Fox 38 170mm or upgrade Zeb?

[JonnyManc]

All

Bit of a quandary.....
Should I upgrade the base 160mm Zebs on my Whyte e160 to the charger 3.1 damper or get a set of Fox 38 Performance Elite which are 170mm and deal with the extra 10mm?

The Fox 38's are a decent price.... And I could sell my Zebs.... But then there's the change of travel etc....

Thoughts guys please?!

Thanks

 

[xtraman122]

If you can scrounge up the extra $100
For the Factory you can get your desired 160mm of travel.

 

[JonnyManc]

If you can scrounge up the extra $100
For the Factory you can get your desired 160mm of travel.

Trying to avoid the factory.... Messes with my colouring

 

[xtraman122]

Trying to avoid the factory.... Messes with my colouring

I hear you, I’m in the process of building my bike right now and specifically chose all performance elite for that very reason lol

 

[Dax]

They’re very different forks, depends what you want from a fork. From my experience the fox is more buttery off the top but requires a lot more setup and tuning. The Zeb is more fit and forget, just gets it done with no drama.

 

[JonnyManc]

I've ridden the 38's previously and found them to be nice and plush v and were my preference, but the new Charger 3.1 is supposed to be quite close.....

Despite 'only' being 50, my body is quite knackered and joints hurt, so after some plushness to ease things (already swapped the stick RS Deluxe for a Float X PE)

 

[Cb750stu]

Fox 38's are great forks especially when you get rid of the air spring and install a smashpot it's night and day , I've recently gone from 160mm to 170mm just out of curiosity and haven't noticed the 10mm difference whatsoever

 

[YZDude]

I’d keep Zeb and because I’m a deal seeker, I’d probably look for someone selling their 3 or even a 2.1 Charger if you have the base RC.
As soon as you get the latest and greatest, they’ll have a new later/greater. That’s what happened when I bought my 2.1 ultimate.

 

[Mr President]

I went from Zeb 160 to Zeb 170. There is no noticeable difference to my mind.
I like the Zeb chassis but have struggled to make it work for my old body and riding requirements. So I fitted a smashpot that has helped with maintaining geometry but so far not helped with shoulder saving suppleness.
I have basic charger R damper but have put a 3.1 on pre-order. No idea what to expect.
Everyone I know with a fox 38 is very smug

 

[JonnyManc]

I went from Zeb 160 to Zeb 170. There is no noticeable difference to my mind.
I like the Zeb chassis but have struggled to make it work for my old body and riding requirements. So I fitted a smashpot that has helped with maintaining geometry but so far not helped with shoulder saving suppleness.
I have basic charger R damper but have put a 3.1 on pre-order. No idea what to expect.
Everyone I know with a fox 38 is very smug

I'm hoping the Charger 3.1 will deliver it too.... Plushness (reduce tail chatter etc), but still supportive......

 

[Mr President]

I'm hoping the Charger 3.1 will deliver it too.... Plushness (reduce tail chatter etc), but still supportive......

Have you heard any real world feedback on 3.1?

 

[JonnyManc]

Have you heard any real world feedback on 3.1?

No not yet.... Hence my question.

I love watching reviews of things, but I want to test it or get real world feedback before I spend my pennies

 

[irie]

2022 Trek Rail 5 (alloy).

Have a Zeb Ultimate MY23 160mm with a Trutune insert. It worked very well and also tried it with a 170mm air shaft but finally felt that a slightly less stiff fork might work better. So bought a MY23 Lyrik Ultimate 160mm which with the Trutune insert does for me work better on trail, XC, and downhill (imo). The reduced stiffness seems to better absorb vibration and give better 'feel', and when it gets really rough there's so much going on that control is the most important issue. Don't get much air, about 4' is all I do, can't risk twisted landings because my left ACL is rather second hand. All in my opinion of course.

 

[Mr President]

No not yet.... Hence my question.

I love watching reviews of things, but I want to test it or get real world feedback before I spend my pennies

Yep. I hear that. In the end I'll have to try it for myself. Pity it is so costly.

 

[CarolinaCrawler]

My amish bike came with a Zeb select. I pulled it off before a single ride and sold it for $400 on pinkbike. Watched facebook marketplace and picked up a brand new takeoff fox 38 performance elite for $450. If you have patience you can find a good deal.

 

[Mr President]

So JM. What did you do in the end?
My own story has become bonkers.
I ordered a 3.1 damper for the Zeb, but there was no sign of it arriving.
So I had a mind meltdown and imported a 38 from Germany. It was supposed to be 170mm (same as my Zeb with smashpot), but when it arrived it was 180.
i fitted the 38 and it is a super fork, but did struggle with set up.
talked to a couple of suspension gurus - one drastically improved the set up And thinks I’ll be happy with the 38 at 180mm. The other is convinced i have to go back to 160mm travel of the original fork as I’ll never get enough weight over the front.
in this testing period the fork is awesome on drops, rock gardens and roots, but I have had problems on flat slippery corners at low speed (one crash and two just saved). Still working on the38 set-up and hoping to find good settings.
In the mean meantime the 3.1 damper arrived For the Zeb. I haven’t fitted it yet.
wondering what to do:
fiT the Zeb with the 3.1 and drop the smashpot to 160mm?
just test the Zeb with smashpot dropped to 160mm with the original charger r damper before fitting the 3.1?
keep working on the 38 settings and my own body position
drop the 38 to160mm (new air spring is quite expensive)

on the Zeb issues i heard a couple of interesting opinions(note that i call them opinions, but they’re from very knowledgeable people). I don’t have the knowledge or equipment to verify the statements and therefore i am not saying that they are true, but would be interested to hear other experiences:
1 - the crown manufacturing wasn’t well controlled which can lead to non vertical stansions in the cross line. shimming the axle width can overcome this.
2- for some reason the bushings get tight a short time after each service And have to be controlled frequently.

 

[Mr President]

Oh forgot to mention that during the first 2 wash out incidents I later realised my shock had lost a load of pressure so the geometry was already compromised without my realising it.
Bit embarrassing that

 

[JonnyManc]

@Mr President

I went and got the 170mm Fox 38 PE.
I am still figuring the right settings for me......but not getting out at the mo as I am away in a couple of weeks.

I spent time wondering if it was the right call, especially when the 38's arrived with the 58mm CSU and not the 68mm (only aesthetics but....), but I am happy with them and wil be listing the Zeb's in various places this week.

I am happy to listen if you fancy sharing the 'tips' you were given on the setup....