The RockShox Recon Silver is a major upgrade over any Suntour. I have that fork on my Cobia and it works very well. I bet it is no Fox, but you don't need a Fox fork in a beginner stage.


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## wmac (Sep 29, 2010)

CannondaleF9 said:


> The RockShox Recon Silver is a major upgrade over any Suntour. I have that fork on my Cobia and it works very well. I bet it is no Fox, but you don't need a Fox fork in a beginner stage.


ANY Suntour?


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## wilderthing (Jul 7, 2013)

I wanted a raison, could almost afford it. This thread is making me double take. 

Why all the negativity towards suntour? Not just in this thread but in this forum and bike shops.

Sent from my SGH-T989D using Tapatalk 4 Beta


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

Because Suntour is mostly associated with entry level forks and their service presence in the US is ... Small?


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## CannondaleF9 (Nov 17, 2012)

The reason so many people hate Suntour is that on their basic and mid line forks, there have been many recalls after they malfunctioned and even sometimes split in half.


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## wilderthing (Jul 7, 2013)

CannondaleF9 said:


> The reason so many people hate Suntour is that on their basic and mid line forks, there have been many recalls after they malfunctioned and even sometimes split in half.


Ya that would do it lol. Can you give me a link where I can get the specifics on these issues? I haven't come across this during my research and what worries me is that I believe the raidon is considered "mid line". I'm I correct?

Sent from my SGH-T989D using Tapatalk 4 Beta


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## CannondaleF9 (Nov 17, 2012)

wilderthing said:


> Ya that would do it lol. Can you give me a link where I can get the specifics on these issues? I haven't come across this during my research and what worries me is that I believe the raidon is considered "mid line". I'm I correct?
> 
> Sent from my SGH-T989D using Tapatalk 4 Beta


SR SUNTOUR Cycling One
There were more, but this one was the largest. It is on the XCT, so more basic than the Raidon, but still "Mid-Level" compared to the forks Suntour has on some Department Store bikes.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

I wouldn't get caught up on the 'mid level' terminology. 
XCT is low level IMO. I would think all manufacturers have recalls. 
Toyota has had a few, that doesn't mean that they don't make good stuff!
From what I have read the Raidon is a decent air fork, heavy, but works, and works better than the spring forks. I have never seen or used one myself, only going by what I have read. 
Suntour forks are typically serviced by Suntour, which is another thing that doesn't encourage bike stores to promote them. Perhaps rightly so, as service is the question mark in my mind for them.


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## wmac (Sep 29, 2010)

That was from, what I can tell, a bunch of people taking entry-level bikes on advanced trails and breaking them. I wouldn't get caught up in it unless you ride beyond your abilities or your bike's design limits.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

Probably Walmart bikes that say 'not intended for trail riding'
Haters gonna hate.


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## SRvancouver13 (Aug 25, 2011)

CannondaleF9 said:


> The reason so many people hate Suntour is that on their basic and mid line forks, there have been many recalls after they malfunctioned and even sometimes split in half.


Hello, Please have your facts in order before you bring this type of information up. In SR Suntour's 26 year history we have had 1 single recall. This was for 10,000 forks. That number may seem like a lot however we imported over 1,000,000 of them that year. Out of the 10,000 units only 5,000 actually made it out into the public. Of the 5,000 that were purchased 26 failures happened. This is obviously not acceptable in any way however the actual failures are a very small percentage of the product shipped. Our testing and outside testing specifically came up with how the failure was occurring and the fork in question was being used well outside of it's intended purpose not to mention the actual bicycles.

Cheers, Nick

Best Regards.


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

Suntour gets a bad wrap because they make so many cheap entry level forks that people buy, start to ride a lot, and realize the shortcomings. When I bought my bike I had no idea how much I would get into the sport. I knew damn well that stock suntour xcm wasn't a fox. I ended up getting into the sport and riding that fork much harder then it should have been ridden. It said right on it for paved trails and light use only. When I rode it hard it started to get some stiction and leaking at the seals. I dont hold it against the fork, or the company though. It did what it was supposed to do. Not only did it do what it was supposed to, it DIDN'T break and try and kill me through the heavy stuff like some Walmart stuff would have. I haven't heard too many people complain about their epicons.....

Anyway, back to sparky....I got my Manitou tower Expert and the offset difference is negligible. I was so focused on absorbing bumps I didn't even think about the handling until I got to a section of flat, tight, twisties. At that point I think I enjoyed the handling more.


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

Im glad to hear you are enjoying it.Still undecided on what im going to do can get a recon silver 52 mm offset from a friend for 220 or I may get a Tower.If I got the Recon that would leave me more money to upgrade the components and drivetrain like I want to.But im not sure if it is worth the sacrifice on the fork...


