which fork its better?

[calvintys]

i am still deciding which fork to get , currently i am using my friend Rockshock lyrik ultimate not buttercup version and i felt its was not a good as my Giga fox38. the fork i am thinking its EXT Era 2.1V , Ohlin rsf36 , rochshock Zebb buttercup and fox38. Intend its out of my list because i am worry the
stanchion might get scratch as my fox38 lower leg its full of scratches. My bike its under 20kg so weight its also under my consideration. I can get very good deal on fox38 as basically i can buy 2pc of fox38 for the price of one EXT and i read some review the performance of EXT its similar to fox38. Does anyone has an experience with those fork. i am 45 now and i dont do big jump or bike park, i ride mostly on natural trail and love to charge down rock garden.

 

[KnollyBro]

i am still deciding which fork to get , currently i am using my friend Rockshock lyrik ultimate not buttercup version and i felt its was not a good as my Giga fox38. the fork i am thinking its EXT Era 2.1V , Ohlin rsf36 , rochshock Zebb buttercup and fox38. Intend its out of my list because i am worry the
stanchion might get scratch as my fox38 lower leg its full of scratches. My bike its under 20kg so weight its also under my consideration. I can get very good deal on fox38 as basically i can buy 2pc of fox38 for the price of one EXT and i read some review the performance of EXT its similar to fox38. Does anyone has an experience with those fork. i am 45 now and i dont do big jump or bike park, i ride mostly on natural trail and love to charge down rock garden.

As you have not listed the bike you are riding, why the Lyrik was not up to your needs but liked your Giga Fox 38 (I have no idea what that is) and can get a good deal on a Fox 38, why not get a Fox 38? If you want to spend more money, get an Ohlins RXF38 M.2. All of the forks you have listed seem overkill for natural trails and rock gardens unless the trails are really lumpy or you are overweight.

 

[calvintys]

As you have not listed the bike you are riding, why the Lyrik was not up to your needs but liked your Giga Fox 38 (I have no idea what that is) and can get a good deal on a Fox 38, why not get a Fox 38? If you want to spend more money, get an Ohlins RXF38 M.2. All of the forks you have listed seem overkill for natural trails and rock gardens unless the trails are really lumpy or you are overweight.

I had a hard time setting up the lyrics like my giga, its either too soft or too hard., not as plushness and sensitivity as fox38.

Why i didnt get fox38 its because i sold one of my 38 back in 2022 (i have 2pc fox38) and now i am buying another 38 so it kinda weird move unless it has a newer version. Ohlin RXF38 m. 2 its heavy n i been asking around n its feedback its basically the as 38 just adding extra weight.

As for my bike its a OEM brand CEF50 with bafang m820, its feel so perfect to me with ohlin coil shock as i get 95nm on boost mode n 75nm on normal ride n battery 480wh. Which way more power then any sub 20kg ebike. Even with fox38 n cushcore my bike will still he sub 20kg

 

[KnollyBro]

I had a hard time setting up the lyrics like my giga, its either too soft or too hard., not as plushness and sensitivity as fox38.

Why i didnt get fox38 its because i sold one of my 38 back in 2022 (i have 2pc fox38) and now i am buying another 38 so it kinda weird move unless it has a newer version. Ohlin RXF38 m. 2 its heavy n i been asking around n its feedback its basically the as 38 just adding extra weight.

As for my bike its a OEM brand CEF50 with bafang m820, its feel so perfect to me with ohlin coil shock as i get 95nm on boost mode n 75nm on normal ride n battery 480wh. Which way more power then any sub 20kg ebike. Even with fox38 n cushcore my bike will still he sub 20kg

Sounds like a great bike. Do you have any pictures of it? If you can notice the difference in weight between the Fox 38 and an Ohlins 38 and not the preformance, you are a much better rider than most people here!

 

[Plummet]

I'm loving my 2 zeb ultimates.

The reality is any one of those forks would be good and likely the difference is personal preference.

Word on the street us the zebs are slightly better, the ohlins people either like or hate. I'd love to try an ext as my ext arma rear shock kicks arse.

It go for the highest spec fork you can get the best deal on.

Ps, the stiffness of a 38mn fork for tech riding is awesome!

