Steerers are either steel ( cr/mo or soft steel or lowest end forks ) or 7050 aluminum. The only parts of a fork that are 'magnesium' are lowers and the crown. EDIT: also - pipe cutter tool and some sandpaper work wonders on shortening steerers.
If you look at the product pages on these Chinese forks, some of them say magnesium or magnesium alloy on them. They're probably referring to 7000 or 6000 series aluminum since those contain magnesium, but honestly who knows what you're getting with them.
I love that you actually think steel automatically = cromolly. If its cheap, it certainly isn't. If they don't advertise cromolly everywhere on the package it is not
Kev.......dude....... that's why I love your videos. It's just not you rambling about this and that and riding some flowy trail somewhere. Your videos are always entertaining, and informative! Thank you for your big box bikes videos and love of bikes in general! And thanks for giving us casual trail riders a place to call home!!
The epixon fork, is actually, a weird version of an epicon fork, which they don t produce anymore. Its way more advanced than the new epixon forks. They come with an aion(Suntour enduro/trail line up ) damper, air spring and negative spring. They actually added a spacer to reduce its travel to 140. You can remove it and get the full 150mm of travel. So its basically an enduro fork with thinner stanchions. It is in the range of the last generation rockshox revelation forks. It is cheap because they were produced for a range of bikes that were never made due to shortages.... You can hit big jumps on it hahah.
Not even close. 34 or 36 mm stanchions are the standard for Enduro in 2021. The dampers are more advanced, but the stanchions need the girth to provide the rigid feel for modern downhill or Enduro. Suntour makes enduro forks, but i have not tried them. The Epixons are XC trail forks.
@@thiosemicarbizidebenzoylal2921 thats why I said " dont produce anymore" and last gen revelation.... They were ment to be enduro/trail forks years ago ..
I put a £100 bucklows air fork on my boys ‘15 Pitch and it’s made it a much more capable bike. He’s 12yo and 60kg he doesn’t ride gnar or jump he just follows me round the woods but I’m very impressed for what it is.
JUST SEND IT!!!! I bought the gold stanchion Bucklos for the Axum. So far they've held up fine. I'm 250 -260 lbs and I send it every chance I get. I also do a post check of the bike after every ride to check for anything loose.
I've never had to install a star nut because my version of a budget fork is an old used fork that released 10-20 years ago lmao. Wayy sketchier and you need to be prepared to service them yourself but some really nice old forks can be found at Bucklos prices sometimes haha
My suntour 34 xcr air fork has been taken on black trails in my high desert location with rock gardens and rock rolls . I have done small jumps and drops . I have boosted the air pressure to keep the fork from diving as much on those steps going down .
Would you, or will you check out the himalo drift 32? It’s a 160mm travel, 9mm quick release fork. You can get it tapered or straight steer and remote or stanchion lockout.
I have a Suntour Epixon on my 29er and saved up for another Epixon for my wife's 26er when I built that. I want both bikes to perform decently on trails. Nothing fancy, nothing technical, nor too hard. Something you can pedal along off-roads without doubts or worries. I did consider buying cheaper Taiwan brand forks but went for Suntour instead despite the hate they get on the internet. I like the knowledge that I can readily buy parts for it when it comes to fork servicing. Both forks are still in service and both bikes feel great to ride. I would also like to add that the Uding brand is also a popular fork for rebranding. Our local market has Sagmit which also produces cheap bike parts. Their forks are labeled as Sagmit on the outside but have Uding internals. I believe Uding, Sagmit, and ZTTO have one mother company.
The Judy is a way better fork, even the coil version, they have proper brass bushings and use oil in the lowers. These cheap forks, including suntour and rst use plastic bushings and grease, that's why they're so sticky and wear out faster.
@@robinrai4973 that's all true, but you have to take into consideration the fact that you'll need to change the bushings even if they're cheap, and, at least in my case the suntour seals don't wipe the oil from the stanchions that well... I'm not saying that they're bad forks, I just don't think they're worth as an upgrade unless you really need one in a hurry. And I'm currently running a Raidon on my Fuse.
I dont understand how having to cut the steerer, and install a star nut. are negatives for budget forks? you'll have to do this for any new set of forks you purchase.
HEY KEV! Just heard your voiceover on the Lectric 2.0. CONGRATS- I knew you were a “natural” for that, the first time I heard your voice. We even had a back n forth on one of your vids about doing voiceovers a long time ago. When did the new gig happen for you? More jobs in the works? Sky’s the limit with that voice….Good Luck
If you have a hacksaw and a tape measure you can measure twice and cut once. My first set , I ruined by cutting too short. So if there is any doubt, cut too long and go slow to keep a straight line. I've done several more forks since that first rock shock Judy I ruined
Thank you for doing this video. I see these forks being used on pretty advanced trails and it scares me to death. They have a place, and are a great option for more leisurely and basic riding, and are a great upgrade from a cheap coil fork.....but they in no way are a reasonable replacement for a nice rockshox, fox, or higher end suntour fork. Also, serviceability is questionable on most of the budget forks. Not all air forks are created equal lol. Keep up the good work and great vids!
