A word of warning ... I replaced my old fork on my 98 Santa Cruz Heckler ( mostly xtr, some xt, lx
front dr) last year with a spanking new one. A month later I replaced the drive train, 2 weeks later
the rear triangle & dereailler , a month after the headset, 2 weeks later the rear wheel. All of
these components failed - none was an optional upgrade. Could have bought 3 new bikes with money I
spent. Look at how much money you're spending on the new fork , how much you'd get for your bike and
what you'd spend on a new one is my 2c worth.
"2trax" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news
[email protected]...
> On Mon, 28 Apr 2003 22:53:35 +0000, Alfred wrote:
>
> > I'm thinking of replacing my old Judy SL with a Fox... only problem is I can't decide between
> > the Float Air or Vanilla Coil. I'm just going to be using it for crosscountry riding primarily.
> > Are there major performance differences between the two types?
>
> Here is my opinion - I've ridden both forks:
>
> The vanilla 125 (which I bought) is noticeably heavier, has an inch more travel, has that taught
> lively feel that springs give and handles very well when pushed hard through the the big stuff.
> I've had a few interesting crashes on it and haven't done anything more than scratch the paint
> job, so in my book I would say it's pretty tough. It's worth noting that this fork is quite a
> bit longer than a Judy SL and will raise the front of your bike some. I bought it because some
> of the riding round here resembles a lunar landscape and I was tired of buying new cartridges
> for my RS Judy.
>
> The float is better suited to general xc riding - it's lighter and has a bit less travel but gives
> a beautifully supple and <cliche> floaty </cliche> ride. Despite being xc orientated, I see a fair
> number of people coming down our local DH course with these forks on the front of intense tracers
> etc., so it must be reasonably strong. I think it comes in 80 and 100mm travel versions, the 80 is
> intended for xc racing while the 100 is more of a general trail fork.
>
> Either fork will be stiffer, stronger, more supple and have more travel than the RS Judy you have
> at the moment. Of the two I would go with the float unless you think you really need the toughness
> of the vanilla & are prepared to live with the weight and slacker head tube angle.
>
> Just my opinion
>
> Sam.
>
> > In case it matters, I'm going to be putting it on an old Rocky Mountain Vertex, team bike.
> >
> > thanks.
