You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Reading the current '29er Hardtail' thread one of the posters mentioned the option of picking up an XC frame designed for 100mm forks and putting bigger forks on it. Just curious as to people on here who have done similar and their experiences/ recommendations? Anglesets? Longer forks? Fat tyres? Boost forks? Etc etc....
I can't see it working as well as a properly thought out frame tbh.
It's going to lift what is already probably a high BB and stress a frame designed for XC duties.
Can't see the point of putting a boost fork in either unless you're putting bigger than 2.4 tyres up front.
I run an old 26" 80 mm Anthem frame with 130 mm U-Turn Revelations. It wouldn't survive serious rough stuff, but it's still quick uphill and much better on steep descents.
Got a 26” 2004 Kona Caldera. Picked the frame up for £50 from Fb classifieds - it’s a bit battered and sure I could replace it just as cheaply again.
Now running some 100-130mm U-turn Revelations, 1x10 drivetrain, 2.4/2.25 On one tyres setup tubeless on some new wheels I built with wtb 25mm inner diameter rims.
Tend to run the revs at 130mm travel unless I have a long draggy climb (like yesterday at Cwmcarn). It handles pretty well, but you can tell it’s quite short / steep on stuff like The twrch yesterday at CC. That said on flatter trails with less rocks it’s pretty fun. It probably owes me about £500.
Its as hardcore as that frame is going to get, but it’s not hardcore in any other way. It probably doesn’t help my other bike is 160/160mm travel with a long reach and circa 64 degree headangle.
’29er Hardtail’ thread one of the posters mentioned the option of picking up an XC frame designed for 100mm forks and putting bigger forks on it.
This was me...
What I forgot to mention: when you buy such an bit older frame for a couple bucks make sure that the headtube is 44 mm I.D..
Then Uberbike will help you with:
this headset to adapt for a modern 1-1/8 - 1 1/2 tapered fork.
Yes - the BB will move a bit up when running a 130 mm fork instead of a 100 mm fork. But I don't have any problems with that (have other bikes with very low BB - it's always a trade off. A very low BB can be a hassle as well...).
"Gnar": wider rims, fat front tyre and new fork will help to go through "Gnar". Low cost fun! The only thing I don't do with such an upgraded XC bike: lot's of jumping.
If you look for such a (couple bucks) low cost project: pick maybe a frame which is a bit larger than what you normally would buy and put a very short stem on. The shorter stem might increase the fun level and the bit bigger frame helps the bike climbing (with the longer fork).
Great winter project. Last winter with those 130 mm Fox Rhythm sale and sale for 25 mm FunWorks rims/DT 370 wheels (actionsports) and the sale from uberbike for those headsets the upgrade was dirt cheap. And: the bike behaves like it was designed for the 130 mm fork! The fork, the fat front tyre, the short stem...- just great!
There's nothing hardcore about long forks or big tyres. Infact. Quite the opposite. In my eyes "hardcore" is down to the rider more than the bike. just start sending the bike. When it fails buy a dirtjump frame.
Fit a dropper?
Excellent - but expensive piece of equipment:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cane-Creek-Thudbuster-Seat-Post/dp/B003NE5IRK
Thudbuster LT
Might be interesting if:
you don't need a dropper
if you spend lots of time on the saddle
Reduces fatigue on very long rides, absorbs small bumps like a full suspension bike (o.k. - a bit like...) but won't change of course anything of the overall dynamics of the bike - if it get's rough you have to get out of the saddle..
One of my older (really old!) hardtails has such an Thudbuster LT. Works flawless.
But expensive.
I'd say it's a pretty daft idea. I ran an old inbred with a pike 454 wound down to 130, so within the specified travel range for the frame, and ended up ripping the headtube off it, breaking my collarbone in the process. Caveat emptor.
I did precisely what you describe OP, I found a 17" 2013 commencal supernormal 29 frame on ebay for £50, badly resprayed but functional.
The Iisted HA was 69.5* with a 100mm fork, so I fitted a 120mm fork and a - 2* angleset taking it back to a (theoretical) 67* ish. Fitted a dropper too of course...
I've never ridden it in it's stock setup for comparison, but it seems to work well with the changes I have made; the frame has enough clearance for 2.3" (or maybe wider) tyres and it's much lighter than many of my old bikes which helps generally, the 29" wheels seem to carry that little bit more momentum... But even so I do maybe find the back end a little more stiff than I'd hoped, it's a marginal issue. But then for £50 who's really going to complain? Just Pick your lines in the roots and on smoother stuff it's great fun.
Oh and having a 56/44 headtube was handy for fitting the angleset...
Short stem wide bars would be my starting point
I always chuckle at these threads; where it doesn't seem that long ago 100mm travel and 2.2 tyres was still pretty hardcore accompanied by some pretty steep head angles and 680 bars.
20 years+ and 60mm travel was all you needed
But to answer the question, some modern xc frames have pretty relaxed head angles which allows installing longer travel forks to work ok.
It's always a bit of a punt though as even with decent sag, handling may not be sublime.
The main operational issue ime is rear tyre clearance, especially on non boost xc frames.