Replacing Front Forks - Recommendations?

I have a 1yr old Trek 4300 that has been OK for me so far. I just do
some easy trails and road riding here in Germany. However, after my
last ride (~25km) through mostly dirt trails with some fairly easy up/
down terrain, I noticed a fair amount of dirt built up on the oil/
grease leaking from the top of the front forks. These are the original
RST Gila forks that came on the bike.

I had some people say no problems and others (most) say to get them
replaced. So I am going to do a little upgrading starting with the
forks.

As mentioned most of my riding is on trails, with about the same time
on paved/packed dirt/rock trails, and a little on pave roads. I am not
young - 55, and not a small guy - 6ft 1 and about 225lbs. I am not nor
ever will be competitive type although I sometimes push it a little
harder to get the heart pumping more and work up a sweat.

I had one sales guy recommend Marzocchi 44/55 series forks. But since
I don't know too much about the pieces and parts on mtn bikes, I'm
hoping to get some recommendations.


Thanks

On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:16:22 -0700 (PDT), Mike
wrote:

I have a 1yr old Trek 4300 that has been OK for me so far. I just do
some easy trails and road riding here in Germany. However, after my
last ride (~25km) through mostly dirt trails with some fairly easy up/
down terrain, I noticed a fair amount of dirt built up on the oil/
grease leaking from the top of the front forks. These are the original
RST Gila forks that came on the bike.

I had some people say no problems and others (most) say to get them
replaced. So I am going to do a little upgrading starting with the
forks.

As mentioned most of my riding is on trails, with about the same time
on paved/packed dirt/rock trails, and a little on pave roads. I am not
young - 55, and not a small guy - 6ft 1 and about 225lbs. I am not nor
ever will be competitive type although I sometimes push it a little
harder to get the heart pumping more and work up a sweat.

I had one sales guy recommend Marzocchi 44/55 series forks. But since
I don't know too much about the pieces and parts on mtn bikes, I'm
hoping to get some recommendations.

Replace the bike with hiking shoes. You are too old and unhealthy for
mountain biking.
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

On Apr 21, 2:40*am, Mike Vandeman wrote:
On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:16:22 -0700 (PDT), Mike
wrote:



I have a 1yr old Trek 4300 that has been OK for me so far. I just do
some easy trails and road riding here in Germany. However, after my
last ride (~25km) through mostly dirt trails with some fairly easy up/
down terrain, I noticed a fair amount of dirt built up on the oil/
grease leaking from the top of the front forks. These are the original
RST Gila forks that came on the bike.

I had some people say no problems and others (most) say to get them
replaced. So I am going to do a little upgrading starting with the
forks.

As mentioned most of my riding is on trails, with about the same time
on paved/packed dirt/rock trails, and a little on pave roads. I am not
young - 55, and not a small guy - 6ft 1 and about 225lbs. I am not nor
ever will be competitive type although I sometimes push it a little
harder to get the heart pumping more and work up a sweat.

I had one sales guy recommend Marzocchi 44/55 series forks. But since
I don't know too much about the pieces and parts on mtn bikes, I'm
hoping to get some recommendations.

Replace the bike with hiking shoes. You are too old and unhealthy for
mountain biking.
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande


Recommendation for you - replace your computer with a crayon and pad
of paper, pencils may be too sharp for you to use without adult
supervision. You obviously don't have the intelligence to use a
computer system correctly and be helpful to society.

My last bike ride was about 40km with about 1700ft elevation. Been
averaging over 100km/week riding the bike. Walk a little less than
that each week also. I ride on trails intended for that purpose - not
crashing thru the forest tearing things up.

I do have hiking shoes - Ecco's that are just about worn out and will
be put on the shelf with the other hiking shoes I have worn out.

Old - getting there but not yet, and age is better than the
alternative. Unhealthy not terribly.

So when you finish your habitat - go pet a bear or a cougar.

just go to ebay and find some 2nd hand Air Rockshox likes Reba's or
Recons, so you can pump them to carry your weight.

Having lockout is really important if you want to climb and get the
power into the cranks instead of plunging the shocks up and down.

Mike wrote:
On Apr 21, 2:40 am, Mike Vandeman wrote:
[...]
So when you [Mikey V] finish your habitat - go pet a bear or a cougar.

Is troll part of the diet of bears and cougars?

--
Tom Sherman - 42.435731,-83.985007
LOCAL CACTUS EATS CYCLIST - datakoll

On Apr 21, 10:08*am, none ""kraken\"@(none)" wrote:
just go to ebay and find some 2nd hand Air Rockshox likes Reba's or
Recons, so you can pump them to carry your weight.

Having lockout is really important if you want to climb and get the
power into the cranks instead of plunging the shocks up and down.

Thanks for the info. I'll start looking today.

I thought these forums/groups were for trying to share information and
help others. But I guess some can't find anything better to do than
try to find someone to insult.

And Tom - you are probably right bears and cougars are probably more
discriminating eaters - carrion is OK but troll would probably cause
gas ...


Thanks again

On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:45:12 -0700 (PDT), Mike
wrote:

On Apr 21, 2:40*am, Mike Vandeman wrote:
On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:16:22 -0700 (PDT), Mike
wrote:



I have a 1yr old Trek 4300 that has been OK for me so far. I just do
some easy trails and road riding here in Germany. However, after my
last ride (~25km) through mostly dirt trails with some fairly easy up/
down terrain, I noticed a fair amount of dirt built up on the oil/
grease leaking from the top of the front forks. These are the original
RST Gila forks that came on the bike.