 

[Mikerb]

The Lyric Ultimate is probably the easiest fork to set up well but in my opinion it is mainly a trail category fork ( and a damned good one) ........unless you are really light. The Fox 38 is better suited to full on enduro type riding and there is a lot of difference between the E bike and non Ebike tuned versions.................the E bike version being easier to set up well and pretty close to Fox recommended settings. No idea what a "Giga" Fox 38 is!! If your bike including motor etc is under 20kg it does not sound like an Enduro EMTB to me so Fox 38 may well be overkill.

 

[Dax]

I love my ohlins, but they require a lot of setup and the service interval makes it hard to recommend them.

Agree with @Plummet in zebs, they are excellent.

 

[calvintys]

Sounds like a great bike. Do you have any pictures of it? If you can notice the difference in weight between the Fox 38 and an Ohlins 38 and not the preformance, you are a much better rider than most people here!

I am sorry just Google around it seen ohlin 38 n fox 38 are pretty the same weight.... Maybe i should try ohlin 38 m.2 but the service cost its double of fox 38..

As for picture
M820 Bafang - CEF50 frame (lightweight)

 

[calvintys]

The Lyric Ultimate is probably the easiest fork to set up well but in my opinion it is mainly a trail category fork ( and a damned good one) ........unless you are really light. The Fox 38 is better suited to full on enduro type riding and there is a lot of difference between the E bike and non Ebike tuned versions.................the E bike version being easier to set up well and pretty close to Fox recommended settings. No idea what a "Giga" Fox 38 is!! If your bike including motor etc is under 20kg it does not sound like an Enduro EMTB to me so Fox 38 may well be overkill.

Yap I thought rockshox should be easy to setup but i been using several fox factory version fork for several years until recently wanted to try out different fork. I would say its cheaper for me to get a fox38 factory then a manitou mezzer pro. My giga its using fox38 factory n ohlin coil so does my Cef50 frame ohlin coil. I really like the setup of ohlin coil. Super easy. My bike currently weight 19.3kg with motor, battery, pedal, coil n cushcore. Its has 160mm of rear travel 64 degree of head angle n i am using its for enduro riding style. My weight its only 67kg

 

[calvintys]

I love my ohlins, but they require a lot of setup and the service interval makes it hard to recommend them.

Agree with @Plummet in zebs, they are excellent.

Thanlk for your tips. Yeah i service my ohlin shock several time over since 2019. So u say the fork should be the same too. Hmm require alot of setup that its what i hate.

 

[KnollyBro]

I am sorry just Google around it seen ohlin 38 n fox 38 are pretty the same weight.... Maybe i should try ohlin 38 m.2 but the service cost its double of fox 38..

As for picture
M820 Bafang - CEF50 frame (lightweight)

Yap I thought rockshox should be easy to setup but i been using several fox factory version fork for several years until recently wanted to try out different fork. I would say its cheaper for me to get a fox38 factory then a manitou mezzer pro. My giga its using fox38 factory n ohlin coil so does my Cef50 frame ohlin coil. I really like the setup of ohlin coil. Super easy. My bike currently weight 19.3kg with motor, battery, pedal, coil n cushcore. Its has 160mm of rear travel 64 degree of head angle n i am using its for enduro riding style. My weight its only 67kg

It sounds like you have a pretty fancy bike and it has some interesting parts on it. I was not able to see a picture of it with the link. I have found the cost of servicing my Fox 38 and my Ohlins RXF 36 M2 to be similar, here in Canada. I found the setup of the Fox 38 more challenging than the Ohlins (air pressure ramp up instead of volume spacers) and ended up putting a Vorsprung Luftkappe Air Piston Kit in the Fox to make it perform the way I wanted. YMMV.

 

[calvintys]

I build this bike mostly from my old parts on my previous bike which i sold back in 2022, only bought a new ohlin shock for it n now looking for a fork, pedal n saddle. Was thinking of wtb volt titanium and crankbrothers stamp 7 but my friend advice me to go for oneup pedal.

 

[Dax]

I build this bike mostly from my old parts on my previous bike which i sold back in 2022, only bought a new ohlin shock for it n now looking for a fork, pedal n saddle. Was thinking of wtb volt titanium and crankbrothers stamp 7 but my friend advice me to go for oneup pedal.

