Rockshox Pike on a cheap hardtail?

Howmanyru
Hi folks,

I currently ride a Merida Big 9 entry level hardtail, which i have enjoyed riding for 2 years. Lately I have the itch to upgrade due to riding in more varied conditions with friends. I was wondering what you think about fitting a Rockshox Pike to a cheap hardtail? My bike cost $1000, and the fork will be $1400. Is it mad to fit such a fork on a cheap hardtail? Sure it makes more sense to buy a new bike with great suspension, but that costs a lot of money. I ride everything from road, gravel to mid level downhill and want one bike to do it all reasonably well. Maybe a mid tier fork is smarter, but they don't get great reviews compared to something like a Pike, which everybody seems to love.

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bermslapper69 4/1/2022 7:43pm
4/1/2022 7:43pm
Howmanyru wrote:
Hi folks, I currently ride a Merida Big 9 entry level hardtail, which i have enjoyed riding for 2 years. Lately I have the itch to...
Hi folks,

I currently ride a Merida Big 9 entry level hardtail, which i have enjoyed riding for 2 years. Lately I have the itch to upgrade due to riding in more varied conditions with friends. I was wondering what you think about fitting a Rockshox Pike to a cheap hardtail? My bike cost $1000, and the fork will be $1400. Is it mad to fit such a fork on a cheap hardtail? Sure it makes more sense to buy a new bike with great suspension, but that costs a lot of money. I ride everything from road, gravel to mid level downhill and want one bike to do it all reasonably well. Maybe a mid tier fork is smarter, but they don't get great reviews compared to something like a Pike, which everybody seems to love.

Simply put… no.
DanTheBikerMan 4/4/2022 1:26pm
4/4/2022 1:26pm
It's over the top, to say the least. Money could be better spent. Surely there are suspension forks that would be just as well suited for your bike at a better price?
Velocipedestrian 4/4/2022 3:31pm
4/4/2022 3:31pm
You decide how you want to spend your money. I'd just suggest if you do it, keep the steerer tube longer than you think so you can swap it to another frame when the upgrade fever resurfaces.
3
Karabuka 4/5/2022 1:50am
4/5/2022 1:50am
What about buying a used fork? You get an upgrade and dont have to spend more than whats bike is worth in the first place! Or something else like Suntour Aion/Auron with PCS damping? I have auron on my agressive hardtail and have been blasting it for more than two years now, best fork ever considering how much I've paid for, even won a local enduro race last year with it...
1
kcy4130
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kcy4130 4/5/2022 5:16am
4/5/2022 5:16am Edited Date/Time 4/5/2022 5:37am
Marzocchi Z2 is $520, and a pretty decent fork. For what it's worth, I have one (120mm) on my hardtail and am happy with it. If it was me, I'd go with that or buy lightly used/new take off. The difference in feeling between mid tier and high end suspension is noticeable but somewhat subtle. Subtle might be the wrong word, but it's not a huge difference. It's especially hard to appreciate the differences on a hardtail, because the lack of rear suspension kinda dominates the experience, if that makes sense. But it's your money.

Edit: one more thing to add, if it's the fork that's holding your bike back (i.e. the fork is the weak link performance wise), which is often the case with entry level hardtails, then once you get a decent fork, you might discover the next thing that's holding the bike back. Might be brakes, might be the wheelset, idk, but keeping some money in reserve for upgrading the next weak link is probably a good idea.
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Skerby
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Skerby 4/7/2022 7:45am
4/7/2022 7:45am
I put a 2016 pike on my gfs nukeproof scout. It works great, I think a cheaper fork would work fine though.
1
Howmanyru 4/8/2022 4:28am
4/8/2022 4:28am
Thanks for the replies. A good used fork is hard to find in Australia. The Marzocchi Z2 might be an option, but it's still AU$900. Even a good rigid carbon fork here is around AU900. Can't believe the price of MTB parts and bikes, jealous of you guys in USA.
brash
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brash 4/8/2022 3:23pm
4/8/2022 3:23pm
Howmanyru wrote:
Thanks for the replies. A good used fork is hard to find in Australia. The Marzocchi Z2 might be an option, but it's still AU$900. Even...
Thanks for the replies. A good used fork is hard to find in Australia. The Marzocchi Z2 might be an option, but it's still AU$900. Even a good rigid carbon fork here is around AU900. Can't believe the price of MTB parts and bikes, jealous of you guys in USA.
Still bargains around mate, saw a near new 36 performance elite in the new shape for $800 the other day.

I just picked up a 36 performance for $500 for my hardtail build. Had a brand new CSU in it too. Facebook marketplace!
TEAMROBOT
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TEAMROBOT 4/8/2022 3:50pm
4/8/2022 3:50pm Edited Date/Time 4/8/2022 3:53pm
If you check the buy/sell page on "the other site," you can browse other regions outside of Australia and filter for sellers who checked the box "Will ship globally." If you can pick up an older Pike from the US or Canada for $400 and get it shipped to you, you're in great shape.

I would never pay $1400 for a fork, for any bike, and especially not for a bike that retailed for $1000. If you've got $1400 burning a hole in your pocket, buy a cheaper fork and then sprinkle some of that sweet sweet upgrade money on the rest of the bike and your riding gear. New brake time? New helmet time? Time for new tires? It can be if you don't blow your whole wad on the fork.

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