[slowitdown]

wondering if anyone has put in a good amount of trail time on both a Fox 36 chassis and a Fox 32 15QR chassis, enough to give a solid comparison on performance in these categories:

- general tracking in rough terrain
- torsional flex in cornering
- overall feel, especially comparing front wheel tucking

would really appreciate good info on this. I'm considering going from a 36 TALAS to a 32 FLOAT 140 15QR. I weigh 150 lbs, about 160-165 ready to ride, ride pretty fast and aggressive, pretty smooth but like any mortal I space out or get tired and sometimes need the fork to bail me out.

this is on an 08 Yeti 575

 

[RayB]

I'm considering going from a 36 TALAS to a 32 FLOAT 140 15QR.

Why??

 

[slowitdown]

Why??

what do you mean, "why"? it's not obvious?

I'm wondering if I can get away with the lighter smaller chassis. no point in lugging around more weight than I need. I already know the 36 chassis. I rode a 32mm 9mmQR 130mm Vanilla a few years ago and it felt pretty decent but I don't know what the 15QR and new chassis changes have done to change it. I can't afford to buy stuff new every year like some people and I sure can't afford to just buy stuff on a whim like some of the richer blingmeisters seem to do.

I want to know the differences in the areas I listed. that's where my concerns are. I am smart enough to know that the 32 15QR chassis is not as stiff as the 36 chassis. I just don't know how different they are. If I'd ridden both I could give a good assessment of the differences. I'm just wondering if anyone else has.

 

[William42]

I have pretty extensive time on 36 float, talas, and vanillas, as well as the new 15QR 32 van 140.

I'm pretty sure I couldn't tell the difference between the van15mmQR and the old style van 9mm QR back to back.

In fact, I'm sure I couldn't tell the difference. I can definitely tell the difference between them and the 36 series. I weigh about 175 and try to ride every bike like its a DH bike.

To me, its all about intended use. If you just want to go out and ride trails, and get some miles in, should be a fine switch. If you use the 575 as your main bike and like pushing it a little bit here and there, I'd stick with the 36.

 

[slowitdown]

thanks William. no practical difference from the QR is the type of experience I was looking for. exactly. thanks a bunch.

 

[wood booger]

yeah, you will be very sad going from a 36 to a QR15.

For all the talk from Fox about the QR15 it is just a fancy QR fork. I could not tell a difference between a 140mm QR15 and a 140mm Talas regular QR. Both of them are pretty noddley.

Keep the 36.

 

[slowitdown]

thanks wb. that's what I'm gonna do.

 

[Tmeyer]

Same here, not a huge difference going from QR to the 15mm. Keep the 36...

 

[Huck Banzai]

15mm fail? Awww, and so many people were excited.


Silliness - 20mm all the way, was foolish to create another 'standard' but the fools are still smiling; I think they need a diaper change.

 

[slowitdown]

seems a shame that a new 15mm QR standard would be no better than a 9mm QR. that seems a pretty large improvement from a 9mm to a 15mm and I would think it would make a difference. it makes a difference at the rear, going from a 9mm QR to a 12mm bolt-on. or at least it seems to, to me.

all that engineering time to yield no real improvement. why didn't Fox just run a 20mm axle on the 32mm stanchion forks, anyone know?

 

[SlackBoy]

I have pretty extensive time on 36 float, talas, and vanillas, as well as the new 15QR 32 van 140.

I'm pretty sure I couldn't tell the difference between the van15mmQR and the old style van 9mm QR back to back.

In fact, I'm sure I couldn't tell the difference. I can definitely tell the difference between them and the 36 series. I weigh about 175 and try to ride every bike like its a DH bike.

To me, its all about intended use. If you just want to go out and ride trails, and get some miles in, should be a fine switch. If you use the 575 as your main bike and like pushing it a little bit here and there, I'd stick with the 36.

I found different.
I found that the 15qr is a big step up on stiffness compared the to old QR version. And not just in tracking, but also and moreso with front wheel tucking type stuff. The 15qr remained far smoother thru it's travel due to (hypothosis *sp*) less binding up.
For sure nowhere as stiff as a 36 tho.

 

[stoney]

The 15mm is way stiffer than the standard 10mm QR. Difference between the 15 and 20mm? I did not notice much. The 36 feels a bit stiffer f-r, which can be explained through the larger diameter stanchions though.
If my next 6" bike has the 15mm, I will keep it. If it has the 20mm I will keep it. If it has QR, I will likely buy either the 15 or 20, whichever I can get cheapest. The difference is negligible.

 

[William42]

The 15mm is way stiffer than the standard 10mm QR.

Not in independent testing its not.
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=481062&highlight=15mm

But then again, I didn't buy the fork and buy into dumb marketing, so I don't need to justify my expenditure. I'm sure I'd be playing a different tune if I was the one to have bought it, not my roommate.

 

[stoney]

I didn't either. I rode it on a demo.

I have a *pretty good feel for stiffness, as I'm 200+ and can push most components to the edge of their existence or further. The 36 is stiffer than the 32 with 15mm, which is stiffer than a 32 with a QR, which is stiffer than the older QR Float/Vanila.

 

[Orfen]

The 15mm is way stiffer than the standard 10mm QR. Difference between the 15 and 20mm? I did not notice much. The 36 feels a bit stiffer f-r, which can be explained through the larger diameter stanchions though.
If my next 6" bike has the 15mm, I will keep it. If it has the 20mm I will keep it. If it has QR, I will likely buy either the 15 or 20, whichever I can get cheapest. The difference is negligible.

I thought you stopped riding in your Stoney days?

 

[William42]

I didn't either. I rode it on a demo.

I have a *pretty good feel for stiffness, as I'm 200+ and can push most components to the edge of their existence or further. The 36 is stiffer than the 32 with 15mm, which is stiffer than a 32 with a QR, which is stiffer than the older QR Float/Vanila.

fair enough man, if its a big deal to you, cool, I honestly think both 9mm and 15mm feel like noodles, and can't tell the slightest difference between the two, and independent testing suggests there isn't much difference between 9mm and 15mm as far as stiffness goes with the fox products.

I do appreciate that its a through axle and can't fall out like a QR can though.

 

[stoney]

I thought you stopped riding in your Stoney days?

I still ride, just not DH. My body can't handle those kind of wrecks anymore. I'm more of the super weekend warrior now.