Coil Forks

[tomato paste]

In my research for buying an eMTB I'm learning more about suspension systems. I'm trying to find a bike to perform multiple roles, such as towing children, touring, and trail riding. This lead me to determine that coil shocks may be a better choice because they require less maintenance or calibration compared to air, and have better small bump compliance.

This leads me to the question if anyone is using a coil fork? I don't find many articles discussing coil forks, and it seems that while a coil in the rear suspension is fairly common, coils up front are not. Is there a reason for this, or have I just not focused my searching quite enough to find it?

 

[ULEWZ]

I have a coil insert acs3 on my analog bike forks, and love the small bump compliance, so I thought I would do the same thing on my ebike. Problem is, my ebike forks are thicker walled, turning my 36 mm fork into 34 mm fork. Internal distances that is, and they do not make a 34mm kit. With that said, you could go buy a specialty coil fork, or fox or rockshox fork and do the conversion to coil, but that would be expensive. Funny thing is, I actually like my air fork on my e-trance and find no need to upgrade. If going the expensive route, I would recommend a rockshox lyrik fork 36 (beefier build) and a Push industries acs3 coil insert.

 

[Slowroller]

Currently, very cheap crappy forks have coils, or, just a few very expensive ones. Or, you add an expensive aftermarket coil kit. I'd love to see coil forks become the norm again, or at least have more choices.

MRP and Suntour both offer coil version of their forks. Both are great quality.

 

[steve_sordy]

Coil forks (proper ones, not the budget jobs) are amazing things or so I'm told. So why aren't there more of them about? Why aren't they in all the bike mags? The answer is that air sprung forks are amazingly versatile and cheap for the performance you get.

If you are trying to have one bike to do all those things, then you will have to compromise. It will not do all of them well. Forget the coil forks, and coil shocks; go for a standard bike of your choice and it will come with easy to set up, and maintain, and I believe (not 100% sure) no great difference in service costs.

 

[ULEWZ]

There is no need to do a lower fork service every 50 hours on a coil fork. That is one big advantage.

 

[tomato paste]

There is no need to do a lower fork service every 50 hours on a coil fork. That is one big advantage.

This is something I think makes sense for the riding I plan to do, less maintenance and setup is important when we only have an hour to go riding and the ride area is directly behind our home.

Are there any recommendations for coil forks for eMTB's specifically?

Edit: Just realized this "I would recommend a rockshox lyrik fork 36 (beefier build) and a Push industries acs3 coil insert." was for the fork. Likely outside my budget.

 

[Russell]

I'm very happy with my ohlins rxf coil forks. They are light years ahead of the suntour aion forks they replaced. The small bump compliance is so good that when moving the bike around the garage, it feels like the front tyre is flat. A bonus of buying them on there own is they come set up for your weight and riding style.

 

[steve_sordy]

There is no need to do a lower fork service every 50 hours on a coil fork. That is one big advantage.

I have had air sprung forks since 2008 and I have never done a lower leg service or indeed any service to a fork. I clean the bike of course and I ensure that the stanchions are clean and the seal area is also clean. I lubricate the stanchions with wet lube and cycle the component a few times before wiping clean. I do that to fork, shock, dropper before every ride. About every 1000-1200 miles, I send the fork (and shock) for a full service to one of the specialist suspension service companies. I have never had a failure of a suspension component and I have never had to pay an additional amount for damage to internal components discovered during the service. I have had Fox and Rockshox suspension, depending upon what bike(s) I had at the time.

I may get away with this because I am not regularly doing big jumps, but I weigh over 200lbs (92kg) in my riding kit. I regularly use 90% of my suspension travel.

This may catch me out one day, but so far..........

 

[Brianjonesphoto]

I’m a huge coil spring fan. I intentionally got a bike with a lyrik vs a ebike 36 so I could do an acs3 kit. I figured I’d ride with the air spring for a while to delay the additional cost. I must say I’m impressed with how good air forks have become.

I’m only 200 miles into emtb ownership and still tuning fork pressure. At this point I don’t know if a coil kit would be a $400 better ride. Being primary an Xc type rider I’ve removed a token and dropped my pressure 20psi from my initial setup (now 1 token and 95psi 258lbs all kitted up) and the ride is pretty compliant.

 

[MattyB]

I'm very happy with my ohlins rxf coil forks. They are light years ahead of the suntour aion forks they replaced. The small bump compliance is so good that when moving the bike around the garage, it feels like the front tyre is flat. A bonus of buying them on there own is they come set up for your weight and riding style.

Agreed, but the disadvantage of coil forks is they need component changes for riders of different weights. That means they are a pain for the manufacturers of bikes (lots of extra SKUs per fork) at the more affordable end of the market, and most riders buying a £1-3k analog or £3-4K ebike will probably prefer the adjustability of air too for different terrain and if swapping bikes with a buddy on a ride.

 

[Doomanic]

Agreed, but the disadvantage of coil forks is they need component changes for riders of different weights.

Yep. I'd really like to have a go on @Dax Ken, but as he weighs less than my last shit I use 75% of the travel on the rear shock just sitting on the bloody bike!

