Fox 36 Van RC2 vs. Float RC2

[boomforeal]

need a new fork for my new bike. i have a line on a van and a float, wondering what folks would recommend? this will be my 'big' bike for the shore and bike parks, but i don't tend to air it out much. rear shock is an air, fwiw - rp23 right now but i might switch it for a dhx. i'm pretty light and like to think of myself as a "smooth" rider. have always ridden coil but from what i can gather there's no real different in plushness anymore. so, recommend me a fork please.

[rewoga]

If you don't plan on climbing too much, go with coil - not that much of a weight difference.

[gtse]

sorry i'm noobs and don't know much about forks.

on a side note, i'm wondering what you think of the rp23? i had a choice of the rp23 or the dhx 5 and decided on the rp23 but am now wondering what others out there think too.

[boomforeal]

Originally Posted by rewoga

If you don't plan on climbing too much, go with coil - not that much of a weight difference.

oh i'll be climbing plenty! but i'm curious why (if there's not too much of a weight difference - and there isn't, like 1/2 lb from what i've read) you'd advise air if i plan on a lot of climbing?

Originally Posted by gtse

on a side note, i'm wondering what you think of the rp23? i had a choice of the rp23 or the dhx 5 and decided on the rp23 but am now wondering what others out there think too.

i love the rp23 - have one on my fluid, very adjustable, durable and feels great. but i've heard my new frame was designed around a high-vol air shock, so despite the fact that they rp23 seems to get nothing but raves while a lot of folks dis the dhx air, i'm thinking of at least giving it a shot (a friend of mine has one, same size, so we're planning on mixing and matching for a few laps and comparing notes)

[DarylMac]

I ride the Float 36 and I'm a heavy hack - it feels as stiff/smooth/plush as any coil fork I've ever ridden. Go with the Float.

[boomforeal]

any benefit to matching air suspension in the front and back vs. air/coil? are suspension characteristics between the two types sufficiently different that you can feel the difference or that it would affect the ride?

[sAFETY]

Just curious, what took the Talas 36 RC2 out of the mix? That's my current front-runner, though I'm also considering the float (but I think I'd miss the travel adjust).

[Hack On Wheels]

I'd go TALAS for the travel adjust, but as that doesn't seem to interest you I would just go for the Vanilla. Simple and reliable.

[Six]

I'm very happy with my Float 36 RC2.

[Banshee Brown]

I have a 36 float (first air fork I've ridden) and I think it is just
as good as any coil fork I've ridden. Super easy to adjust with a shock
pump and light weight.

[boomforeal]

Originally Posted by sAFETY

Just curious, what took the Talas 36 RC2 out of the mix?

out of my price range. plus i'm still a bit sketched out by the talas' history of "issues". i like travel adjust forks, esp. on hardtails (put a rev with u-turn on my chromag samurai for the winter and it has given that bike new life) but from what i've seen and heard this new frame doesn't need one; it's pretty well balanced.

[FullMonty]

air will give you a little more ramp up for those big hucks to flat.

[rewoga]

Originally Posted by boomforeal

out of my price range. plus i'm still a bit sketched out by the talas' history of "issues". i like travel adjust forks, esp. on hardtails (put a rev with u-turn on my chromag samurai for the winter and it has given that bike new life) but from what i've seen and heard this new frame doesn't need one; it's pretty well balanced.

Maybe reconsider the TALAS - or look at the new Lyric with U-Turn. I have always wanted travel adjust, and finally got a Lyric U-Turn on my Six last year. For climbing, it makes a very noticiable difference when you wind the travel down. So much so that on my new ride I again went with a travel adjust fork. This will be especially handy if you plan on doing lots of climbing.

And for rear shock - I have also had a DHX-air and my new ride has an RP-23 - very different feel to each shock. If you are using this "mystery" bike for the park, I would get the DHX air. More volume and "boost valve" = better Dh performance.

[Feral]

I've got a TALAS, and while it's probably a little different than the Float, I'm really happy with the air as it gives me the ability to fine tune better than I could with a coil.

[biggles604]

Originally Posted by FullMonty

air will give you a little more ramp up for those big hucks to flat.

If that's the case, then I would go with the float. I have a Van, and I do think it has some of the best damping of any fork out there, but it's so linear through it's travel. I much prefer a more progressive fork, which the float should give you.