Whats your favorite early 90's suspension fork

[Coleman]

Manitou all the way!

++ Best looking CNC orgy
+ Plush
+ easy service
+ can be converted to coil springs
+ very light if using elastomeres

- no rebound dampening (but with those few cm of travel not an issue, really)

100% agree for that era. A few mods and they will never let you down.

I think I'll try these.
It is for my daughter her Dean Titanium so it won't get hard beatings any time soon.

I'd say the best fork of the time was dependant on what you want it to do:

Small hits - PACE RC35.
'Big' er hits - Mag 21

I've got a set of Manitou with a NOS Ti kit - bolts, stachions, steerer etc - they are very light!! But getting decent elastomers is a bit hit and miss.

 

[Thias]

I agree to what coleman says.

I do have Mag21's, Judys, Specialized FSX (both the judy and the Mag Version), a Pace RC35 MXCD and a Manitou comp.
All of these are mounted to some of my bikes that I am able to ride with. So this is what my advice is based on.
This and the time constraint, of course.
For the light gravel type of road, not too fast riding, the Manitous (and the Pace, for that matter) are better than the Mag type forks. With their lesser friction they dive in from tiny bumps, where the Mags don't do anything yet. But if you ride down in anger, the Mags are much better tunable to the drivers needs. And they sport rebound dampening - that really helps. Same situation with the Manitou, your front wheel has much more "air time". Boing, boing!

The Pace RC35 and the Manitou are quite similar, I would say. The Pace has more Carbon, but the Manitou has more extroverted CNC... :facepalm:
Decisions, decisions...

 

[M-Power]

[/quote]
I've got a set of Manitou with a NOS Ti kit - bolts, stachions, steerer etc - they are very light!! But getting decent elastomers is a bit hit and miss.[/quote]

I had that Mani 1 kit too but sold off he Ti stanchions as they were too flexy especially on the hard rutty stuff on the SDW ! 2.2lbs iirc.

 

[Defiant]

since my daughter is very light (not build like her old man) i think the manitou's will do fine.
I used to like the RC35's, i had one new bitd on my Pinnacle, i don't think i would like them on the Dean for some reason

 

[Elev12k]

A bike with Rond fork fitted rides circles around everything else.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=343459

 

[tommybike]

Is anyone selling one of the mentioned?!

 

[Vesatoro]

Is anyone selling one of the mentioned?!

How about posting the question to ”mtb wanted” subforum? This thread is seven years old…

 

[minor_LEGEND]

MAG 20's for me. They just look right & the adjusters on top each leg seemed so high-tech back in 92.

 

[tommybike]

How about posting the question to ”mtb wanted” subforum? This thread is seven years old…

Already posted! I'm sorry, hope I didn't messed up something.. It was such a good discussion that I tried!

 

[minor_LEGEND]

Re:

My favourites have always been Marzocchi Bomber 2's, which I have on my Kona

Not quite retro or barely on the cusp of 97 hence Bombers not really being mentioned here. I think this thread is more about shiny ballast than useful travel.