View attachment 133505

Buy the stamp 7, they are so good! I’m a spd rider and have struggled with flats for years, then I bought the stamp 7s and did 2 weeks in the alps without slipping off a pedal. They are expensive, but so good

 

[Shjay]

Manitou Mezzer Pro if you can get hold of one. Amazing fork & very underrated. It’s as stiff as a 38 but weights bang on 2kg. It’s easy to set up & self service unlike Ohlins which would be my second choice

 

[irie]

Manitou Mezzer Pro if you can get hold of one. Amazing fork & very underrated. It’s as stiff as a 38 but weights bang on 2kg. It’s easy to set up & self service unlike Ohlins which would be my second choice

Manitou Mezzer Pro "Reverse Arch" leaves seals open to mud and dust, seems to me not to be a good idea.

 

[Robstyle]

Yeah I was going to mention a mezzer pro if you're concerned about weight.

But really you need an ohlins fork on there to be matchy matchy.

 

[George_KSL]

If after 6 years majority of reviewers can't decide whether Zeb or 38 is their favourite (though it skews towards the 38 among the "mid-support" crowd, ie: Seb Stott from Pinkbike, Jonathan from Blisterreview,etc..) I would absolutely not stress it.
Forks with additional price tag (RFX38, EXT) can offer additional improvement in particular area of concern if you have time and knowledge how to achieve it, which majority of people don't. For most people, they are at best side-grade, at worst, they offer lot more options to truly fuck up the fork setup :- ).

It's time to wait for the 2nd generation of up-side down exotics! Let's see if Push pushes through where Intend and Bright didn't get much success yet.

Fork performance seems to be about expectations, what one person considers plush, other will decry as pogo stick. 80perc. of fork performance is from proper servicing. Oil change > Brand of choice.

 

[Paulquattro]

Manitou Mezzer Pro "Reverse Arch" leaves seals open to mud and dust, seems to me not to be a good idea.

If anything the reverse arch shields the seals a bit more from direct mud hits as most of my mud and crap comes off the tyres , unless of course your riding backwards

 

[cabbynate]

I'm actually running the Mezzer Expert and like it a lot. 180mm travle and very plush. I haven't bottomed it out yet but I don't hit big jumps either. I may add the upgrade to make it a pro but so far I am happy the way the forks ride.

 

[E Bob]

IMO.. Fox, Pick a size on your needs, The 38 is mega for an embt.
Beats Rockshox at everything, The ext is a good fork, But needs at bit more attention re set up, Also more sensitive to different conditions, Different settings, different terrain etc, like a race Fork.. "i'm currently trying to dial a Runt in my Fox 38's, Which is a similar Faff to the ext"
Cant comment on any other fork as iv not used anything else.

 

[calvintys]

IMO.. Fox, Pick a size on your needs, The 38 is mega for an embt.
Beats Rockshox at everything, The ext is a good fork, But needs at bit more attention re set up, Also more sensitive to different conditions, Different settings, different terrain etc, like a race Fork.. "i'm currently trying to dial a Runt in my Fox 38's, Which is a similar Faff to the ext"
Cant comment on any other fork as iv not used anything else.

Yap i do agree with you as i like my fox38 alot on my giga and my lbs just gave me a super discount on it fox38 factory, much lower then what i sold back in 2022. Just hope fox38 v2 dont comes out this year.

 

[irie]

If anything the reverse arch shields the seals a bit more from direct mud hits as most of my mud and crap comes off the tyres , unless of course your riding backwards

Or if you ride with a front fender/mudguard of course. Rocket science I know, sorry.

 

[Haveland]

If you have a shop service your shock, I'd also see what your local favourite shop likes to service and set up. If a shop is familiar and likes a type of shock, you might have a better result than a great shock and bad service.

I run Ohlins, but only because I do my own service.

 

[Downhillr]

i am still deciding which fork to get , currently i am using my friend Rockshock lyrik ultimate not buttercup version and i felt its was not a good as my Giga fox38. the fork i am thinking its EXT Era 2.1V , Ohlin rsf36 , rochshock Zebb buttercup and fox38. Intend its out of my list because i am worry the
stanchion might get scratch as my fox38 lower leg its full of scratches. My bike its under 20kg so weight its also under my consideration. I can get very good deal on fox38 as basically i can buy 2pc of fox38 for the price of one EXT and i read some review the performance of EXT its similar to fox38. Does anyone has an experience with those fork. i am 45 now and i dont do big jump or bike park, i ride mostly on natural trail and love to charge down rock garden.

