Suntour forks?
 

I keep seeing people giving them a bad rep why?

Not defending them just couroius what's so bad with them? There a lot worse unbranded forks out there I'm sure?

Or are they something I should avoid at all costs?

I noticed there on a lot of low end bikes so many people only have experience of the low end forks? Or are they all bad?

Suntour forks are "cheap" forks, not "bad" forks. There are worse forks out there than Suntour forks; look no further than the forks on box store "mountain bikes."

Suntour forks do not offer the same level of performance as better branded forks. The compression/rebound is not as fluid or smooth, and the transitions between the compresson/rebound is not as responsive. Simply put, Suntour forks just don't offer the same level of control that a better fork offers.

If you're the kinda rider who goes out and dances around on some beginner-level singletrack, a Suntour fork will treat you just fine, but once you start getting into the "high end" of the beginner stuff, you'll want something that offers a higher level of control. In other words, if you're traveling down a hill at a good rate of speed over bumpy terrain, you're going to get "kick-back" or more compression than you want while traveling over those rocks, roots, etc. The "kick-back" and constant "bottoming out" of the fork will just make the ride really "exciting," and not in a good way. The responsiveness and smoothness just aren't there.

The best way I can explain it is that a Suntour fork is limiting to those who are looking to improve and exceed beyond the "beginner" stages.

Hmm okay cheers....that good, I understand rock shox are pretty good? I'll stick to them for my first bike then.

Rock Shox are decent forks. While you can still get a cheaper Rock Shox fork that's on the same "level" as a Suntour, you're better off with a Rock Shox. With the Rock Shox, once you start getting into the Rock Shox Silver, you're stepping up a bit in performance. A Rock Shox Silver is a good fork that will offer you a more pleasant riding experience than anything Suntour has to offer. Step up to Rock Shox Gold and Rock Shox Reba and things start looking really bright. :thumb:

Suntour makes a variety of forks from cheap low quality ones to expensive high quality ones.
You hear people whinging about cheap Suntour forks but you don't hear many complaints about their better quality more expensive forks.
Suntour made forks for Marzocchi for about 10 years.

Gold Medals & Rainbow Jerseys from riding Suntour forks:
http://issuu.com/why_gbr/docs/srsunt...pbook-2k13-web
http://issuu.com/srsuntourinc/docs/s...-werx-book-web



Don't get brainwashed into thinking that Rockshox is the only brand worth buying, there's other brands that make good forks too.

* Suntour makes some forks that are better then some Rockshox forks too.

You get what you pay for. Manufacturers build to price points. $150. forks are all basic and entry level. $600. gets you a lot of technology and quality. Used forks are a risky buy.

I'll be paying extra attention to the from when I am buying a bike...I know the guy I'm buying from and I trust him enuf not to try and sell me something broken but I'll still be checking over the whole bike for wheel tureness component wear and frame condition etc act...

Although since I know him fairly well I don't think I'll have any problems but yhea if I had the. Money is be buying new every time.....wouldent we all though.

OK guys cheers for all the advice I'll looking what's what but I have a rough idea of what to look for now....I'm Not overly fussed by specs at my merger price point so long as I don't and up buying a BSO its all good-

So what's your idea of an expensive Suntour fork, $150? I'm yet to see a high-end Suntour fork on anything.

im using suntour axon travel 100 remote lock for 1 year without any problem :thumb: with reasonable price to :)

Nobody buys them, but they do make higher end forks. They are supposed to be pretty decent

The Suntour website actually lists a number of good looking, seemingly well made forks.

http://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/dst...466/Forks.html

Anthony, my FS bike is a second hand bike from a trusted source. Like you are doing, knowing who you are buying from is important. Welcome to the thread, post some action shots.

Lol action shots....I'm 12stone so won't be getting much air TBH....did I also mention extramly unfit and and unskilled..but I'll try.

Getting the bike end of month....payday....only gonna be a beater nothing amazing, just somin to get my feet wet.

http://forums.mtbr.com/beginners-cor...rk-830657.html

Just about everyone seems to be very pleased with their Suntour Raidon in that thread. I also think it is cool that they let you upgrade to their mid level fork so inexpensively. From what I can gather they make solid high end stuff and like anything you get what you pay for on the low end stuff. I'd bet whatever fork was thrown on a 500 dollar entry level bike would get a bad rep, because no matter what it won't be a very good fork. People just seem to associate their whole product line with their 100 dollar entry level options. Is what it is. If their stuff is good people will use it.

