Fork opinion Mongoose cx450 build, 1800w/48v motor.

Hi,
I'm modifying a Mongoose cx450 electric bike. I've got the SLA's in series wired up, the 1800w 48v motor and controller are mounted to the frame above the rear wheel. The 1800w motor doesn't fit where the original motor was without getting in the way of the pedals. I'm keeping the pedals on to keep it classified as a bike in Idaho. Here's my question, I'm changing out the forks but don't want to spend $200. I found some new cheap forks on ebay, and I found some used 18 yr. old quality forks. Could you please see both links and give your opinion?

Https://m.ebay.com/itm/Mountain-Bike-Oil-Suspension-Front-Fork-Disc-26-100mm-White-black-/142562951434?skus=Color:White&varId=441548358898

Https://boise.craigslist.org/bop/d/marzocchi-bomber-26-wheel-z3/6626091948.html

Your links appear to be corrupted; you might want to edit them to have just the URL there.

Question, though: What do you need the forks to do?

If you need them to be good suspension, then common cheap forks don't do very much.

I'm using a cheap RST 100mm travel elastomer/spring fork on SB Cruiser (and previously on CrazyBike2), and while it works way better than the crappy stuff I've had before it, it's still not very good.

Is mostly ok for the majority of the street bumps and dips and driveway entrance edges, but there's a number of them with sharp edges over an inch that it doesn't really do a whole lot about, other than helping preserve the wheel from damage on the worst stuff.

I just do what I can to avoid anything more than a couple inches cuz that's just a big WHAM and bounce. :/

And that's only at 20MPH or less on paved streets.



I had a used and well-worn Manitou 100mm travel oil/air fork for a while on a different (more normal) bike, and it worked much better...but it leaks and has to have the air side pumped back up on every ride, and every few miles during the ride, or I'd be using it now (oh, and I broke the dropouts off with a stupid experiment).


You can get rebuild kits for some forks, (I probably could for this one), if you find a good used DH fork (oil/air, also called hydraulic/pneumatic).

But you don't have to have a fork that good if you ride on smooth roads all the time and never deal with bumps.

Thanks for your reply. Yah I'm new to the url link stuff. Anyways, the different forks I'm looking at are the Lixanda cheapies on ebay(under $40), and the Bomber Z3.5 that are around 18 years old in good condition($30 on craigslist). I was cruising slow with a low battery and not paying attention when the sidewalk curved and I hit a curb and bent the fork tubes pretty good. I cut the bends out and welded them back up to the triple tree base, but with the new motor it goes a lot faster. I'm only riding on paved roads no more than a few miles at a time so I don't need downhill mtb forks, but I would like beef them up to be safe. The bomber reviews are all amazing back whem they came out. The Lixanda forks are cheap and probably suck.