# Best fork for a 295-300lb clydesdale



## twomold (Aug 7, 2006)

I am currently riding a 2003 stumpjumper with a ridgid fork. Originally the bike had a duke, but it did not last long with my weight and it was sketchy to ride. The ridgid fork is beating the hell out of me, However it climbs like a beast. I do mostly XC riding, i would like a coil spring type of fork that is really stiff and only reacts when I really need it. Do you guys have any suggestions.


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## Padre (Jan 6, 2004)

A Marzocchi.


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## cdad_martinez (Nov 14, 2004)

Ride a AM series fork. Make sure you have your LBS change out the oil to 15wt. oil and the correct oil height as well. This is very important! Next step would be to consider 20mm thru axle lowers. The added stiffness will be a boon! I built a Kona Coiler for a customer/friend of mine and we put a M 66 SL up front and he's 280lbs. He's very stoked with it and totally sold on the ETA. We put 15wt. 60mm from the top and about 40 psi in it and it's buttery. The downside to the bike industry is that it's marketed and engineered around the 150lbs to 190lbs mark so anyone outside of this has to spend extra to get things fesable. Good luck!


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## hallin222 (Oct 13, 2005)

Padre said:


> A Marzocchi.


Maybe the Dirt Jam / Dirt Jumper series. Not very tunable, but super stout for big guys and they're available pretty cheap from guys who remove them from their Kona Hoss, etc.


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## Guyechka (Jul 19, 2005)

cdad_martinez said:


> Ride a AM series fork. Make sure you have your LBS change out the oil to 15wt. oil and the correct oil height as well. This is very important! Next step would be to consider 20mm thru axle lowers. The added stiffness will be a boon! I built a Kona Coiler for a customer/friend of mine and we put a M 66 SL up front and he's 280lbs. He's very stoked with it and totally sold on the ETA. We put 15wt. 60mm from the top and about 40 psi in it and it's buttery. The downside to the bike industry is that it's marketed and engineered around the 150lbs to 190lbs mark so anyone outside of this has to spend extra to get things fesable. Good luck!


I agree with the 20mm thru axle. Changing the oil weight is tricky, though. I thought I could do it on my Pikes, but RockShox warns against it. I didn't bother in the end. It is something to consider when looking at brands. If you can alter the ride characteristics of a fork by changing the oil weight (and the manufacturer gives the go-ahead), then I say that is a definite plus. As it is, I run the Pike with an X-firm spring and can only use the last half of the compression adjust; anything less and the fork becomes too prone to diving. And I'm only 235lbs.


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## Good Grief (May 15, 2006)

AS a 285# rider, I definitely recommend a Marzocchi All Mountain 1. Tons of adjustability, and it's very rigid and responsive.


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## twomold (Aug 7, 2006)

The all mountain has an air spring in one leg right? Won't I blow the airspring due to my weight?


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## Good Grief (May 15, 2006)

twomold said:


> The all mountain has an air spring in one leg right? Won't I blow the airspring due to my weight?


No, air shocks are not a problem. It works fine for me, and I'm close to your weight. Even if you were to hit something so hard that you exceeded the maximum pressure the shock could handle, I believe there's a release valve which will let just enough air escape to keep you from damaging the shock. I actually have a cheap air shock for my rear suspension, and it works well too.


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## bongo_x (Aug 20, 2006)

twomold said:


> I am currently riding a 2003 stumpjumper with a ridgid fork. Originally the bike had a duke, but it did not last long with my weight and it was sketchy to ride. The ridgid fork is beating the hell out of me, However it climbs like a beast. I do mostly XC riding, i would like a coil spring type of fork that is really stiff and only reacts when I really need it. Do you guys have any suggestions.


I'm 230 and want exactly the same thing in a fork so I've been riding a Girvin CrossLink for years. I was wondering if there was anything "newer and better" since I haven't really tried anything else in years but from what I'm reading I don't think there is.

they don't make them anymore and you have to set them up properly, but on the other hand they're cheap. one thing to watch out for is that there are different springs, I think 250 is the highest. don't get the elestomer version, or change out the shock if you do. I think that's possible, isn't it? I wouldn't get the carbon version either, get the aluminum.

I'm no expert but since I got this thing I haven't even looked at other shocks. it's been bomb proof for me and practically no maintenence. it's super stiff, and it takes the edge off. and it looks like something from mad max.

bb


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