# 2013 Giant Revel 0 Build or New?



## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

I am interested in making my bike better. I could just buy a new bike.
I started riding single track in January and I'm really enjoying it. I love my giant revel 0 except when I get to high speed on the down hill. I suspect this is an issue with the suntour xcm v3 fork, but I'm a n00b, so what do I know?
I really like the Matt black of my bike, but it's too heavy. 
I could upgrade some stuff, or just buy a new bike. My goal either way would be to have a bike that weighed at least 5 lbs less. Learning to work on a bike as I go would be a plus, though not a requirement. 
I would like some recommendations from people on this forum - people that like to ride the trails!


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## rangeriderdave (Aug 29, 2008)

Getting five pounds off is going to be expensive. Some nice wheels would go a long way to making the bike feel lighter.Don't know about that fork ,but there is something out there that is lighter and works better. What could you sell it for? How much would want to spend on a new bike?


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

I could probably get $350 for it? I think if I bought a new bike I would want to keep this for a spare/loaner. How much could I spend? I COULD spend a lot - I start to get queezy when I start thinking about spending over $1500 though. I check the Craigslist once in a while for used options. 
Thanks for responding to ANOTHER what should I do with my bike thread.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

http://forums.mtbr.com/beginners-corner/if-you-want-upgrade-your-suntour-fork-830657.html
Your fork is 5.8lbs. An upgrade Epicon for 250 is 3lbs.or so. Save 2.5 pounds off the front--the most important spot for handling.
A ZTR ArchEx front wheel for 215 plus 9 for 15mm endcaps will save 1.5lbs and be stronger and less flexy.
NoTubes ZTR Arch EX 29 clincher front wheel 29"
Or lace your own for about 140 with a Novatec D711 off ebay and Supercomp/brass nips. $67 Archex rim. Very easy with patience.
Actually will get you a better lighter wheel. Joytech makes both hubs.
Put a Nobby Nic Performance 29x2.25 light tire on the front. Saves 1lb.
Total saved 5lbs all off the front with components that can go on your next build.

For a complete used I would look for a 2012 Scott Scale Elite or Expert or a Trek X-cal also 2012 because both come with a dual air Reba fork. 2013 Reba is a dumbed down solo air without small bump tuneability. No one likes it.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

Great info eb1888.
On that fork, think that requires a 15mm TA? I like the 9mm quick releases because they play nice with my seasucker bike rack. Is there such a thing as a 15mm QR?
On the wheels, do you give up any reliability to go tubeless? Right now I carry a spare tube under my seat just in case. My bike has the stock Giant CR70 wheels on it now. My wife's bike has some s-xc2 wheels on it, I might do a weight test to compare, as I can't find a weight rating on the CR70!
I should add that I'm not just about weight, want to stay very reliable - my Revel has been stellar in this regard so far. I'm not a racer, just like to get my cardio via mountain biking.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

The ArchEx is a double wall rim with internal bracing. It is more durable than your oem wheel. I only suggest replacing the front wheel at this time. The 15mm thru axcle comes out to remove the wheel. But you will have to check with the rack manufacturer for getting it to work. 
A used 2011-12 Reba with 9mm dropouts also weighs 3 lbs. 
Tubeless is more reliable and saves more weight. But the ArchEx rim has small low bead hooks so pinch flats are not something I have experienced in running my build for 1 year. I use 26x2.1-2.5 tubes which stretch no problem. They do need a little air to get one to stretch on the rim when you mount..


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## s0ckeyeus (Jun 20, 2008)

speedneeder said:


> I love my giant revel 0 except when I get to high speed on the down hill. I suspect this is an issue with the suntour xcm v3 fork, but I'm a n00b, so what do I know?


What problem are you having? The fix could be as easy as loosening up your arms or adjusting your riding position. People tend to stiffen their elbows when going downhill at speed, which is the exact opposite of what should be going on. Maybe that's not what's going on, but it's always worth looking into technique issues first before equipment issues.


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## bob13bob (Jun 22, 2009)

> If you want to upgrade your Suntour fork
> Your fork is 5.8lbs. An upgrade Epicon for 250 is 3lbs.or so. Save 2.5 pounds off the front--the most important spot for handling.
> A ZTR ArchEx front wheel for 215 plus 9 for 15mm endcaps will save 1.5lbs and be stronger and less flexy.
> NoTubes ZTR Arch EX 29 clincher front wheel 29"
> ...


excellent and helpful post. The improved fork will not only save weight, but also improve suspension performance. Same with wheels and tires.