I 100% agree with Kev. I just replaced the OEM fork on my Schwinn Taxion with a $100 Suntour and the difference is night and day. Even just a $100 fork is a serious upgrade over the junk that came on it.
I put the bucklos xm fork on my ledge x1 2 weeks ago. It feels way better than the stock fork but I haven’t tried it on the trails yet. Maybe this weekend it’ll get a test run.
I think the raidon and epixon are definitely a step above the bucklos and ztz forks. I was running with a himalo 160 fork for a good while and those are also a step above the ztz forks. The himalos have a metal piston and the stanchion walls are actually a little bit thicker than the ztz forks. I realized this when I tried fitting the piston of the himalos into a ztz fork and it was way too loose. The himalos do use similar dampers cartridge to the ztz and bucklos fork though. So from bottom to top, it'd be ztz/bucklos, himalo, then the epixon/raidon.
Great Job! Kev! Very informative for those wanting to upgrade their forks. Wished I had someone explain this to me on my first fork upgrade. The only thing I see that most don't consider in their budget on their first set of Air Forks is the Air Fork Pump. ✌👍
Can you also make comparison video on lower end Rockshox, Fox, Suntour, etc... I'm gonna need one shortly... also a "how to" on measuring and fitting them... thanks.
I did a high end custom XC build with a high end Rockshox Sid Ultimate ($900). Then another near all Chinese “all mountain” custom build using a Bolany $140 shock. The $900 is considerably lighter and will probably last forever. But for basic trail riding (roots , rocks, et al) these forks are interchangeable … period. They get the job done, perform well … and I have fun. I like high end stuff and I can afford it. So which fork is better? Better in what sense?
I put a Bucklos on my "getting-back-to-mountain-biking" bike. Have been riding recumbents only for the past few years, so it meets my needs and works fine with my mid-90's EBAY frame. If I take to Mountain biking again in a big way, I'll be upgrading when it wears out.
I have the Epixon on my Schwinn Comp. I got the 100 mm travel one and took it apart and made it 120 mm I could of went as high as 140 mm of travel I love that air fork made a huge difference on my comp
Here in the Philippines, there's some issues about the bolany, snapping arch, stanchions snapped into pieces, lockouts are broken, leaking air. For only about 3-5 months you're gonna feel some issues, though their coil ones are good (i use them now) and tested on our local trails.
13:00 I just hammered it in, it's a bit tilted but it doesn't matter, it's not that big of a deal. The fork isn't held by that part alone anyway but by the head stem and it's not like the head cap will be loose anytime soon just because the screw is not exactly level. I also changed the crown race to the new fork with a screwdriver, big wrench and a hammer, worked great. You just have to be careful and not handle it like an ape. I got myself that $140 Himalo Drift 32 Airfork from China, stanchions are Aluminium alloy, Lower parts are Magnesium alloy. The nice thing is, you can also get that nice modern fork with a straight tube for older frames, other than the expensive fox forks that only come tapered. Everything about it is very precise and well made, I don't think they'd ruin all of that by suddenly using a crappy material for the steering tube without properly testing it. But we'll see if it snaps on me (god forbid).
Not as fancy but a pipe cutter and sandpaper will work for the steerer. If you have no tape you can measure by putting it in with all the spacers and stem and marking where to cut
I put a Bucklos budget fork on my Boundry. It has held up reasonably well with the exception of the rebound knob which will no longer turn which is frustrating. Budget forks are great as long as a person accepts they're a budget fork and not a raceworthy high performance Fox 36.
This was a great video, but I felt there was one topic that wasn't really expanded on. Straight steerer vs tapered. You mentioned the new bearing set for converting your standard big box straight to tapered, but honestly there's not a lot of videos out there that go into the specifics of that conversion. Like I know cane creek has a set that does it, but trying to find out the specifics is like finding a needle in a haystack. And searching forums for information mainly leads to other MTB'rs flooding with comments: "quit being a cheapo and go buy a good bike". So I'd love it if you did another video about the differences in the straight steerer you're likely going to get in a big box bike, how going tapered is an improvement, and how to convert your headset.
I’ve actually covered that before. There is a dedicated video on my KevReviews channel that talks about the difference. I should probably create an onscreen card for that in this video. Thanks for the feedback.