I had some people say no problems and others (most) say to get them
replaced. So I am going to do a little upgrading starting with the
forks.

As mentioned most of my riding is on trails, with about the same time
on paved/packed dirt/rock trails, and a little on pave roads. I am not
young - 55, and not a small guy - 6ft 1 and about 225lbs. I am not nor
ever will be competitive type although I sometimes push it a little
harder to get the heart pumping more and work up a sweat.

I had one sales guy recommend Marzocchi 44/55 series forks. But since
I don't know too much about the pieces and parts on mtn bikes, I'm
hoping to get some recommendations.

Replace the bike with hiking shoes. You are too old and unhealthy for
mountain biking.
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande


Recommendation for you - replace your computer with a crayon and pad
of paper, pencils may be too sharp for you to use without adult
supervision. You obviously don't have the intelligence to use a
computer system correctly and be helpful to society.

Then why am I allowed to teach computer science? Idiot.

My last bike ride was about 40km with about 1700ft elevation. Been
averaging over 100km/week riding the bike. Walk a little less than
that each week also. I ride on trails intended for that purpose

Human intentions are irrelevant. Habitat is still habitat, and
permission doesn't make killing willdife acceptable.

- not
crashing thru the forest tearing things up.

I do have hiking shoes - Ecco's that are just about worn out and will
be put on the shelf with the other hiking shoes I have worn out.

Old - getting there but not yet, and age is better than the
alternative. Unhealthy not terribly.

So when you finish your habitat - go pet a bear or a cougar.
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

Mike Vandeman wrote:
Then why am I allowed to teach computer science? Idiot.

Where do you teach, Mike?

-Beej

On Apr 22, 9:45*am, Beej Jorgensen wrote:
Mike Vandeman wrote:

Then why am I allowed to teach computer science? Idiot.

Where do you teach, Mike?

-Beej


What's that old saying -- "Those who can't - teach."

If you want to contribute - please do. If you just want to sling trash
- please leave the groups/forums to people who care to use them to do
something useful and helpful to others.

Not everyone who rides a mountain bike is irresponsible. Just as
someone who tags themselves as "an expert" is not necessarily smart.
(Appears to be a case of B(ull) S(...), M(ore) S(...), and P(ile it) H
(igher and) D(eeper).)

Beej - If you really find out where he teaches, warn everyone you can.
A teacher who resorts to name calling and stereo-typing people out of
ignorance is not one you should recommend to your friends.

Idiot? - Last year this idiot was paid over $250K to WORK on computer
systems. OK, guess I'm not too smart... Maybe I should go back to
teaching, I wonder how much that pays?

Mike V - I respect your opinion that habitat must be protected - I
fully agree. But I also believe that responsible use of the
environment is OK. We are placed on the earth just like the animals
around us. They can't protect their habitat, we must do it. But there
must be a balance. Again if you want to make some helpful comments on
the subject of this forum, please do so. If, however, you just want to
post inflammatory, baiting comments, please go back to your child
psych books and study a little more about getting along with others.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

But back to the real question at hand - forks.

I've found a few different Rockshox that look pretty interesting. And
I was wondering if they are easy to install yourself? Or as a couple
sites I've hit say don't try it, have a qualified shop do the work.
True?

Also are forks pretty well standardized? Tube diameter, length, etc?
Or are they custom cut for the bike? If they need to be matched to the
bike, is it safe to get used forks?

Again, I'm pretty much new at these fancy new bikes so learning all
over again.

Thanks for your patience.

On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:33:13 -0700 (PDT), Mike
wrote:

On Apr 22, 9:45*am, Beej Jorgensen wrote:
Mike Vandeman wrote:

Then why am I allowed to teach computer science? Idiot.

Where do you teach, Mike?

-Beej


What's that old saying -- "Those who can't - teach."

BS.

If you want to contribute - please do. If you just want to sling trash
- please leave the groups/forums to people who care to use them to do
something useful and helpful to others.

Promoting environmental destruction is neither useful nor helpful.

Not everyone who rides a mountain bike is irresponsible.

Yes, they are. There is no such thing as "responsible" mountain
biking, any more than there is "responsible" bulldozer racing. You are
only displaying your ignorance.

Just as
someone who tags themselves as "an expert" is not necessarily smart.
(Appears to be a case of B(ull) S(...), M(ore) S(...), and P(ile it) H
(igher and) D(eeper).)

Beej - If you really find out where he teaches, warn everyone you can.
A teacher who resorts to name calling and stereo-typing people out of
ignorance is not one you should recommend to your friends.

Idiot? - Last year this idiot was paid over $250K to WORK on computer
systems. OK, guess I'm not too smart... Maybe I should go back to
teaching, I wonder how much that pays?

Mike V - I respect your opinion that habitat must be protected - I
fully agree. But I also believe that responsible use of the
environment is OK. We are placed on the earth just like the animals
around us.

BS. Humans are native to Africa, and everywhere else are a newcomer
(exotic speiec). You may know something about computers (e.g. how to
hide your identity), but you obviously know NOTHING about biology.
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande