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Totem 2-Step for light DH?

Apr 28, 2006
338
0
Kirkland, WA
I've been casually looking into buying a Totem 2-Step. I would be using it for about 80% freeride, but I am wondering if it would hold up/ perform well for the the few DH races and shuttle runs I would also be doing? Has anyone had time dh'ing on a Totem? Right now I am running an 06 Boxxer Team, and the Totem would be going on a 06 Demo 8 II. Any feedback would be great.

Thanks
 

coma13

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2006
1,082
0
I know a couple people with Totem 2-Steps... both of which have gotten stuck down, sent in to RockShox for service, and are now ripping... I have a Totem Coil and I love it.
 

Daver

Monkey
Jun 1, 2005
390
0
Shiddeny
Yeah, they're fine for DH. If they sat a little bit lower they'd be a better alternative than most DH forks, but as is they're not a bad choice.
 

hungryleprican

Turbo Monkey
Jun 15, 2006
1,970
0
ndub
I think the team that you have on there is going to be perfectly fine- even better for DH if you plan on racing this year
 

Lejk

Chimp
Jun 3, 2002
25
0
Umea
I would also like some advice on single crown fork. I'm going to use my bike in pretty much the same way as ktown.freeride.

My bike is a Uzzi VPX and I'm a rather small rider (about 68kg) and I'm thinking about buying either a 66 (1 1.25") or a Totem (1.125").

My first thought was to go for an airsprung fork, but I'm unsure if this will work in the long run.

I'm also a little worried about not going for the 1.5" option, as I'm very pleased with my headset (FSA Orbit Extreme) and stem (Thomson Elite).

What would you guys recommend for a rider of my size? :cheers:
 

ÆX

Turbo Monkey
Sep 8, 2001
4,920
17
NM
I would also like some advice on single crown fork. I'm going to use my bike in pretty much the same way as ktown.freeride.

My bike is a Uzzi VPX and I'm a rather small rider (about 68kg) and I'm thinking about buying either a 66 (1 1.25") or a Totem (1.125").

My first thought was to go for an airsprung fork, but I'm unsure if this will work in the long run.

I'm also a little worried about not going for the 1.5" option, as I'm very pleased with my headset (FSA Orbit Extreme) and stem (Thomson Elite).

What would you guys recommend for a rider of my size? :cheers:
with your weight i would go AIR, it will make the bike feel a lot quicker.

IMO, i would get the 66 Marzocchi 66 SL1 ATA Fork
its the lightest of the bunch at 5.8
 
Unless your going to climb Mt Washington everyday and really use the step down feature I would either get the totem coil or air. I've heard too many stories of those forks getting stuck down to throw any of my money at it, but i have not been keeping up with it lately so they could have fixed the problem. You seriously don't need it though - you can climb fine with the coil or air.

I've been using a 1.125 totem coil for about 9 months now. It is the only single crown I'd trust for any kind of DH and is still light enough to climb if you need to get to the goods that way. I've had no issues with mine and it climbs fine. My fork is on an SX Trail and I've been to diablo, snowshoe and ride our gnar here in the mountains on a regular basis.
 

FCLinder

Turbo Monkey
Mar 6, 2002
4,402
0
Greenville, South Carolina
How did I know that one was coming????? We are simply trying to help out the guy that had the question. If you don't have any good info to help him out then there is no reason for you to post anything.
 

ZHendo

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2006
1,661
147
PNW
i'm kind of in the same position. i'm riding an sx trail and i'll be racing dh on it, will a 36 be fine? i can get a good deal on a slightly used one. i just haven't ridden any of these single crowns and i don't really have the opportunity to, so i'm just curious.
 

Eren

Turbo Monkey
Mar 18, 2006
2,874
0
mill creek, WA (now in Surrey UK)
How did I know that one was coming????? We are simply trying to help out the guy that had the question. If you don't have any good info to help him out then there is no reason for you to post anything.
chris has since stuck with his team.

although not sure if hes still into the totem.

he ran his boxxer every race this year.
 

jwind

Chimp
May 14, 2007
3
0
Portland Maine
i'm kind of in the same position. i'm riding an sx trail and i'll be racing dh on it, will a 36 be fine? i can get a good deal on a slightly used one. i just haven't ridden any of these single crowns and i don't really have the opportunity to, so i'm just curious.
The 36 is marketed as "the ultimate heavy duty trail fork" -- what ever that means... Personally I think a VAN RC on your SXT is a great match. It's not really what I'd call DH, but neither is your frame.
 