I put a Bucklos on my Genesis Villotti, and it's probably the best fork I've used. Even compared to the one I had on a nishiki colorado comp lol. The dampening on the one I purchased is huge
@@krissv3ctor512 clearly none. I have a Bucklos on my budget bike and RS Recon Silver on my Marin and it’s a night and day difference. But, I still like the Bucklos at the price
Hand held pipe gutter would be the best way to cut it straight,also could give some advice on the Kent trauvaille and what crown race size I need for tapered forks?or would you just go with a straight fork and use existing bearings?thank you for all you’re video’s,has helped alot
The Buckles Lutu is a great fork by any standard. I actually cannot believe how good it is for the price. I even prefer it over the Fox on my 27.5. Here is the problem, quality control sucks. If you order one order two at the same time and then return the one you don't need. This way you are likely to get a quality one. The first one I got leaked air and had a problem with stiction. The replacement is perfect, so smooth and everything works great. I have been beating the he'll out of it and it is literally just as good as any big brand I have ridden. Also tried the Buckles XM, the Lutu is far better which is surprising as I expected them to be the same fork.
I have a bucklos, a rockshock reba, and a fox 36 grip2 factory. So cheap, mid range, and high end. The difference in all 3 is VERY noticeable. The bucklos will beat you up and blows through the travel (though it has no problems taking punishment) The rockshock is much smoother and I'm able to tune it to have more usable travel( well worth the extra $150 over the bucklos). Now the fox 36 factory, this one is even smoother and of course more supportive. It's also more tunable to make it perfect to any condition. I unfortunately wouldn't recommend the bucklos. It was just not refined enough. To stiff and not enough progression in the travel. In order to make it feel smooth like my other forks it will not have enough support to ride the trails. Spend a little more money and get something that you can properly tune
Hello sir, just getting back on a bike again, we’ll EBIKE. I used to watch you several years ago, you helps me out fit my last bike. Now I’m disabled, I want to try to get out on Ebikes. I purchased a Mooncool mc3 AWD, I’m waiting for delivery, but I’m sure the forks are junk. Can you recommend anything bang for buck?
I would take RST out. I had 2 RST forks, one was a new RST F1RST fork that broke in just 4 weeks because something went wrong in the factory and it doesn't even feel good with the big stiction. And the second fork was a cheap RST Dirt that didn't really feel that bad but the stanchions have been worn out after not even a half year. Now I use a 10 year old Fox 32 xc fork for dirtjumping and it works better than the RST F1RST "trail fork". RST gets alot of hate, I was wondering too but they are just not good quality at all after I had these 2 forks.
If it has a sticker on it "not for offroad use" then I wont ride it, I dont care about the fork braking, I care about my face braking. Manitou make decent forks that are affordable.
Steel round fence posts have to be topped like these steerer tubes. The cutter is just a more adjustable (for size) pipe cutter so you may know someone who has one you can borrow. Pipe cutters aren't expensive though.
Could you tell me the size that you ordered? I have the Mongoose Durham 29 and am replacing the same thing and need to know which one of the Funn lower headset you used?
I am currently riding an ebike with stock spring fork without rebound adjustment. 99%of the time ride on asphalt and when I go above 25mph and hit road cracks or pot holes they some what feel like a pogo stick. Would those chinese air forks be a good choice for my use case? or would I not see much benefit?
Is the Manitou SX a good fork? Because that's what's reportedly on my 2000 Marin MTB. A bike that I recently bought off CL for $125, in excellent condition.
We had the ztz 120mm on my son's budget hardtail project. It survived two days of riding, the inner part piston kinda separated on one side, kid only weight 90 pounds. We ordered it because it had a tapered headtube and air + free prime shipping and 20% off 😂 As a quick replacement I put my unused rst stitch with 180mm of travel on, the geo is all good, sorta
Just saw video and two weeks ago I had catastrophic failure on my ZTZ forks , snapped the fork dropout off on one side and I crashed and scraped the skin off both sets of knuckles. Despite that they lasted for 9 months oct thru July constantly ridden in all temps (-20° to over 100° and up to 51 mph on my ebike. They did flex just a bit under heavy braking but never enough to worry.
@@KevCentral if you check out the last short I made (same day they failed), they can take a beating. It took a sudden obstacle at 30+ to break them. I'm saving for a wren and thru axle rim next, USD forks seems to be what I need.
I am currently riding an ebike with stock spring fork without rebound adjustment. 99%of the time ride on asphalt and when I go above 25mph and hit road cracks or pot holes they some what feel like a pogo stick. Would those chinese air forks be a good choice for my use case? or would I not see much benefit? not to much worried about the durability for my case but wondering if it would make my ride more comfy.
Bolany and SR Suntour forks are pretty common budget forks in our country but Bolany forks has some major serious issues ranging from stuck or broken lockouts or rebound adjustment to stanchions and/or fork crown cracking and/or splitting when ridden in trails or hitting on jumps thats why nowadays bolany forks have a sticker on the fork saying its not made for trails which is stupid because it defeats its sole purpose. SR Suntour forks also has its flaws mostly on its lockout not working properly but so far they've been pretty good for a coil fork and its highly recommended here if you're planning to trail or even hit jumps on your bike with it.
