 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
So I come from a rigid MTB background. My current bike is a hardtail with air forks 120-150mm adjustable. The frame is too small for me which doesn't help, but I have always felt unsafe with suspension forks on downhill corners. This is due to the fact that I am always uncertain of how much grip I have when the fork is working, and I also don't like the way I feel pitched forward too much in certain situations when I am trying to ensure the front tyre maintains grip. On a rigid bike I always felt safer as I knew exactly where I was with front wheel grip. I just don't get this feeling with bouncy forks.
For my new hardtail build (with a correctly sized frame) I am going with 100mm forks only. I know nothing about the various fork settings but I intend to try running the pressure quite high to see if this changes things. Another thing I have thought of is trying coil forks instead..... anyone care to comment on any advantages in 'feel' over air forks? Or is it much the same?
What sort of terrain do you ride?
Mixed, occasional reds at trail centres.
Air forks that feel like coil forks, and stay higher in their travel 'till needed, are a modern day thing. They exist. Don't judge modern day air forks on experiences with older ones.
I'm a big coil fan though.
That doesn't really narrow is down.
Rocky? if so wet, jagged ect
Rooty?
Muddy?
ect...
"Mixed" sounds like a euphemism for "fire road" or even "canal tow path" for variety... you keep pushing that envelope 😀
To be fair most of my old school XC is on a hardtail with knackered 100mm forks, hones technique.
How rude!
Plenty of great 100mm forks (and longer travel forks that can be dropped to 100mm) out there with air springs. Very little choice of short travel coil forks. Go air.
sounds to me like you need to get the geometry sorted first. Feeling unsafe suggests a too-small frame/long stem/steep head angle/old skool issue.
Go for a modern geo - longer, slacker, shorter stem, wider bars, more travel, more stability.
Quality of the fork depends on the quality of the damping, IMO, rather than the spring material per se, and modern forks are a significant jump better, and safer, than older designs (if that's what you have).
The frame is too small for me which doesn't help
That's probably a big part of the problem. It also sounds like your forks weren't set up properly. If they are diving too much, you may need to increase the pressure and compression damping, especially if you are riding fairly smooth trails. Air forks are much more adjustable than coils, so hard to see how a coil fork will help things. Also, tyre pressures make a big difference to grip. If your front tyre is losing grip, tyre pressures would be an obvious thing to check.
Could I ask why you want to use suss fork, when you clearly don't like them?
If you're more happy running rigid, why not stick to it?
Mixed use means a bit of everything. From towpaths to reds. No blacks or jumps any higher than a couple of feet (once airborne). Radical I know.
I like suspension forks on the flattish bits and not too steep sections. I have to say the thing I like most about them is the preload for roots! Where I dislike them is on steepish bits where you are braking or going front wheel heavy/ trying to find front wheel grip going into a corner.
I think the frame being too small probably is a big part of it, I have fallen off a few times in the last year, I hardly ever fell off the rigid. Well not unless I was being a total idiot.
The forks I have are pretty high spec and are not old.
So, from what I read above, when I am finished with the build of my new bike, in order to maximise downhill tracking/ traction I should:
- Run a lower front tyre PSI
- Increase fork pressure
- Increase compression damping
- Increase rebound damping
Correct? Should I also adjust sag?
Based on description add some Low speed compression damping if an option. That should keep the fork higher in the travel when descending steep stuff.
NEW FRAME-MODERN GEO
It sounds like your bike in general is suffering.
What fork and frame btw?