Mountain Biking - A few upgrade ?s

I currently have a 01-02 Specialized Hardrock. It is my first bike and I would like to upgrade it. I am thinking of gettin rid of the Judy TT 80mm and swaping it for the Marzocchi Mx Comp. It is 105 mm. I have been told not to go with a bigger size shock but i was wondering what you guys thought about this?

Thanks

It all depends on the kind of riding you do. I think that for a first bike, and a fairly new rider, I'd stay with the Judy until you break it.

Maybe i should clear myself up. I have been riding bmx for a long time but this is my first mountain bike. I bottom out the shock probably 10 times everytime i ride.

Well get a Marz dj series. If you come from a bmx background they ae stiff and rigid. They would better suit the riding style you will fall into.

The MX is an aggresive xc fork. If you are bottoming out your current fork you will more than likely bottom out the MX.

the MX Comp will work well for that bike. Anymore travel would put too much stress on the headtube which could lead to bad things happening. And i dont understand some people in here. You say you hit a log jump and immdeiately they're like " well you really need a 6" f/s bike"

Like i said put the MX Comp at 105 mms of travel and be happy

Originally posted by PeterG1185
the MX Comp will work well for that bike. Anymore travel would put too much stress on the headtube which could lead to bad things happening. And i dont understand some people in here. You say you hit a log jump and immdeiately they're like " well you really need a 6" f/s bike"

Like i said put the MX Comp at 105 mms of travel and be happy

I don't see anyone saying that...:)

It all depends on what you want to do with the bike. I don't see 20mm more travel putting hardly any more stress on the headtube! I do see it affecting the angle of the head tube....it'll slackin it up a bit...some people like that others hate it. It's all up to you. If you're from a bmx background and are gonna be hitting dirtjumps and doing some drops...i say go with the Marz Dirt Jumper. OR stick with the judy and that bike till you figure out where your style is going. Then just use the cash you were gonna spend on a fork and put it towards a bike/frame and fork combo that will suite your riding style a bit better. :beer:

Said it once... I'll say it again. Ride till you break, THEN think about upgrading.

But take some advice. Ride hard and fix what's broke. The rest will come. I don't think I could add anything to slcpunk21's advice above...

I don't see 20mm more travel putting hardly any more stress on the headtube! I do see it affecting the angle of the head tube....
It does have some effect, whether it's enough to matter or not I don't know. The headtube is design to take REALLY big axial (along its length) stress, but only medium sheer (perpendicular) stress. This also affects the steer tube and is the result of the head angle. If you don't see it, try to sketch it out and imagine in what direction most forces are applied. It can also be calculated using trig.
Sorry, yet another engineer who's gotten his hands on a bike. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by iamlucky13

It does have some effect, whether it's enough to matter or not I don't know. The headtube is design to take REALLY big axial (along its length) stress, but only medium sheer (perpendicular) stress. This also affects the steer tube and is the result of the head angle. If you don't see it, try to sketch it out and imagine in what direction most forces are applied. It can also be calculated using trig.
Sorry, yet another engineer who's gotten his hands on a bike. :rolleyes:

Never said it didn't have "any" affect on it...just 20mm isn't going to have a huge affect on it. I'm to lazy to figure out the trig for it. now if you went to a triple clamp 7 then you're gonna rip the head tube off...

:beer: