Mountain Biking - Which Psylo spring? Or get Fox Talas instead?

Hi all

I've been using Rockshox Psylo XCs for a couple of years and I've always thought the standard (red) spring was too soft for me, even though according to Rockshox I'm the right weight for it - 175lbs. I can get the firm blue spring or black extra-firm one, but don't know which would be best. Anyone who's swapped springs got any advice? Or, since I only ride XC rather than big drops and stuff, am I better off keeping the red one after all? I've never noticed it bottom out harshly, it just seems that after sag's taken care of there isn't much travel left.

OR ... my LBS has an 03 Fox Talas RL which he'll let me have for £350 (RRP £550). Is this too much of a bargain to pass up? Would the Fox be hugely better than the Psylos, or would I be better off spending the money on something else?

Ta

Bryan

Get the firm spring.

Get the Fox!

OR ... my LBS has an 03 Fox Talas RL which he'll let me have for £350 (RRP £550). Is this too much of a bargain to pass up? Would the Fox be hugely better than the Psylos, or would I be better off spending the money on something else?

Ta

Bryan

I've ridden both, and IMHO, the Fox is superior in almost every way. If it were me, and I could spare the extra coin, I'd opt for the Fox.

You can thank me later. :)

Or you can get the firm spring and use the extra $300 and get a stratos Id for it and turn the psylo into a stable platform Valve Fork.

I've ridden both, and IMHO, the Fox is superior in almost every way. If it were me, and I could spare the extra coin, I'd opt for the Fox.

You can thank me later. :)

Hmm, that's the kind of advice I find it dangerously easy to follow! I guess I'm going to have to decide how I want to define "spare". For the same money I could buy any one of a number of ludicrously extravagant bits of kit for my new ti road frame (am I allowed to mention those on this forum?)

Thanks for the other advice too guys. If I go for upgrading the spring I'll get the firm blue one.

Bryan

Fox Forx are better in virtually every way you can possibly imagine. The TALUS is an awesome shock (I have the '05 version.) Which version are you looking at on the TALUS? The R, RL, or RLC?

i don't understand, how come you're complaining there doesn't seem to be enough travel? but you say you never bottom out?

Fox Forx are better in virtually every way you can possibly imagine. The TALUS is an awesome shock (I have the '05 version.) Which version are you looking at on the TALUS? The R, RL, or RLC?

It's the RL, I'm not sure if it's a 2003 or 2004 model. Is the 2005 basically the same, or have they changed much?

i don't understand, how come you're complaining there doesn't seem to be enough travel? but you say you never bottom out?

What i meant was, I don't feel it bottoming out, particularly. I know it's doing so (and easily, even over small stuff) by the trail-dust-marks on the stanchions. I guess the spring rate increases a lot at the end of the travel, so there isn't a feeling of a sudden stop? Come to think of it, that must be the same with all forks.

I can get through about half the travel just by leaning (not jumping) my body weight on the bars, which seems very soft.

i believe that modern forks will have a bumper system, so that it doesn't crash into itself too hard. maybe that's what you were feeling.

have you tried fiddling with the external adjustment? perhaps stiffening up your preload will help? that should bring your sag up.

i believe that modern forks will have a bumper system, so that it doesn't crash into itself too hard. maybe that's what you were feeling.

have you tried fiddling with the external adjustment? perhaps stiffening up your preload will help? that should bring your sag up.

I'm sure you're right about the bumper. Unfortunately the Psylo doesn't have any preload adjustment, or any external adjustment apart from travel and rebound - at least my model doesn't. Still, they were cheap ...