I have a Bologna on my "Pleb-Comp" as I've dubbed it. I also put on a JG 1x, shimano megarange, wake stem and bars, and a Maxis Aggressor rear / DHRII front. I'll drop it 2 feet off the side of the driveway onto grass but that's about as far as I'll trust that fork. All in all the weight savings and lock out are worth the price for light trail riding.
Just get a pipe cutter from any plumbing supply store. You won't need a vice, hacksaw or anything else. You can cut your fork tube off in like 10 seconds.
I think the un install and install of a buckloss fork especially a straight to taper would be good because you'd go over the entire instillation from un install to new crowns etc
Kev , do you offer the holographic logo in 2"x2" ? . I need to buy one for my project Ironhorse Warrior 3.1 26"neck and since you inspired this build , your logo is the one that should be there but the 3x3 is too big .
When installing a star nut instead of hammering it and having the suspension dampen your hits, instead hit it against the ground. This is something that Park Tools suggested instead. I just got done installing new forks. Here's the problem with Fox and other higher end, if you're not willing to invest $300 or more into your forks and Backlow is still better than Suntour, it also rides a lot nicer and is significantly lighter.
Steerers are either steel ( cr/mo or soft steel or lowest end forks ) or 7050 aluminum. The only parts of a fork that are 'magnesium' are lowers and the crown.
EDIT: also - pipe cutter tool and some sandpaper work wonders on shortening steerers.
If you look at the product pages on these Chinese forks, some of them say magnesium or magnesium alloy on them. They're probably referring to 7000 or 6000 series aluminum since those contain magnesium, but honestly who knows what you're getting with them.
You’ll need a steel pipe cutter for some steel forks.
@@monsterinyourcloset7573 they can be made of noodles too.. I see broken ones on amazon reviews.
I love that you actually think steel automatically = cromolly. If its cheap, it certainly isn't. If they don't advertise cromolly everywhere on the package it is not
magnesium is also extremely soft and the dust isn't anything special
Kev.......dude....... that's why I love your videos. It's just not you rambling about this and that and riding some flowy trail somewhere. Your videos are always entertaining, and informative! Thank you for your big box bikes videos and love of bikes in general! And thanks for giving us casual trail riders a place to call home!!
The epixon fork, is actually, a weird version of an epicon fork, which they don t produce anymore. Its way more advanced than the new epixon forks. They come with an aion(Suntour enduro/trail line up ) damper, air spring and negative spring. They actually added a spacer to reduce its travel to 140. You can remove it and get the full 150mm of travel. So its basically an enduro fork with thinner stanchions. It is in the range of the last generation rockshox revelation forks. It is cheap because they were produced for a range of bikes that were never made due to shortages.... You can hit big jumps on it hahah.
Not even close. 34 or 36 mm stanchions are the standard for Enduro in 2021. The dampers are more advanced, but the stanchions need the girth to provide the rigid feel for modern downhill or Enduro. Suntour makes enduro forks, but i have not tried them. The Epixons are XC trail forks.
@@thiosemicarbizidebenzoylal2921 thats why I said " dont produce anymore" and last gen revelation.... They were ment to be enduro/trail forks years ago
..
Are you saying it is better to get an epicon or epixon? I'm confused as to which forks you are referring to has the aion dampers
@@hubble-scope Its an aion on 32mm stations...
@@hollenjoe right I'm just confused if you are referring to the older epicon or the newer epixon.
This was great - would love a similar video on the other budget components too (brakes, drivetrain, etc.).
I used a small pipe cutter. Worked wonderfully.
I just purchased one of these Bolany forks, after watching this I’m glad I choose the double crown version.
I have a straight steerer tube and my upgrade options were limited. My local bike shop mechanic installed a Manitou Markhor and it works great.
Had to add a +1 to this I bought a manitou markour for a budget xc build and have been very satisfied for almost 2 years now
Very informative. I know nothing about this world and appreciate these basic tutorials. Thanks!
I put a £100 bucklows air fork on my boys ‘15 Pitch and it’s made it a much more capable bike. He’s 12yo and 60kg he doesn’t ride gnar or jump he just follows me round the woods but I’m very impressed for what it is.
JUST SEND IT!!!! I bought the gold stanchion Bucklos for the Axum. So far they've held up fine. I'm 250 -260 lbs and I send it every chance I get. I also do a post check of the bike after every ride to check for anything loose.
Very fair video, i appreciate you not bashing low cost forks, which seams to be popular these days!
I'd go with a suntour airfork, especially since they can be converted to an oil bath setup and have lots of cheap replacement parts available.
