Front Fork replacement

[boppinbob]

I have a Genesis v2100 as a chasis for a 72v crystalyte lipo system. I am replacing most of the bike's components at my leisure with components of my choosing. The next two things I want to change are the front forks and the headset. I want to change the front forks and front suspension to one I know is proven to be strong and safe for high powered bikes. Does anyone have a favorite in mind? PS I would prefer a US vendor.

 

[Paul_G]

I have a Genesis v2100 as a chasis for a 72v crystalyte lipo system. I am replacing most of the bike's components at my leisure with components of my choosing. The next two things I want to change are the front forks and the headset. I want to change the front forks and front suspension to one I know is proven to be strong and safe for high powered bikes. Does anyone have a favorite in mind? PS I would prefer a US vendor.

I dumped the stock RST forks on my Bomber and installed a Fox 40....I love it.

I used the stock springs it came with as I wanted a great ride and do not do fast downhill ridding. It comes with 3 springs. Comes in black or white.

No stickiness on small cracks...she floats

 

[neptronix]

You can keep the headset. It works fine. Throw some grease on it and call it good.

An electric bicycle doesn't change anything about what you need in a fork. But you should look for something that can take up to 203mm brakes. light XC forks or cheapies won't fall into that territory.

 

[MadRhino]

What is the travel of the original fork?
Changing the geometry of a bike by using a longer travel fork is not for every frame and would affect handling, best is to replace with the best fork that is close to the same travel.

 

[boppinbob]

My 26x2.5 Maxxis Hookworms came in today. WooHoo. Brentis if you are reading this I am closer to going to the darkside and using a 20" rear tire and 96v so I can see the sky.

 

[boppinbob]

I dumped the stock RST forks on my Bomber and installed a Fox 40....I love it.

Holly crap. Fox 40 forks are over $1100.00

 

[neptronix]

There are some low end foxes for about $500.

If you're on a budget, used forks in need of a little maintenance can be a good deal if you know what you're doing.

 

[GrayKard]

You might try what I did. Spent a month watching ebay for both a new or used fork for my new build. Finally got a lightly used Fox Van for $450 which is about half the price of a new one. It's pretty much what this frame would have had on it from the factory so it's a good match.

Hope it's a good as it looked on the auction page. It's coming from a bike shop with 100% feedback so I'm pretty optimistic that I will be happy with it.

Gary

 

[Beachcruzer]

I was looking for a good dual-crown fork and set of hydro brakes. It was going to cost at least $500 just for those. So I just bought a complete Specialized Big Hit FSR on Craigslist for $600. This is a bike that retailed for $2,500 seven years ago. Got great brakes (Deore front/Hayes rear), great Marzocchi forks, plus wheels, frame, seat and all the other stuff that comprises a bike. The point is, at the prices individual parts bring, it may be cheaper to buy a complete bike.

 

[dogman dan]

Fork prices are getting obscene, till you realize just how well made and high tech they have become.

Depending on what you want, and the frame considerations Mad Rhino brought up, you might be better off to scarf a more old school fork on the used market. Something with springs and oil damping, but a few more mm travel.

And the whole bike that doesn't ride can be much cheaper than a fork sold by itself by somebody trying to make a buck at it. The broken bike is being dumped, while the used bike part reseller is trying for top dollar. So on a used bike, you might find a bottom of the line fork like a rockshocks that is still cheap and quite an improvement over stock RST or spinner junk. If your original fork is only 60-80mm, then an old rockshocks that has 100-120mm will work ok. Put 200 mm on that bike, and it will ride funny.

The next level up would be a decent deal on a used air shock. Something along the lines of a marzocchi bomber fork. Badass in its day, but considered primitive now. My best set of forks in the stable is a bomber, and to me it rides like a wet dream. What do I know, I've never ridden a 1500 buck fork. But to me the ol obsolete bomber fork is heaven.

It will take time to hunt down a good deal, avoid anthing that looks too thrashed. If you are going to spend real money, then the suggestion to buy an entire used bike in decent condition is best. A 700 buck budget may get you into something much nicer, with frame geometery for 150mm forks.

 

[dogman dan]

Browsing Chain reaction cycles today, there are some decent prices on lower end forks here, if that is what you are thinking. 100mm seems to be the threshold for me, 60-80mm you will bottom em out occasionally, but 100mm takes a lot more to bottom out.

This link is for the bottom of the line in the Marzocchis. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=70299

Don't sweat the ships from europe, they still come pretty fast.

 

[gogo]

Or think inside a different box. These forks on a Yamaha IT250 were good enough for Wonder Woman and you know she pounded hard.
http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_74133-Yamaha-IT-250.html?PHPSESSID=0a401170979048b228d1156878ce07af

 

[MadRhino]

This link is for the bottom of the line in the Marzocchis. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=70299

Don't sweat the ships from europe, they still come pretty fast.

Yep, those Marzocchi Marathon are priced fair and low maintenance. To ride the street and mild offroad, one shouldn't look for more travel.

Many would like high end long travel DH forks, but they are not improving a bike's handling if it doesn't have the geometry for this in the first place.

Keep in mind the maintenance schedule too. If you think that some forks are expansive, wait to see the cost of maintaining them in top riding condition. Taking them off a used bike that you bought for cheap can save you money sometimes, but often need frequent and expansive rebuild. Some forks that have been raced, or went through very hard riding conditions, have been rebuilt so many times that they will never ride as new anymore.

