[rigidhack]

Dreaming up a new build and I am stuck on what fork to choose. Really my question is not "what fork" but "what kind of fork?" I have always ridden SC, but perhaps a DC is in order?

ME: ~200lbs in all my gear. I ride mostly Shore stuff (Seymour, Fromme, Cypress) Woodlot, Vedder, Galbraith, and Whistler. If you were to classify my riding I suppose it would be more FR than DH. I don't race, but will likely try it. My riding style has earned me the moniker "meat huck" from the guys I ride with. I like drops and can handle a few decent sized ones. For this build, I am trying to place durability and reliability above weight and cost. I do not want to have to tear down my bike after every ride.

I know enough to know some of the pros and cons of each type (turning radius, travel, weight), and I have heard arguments from some saying a DC is overkill and others that swear by them. The frame will have 8" of travel with a 1.5" head tube, and for the sake of argument, lets say that I am going to go with either a Totem Solo Air or a Boxxer Team. I'm on a Lyrik Solo Air now and I really like it, but I am pushing its capabilities. It seems like a bunch of the issues both RS offerings were having have been more or less sorted. I am open to other suggestions so long as the cost is kept within reason (so the Boxxer WC is out, as is the 40 and even the aluminum Dorado, even though it looks really interesting). For reference, I have seen both the 2010 Boxxer Team and the Totem Solo Air for ~ $1000 US (brand new) without looking too hard.

For those of you that have made this decision, which way did you go? Any regrets?

 

[Jason4]

This might be a better question for the FR forum. I prefer DC forks for extra stiffness and travel, the adjustable axle-to-crown height, and the fact that when you fall they don't wrap themselves up. I also like having a DM stem instead of a regular stem that will twist. DC forks will perform better for racing as well. If you damage a part you can replace it, i.e. just one tube instead of two tubes, the crown and the steer tube on a SC fork.

You might check into the Boxxer Ride or a 888 also. Have you considered buying used? It really stretches your dollar.

 

[gonefirefightin]

you really cant go wrong with a used 40rc2, you can find them pretty cheap and they can be tuned for anything. I have one on my old DHR and it keeps lasting, I bought it for 500 bucks and threw in dual rate springs and an 08 cart. works just as well as my 09 40rc2......simple upkeep and bomb proof. dont get into the hype of whats new and whos using it.

 

[Jeremy R]

Well, I might can help because I raced a season on a totem solo air and now I have raced a Boxxer team for the last two seasons.
I honestly found the Totem stiff enough for anything technical. It was fine blasting through rocks, off of sketchy drops. I particulary remember liking it at Windrock which a is really rocky, tight, tech and steep place.
Where things got sketchy on it, were on high speed race courses. Long bumpy fast corners, open ski slope bumpy off camber...etc...
That is when you really notice having to fight the front end more. The handlebar jerks alot more, and it is tougher to hold your line at speed.
Now with my boxxer team, it does everything the totem did well, and rides great at speed as well. It is within 5mm of having the same axle to crown distance. So for me, it was a positive change all the around to the boxxer team.

 

[Kanye West]

Dual crown. 40's are definitely stiff. You'll be more than pleased with a 06-07 888 RC2X of some kind though.

For what it's worth, I think I'm going to continue running a DC on my Splinter.

 

[SuspectDevice]

IMO, the Totem is too stiff laterally. I much prefer the slightly more flexible chassis of the boxxer. The fore-aft stiffness and damping of the Totem is pretty nice though...

 

[buildyourown]

I much prefer the slightly more flexible chassis of the boxxer. .

Quoted for awesomeness...
I can't imagine ever wanting a flexible fork.

 

[Kanye West]

Quoted for awesomeness...
I can't imagine ever wanting a flexible fork.

Ever ride motorcycles? There is definitely such a thing as too stiff. Inverted forks with oversized stanchion diameters can ride super harsh off-road.

 

[Bicyclist]

But wouldn't deflection (between lowers/stanchions) result in the fork not being able to compress as effectively as if there were no deflection?

 

[Huck Banzai]

Shiver.

Nuf sed.

 

[jcaramia]

Super monster teez with 24inch intense mags and 3" gozzaloddi tires. Nuff said.

