dude these entry level products you talk about is so refreshing compared to all the copy paste MTB content out there on youtube that literally every single other channel does.
As a Bike Mechanic, THANK YOU for shedding light on Suntour. Most Folk come in thinking they need a ferrari of a bike but in reality they need to start on a honda si. Really refreshing to see that even lower end components can still get you outside and having fun.
oh yeah? where do you work? are you willing to put your face on camera and say that you think the xcm is a good fork and that you are a bike mechanic? then i can make a break down video to explain how wrong you are? lol
I really appreciate this video. While working in a shop, so many of us ended up with the high end Suntour forks on our rides and we learned not to turn our noses up at the lowend Suntour stuff. As often as we had basket case cheap mtbs in the stand, these forks were not among the things we were fixing. Truly an underappreciated brand in cycling here in the us.
And like Seth says, those forks on the bikes being worked on never get serviced, even though a little tlc would revive many, at least the ones not left out in the rain-although I’ve experimented with a couple lost causes with surprisingly adequate results. Follow-up episode?
@@slantedorbitIt's a shame, they need to be serviced specially after riding on rain. The steel rots with water and that's something you don't want happening in your forks or springs. I've seem them break because of that.
I just “rebuilt” one of these on my son’s GT XC bike. It works great when it’s cleaned and lubricated. We also threw on some Shimano disc brakes for $60. The bike really functions well!
@@netcoms197 I have an XCT and for my leisure use is not that bad, tho for any competitive use obviously they are not built for. It's like trying to use a Stock Corolla against a GT3 Porsche.
@@netcoms197 I get trolls exist and why, But you are failing badly at it dude lol. Literally trashing a bike fork to death? Gigidy. But on the subject, The XCM is really not that bad! It's robust, and it does the job for casual riding, simple as that.
@@netcoms197 Im from germany, im not a native englsih speaking person, but i see that u r the troll here. Just from the likes of the comments we can get that ^^ so mr troll pls stop trash talking, thanks.
This is SO MUCH BETTER than all the rest of MTB Tech youtube videos on this platform, Ive heard about electronic shifters, new air springs and carbon wheels 10 times too much, this is much cooler and more interesting
$100 off a trade-in... Most valuable advice I've gotten on TH-cam in a while. I'm about to turn my old hard tail into something interesting, and I was going to scrap the old one since it's leaking oil
yeah good idea upgrade from a broken trash suntour, to another suntour, that wil be a great idea. suntour make budget beginner tranh that is on all teh cheapest bikes you can buy, to try and force beginners into an "upgrade",
@@netcoms197 yeah everyone you've probably ridden is trash. Like Seth said, they have a full line even air forks. You just don't typically see those as you only know them for their budget offering. I don't have a brand allegiance and don't pay for style. I'm sure they have something that will work for a fun bike I might use a few times a year
they were paid by suntour to adervtise this poor quality product, are you really that naive or is thsi a fake comment? the xcm fork has plastic components under load, its designed to fail and be upgraded via the "suntour upgrade program". free info for you - "seth" is the person employed by this youtube channel to speak into the camera. its not just 1 man saying what he likes about products on his own channel.
Ive extensively ridden the higher end Suntours and man, ppl really need to give them more credit, cuz they are MUCH better than one would expect. They are seriously impressive and not only "for the price"...
Tom Isted and Sam Reynolds ride SR Suntour forks. Isted is a Crankworx guy and both of them ride Darkfest (Reynolds being the guy who runs it of course). NONE of us are going to abuse Suntour forks more than them. 😆
Think about your family, don't be stupid, spent a couple extra dollars on the Manitou or a Rockshox, Suntour are not safe to on a mountain bike, none of them
@@bassw1758 You riding anything crazier than Crankworx or Darkfest? Because Tom Isted is. Dude backflipped a 120ft, on Suntour forks. Rides Crankworx events, on Suntour forks. Maybe stop telling everyone you don't know what you're talking about. Because NONE of us are going to push their forks the way he does. Sam Reynolds too.
Thank you for publishing videos that are always interesting and informative. I'm watching from Japan and I'm always looking forward to your videos. I replaced the XCM on the Merida Big 7 (27.5inch) hardtail XC bike (88,000yen/$588） with a Raidon, the same SR Suntour. The reason is that I wanted to know what air suspension is. I'm very happy with the fact that it's much lighter than the XCM, and you can adjust the sag according to your weight, adjust the rebound and remote lockout. I think that the same XCM, but with a damper and a lockout, is a very good product. However, since the legs are iron, I replaced it with a slightly higher-end Raidon (air suspension fork with magnesium legs). Still, I keep it instead of throwing it away, because I might go back to XCM someday. If it's an XCM with dampers and lockouts, and the legs are magnesium, you might still be using it. (It would be best if Raidon's magnesium legs could be used as they are for the XCM) As Mr. Seth's advised, I first replaced the drivetrain of the Merida Big 7 with a Shimano Deore 1×12 (XT with a 165mm crank only) and replaced the brakes with Shimano hydraulic discs instead of mechanical discs. The fork replacement is after that. Eventually, I bought a Marin Bolinas Ridge 2 with a low standover height and have been riding it with the fork and drivetrain ported from Merida. This Marin is very fun to ride. I only run on the road beside the irrigation canal and the path in the rice paddies, so the Raidon was enough. According to the instruction manual, the limit for jumping seems to be up to 60 cm. From the SR Suntour Axion on XCO World Champion Tom Pidcock's Pinarello bike to the XCM on the entry-level bike, I don't think the SR Suntour forks are bad. And as a Japan person, I also like the fact that the name "Suntour" has been preserved to this day.😀 In Japan, as in the United States, SR Suntour also provides parts for rebuilds and provides videos explaining how to maintain them. Maintenanse is very easy. Yesterday I disassembled and cleaned the Raidon, applied new grease to the negative spring and poured 80wt of silicone oil inside the air piston. I think this video is a very professional review that evaluates the excellence of XCM from various angles.
My kona big honzo came with these forks and I've ridden the hell out of that thing without any issues. It got me into mountain biking 2 years ago and now I'm gradually upgrading parts. Cool to know that Suntour offers the upgrade option. Will definitely check that out. Great vid!
Almost 9 years into mountainbiking as a main hobby, I'm still running an SR Suntour XCR32 coil fork with a rebound adjuster that I bought back in 2017. It's been through quite a few XC races and lots of just weekend trail riding to this day. I service it at least twice a year, and recently I replaced the coil with a new one, feels better than brand new now. It is heavy but it gets the job done.
@@Verbot819 bias unreliable information. sponhsored by teh companies that produce teh low quality products., you really dotn have a clue what youre talking about, so go give suntour your money, go go
@@netcoms197after giving more than one pair of sr suntour forks a lot of serious abuse, I can positively say, you’re wrong. Always better to say nothing than to speak without knowing what you’re talking about…
@@SimonBauer7 i can say about xcr air that if your weight is less than 50kg you gonna struggle to put right amount of air in it, everything above no probs
@@szolekxxx You can exchange the coil negative springs for a lighter spring rate and it will allow you to adjust the air side for a rider in the 45 - 55 kg range.
@@SimonBauer7 the fork has plastic internals, and we are not mates the xcm is junk, and you are stalking my comments to attack me for telling teh truth. lets talk face to face about it of youre so affected
Thanks for doing all the research on the OT Ridge (and continuing to talk about it). Your enthusiasm for that as an entry level bike has sealed it for me. I know almost nothing about mountain bikes, but hearing and seeing you return to it time and again makes me feel like I'm not going to be cussing my choice in 6 months. Thanks for the great channel and keep it up!!