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## GelatiCruiser (Oct 11, 2012)

I was lucky enough to snag the Recon Gold when it was on sale. Originally I was going to go with the Raidon upgrade, but I decided the weight savings was worth the extra $60 or so. And it was. I shaved 2.2 lbs off and immediately noticed the difference. I'd wait for a sale at this point and (I know it's tough) hope to get something on closeout as the "season" is nearing its end. You'll be hating life if you dump money on a fork when you could have gotten something comparable or better for the same or less money. But if you have to have it now, get the tower and enjoy it... That'll leave you with some extra coin to put towards some more upgrades.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

-sparky- said:


> Im glad to hear you are enjoying it.Still undecided on what im going to do can get a recon silver 52 mm offset from a friend for 220 or I may get a Tower.If I got the Recon that would leave me more money to upgrade the components and drivetrain like I want to.But im not sure if it is worth the sacrifice on the fork...


I would offer 150 for the Recon Silver. Otherwise I like the Tower Pro.


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

I thought your friend was selling a g2 Rockshox x32? If its a used recon silver and you could get it for 150-200 that would be nice. If its an x32 I wouldn't pay more then 150. The tower you should be able to get for 300 which will definitely be better then both of those but a g2 recon silver will probably suit your needs well



-sparky- said:


> Im glad to hear you are enjoying it.Still undecided on what im going to do can get a recon silver 52 mm offset from a friend for 220 or I may get a Tower.If I got the Recon that would leave me more money to upgrade the components and drivetrain like I want to.But im not sure if it is worth the sacrifice on the fork...


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## -sparky- (Jul 16, 2013)

Different guy both of my friends I ride with have mambas.The one with the xc32 is using it on another build.The one with the recon sold his bike and kept the fork.


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## 93civEJ1 (Oct 13, 2010)

can someone explain more on the G2 stuff? I have a brand new bike with a Suntour XCR that i will probably go to air eventually, and on the geometry of the bike i see it says fork offset 40mm.... does this have anything to do with the G2 stuff you guys mention?


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

93civEJ1 said:


> can someone explain more on the G2 stuff?


Trek uses 51mm offset forks to affect steering quickness on their bikes. 51 puts the contact point of the front tire closer to the line of the steering tube. Turning the wheel is easier. This allows a slacker head tube angle for more stability in handling at speed over bumps. Older bike designs use a steeper HT angle to speed up steering to be like 26" wheel bikes. But handling can be twitchy. 29s keep developing. Some mnaufacturers aren't keeping up.
The new Rockshox Pike 29 x 150mm is available in 51mm offset for FS bikes like the Ripley, not just Trek bikes.


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

You have a 26 "non Trek" than right? G2 is a Trek specific geometry. If you dont have a trek and you are riding a 26inch bike with 40mm offset you have a huge selection of forks to pick from


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## 93civEJ1 (Oct 13, 2010)

hankscorpio said:


> You have a 26 "non Trek" than right? G2 is a Trek specific geometry. If you dont have a trek and you are riding a 26inch bike with 40mm offset you have a huge selection of forks to pick from


No I am on a 29er....

Raleigh Bicycles Talus 29 Sport


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

Where do you see a 40mm offset?


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

Never mind I see it. That seems awfully low to me but I dont know much.


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## mitzikatzi (Sep 9, 2008)

hankscorpio said:


> Never mind I see it. That seems awfully low to me but I dont know much.


That is not 40mm of fork travel but 40mm of "offset"

see here Post 11


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

http://forums.mtbr.com/shocks-suspension/standard-rake-offset-suspension-forks-736488.html

Yea I know, 40 mm of offset seems like its much lower. The average is 46 with Trek's being 51.

Very Few under 46. Looks like most things under 44 are rigid or a few years old


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## 93civEJ1 (Oct 13, 2010)

im honestly not sure that 40mm is correct honestly. Suntour seems to only offer the XCR fork from what I have seen in 46.


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

Suntour doesn't always advertise their offset for some reason but I'd be willing to bet its not 40. I would, however, not stress about replacing the fork because chances are its a standard offset and most forks will be fine.


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## 93civEJ1 (Oct 13, 2010)

so, even if it is 40, and I go with one thats a 46, it wont throw everything off all crazy with the way the bike feels?


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## hankscorpio (Jun 20, 2012)

It would effect it but I dont think it would be crazy. I just lost 3mm of offset on mine and I barely notice it. Most people will probably tell you that you may notice it but its much more likely that you will adjust then have a problem with it. 

Email Raliegh and or Suntour and see if you can verify that. Nick from suntour who posted above might be able to help you with that info as well. 

Speaking of......if you are trying to upgrade that on a budget you might want to check out the suntour upgrade program. You can go to a slightly lighter air fork with rebound for around 200 I believe


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## 93civEJ1 (Oct 13, 2010)

Yeah. That's what I was looking into. Raleigh doesn't have an email only a call number.


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## dgw2jr (Aug 17, 2011)

Check out the X-Fusion Slide 29 on eBay for 280 bucks.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Forks-/177815/m.html?_ipg=&_from=&_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ssn=buycyclestuffonline


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## 93civEJ1 (Oct 13, 2010)

Thanks. I saw those last night. Would that be better than going to a raidon through the upgrade?


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## dgw2jr (Aug 17, 2011)

93civEJ1 said:


> Thanks. I saw those last night. Would that be better than going to a raidon through the upgrade?


Check out this thread for reviews and discussion. http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=816084

I ordered one for my Talus. It's replacing a Reba that is now on the wife's bike.


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