[bURKeNSTiEN]

Hay ppl

I've built up a new bike strictly for XC racing / trail riding. XC racing is this bikes main purpose in life.

I have a few parts decisions to make though...

I've got 2 forks I can build it with, a Fox Float80RLC or a Manitou Mars Elite. Both forks are quite smooth & track very well to the dirt. The Fox is a bit stiffer and about 250grams heavier. It also looks cooler (most important!).
I have never had a manitou fork (just got this one) and dont know what to expect out of it realibility / quality wise. Any comments on that or which fork you'd keep?


Also, I've got 2 v brakes i can build it up with.
XTR or Avid Ti.
Once again, the XTR are my benchmark but the Avid's seem to do quite well & they are lighter too. Preferences??


Overall, very happy with the new build. It's around 9-9.5kg (so my bathroom scales tell me). It absolutely FLIES up hills, I cant believe it, it spins me out. Climbs I used to do in granny I can now do in middle ring. She rocks Also totally floats down descents too.

Spec

Merida Magnesium Elite frame (1200gr )
Fox Float80RLC (or Mars Elite)
Full 2002 XTR groupset
Shimano 959 pedals
Richey WCS stem
Easton EC90 flats
Thomson post
Selle Italia SLR saddle
DT Hugi240 Hubs
Mavic 517's
DT 15/17 Revolutions w/ alloy nipples

 

[indieboy]

i'd go w/ the fox for a few reasons. every one of them that i have been able to ride (just around the trailhead) seems to be pretty damn smooth in terms of how the travel plays through. a nice touch is the lock out w/ the blow off, once you learn how to adjust that properly that should be a really nice adjustment. there is a handlebar lock out lever that is in the works, don't expect it to be out this year, i'd say expect it around interbike time. the only downside to the fork is it's weight. i'd be willing to beat though that fox will have a much lighter fork for next year w/ all of the xc riders and teams they are sponsoring.

 

[bURKeNSTiEN]

I think I'm going to ride both forks for a while, seeing as how I actually already have both.

I want to go with the Fox, I think its worth the weight penalty



Incidentally, tires for the new rig are Maxxis Flyweight330's w/ the maxxis ultralight tire & rim strip.
For a tire with practically no tread pattern they grip suprisingly well. CLimbing on clay is great. High speed descents on gravel..... now thats sketchy... hooo boy washout city

 

[Motionboy2]

Don't mess with Manitou. I don't think I have ever seen one last more than 6 months

 

[Fulton]

The answer is not Answer, go with the fox, much better buld quality, and most imnportant, look way cooler

 

[Westy]

I own both forks. I vote for the Fox hands down withoug hesitation. The fox is smooth and stiff, the damping is great and it feels like it has more travel than it really does. My Mars is harsh over the small stuff but bottoms out on bigger bumps. The only thing the Mars has over the Fox is the paint on the Fox scratches and wears easily, the Mars paint is tough.

 

[bURKeNSTiEN]

Well I have raced both of these forks now, so I feel I can evaluate them properly.

The Fox Float is noticeably torsionally stiffer than the Mars Elite. This is most obviously evidenced by the fact that I can hear the brake pads rubbing on the front during hard efforts.

On to how each fork rides, well they feel a little similar perhaps because both are very smooth.
The weekend before last I raced the Fox over a dry very fast, very steep course. The weekend just passed I raced the Mars on a slow, steep, super Muddy course from hell.

The Fox maybe seems initially a little firmer in its damping, however for only 80mm it sure seems to absorb some pretty big hits without bottoming or feeling harsh. During the race, I can't say that I noticed the fork in particular for something it was doing right or wrong, it just felt good. At the end no sore arms either.

The Mars feels super plush when stationary, it really sinks into its travel when you lean down. When riding however it doesnt feel that way. It seems to stick to the ground well, just flexes in turns more than the Fox. Didn't really notice the fork this weekend either, although it was a much slower course this time, so fork wasnt really doing a whole lotta high speed/impact stuff. At the end of the race though (and the last lap) I did notice that my arms were hurting. Dont know whether that was course related or fork related, but it was there.

So yes, I'm putting the Fox back on there!

Additionally, I switched to Avid Ti's from XTR's to test out their braking power for the last race. I think I will switch to Avid Ti's because they both feel practically identical for braking power, and the Avids are lighter


Also since it's Winter series here, I switched from those Maxxis flyweights back to some hutchison python airlites.... and damn they are such a better tire for the current conditions. People that say Pythons dont shed/grip mud, I don't know what you're talking about cos these things worked miracles yesterday in whipped cream mud 30psi helps too