The content a lot of consumers need to see. I have been testing a few different forks (some for bike brands and some for suspension brands) and my feedback on SR Suntour lineup is similar to yours Seth. The XCR 34 130mm Air is still on my trail hardtail (I oiled the foam rings and added 5cc of 10wt oil in the lowers) and the fork is incredible for the price. Also running Raidon 34 130mm on my 120mm "downcountry" and it is comparable in performance to my Fox Rhythm 130mm. I have a Fox 36 on my big bike and swopped it with a Durolux for testing. The Durolux needed some fine tuning - oil weight being the main reason, I dropped it substantially for more small bump compliance and sensitivity / faster rebound. And its been great. I've also tested plenty of cheap chinese forks and risked life and limb to push them to the limits and can not recommend one of the one's I've tested so far.
@@erfansoltani678 frames are only tested with a specific fork length. Anything outside that may result in early failures. I would steer clear of anything more than 20mm more than the fork that the bike was designed around.
@@francoinvisser4058 Thank you so much Do you have any exprience with giant in-house built 130mm crest 34 air fork (on Fathom) ? Your answer means a lot to me cuz I'm going to buy a giant bike but I'm worried about the fork
@@erfansoltani678 its a pretty decent fork for its class - but they do tend to suffer from bushing play after some use. Can be replaced by suspension workshops though, so no need to rush out and get a different fork.
I love that after almost 6 years I have watched EVERY SINGLE EPISODE that Seth puts out and I’m still entertained. I go back once in a while even and watch some oldies just because.
This is refreshing, especially when you have other channels that say I reccomend this fox fork, its only like 900 bucks. Yet seth is talking about forks from the 100-200 dollar range.😊
To this day I daily ride a Suntour 32 on my 2014 Cannondale. Every day I wonder how good a Pike or Fox 34 would be but they are too expensive for me. I can ride on with peace of mind now 😊 It's a pleasure to watch your videos!
this video was sponsored by suntour, its crazy to see how easily manipulated people are as long as someoen on youtube who is sponsored by suntour says good things about suntour then thats ok never mind the fact that these forks are the cheapest most useless forks possible, and their internal design is complete nosense, with plastic components. they are designed to look like a suspension fork, but they provide no true suspension, it is a gimmick that people who don't know beter just go along with its like the emporers clothes kind of suituation.
I swapped mine out for a set of fox 32 second hand forks. Obviously the ride was better, but the suntour sr forks are good forks. I kept mine and won’t get rid of them, they’re great forks and are fantastic for winter riding, less maintenance and excellent reliability.
@@netcoms197did Suntour break your heart at one time. You talk about Suntour like an ex-girlfriend/boyfriend . Give it a rest mate; not everyone has unlimited funds to spend on a mountain bike. Start your own fork company and put Suntour out of business if they are so bad. 😂
Really appreciate the info on Suntour forks. I upgraded to a full suspensions this winter. But I am keeping my Norco XC for peddling heavy adventures and it has a suntour fork with a lockout. And now I know a lot more about it.
Seth, no matter if you're sponsored or not by the product company. Your videos are very honest and trustworthy. My son and I are both subscribed and always look forward to your videos. My son really wishes he could ride some of your trails, but we are from the uk and would be one hell of a road trip 😂. Keep it up seth one of the best mtb channels you tube has. Rob and alfie
@@dtibor5903if you put my 15 yesr old unserviced Suntour fork againat the same one brand new, there is barwly a difference. I have had much higher end forks. These OEM suntours are built to go on cheap bikes that are assumed will never be properly serviced. Dont get the inside wet. Dont store it outside in the sun.
I saw service interval of 10 hr somewhere in literature when I was researching how to service. A basic service is just some disassembly for re-greasing the moving parts. There is no oil in the fork, and should NOT be. Lubrication is provided by a layer of 'light' grease (such as Slickoleum) and is not hard to do. Otherwise, wiping dust off of the uppers after use, avoid forcing water into the seals,... these forks are fine for some light trail riding, gravel rides etc especially if the coil resistance reasonably matches the rider weight and actual use. I think it's not unreasonable to just use use use until the fork is having sticking issues etc and then deciding to upgrade the fork or the entire bike. If that's not a reasonable option for a user, maintaining the fork with periodic re-greasing just might achieve a respectably long service life :)
I serviced a couple of those last year. And they are super great to do so. Also Suntour's help is superb. My kid had a bike from Decathlon (2020) and they had ordered it with the stiffest spring. So I emailed Suntour's help and they gave me the part number for the softest one and we changed it. You don't need a stand, just a help from your kid. Next time I had a problem with the other one, disassembling it (a pure novice and an old fork). And send them some pictures and they helped me again. And those were XCM 100, and XCE 80 forks from 2015 and 2020. I got the special tool to open the upper legs for ~3 Euro and you need a 9mm (I don't even remember) wrench for the nuts on the lower legs and that is it. We did it on the bike. Maybe a flathead to remove the rubber seals on the top. Seals and plastic bushings (this is the service set) cost around a 10 for a set and you need some fork grease. It makes all the difference, you can do it for the cost of a Starbucks and you do it with your kid inside your home - priceless. After we serviced them I started noticing them all over the city for cheap and mid spec bikes and most folks that I have asked never did anything on them, ever, for years. Everything has its purpose and those XCM and XCE are just great for the city jungle and light off-road.
I would love to see a build using inexpensive, bomb proof products like this fork and those Shimano hydrolic brakes you're so fond of. Thanks for all the sensible, inclusive content!
A couple of years ago I hit the side of a car at 23mph, my front wheel was totaled and the suntour air forks bent back at the steerer. Thought the forks were completely gone too but they weren't. I bought a cheaper set of spring forks and took the lowers and the air cartridge from the accident fork and put them on the new cheaper one and it works great! They really are tough!
I'm going from one end of the spectrum to the other. I'll be replacing the coil XCM32 on my first bike with a Fox Factory 34 this week. Can't wait to see the contrast.
I replaced my entry level Rockshox coil fork with a Fox Factory 32 recently and it’s amazing how plush that fork is. I never knew a fork could make that much difference. You’re going to love it.
Switched from bike with suntour fork to one with fox 34 factory, it's night and day difference in terms of performance and plushness if you set it up correctly. though i hate the fact that you need to service it pretty frequently. i had that suntour fork for like 2 years and never did a service on it and it always had the same performance, however i do notice drop in performance on fox after many hours of riding.
Been using sr suntour for years, honestly, for winter rides you can’t beat them, they take a beating like you wouldn’t believe and keep on ticking. If you take them off your bike to upgrade, keep hold of them, they definitely come in handy, I speak from experience.
Please do a deep(er) dive into higher-end suntour stuff like the Durolux and the Rux. Been riding a durolux for 5 years with minimal maintenance and, other than the weight and an ever so slight difference in travel smoothness (compared to a zeb) I could not find any faults in its functionality and reliability!
Your trails in your backyard are one of my goals when i grow up. I cant get a bike because of the money so im using a to small 24in 6 year old specilized bike that i got from a friend who had it in his garage behind other stuff yet i have worked on it. The front brakes arent fix able to i will proably remove them and the suspension doesn't work well so I cant do anything but my neighborhoods paves walking trails. Anyways all that aside your content has got me into mountain biking, I wish you the best of luck in the future.
