I've been trying to find a good fork for 4x this year that is fairly light weight and so far the only sub 4lb 20mm axle option is a manipoo minute. After 2 poor manipoos i def dont want to purchase one. A reba with pike lowers would be nice but that would probably be a little over 4 lbs. The marz 4x is super sweet but once again almost 5lbs. So how come 4x forks get no love? Are we not a big enough market?
4x forks... are we not a big enough market?
- Thread starter snowskilz
- Start date
My guess is that there will be a 4x special fork more to your liking in the next few years.
I think none of the big manufacturer's current fork platforms (castings) is conducive to building a fork to your description.
I too would like a 3 or 4 inch travel, 4 pound single crown with a 20mm axle. It's certainly possible, but not necessarily probable. I think at that weight, you're also getting close to the danger zone in terms of weight. With an air cartridge or Ti spring in one leg and a cartridge damper with little oil in the other, it might be possible with standard outer parts, but it's close.
I faced the same dilemma recently. I bought a Pike. The travel wind-down feature is way better than any other travel reduction system I've used before. It's heavy, though, and not in the right places. The crown looks pretty thin and the damping system must be quite heavy.
I think none of the big manufacturer's current fork platforms (castings) is conducive to building a fork to your description.
I too would like a 3 or 4 inch travel, 4 pound single crown with a 20mm axle. It's certainly possible, but not necessarily probable. I think at that weight, you're also getting close to the danger zone in terms of weight. With an air cartridge or Ti spring in one leg and a cartridge damper with little oil in the other, it might be possible with standard outer parts, but it's close.
I faced the same dilemma recently. I bought a Pike. The travel wind-down feature is way better than any other travel reduction system I've used before. It's heavy, though, and not in the right places. The crown looks pretty thin and the damping system must be quite heavy.
I doubt it. 4x is going away pretty fast. Worst racing ever, so that's a good thing.
Agreed.
Plus, everyone DJs their 4x bikes too so a scary-light 20mm race-only fork isn't likely.
i think there are plenty options out there, a reba, any fox 32mm stanchon, or the new zocchi xc retro series should serve you well if what you want is a sub 4lb fork.
i know none of those are 20mm thru axle, but i think the usefulness of that would be limited, at that travel the aforementioned forks are pretty stiff anyway.
now, if you really want to have it your way, i would look into an xc6/700sl and see if you can put the lowers from the AM1sl on it (same air cart, same damper). for what its worth, the xc700sl i weighed in at 1,68kg out of the box so i reckon theres a fair chance youd still be under 4lbs when youre done (if it works).
then again, what about the dual air pike? with the right spacers you could have that one down to whatever travel you want and theyre right around 4lbs arent they? thats a sweet fork!
Alot of riders want a light 20mm lowish fork.....the only viable option now is the Pike....
Marz used to make a couple versions of light 20mm back in 2001, 2002.....they had the 20mm xFly and the Z1 MCR forks.....since then they are heavy and tall or super heavy DJ forks....
I guess Companies think if they put a light 20mm out there riders will overuse them and destroy them......
Marz used to make a couple versions of light 20mm back in 2001, 2002.....they had the 20mm xFly and the Z1 MCR forks.....since then they are heavy and tall or super heavy DJ forks....
I guess Companies think if they put a light 20mm out there riders will overuse them and destroy them......
With a 7'' cut steer tube, my dual air pike 454 weighs 4.4 lbs w/ that big ass axle. I am having the same problems finding a fork for 4X that goes to 90mm travel. The ideal situation that I have found is the Reba team Air U-Turn w/ the pop-loc ripped off, ran with either a Phil bolt on front hub or DMR front hub. I do feel the flex in sharp turns with the QR so that is out of the question. Happy hunting.
sounds like a Z1 Dual
I think a lot of people are happy running QR xc forks, and I don't see a huge need for 4x-specific forks when stuff like the fox 32 series, reba, and pikes are doing a great job.
I run Manitou Minute Air and have for a couple yrs. - It is the best
weight to stiffness one out IMO - If you are killing them you don't need
a fork that light! I hear so many people trash Manitou on Monkey.
I have ran them since 2000 and have had no problems, oh yeah
I am butta though.
weight to stiffness one out IMO - If you are killing them you don't need
a fork that light! I hear so many people trash Manitou on Monkey.
