Changing front forks on a Boardman Team CB options?

[Mr. Bleak]

I'm changing the front forks on the Missus' ol' Boardman CB to suspension.

It seems the headset is integrated into the front fork, so it's nice and flush (see pic).
Now, I'm the wrong side of fifty years of age and I once rode a bike back in the day and my question is; what would be the best type of cheap (not nasty) suspension forks that I can fit?

I'm not worried about the fork matching the frame. I just want it to work and keep out the dirt/mud.

The bike will only be used for trails and carrying luggage, plus I'll be fitting a suspension seatpost, so there's no need for £1k+ forks etc. that can handle jumping off a garage roof type of shenanigans.

Answers on a postcard please!

 

[ishaw]

Re:

Assume you have 26 inch wheels?

If you want to retain your current headset set up, you'll need a fork with a tapered steerer tube. You could use a 1 1/8 straight steerer fork, but would either need a reducer crown race to fit your current headset bearings, or a full replacement lower cup/race assembly (can be the same integrated style or an external cup, it would need to be the same size/fit as your current one obviously).

Assuming you go with keeping your existing headset, any tapered fork would fit.

For your intended use, and assuming you want something half decent, I'd go for something like a rock shox reba (recons are also fairly good) air fork. Fox float too, though in my view, rebas are better and harder wearing and require servicing less frequently.

I'm sure others will come along and suggest other options, there are of course manitou and marzocchi.

I'd steer clear of low end options from any brand as they will be heavier and made of lower quality materials that rust and wear much faster.

Lighter option is a rock shox sid. Another good fork is a rock shox revelation, though this tends to be longer travel.

Speaking of travel, you'd want to look at what travel suits the frame. Too long or short a fork will affect the way it rides and handles.

 

[Mr. Bleak]

Thanks for the info ishaw.

Yes, they are 26". Boardman did make a version of this bike with suspension forks. I could have saved myself some time? :facepalm:

https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes ... am-review/

If I bought these forks, I guess they would fit straight in?

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/rockshox-recon ... lsrc=aw.ds

Thanks again!

 

[ishaw]

Re:

Not quite, you need a fork with a tapered steerer, but other than that yes.

 

[gradeAfailure]

Re:

Plus those Recons are pretty rubbish. Better off looking at something like these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RockShox-Reb ... 4719214230

 

[ishaw]

Re: Re:

Plus those Recons are pretty rubbish. Better off looking at something like these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RockShox-Reb ... 4719214230

Indeed. Great forks those, have a set on my pipedream and have been faultless.

 

[ishaw]

Re:

This looks to be a decent set:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154384006219

 

[Mr. Bleak]

Re:

Thanks for the reply.
I won't buy second hand, so it's a new set I'm looking for.
I'll take a butcher's.

Is it easy enough to get the forks to match the headset? Is there a seal of some kind that makes the forks sit nicely/keeps out muck?
Sorry, MTBing is not my thing! :facepalm:

 

[ishaw]

Re:

You should have all you need from your existing headset to fit the new forks and seal it all up.

If you are talking 'boots' to protect your forks then there are such things but you don't really need them as the seals on the forks keep the crud out. Just be sure to give them a clean after dirty rides and you should be fine.

 

[Mr. Bleak]

Thanks ishaw.

Now, the hardest part is getting a new set of forks!

Is something happening throughout the world that nobody has told me about?