Suspension Fork Query

Hi,

I am in the market at the moment for a new suspension fork and keep seeing new suntour units that look rather good.can anyone confirm whether they are indeed upping their game or are still cheap entry level units that should not really be considered on a good quality build.

Any advice appreciated

Thanks

Dan

What's your budget?

What bike are they for?

I much prefer a Rockshox to a Suntour fork, although I've heard that some of the Suntour forks aren't too shabby (for the money)

You can also pick up some great forks second hand on forums

Hi Andy,

It's for a cross country hardtail bike and the budget it's about £200 or there abouts. I like the RS recons and toras as it goes, but having seen some of the latest offerings from suntour, wondered whether they could be as good as they look.

I always remember the suntour forks from the late '90s being cheap and nasty, but the new ones really do look quite neat. The trouble with second hand for me is I need a 230mm steerer, which rules out almost everything :roll:

the suntour xcm (i think) that come specced on a few of the slghtly older carreras are in all fairness pretty good
the lockout works surprisingly well
although they do still lack adjustability
they are upping their game yes but still sell mostly entry level forks
but the entry level has been upped

erm id say go with above, see if you can get a set of tora's or something from marzocchi for cheap (second hand) as you will have more adjustments i reckon
better value for money that one but your steerer problem will be difficult!

If you can stretch the budget a tad to £249, you won't get a better XC fork for the money than this RS Reba http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FORSRERL/ro ... k--26-inch

Or this RS Recon is £200 http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+Shop ... L-DISC.htm

Personally I don't think Suntour have caught up with the brilliant Reba fork (above). You can't get a better fork for the money without spending nearer £500!

Thanks for the advice, Cyfa. You have confirmed what I had suspected, but having never riden a new Suntour fork, I couldnt comment on the actual performance of them. They look nice though. I have a lovely '98-'99 SID which I bought to go on the frame I have bought ('97 Kili Comp) but, whilst buying in an excited haste, I didnt even think to check the steerer length. Lets just say it is waaay off...

Thanks for the recomendations Andy, I do like the recons, but those Reba's are nice I think I could play with the budget a little to accommodate something nicer like you suggest...

The Rebas are now ordered, cheers guys

Whatleymeister":32vinend said:

Hi Andy,

It's for a cross country hardtail bike and the budget it's about £200 or there abouts. I like the RS recons and toras as it goes, but having seen some of the latest offerings from suntour, wondered whether they could be as good as they look.

I always remember the suntour forks from the late '90s being cheap and nasty, but the new ones really do look quite neat. The trouble with second hand for me is I need a 230mm steerer, which rules out almost everything :roll:

Click to expand...

Hey Andy any chance of a pic I'd like to see your set-up that needs a 230mm steerer

Rob

.

RobMac":3ujtbm43 said:

Whatleymeister":3ujtbm43 said:

Hi Andy,

It's for a cross country hardtail bike and the budget it's about £200 or there abouts. I like the RS recons and toras as it goes, but having seen some of the latest offerings from suntour, wondered whether they could be as good as they look.

I always remember the suntour forks from the late '90s being cheap and nasty, but the new ones really do look quite neat. The trouble with second hand for me is I need a 230mm steerer, which rules out almost everything :roll:

Click to expand...

Hey Andy any chance of a pic I'd like to see your set-up that needs a 230mm steerer

Rob.

Click to expand...

Its me that needs the 230 steerer! Its going on a 97 Kili Comp frame that has a 155 head tube, although it doesnt seem that long?! Add headset (~30mm), stem (~40mm) and thats 225mm right there!! I want to add a space or two as well , just in case i start chopping and changing parts so that I have a bit of leeway, so even with a 3mm compression gap thats 232mm

its a tall frame...