Meta TR29 rear shock and fork recommendations

komdotkom

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Hi All, I've weakened and purchased my young bloke a Meta TR 29 2020 model frame but they ship them without a shock. He's 13 and is a hardcore enduro bro with amazing skills, just ask him! In reality him and his mates ride pretty decent dirt jumps with large (3-5m) gaps so it's certainly going to get used.

The rear is 210x50mm so most of the usual suspects are available - the options so far are:

  1. RS Super Deluxe
  2. Fox something (I'm not a fox guy)
  3. DVO Topaz (my preferred option)
  4. CC DB Air?
Fork wise I was thinking Pike or Diamond, or maybe pick up a used Yari and put a proper damper in it? I know the Manitou's are the current hotness but they are they at the same level as the others? They aren't cheap anymore now that the cat is out of the bag.
 

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
I know the Manitou's are the current hotness but they are they at the same level as the others? They aren't cheap anymore now that the cat is out of the bag.
My understanding is they're all the same and you change the travel with spacers:


So you can still get the 'cheap' ones.


EDIT: oops linked a 27.5, they had 29s last week but look to be gone.
 
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LivinIT

Likes Bikes
I have a dpx2 on my tr29 and I love it!
You can have a 210 x 50 for 130mm rear travel or increase the stroke to a 210 x 55 for 140mm rear travel. The 2021 bikes you'll find have the 210 x 55 so you aren't exactly limited to your stroke.
After owning the bike for a couple months I'm thinking I'll probably increase my stroke that 5mm just for that extra bit of cushion but that's because I am riding some aggressive style trails.
Perfect for something like Derby!
Given its going full enduro spec maybe recommend a coil shock.
 

komdotkom

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I'll certainly be going for 210x55mm, just keeping my eye open for some stuff at the right price at the moment. Since my son is supposed to be paying for the build I'll be going as cheap as possible for most stuff, particularly consumables like rear mechs....
At this point the Topaz is the front runner because of the tunability and price point, but if I see an X2 or DPX2 at the right price I'll probably grab it.

He hasn't paid me for the frame yet, but I was going to give him the suspension for Christmas.
 

T-Rex

Template denier
I also have a TR, the Signature model. It's got a DPX2 standard, I swapped out the stock 0.5 volume spacer for a 0.85 volume spacer, which makes it ramp up more as it goes through the travel, a big improvement. I'm happy with the DPX2.

Also just got the travel spacer removed to add another 10mm axle travel, and a custom tune done by MTB Suspension while they had it apart, as it was only another $40, but haven't been out for a ride since I got it back

CSU noise is apparently still a problem with some of the current Fox forks, touch wood, not on mine yet. You would want to get something in 35mm+
 

Litenbror

Eats Squid
You could look at saving some money and going for the durolux up front. Great reviews (me included) and you can get one landed for about $650 at the moment.

 

leitch

Feelin' a bit rrranty
Thanks for the tip mate, I was too slow and missed it.
I actually have a 210x55 Performance Elite DPS you could throw on as a loaner if you wanted to get him on the bike sooner. It'd still be plenty of shock for a 13yo in the interim. It came off my Rocky in favour of a DPX2 but it's just on the shelf in the shed waiting for the day that I decide to sell the bike.
 

komdotkom

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Thanks for the kind offer mate, but I'm trying to teach him how expensive bikes are and not to treat them like shit - so he's paying for everything out of his own pocket and won't be riding until he's worked it off.
I made the mistake of building him a proper first bike with good components (GX, Saint, carbon wheels, Fit4 forks) which has been treated poorly and maintained at incredible expense by me. This time he's got to work for it, perhaps he'll think twice about his actions then.
I live in hope....
 

Kerplunk

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Thanks for the kind offer mate, but I'm trying to teach him how expensive bikes are and not to treat them like shit - so he's paying for everything out of his own pocket and won't be riding until he's worked it off.
I made the mistake of building him a proper first bike with good components (GX, Saint, carbon wheels, Fit4 forks) which has been treated poorly and maintained at incredible expense by me. This time he's got to work for it, perhaps he'll think twice about his actions then.
I live in hope....
My 13 year old inherited my intense spider.. Carbon frame, xt, fox performance.. I had chris king hubs laced to carbon rims but I couldn’t bring myself to let him have them.. No 13 year gets to ride around on those wheels without earning it..
And just like your boy he treats it like shit.. Won’t even wash it even if 5kg of mud is stuck to it.. Worse still he won’t even bother pumping up the tyres.. Tried to whip off a dirt jump and rolled the tyre off the rim.. Then calls me to pick him up... Completely buckled the tyre casing and dinged the rim.. Lucky i put alu wheels on it..
 
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