Congrats for such a deep dive which, as mentioned below, no one else does. My experience with XCM 30 vs XCT: The XCT came on my 2017 SPZ Rockhopper 29. A piece of sh*t since the begining: Extermely slow, it works much more like a rigid fork than anything else. Then I bough a twin coil spring XCM and I'm just loving it: Its terrain reading is way better than the rockshox judy coil on my other (1 year in service) bike, it costs 1/6 of its rockshox equivalent and, as you mentioned, it's pretty easy to service. The cons I found during its 18 months in service so far: If you use grease on it, it demands full service on a monthly basis. The good news: That frequency drops drastically if you use a good chain wax to lube the upper legs and no grease at all on the seals. Another con is its very low resistance to corrosion. I live at the coast, in the Northeastern Bazil, where climate is pretty much like Forida (umid and hot) but it's also very salty. In my city you can see the salty fog on the beach. While my rockshox showed after no service at all, just a few stain dots, XCM30 looks like a jaguar skin, with stains as large as a thumb in the chromed uppers. YET, once lubricated w/ chain wax (I use squirt), it rocks! High frequency terrain reading (hungry horse rib gravel raods for instance) pretty much like an air susp and full travel on XCO/Bike parks. Back on the XCT, I initially thought its slow backtravel was caused by the cartridge. Removed it for a test and... no change: Its seals and heavy spec spring are the cause of the annoying issue. One thing I had to do on my XCM during one of the servicing times was to remove some material of those white plastic caps at the end of the springs. For some reason they started frictioning so hard to the lower leg inner that the fork nearly got stuck mid travel. That grinding operation caused some lateral play but not a big deal. For the equivalent ot USD 70 (in Brazil, aka the taxland) I have a great fork.
did not find your channel because of all the entry level /ozark trail content, but man the longer Im here the more I appreciate you doing videos like this.
I was a bicycle mechanic for 9 years and I would have to say at least 75% of people that had adjustable high end products on their bike still asked us at the shop to set up their bikes... My ethos is, If you can't tune it yourself and understand what you're changing you don't need it. I still own stuff on both ends of the spectrum and I will say that once a fork with high and low speed compression and rebound adjustment is setup properly for the rider it does feel better in many nuanced ways... But a more basic fork is 85% as good straight out of the box with a few minor adjustments. If you don't want to spend hours and multiple rides tuning your suspension, something more basic is absolutely fine!
This was good. Enjoyed seeing the reasonable expectations put on beginner hardware and I'm actually inclined to look up a fork for an old MTB that my dad uses.
Good video! The coolest thing is the SR Suntour $100 discount! I upgraded my entry level bike path rated XCM fork to one of their much better Raidon air forks, and it was easy and painless! I have since moved on to much better bikes and forks, but this upgrade is awesome for those new to the sport, as I was 10 years ago when I did this.
I have the XCT 30 currently, I did very hard off-roading yesterday with random big chunks of stones, pothole roads, and half-destroyed gravel roads that suspension took like it was nothing Yes, it is a little less comfortable but That thing is made to last and to take abuse.
I had an XCM on my 2008 GT Avalanche 3.0. It was okay fork, but back then they didnt have proper seals, just rubber things over the legs. Water got inside and corroded the legs. I replaced it with a used air Marzocchi, that I have until this day. That XCM i sold to someone who rode dirt jumps, and they was happy with that fork, as far as I know.
Excellent video Seth. Suntour forks are so under rated. Yes the cheap models don't give great performance but are certainly an upgrade on a rigid fork. Their higher end models are actually really good. I couldn't actually notice a performance difference between my aion forks and a set of fox ones costing 3 times as much.
I dare to say that people upgrades to air forks not because the adjustability, because most won’t know how to adjust it properly, but for how smooth it feels an air fork. BTW not long ago I bought a Rockshox Judy Silver 120 mm travel with rebound adjustment for under 150€.
Most people who upgrade their bikes do it because they feel their current setup is holding them back or they rode another bike with the setup they desire. It's good for the industry for people to try different products and it's good for the serious rider to make the investment to see if the products improve performance. I raced down hill in NORBA for 7 years and I went through several frames, forks, and brakes in that time. Had those awesome Risse upside down forks on my modified Super Vee with 8 inches of rear travel LOL
suntour manufacture disposable trash nothing about their product is good for the consumer. the cycle industry is disgusting, it is designed to rip off stupid people and its going to get worse
You hit it 100% for me, I’ve upgraded the axel hub, cassette, tires, rear shock, stem, saddle, handle bars, peddles but I’m at the point of either adding a dropper post or front suspension. You’ve really helped me with my decision. And you’re right, other than weight, I haven’t really had a need to replace my front suspension yet, it really still does a good job on the aggressive trails I ride. Happy Trails my friend. Hope you do a video on upgrading the axle/hub/cassette on Gravel Bikes, what’s best at a good price.
I can remember drilling holes and putting bolts in some El cheapo forks for people at work who preferred non-functioning shocks after theirs stopped working on Huffy's and Pacific bikes. I don't use shocks anymore but when I did I used Manitou and Rock Shox for maybe $350 back in the 90's
When I buy bikes for my growing kid or my wife, those forks are something I am looking for. I know that they are really durable, they work properly, are easy to maintain and, most of all, the manufacturer provides parts, even for old forks. This is really invaluable. Without the right parts, it is bound to degrade and your are bound to redo it all too often. A well maintained XCT will provide a fun to ride bike to my daughter until she outgrows it. Also a big thanks to your channel. It's thanks to your flip bike videos that I actually started disassembling and maintaining our bikes.
@@boringaveragenobody yep, cheap fork, easy to service. Good performance for entry level forks... And some XCR are air forks. Not bad for the price. 😊👍
1. Great video with good information. I may never use one of those forks, but it is interesting to know. 2. Two different mentions to Kyle Warner - and well deserved!
I had to buy a set of SR Suntour forks because they were the only ones I could get to fit my old 26" MTB. All SRAM/Fox etc. second hand around me were battered and broken! They're awesome!
Awesome vid nice to see something different. Would of been nice if you had showed some of Suntours expensive top of the range forks too (the magnesium one you mentioned) as they hardly ever get mentioned like the big names fox / rockshox etc.
Wow, really good video. Appreciate the deep dive on a really common fork! I did a video on the same fork, and got about 100 views, really shows who the professional is here!
I can't imagine they'd pay him to advertise them, since these are already on all the entry level bikes and if you wanted them you'd just buy them aftermarket.
hey mate , love your videos ......i think you forget also that your going to find that fork on cheep bike also because a lot of ppl and specialty kids they use the bike to go to school and play around ...no maintenance like you said and most of them they just drop the bike like a bad habit to run after the ice truck or to play ball , soo what am trying to say is that the market for them is not mtb is just day to day use, even on the one for adults , am a bike mechanic in UK , here they commute on bikes a lot and they want a bike "cheep" easy to maintain not much focus to save some kg specialty when your gonna have rack on the back with paniels for shopping
I think the XCR air series (34 in particular) would deserve a particular focus in regards to how good they can be with a bit of tweaking, in regards to the price on used market
Dude I am so stoked you are doing the off road games and with Rudy. One of my favorite mountain bikers and one of my favorite off-road guys this is going to be freaking epic man. I can't wait to see you wheel some gnarly ass courses on four wheels instead of two!!!! Good luck buddy don't roll the Rudicon!
Great fork to learn on. After a 15 year hiatus, I purchased a Polygon full sus with this front fork. I was blown away how nice and plush it was compared to the stuff I rode back in the day. But late last season I got an epic deal on a Judy Gold that is about half the weight and my ability to wheelie and manual has improved dramatically with the weight reduction.
Great video, as always Seth. It's good that you give some time for those of us on cheap bikes. I've had 600 miles out of mine without problem. I'm sure they don't perform as well as the expensive air forks, but as someone starting out, these have been ideal for me.