 

[WBC]

being too stiff is totally real! Ride a track(mx) bike over high speed, chundery rocks (like racing in Mexico), and you'll always feel like the bars are getting ripped out of your hands more than they would on a woods/off-road bike.

MTB's encounter the same effect, but it's much less significant. Boxxers feel snappier in and out of turns, and they transmit less to the rider from deflective (word?) hits when you're going fast. The 40 defintely feels like it gets kicked around a little more side to side.

That said, I ride a 40 and think I like it better than a boxxer because of the confidence it gives you when you really torque it or get out of control at speed. The 40 bounces around more side to side when you're just riding, but when things get hairy and you need to point it, it goes right where you tell it to.

 

[aj-monkey]

I've just come off a year on a Totem Solo Air and thought that it was and is a great fork. Definitely stiff enough although laterally I have to agree with suspectDevice. To stiff and my skinny build got bounce a little side to side. Before that I was on an 08 Boxxer team and really liked it, I just thought I'd try a single crown and I wasn't super happy with the dampening system on it. Now I'm on a 2010 Boxxer team and what a difference. I do prefer a direct mount stem as I believe that you can really feel the rigidity through the bars and the accuracy in the steering through choppy stuff is great with a DC and a direct mount. It definitely allows you to go into rough S***T much quicker with more confidence. So I guess what we're all getting at is it really depends on the most common form of abuse the fork (and yourself) are going to be put through? Both forks are great, and both have negatives. Depends where your priorities lie. For me the Boxxer is perfect now and the 2010 feels fantastic!

 

[rigidhack]

Thanks for the input. Actually, I never really considered a DC until I did a few shuttle laps in Squamish. That convinced me that a bit more travel and tracking ability might be nice. Would be good on Cypress too. I had not thought about the fact that I can adjust the HA a bit with a DC, too. Also, given that the Lyrik and the 2010 Boxxer have the same internals (Mission Control), I know what the ride will feel like (at least I think so). Perhaps the time has come for the switch to DC.

 

[worship_mud]

on a sidenote:
i recently (ca. 2 months ago) switched from a regular stem to a DM one. although the DM does add some stiffness i already managed to bend my handlebar. i don't know how often you crash (i do a lot) but this might be something to consider. you can twist a regular stem back to it's original position, but have to replace bent handlebars, which might add some costs.

 

[Kanye West]

I like the way the Zoke integrated stems work for this reason. The counterbores and thru-holes on the underside of the upper crown are bored out enough to give the stem about 3 degrees of movement side to side. I've had it shift on me before in crashes. Only reason I ever notice is because it feels funny if I throw all my weight into the front end. It gives the bars some relief and lets you keep riding down the hill.

Only drawback to that design is that you need a slightly longer steerer tube and you can't make an integrated stem with different reach positions.

 

[rigidhack]

Suggestions for an integrated stem for a Boxxer? I need it to have about a 60mm reach.

 

[crohnsy]

Suggestions for an integrated stem for a Boxxer? I need it to have about a 60mm reach.

The only intergrated stem I know of with a 60mm reach is the truvativ holzfeller. Nice stem you can get it matching colour to your fork.

Most other stems are 45-55

straightline goes down to 28mm

 

[aj-monkey]

The only intergrated stem I know of with a 60mm reach is the truvativ holzfeller. Nice stem you can get it matching colour to your fork.

Most other stems are 45-55

straightline goes down to 28mm

I think that crohnsy is right. I only know of the Truvativ being 60mm. The E-13 Ali stem hit's 55mm and I think that is the longest for most. The Chromag is an awesome stem that I highly recommend but it is only up to 55mm as well.

 

[davec113]

That said, I ride a 40 and think I like it better than a boxxer because of the confidence it gives you when you really torque it or get out of control at speed. The 40 bounces around more side to side when you're just riding, but when things get hairy and you need to point it, it goes right where you tell it to.

Yeah, the old Boxxer goes in the general direction you point it... for me it's probably worse than average because I weigh 220-230 in gear. The lack of precision in that fork wasn't very confidence inspiring. So if you try a Boxxer, def. get a new one. I'm glad to have a 40 now.