Having said that, I'd love to go for a coil conversion but I'll almost certainly be changing bikes when the 2020 models are released.

 

[Slowroller]

Agreed, but the disadvantage of coil forks is they need component changes for riders of different weights. That means they are a pain for the manufacturers of bikes (lots of extra SKUs per fork) at the more affordable end of the market, and most riders buying a £1-3k analog or £3-4K ebike will probably prefer the adjustability of air too for different terrain and if swapping bikes with a buddy on a ride.

True. Which is why you don't see them on OEM bikes, which is where the money is for component manufacturers. Air shocks with a middle of the road tune are the sensible solution for them, and for bike shops. The reality is that 90% of riders set their suspension up once, and never touch it again unless it gets really bad, and likely not even then.

Almost any mid range fork with a custom tune will outperform a high end fork that the typical rider ignores. Most mid range forks are actually really capable. I prefer coil over air in my forks, but I like to fiddle, and get my suspension set up for me and where I ride. I'm not going to worry about if it works for someone else. That being said, air shocks have come an astoundingly long way over where they were 10 years ago, it's not as if they are terrible, they work really well too.

 

[tomato paste]

Agreed, but the disadvantage of coil forks is they need component changes for riders of different weights. That means they are a pain for the manufacturers of bikes (lots of extra SKUs per fork) at the more affordable end of the market, and most riders buying a £1-3k analog or £3-4K ebike will probably prefer the adjustability of air too for different terrain and if swapping bikes with a buddy on a ride.

This versatility of air also appears to have its own drawbacks, as it requires calibration before every ride doesn't it? Can coils be set once and forgotten about, assuming the rider and the ride area don't change?

 

[Doomanic]

This versatility of air also appears to have its own drawbacks, as it requires calibration before every ride doesn't it?

No.

 

[steve_sordy]

This versatility of air also appears to have its own drawbacks, as it requires calibration before every ride doesn't it? ............

Absolutely not.

 

[Dax]

This versatility of air also appears to have its own drawbacks, as it requires calibration before every ride doesn't it? Can coils be set once and forgotten about, assuming the rider and the ride area don't change?

I tweak my air springs maybe once or twice a year, generally if they don't quite feel right.

 

[tomato paste]

Ah, my understanding from reading was air required constant calibration and maintenance. That's good to know.

 

[steve_sordy]

..............The reality is that 90% of riders set their suspension up once, and never touch it again unless it gets really bad, and likely not even then.
.............
.

I must be one of the 10% then.
Years ago, my first air fork mtb (Kona Kula) was set up for me by some 17-year old oik at the LBS. He never explained anything about the settings, I knew so little that I didn't even know what questions to ask. I had to find out all about suspension settings by myself. I can still remember the "WOW!" I felt when I discovered what rebound damping could do! But since then I have discovered a lot about suspension. I'm a sucker for the latest video about how to set up your suspension, but I have not found anything to beat this 18-page highly readable treatise from Bike Rumour:

https://bikerumor.com/2014/10/30/bikerumor-suspension-setup-series-full-series-pdf-free-download/

I have read it many times and each time I discover something new (or just maybe my memory isn't as good as it was! ) I just wish I was a better rider and with a bigger budget so that I could explore in more depth the benefits of HSC as well as LSC and HSR as well as just "rebound", (I've already got the air spring tuning sorted at both ends).

But I agree with your main point that most riders have no clue about suspension settings. I met a rider in his mid 20's who was not happy at all with his new £2.5k FS (clockwork). I happened to have my shock pump with me as well as my other usual kit and within ten mins, I'd changed his sag, his rebound damping, and his tyre pressures. I told him that I'd gone for what I thought would be good for him, but that subsequently he should change each of them one at a time to see if he could do better (which he most certainly could). He did one ride through the bike park and came back almost ecstatic. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's faster and better and smoother and ........ it's just brilliant!" That was a good moment.

 

[steve_sordy]

Ah, my understanding from reading was air required constant calibration and maintenance. That's good to know.

On a new bike I take my shock pump with me and experiment with %sag a lot. Once I discover a % sag that works for me and the bike, I write down the pressures. Every couple of months, or earlier if I think it necessary, I check the air pressure in the fork and shock and reset as required. Take into account that simply checking reduces the air pressure as the air bleeds into the shock pump hose. The reverse does not happen when you disconnect the shock pump. The hiss you hear is the pressured air in the hose exiting. In the depths of Winter, do the checks outside, not in your nice warm garage.

 

[Slowroller]

Ah, my understanding from reading was air required constant calibration and maintenance. That's good to know.

No. Although, if you're anal about it, a significant change in elevation will change it slightly. So, those people check their airspring with a digital gauge each ride, as well as burping their seals in both legs. Elevation doesn't affect coils. You might still burp the seals though if you're one of those riders.

The main difference in maintenance intervals is due to the fact that you can let your seals go longer since they don't have to contain high air pressures, just moderate ramp up. Coil shocks often run larger amounts of lubrication oil as well.