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2014 forks

blindboxx2334

Turbo Monkey
Mar 19, 2013
1,340
101
Wets Coast
sorry i just went and looked it up. i had always assumed it was chrome..

nickel coating.. hmm, anyone got any gripe with it? not as smoooove as hard ano?
 

tabletop84

Monkey
Nov 12, 2011
891
15
Theoretically it'S advertised as more slippery than ano but they had reliability-issues when they fiirst introduced it.

I however have no problems apart from stains developing from certain dirt if not washed off after the ride. They go away with never-dull though.

The coating of a fork is almost irrelevant to it's smoothness but lubrication and bushings are.

Your coating could be worn off and you still can get a buttery smooth fork if everything else is ok.
 
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blindboxx2334

Turbo Monkey
Mar 19, 2013
1,340
101
Wets Coast
sorry bud.. i never went back into that thread.. if a forum doesnt have a list of all of the threads ive posted in, i have a hard time keeping up with it all

thanks tho!
 

sethimus

neu bizutch
Feb 5, 2006
4,881
2,132
not in Whistler anymore :/
for the stupid:

thread with new content
thread with new content you already posted in
thread you already read but no new content

not THAT hard to understand...
 
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blindboxx2334

Turbo Monkey
Mar 19, 2013
1,340
101
Wets Coast
wow you guys are so nice here! ;)

edit:
sorry im too dumb and couldnt figure it out (cause you know, every single forum is the same in terms of the interface). im sure that really must bother ya'll. :)
 
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Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
821
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
What I liked about Marz's nickel legs was how hard and scratch resistant they were. In 5 years I never got a scratch on one. They also seem to be pretty slippery. Something about micro-pores holding oil. I'd say they're my favorite leg coating, though they screw up flash photos in dark woods by being too shiny. Kashima works well but doesn't seem as scratch resistant and the black hard ano Marz uses on their lower models definitely isn't as tough.
 
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blindboxx2334

Turbo Monkey
Mar 19, 2013
1,340
101
Wets Coast
ive only ridden the regular hard ano coating on my fox SC fork, but ive met two people who've ridden both the kasima coat and the and the old coating. they told me there wasnt too much of a difference between the two..

bummer cause the kash is soooo purrty
 
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Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,740
470
I'd question the objectivity of his opinions given he works for DVO (I think), and posts like this.
I do not work for or represent DVO. I presently work in the aerospace industry.

Also, I'm not sure what that post has to do with anything? It's not like Fox is the outstanding company in that regard. Most all bike suspension companies cannot afford serious engineering salaries. Across the board, it's a REAL low paying industry for engineer/design work, with some exceptions here and there.

The point of my last post was that if saving 1# of weight at the sacrifice of serious suspension performance in your front end actually makes you go faster, then a trail bike is probably more what you're after, not an 8-10" downhill rig. Not saying the choice between those two items would actually be a significant different in performance, but generally speaking.

Actually, the performance difference between a 40/Dorado/DVO and a Boxxer would certainly be notable. All the top end forks are getting pretty dang close in terms of performance while I still see the production level Boxxers at the very trailing end, as usual. That's about my only real bias when it comes to forks, and that's nothing new (you know that Udi) but I do have my preferences.
 

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,740
470
The coating of a fork is almost irrelevant to it's smoothness but lubrication and bushings are.

Your coating could be worn off and you still can get a buttery smooth fork if everything else is ok.
What? Re-read what you just wrote.

The coating and surface friction coefficient is absolutely relevant to the smoothness of the chassis. Why do you think coatings like DLC, Ti-Ni, DiChronite and Molyb are so effective?

If the coating is worn off, then you have a looser fit in the bushings, and it'll feel smoother, until you learn it over in a corner and it starts binding, and until the bushings get clapped out from the irregular wear.

Every single dynamic seal/surface contributes to the overall friction of a fork. Typically you have stanchion/dust wiper, stanchion/seal, stanchion/bushing 1, stanchion/bushing 2, rod/rod seal, piston/cartridge ID, and spring/stanchion ID (if applicable). Go make the surface finishes on one (in each of those pairs of surfaces) less smooth and tell me how it feels.

Also, the advantage of the nickel 888 stanchions is their additional hardness over the black ano stanchions. True, they do not have quite the same level of slipperyness and they don't hold oil as well on their surfaces, but they take a damn beating. With proper attention to detail of the seals and bushings and a thorough polishing of the stanchion, they can get pretty close but might need some attention a little more often to stay super slick. Depends what you want.
 

tabletop84

Monkey
Nov 12, 2011
891
15
What? Re-read what you just wrote.

The coating and surface friction coefficient is absolutely relevant to the smoothness of the chassis. Why do you think coatings like DLC, Ti-Ni, DiChronite and Molyb are so effective?

If the coating is worn off, then you have a looser fit in the bushings, and it'll feel smoother, until you learn it over in a corner and it starts binding, and until the bushings get clapped out from the irregular wear.