KavuRider

Turbo Monkey
Jan 30, 2006
2,565
4
CT
I've been beating a Totem Solo Air on my Bullit - I love it. Plenty stiff/plush enough for true DH, also a great freeride fork. No problems yet.
 

FCLinder

Turbo Monkey
Mar 6, 2002
4,402
0
Greenville, South Carolina
i'm kind of in the same position. i'm riding an sx trail and i'll be racing dh on it, will a 36 be fine? i can get a good deal on a slightly used one. i just haven't ridden any of these single crowns and i don't really have the opportunity to, so i'm just curious.
The Totem will be great for that bike if you plan to run it DH. I don't really think an older 36 will be as good. Now an 08 36 from what Jeremy R says its feel is just as good as the Totem. I really don't know.
 

-C-

Monkey
May 27, 2007
296
10
36's will be fine for some DH.

I've used & abused mine for nearly 3 years now & they have been utterly superb. I really cannot fault them, other than they are pooh brown! :D

They feel like a mini version of my Totem. Although they arn't that mini!
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
I got my totem last year when the issues with the 2-step were becoming well known, so I went with the coil. It's been great, and x-ups on a big bike are teh fun. Thing is burly and at least as stiff as a boxxer, if not more (I'm about 200 lbs). They have addressed the lock down issue so the 2-step should be a fine option if you want the travel adjust. Their customer service is usually damn good in my experience. Keep in mind that the ride height will be similar to an 8" dual crown because of the burlier crown, but if that's not an issue, rock it.
 

ZHendo

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2006
1,661
147
PNW
the 36 i'm looking at is used, but that doesn't mean it's old, it's an 08 float rc2. when i say i'm racing downhill, it's mostly going to be local SF Bay area stuff, like CCCX, Sea Otter, etc. The gnarliest will be N*, but i'm not even sure i'm going to race there. sounds like the fork is a good choice then...will the van really be much more durable than a float?
 

-C-

Monkey
May 27, 2007
296
10
Mine are a Talas (air cart) which is what I guess the Float has replaced & they are fine IMO.

Seriously good forks, one of the best bits of bike gear I have ever owned.
 

davet

Monkey
Jun 24, 2004
551
3
They have addressed the lock down issue so the 2-step should be a fine option if you want the travel adjust. Their customer service is usually damn good in my experience.
Their way of addressing the problem was to convert the 2-step to a Solo Air and give you a free SRAM X.9 for you troubles.

I received an email directly from Sram warranty saying they did not have a solution for the 2-step problems and did not feel they would have one in the foreseeable future. This was in November. I see the 2-step on the Rockshox website so I wonder. The customer service/warranty department up her in Canada (Norco) was amazing in dealing with the owners of this fork, but were handcuffed with a design that didn't work.

I swapped out the Totem for an 08 66 ATA that has been flawless. I thought the Totem was a good feeling fork, but I feel the 66 is even better.....and it works the way it's supposed to.
 

muddy beast

Turbo Monkey
Nov 26, 2005
1,815
0
On the website, for the 2step it says its "OEM Only". So I take it that means they basically aren't making them anymore.
 

frorider

Monkey
Jul 21, 2004
971
20
cali
SRAM sent me a brand new 2step in October since i had problems with my relatively new 2 step. Did 3 rides on the new one, worked great. Next ride the 2 step cartridge developed issues. I told RS to just send me a solo air (or convert my 2 step). They sent me a brand new solo air and some SRAM parts I needed for another bike.

I got the impression that they'd pretty much given up on the 2 step and would've sugg'd the solo air if i hadn't.

the people to blame here are the idiot customers who told the RS marketing guys "I don't like to waste 10 seconds winding the U-Turn to adjust travel after I've finished a long climb, so please make something complicated and heavy that will allow me to instantly switch between the travel settings."

A totem u-turn solo air would be perfect for my mix of lift-served and self-powered riding.
 

psychobiker

Monkey
Jul 17, 2006
549
0
charlotte nc
inch and eight head tube may not be as good for big single crowns, go with it if you have 1.5 head tube so you dont round it out. but u can always use a headlock