Full Circle on Forks

I had a Black Super 80 SPV fork.


-Sent it in for warranty because the damper had worn a ledge on the inside of the leg causing stiction point

-They sent me a brand new 2005 Black 80 SPVevolve.

-I was in the process of setting up the Hollowpoint, and was thinking that even though they had sold some HPs with 80mm forks that it seemed that it was designed around a 100mm

-So I asked Manitou since it was a brand new fork if I could swap it for a 100mm

-They were cool and said sure. Do you want to stay with SPV or not?

-At the time I wasn't really sure about SPV. It did cut into the small bump sensitivity and I just wasn't sure if losing the small bump compliance hurt or helped? My concern was when the shock wouldn't activate on small stuff and if that was zapping momentum due to the bouncing into/off the obstacle.

-So I said no, let me try the Black Super TPC.

-They sent me the Black Super 100 with Remote lockout

-Soo cushy.

-What a bomber fork. Point and shoot and go down anything

-But something just wasn't right on any other pedaling.

-Just felt like I was being robbed of energy. Wasn't sure if it was the rear suspension, front or what.

-I'd put a rigid fork on my hardtail in the meantime but the steerer tube wasn't long enough to get the position I needed.

-Saw a Black 80 SPV on ebay and got that for the hardtail

-Had been meaning to test it out on the HP and did that a few week ago

-Feels like a different bike.

-Lower fork, steepens head tube

-Makes it a single track carver

-SPV really helps hold it up on climbs, and pedaling sections, and in corners, it doesnt dive.

-Downhilling not compromised too much. I miss the 100 sometimes

-I like SPV again.

-Same fork I had in my hands that I sent back.

-Full circle. In hindsight I should have stuck with 100mm in SPV

-Now I need to figure out what to do about the hardtail. It has no fork.

-Get another Black 80 SPV?

-Get a skareb 80? Go back to rigid?

-look for a Skareb 100SPV to try on the HP. Rare oem only, hard to find.

-Minute 2 SPV is the only 100mm SPV sold. But the Axle to Crown is fairly tall.

-This will slacken the headtube and I'll lose that singletrack carving.

-I'd like to see if a 100mm SPV would keep it riding/climbing well and still carve too?

-Maybe R7. But pricey, and I'd only want the one with snap valve. R7 100 with Snap Valve 1st choice. Skareb 100 SPV if I can find one, 2nd choice. Another Black 80 SPV or Minute 2 100mm toss up for third choice