It's a good day when kev central uploads
I've never had to install a star nut because my version of a budget fork is an old used fork that released 10-20 years ago lmao. Wayy sketchier and you need to be prepared to service them yourself but some really nice old forks can be found at Bucklos prices sometimes haha
I adapted my motorized bike from 1 inch fork to 1 1/8 Bolany Fork. Work great for trails but im only 120 lbs.
My suntour 34 xcr air fork has been taken on black trails in my high desert location with rock gardens and rock rolls . I have done small jumps and drops . I have boosted the air pressure to keep the fork from diving as much on those steps going down .
Would you, or will you check out the himalo drift 32? It’s a 160mm travel, 9mm quick release fork. You can get it tapered or straight steer and remote or stanchion lockout.
If I come across one. Thanks
If you want an enduro fork buy a normal one, Unless you want to get seriously injured when the fork will break on you
I have a Suntour Epixon on my 29er and saved up for another Epixon for my wife's 26er when I built that. I want both bikes to perform decently on trails. Nothing fancy, nothing technical, nor too hard. Something you can pedal along off-roads without doubts or worries. I did consider buying cheaper Taiwan brand forks but went for Suntour instead despite the hate they get on the internet. I like the knowledge that I can readily buy parts for it when it comes to fork servicing. Both forks are still in service and both bikes feel great to ride.
I would also like to add that the Uding brand is also a popular fork for rebranding. Our local market has Sagmit which also produces cheap bike parts. Their forks are labeled as Sagmit on the outside but have Uding internals. I believe Uding, Sagmit, and ZTTO have one mother company.
I had a suntour epixon, and I switched to a bucklos because I wanted to go 29, and the epixon is very much better
Yeah I wonder why
@@thiccfrogg1380That was a long commercial 😖
Would love to see a comparison with the $170 Rockshox Judy Silver TK.
This! I got a marlin 7 with a Judy on it and want to figure out if it's worth upgrading
They are not even comparable.
The Judy is a way better fork, even the coil version, they have proper brass bushings and use oil in the lowers. These cheap forks, including suntour and rst use plastic bushings and grease, that's why they're so sticky and wear out faster.
@@JeffWagen to be fair, the Suntour air forks are very easy to convert to an oil bath setup, and bushings are super cheap.
@@robinrai4973 that's all true, but you have to take into consideration the fact that you'll need to change the bushings even if they're cheap, and, at least in my case the suntour seals don't wipe the oil from the stanchions that well... I'm not saying that they're bad forks, I just don't think they're worth as an upgrade unless you really need one in a hurry. And I'm currently running a Raidon on my Fuse.
I dont understand how having to cut the steerer, and install a star nut. are negatives for budget forks? you'll have to do this for any new set of forks you purchase.
Man bubba thank you for this invaluable information!! I needed this stuff. Because knowledge is power.
I have Suntour Raidon 32 so light compare to my previous Suntour XCE 28 so happy i upgraded it.
Perfect timing with this video. I’m getting ready to replace the fork.on my commuter bike.
I love SR Suntour forks and shocks. Great quality and with a budget price.
HEY KEV! Just heard your voiceover on the Lectric 2.0. CONGRATS- I knew you were a “natural” for that, the first time I heard your voice. We even had a back n forth on one of your vids about doing voiceovers a long time ago. When did the new gig happen for you? More jobs in the works? Sky’s the limit with that voice….Good Luck
Not sure what you’re taking about…are you referring to my review video?
What would be a reasonable lbs price be to adjust and install a fork? $50-75 maybe? And would this be similiar to the price of the specialized tools?
If you have a hacksaw and a tape measure you can measure twice and cut once. My first set , I ruined by cutting too short. So if there is any doubt, cut too long and go slow to keep a straight line. I've done several more forks since that first rock shock Judy I ruined
Thank you for doing this video. I see these forks being used on pretty advanced trails and it scares me to death. They have a place, and are a great option for more leisurely and basic riding, and are a great upgrade from a cheap coil fork.....but they in no way are a reasonable replacement for a nice rockshox, fox, or higher end suntour fork. Also, serviceability is questionable on most of the budget forks. Not all air forks are created equal lol. Keep up the good work and great vids!
They are fine for moderate xc trail riding.
I 100% agree with Kev. I just replaced the OEM fork on my Schwinn Taxion with a $100 Suntour and the difference is night and day. Even just a $100 fork is a serious upgrade over the junk that came on it.
I put the bucklos xm fork on my ledge x1 2 weeks ago. It feels way better than the stock fork but I haven’t tried it on the trails yet. Maybe this weekend it’ll get a test run.
