I have a Reba on my Niner Jet9 and it works like a dream. I was interrested in the LAUF until I read th is review:

http://reviews.mtbr.com/...-trail-racer-29-fork

Doesn't look too good now.

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

After looking I am pretty sure I can convert my Stan's Crest ZTR wheelset to 15mm for pretty cheap.

Why 15mm for an XC, Xterra racer.

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

better front end stiffness.

Fox Float RLC

jaretj

I agree that it would be stiffer, but I don't think there will be a real gain for Xterra.

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

15mm make the fork much stiffer. Front end does more of what you want it to do.

jaretj

as opposed to endurance mtb'ing? Genuinely curious if that is what you think and why?


Have a Reba RL, Fox 32 Float CTD w/Kashima, and a Manitou Tower Pro and without a doubt, the Fox 32 Float CTD w/Kashima is my favorite.

I would highly suggest going with a thru axle for front end stiffness.

I have the Rock Shocks Reba, and it's solid. Don't get the remote lockout...you just don't need it for XC and it adds unwarranted grams for the weenie. Mechanics love it (not because they frequently see them, but because they are really easy to tune and service). They are just a few grams heavier than Fox upper-end stuff but for nearly half the cost.

If you truly are a weight weenie, and know of a good wrench that tunes forks, the absolutely best value/highest performing fork you can get (if you shim it specifically for your weight), is the Manitou Marvel. My main riding buddy just got one this last year, and has been flawless for him. He changed from the Rock Shocks Sid World Cup. He likes the Marvel more (and it's an absolutely steal). I have ridden his fork a few times as well, and it's quite a bit nicer than my Reba.

I'm not a Fox fan personally. I've talked to a few mechanics and they aren't really fans of them either. They feel a bit better out of the box than Rock Shocks stuff, but the mechanics I trust say this is because the FOX tolerances are as tight as RS...and this also makes their components wear out sooner. The RS stuff needs a bit of a break-in period, but after 200 miles or so, Fox and RS feel very similar when it comes to smoothness....but Fox just continues to degrade while RS are typically more durable.

The LAUF is TERRIBLE. There is no dampening whatsoever so you bob down the trail like crazy and the spring doesn't really take too much of the edge off at all. It's not really all that stiff in any direction either.

Rockshox SID RCT3 15mm would be my choice and recommendation.

If your hubs can be converted to 15mm (Stans are a simple $9 part) you get much better front end stiffness.

RCT3 is the best damper RS makes.

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Suffer Well.

I have the SID 15mm on my '11 Epic 26er and never had a bad day on it. In fact it is the most fun bike to spend the whole day riding. That being said I just got the Cannondale F29 Carbon with the Lefty PBR fork. The only bike I have ever ridden that felt as fast or faster was the S-Works Carbon 29er. The lefty looks strange as hell but there is no doubt I gained minutes with the switch. Wheel size has a lot to do with that but the bike tracks like a laser beam.

My n=1 for performance/$ is Manitou Tower Pro.

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Pactimo brand ambassador, ask me about promo codes

I love the remote lockout. Rigid for climbing and road, then wide open on the descents without having to reach down. Beautiful for XC and endurance racing. I miss having the remote lockout. The Brain is nice, but...

Other then that, I second the RS Reba. I'd go no smaller then 100mm - and you will have to make some modifications to cockpit due to the sag of the suspension fork compared to rigid fork.

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Vale!
Tracy T
http://www.thelencoaching.com
Some light reading::: http://www.tracythelen.blogspot.com

I absolutely love and use the lockout feature. I just have no need for the control to be on my handlebars. It's not really that much of a hassle to control it from the top of the stanchions...It's certainly easier than grabbing my drink from the bottle cage..

Depending on what you ride, the remote lockout is a life saver. If it's a smooth trail, reaching down to the stanchions is no problem. However, I've ridden trails where the only way I could take my hands off the handlebars without crashing is if I came to a stop and I was glad it was there.

I have a 2014 Fox 100 Terralogic with 15mm QR on my carbon hardtail. It took a bit of trial and error to set it up but the terralogic feature but it works very well. Very firm for climbing and out of the saddle efforts. It also opens up well when the trail gets bumpy as you expect. It is pretty amazing how well it "just works".

I'd give the front wheel upgrade a good second thought. The 15mm QR does a fantastic job of stiffening up the front end and making it easier to steer in the bumpy bits.

You might want to look at this fork.
Stiff, light and works better than any conventionally build fork.

http://www.german-a.de/en/kilo.html

Probably difficult to get in the US and a bit Price but worth it in my opinion.

Get a lauf

Also, I'm guessing there is no mechanic in the US who would know how to service it (assuming OP takes it to the shop). That's another thing to consider.

if your wheels can be converted to 15mm then go with that, otherwise the 100mm Rebas with lockout will be just fine.. remeber they don't have to be the " best in the world" they just have to be forks...
Lockout lever on the handlebars is heaven compared with on top of the fork leg.... well it is for where I ride.
the ability to switch back to unlocked on the fly as I started descending an unexpected rocky downhill is what sold me on the handle barmount.
get a brand that can be locally serviced.

also, any suspension fork will be miles better than your current rigid :-)