A 10-, 12-, 14-year-old kid doesn’t need to hear how much better an air fork would be. They just wants to see what mountain biking is like. These forks will show them. Your emphasis on affordable safety is spot on. Parents everywhere -and their kids-are grateful.
I had the good fortune of installing a SR Suntour Zeron 35 coil fork on my steel 29 hardtail. Its godlike - cheap all-season plushwork&survivability. Initially I was lookin at Z1 or even the expensive Ribon/Helm coli forks, but now Im sure that I made the right choice. SR Suntur really surprised me.
I think you're the only person to say anything good about these forks. I think they are brilliant as they are, in my experience, indestructible and very easy to work with; a beginner rider like my younger self would never have had a suspension fork even mildly good were it not for Suntour. I've heard others say "they're heavy and they have no tech and they use springs instead of air" without realising that is the point.
Nice review of the tech. Suntour has been around for a VERY LONG TIME, and clearly, they know how to build something so important as a fork to be safe. For anybody looking to add front suspension on a budget, I would recommend their Epixon air fork over the spring forks however. The cost difference is minimal, but the performance leap is significant along with the weight reduction. (And it is also readily available with a relatively long straight steerer tube.)
I've had my SR Suntour XCR for about 10+ years now and still works and feels good to use, I maintained it and made sure its always lubricated, only thing that broke is it's lockout, other than that it survived my 80-100kg frame while practicing bunny hops, urban commute abuse, and casual trail here and there
I used to ride a 2019 Specialized Rockhopper Comp, with Specialized tuned Multi-Circuit Damping. All that to say it was fitted with this damper cartridge. It worked REALLY well. I was very happy with.
This was an unbelievably awesome watch. You should start a series on "best bang for the buck upgrades" I have an old hardrock that needs a new wheelset but am unsure what wheels to throw on. It sits all summer until my Dad wants to join me for a ride...
Fantastic idea! I’ve had a couple. Though I did wreck one, due to scored stanchions from mud inside, I got a lot of great hours out of them! They were also a great introduction to servicing forks (albeit too late), like you said!
Thanks, that was really interesting! I even got a brand new one of these in 28" config lying around. The old one did actually break and Suntour sent me a new one, great customer service! The springs were badly corroded due to a broken seal, I believe, that was long ago though. I didn't really use the new one as I rebuilt the bike for touring with a rigid fork that's been on it since. Those standard models on adult sized bikes don't do much of suspension work if you're a lighter person like me with around 60kg/120lbs back then. There's a certain strength of springs built in, optimized for riders around 80kg/160lbs, if I remember correctly. And there's only so much you can do with releasing pre tension, not enough for me back then to have a big effect. It rode almost like a rigid fork but was way heavier, which was one of my personal reasons to ditch it as well. If you're a standard sized person it does an ok job though, I'd say. It even comes with mountings for fenders and a low rider rack for bags on some models!
I had Suntour 120mm travel XCM 32mm stachion diameter fork on my Tokul 3 bike and I upgraded to a Suntour Aion 140mm travel 34mm stanchion diameter Air fork. It works really well for the type of trail riding I do.
I remember back in the early 90's when purchasing my first decent Mountain bike it came with the standard non suspension forks. I spent another £200+ on a pair of RST forks ( can't remember the model ) but after a couple of months of being used almost everyday the bridge connecting the forks cracked. Did manage to get them replaced and even got a free upgrade but after selling the bike a couple of years later i stuck with RockShox that never let me down.
I just replaced my xcm30 for a Rockshox judy silver tk 100mm. It's such a good upgrade, I totally recomend it. I changed it out because my Suntour broke after 10700Km, the lock out stopped functioning
dude these entry level products you talk about is so refreshing compared to all the copy paste MTB content out there on youtube that literally every single other channel does.
Very much so! Most have their heads in the clouds and can't imagine talking to or at lower level cyclists.
They make you fell bad to ride your entry level bike
This! When this notification popped out and I saw main topic - I knew it will be good🤩
@@felipenavasDon't worry about other people. Just get better.
I'd like to see more one-ride reviews of the slightly-modified Pivot Switchblade :D
As a Bike Mechanic, THANK YOU for shedding light on Suntour. Most Folk come in thinking they need a ferrari of a bike but in reality they need to start on a honda si. Really refreshing to see that even lower end components can still get you outside and having fun.
oh yeah? where do you work?
are you willing to put your face on camera and say that you think the xcm is a good fork and that you are a bike mechanic?
then i can make a break down video to explain how wrong you are? lol
@@netcoms197 who linearized your deionized water
@@55yxalaG good job on wasting both of our time
@@netcoms197 only someone who believes in tetrahedral planar methane would say that 🤔
@@netcoms197 Really refreshing to see that even lower end components can still get you outside and having fun
I really appreciate this video. While working in a shop, so many of us ended up with the high end Suntour forks on our rides and we learned not to turn our noses up at the lowend Suntour stuff. As often as we had basket case cheap mtbs in the stand, these forks were not among the things we were fixing. Truly an underappreciated brand in cycling here in the us.
I think every bike under $1K has these forks on them. Slamming them is nonsense. These forks get people into mountain biking.
And like Seth says, those forks on the bikes being worked on never get serviced, even though a little tlc would revive many, at least the ones not left out in the rain-although I’ve experimented with a couple lost causes with surprisingly adequate results. Follow-up episode?
@@slantedorbitIt's a shame, they need to be serviced specially after riding on rain. The steel rots with water and that's something you don't want happening in your forks or springs. I've seem them break because of that.
That’s cus they are disposable bike products. I get them in a pack of ten online.
low end suntour forks are complete trash.
plastic components,
warranty warns againt wheelies.
fitted on the worst cycles you can buy
You are the first human being to ever make a bike fork, rhododendron analogy. Congrats.
it was philodendron
its like you called coil fork an air one
It's common knowledge coil forks are like philodendrens and air forks are like rhododendrons. Easy mistake.
@@in2deep41 Obviously
@@statom985 He said it was a philodendron, but I think it might have actually been a pothos?
Hahaha rhododendron, philodendron, pothos... who's counting anymore?
I just “rebuilt” one of these on my son’s GT XC bike. It works great when it’s cleaned and lubricated. We also threw on some Shimano disc brakes for $60. The bike really functions well!
@@netcoms197pogo stick is better than baseball bat (carbon and bolany) so they are better than baseball bat in my books 💀
@@netcoms197 I have an XCT and for my leisure use is not that bad, tho for any competitive use obviously they are not built for. It's like trying to use a Stock Corolla against a GT3 Porsche.
@@netcoms197you don’t know what you are talking about.
@@netcoms197 I get trolls exist and why, But you are failing badly at it dude lol. Literally trashing a bike fork to death? Gigidy. But on the subject, The XCM is really not that bad! It's robust, and it does the job for casual riding, simple as that.
@@netcoms197 Im from germany, im not a native englsih speaking person, but i see that u r the troll here. Just from the likes of the comments we can get that ^^ so mr troll pls stop trash talking, thanks.
This is SO MUCH BETTER than all the rest of MTB Tech youtube videos on this platform, Ive heard about electronic shifters, new air springs and carbon wheels 10 times too much, this is much cooler and more interesting
$100 off a trade-in... Most valuable advice I've gotten on TH-cam in a while. I'm about to turn my old hard tail into something interesting, and I was going to scrap the old one since it's leaking oil
yeah good idea upgrade from a broken trash suntour, to another suntour, that wil be a great idea.
suntour make budget beginner tranh that is on all teh cheapest bikes you can buy, to try and force beginners into an "upgrade",
@@netcoms197 those aren't even words. try again.