I think the raidon and epixon are definitely a step above the bucklos and ztz forks. I was running with a himalo 160 fork for a good while and those are also a step above the ztz forks. The himalos have a metal piston and the stanchion walls are actually a little bit thicker than the ztz forks. I realized this when I tried fitting the piston of the himalos into a ztz fork and it was way too loose. The himalos do use similar dampers cartridge to the ztz and bucklos fork though. So from bottom to top, it'd be ztz/bucklos, himalo, then the epixon/raidon.
Great Job! Kev! Very informative for those wanting to upgrade their forks. Wished I had someone explain this to me on my first fork upgrade. The only thing I see that most don't consider in their budget on their first set of Air Forks is the Air Fork Pump. ✌👍
Got mine for 20€, works great.
Can you also make comparison video on lower end Rockshox, Fox, Suntour, etc... I'm gonna need one shortly... also a "how to" on measuring and fitting them... thanks.
This video was very beneficial and helpful
Great Video. Its nice to see the ins and outs and issue or the DIYer for fork and bearings. Nice Wrrk.
I did a high end custom XC build with a high end Rockshox Sid Ultimate ($900). Then another near all Chinese “all mountain” custom build using a Bolany $140 shock. The $900 is considerably lighter and will probably last forever. But for basic trail riding (roots , rocks, et al) these forks are interchangeable … period. They get the job done, perform well … and I have fun. I like high end stuff and I can afford it. So which fork is better? Better in what sense?
I put a Bucklos on my "getting-back-to-mountain-biking" bike. Have been riding recumbents only for the past few years, so it meets my needs and works fine with my mid-90's EBAY frame. If I take to Mountain biking again in a big way, I'll be upgrading when it wears out.
How has it held up. Do you still like it?
I have the Epixon on my Schwinn Comp. I got the 100 mm travel one and took it apart and made it 120 mm I could of went as high as 140 mm of travel I love that air fork made a huge difference on my comp
Here in the Philippines, there's some issues about the bolany, snapping arch, stanchions snapped into pieces, lockouts are broken, leaking air. For only about 3-5 months you're gonna feel some issues, though their coil ones are good (i use them now) and tested on our local trails.
Thanks for sharing
13:00 I just hammered it in, it's a bit tilted but it doesn't matter, it's not that big of a deal. The fork isn't held by that part alone anyway but by the head stem and it's not like the head cap will be loose anytime soon just because the screw is not exactly level. I also changed the crown race to the new fork with a screwdriver, big wrench and a hammer, worked great.
You just have to be careful and not handle it like an ape.
I got myself that $140 Himalo Drift 32 Airfork from China, stanchions are Aluminium alloy, Lower parts are Magnesium alloy. The nice thing is, you can also get that nice modern fork with a straight tube for older frames, other than the expensive fox forks that only come tapered. Everything about it is very precise and well made, I don't think they'd ruin all of that by suddenly using a crappy material for the steering tube without properly testing it. But we'll see if it snaps on me (god forbid).
This was very interesting. Thanks for sharing this with us. Always helping.
Not as fancy but a pipe cutter and sandpaper will work for the steerer. If you have no tape you can measure by putting it in with all the spacers and stem and marking where to cut
I put a Bucklos budget fork on my Boundry. It has held up reasonably well with the exception of the rebound knob which will no longer turn which is frustrating. Budget forks are great as long as a person accepts they're a budget fork and not a raceworthy high performance Fox 36.
My Lutu rides better than my Fox to be honest but I wouldn't expect it to last as long.
This was a great video, but I felt there was one topic that wasn't really expanded on. Straight steerer vs tapered.
You mentioned the new bearing set for converting your standard big box straight to tapered, but honestly there's not a lot of videos out there that go into the specifics of that conversion. Like I know cane creek has a set that does it, but trying to find out the specifics is like finding a needle in a haystack. And searching forums for information mainly leads to other MTB'rs flooding with comments: "quit being a cheapo and go buy a good bike".
So I'd love it if you did another video about the differences in the straight steerer you're likely going to get in a big box bike, how going tapered is an improvement, and how to convert your headset.
I’ve actually covered that before. There is a dedicated video on my KevReviews channel that talks about the difference. I should probably create an onscreen card for that in this video. Thanks for the feedback.
I put a Bucklos on my Genesis Villotti, and it's probably the best fork I've used. Even compared to the one I had on a nishiki colorado comp lol. The dampening on the one I purchased is huge
also should add, didn't need to cut my fork down. Just fit lucky I guess.
What are some other forks you’ve used?
@@krissv3ctor512 clearly none. I have a Bucklos on my budget bike and RS Recon Silver on my Marin and it’s a night and day difference. But, I still like the Bucklos at the price
Hand held pipe gutter would be the best way to cut it straight,also could give some advice on the Kent trauvaille and what crown race size I need for tapered forks?or would you just go with a straight fork and use existing bearings?thank you for all you’re video’s,has helped alot
This is more of a kev review video IMO but I'm happy he uploaded
What happened to project XR pro vs Hydroform Video comparison? Also would you choose a Axum over the XR pro or Ledge X2?
