"pas" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:I'm going to have to replace the RS SID SL at some point
and I have a few probably basic questions.
My first choice to replace it would be the Marzocchi EXR
pro with 105 mm of travel. My question is this, I read
somewhere that an 80mm fork has to be replaced with an
80mm.... What do I measure on the current fork to know the
mm's it is? Does it really matter?
As others have answered, it's a 63-80mm fork, with travel
adjustment. I got that from the description in mtbr.com.
Now, do you run it in 63 or 80mm mode? The cable-tie-around
the stantion travel measurement will work for you.
Keeping the travel nearly the same keeps the geometry of the
bike the same (steering angle and all that.) If you don't
mind slower steering, then get a longer-travel fork. I have
found that most folks get used to it, but some are really
picky. When I was running my 63mm Bomber on my Fango, it was
way too twitchy. It was designed to take an 80mm fork, and
it shows. Shorter stem length also makes a difference, and
I'm guessing you run a shorter stem, so you could probably
take an 85mm travel fork.
Quoted message said:I"m pretty sure that when I had Mr Adventures Judy
replaced with and EXR last year, on his M2 Comp, that he
went from 80 to 100 and he's loving it.
That's a little less than 4/5 of an inch increase in
travel (1 inch =
25.4mm). Does he notice a handling difference? He's a pretty
experienced rider, and if he doesn't notice, or it's
small enough not to care, you might be able to go 100.
But you and your bike are smaller to start with, so it
might have a more exaggerated effect on your geometry.
Quoted message said:Does the weight of the fork really matter if I"m looking
at that kind of fork?
The SID is light. Really light. And flexy. Really flexy. And
not too reliable, from what I've heard.
With a Bomber, you gain weight, but lose flex and
reliability issues. A coil-n-oil fork (the best kind) will
be heavier than an air fork. It will also be more plush.
It's easier to set an air fork's spring rate (more air =
higher spring rate) With a coil fork, you have to change
coils. You would probably like to use the light springs,
because you don't weigh much.
OK, here's what I did: I bought a used Z3 Air (2002, IIRC)
on eBay. Chris Phillipo sold me the guts of his Z3 coil. I
put in springs, screwed the thing together after using new
fork oil (cheap 7.5 weight bought at the local motorcycle
shop), set the preload and the compression damping, and rode
it. All told, this fork set me back under $200, with new
seals, wipers, oil and all the parts. It has 100mm of
travel, and doesn't weigh all that much more than my 80mm Z2
Flylight Air. As in, not noticeable when riding. The tools
required are not that expensive (regular metric sockets and
a oil seal tool) and you, with your capabilities of doing
stuff just following drawings and a short written
description, could do the work forever, and even on Mr.
Penny's fork.
I dig doing my own work, however. And getting a bargain on a
fork and parts is always high on my list.
Quoted message said:Based on all the unbiased AMB reviews I've read over the
years, I haven't really considered looking at anything
else but a Bomber.. should I? I"m certainly underwhelmed
by constant seepage out of the SID,even after a full
rebuild by the RS techs at NORBA last year.
Reliability issues. Ugh.
There are plenty of places selling coil-n-oil Marzocchi
forks, and even last year's models on closeout. You have a
good LBS who will install the star nut, cut the steerer to
length and set the fork crown headset race.
I'll bet that if you search on 2003 Marzocchi 80mm/85mm
coil, you'll find some bargains. Like at Phat Tire, the MX
Comp is $250. Sure, it's an air fork, but it *is* a
Marzocchi. 🙂 Light, stiff and cheap. Just like Sorni. LOL.
My $0.02. And remember, this advice is worth every penny you
paid, pardon the pun. 🙂
--
Jonesy