@@netcoms197 without them, the cheapest bikes you can buy would be more expensive.
@@netcoms197 yeah everyone you've probably ridden is trash. Like Seth said, they have a full line even air forks. You just don't typically see those as you only know them for their budget offering. I don't have a brand allegiance and don't pay for style. I'm sure they have something that will work for a fun bike I might use a few times a year
@@netcoms197 you didn't watch the video and that's ok, I believe "Seth" @9:35
I swear Seth can do a better job of explaining the details of a product, than the actual paid workers at the company.
@@netcoms197 gr8 b8 m8 i r8 8/8
@@netcoms197 you're trash, kid. I rode entry-level SR Suntour for 10 years, they are everything that was said in this video.
no shit bro its a 50 dollar fork@@netcoms197
they were paid by suntour to adervtise this poor quality product, are you really that naive or is thsi a fake comment?
the xcm fork has plastic components under load, its designed to fail and be upgraded via the "suntour upgrade program".
free info for you -
"seth" is the person employed by this youtube channel to speak into the camera.
its not just 1 man saying what he likes about products on his own channel.
@@netcoms197 touch some grass
Ive extensively ridden the higher end Suntours and man, ppl really need to give them more credit, cuz they are MUCH better than one would expect. They are seriously impressive and not only "for the price"...
Tom Isted and Sam Reynolds ride SR Suntour forks. Isted is a Crankworx guy and both of them ride Darkfest (Reynolds being the guy who runs it of course).
NONE of us are going to abuse Suntour forks more than them. 😆
@@dvs620 oh good to know, didnt know that, i'll look it up
Think about your family, don't be stupid, spent a couple extra dollars on the Manitou or a Rockshox, Suntour are not safe to on a mountain bike, none of them
@@bassw1758 lol, ok kid
@@bassw1758 You riding anything crazier than Crankworx or Darkfest? Because Tom Isted is. Dude backflipped a 120ft, on Suntour forks. Rides Crankworx events, on Suntour forks.
Maybe stop telling everyone you don't know what you're talking about. Because NONE of us are going to push their forks the way he does. Sam Reynolds too.
Thank you for publishing videos that are always interesting and informative. I'm watching from Japan and I'm always looking forward to your videos.
I replaced the XCM on the Merida Big 7 (27.5inch) hardtail XC bike (88,000yen/$588） with a Raidon, the same SR Suntour. The reason is that I wanted to know what air suspension is. I'm very happy with the fact that it's much lighter than the XCM, and you can adjust the sag according to your weight, adjust the rebound and remote lockout.
I think that the same XCM, but with a damper and a lockout, is a very good product. However, since the legs are iron, I replaced it with a slightly higher-end Raidon (air suspension fork with magnesium legs). Still, I keep it instead of throwing it away, because I might go back to XCM someday. If it's an XCM with dampers and lockouts, and the legs are magnesium, you might still be using it. (It would be best if Raidon's magnesium legs could be used as they are for the XCM)
As Mr. Seth's advised, I first replaced the drivetrain of the Merida Big 7 with a Shimano Deore 1×12 (XT with a 165mm crank only) and replaced the brakes with Shimano hydraulic discs instead of mechanical discs. The fork replacement is after that.
Eventually, I bought a Marin Bolinas Ridge 2 with a low standover height and have been riding it with the fork and drivetrain ported from Merida. This Marin is very fun to ride. I only run on the road beside the irrigation canal and the path in the rice paddies, so the Raidon was enough. According to the instruction manual, the limit for jumping seems to be up to 60 cm.
From the SR Suntour Axion on XCO World Champion Tom Pidcock's Pinarello bike to the XCM on the entry-level bike, I don't think the SR Suntour forks are bad.
And as a Japan person, I also like the fact that the name "Suntour" has been preserved to this day.😀
In Japan, as in the United States, SR Suntour also provides parts for rebuilds and provides videos explaining how to maintain them. Maintenanse is very easy. Yesterday I disassembled and cleaned the Raidon, applied new grease to the negative spring and poured 80wt of silicone oil inside the air piston.
I think this video is a very professional review that evaluates the excellence of XCM from various angles.
楽しそう! Sethさんがすごいですよね。田舎でマウンテンバイクしては夢見たい。まだSuntourがあるけど、日本でもっと乗りたい。
My kona big honzo came with these forks and I've ridden the hell out of that thing without any issues. It got me into mountain biking 2 years ago and now I'm gradually upgrading parts. Cool to know that Suntour offers the upgrade option. Will definitely check that out. Great vid!
Almost 9 years into mountainbiking as a main hobby, I'm still running an SR Suntour XCR32 coil fork with a rebound adjuster that I bought back in 2017. It's been through quite a few XC races and lots of just weekend trail riding to this day. I service it at least twice a year, and recently I replaced the coil with a new one, feels better than brand new now. It is heavy but it gets the job done.
How do you service it? I have the same, but have not done anything for 4 years on the fork.
@@rofferdal just search 'XCR coil service'. There's a lot of tutorials out there. That's how I got through to servicing mine
I love how he introduces different mtb info in a more entertaining format
@netcoms197 still introducing more information about mountain biking no matter if sponsored or not.
@@Verbot819 bad information, sponsored by suntour.
so extremely bias, andf dishonest.
and deceiving for clueless beginers like yourself.
@@Verbot819 bias unreliable information.
sponhsored by teh companies that produce teh low quality products.,
you really dotn have a clue what youre talking about, so go give suntour your money, go go
Watching your content is so useful for someone like me who does not know a lot about MTB and also cannot afford to buy a lot of parts
@@netcoms197after giving more than one pair of sr suntour forks a lot of serious abuse, I can positively say, you’re wrong. Always better to say nothing than to speak without knowing what you’re talking about…
SR Suntour's XCO forks (with air spring; vs XCMs that are coil) are also a great lighter-weight alternative for entry-level bicycles.
there is also the xcr air which is also an air fork, not sure how this compares to the xco.
@@SimonBauer7 i can say about xcr air that if your weight is less than 50kg you gonna struggle to put right amount of air in it, everything above no probs
XC...... O?
@@szolekxxx You can exchange the coil negative springs for a lighter spring rate and it will allow you to adjust the air side for a rider in the 45 - 55 kg range.
@@SprocketsLLC at this point we were thinking about upgrading it, it's not a perfect fork
Truly under-appreciated brand. This suntour brand is so good, especially for beginners, and they also have hi-end product
stop lying teh xmc is trash, and every mtb rider knows it.
the design is plastic trash.
disposable junk from a terribel company
@@netcoms197plastic... the fork is metal mate.
@@SimonBauer7 the fork has plastic internals, and we are not mates
the xcm is junk, and you are stalking my comments to attack me for telling teh truth.
lets talk face to face about it of youre so affected
Big part of us dont have money for a 200$ fork, so getting tips to upgrade or make your old entry level stuff better is really valuable.
Even if you have it doesn't mean it make sense to do it for me it crazy to buy a bike for $500 and then a fork for the same or above price
Thanks for doing all the research on the OT Ridge (and continuing to talk about it). Your enthusiasm for that as an entry level bike has sealed it for me. I know almost nothing about mountain bikes, but hearing and seeing you return to it time and again makes me feel like I'm not going to be cussing my choice in 6 months. Thanks for the great channel and keep it up!!
