[Sandwich]

As though I can't beat a dead horse enough already, I have yet another question:

Fork selection: New 888 CR @ $500, or used 06-09 Boxxer WC for $350, or attempt to get the monster that I have to work right. I've found that the holidays, and my employer, have been good to me, and I've got the jones to invest a little bit more cash than I originally planned. Weight is not the biggest factor, but durability and price are. Adjustability is also nice.

I've previously ridden and enjoyed an 08 WC that I felt was really quite nice until it dried out and I ruined it. I hated the later model Boxxers that i had. I also really enjoyed the RC3 66 that I had, minus the headset knocking. I'm nervous that Marzocchi is in a state of flux, and support parts for the 888 will be hard to find, but 500 for a new fork is quite ridiculous. The monster that I have has a cracked upper and will need constant attention to make sure it doesn't puke oil everywhere. It also needs some heavier springs to match the rear end.

 

[time-bomb]

If you have the money, ditch the monster. No sense having a fork that is going to require constant attention and possibly/likely cause you problems while out on a trail. The last thing you want to do is spend a lot of time caring for this thing only to have a day of riding get ruined because it acts up.....or worse, you get injured by it.

Between the two other forks, tough call. Both will get you through a full season if you take care of them so spare parts probably isn't that big of an issue for the short term. Which one carries higher resale value and is easier to dump at the end of the year?

 

[norbar]

Why not a 07 888rc2x?

 

[jackalope]

I'd say get the new Zoch 888, as $500 is a crazy good deal and even if Zoch goes the way of Blackberry, you can always throw an Avy cart in it and have a bad ass chassis with a solid damping cart.

Plus, isn't your Monster being held together by hose clamps or something? Not to mention it's monstorous weight (even if you did say doesn't matter much).

 

[Sandwich]

Why not a 07 888rc2x?

888s have oddly high resale value. Like, "what are you thinking selling a fork from 2004 for the same price I can get a new fork for" crazy. Plus, older ones have tall A2C measurements and all of them have the weird stem setup. I think it might be a Canadian thing.

Yes, the monster has a hokey clamp setup to keep the oil inside. Riding it around the yard seemed to keep it OK, and I'm fairly certain it's structurally sound...but you're right, worrying about it on-trail is going to suck. Not to mention throwing money at it to get the appropriate spring rate, which are getting hard to find (probably $50 alone in springs). I've always wanted to ride one, so maybe it's freaky nostalgia that makes me want to keep it, but I can save about 2lbs switching to the 888, and 3.5 with the boxxer.

 

[jonKranked]

andy - are you dead set on a dual crown fork?

 

[jackalope]

Yeah, buy my 55 CR and set it at 170 mm

 

[jonKranked]

and turn the monster T into a lamp or something

 

[4130biker]

I think the boxxer of that era is a pretty awesome fork for the price. If you want nostalgia, you could make some custom 2001 graphics for it, since externally they don't look a whole lot different from the old versions anyway. Seems like it is still pretty easy to find fixes, mods and spare parts for them too.

 

[4130biker]

Another boxxer WC "plus"- you can drop the fork travel to tune the A-C height for your machine, which seems like a pretty big advantage over the other forks.
Espcially given the ammount of "fine tuning" that this rig requires.

 

[Kanye West]

Anything but an '06-'09 Boxxer with known chassis failure problems.

The new 888 CR's are actually pretty cool forks. Amazing value for the money, and 3-year warranty on them.

 

[dan-o]

check you pm's

 

[Tomasis]

new 888. no brainer!! you even can mount Avy cart if you want. heck 888 had live long enough. I could get parts for year 2001 forks.

like said, no brainer. I'd avoid boxxer if I dont want maintainenance.

 

[IH8Rice]

new fork with 3 year warranty or a used fork that will need to be rebuilt every run...

 

[gemini2k]

new fork with 3 year warranty or a used fork that will need to be rebuilt every run...

Bingo.

 

[norbar]

I think the boxxer of that era is a pretty awesome fork for the price. If you want nostalgia, you could make some custom 2001 graphics for it, since externally they don't look a whole lot different from the old versions anyway. Seems like it is still pretty easy to find fixes, mods and spare parts for them too.

You can't be serious

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

Sandwich - not to be a dick but honestly for the amount of time and frustration you seem to be spending on the interwebs trying to piece together a dinosaur it seems you actually NEED a DH bike. Why not just save over the winter and pick up one of these great used bikes that internet riders put in the forums? There are always some great buys in there...

just my opinion, do it right...