Every single dynamic seal/surface contributes to the overall friction of a fork. Typically you have stanchion/dust wiper, stanchion/seal, stanchion/bushing 1, stanchion/bushing 2, rod/rod seal, piston/cartridge ID, and spring/stanchion ID (if applicable). Go make the surface finishes on one (in each of those pairs of surfaces) less smooth and tell me how it feels.

Also, the advantage of the nickel 888 stanchions is their additional hardness over the black ano stanchions. True, they do not have quite the same level of slipperyness and they don't hold oil as well on their surfaces, but they take a damn beating. With proper attention to detail of the seals and bushings and a thorough polishing of the stanchion, they can get pretty close but might need some attention a little more often to stay super slick. Depends what you want.
I bet you couldn't tell the difference between dlc and the black coating mz uses or the kashima and the new gold stuff from marzocchi in a blind test but you sure as hell would notice if a fork has no lubrication oil in it: it's called the rock-shox-effect.
 

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,740
470
I bet you couldn't tell the difference between dlc and the black coating mz uses or the kashima and the new gold stuff from marzocchi in a blind test but you sure as hell would notice if a fork has no lubrication oil in it: it's called the rock-shox-effect.
You could notice any of those coatings vs. no coatings at all in a blind test, as long as the rest of the chassis was moving smoothly, that is for sure.
 

no skid marks

Monkey
Jan 15, 2006
2,511
29
ACT Australia
I bet you couldn't tell the difference between dlc and the black coating mz uses or the kashima and the new gold stuff from marzocchi in a blind test but you sure as hell would notice if a fork has no lubrication oil in it: it's called the rock-shox-effect.
I agree on a well lubricated fork.

You could notice any of those coatings vs. no coatings at all in a blind test, as long as the rest of the chassis was moving smoothly, that is for sure.
Probably on a poorly serviced, dried out 40 or Boxxer I think. Doubt it on any freshly serviced fork. Not saying there's no difference, just saying it's relevance probably isn't as important as a lot of other factors, like seal count, type, damping type, lubrication type, etc etc. Coating type is not on my list of priorities for buying a fork. Get an inverted fork if you want slippery stanchions.Gross generalization and a JOKE. Inverted forks should have wet seals thanks to gravity, but design may hinder this. and binding due to twisting flex may hinder slipperiness.
 
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Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
821
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
Good to know that DVO, FOX and Manitou will offer 27.5 wheels... fuel for debate...
Part of the reason those are the 3 I'm choosing from. I don't know if or when I'll try 650 on the DH but I'd like to have the option. I put a 650 front wheel on my XC/Trail bike and liked it.

Dorado could use a trimmed down version of the 29" travel spacer kit it comes with if necessary but I bet you could just slide the legs down enough for the tire to clear the crown. Cheapest to try 650
I think DVO just requires a different brace and slide the legs down. Some $$
Fox 40 needs new lowers and adjust the legs. More $$$
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
You know, the BOS is not built on Boxxer standards (I hope).
why is that? seals and bushing should last that if you're not constantly riding in muddy/adverse conditions
That's not a problem with Bushings but with the valve between the positive and negative chamber. If you ride in dust it will need more than once a year maintanance if you don't want to loose travel and have a wooden feeling fork. That's why the Fox looks promising.
 

trib

not worthy of a Rux.
Jun 22, 2009
1,456
388
New Pike too. Nice to see it return, even though it's a completely different fork now
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,288
5,028
Ottawa, Canada
New Pike too. Nice to see it return, even though it's a completely different fork now
yup: http://www.vitalmtb.com/product/feature/First-Look-All-New-2014-RockShox-Pike-Monarch-Plus-Updates-Reverb-Improvements,159

but for the life of me, I can't understand why they didn't keep the 20mm thru-axle. :( I'd like to replace my aging 36 with something a little lighter, but I'm not ready to give up my 20mm thru-axle. At 220lbs. and an agressive rider, it's just not in the cards. Otherwise it looks great.
 
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blindboxx2334

Turbo Monkey
Mar 19, 2013
1,340
101
Wets Coast
+1. i have a 15mm axle on my dj right now, but wouldnt have minded a 20mm..

it just seems like theyre stepping backwards. i can live with the tapered steerer, but i just dont get why they only offer a 15mm model.
 

trib

not worthy of a Rux.
Jun 22, 2009
1,456
388
if you want the 20mm a shortened lyrik can do the job. I think there's a bunch of reasons to go 15mm:

castings - with 26", 650b and 29" legs to then offer, 15mm and 20mm meanse extra tooling, extra cost, extra hassle

to force a clear divide between lyrik and pike - with the lyrik now offered at 170 and upwards the pike fits the market for someone who wants a burly short travel fork (has anyone ever snapped a 20mm axle? I'm curious) and the lyrik can be stepped down for those that need a bit more beef.