The content a lot of consumers need to see. I have been testing a few different forks (some for bike brands and some for suspension brands) and my feedback on SR Suntour lineup is similar to yours Seth. The XCR 34 130mm Air is still on my trail hardtail (I oiled the foam rings and added 5cc of 10wt oil in the lowers) and the fork is incredible for the price. Also running Raidon 34 130mm on my 120mm "downcountry" and it is comparable in performance to my Fox Rhythm 130mm. I have a Fox 36 on my big bike and swopped it with a Durolux for testing. The Durolux needed some fine tuning - oil weight being the main reason, I dropped it substantially for more small bump compliance and sensitivity / faster rebound. And its been great. I've also tested plenty of cheap chinese forks and risked life and limb to push them to the limits and can not recommend one of the one's I've tested so far.
One quick question
Can I mount a 130mm fork on a bike with 100mm fork by default?
@@erfansoltani678 frames are only tested with a specific fork length. Anything outside that may result in early failures. I would steer clear of anything more than 20mm more than the fork that the bike was designed around.
@@francoinvisser4058 Thank you so much
Do you have any exprience with giant in-house built 130mm crest 34 air fork (on Fathom) ?
Your answer means a lot to me cuz I'm going to buy a giant bike but I'm worried about the fork
@@erfansoltani678 its a pretty decent fork for its class - but they do tend to suffer from bushing play after some use. Can be replaced by suspension workshops though, so no need to rush out and get a different fork.
I love that after almost 6 years I have watched EVERY SINGLE EPISODE that Seth puts out and I’m still entertained. I go back once in a while even and watch some oldies just because.
Me too
thsi video is sponsored by suntour,
this channel is a profit mnaking business, that is paid what to say.
@netcoms197 Lmao stop saying this under every comment. Just because you meat ride fox doesn’t mean you can keep spreading nonsense under comments
This is refreshing, especially when you have other channels that say I reccomend this fox fork, its only like 900 bucks. Yet seth is talking about forks from the 100-200 dollar range.😊
To this day I daily ride a Suntour 32 on my 2014 Cannondale. Every day I wonder how good a Pike or Fox 34 would be but they are too expensive for me. I can ride on with peace of mind now 😊
It's a pleasure to watch your videos!
Go try a bike at a bike shop? *
Ive got rockshox zeb but I really think fox feels a lot more sensitive and moves better over bumps
this video was sponsored by suntour,
its crazy to see how easily manipulated people are
as long as someoen on youtube who is sponsored by suntour says good things about suntour then thats ok
never mind the fact that these forks are the cheapest most useless forks possible, and their internal design is complete nosense, with plastic components.
they are designed to look like a suspension fork, but they provide no true suspension, it is a gimmick that people who don't know beter just go along with
its like the emporers clothes kind of suituation.
I swapped mine out for a set of fox 32 second hand forks. Obviously the ride was better, but the suntour sr forks are good forks. I kept mine and won’t get rid of them, they’re great forks and are fantastic for winter riding, less maintenance and excellent reliability.
@@netcoms197did Suntour break your heart at one time. You talk about Suntour like an ex-girlfriend/boyfriend . Give it a rest mate; not everyone has unlimited funds to spend on a mountain bike. Start your own fork company and put Suntour out of business if they are so bad. 😂
@masada1829
sunrtoutr xcm fork is poor quality,
this video is sponsored lies.
your coment is nonsense/time wasting
Really appreciate the info on Suntour forks. I upgraded to a full suspensions this winter. But I am keeping my Norco XC for peddling heavy adventures and it has a suntour fork with a lockout. And now I know a lot more about it.
Seth, no matter if you're sponsored or not by the product company. Your videos are very honest and trustworthy. My son and I are both subscribed and always look forward to your videos.
My son really wishes he could ride some of your trails, but we are from the uk and would be one hell of a road trip 😂. Keep it up seth one of the best mtb channels you tube has.
Rob and alfie
Dude! These deep dives are one of the reasons I love your videos! You are so inspirational!
I bought an MTB in the early 2000s and I have never serviced the RST fork, it still works like a charm.
A fork never serviced works like a junk. All suspension forks needs servicing.
@@dtibor5903if you put my 15 yesr old unserviced Suntour fork againat the same one brand new, there is barwly a difference. I have had much higher end forks. These OEM suntours are built to go on cheap bikes that are assumed will never be properly serviced. Dont get the inside wet. Dont store it outside in the sun.
I saw service interval of 10 hr somewhere in literature when I was researching how to service. A basic service is just some disassembly for re-greasing the moving parts. There is no oil in the fork, and should NOT be. Lubrication is provided by a layer of 'light' grease (such as Slickoleum) and is not hard to do. Otherwise, wiping dust off of the uppers after use, avoid forcing water into the seals,... these forks are fine for some light trail riding, gravel rides etc especially if the coil resistance reasonably matches the rider weight and actual use. I think it's not unreasonable to just use use use until the fork is having sticking issues etc and then deciding to upgrade the fork or the entire bike. If that's not a reasonable option for a user, maintaining the fork with periodic re-greasing just might achieve a respectably long service life :)
I serviced a couple of those last year. And they are super great to do so. Also Suntour's help is superb. My kid had a bike from Decathlon (2020) and they had ordered it with the stiffest spring. So I emailed Suntour's help and they gave me the part number for the softest one and we changed it. You don't need a stand, just a help from your kid. Next time I had a problem with the other one, disassembling it (a pure novice and an old fork). And send them some pictures and they helped me again. And those were XCM 100, and XCE 80 forks from 2015 and 2020. I got the special tool to open the upper legs for ~3 Euro and you need a 9mm (I don't even remember) wrench for the nuts on the lower legs and that is it. We did it on the bike. Maybe a flathead to remove the rubber seals on the top. Seals and plastic bushings (this is the service set) cost around a 10 for a set and you need some fork grease. It makes all the difference, you can do it for the cost of a Starbucks and you do it with your kid inside your home - priceless.
After we serviced them I started noticing them all over the city for cheap and mid spec bikes and most folks that I have asked never did anything on them, ever, for years.
Everything has its purpose and those XCM and XCE are just great for the city jungle and light off-road.
I would love to see a build using inexpensive, bomb proof products like this fork and those Shimano hydrolic brakes you're so fond of. Thanks for all the sensible, inclusive content!
A couple of years ago I hit the side of a car at 23mph, my front wheel was totaled and the suntour air forks bent back at the steerer. Thought the forks were completely gone too but they weren't. I bought a cheaper set of spring forks and took the lowers and the air cartridge from the accident fork and put them on the new cheaper one and it works great! They really are tough!
I'm going from one end of the spectrum to the other. I'll be replacing the coil XCM32 on my first bike with a Fox Factory 34 this week. Can't wait to see the contrast.
I replaced my entry level Rockshox coil fork with a Fox Factory 32 recently and it’s amazing how plush that fork is. I never knew a fork could make that much difference. You’re going to love it.
Switched from bike with suntour fork to one with fox 34 factory, it's night and day difference in terms of performance and plushness if you set it up correctly. though i hate the fact that you need to service it pretty frequently. i had that suntour fork for like 2 years and never did a service on it and it always had the same performance, however i do notice drop in performance on fox after many hours of riding.
Been using sr suntour for years, honestly, for winter rides you can’t beat them, they take a beating like you wouldn’t believe and keep on ticking. If you take them off your bike to upgrade, keep hold of them, they definitely come in handy, I speak from experience.
Please do a deep(er) dive into higher-end suntour stuff like the Durolux and the Rux. Been riding a durolux for 5 years with minimal maintenance and, other than the weight and an ever so slight difference in travel smoothness (compared to a zeb) I could not find any faults in its functionality and reliability!
