RTS Owners - Help Needed!

[letmetalktomark]

Hi Folks,

After some advice/guidance on a build.

The original RTS’s came with suspension forks around 45-50mm of travel.

How many of you use forks with more travel?

I’m building one up at the moment (1994) and have three options:

1) Rockshox Mags – Way too flexy though IMHO
2) Marzochhi Z4’s – 65mm – Suit the overbuilt style of the frame
3) Rockshox Judy Race – 80mm – Colour would look good (!) but seven years more modern than the frame!

There is very little difference in A to C lengths of all the forks.

Any suggestions?

 

[kint]

I've built an early 18" 1993 rts-1 (team) with a indy @ 63mm -works well.
I've owned a 20" 1995 rts-3 with a xc 700 later a judy DH - worked good with the marzocchi, ok with the DH.

z4 sounds ok and best in my ears. - early fork, tiny travel. judy race (what year ?) would be too much i.e. if considered the 2002 ones -in my opinion - the early may work but 8cm is pretty much the end of the line. and i almost cant believe that a 2001 judy race shall be "almost no difference" to a mag 21... remember +2cms are 1° head angle change...

 

[Pickle]

Mag21's are the only forks to put on an RTS in my opinion

Longer travel forks mess up the angles too much. I ran some modern Rock Shox on mine for a while, and now wonder what I was thinking :roll: Looks awful, and jacked the front end up too much. Look at te difference in these pics :shock:

Stick with Mags......or if you must consider an alternative, Manitou 2's look good on an RTS

 

[mattbrown]

im running 80mm on my 2, both marzocchi's

 

[stejamhas]

Why do some peoples RTSs have a sloping down tube is it because it a small frame size or that they have a long fork?

 

[kint]

Why do some peoples RTSs have a sloping down tube is it because it a small frame size or that they have a long fork?

all of it in case you mean the top tube. oem specced is the bikes Top tube only sligtly slotted. plus you can change the geo a little bit by screwing the lower damper fixing eye-screw. meant "to fit any riders style or handling preferrences"

 

[Brettels]

I run a Judy SL on mine (1995) and have so for some time now. It originaly came with Mag 21's.

Have used the standard 63mm and the long travel kit of 80mm with no problems and have not noticed any difference in the ride.....

Hope this helps....

 

[letmetalktomark]

I run a Judy SL on mine (1995) and have so for some time now. It originaly came with Mag 21's.

Have used the standard 63mm and the long travel kit of 80mm with no problems and have not noticed any difference in the ride.....

Hope this helps....

Cool - thank you all.

Just recieved my headset this morning so the bike is off to be fitted with some forks later - decisions - decisions!

 

[BikePimp]

I find forks over 70mm on both my GT RTS bikes to make the bike less responsive on turns.

I have a Mag 21 on one bike and a Manitou 4 on another. The Manitou 4 seems to be lower...and faster around sharp turning trails...but very minimal travel.

I wish I could use forks with more travel, but it just messes up the handling IMHO.

 

[letmetalktomark]

I've just read a section from a german catalogue (1994 the same year as my frame) and it showed a Mag 21 LT on the bike - which would be circa 60mm travel.

I understand that I can alter the geometry of the frame using the shock - so maybe 80mm is possible without messing up the handling?

Who knows :roll: