Mountain Biking - Anyone making coil/oil forks still?

I've got a hardtail MTB I want to setup for offroad touring and need a 100mm fork for it. I was thinking something with a coil spring in an oil bath [like the old Marzocchi Bombers] would be ideal because there is pretty much nothing to go wrong.

I'm a bit out of the loop on what's available for MTB foks these days and figure you fine folks would know if any coil/oil forks were still on offer.

Thanks!...:thumb:

The Fox Vanilla is coil...not 100mm, though...

That's a tough one. Most these days are viscous polymerized silicone gel-filled and have an ionized nitrogen gas positive spring augmented by a positively-charged argon/halon negative spring/pop-valve encased in an irridium/UHMW polyehtylene cartridge.

The Fox Vanilla is coil...not 100mm, though...

Looks great, but 140mm travel would screw up my bike's geometry too much.

You can spacer/shim the fox vanilla so it is 100mm.

What about a Dart? They're coil.

You can spacer/shim the fox vanilla so it is 100mm.

Is that fairly easy to do?


What about a Dart? They're coil.

Thanks I'll add that to my list. I'm not a huge RS fan, but my experience with them is outdated and it doesn't seem like their are lots of coil/oil options these days.

It's fairly easy to do. You just need to pull out the spring and change the position on the spacers.

What about a Dart? They're coil.

A Recon U-Turn Coil would be quite a bit better than a Dart...

A Recon U-Turn Coil would be quite a bit better than a Dart...

Yeah...MTBR reviews on the Dart (http://www.mtbr.com/cat/suspension/2008-forks/rockshox/dart-3/PRD_416285_1565crx.aspx) are uniformly bad.

Checking out the Recon info on the Rockshox site that fork seems to be a air spring or an air spring & coil.

Not sure if its oil but the Pike is also a coil fork and gas U turn so you can run it from 90mm to 140mm.

Some of the Toras are coil. Heavy, but smooth forks otherwise, and far cheaper than a pike.

Rockshox Recon U-Turn

Marzocchi Dirt Jumper

That's a tough one. Most these days are viscous polymerized silicone gel-filled and have an ionized nitrogen gas positive spring augmented by a positively-charged argon/halon negative spring/pop-valve encased in an irridium/UHMW polyehtylene cartridge.

Man... you gravity junkies have all the latest swag:)

That's a tough one. Most these days are viscous polymerized silicone gel-filled and have an ionized nitrogen gas positive spring augmented by a positively-charged argon/halon negative spring/pop-valve encased in an irridium/UHMW polyehtylene cartridge.

Why would argon be used in a...

Never mind....

You can spacer/shim the fox vanilla so it is 100mm.

Actually, I don't think you can do that anymore. I have an '07 Vanilla and it didn't allow for the travel to be shortened. I think '06 may have been the last year that did. Too bad, it's a killer fork.

I was gonna say that, but I wasn't 100% sure.

+1 though...140mm only

Magura Odur. Stiff, easy to work on, and brilliantly simple. My brother has one on his Redline Monocog. However, it is only 85 mm travel, but is wonderfully plush and is quite adjustable!

It was scored on the ebay for $180 NIB. great deal.

I have the RS Tora coil u-turn with lockout and would say it seems perfect for offroad touring. The adjustments are very responsive (specifically the lockout feature), and it feels quite solidly built. It doesn't seem overly heavy to me, either, which I was initially concerned it might. I ride casual XC and settled on the Tora as a "bang for the buck" purchase and am satisfied so far.