You could remove the front derailleur and shift to convert the bike to 1x9 or 1x10.
other cheap weight savings
hylix carbon handlebar.
maybe saddle?
ebay chinese carbon seatpost

the cheapest place i could find the schwalbe evo line (higher end than performanes) is bike-discount. They ship from Germany, but the savings on 2+ tires is usually very worth it. do a search for schwalbe in the deals subsection Where are the Best Deals?

.

check this thread
http://forums.mtbr.com/weight-weenies/budget-weight-weenie-mtb-parts-775671.html


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

eb1888 - what if I get a hole in my tire? With a spare tube I'm only 15 minutes from riding again, don't know much about tubeless, what if I get a nail through my tire? Thanks again for your help. 

Sockey - I do try to relax and let my legs and arms absorb a lot of the trail, but when I go fast the front end just seems to shake so hard I lose confidence and slow down. Perhaps this is the 'pogo stick' effect I have read about? I appreciate your comments as you make a great point, I'm sure I have a lot to learn!

Bob - thanks for the info. I never checked the 'deals' section before.


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## s0ckeyeus (Jun 20, 2008)

speedneeder said:


> Sockey - I do try to relax and let my legs and arms absorb a lot of the trail, but when I go fast the front end just seems to shake so hard I lose confidence and slow down. Perhaps this is the 'pogo stick' effect I have read about? I appreciate your comments as you make a great point, I'm sure I have a lot to learn!


Have you tried adjusting your rebound? It might be worth slowing the rebound down just a bit to see if that helps.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

I am not aware of a rebound adjustment for my fork. As far as I know the only thing I can adjust is the overall force required to move the fork.


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## s0ckeyeus (Jun 20, 2008)

speedneeder said:


> I am not aware of a rebound adjustment for my fork. As far as I know the only thing I can adjust is the overall force required to move the fork.


Nevermind. I just checked, and it doesn't look like your fork has adjustable rebound.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

speedneeder said:


> eb1888 - what if I get a hole in my tire? With a spare tube I'm only 15 minutes from riding again, don't know much about tubeless, what if I get a nail through my tire? Thanks again for your help.
> 
> when I go fast the front end just seems to shake so hard I lose confidence and slow down. Perhaps this is the 'pogo stick' effect I have read about?


It doesn't sound like you ride in an area with cactus needles or other features which produce a lot of punctures. You can probably continue with a tube with the same results when using the Nobby Nic.
Here's the puncture demo video--
Puncture Demo on Vimeo

If you read through the Suntour fork upgrade thread you will see many riders comment on the big change in how their bike rides when you use a good fork.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

eb1888 - crazy video?????
I need to learn more about this stuff.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

I got some more info. 
Seasucker does make 15 and 20 mm adapters. 
An s-xc2 wheel is about 140g lighter than my CR70 wheel.

I like the idea of doing some upgrades to my bike, I think it would be fun!
Any suggestions for what to upgrade first? The only thing not stock now is my Brooks B17 saddle. I'm thinking fork, though unsure if I want that to include wheels for a 15mm TA.


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## bc3xx0 (Sep 12, 2012)

speedneeder said:


> I am interested in making my bike better. I could just buy a new bike.
> I started riding single track in January and I'm really enjoying it. I love my giant revel 0 except when I get to high speed on the down hill. I suspect this is an issue with the suntour xcm v3 fork, but I'm a n00b, so what do I know?
> I really like the Matt black of my bike, but it's too heavy.
> I could upgrade some stuff, or just buy a new bike. My goal either way would be to have a bike that weighed at least 5 lbs less. Learning to work on a bike as I go would be a plus, though not a requirement.
> I would like some recommendations from people on this forum - people that like to ride the trails!


The cheapest way to drop 5lbs is to take it out of your butt!!

I wouldn't go real crazy upgrading it, but putting better stuff on it as the stuff that it comes with breaks isn't gonna kill your pocket book all that bad. I wouldn't worry about the weight.... cause you'll definitely end up spending a ton on parts to save a gram..... Ride hard heavy and it will burn off some of the weight sitting on it!! Not calling you fat or anything!!

The fork is gonna be your limiting factor, I'd definitely swap that out with something entry level, but good.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

Thanks BC - FYI I'm 6'1 168. 
My thinking on the bike being lighter is that it will be easier to handle and make riding more fun. 
I sent an email to Nick at Suntour to see what the status of the upgrade program is. 
I guess I should check with my LBS on that one as well. 
How would I go about changing my front wheel to 15mm? Or is that only done by a new wheel?