I have ran them since 2000 and have had no problems, oh yeah
I am butta though.
my issue with manitou is that they have many little parts the fail after a while. I've had a minute and a breakout which felt great out of the box but down the road i think its the rebound assembly fails.
I've tried running a qr front wheel and it flexes way too much for me to feel confident on one and i've broken the drop outs off one too. Maybe im a hack, but i know many many ppl that are looking for a sub 4lb 4x fork with a 20mm axle.
I've tried running a qr front wheel and it flexes way too much for me to feel confident on one and i've broken the drop outs off one too. Maybe im a hack, but i know many many ppl that are looking for a sub 4lb 4x fork with a 20mm axle.
psylo was about 4lb i think too but not stiff
Yeah I have had the stupid plastic rebound thingy break too, but is my
only complaint. Maybe they'll get tired of fixin' em and make em out of
metal eventually - Yeah Sub 4 20 mill hard to find - probably hard to find
I used to Dog Rock Shox like that - havent rode a pair in years - heard
they have improved - my buddy has one seems to have more flex than
my minute.
i have 3, yes three marzocchi 4x forks. two with dual dupio air set ups, and one that is coil one side, air on the other. all three are super light and feel great. contact brad at nemesis project cycles for more info, email is evil4bc@mac.com. best option out there for a 20mm 4x/jumping/street/race fork currently. also travel is available from 100-45mm of travel
it never took off as a replacement for dual slalom.
they tried to fix what wasn't broken.
the whole thing was just a holeshot contest.
are you kidding? You were at Rotorua weren't u? That course was kickass to watch 'em race
Sure I was there, still not super impressed. It was still a holeshot contest unless someone wrecked/caught a bar/pedal etc. It was under development for a year or more and cost an insane amount of money to build and maintain.
Promoters won't put in the time, effort or money necessary to build proper courses at anything but maybe Worlds. The Ft Bill track was decent as well, and was also still just a holeshot contest.
The only racey course in the last 4 years was last year's Cworx course for some reason. 2-3 out of what....40+ races? I'll take the near 99% racey slalom events, thanks. 4x is a flop.
I never liked MTX from day one......in Dual you can still build the heavily bulldozed courses or you can stick gates in the ground and guys will charge down 100% from start to finish, that makes for more interesting racing IMO....
It's all about the WHOOPS! Soooo fun on a bike!
that'd be my pick.. they're about 4.2lbs , but that's close enough for a stiff 20mm fork that'll take some abuse.
saves you from buying two forks to switch parts too.
it says on the sram site that the 454 dual air is 4.08 lbs. i dont know if thats with the steerer or not but if it is then once you cut it down your looking at sub 4lbs. mines cut down as far as i goes. i couldn't ask for a nicer fork for dj, 4x, and trail riding. i have mine set to 100mm.
4x is not a flop....there are just not enough riders who compete in DH and 4X .. most of the guys only concentrate on DH ... that sucks ! same for this years video-productions... nearly no 4X in there ....
UCI should make a combi-ranking for both disciplines (like skiing worldcup) to get more riders into 4X...
worldcup 4X tracks arent that bad (vigo, willingen, schladming, ...).. all with good action ... i like 4X cause of the technical perfection the riders need to have on all those different tracks !
at national races...everybody races DH ... you just need to cruise down the hill if you're not that fast...that won't work for 4X...lots of riders are scarred...
back to the FORK question:
reba is the perfect 4x fork, who needs a 20mm axle ?
UCI should make a combi-ranking for both disciplines (like skiing worldcup) to get more riders into 4X...
worldcup 4X tracks arent that bad (vigo, willingen, schladming, ...).. all with good action ... i like 4X cause of the technical perfection the riders need to have on all those different tracks !
at national races...everybody races DH ... you just need to cruise down the hill if you're not that fast...that won't work for 4X...lots of riders are scarred...
back to the FORK question:
reba is the perfect 4x fork, who needs a 20mm axle ?
I somehow don't think the UCI is ever going back to DS, and 4X is only a flop to people that can't cope with learning how to do a real gate start and weak horses under their Troy Lee's. Also, there is plenty of passing going on in the sport. Yes a holeshot gives you an advantage, but if that is all you got, then someone will go around you. With the construction of tracks getting better and better (more turn options and different lines) the sport hasn't even peaked yet. It is too bad that American sanctioning bodies haven't created a decent track since Anal Fire, and that was built by the UCI! DS mocks downhill and there is no rubbing or drag racing, therefore DH riders are more likely to exceed at it. 4X is a sport that mixes it up with different aspects of riding. Yes I agree that the courses in America need to be more like biker cross at Whistler, but there is no need to go back to dual slalom courses like VT, NC, or any other sh$tty DS course aside from Snowmass.
