The most popular MTB fork you (probably) know nothing about

In this video we do a deep dive into SR Suntour's entry level coil forks. It seems many of us started out on one of these, yet few outlets have done a deep dive into them. I'm not affiliated with SR Suntour in any way, but though it would be interesting to put this information out there.

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[Sirmellowman]

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.

[SuperURBIN]

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.

[chadconley]

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.

[obxarms]

You are the first human being to ever make a bike fork, rhododendron analogy. Congrats.

[robtodd]

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!

[matt]

$100 off a trade-in... Most valuable advice I've gotten on YouTube 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

[xXSgtJackXx]

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

[jiarongwu]

I swear Seth can do a better job of explaining the details of a product, than the actual paid workers at the company.

[shaman]

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.

[Verbot]

I love how he introduces different mtb info in a more entertaining format

[Driftuner]

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"...

[woodmt.]

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.

[TieriaZodak]

Truly under-appreciated brand. This suntour brand is so good, especially for beginners, and they also have hi-end product

[NabeGamma]

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.

[swazila]

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 <3 Thank you so much for the content!!!

[SparkleDonkey]

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!

[GrigoryRechistov]

SR Suntour's XCO forks (with air spring; vs XCMs that are coil) are also a great lighter-weight alternative for entry-level bicycles.

[DdOutdoors.]

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.

[noxed]

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.

[johnmetcalfe]

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!!