RockShox Zeb vs Fox 38 | Hard-hitting enduro forks go head-to-head
Which of these big-hitting forks performs best?
www.bikeradar.com
Zeb Thread
- Thread starter rideit
- Start date
-
- Tags
- oil optional
www.bikeradar.com
I was just about to post that. Pretty good.RockShox Zeb vs Fox 38 | Hard-hitting enduro forks go head-to-head
Which of these big-hitting forks performs best?
(DH Forum closes ANSYS to go get pitchforks and torches)RockShox Zeb vs Fox 38 | Hard-hitting enduro forks go head-to-head
Which of these big-hitting forks performs best?
the best part came next tho...
"RockShox apparently considered using a 15mm axle on the latest Boxxer downhill fork, but went with 20mm because it’s thought to be stiffer."
I was gonna go with a Zeb for the weight savings, but that sounds like a sucker’s move (according to this author, of course)
Yeah, the fox seems decent, if you can get the steerer pressed in straight...also, the damping curve is pretty wacky according to Vorsprung.
I'm wondering about that fore/aft stiffness.
RS only wanted to increase it by 2% over the Lyric, whereas Fox increased it a hell of a lot more. So that seems like a plus right? But what if RS only had to increase it by 2% to get close to where the 38 is now?
RS only wanted to increase it by 2% over the Lyric, whereas Fox increased it a hell of a lot more. So that seems like a plus right? But what if RS only had to increase it by 2% to get close to where the 38 is now?
Wait, I thought there should be no high clamping forces otherwise the hub bearings would bind and die in no time???
Go ride a 15mm 36 and and then a 20mm one directly after it on an off camber rooty track- if you can't feel a difference go sell your bike. I rode a '19 36 for the last 18 months and then made a return to a 20mm one this summer thanks to @buckoW and did a direct comparison ride on my home trail in completely similar conditions. The difference in line holding ability over off camber roots was just impressive. I just don't get it why Fox doesn't use it on every 36 and 38.
No, hubs are not designed such that bearing races can pinch closer under load and bind up.Wait, I thought there should be no high clamping forces otherwise the hub bearings would bind and die in no time???
That's what Cannondale should have called the Lefty.
Could a freeze spray through the steerer help shrink it a bit?
Last edited:
It depends a lot on the hub and is statically indeterminate, but the primary load path from clamping down should go through the hub axle, some additional load will go to the bearings depending on how much the hub axle compresses under that load.Wait, I thought there should be no high clamping forces otherwise the hub bearings would bind and die in no time???
As those forks are heavier it is probably not a 1:1 comparison. The axle area may be stiffer, but so was the rest of the fork. Perhaps back to back testing with the same fork with the switchable axle sizes would be the most enlightening.
On fancy road wheels (e.g. Vision), where you can adjust bearing play with preloaders, they recommend adjusting the wheels while clamped in the frame.
Supposedly, the Lyrik is already a lot stiffer than the 36. Fox is kind of known for using dinky small crowns, so that may have something to do with it, vs. on the 38 they finally stiffened it up some compared to the 36.
I've got time on both, and the Zeb feels a little stiffer overall (especially torsionally) than the 38. Midstroke support from the Zeb isn't as firm as I'd like it to be, but small bump sensitivity is really good. I'm still fiddling with settings on the 38, but the compression damping adjustment range is surprisingly narrow, and pretty light.
I'd think heating up the crown would be more effective, the aluminum crown is wrapping around the steerer and has a much greater circumference due to this, so due to it's rate of expansion, it should open up more. But perhaps a combination of packing the steerer with some ice or something and trying to heat the crown, I dunno. My usual trick for headset cups is put them in the freezer and heat up the head-tube with a hair-drier, then the cups go in pretty easy.
I put new uppers on order...but they are backordered.
That makes sense. Wonder if I could do that to finely center my brake rotors?
Both are 2019 36 Grip2 Factory 170 models, one a 650b and the other a 29" one. Guess which is which...
You could also use these: https://www.bike-components.de/en/Syntace/Disc-Shim-p7096/
Have you tried this?
Birzman Clam Disc Brake Gap Tool - Bike
Buy the Birzman Clam Disc Brake Gap Tool online or shop all Bike from Backcountry.com.
www.backcountry.com
i am sold.
Fox 38
torsional 31.5 Nm / °
Frontal 245.1 Nm / °
RS Zeb
torsional 37.9 Nm / °
Frontal 242.8 Nm / °
Based on the numbers in the article above and not totally relevant measurements made by ze Germans :
2016 Fox 36 with 170mm of travel for 27.5 and with pinched bolt yields:
torsional 22.8 Nm / °
Frontal 209.5 Nm / °
www.bike-magazin.de
2017 Rockshox Yari / Lyrik, 27.5 with 170mm of travel for 27.5
torsional 31.3 Nm / °
Frontal 238.0 Nm / °
www.bike-magazin.de
torsional 31.5 Nm / °
Frontal 245.1 Nm / °
RS Zeb
torsional 37.9 Nm / °
Frontal 242.8 Nm / °
Based on the numbers in the article above and not totally relevant measurements made by ze Germans :
2016 Fox 36 with 170mm of travel for 27.5 and with pinched bolt yields:
torsional 22.8 Nm / °
Frontal 209.5 Nm / °
12 Federgabeln für All Mountain und Enduro im BIKE-Test - Test 2016: MTB-Federgabeln bis 180 Millimeter
Kiesel, Wurzelfelder oder Geländestufen, moderne Federgabeln haben viele Gegner. Vor allem im All-Mountain- und Enduro-Bereich. Wir sagen, welche Gabeln Hindernisse am besten schlucken.
torsional 31.3 Nm / °
Frontal 238.0 Nm / °
Lyrik RCT3 gegen Yari RC: Ist teuer besser? - Test: Rockshox Lyrik RCT3 gegen Yari RC
Test-Duell – günstig gegen teuer: Die beiden Rockshox-Federgabeln Lyrik und Yari gehören mit 360 Euro Unterschied völlig anderen Preisklassen an. Welche 170 mm Gabel ist besser?
What’s that thing on top?
Sounds…reliable
According to Schwalbe, or according to the direction it makes sense for the side knobs to be angled?
I'm just seeing how many decades I can get out of that question in relation to schwalbe tires.
Because it still cracks me up. It's like the airplane movie. It's never NOT funny.
Because it still cracks me up. It's like the airplane movie. It's never NOT funny.
AXS ShockWiz?
Bicycle Suspension Components and Electronic Monitoring Devices by SRAM
A new suspension analysis device from SRAM
wheelbased.com
Last edited:
Whatever that is, it is attached to the damper side which would be the wrong side to monitor pressure in the positive chamber...
This fork looks really close to a production model with the decals for Bluetooth, CE approval etc below the pressure relief nipple.
This fork looks really close to a production model with the decals for Bluetooth, CE approval etc below the pressure relief nipple.
Roger Roger...
Glad I went through this thread...was looking to either get a zeb or 38 this week....was looking at both and getting google-U versed in em...this is more what I was looking for as far as thoughts..
The one he's going to be a dick about?