Id suggest looking into the new, completely revised DVO Onyx 38 D1. Ive know the DVO folks since their Marzocchi days and their dedication to innovative engineering is impressive. The new Onyx is designed around e-bike needs and from new reviews it sounds like a standout.

 

[Downhillr]

Id suggest looking into the new, completely revised DVO Onyx 38 D1. Ive know the DVO folks since their Marzocchi days and their dedication to innovative engineering is impressive. The new Onyx is designed around e-bike needs and from new reviews it sounds like a standout.

Shoot, forgot link:

Onyx D1 38 – DVO Suspension

dvosuspension.com

Also reviewed and ridden in latest issue Mountain Bike Action (MBA) magazine.

 

[ebikerider]

Shoot, forgot link:

Onyx D1 38 – DVO Suspension

dvosuspension.com

Also reviewed and ridden in latest issue Mountain Bike Action (MBA) magazine.

That's more of an infomercial imo. Hard to find any reviews on this fork!

 

[Ktronik]

As you have not listed the bike you are riding, why the Lyrik was not up to your needs but liked your Giga Fox 38 (I have no idea what that is) and can get a good deal on a Fox 38, why not get a Fox 38? If you want to spend more money, get an Ohlins RXF38 M.2. All of the forks you have listed seem overkill for natural trails and rock gardens unless the trails are really lumpy or you are overweight.

I am with this guy, overkill unless your heavy or very fast rider, IMO even a basic FOX 36, that is serviced well is more than enought for what your doing....and this also ticks your ligher box.... I have been working w PRO DH guys for 35 years...

 

[calvintys]

I am with this guy, overkill unless your heavy or very fast rider, IMO even a basic FOX 36, that is serviced well is more than enought for what your doing....and this also ticks your ligher box.... I have been working w PRO DH guys for 35 years...

Yap i decide to get 38. Thanks for all the comments guys. Really appreciate the info.

 

[Downhillr]

That's more of an infomercial imo. Hard to find any reviews on this fork!

Here’s one (video)… actual Jan/Feb magazine issue delves bit deeper.

DVO ONYX D1 38 FORK LONG-TERM REVIEW - PERFORMANCE THAT LEAVES OTHERS GREEN WITH ENVY? - Mountain Bike Action Magazine

It's a fork that we think may change the way suspension is looked at and designed and think it's something you need to consider throwing on your bike as your next upgrade.

mbaction.com

 

[Zed.]

Manitou Mezzer Pro if you can get hold of one. Amazing fork & very underrated. It’s as stiff as a 38 but weights bang on 2kg. It’s easy to set up & self service

or, the Mezzer 'Expert' with the more simple damper on the compression side?

also they're diy adjustable for travel from 140mm to 180mm in 10mm steps

plenty of info here...

https://www.mtbr.com/threads/manitou-mezzer-owners-thread-setup-tech.1177011/?nested_view=1&sortby=oldest#replies

Manitou Mezzer Pro "Reverse Arch" leaves seals open to mud and dust, seems to me not to be a good idea.

I have a Mezzer ' Expert' on my Trek Rail5 and a Mezzer 'Pro' on my Nukeproof Mega290c, I don't see much crap on the stantions / seals & today rode a verry soggy BikeparkWales (with the Rail) and the rear of the arch was filled with mud NOT the front

If anything the reverse arch shields the seals a bit more from direct mud hits as most of my mud and crap comes off the tyres , unless of course your riding backwards

or you could also use a mudguard?

I'm actually running the Mezzer Expert and like it a lot. 180mm travle and very plush. I haven't bottomed it out yet but I don't hit big jumps either. I may add the upgrade to make it a pro but so far I am happy the way the forks ride.

you can easily hit full travel but the 'Pro' fork has a different damper with a hydraulic bottom-out circuit and the airspring has the 'IRT' 3rd air-chamber to allow fine tuning of the springing

the 'Expert' fork is exellent, easy to setup and comfortable out of the box, you can easily retrofit the 'IRT' to an 'Expert' (I have) but if you decide to upgrade to the 'Mc2' damper theres a cap (fits on the bottom of the stantion) that is seemingly not available - also NOT included when you buy the damper unit - ask me how I know

anyway, as I've slightly hijacked this thread

an sectioned image of a Mezzer Pro

Rich.