Outdated when the hydro was discontinued. Since then the Ledge bikes have came out and outclassed both as a Project bike
Oh wow, the video we all needed but didn't know we did.
Thank you for the information about the tool I didn't know they had one available for the stem I've always used a socket to pop a in the tube
The Buckles Lutu is a great fork by any standard. I actually cannot believe how good it is for the price. I even prefer it over the Fox on my 27.5. Here is the problem, quality control sucks. If you order one order two at the same time and then return the one you don't need. This way you are likely to get a quality one. The first one I got leaked air and had a problem with stiction. The replacement is perfect, so smooth and everything works great. I have been beating the he'll out of it and it is literally just as good as any big brand I have ridden. Also tried the Buckles XM, the Lutu is far better which is surprising as I expected them to be the same fork.
Perfect timing!
I was just thinking about those forks earlier today & wondering.
I have a bucklos, a rockshock reba, and a fox 36 grip2 factory. So cheap, mid range, and high end. The difference in all 3 is VERY noticeable. The bucklos will beat you up and blows through the travel (though it has no problems taking punishment) The rockshock is much smoother and I'm able to tune it to have more usable travel( well worth the extra $150 over the bucklos). Now the fox 36 factory, this one is even smoother and of course more supportive. It's also more tunable to make it perfect to any condition.
I unfortunately wouldn't recommend the bucklos. It was just not refined enough. To stiff and not enough progression in the travel. In order to make it feel smooth like my other forks it will not have enough support to ride the trails. Spend a little more money and get something that you can properly tune
Very informative. I'm looking into upgrading my ledge suspension fork very soon and had not really thought about the additional cost of the tools
Hello sir, just getting back on a bike again, we’ll EBIKE. I used to watch you several years ago, you helps me out fit my last bike. Now I’m disabled, I want to try to get out on Ebikes. I purchased a Mooncool mc3 AWD, I’m waiting for delivery, but I’m sure the forks are junk. Can you recommend anything bang for buck?
Hey kevcentral Walmart has the Schwinn axum dp large in blue in stock right now! Now if walmart can ship out mine that I order almost a week ago...
Steerer tubes are aluminum alloy. Crowns and Lowers are Magnesium.
My preferred budget fork is the manitou. But i’ll try epixon on my next budget bike.
In my opinion, I wouldn't buy any brand under RST or Suntour, I just don't want to risk cheap parts breaking and being out even more money.
I would take RST out. I had 2 RST forks, one was a new RST F1RST fork that broke in just 4 weeks because something went wrong in the factory and it doesn't even feel good with the big stiction. And the second fork was a cheap RST Dirt that didn't really feel that bad but the stanchions have been worn out after not even a half year. Now I use a 10 year old Fox 32 xc fork for dirtjumping and it works better than the RST F1RST "trail fork".
RST gets alot of hate, I was wondering too but they are just not good quality at all after I had these 2 forks.
@@nekomeido I would still take RST over some of these other brands
Agreed, especially with the cost of medical care in the states
If it has a sticker on it "not for offroad use" then I wont ride it, I dont care about the fork braking, I care about my face braking. Manitou make decent forks that are affordable.
@@matrixracing8268 yeah. I will never use these type of forks if its rigid or ztz or something similar, I will go with the rigid fork
Steel round fence posts have to be topped like these steerer tubes. The cutter is just a more adjustable (for size) pipe cutter so you may know someone who has one you can borrow. Pipe cutters aren't expensive though.
i got a mongoose fat bike 26 by 4 would a Bucklos 26 inch do the job, my knowledge of upgrades is really poor
Does any of these forks have a fat bike option?? Thanks Kevin…
Could you tell me the size that you ordered? I have the Mongoose Durham 29 and am replacing the same thing and need to know which one of the Funn lower headset you used?
I've always just used a pipe cutter to cut the steer tube down to size, a budget tool for budget forks
I am currently riding an ebike with stock spring fork without rebound adjustment. 99%of the time ride on asphalt and when I go above 25mph and hit road cracks or pot holes they some what feel like a pogo stick. Would those chinese air forks be a good choice for my use case? or would I not see much benefit?
I bought these forks and they actually were great for hitting pretty decent sized jumps with them and they were fine
Learned a lot there Sir. Thankyou.
Is the Manitou SX a good fork? Because that's what's reportedly on my 2000 Marin MTB. A bike that I recently bought off CL for $125, in excellent condition.
I’ve ran the markhor with success
U was saying about the steerer tube is not that strong do u think its safe 🤔
We had the ztz 120mm on my son's budget hardtail project.
