My '03 Fox Vanilla RLC on my dj/street hardtail is dying, and the cost of a rebuild from Push is almost as much as my cost on a new Manitou Gold Label fork. My buddy just got a Gold Label fork, and it seems to be a pretty solid and reasonably-priced piece of metal. The problem with the rebuild from Push is that I have one of the '03 Vanillas with a creaking crown, and the Push rebuild won't fix that. (Getting the fork serviced by Fox will cost more than the fork did when it was new.) So... do I a) ride my Vanilla until it dies and worry about getting a new fork later; b) get the Push rebuild and keep riding the fork; or c) get the Manitou Gold Label fork and then rebuild my front wheel with a 20mm hub?
fork situation
- Thread starter dexterq20
- Start date
I think option C would be your best bet...
dump the Vanilla and start fresh with something else.
It's your DJ bike and WILL be abused, right? ... do you really want that creaking crown to progress into a "quick release" crown?
It's your DJ bike and WILL be abused, right? ... do you really want that creaking crown to progress into a "quick release" crown?
I don't know what you mean by "dying" but I agree. If it was a trail or xc bike I'd say ride it but for DJ you don't want any surprises, and personally I need fairly fresh stuff on the front end to feel confident. 20mm is the way to go but I'm not a huge manitou fan. Consider a coil sprung pike too.Nick said:
There's no reason to waste money on better damping bits for a dj fork.
I had a niller go creaky on me and fox just replaced the crown/steerer/stanchions.......was inside of a year though. Call them and see what they can do for you. If it's going to cost a lot then just turn the bike upside down, drop some tri-flow in the crown/stanchion junction and ride it till it cries.
I've got a sherman firefly I dropped the travel on to replace the fox. I'm no fan of manitou's damping performance but you can't beat how solid those things are just from a chassis perspective. I think the goldies would be good (better) for what you're doing anyway.
I had a niller go creaky on me and fox just replaced the crown/steerer/stanchions.......was inside of a year though. Call them and see what they can do for you. If it's going to cost a lot then just turn the bike upside down, drop some tri-flow in the crown/stanchion junction and ride it till it cries.
I've got a sherman firefly I dropped the travel on to replace the fox. I'm no fan of manitou's damping performance but you can't beat how solid those things are just from a chassis perspective. I think the goldies would be good (better) for what you're doing anyway.
I think my rigid surly fork has a few more miles in it....
Ditto..:Jeenyus:. said:
if you ride till it dies, the quality of the ride will suck, and then you have to wait for a new fork.
I would really look into the steel steerer pike...I have been running one for a while now and love it...i am not a fan of that new gold label at all, it really is a tank and doesnt seem like it is built as well as the old shermans...that said if you can find a jumper laying around you would be set...eitherway go with the new fork, not the old one...
Where's your spirit? Ride the mfer till it dies.
Kanter said:
... off a cliff
I have the end all solution, just throw your jumping bike out the window and buy a new DH fork 
The Gold Label was sick out at the jumps, way stiffer than that black that I was riding, I'd just get one of those and build a new wheel.
The Gold Label was sick out at the jumps, way stiffer than that black that I was riding, I'd just get one of those and build a new wheel.