The best deals are new forks that have been taken off a bike for upgrade. I buy a new Freeride bike but don't want the stock fork, my upgrade leaves the bike shop with a new fork that have been installed on a bike, so can't be sold as new. After the season sitting on a shelf, it becomes "new old stock previously installed" and is often sold for less than half the price. When you want good deals on high end components, pay frequent visits to the specialty shops that are into expansive MTB, and buy off season when they need to pay the rent in the winter.

 

[Brentis]

My 26x2.5 Maxxis Hookworms came in today. WooHoo. Brentis if you are reading this I am closer to going to the darkside and using a 20" rear tire and 96v so I can see the sky.

Join the darkside young Jedi.
Arent 26" wheels used on the front of pennyfarthings

Once you go small wheel, you wont go back.

 

[Brentis]

I dont think you should upgrade the fork.
Ride that bike to pieces, then buy a quality used bike.
Putting a $500 fork on a $200 wally bike,
is like the kid with a 1990 civic with $3000 rims & $2000 stereo.
Lipstick on a pig.

Enjoy the Genesis as long as it lasts.
Save your money for a higher quality platform.
(With 20" or smaller wheels :wink

 

[Paul_G]

I dumped the stock RST forks on my Bomber and installed a Fox 40....I love it.

Holly crap. Fox 40 forks are over $1100.00

More like $1600

I said they were good, never said they were cheap

 

[Drunkskunk]

The fork Dogman recomended should be great. you can shop around for a 2011 model, maybe get it cheaper. But you may find more improvement replacing your rear shock. that pogo spring the Gennisis uses is craptastic.

Or you can look at used bikes. you can pick up a used Specalized FRS for less than the cost of the parts to make your bike ride nice.

 

[d8veh]

I was building a a full suspension bike. I started with a Giant NRS frame and rear air shock. I then wanted some good quality air forks, so I looked around and then discovered that I could get a nearly new complete bike with all the other quality bits that I needed for less than the cost of new forks, so I got a Specialised Rockhopper Pro with Rockshox Reba air forks Juicy Hydraulic brakes for about $600 and swapped all the bits over to complete the bike.
Here it is total cost without electrics about $800 - a lot cheaper than a Giant NRS:

 

[dogman dan]

Lotta options out there, and lots depends on if you are in a hurry. If not in a hurry, a "steal" at a garage sale could be great. Move better components onto the crap bike. That's what I've done with my cheap mongoose. Ebay cranks, and a semi decent fork from the big swap meet in Tuscon really improved it. Unfortunately, improving the rear shock didn't fly yet, the swap meet shock didn't fit at all, and most better shocks won't either. Durn it.

Definitely hop on a good deal on a specialized FSR, or is it FRS? Whatever, it's a good bike for entry into real FS bikes.

 

[hjns]

I dont think you should upgrade the fork.
Ride that bike to pieces, then buy a quality used bike.
Putting a $500 fork on a $200 wally bike,
is like the kid with a 1990 civic with $3000 rims & $2000 stereo.
Lipstick on a pig.

Enjoy the Genesis as long as it lasts.
Save your money for a higher quality platform.
(With 20" or smaller wheels :wink

+2
I couldn't agree more. It really does not make sense to put a quality fork on that Genesis bike. I did the same with my cheap chinese e-bike, and added an expensive second-hand Fox TALAS. You will just end up trashing the Genesis frame, leaving you with the fork anyway. And I ended up buying a new bike. Better learn from that, ride your Genesis to pieces, then shop for a nice downhill FS with a great dual crown fork that fits the geometry of the frame. Move all the electronics from the first to the second, and you will be great.

Don't forget that you have your own learning curve. Better to make some mistakes in your build on the Genesis and learn cheap from it. Then apply your knowledge for your second more expensive build. If your current Genesis really needs a new front fork, shop around and don't spend more than $100 on a new fork.

Just my opinion.

 

[iperov]

I bought from yoybuy.com (taobao) 1 1/8 100mm travel fork with steel dropouts, so I need no torque armor.
http://www.yoybuy.com/en/Show/14952860611

 

[gogo]

I bought … fork with steel dropouts, so I need no torque armor.

I think you have coined a new phrase useful to this E-S forum.

 

[dogman dan]

Still a good idea to add one torque arm-or, unless the motor is really low power.

A cheap fork like that, but with more travel than genesis stock, could be the best option.

I don't know that we ever heard what his needs really were.

I disagree that a better feeling fork is a waste. But I agree with Mad Rhino that too much travel for the frame would be dumb. On my cheap mongoose, I replaced cheap 80 mm with 120 mm that feels a ton better. Big improvement. Trying to ride the mongoose frame into the dust, but so far it seems fairly impossible to actually break it. Perhaps the same will be true of the genesis. Cheap junk, but tougher than you think?

 

[MadRhino]

Yep, a cheap frame can be a tough frame. It is everything else they put on it that is crap.
Upgrading components is not lost if it makes a better ride, and you can swap them on your next frame when you like them enough. My first DH fork was worth more than the bike, but got me into the sport and followed on the next frame.

 

[dogman dan]

Exactly, good stuff easily bolts to the next frame you find for the most part. The only exception is disk won't bolt to non disk frames, or really old but good frames might have 1" headsets. But anything you add to the genesis, like better front wheel, or what have you will bolt right onto a better FS frame later.

In the case of the fork, you may want and need more travel later, if you have bought a full on DH frame later, designed for 200+ mm of travel. Chances are, you can sell off the 100 mm fork later since it will still be ok enough for most folks.