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I'm building up a dirt jumper for messing around doing pump tracks and little easy jumps/practicing bunny hops and stuff.... basically for farting around with my kid down the park or pumptrack.
Got a pile of second hand bits including a Dartmoor 26 player frame, and a rigid Gusset DJ fork. Rigid because cheap and no maintenance.
Dartmoor website says 'suspension only' for that frame, although they do make rigid DJ bikes in their steel models.
I emailed Dartmoor asking if the suspension only advice for that frame is because of the geometry, or because of materials (what with the frame being quite burly aluminium).
They didn't reply though - so I'm hoping wise people on Singletrack can tell me if they think building this frame up rigid will:
a) be good (or kind of OK)
b) feel terrible
c) be dangerous
d) be guaranteed death
Thanks o wise ones in advance!
Maybe it says suspension only to achieve the correct geometry and bb hieght.
[s]Probably the geometry, I can't imagine they would sell a DJ frame that couldn't take the abuse. For 130mm equivalentness you would be looking at a 450-460mm fork like the long Identiti Rebate forks.[/s]
[s]I have a pair I'm fitting to my Trailstar which I'd swap if they turn out to be too long and you find yours are too short. No guarantees I'll have it running soon though.[/s]
Did some digging, sounds like alu doesn't like rigid for hard riding:
https://www.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=78946&pagenum=7553
You’ll be absolutely fine on a pump track with rigid forks, maybe it’s not going to handle the sort of 20 ft tombstone trails it’s intended riders may do but smooth smooth trails will be fine.
ta for the thoughts everyone.
looks like fork length on the Gusset DJ is 430mm
frame recommends 90-130 travel so that's 470-510mm roughly I guess.
even with a bit of sag that's a fair way out isn't it? darn it.
Forks were £50 off eBay but came looking unused in original box with stickers....so if anyone reading this fancies them for £50 get in touch! (they're the QR ones)
@squirrelking that's some good quality digging right there with the Pinkbike thread, your name checks out, thanks!
To be honest those forks sound ideal for the lower end of your frame rated travel, I originally bought my big forks for my Trailstar LT (130mm) but since got an original one with horizontal drops so taking a punt on them working.
I'm sure if you thrash it you will run into bother but as said that probably won't be the case on a pump track, it's going to be tougher than a racing BMX running rigid forks on a similar track so batter in.
I missed the pump track bit before so definitely don't give up on it yet.
Dartmoor frames take big forks. This becomes an issue with rigid forks as the A2C isn't exactly long on them. That said, a DJ frame should only be using a 100mm fork so you "should" be able to fit a DJ frame specific rigid up front.
I've got some Marzocchi dj3 future coming up for sale soon. They may as well be rigid...!
@tb927 I’d be interested in the forks pending a pic and confirmation of steerer length