Your trails in your backyard are one of my goals when i grow up. I cant get a bike because of the money so im using a to small 24in 6 year old specilized bike that i got from a friend who had it in his garage behind other stuff yet i have worked on it. The front brakes arent fix able to i will proably remove them and the suspension doesn't work well so I cant do anything but my neighborhoods paves walking trails. Anyways all that aside your content has got me into mountain biking, I wish you the best of luck in the future.
I work at Walmart now and I sold one of the $300 Ozarks a few weeks ago. The customer loves it!
Congrats for such a deep dive which, as mentioned below, no one else does. My experience with XCM 30 vs XCT: The XCT came on my 2017 SPZ Rockhopper 29. A piece of sh*t since the begining: Extermely slow, it works much more like a rigid fork than anything else. Then I bough a twin coil spring XCM and I'm just loving it: Its terrain reading is way better than the rockshox judy coil on my other (1 year in service) bike, it costs 1/6 of its rockshox equivalent and, as you mentioned, it's pretty easy to service.
The cons I found during its 18 months in service so far: If you use grease on it, it demands full service on a monthly basis. The good news: That frequency drops drastically if you use a good chain wax to lube the upper legs and no grease at all on the seals. Another con is its very low resistance to corrosion. I live at the coast, in the Northeastern Bazil, where climate is pretty much like Forida (umid and hot) but it's also very salty. In my city you can see the salty fog on the beach. While my rockshox showed after no service at all, just a few stain dots, XCM30 looks like a jaguar skin, with stains as large as a thumb in the chromed uppers. YET, once lubricated w/ chain wax (I use squirt), it rocks! High frequency terrain reading (hungry horse rib gravel raods for instance) pretty much like an air susp and full travel on XCO/Bike parks. Back on the XCT, I initially thought its slow backtravel was caused by the cartridge. Removed it for a test and... no change: Its seals and heavy spec spring are the cause of the annoying issue. One thing I had to do on my XCM during one of the servicing times was to remove some material of those white plastic caps at the end of the springs. For some reason they started frictioning so hard to the lower leg inner that the fork nearly got stuck mid travel. That grinding operation caused some lateral play but not a big deal. For the equivalent ot USD 70 (in Brazil, aka the taxland) I have a great fork.
i have a xcm 120 120mm travel , using it from 3 years till now love it
did not find your channel because of all the entry level /ozark trail content, but man the longer Im here the more I appreciate you doing videos like this.
I ran a Xcr for years until upgrading and it did way more than I expected.
I believe Suntour makes most of DVO’s suspension. They used to make Marrazucchi forks before fox bought them a while back.
You’re certainly making me feel a lot better about the XCT 30 on my Trek Marlin.
same lol
I was a bicycle mechanic for 9 years and I would have to say at least 75% of people that had adjustable high end products on their bike still asked us at the shop to set up their bikes... My ethos is, If you can't tune it yourself and understand what you're changing you don't need it.
I still own stuff on both ends of the spectrum and I will say that once a fork with high and low speed compression and rebound adjustment is setup properly for the rider it does feel better in many nuanced ways... But a more basic fork is 85% as good straight out of the box with a few minor adjustments. If you don't want to spend hours and multiple rides tuning your suspension, something more basic is absolutely fine!
This was good. Enjoyed seeing the reasonable expectations put on beginner hardware and I'm actually inclined to look up a fork for an old MTB that my dad uses.
Good video! The coolest thing is the SR Suntour $100 discount! I upgraded my entry level bike path rated XCM fork to one of their much better Raidon air forks, and it was easy and painless! I have since moved on to much better bikes and forks, but this upgrade is awesome for those new to the sport, as I was 10 years ago when I did this.
I have the XCT 30 currently, I did very hard off-roading yesterday with random big chunks of stones, pothole roads, and half-destroyed gravel roads that suspension took like it was nothing
Yes, it is a little less comfortable but That thing is made to last and to take abuse.
I had an XCM on my 2008 GT Avalanche 3.0.
It was okay fork, but back then they didnt have proper seals, just rubber things over the legs. Water got inside and corroded the legs. I replaced it with a used air Marzocchi, that I have until this day.
That XCM i sold to someone who rode dirt jumps, and they was happy with that fork, as far as I know.
I love it so much when you write a bike products like a type of fork or derailer or any type of product and give it the goods and bad
Excellent video Seth. Suntour forks are so under rated. Yes the cheap models don't give great performance but are certainly an upgrade on a rigid fork. Their higher end models are actually really good. I couldn't actually notice a performance difference between my aion forks and a set of fox ones costing 3 times as much.
I dare to say that people upgrades to air forks not because the adjustability, because most won’t know how to adjust it properly, but for how smooth it feels an air fork. BTW not long ago I bought a Rockshox Judy Silver 120 mm travel with rebound adjustment for under 150€.
Most people who upgrade their bikes do it because they feel their current setup is holding them back or they rode another bike with the setup they desire. It's good for the industry for people to try different products and it's good for the serious rider to make the investment to see if the products improve performance. I raced down hill in NORBA for 7 years and I went through several frames, forks, and brakes in that time. Had those awesome Risse upside down forks on my modified Super Vee with 8 inches of rear travel LOL
suntour manufacture disposable trash
nothing about their product is good for the consumer.
the cycle industry is disgusting, it is designed to rip off stupid people and its going to get worse
I started mountain biking on the same Suntour forks. It got me out on the trails and now I’m hooked!
I love simple and cheap Bikes and parts from a certain quality Level - Shimano and SR Suntour have great components!
You hit it 100% for me, I’ve upgraded the axel hub, cassette, tires, rear shock, stem, saddle, handle bars, peddles but I’m at the point of either adding a dropper post or front suspension. You’ve really helped me with my decision. And you’re right, other than weight, I haven’t really had a need to replace my front suspension yet, it really still does a good job on the aggressive trails I ride.
Happy Trails my friend.
Hope you do a video on upgrading the axle/hub/cassette on Gravel Bikes, what’s best at a good price.
I can remember drilling holes and putting bolts in some El cheapo forks for people at work who preferred non-functioning shocks after theirs stopped working on Huffy's and Pacific bikes.
I don't use shocks anymore but when I did I used Manitou and Rock Shox for maybe $350 back in the 90's
Hose clamps prevent movement. I've ridden thousands of miles on a stuck air fork with hose clamps to prevent any movement.
When I buy bikes for my growing kid or my wife, those forks are something I am looking for.
I know that they are really durable, they work properly, are easy to maintain and, most of all, the manufacturer provides parts, even for old forks. This is really invaluable. Without the right parts, it is bound to degrade and your are bound to redo it all too often.
A well maintained XCT will provide a fun to ride bike to my daughter until she outgrows it.
Also a big thanks to your channel. It's thanks to your flip bike videos that I actually started disassembling and maintaining our bikes.
Had those SR Suntour XCR fork, w/coil preload, lockout & rebound adjust at the bottom... Much better... I prefer the XCR. 😎👍
Got the same, it actually ain't that bad👍
@@boringaveragenobody yep, cheap fork, easy to service. Good performance for entry level forks... And some XCR are air forks. Not bad for the price. 😊👍
@@Emz_Jhaye Mine came with the bike, and had very little expectations for it, but was pleasantly surprised. Same with the Tektro brakes.
1. Great video with good information. I may never use one of those forks, but it is interesting to know.
2. Two different mentions to Kyle Warner - and well deserved!
Seth is easily the best mtb content creator
I had to buy a set of SR Suntour forks because they were the only ones I could get to fit my old 26" MTB. All SRAM/Fox etc. second hand around me were battered and broken! They're awesome!
