[selfsequestered]

I'm building up a new bike after being without one for a couple of years.
I managed to score a pretty awesome deal on a Knolly Vtach frame, so that'll be the beast.
I'll be riding a little of everything, leaning more towards the freeride/shore side.
I'll be pedaling up, if it matters at all.

I've narrowed the fork options down to three. 2011 Boxxer RC, 2010 Totem Coil, or 2011 36 Van 180 Fit.
I've read quite a few reviews, other forums, etc but I thought I'd ask here as I've always had good luck with the boards recommendations.

Price wise, the Totem is cheapest, followed very closely by the Boxxer, with the 36 in a distant third.

Which one will be plushest?
Any issues with one over the other?
Will I miss the turning radius if I switch to a Boxxer? I've never ridden with a dual crown fork before.

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

i have a totem, and have had several rockshox products... dont buy rockshox.
get the fox.

 

[baca262]

if you have a 1.5" or a tapered headset - 66cr. best bang/$ on the market imo. or even better, dish out for the rc3.

 

[selfsequestered]

I've read up on, and talked to tech guys about Marzocchi and they have nothing but terrible things about the Marzocchi products up to late 2010/early 2011.

 

[bullcrew]

Of the batch the 36 will be the lightest and the performance on it is amazing. The totem is solid a bit heavy and and always felt it was a bit too progressive but still a beast, the boxxer depends on which one your looking at.

If you are doing free ride, pedalling up and want a fork to fit that criteria I'd say fox hands down, the boxxer is nice but unless your racing dh and hammering nasty rocks its easily matched by the fox and outdone by it in the free ride pedalling (weight, manueverability, turning etc).

They say it flexes and although I like a little twist I can't say I had an issue with the fox hands down my favorite off the shelf fork.....I did notice the tapered was stiffer than the 1 1/8 I had but I'd run either again.

Congrats on the bike and have fun...

 

[selfsequestered]

Haha, thanks bullcrew. I swear you've ridden almost every part made.
I too was leaning pretty heavily towards the Fox, I had an older 36 Talas on a previous bike and it was a very forgiving fork.

Now if only I could find someone selling one in the $500 range.

 

[baca262]

I've read up on, and talked to tech guys about Marzocchi and they have nothing but terrible things about the Marzocchi products up to late 2010/early 2011.

yeah they had major issues beginning with the '08. line (bushing slop, faulty cartridges, oil seals pressed in upside down) but came back on the right track in since 2010. go read the 888rc3 evo tuning thread, i haven't seen a single complaint on the last 10 pages.

btw i recommend 1.5 or tapered steerer because i believe it's the only way to go for a single crown fork bigger than 100mm, i am extremely wary ever since i made my old pike creak at the steerer/crown interface. also it can potentially spare you from replacing headsets since the steerer tube doesn't flex as much as a 1 1/8" one.

 

[Wa-Aw]

I've ridden a totem for a good 2 years and a 36 for a few months. Totem is noticeably stiffer. It's not a plush or compliant as the 36 but it seems more stable over rough. 36 feels "bouncy" if that makes sense to you, I feel like I need to slow down it's low speed rebound and speed up it's high speed rebound. The Totem was the opposite but at least it always went where I pointed. Totem was 1.5" and 36 was 1 1/8, I'm sure that matters.

These flex issues were only really noticeable at speeds of 50+ over rockies though.


I'd say if you rode more "DH" -ish trails get the totem, more freeride trails, get the 36. I ran air versions of both forks so I think it's still a valid comparison.

 

[4130biker]

Coming from a boxxer team in the 32mm chassis, and going to a 36 van 180 1-1/8, I think the stiffness is pretty similar. Not a huge tuner, but I like the damping better on the fox- I can run enough compression to use a slightly lower spring rate. So far it's been really forgiving and fun to ride. I went 1-1/8" for flexibility in running angle sets and different frame possibilities and couldn't be happier. Keep your eyes peeled- My buddy scored a cherry 2011 float version for $600 recently on pinkbike. Also there are usually some oem take offs on eBay for cheaper , but be careful there. Have heard a story or two of forks coming with low end dampers when stated otherwise.

 

[HardtailHack]

i have a totem, and have had several rockshox products... dont buy rockshox.
get the fox.

I have a 2010 Totem coil it is also rubbish, a 66 is nowhere near your price range? It is rare to hear a bad thing about 2011-12 66 and 888 forks. I have a 2011 888 Evo and the difference in grip between that and the Totem is just crazy, I had the Totem apart probably six times in a year to see if I could make it go up and down like it sould. After buying the AVY cart I found it was poor machining that caused all of my dramas.
Sram supposedly have great CS and that is good because if they didn't have that they'd have nothing.

 

[selfsequestered]

All the 2010/2011 66's that I'd consider are in the $700 price range, only some falling into the lower prices but they tend to sell quickly.
I'm also hoping for a tapered steer so I can keep my current stem, headset, etc.

bullcrew, any thoughts on the new 66?

 

[wood booger]

Haha, thanks bullcrew. I swear you've ridden almost every part made.
I too was leaning pretty heavily towards the Fox, I had an older 36 Talas on a previous bike and it was a very forgiving fork.

Now if only I could find someone selling one in the $500 range.

Bummer, just sold my damn-near-brand-new 36 Van w/ Kashy for 5 bills on evil bay.

Put a coil sprung Boxxer in it's place. Gained a touch more weight, but stiffness/steering precision is improved. The Fox did feel good though....but it was pretty long. A-C for 180mm Fox is pretty much identical to 203mm Boxxer. HA w/ Fox was 63.5 on a Demo.

I would venture that the Fox will feel better with less maintenance than a Boxxer, but the Boxxer is hard to beat when freshly serviced (and oil seals/foam rings removed). R2C2 does work well as long as it has the correct fluids in it.

Don't get a Totem.

 

[bullcrew]

All the 2010/2011 66's that I'd consider are in the $700 price range, only some falling into
aside of weight it the lower prices but they tend to sell quickly.
I'm also hoping for a tapered steer so I can keep my current stem, headset, etc.

bullcrew, any thoughts on the new 66?

Aside of weight its smooth and feels really good. I liked mine and MARZOCCHI definently put themselves back where they used to be smooth and solid.

I'd still take the fox 36 for his application, I really liked the fox 36 alot I thought it kept the good graces of its 160 counterpart and merged with the 40 in terms of length and longer lowers for bushing overlap.
They are all great forks and all have strong points but the fox definentlymstood out....

 

[yopaulie]

Any triple clamp will limit your turn radius, especially if you are lining up a skinny.

 

[4130biker]

Any triple clamp will limit your turn radius, especially if you are lining up a skinny.

There's always the wheelhop, but that is a point I hadn't really thought of... Not that anyone would be caught dead riding a skinny these days!

 

[Wa-Aw]

Any triple clamp will limit your turn radius, especially if you are lining up a skinny.

This really messes up my parking lot going-around-in-circles rides too, and riding home through traffic.

 

[yopaulie]

I may be dating myself by using the term skinnies.

 

[4130biker]

I may be dating myself by using the term skinnies.

I think you had a valid point- I'm just poking fun at the fact that everyone is so busy being "factory as fvck" downhillers that they've forgot that riding is about having fun on a bike.

 

[yopaulie]

Dont tell anyone 4130, but I still like skinnies whenever I ride one.