Cheapo forks (Manitou and Marzocchi)

There are quite a few comments on the '03 Manitou Axel Super here:

http://www.mtbreview.com/reviews/2003_front_shocks/product_121940.shtml

Nothing there on the particular Marzocchi you mention though.



On Mon, 31 May 2004 11:31:54 +0100, Doki <[email protected]> wrote:

> My fork's looking a bit worse for wear (shite RST stuff that Giant stuck
> on
> the bike). I've found last year's Manitou Axel Super, and a 2004
> Marzocchi
> EXR Comp (usually an OEM rather than aftermarket fork). They're both
> priced
> at £90 (yes, I'm a tight *******, but at least I'm not fitting more
> elastomer guff), and both have coil springs and air gubbins, and 80 or
> 100mm
> of travel depending how you set them up.
>
> Which is the better fork of the two (I'm thinking the Manitou)? The RST
> that
> Giant fitted to my bike has about 50mm of travel or so. Is fitting an
> 80/100mm travel fork going to **** up the way my bike rides?
>
>

Paul wrote:
> There are quite a few comments on the '03 Manitou Axel Super here:
>
> http://www.mtbreview.com/reviews/2003_front_shocks/product_121940.shtml
>
> Nothing there on the particular Marzocchi you mention though.

Mmm. Sounds good. OTOH, all the decent forks cost more than my bike cost me.
Would fitting a good fork to a mediocre bike be A Bad Thing?

A difficult question to answer, which to some extent depends on how
'mediocre' your current bike is. If you think you'd really appreciate the
benefits of a more expensive model, and you're pretty happy with the rest
of your bike, and you don't mind spending the money then you could
consider spending more. On the otherhand, would the money be better spent
replacing / upgrading other componentry on your bike? Also, remember to
take all the marketing hype out there with a pinch of salt - don't get
sucked in to spending your money on a plush lightweight fork if you only
cruise around the local fireroads at weekends.



On Mon, 31 May 2004 17:29:11 +0100, Doki <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>
> Paul wrote:
>> There are quite a few comments on the '03 Manitou Axel Super here:
>>
>> http://www.mtbreview.com/reviews/2003_front_shocks/product_121940.shtml
>>
>> Nothing there on the particular Marzocchi you mention though.
>
> Mmm. Sounds good. OTOH, all the decent forks cost more than my bike cost
> me.
> Would fitting a good fork to a mediocre bike be A Bad Thing?
>
>

Paul wrote:
> A difficult question to answer, which to some extent depends on how
> 'mediocre' your current bike is. If you think you'd really
> appreciate the benefits of a more expensive model, and you're pretty
> happy with the rest of your bike, and you don't mind spending the
> money then you could consider spending more. On the otherhand, would
> the money be better spent replacing / upgrading other componentry on
> your bike? Also, remember to take all the marketing hype out there
> with a pinch of salt - don't get sucked in to spending your money on
> a plush lightweight fork if you only cruise around the local
> fireroads at weekends.

My bike's a Giant Boulder (insert numbers and letters here). Comes with an
RST front fork, Alivio shifters / levers, no name V-brakes, boggo Shimano
front mech and an Alivio rear mech, and a replaceable mech hanger, which you
tend not to get on the really basic bikes. Probably £300 - £400 or so new.
It's now got XT shifters / levers after I smashed the Alivios up and found
some cheap. Aluminium frame by the way.

I'm happy with the components on the bike, TBH I'll look to save weight when
I'm light enough to suggest that the bike's weight might be making any
difference to my riding . I've got some LX V brakes to stick on it
knocking around too. Anyway, what I'm unsure of is if the frame is worth
upgrading. For all I know, Giant might use the same frame on 6 different
bikes and just change the components. OTOH, the frame might a POS. Anyone
got any ideas?

Doki wrote:
> Paul wrote:
>> There are quite a few comments on the '03 Manitou Axel Super here:
>>
>> http://www.mtbreview.com/reviews/2003_front_shocks/product_121940.shtml
>>
>> Nothing there on the particular Marzocchi you mention though.
>
> Mmm. Sounds good. OTOH, all the decent forks cost more than my bike
> cost me. Would fitting a good fork to a mediocre bike be A Bad Thing?


Yes - a new bike is always cheaper to buy than to upgrade parts one-by-one,
unless it is over a period of several years...

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

> I'm happy with the components on the bike, TBH I'll look to save
> weight when I'm light enough to suggest that the bike's weight might
> be making any difference to my riding . I've got some LX V brakes
> to stick on it knocking around too. Anyway, what I'm unsure of is if
> the frame is worth upgrading. For all I know, Giant might use the
> same frame on 6 different bikes and just change the components. OTOH,
> the frame might a POS. Anyone got any ideas?

The bike to upgrade up is the Iguana. The new bike will be more dialed-in
and will be stiffer than your current frame.

Bottom line is, upgrading is usually a bad idea unless you're short on cash
or other similar circumstances.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

ZeeExSixAre wrote:
> Doki wrote:
>> Paul wrote:
>>> There are quite a few comments on the '03 Manitou Axel Super here:
>>>
>>> http://www.mtbreview.com/reviews/2003_front_shocks/product_121940.shtml
>>>
>>> Nothing there on the particular Marzocchi you mention though.
>>
>> Mmm. Sounds good. OTOH, all the decent forks cost more than my bike
>> cost me. Would fitting a good fork to a mediocre bike be A Bad Thing?
>
>
> Yes - a new bike is always cheaper to buy than to upgrade parts
> one-by-one, unless it is over a period of several years...

What would you replace it with then? Something cheap and shitty or something
vaguely solid? I'd prefer something that'll last a while rather than be
ultra flash.

Doki wrote:
> ZeeExSixAre wrote:
>> Doki wrote:
>>> Paul wrote:
>>>> There are quite a few comments on the '03 Manitou Axel Super here:
>>>>
>>>> http://www.mtbreview.com/reviews/2003_front_shocks/product_121940.shtml
>>>>
>>>> Nothing there on the particular Marzocchi you mention though.
>>>
>>> Mmm. Sounds good. OTOH, all the decent forks cost more than my bike
>>> cost me. Would fitting a good fork to a mediocre bike be A Bad
>>> Thing?
>>
>>
>> Yes - a new bike is always cheaper to buy than to upgrade parts
>> one-by-one, unless it is over a period of several years...
>
> What would you replace it with then? Something cheap and shitty or
> something vaguely solid? I'd prefer something that'll last a while
> rather than be ultra flash.

Replace it with the level of bike that you think you need and consider its
price. I bought an XTC2 last year, have been riding it for a while, and now
I'm going to sell it and buy an STP2 because it's suited for the type of
riding I'll be doing.

Always upgrade - don't downgrade.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

ZeeExSixAre wrote:
> Doki wrote:
>> ZeeExSixAre wrote:
>
>>> Yes - a new bike is always cheaper to buy than to upgrade parts
>>> one-by-one, unless it is over a period of several years...
>>
>> What would you replace it with then? Something cheap and shitty or
>> something vaguely solid? I'd prefer something that'll last a while
>> rather than be ultra flash.
>
> Replace it with the level of bike that you think you need and
> consider its price. I bought an XTC2 last year, have been riding it
> for a while, and now I'm going to sell it and buy an STP2 because
> it's suited for the type of riding I'll be doing.
>
> Always upgrade - don't downgrade.

I meant the fork, not the bike. I'm not going to replace the bike for a good
while yet. I seriously doubt it's holding me back in any way, as I'm not
what you'd called skilled . The bike isn't getting swapped until I've the
cash for a good one, and I feel like I *need* it.