650B Fork recommendation

Discuss light weight issues concerning mountain bikes & parts.

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lancejohnson
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by lancejohnson

I am hoping to find a 650B compatible fork that I can run something like a Nobby Nic or Rocket Ron 2.25 tire in. It seems that the Magura TS8 R 650 would work. Reading about the fork and looking at the design, I like it, and I'm looking for something in a 100/120mm travel, so that seemed like a great call.

But, I saw that X-Fusion's 100 fork can be converted to a 120 and vise-versa (if I read it right) and that sounded great to me in order to tune the bike better for various kinds of riding. Can you do the same with the Magura fork? For a hard tail, would you recommend one length vs. the other? I've read that the magura fork is better than the x-fusion, would you agree, and if so how much better?

I'm looking for something that is low-maintenance, responsive, and preferably light. This is a first MTB, so any input would be very helpful.
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Kastrup
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by Kastrup

I have a friend who have ridden the magura extensively. He swicthed to fox due to the low mileage he could get out of a magura fork before it needed service. Servicing it is quite easy though.
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Shaman
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by Shaman

I'm using an X-Fusion right now and I have to say that I am very impressed. Pretty limited adjustments but it just works. As plush as any Rock Shox I've ever ridden and better than any Fox. When you factor in the price they are a stunning fork.

timbat
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by timbat

Another vote for X-Fusion Velvet here. Great fork for the money! Only a single air chamber to set but they are plush ...


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Ramjm_2000
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by Ramjm_2000

I'll third x-fusion. Very impressed with their 12-13 offerings. After the inital break in they work extremly well (changing a setting actually works), sold all my Fox's and not looking back. My second choice would be a Lefty, I have one on my Litespeed Niota and will likey be selling it to keep everything in my MTB stable the same across the board.

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lancejohnson
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by lancejohnson

Thanks for the feedback. I figure if the picky buggers that tend to populate this site like the x-Fusion, that may be the way to go.

From talking with local MTB people I think I'm just going to go for a 100 travel and not worry about being able to adjust it, but since I guess you still can, then there's no drawback.

Does anyone have feedback about a tapered steerer or straight 1 1/8? I thinking about just doing the tapered with the thought that when I get an FS frame I'd do that with the tapered version and this way I'll have redundant parts that could be swapped back and forth if something happened to one bike or the other and I needed to pilfer parts in the short term.
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Ramjm_2000
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by Ramjm_2000

I went straight as you can always use straight on a taped HT but not the other way around (I tend to swap equipment around). I was always under the impression the extras stiffness was in the HT not the fork.

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lancejohnson
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by lancejohnson

I hear you about that, but then I'd need to have a reducer crown race around in case I did need to make the switch. I should be at or under 70kg when I start racing again, so I'm not sure that the additional stiffness is required from the tapered head tube, but I also expect that carbon fork crowns and tapered headtubes integrated into those will become the standard in the future, so my thought is to go with where I think the technology is going rather than stick with what I could get away with in order to get the maximum weight savings in the near term - the issue being designing the bike for the right stack, unless I got the tapered headset and did just use a reducer crown race rather than going with the straight 1.125 internal...
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