Tag parts

forks

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When I built my MTB I tried to buy used components to save a bit of money. At the time I couldn’t find forks which were pre-owned at a price I liked, so settled for a set from e-bay which were “new other” but came at a reduced and very affordable price. I’ve been using them for a while now but have looked into the recommended fork for the frame I have. As it turns, out On-one supply their scandal bikes with a 130mm travel fork whereas the ones I bought have a travel of 160mm. I’m not sure if the 30mm difference makes the ride better or worse but I’ve decided to do a bit of researching. With the conversion to a mullet I’m also trying to find out if an even shorter travel would suit better and am considering going to 120mm. Looking at the axle to crown measurements of each fork, it would seem that the lower travel also means a shorter fork which would probably sort out the strange geometry the mullet brings. This would also be different if I upgraded to a Rockshox Revelation fork which is more expensive an upgrade but offers better construction. There’s that and the question of offset. Most reviews I’ve read claim that there’s no noticeable difference between 42mm and 51mm so I guess it’s just a case of going for whatever is available.

I have seen a couple of sets of Rockshox on e-bay, one of which is identical to the ones I have fitted but in the shorter travel. The other is the higher spec Revelation so I just need to decide what I am willing to spend. As I’m otherwise very happy with the Rockshox, I’m going to stick with the brand. If I can get them for the starting bidding price, I can try out both sets of forks, keep the one which suits best and sell the others without losing any money. May as well get this done while the winter weather is still restricting my riding.

UPDATE: I have decided if I’m making the effort to change the forks I may as well go with the upgrade and have ordered the Revelation forks. Apart from having a higher spec they are also new and I can then cut the stem to suit the new geometry of the bike.

seat post (not a post about seats)

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I was out on my mountain bike yesterday for a shortish 10 mile ride and something just wasn’t quite right. When I set off, I extended my dropper seat-post as I drop it down when I take my bike down in the lift. This is really the only time I use the dropper as my riding style means I’m not descending many steep hills which is when I would use it more. When the post is at its maximum it feels rigid and is the most comfortable position for the saddle. I noticed that the post was slipping down, just a few centimetres but enough to make a noticeable difference in my reach which made my ride feel awkward. This seems to be a built in suspension effect rather than a malfunction of the post’s hydraulics so probably could be allowed for by raising the height of the post. I found myself adjusting my position constantly to maintain comfort although it was probably more psychological than physical. The difference in height wasn’t really enough to make a lot of difference to the ride.

I do prefer the feel of the post at the upper limit without the slight drop so have decided to go back to using a rigid seat-post. I have sourced a Hope Eternity, used but in great condition on e-bay and will be fitting that as soon as it arrives. The dropper post was a good idea but just too complicated a mechanism, giving benefits I don’t really need. I prefer my bike to be as straightforward and simple as possible.

So, back to e-bay to see if anyone is interested in a fox dropper!

bits are here …

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… so as soon as I clean the bike and get the existing chain-set degreased, I can start work on getting it all fitted. I have been considering experimenting with the different cassettes I have available. I will probably start with the 11-42 along with the 40/30 oval chainrings. If that works I will try that out for a while. Then I will have the alternatives of 11-36 and 11-34 if needed.

I have also got the option of fitting the 11-42 to my mountain bike if that doesn’t work out on the Alice. Maybe by the end of all this experimenting I will have gearing on both bikes which suits my riding.