Maybe nobody buys them because their lower end stuff has such a poor reputation. It's kinda like Schwinn and Walmart, yet if you go visit Schwinn's site, you won't even find those bicycles acknowledged there. I just purchased my parents bicycles; my dad a Signature Series Panther and my mom a Signature Series Hollywood. Both of the bikes are very well-made. I also have a carbon Schwinn Paramount 7 and it's a decent bike. I'd say it's on par with a Cannondale Synapse or Specialized Allez of the same price point.

I'd be willing to purchase a high-end Suntour fork if I liked the performance. I don't hate on Suntour, I just wouldn't use one unless I'd had some info on them first. Unlike Rock Shox or Fox, a good reputation doesn't really preceed Suntour.

Hey it wasn't long ago that many of us considered RST forks as a cut above Suntour and most Suntour forks were found on the higher priced Schwinns at Targets, rarely on LBS bikes. It's true that Suntour has come a long way since then, improved their quality and moved into the mainstream LBS brands, mostly at entry levels. It's just that old perceptions take some time to change. If Suntour keeps their current improved quality level they should gain trust and respect. The subject of Suntour forks has come up with two local mechanics. Both stated the Suntour line has really improved over the last few years. That's good for us.




But I'll stay with Fox, thank you.

My Scott Aspect Has the Suntour fork, Don't know what vintage, the bike was new this year. I have a lock out and damping control. Works fine for me but I don't go for big speeds.

I was always under the impression that RST's more expensive forks (Space Jump, R-One, etc) were pretty good. And every company's cheap forks are crap. RockShox Dart and XC28 are junk too. And I used to have a Manitou Axel for a while that I wasn't impressed with either, and even that's a step up from the Dart and XC28.

You mean the 5 1/2 lb Axle? I thought I was big time with mine cause I had rebound damping control on the Axle and my freinds with other entry level bikes didn't. Then I tried a Fox F-100. First time I lifted the front end I almost wrecked cause I didn't expect that lighter fork to cause that much of a difference.

Top of the range Axon, Epicon and Durolux forks will cost a bit more then $150

http://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/ind...ries&tnid=3478
http://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/ind...ries&tnid=3485
http://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/ind...ries&tnid=3488

* High end Suntour forks mightn't even be available in your part of the world but they do exist and you might be surprised at how much they can sell for.

Yes, there are some perceptions that take time to change. Today, Hyundai supposedly makes some of the most reliable and best cars in their class, but there's no way in god's green hell I would EVER buy a Hyundai/Kia or encourage ANYONE I know to buy one. I've never owned one and I never will because when I think of Hyundai, I think of the Excel from the 1980s. Simply put, I don't care if driving a Hyundai cures cancer, you couldn't pay me to own one.

Which model Aspect did you buy? My wife was looking at one of the Aspects back in February and I believe one of them may have been equipped with a Suntour fork.

It's a good thing not everyone thinks like you. Remember in the 90s when Apple was crap and no one bought Apple products?

No, I don't. I don't remember people thinking Apple products were crap, I remember people thinking, "Apple doesn't work with anything." Big difference.

Yep, I own THREE devices that "don't work with anything," and they've all been far more reliable than their PC/Android counterparts.

It's a good thing not everyone has a memory like yours and I apologiz if I've offended you for speaking poorly about your Scoupe.

Honestly, I don't think they're even available in this area. It could also be that I haven't seen them, and quite honestly, I haven't really been looking for them. If I found a bike equipped with one I'd be happy to try it out, though.

Actually I own a Corolla from when Toyota still had a good rep, and it is (and was then) a complete POS that's given me nothing but problems. Reputation isn't everything. I also stand by my assertion that if you only stick to companies that provided quality products in the past, you'll miss out on rising companies that surpass yesterday's industry giants, and it is to everyone's benefit that there are people willing to give new products a chance, because otherwise quality products can potentially be missed out on because no one realizes that there was an increase in quality.

o dear what have I started....

but still: :popcornhahaha