I have a Rockrider 100mm fork (only a spring int it) and i think it is SR Suntour
rockrider doesnt use suntour unfortunately
@@christopherbruh Rockrider EX 520 surely does
Awesome vid nice to see something different. Would of been nice if you had showed some of Suntours expensive top of the range forks too (the magnesium one you mentioned) as they hardly ever get mentioned like the big names fox / rockshox etc.
The People's Fork....
Wow, really good video. Appreciate the deep dive on a really common fork! I did a video on the same fork, and got about 100 views, really shows who the professional is here!
Talking about your sister 💀
Cheap, heavy, everyone has ridden it and even the manufacturer gives you a hundred bucks if you upgrade from it.
I have an SR Suntour suspension seat post because of my lower back problem and it works amazing.
Aren't unmarked advertisements illegal?
I don't think so. Cos ppl switch the stickers on them! You might have to search that.
The description says this is not affiliated with them in any way, so no this isnt an unmarked advertisement.
I can't imagine they'd pay him to advertise them, since these are already on all the entry level bikes and if you wanted them you'd just buy them aftermarket.
I have been away from your content for over a year - WOW What a great review and study of these forks! Thanks for making mine a refreshing return
Who had these forks on one of their bikes
👇
Excellent video. Very informative. You are one of the best bike related content creators out there. Thanks so much for sticking around.
I'm first😁
no i am
No you are n0t
@@epictrailbuilder.65 ur actually not 😂🙄
@@aussiemtb i actual am😆
hey mate , love your videos ......i think you forget also that your going to find that fork on cheep bike also because a
lot of ppl and specialty kids they use the bike to go to school and play around ...no maintenance like you said and most of them they just drop the bike like a bad habit to run after the ice truck or to play ball , soo what am trying to say is that the market for them is not mtb is just day to day use, even on the one for adults , am a bike mechanic in UK , here they commute on bikes a lot and they want a bike "cheep" easy to maintain not much focus to save some kg specialty when your gonna have rack on the back with paniels for shopping
My old bike has these on. Never had an issue and the boy now has the bike. They're brilliant in my eyes.
It’s so smart to have a upgrade program .
That way you keep people using your brand . Fun vid
I think the XCR air series (34 in particular) would deserve a particular focus in regards to how good they can be with a bit of tweaking, in regards to the price on used market
Dude I am so stoked you are doing the off road games and with Rudy. One of my favorite mountain bikers and one of my favorite off-road guys this is going to be freaking epic man. I can't wait to see you wheel some gnarly ass courses on four wheels instead of two!!!! Good luck buddy don't roll the Rudicon!
As always, an instructional video, putting aside trends and focusing on what really works for real bikers.
Thanks for this !! Most of the Bikes’s at our shop have these no complaints here .
The first ever video I watched on your channel was about how easy it is to service them!
Fell in love with your character immediately. :D
Great fork to learn on. After a 15 year hiatus, I purchased a Polygon full sus with this front fork. I was blown away how nice and plush it was compared to the stuff I rode back in the day. But late last season I got an epic deal on a Judy Gold that is about half the weight and my ability to wheelie and manual has improved dramatically with the weight reduction.
Great video, as always Seth. It's good that you give some time for those of us on cheap bikes. I've had 600 miles out of mine without problem. I'm sure they don't perform as well as the expensive air forks, but as someone starting out, these have been ideal for me.
Great video. I serviced a set of suntours on a used bike and I was impressed how much better they worked.
No surprises here, just another quality, engaging and educating video from Seth.
A 10-, 12-, 14-year-old kid doesn’t need to hear how much better an air fork would be. They just wants to see what mountain biking is like. These forks will show them. Your emphasis on affordable safety is spot on. Parents everywhere -and their kids-are grateful.
I personally have coil type suspension because i always take deep jump and mostly the terrain/trail actually fits in with my coil suspension
I had the good fortune of installing a SR Suntour Zeron 35 coil fork on my steel 29 hardtail. Its godlike - cheap all-season plushwork&survivability. Initially I was lookin at Z1 or even the expensive Ribon/Helm coli forks, but now Im sure that I made the right choice. SR Suntur really surprised me.
I think you're the only person to say anything good about these forks. I think they are brilliant as they are, in my experience, indestructible and very easy to work with; a beginner rider like my younger self would never have had a suspension fork even mildly good were it not for Suntour. I've heard others say "they're heavy and they have no tech and they use springs instead of air" without realising that is the point.
I vouch for these forks and this company. Insane value proposition. Unbeatable!!
This puts a whole new light on the SR Suntour forks I had on old MTB's
Still rocking an XCR until now and i'm still very impressed. Just do yearly maintenance it it could possibly outlive your bike frame. Lol
Nice review of the tech. Suntour has been around for a VERY LONG TIME, and clearly, they know how to build something so important as a fork to be safe. For anybody looking to add front suspension on a budget, I would recommend their Epixon air fork over the spring forks however. The cost difference is minimal, but the performance leap is significant along with the weight reduction. (And it is also readily available with a relatively long straight steerer tube.)
Seth, thank you for putting together such an informative video, you are a true hero for the MTB movement, keep it up with the great job you’re doing.
I've had my SR Suntour XCR for about 10+ years now and still works and feels good to use, I maintained it and made sure its always lubricated, only thing that broke is it's lockout, other than that it survived my 80-100kg frame while practicing bunny hops, urban commute abuse, and casual trail here and there
Your content has been giving me ideas for new videos and I have been watching your videos
For years thank you for keeping the videos 😊
Really like your ’geeking out about a random specific thing in mtb’ videos 😊 I'll never look at these forks the same way again
I used to ride a 2019 Specialized Rockhopper Comp, with Specialized tuned Multi-Circuit Damping. All that to say it was fitted with this damper cartridge. It worked REALLY well. I was very happy with.
This was an unbelievably awesome watch. You should start a series on "best bang for the buck upgrades" I have an old hardrock that needs a new wheelset but am unsure what wheels to throw on. It sits all summer until my Dad wants to join me for a ride...
Fantastic idea! I’ve had a couple. Though I did wreck one, due to scored stanchions from mud inside, I got a lot of great hours out of them! They were also a great introduction to servicing forks (albeit too late), like you said!
Thanks, that was really interesting!
I even got a brand new one of these in 28" config lying around. The old one did actually break and Suntour sent me a new one, great customer service! The springs were badly corroded due to a broken seal, I believe, that was long ago though. I didn't really use the new one as I rebuilt the bike for touring with a rigid fork that's been on it since.
Those standard models on adult sized bikes don't do much of suspension work if you're a lighter person like me with around 60kg/120lbs back then. There's a certain strength of springs built in, optimized for riders around 80kg/160lbs, if I remember correctly. And there's only so much you can do with releasing pre tension, not enough for me back then to have a big effect. It rode almost like a rigid fork but was way heavier, which was one of my personal reasons to ditch it as well. If you're a standard sized person it does an ok job though, I'd say. It even comes with mountings for fenders and a low rider rack for bags on some models!
I had Suntour 120mm travel XCM 32mm stachion diameter fork on my Tokul 3 bike and I upgraded to a Suntour Aion 140mm travel 34mm stanchion diameter Air fork. It works really well for the type of trail riding I do.
I remember back in the early 90's when purchasing my first decent Mountain bike it came with the standard non suspension forks. I spent another £200+ on a pair of RST forks ( can't remember the model ) but after a couple of months of being used almost everyday the bridge connecting the forks cracked. Did manage to get them replaced and even got a free upgrade but after selling the bike a couple of years later i stuck with RockShox that never let me down.
I just replaced my xcm30 for a Rockshox judy silver tk 100mm. It's such a good upgrade, I totally recomend it. I changed it out because my Suntour broke after 10700Km, the lock out stopped functioning