I started to enjoy riding my mountain bike again. (Mostly a cat3 roadie.) I believe it is a 2011 Trek Cobia. First upgrade years ago was a set of Stans Crest wheels. I ride in a rocky desert environment, no big jumps or downhill, XC style I guess. I feel that this shock is not staying planted to the ground and maybe there is a bit of upgrade-itis but I do know from motorbiking how good suspension can transform a ride. So I would be okay with spending $350-$450 for a replacement. I plan to eventually upgrade the bike as things break.

What should I be looking for?

Also, I am big in to buying used. Is this reasonable for a fork and if so, what are some good sites to find forks?


Cheers.

*edit*: looks like I want 100mm of travel, quick release axle (I have stans 3.30 hubs will this work with thru axle?), 1 1/8 steerer tube. (specs state 51 mm offset crown: I don't know what this means.)

Edit: I feel like my current shock has a very narrow "bandwidth" over which it performs adequately.

Forks have different offsets, so you have to make sure whatever you buy will match your 51mm. Is there a problem with the fork or it just seems "off"? Have you considered taking it to the local Trek dealer to ask for help in setting it up? Might save you an expense if they can dial it in for you.
Personally I wouldn't buy a used fork in case the internals have started going on it.
That being said, yes, a good fork makes a huge difference!

+1. That's not a bad fork, it probably just needs adjusted.

The stans hubs are easy to swap between QR and through axle, you just pop the end caps off and pop on the other style.

Rockshox Reba can still be found new with a 1 1/8th steerer and would be an upgrade. If it is worth spending the $500 compared to a recon I can't say. There aren't a lot of good 1 1/8th steerer forks out there anymore.

Used is a good option if you comfortable with the idea of rebuilding/changing the oil in a fork yourself. Just stick to newer stuff and avoid older worn out stuff. 1 1/8th steerer forks aren't in demand so they aren't worth much on the used market. ebay, pinkbike, and local facebook groups are good places too look.

Thanks!

This looks good, Rockshox Reba RL 29" 9mm QR A6 > Components > Forks & Suspension > Suspension Forks | Jenson USA

Or the older Rock Shox 30 Gold if you can find one used.

So 1 and 1/8 is an older style? I was hoping that I would be able to transfer this fork to a more modern frame in due time. Is that not possible?

If not, the alternative plan is to run this bike into the ground and purchase another.

Im guessing the reference to it being an older style is the straight vs tapered steerer. Yours is straight, newer is tapered. Tapered steerers are stiffer and the lower bearings are larger to distribute force.

Thank you. So, maybe not purchasing a quality shock for this bike is a better option esp. if I plan to upgrade the frame at some point.

No reason why you can't stick a tapered fork into the frame, you would need an appropriate headset (CaneCreek make a convert, I have and use one).

This being a cost effective solution is another matter.

For the offset question, for most MTB's since the late 90's this is a non-issue, unless you have the Gary Fisher geometry (which your bike does), and this can complicate things when looking at changing forks.

Ah, so if I get an upgraded fork, buy one with a taper fork now and converter, then I can use that in the future on more modern frames (at least possibly). yes?

From what I understand their adapter may not work on all frames, check with Crane Creek before you decide.

Cheers.

No, you have that backwards. You buy a straight fork, and can maybe get an adapter for a taper.

Is your current fork air or coil? If it's a coil fork the best upgrade is a cheap Suntour air fork, like a new xcr 32. If you already have an air fork it probably just needs a service.

I would not plan to use a straight, QR fork on a new mountain bike frame. All higher end forks have been through axle for some time, with good reason.

thanks everyone.

After these comments and some more reading, it seems the best course of action now is to stick with this fork, have my LBS service/rebuild, and then in the future just get a new fork (tapered, thru axle) with a new frame. I see an upgraded shock would be at least $500 and I am seeing very nice newer bikes (used) with new shocks for about $2K.

ps: I did take my shock pump to the trails and dialed in the pressure which was much higher than the recommended shown on the side of the fork. It stated around 85 psi and I am at 100 psi. I am still dialing in the rebound though I don't really notice much change from one extreme to the other.

Would this be an internal upgrade?:

https://www.amazon.com/RockShox-Moti.../dp/B003RLDVXW

Just curious as to why the pressure is so high? Were you having issues with the fork bottoming out?

My favorite tactic for adjusting pressure is to look at how much travel you used during a ride. Ideally, you would use a maximum of ~75% of the travel on a typical ride. That gives you some margin and ensures that you're making the most of the fork.

Rebound adjustments are more subtle than pressure. Rebound determines how fast the fork recovers between hits. Too fast and it's kind of like a pogo-stick, too slow and the fork packs up, since it won't fully recover between hits. If you ride hard and fast, you'll need a faster rebound than a more cautious rider.
The best test is a set of stairs or rock garden, you really a set of extended bumps so that the rebound is tested. Go down a couple of times with different rebounds and see what feels best. If you can't tell the difference, then set the knob somewhere in the middle and don't worry about it.

Not bottoming out, just felt better. I keep taking my pump with me and trying different setting so it may change.

On rebound, my rides seem to have a bit of everything but overall very rocky and rough. Some slow technical parts and other parts where I can pick up speed. Middle of the road is probably the best bet for me.

Thanks!

rebuild the fork. I rebuilt my Recon a few years ago. I upgraded the damper to a Motion Control unit from a higher end fork with the same ID. Then make sure you use plenty of Slick Honey when reassembling. The fork worked very well afterwards for a minimal investment.

I went with the Argyle Motion Control Damper. Rode it once today and now have to dial it in, but just having more adjustability is nice. Very easy modification.

Pikes!