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

Right now I'm looking at a Raidon fork and ztr crest wheels.
9mm QR


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

Got an e-mail back from Suntour today - 189.99 for the Raidon and 389.99 for the Epicon. Hmmm.


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## DiRt DeViL (Dec 24, 2003)

To put your Revel on a diet will require a fat wallet. Usual suspects are wheels, cranks, fork and cockpit components like stem and handlebar.

The easiest and least expensive way to loose 5 pounds is to loose it yourself.

Browse the Giant sub forum and check the Revel threads, there may be some ideas there for you to implement.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

speedneeder said:


> Got an e-mail back from Suntour today - 189.99 for the Raidon and 389.99 for the Epicon. Hmmm.


That's a lot above 250 for an Epicon. I'd look at dual air Reba 29er forks on ebay. 9mm dropouts will be the norm.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

I'll check out the Reba. My Revel came with an 80mm travel fork....
How do I know if I can put a 100mm fork on there?

Thanks for the suggestion DirtDevil.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

speedneeder said:


> I'll check out the Reba. My Revel came with an 80mm travel fork....
> How do I know if I can put a 100mm fork on there?


Most bikes can take a 100mm without a problem.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

True, wonder the reasoning for having an 80mm fork?


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## wmac (Sep 29, 2010)

Same reason you ride with 100mm instead of 120mm.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

Please explain.


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## DiRt DeViL (Dec 24, 2003)

Maybe they put a shorter travel fork to control cost and keep the bike in the price range.

You can go 100mm with no problems, more travel may fatigue the frame and result on eventual failure.


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## wmac (Sep 29, 2010)

Less travel = less energy/speed lost in the system. Of course there is a point when more energy is lost in overcoming the terrain and more travel will benefit. Best results are often achieved by matching the equipment to its intended purpose. Bikes with less travel are often designed for slower speeds in rough terrain.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

Thanks wmac, that makes sense.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

wmac - I like your avatar - one of the best bad movies of all time


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

And so it begins, I ordered a set of ztr arch ex's today.
Still trying to figure out what to do with my fork. The guy at my LBS was pretty adamant about NOT using the suntour customer loyalty program - he says basically i should get a rockshox or fox fork. I dunno! The 2014 Epicon sounds like a pretty good fork for the price of $380. What would be a similarly spec'd rockshox or fox fork? What would they cost?


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## wmac (Sep 29, 2010)

I own a Fox and it is nice, but I wouldn't pay double vs the Suntour. The guy at the shop knows nothing about Suntour forks and cannot service it.

The Fox has more trail cred, but I would go for it if I were in your shoes.


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## Nchumchal (Jul 2, 2013)

I can recommend a rock shox reba dual air. My 100mm can be changed to 80 or 120mm by adding removing a spacer, very simple. I had a comparable fork to yours and the reba was a big upgrade. You can get one new for 450 or used for around 250. Be careful if you buy one used because if the owner never serviced the fork the stanchions can be messed up or other parts on the inside and they won't even know. Sorry no experience with the epicon but I would go with the reba. Also, read allot of good about the manitou for the price (minute) worth looking into. 

Good luck!


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

The Reba definitely has a good rep, though from what I have read, the 2013 version is solo air. I'm not sure I could buy a 2012 version new. I don't think I would want to buy a used fork for the reasons you mentioned. 
Is there a particular model manitou fork?


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## wmac (Sep 29, 2010)

See if you can work out a deal with Nick at Suntour of a Satisfaction guarantee. If you don't like it, you can send it back for a refund.


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## Nchumchal (Jul 2, 2013)

I was looking at the minute model when I was looking at the manitou forks.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

Thanks for your input.
I am leaning toward the Reba right now. It is a proven part that many are familiar with.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

Reba RLT on order.


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## bob13bob (Jun 22, 2009)

*Re: 2013 Giant Revel 0 Build or*

Think about upgrading you bike slowly piece by piece as you get deals. I've seen Reba for $350ish, and you may want to wait for another deal to pop. There is $100 deal for slx cranks and Bb in deal forum.

You can see some of the ebay lightweight carbon posts and handlebar in the weight weenie subforum


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

RLT for $350?


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

Reba installed!
Initial impressions riding the curbs in front of my house?
Totally different fork. Will need to test on the trails this weekend.


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