 

[Sandwich]

andy - are you dead set on a dual crown fork?

Yeah, cause it's supposed to be a DH bike and I've already purchased angleset components. I'd have to run a 1.125" fork, and that's a no go.

Yeah, buy my 55 CR and set it at 170 mm

Appreciate the offer, but gotta be a double crownder w/cheese.

I think the boxxer of that era is a pretty awesome fork for the price. If you want nostalgia, you could make some custom 2001 graphics for it, since externally they don't look a whole lot different from the old versions anyway. Seems like it is still pretty easy to find fixes, mods and spare parts for them too.

It's not the "nostalgia" as much as the fabled ride and stiffness of monster of that era. It's also kind of what I'm going for- building up a bike that works well for cheap. Supposedly, the monsters v1 worked very well, just were heavy and limited in travel. Mine also has a leak...

 

[Sandwich]

Sandwich - not to be a dick but honestly for the amount of time and frustration you seem to be spending on the interwebs trying to piece together a dinosaur it seems you actually NEED a DH bike. Why not just save over the winter and pick up one of these great used bikes that internet riders put in the forums? There are always some great buys in there...

just my opinion, do it right...

The answer is that it's fun. There's no frustration here. It's winter and it's a time kill, that's pretty much it.

Trust me, by the end of this, I should have a bike with a 64* headset, 13.9" BB, brand new angleset, a custom tuned Avy DHS, a brand new Ringle rr/hadley front on a fresh wheel build, brand new XT brakes and rotors, e13 where it counts, XTR shifter and cassette, 800mm bars, and the final price for all that will be somewhere around $370. The fork is what gets me though, which is why I'm asking. If I splurge and get the brand new fork plus the hilo adapter, I'm looking at just over $1000. I honestly don't think you can find a bike anywhere with that sort of equipment for that price.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

The answer is that it's fun. There's no frustration here. It's winter and it's a time kill, that's pretty much it.

Trust me, by the end of this, I should have a bike with a 64* headset, 13.9" BB, brand new angleset, a custom tuned Avy DHS, a brand new Ringle rr/hadley front on a fresh wheel build, brand new XT brakes and rotors, e13 where it counts, XTR shifter and cassette, 800mm bars, and the final price for all that will be somewhere around $370. The fork is what gets me though, which is why I'm asking. If I splurge and get the brand new fork plus the hilo adapter, I'm looking at just over $1000. I honestly don't think you can find a bike anywhere with that sort of equipment for that price.

fair, i don't know your deepest darkest build secrets just had to ask...enjoy when the clouds break!

 

[norbar]

888s have oddly high resale value. Like, "what are you thinking selling a fork from 2004 for the same price I can get a new fork for" crazy. Plus, older ones have tall A2C measurements and all of them have the weird stem setup. I think it might be a Canadian thing.

Yes, the monster has a hokey clamp setup to keep the oil inside. Riding it around the yard seemed to keep it OK, and I'm fairly certain it's structurally sound...but you're right, worrying about it on-trail is going to suck. Not to mention throwing money at it to get the appropriate spring rate, which are getting hard to find (probably $50 alone in springs). I've always wanted to ride one, so maybe it's freaky nostalgia that makes me want to keep it, but I can save about 2lbs switching to the 888, and 3.5 with the boxxer.

The stem was weird but you can offset that with a flat bar like I did for a while. Though odly high prices surprise me. I sold mine in 2010 for 500$ on our local market that has much higher used gear prices than the rm and pb us classifieds. Now it should be much cheaper. There is one on pinkbike for 270$ put up right now. It's not the lightest but if you want something reliable and cheap it may not be a bad option. Imho less risky than an old boxxer.

 

[4130biker]

You can't be serious

Oops, my butthurt got the best of me. And yes, I am serious.

 

[boogenman]

Boxxer and take the $150 you save from the zones and get the Push upgrade, worth every dollar.

http://www.pushindustries.com/2009/index.php?menu_id=59&type=products&title=Rock Shox BoXXer Kit&product_id=68

 

[Udi]

For an extra $150 you get a brand new fork with a warranty and a stiffer chassis that has longer service intervals. I'm not sure how spectacular the damper is but it sounds like it'll do the job reasonably well, just make sure you get the right spring with it (not sure if they include all springs now, but the stock / medium spring on the 888 is almost unacceptably soft for the average rider - I'd want that sorted within the $500).