It survived two days of riding, the inner part piston kinda separated on one side, kid only weight 90 pounds. We ordered it because it had a tapered headtube and air + free prime shipping and 20% off 😂
As a quick replacement I put my unused rst stitch with 180mm of travel on, the geo is all good, sorta
will u recommend sr suntour epixon? and is it good on small bumps?
I don’t recommend. I use Epixon and like them
Will bucklos forks work fine for XC? What are their limit? You do some trail riding with them. Any issues there?
Do you know if any of these forks would fit on the XP Lite? Thanks!
You can use a plumbers pipe cutter, straight level cut no vice needed and no dust
i use the bolany fork and some XC, small jumps and it works fine af.........
Just saw video and two weeks ago I had catastrophic failure on my ZTZ forks , snapped the fork dropout off on one side and I crashed and scraped the skin off both sets of knuckles. Despite that they lasted for 9 months oct thru July constantly ridden in all temps (-20° to over 100° and up to 51 mph on my ebike. They did flex just a bit under heavy braking but never enough to worry.
Wow. Thanks for sharing. Personally, I don’t have the faith to put them on an eBike
@@KevCentral if you check out the last short I made (same day they failed), they can take a beating. It took a sudden obstacle at 30+ to break them. I'm saving for a wren and thru axle rim next, USD forks seems to be what I need.
I am currently riding an ebike with stock spring fork without rebound adjustment. 99%of the time ride on asphalt and when I go above 25mph and hit road cracks or pot holes they some what feel like a pogo stick. Would those chinese air forks be a good choice for my use case? or would I not see much benefit? not to much worried about the durability for my case but wondering if it would make my ride more comfy.
Hi Kevin do u think these BUCKLOS forks are safe 🤔
Trying to find a suspension fork that's 20x4. All I've been able to find are these bucklos. Any suggestions?
Bolany and SR Suntour forks are pretty common budget forks in our country but Bolany forks has some major serious issues ranging from stuck or broken lockouts or rebound adjustment to stanchions and/or fork crown cracking and/or splitting when ridden in trails or hitting on jumps thats why nowadays bolany forks have a sticker on the fork saying its not made for trails which is stupid because it defeats its sole purpose.
SR Suntour forks also has its flaws mostly on its lockout not working properly but so far they've been pretty good for a coil fork and its highly recommended here if you're planning to trail or even hit jumps on your bike with it.
talkin forks... can I put a 27.5 fat bike mastedon fork on my 26" fat tire bike... the head tube diameters are the same
Can you take star nut out of old fork,and reuse? Thanks for info i have new fork to put on.
Hi i have a 27.5 inch bike which fork would u recommend i dont want to spend over 70€
What is the official length of warranty for the Bucklos fork?
Thank you. Great info on my journey to learning on more about cycling 👍
Brilliant video. Really helped me out.
Can you make a comparison about the performance of these forks Vs the epixon
Do you have any suggestion for a 700c road suspension fork? I am trying to find one for the wife's bike.
Can you cut a fork with a pipe cutter?
I have a Bologna on my "Pleb-Comp" as I've dubbed it. I also put on a JG 1x, shimano megarange, wake stem and bars, and a Maxis Aggressor rear / DHRII front. I'll drop it 2 feet off the side of the driveway onto grass but that's about as far as I'll trust that fork. All in all the weight savings and lock out are worth the price for light trail riding.
13:00 it cannot be at an angle no matter what you do because there are two rings which would center the bolt, and not just one ring.
🤡
Just from the video looks like the lower end forks have thinner walls on stearer tube.
This is Suntour Raidon, but not Epixon, because Epixon only qr without axle
Just get a pipe cutter from any plumbing supply store. You won't need a vice, hacksaw or anything else. You can cut your fork tube off in like 10 seconds.
I just put a buckles fork on my bike yesterday lol. I saved 2 pounds and gained 40mm of travel. I’ll see how it holds up
Any news?
@@2RS no issues so far!
any news? did you jump it?
I think the un install and install of a buckloss fork especially a straight to taper would be good because you'd go over the entire instillation from un install to new crowns etc
No link to the headset, the star nut, nor the cup.
Kev , do you offer the holographic logo in 2"x2" ? . I need to buy one for my project Ironhorse Warrior 3.1 26"neck and since you inspired this build , your logo is the one that should be there but the 3x3 is too big .
Thanks and congrats on the Ironhorse. I plan on adding 2x2 holographic stickers in March. I hope that helps!
I was just thinking of buying one of these
What about Sync (inSync?) 288, on 2000 Trek 820
Light duty forks
When installing a star nut instead of hammering it and having the suspension dampen your hits, instead hit it against the ground. This is something that Park Tools suggested instead. I just got done installing new forks. Here's the problem with Fox and other higher end, if you're not willing to invest $300 or more into your forks and Backlow is still better than Suntour, it also rides a lot nicer and is significantly lighter.