How about 20mm through axel, 4.7 lbs, adjustable travel from 100mm to 120mm and only $649 when MSRP is $745
Whity Bros Fluid 120
You can check it out at http://www.gravityworxracing.com/MTB_Home.html
Then from there, you can take the $100 you saved and shave more weight by going with ti springs
Whity Bros Fluid 120
You can check it out at http://www.gravityworxracing.com/MTB_Home.html
Then from there, you can take the $100 you saved and shave more weight by going with ti springs
It might help if 4x racing did not die during the winter months. More racing might keep riders intrested!
I think that a 4.5 lb front fork for 4x is plenty light. Think about it, there are so many places on the bike that could be lightened up (wheels are a BIG one), that if you have nothing else to lighten, then your bike is already sub 30 and plenty light.
Btw, the new manitou stuff (minutes/nixons w/ 20 mm lowers) are actually pretty money. They are smooth, the travel adjust works and are LIGHT!!
Btw, the new manitou stuff (minutes/nixons w/ 20 mm lowers) are actually pretty money. They are smooth, the travel adjust works and are LIGHT!!
I have had a manitou minute for a couple of years and I have been really happy with it. I agree with the guy above though, the new minutes look pretty dope. I would seriously look in to one of those.
'are we not a big enough market?' I think that by defining the criteria for any product narrowly enough wiull leave you with a gap in the market, which may or may not be just what you and three of your buddies need the most. Not trying to be a wiseass, just my two cents.
i like the idea of the new marz 55 sl ata but wish it was adjustable from 90-140 or 160. under 5 lbs and 20mm axle
fact is, nobody "rides" 4x. for DH/XC/etc, the race product is able to be supported since normal riders will purchase and ride the product. even this past weekend at Diablo, there were 230 DH racers but an even bigger number of people who have bought the DH bikes, the Fox 40s, etc just to ride the mountain. nobody buys a 4x fork just to ride it. so not only is 4x racing much MUCH smaller than DH racing, that difference is magnified by the fact that they can't be sold to normal riders who aren't into racing. so there are probably at *most* a hundred dedicated 4x racers who would actually spend money to buy a dedicated 4x fork (as opposed to buying a heavier fork that could be used for both AM/freestyle/DJ like a Pike).
what about a maverick sc32?
4.75" of travel, 3.8 pounds.
4.75" of travel, 3.8 pounds.
So actually it is more the promoter then mountaincross, i agree there are lots of these races that turn into a parade after the first turn....but if you look at the courses that Glen Jacobs does in Aussie you'll see the true potential of the format.
I love Dual Slalom...it is fun and exciting to race, but the fact is the sport was so hot when Dual Slalom was growing we could have been on big wheels and there would have been tv coverage and sponsorship $, except in Europe....i can remember doing Slalom in Europe at world cups and there were less fans then at the current races in the states.
Mountaincross was introduced at a crazy time...we were losing television coverage which = losing sponsorship $, our sport was/is in competition with X-games and the now much smaller gravity games for $, Dual Slalom in the non MTB riders eye's just doesn't have the draw of head to head racing.
It is the only discipline that makes true sense as a vehicle to get our sport back to television coverage and the $ that used to be here, if thats even possible?
This is what is currently being raced at the highest level....should we just detour from that and run Slalom only and develop riders that can rip a Slalom course but are a fish out of water at World cups?
i know some say we are better off with out all the coverage, but when there was a surplus of money around the events were a lot more fun.
Honestly i could care less what we race, I'm just happy to go to the races and have fun, but i hate to see something slammed that i personally think has value to our sport.
I can understand as a person that actually makes their living at this that that is important to you. But as an amatuer/weekend warrior having a track that only the upper 5% (if that) can be competitive on sucks.
I got into DH as an aside to getting into DS. Back then I used the same bike for both though?
I never raced BMX growing up so in my late 20's/early 30's I didn't care to try to figure out gate starts and passing/blocking/sharking (if you ask me?!?). I was a natural at carving corners so even though the guy in the lane next to me could snap me out of the gate by the time we got to the finish line I was in contention.
Maybe this wasn't the kind of racing people wanted to watch but it was something people wanted to do.