I also don't see why you need to splurge on the hi/lo adjuster just because you get the 888, I still think it'd be quite sufficient just to have it re-valved factoring in your personal taste and to leave it like that. A nice fork can make a big difference to a bike though.

There's usually a few 888 deals on PB buysell too:
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1209458/
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1245010/
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1249685/

 

[gemini2k]

Boxxer and take the $150 you save from the zones and get the Push upgrade, worth every dollar.

http://www.pushindustries.com/2009/index.php?menu_id=59&type=products&title=Rock Shox BoXXer Kit&product_id=68

Right, and then you're left with a fork with known chassis failure problems, insane maintenance interval, and no warranty to speak of. That sounds less than optimal.

 

[norbar]

Oops, my butthurt got the best of me. And yes, I am serious.

They weren't super durable either and after ~10 years I doubt most them are even close to good condition.

 

[HardtailHack]

If you buy the RS fork use the remaining money to get your brain checked out, if you are considering that over a new Marz there is something wrong between the ears.

As previously stated, three year warranty, good chassis, decent service intervals and a crazy price.

 

[Sandwich]

For an extra $150 you get a brand new fork with a warranty and a stiffer chassis that has longer service intervals. I'm not sure how spectacular the damper is but it sounds like it'll do the job reasonably well, just make sure you get the right spring with it (not sure if they include all springs now, but the stock / medium spring on the 888 is almost unacceptably soft for the average rider - I'd want that sorted within the $500).

I also don't see why you need to splurge on the hi/lo adjuster just because you get the 888, I still think it'd be quite sufficient just to have it re-valved factoring in your personal taste and to leave it like that. A nice fork can make a big difference to a bike though.

There's usually a few 888 deals on PB buysell too:
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1209458/
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1245010/
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1249685/

I don't need to splurge, and I'm fairly certain I won't. I was just trying to make the point that, for less than most people (at least on ridemonkey) would even consider paying for a used bike, I'm going to have something with lots of new parts, very close to new parts, and very high end equipment. The dilemma is figuring out which parts to pick that are going to give me maximum performance per dollar. I think a lot of people assume that you need to go out and buy the latest and greatest, and with the "forced obsolescence" of the industry, you can get parts that are a few years old that perform a hair shy of things that are fresh out of the factory. I mean, I'll have this entire bike together for less than the cost of a mail-order boxxer WC.

They weren't super durable either and after ~10 years I doubt most them are even close to good condition.

I think he's talking about putting 2001 stickers on a 2009 fork. I don't think anybody is suggesting riding a 2001 boxxer. Even I know better than that.

 

[Da Peach]

Maybe I should get a new fork and sell you my 08 Boxxer Team...

 

[4130biker]

They weren't super durable either and after ~10 years I doubt most them are even close to good condition.

I think you misunderstood me- 2009 boxxer and im sure can be found in good shape, which is cheap, which I personally have had great experience with (unlike my 06 888) then with 2001 STICKERS only to make it look older. Yeah, I wouldnt touch an '01 boxxer, either!

 

[4130biker]

Right, and then you're left with a fork with known chassis failure problems, insane maintenance interval, and no warranty to speak of. That sounds less than optimal.

888 chassis are nice, but I found that dropping the lowers once and a while on my boxxer didn't seem like the nightmare that you portray.

I have a few years of hard riding without this massive chassis failure you speak of...

That being said, if cheap isn't the number 1 thing, then of course it makes sense to get a new fork for 150 more.

 

[Sandwich]

How are the nickel stanchions on the 2007 888s?

 

[4130biker]

I thought I heard they were stickier than a regular 888- I don't recall anything about durability of the coating. Maybe someone here had one and could tell you for sure.

 

[norbar]

How are the nickel stanchions on the 2007 888s?

You have to be a bit more careful with them but it's none of the horror stories some people suggest.

 

[HardtailHack]

Did you buy anything?

 

[Sandwich]

I ended up with the 888 CR. @ $500 for a new fork that was ready to go, it was hard to argue with. I found pretty decent deals, including an avalanche converted 888 WC, but in the end, not dealing with replacing bushings or seals seemed like the way to go. Plus, it has the boxxer standard crown, which I'm a fan of.

I don't have any time on it yet, but the adjuster actually work, which is a pretty neat feature.