15mm works - simply put, the size works, no need for that tint extra weight of a 20mm if 15mm works.

my 2c. I'm sure I'll be told how wrong I am in just a sec.
 

SuboptimusPrime

Turbo Monkey
Aug 18, 2005
1,658
1,633
NorCack
This actually brings up a point I've wondered about for a while. Have people who have ridden 20mm forks switched to 15mm and then noticed a problem? I guess, in order to be objective, you'd need to stay within one platform, like say the revelation which is offered with both 15 and 20mm dropouts. My primary issue with 15mm is just that most of my stuff is currently 20mm...not necessarily a performance issue.
 

trib

not worthy of a Rux.
Jun 22, 2009
1,456
388
I know a few people who ride street a lot say theres a big difference between the two, but they run their forks very firm, with very stiff wheels, very hard tires and quite often a foot jammed in the arch.

not sure how much difference is felt on a bike where the fork is set up to actually compress and has a tire which isn't at 100psi.
 

captainspauldin

intrigued by a pole
May 14, 2007
1,263
177
Jersey Shore
This actually brings up a point I've wondered about for a while. Have people who have ridden 20mm forks switched to 15mm and then noticed a problem? I guess, in order to be objective, you'd need to stay within one platform, like say the revelation which is offered with both 15 and 20mm dropouts. My primary issue with 15mm is just that most of my stuff is currently 20mm...not necessarily a performance issue.
I went from a 20mm pike straight steerer to a 15mm revelationm tapered steerer and the revelation def felt stiffer, but I think it's more to do with the tapered steerer than the axle. Of course apples to oranges, but just my 2c.
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,288
5,028
Ottawa, Canada
This actually brings up a point I've wondered about for a while. Have people who have ridden 20mm forks switched to 15mm and then noticed a problem? I guess, in order to be objective, you'd need to stay within one platform, like say the revelation which is offered with both 15 and 20mm dropouts. My primary issue with 15mm is just that most of my stuff is currently 20mm...not necessarily a performance issue.
I guess my problem with this is I'd only be able to know if there's a performance drop going from 20 to 15 by comparing forks back to back on my own bike on trails I know well. At +/- $1000 for a fork, it's a pretty pricey experiment to engage in. I don't really know of any "test-ride" programs for forks.

But i remember when I first put a 20mm fork on my bike, going from a 9mm skewer. The difference was so vast that it was night and day. 15 is closer to 20 than 9, but still, I really don't want to give up that stiffness, given what I said above about my weight, style and preferred terrain.

I guess it means I'll stick to a 36 or a vengeance if I need a new fork this year. Unless they apply these weight reduction approaches to the Lyrik down the road, but keep a 160mm option and 20mm axle, and have the new damping system. Actually, now that I type it, I'd be willing to wager that is a possibility down the road. Maybe in 2014?
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,558
24,181
media blackout
But i remember when I first put a 20mm fork on my bike, going from a 9mm skewer. The difference was so vast that it was night and day. 15 is closer to 20 than 9, but still, I really don't want to give up that stiffness
its less about axle diameter and more about interface that prodivdes the additional stiffness
 

weedkilla

Monkey
Jul 6, 2008
362
10
I'm excited to see 35mm legs and 29er fork, but still meh about 15mm. However am I the only one who sees sram putting dampers in bladders as a whole world of trouble?

Simply put, the all-new Charger damper we developed for PIKE is the most refined damper RockShox has ever produced. It’s a bladder-charged damper, which means it has consistent performance even during the longest, hardest descents, plus it allows complete control for the trail with open, pedal and lock positions (RCT3 version). A Rapid Recovery rebound circuit completes what many testers have described as the “best RockShox fork ever made.”

QA inconsistency isnt going to play well with that... And I would assume that its going to appear across a lot more of the range in 2014.


.
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
821
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
Bladders should work better than floating pistons for separating air and oil. Fox had a round of them that tore though so there can be problems. So long as they're made right out of a good rubber they're great.
 

trib

not worthy of a Rux.
Jun 22, 2009
1,456
388
Some manufacturers do seem to be altering the rake of their 650b offerings to negate the larger wheel affect, even though a 650b wheel would fit fine in the 26" model.
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
This actually brings up a point I've wondered about for a while. Have people who have ridden 20mm forks switched to 15mm and then noticed a problem? I guess, in order to be objective, you'd need to stay within one platform, like say the revelation which is offered with both 15 and 20mm dropouts. My primary issue with 15mm is just that most of my stuff is currently 20mm...not necessarily a performance issue.

I went from 20mm to 15 (Recon Race w/Maxle 20 to Marz 44 TST2 15QR and now to RS Revelation RL w/1.5 steerer and Maxle Lite) with a DMR Convertable hub. Just changed the adapters and I was ready to ride. However, in this particular case the 15QR adapters are poorly made, and offer less axle support. Thus they developed play pretty quickly.

It might be just my imagination or the DMR hub, but my front wheel surely felt a lot stiffer with the 20mm axle.