Hey guys I'm currently looking into a custom build using a Santa Cruz Chameleon XL sized frame..and I had a few questions regarding a suitable fork for my bike.
Just a bit of background it's going to be fairly high end so price isn't a concern, part wise I"ll be running X.0/XTR spec and the DT E2200 wheelset. The main purpose is going to be rough XC, trail riding i.e. singletrack, fireroads etc. but it will also get a bit of road use and I like jumps/dropping off stuff too..
Now a bit about me, I'm 6'6" and weight 82kg, I like downhill and freeriding and have a heavy pig Rocky Mountain too so the Cruz wont be doing to much of that type of riding, I would like it to be able to handle some good quick decending over slightly rough ground though, I'm a fan of taking my bikes anywhere and everywhere, so you know, if I find a tough looking DH I don't wanna be the one who has to get off cause I'm scared my forks are gonna bunk out and throw me off.
So basically I've narrowed the forks that I'm going to get down to one of two choices..with a few others I'm kinda unsure about.
So the two key players in my mind at this stage are the 32 Van RLC and the 36 TALAS RLC, so from hereout I'll refer to them as the 32 and 36 respectivly.
The main one ATM is the 32 because of the coil spring and handling benefits of it's lighter build I feel it'd be able to pretty much handle most things the 36 would as it's only air sprung.
**remember I don't intend on using 160mm of travel so having that extra travel would be a bonus, not a selling point**
The main question I have about the 36 TALAS, and probably the only two reasons I'd go for it, are: a) structural rigidity and b) the fact that you can set the travel at 3 different levels
So I'm wondering, what is the strength and rigidity of the 32 like compared to the 36 and also how linear is this TALAS, really? As I said I don't intend on using and riding on 160mm travel day to day, I'd be riding on 130mm about 75% of the time and 100mm probably 15% and the other 10% I'd use the 160mm setting. I've succombed to many an advertisers dream before..that is their bullshit begetting people to buy thier products which don't live up to the hype created by words which have no reference to their performance.
So say I never use the full travel setting (but set it up on it), will running it on 130mm, or 100mm even, give the same feeling as the full travel setting? For reference I've used an 08 set of Marzocchi 66ATA forks and found that on full travel they were fine as that's how they were initially when they were set up, however once they were wound down to 140mm, from 180mm, they were stiff and quite unpleasant to ride.
And the other query I had was what's the ride going to be like, if they're around the same travel for each, that being 140 and 130mm for the 32 and 36 respectively, how will performance in tight turns be and what will they be like traversing over rough ground? Basically what I'm asking here is will the coil in the 32 make up for it's smaller size (stanchions, crown and axles) and lack of steer tube reinforcing found in the air sprung 36?
Finally (man I ask alot) does anyone here have much to say about the 32 TALAS RLC, I've kinda brushed it off as I don't think and air sprung 32 series fork will be able to handle as much as I intend on dishing out. How does it perform compared to the 32 Van and does it even compare to the 36 TALAS? I'd really like to have the 100mm for climbing but don't want to saccrafice any performance that you lose from going air over coil.
Thanks for any help guys!
Just a bit of background it's going to be fairly high end so price isn't a concern, part wise I"ll be running X.0/XTR spec and the DT E2200 wheelset. The main purpose is going to be rough XC, trail riding i.e. singletrack, fireroads etc. but it will also get a bit of road use and I like jumps/dropping off stuff too..
Now a bit about me, I'm 6'6" and weight 82kg, I like downhill and freeriding and have a heavy pig Rocky Mountain too so the Cruz wont be doing to much of that type of riding, I would like it to be able to handle some good quick decending over slightly rough ground though, I'm a fan of taking my bikes anywhere and everywhere, so you know, if I find a tough looking DH I don't wanna be the one who has to get off cause I'm scared my forks are gonna bunk out and throw me off.
So basically I've narrowed the forks that I'm going to get down to one of two choices..with a few others I'm kinda unsure about.
So the two key players in my mind at this stage are the 32 Van RLC and the 36 TALAS RLC, so from hereout I'll refer to them as the 32 and 36 respectivly.
The main one ATM is the 32 because of the coil spring and handling benefits of it's lighter build I feel it'd be able to pretty much handle most things the 36 would as it's only air sprung.
**remember I don't intend on using 160mm of travel so having that extra travel would be a bonus, not a selling point**
The main question I have about the 36 TALAS, and probably the only two reasons I'd go for it, are: a) structural rigidity and b) the fact that you can set the travel at 3 different levels
So I'm wondering, what is the strength and rigidity of the 32 like compared to the 36 and also how linear is this TALAS, really? As I said I don't intend on using and riding on 160mm travel day to day, I'd be riding on 130mm about 75% of the time and 100mm probably 15% and the other 10% I'd use the 160mm setting. I've succombed to many an advertisers dream before..that is their bullshit begetting people to buy thier products which don't live up to the hype created by words which have no reference to their performance.
So say I never use the full travel setting (but set it up on it), will running it on 130mm, or 100mm even, give the same feeling as the full travel setting? For reference I've used an 08 set of Marzocchi 66ATA forks and found that on full travel they were fine as that's how they were initially when they were set up, however once they were wound down to 140mm, from 180mm, they were stiff and quite unpleasant to ride.
And the other query I had was what's the ride going to be like, if they're around the same travel for each, that being 140 and 130mm for the 32 and 36 respectively, how will performance in tight turns be and what will they be like traversing over rough ground? Basically what I'm asking here is will the coil in the 32 make up for it's smaller size (stanchions, crown and axles) and lack of steer tube reinforcing found in the air sprung 36?
Finally (man I ask alot) does anyone here have much to say about the 32 TALAS RLC, I've kinda brushed it off as I don't think and air sprung 32 series fork will be able to handle as much as I intend on dishing out. How does it perform compared to the 32 Van and does it even compare to the 36 TALAS? I'd really like to have the 100mm for climbing but don't want to saccrafice any performance that you lose from going air over coil.
Thanks for any help guys!
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