2nd Look: MRP Loop TR 29″ Fork

The Ride

Of the 32mm forks on the market right now, I found the Loop to be one of the most competent that I’ve ridden. It’s not the lightest option, but its extra stiffness means it tracks noticeably better than something like a Rockshox Reba or DT Swiss OPM.

The suspension action is quite smooth, although there’s maybe a touch more stickiness than something like a Kashima coated Fox. But the Loop is still quite good in this regard, so no complaints there.

Noah Bodman reviews the MRP Loop TR for Blister Gear Review
Noah Bodman on the MRP Loop TR Fork.

The Loop also struck a pretty good balance between small bump sensitivity and the ability to handle larger hits. Particularly in a shorter travel package, that balance can be hard to come by, but the Loop does it well.

Comparisons

As I’ve mentioned above, I think in terms of overall performance, the Loop beats any of the other 32mm forks that I’ve been on recently in most respects. The only downside is that it weighs a bit more, so it’s probably not the best option if you’re trying to keep your rig as light as possible.

Compared to the Rockshox Reba:

The Loop has a more progressive air spring, so it doesn’t blow through it’s travel as quickly as the Reba. Also, while the damping controls are essentially the same on the two forks (rebound plus a low-speed compression adjustment), I found the Loop TR’s adjustments to be a bit more usable. The compression adjustment works better to provide intermediate adjustments on the Loop, whereas the Reba’s adjustment works best either all the way open or all the way closed. The Loop is noticeably stiffer than the Reba, but it weighs almost half a pound more.

Compared to the DT Swiss OPM:

The OPM has a very progressive air spring, which I found to ramp up a bit too much. The Loop doesn’t have that problem, so it uses its travel a bit more effectively. The OPM does have a bit more adjustability in its damping, but I didn’t find those adjustments to work all that well—dialing up the compression made the fork feel pretty harsh. While the Loop isn’t as adjustable, the adjustments it does have work well. Like the Reba, the OPM is quite a bit lighter and also quite a bit flexier than the Loop.

Compared to the RockShox Pike:

This comparison isn’t entirely fair, since the Pike is a 35mm fork designed for much more aggressive riding. And the Pike in its shortest travel configuration is 130mm travel, which is the middle setting on the Loop. But the Loop is also a pretty heavy fork for having 32mm stanchions—my Pike only weighs about 110 g more than the Loop.

When the going gets legitimately fast and rough, the Loop’s weaknesses start to show. It’s not as stiff as the Pike, and it’s less composed on repeated hard hits. The Pike, on the other hand, thrives in those environments and handles big, fast hits with ease.

At the end of the day, I was happy to put the Pike back on my Following. The kind of riding that bike likes to do is a bit above the paygrade of the Loop. If I was looking for a Pike replacement, the MRP Stage would be a more appropriate contender. But on a hardtail or a less aggressive bike where I’m usually not going quite as fast or smashing into things quite as hard, the Loop would be a fantastic option. It saves a bit of weight over the Pike, but still offers excellent performance for most situations.

Bottom Line

I tend to prioritize suspension performance over weight, which is probably one of the reasons I like the MRP Loop TR. Of the 32mm forks I’ve ridden in recent memory, the Loop TR has the best combination of stiffness, suspension performance, and tunability while still being fairly competitive in terms of price. If low weight is your top priority, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere But if suspension performance is your priority, the Loop is a very attractive option.

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