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Has anyone tried running mullet on an Aeris 120?
Recently tried a few short travel 29ers and really enjoyed them. Currently have an out of warranty Aeris with a 130mm Debonair '16 Pike and a -2 headset. (522 a2c)
Seriously considering trying a 29er front end, 130mm Pike or 35mm SID.
Most 29er forks seem about 10mm more A2c, and I'm guessing there's about 15mm rolling radius increase, so front end about 25mm higher.
Bird do geo figures for a 140mm fork, so it's only about 15mm more than that, suspect I'm not sensitive enough to notice. I've already cocked about with the geo with the headset anyways, and BB is already quite low.
So, will I end up with a 64 degree short travel trail slaying demi-wagon, or a teetering mess?
I guess if the latter, I'll just have to plunder the funds for a 29er downcountry frame.
(I've already got a Ripmo so could steal the wheel off that in the experiment phase, but the fork, a DVO Onyx SC, can't go down to 130 AFAIK)
That seems like it would work fine if you're willing to accept the loss of fork travel. I've done similar with a Plus bike (remember them?!) and it's great fun
Most 29er forks seem about 10mm more A2c, and I’m guessing there’s about 15mm rolling radius increase, so front end about 25mm higher.
rockshox pike is 19mm longer A-C for the same travel. Also 19mm more on the wheel radius (tyres being equal)
but birds are low to begin with so probably not terrible.
despite the current mullet fad, I've yet to find a comprehensive review of the handling changes in 3 dimensions with a dynamic (e.g. standing up) rider.
For example, should bottom bracket height from the ground be our key metric of cornering prowess; or should we be looking at BB drop from a line drawn between the axles?
I'm yet to be convinced that mulleting a non-mullet bike is really the way forward.
I tried a hypothetical one with a G170, still using the 27.5 forks but due to clearance i could get a 29er wheel in it... it was awful... Sure, maybe dropping 20mm off the front would have helped it... but.... maybe not.
I run a mullet in a Specialized Status.... but it was designed with mullet in mind.
@ayjaydoubleyou ah thanks, same for a SID 35 and 34sc. Bum, not sure where I found the 10mm!
Like you say, BB is already low which helps. I guess this really is a suck it and see if I like it job. Im pretty fond of a steep SA which obviously won't help.
Pain in the bum that my 29 forks won't drop further as otherwise I've got all the stuff.
Interesting you say about the BB drop, I was looking at that and thinking 'how the hell do I work that out with a mullet?' it looked like I may have to delve into my A Level Maths. Then I remembered I got an E, and went and made a cup of tea instead.
@weeksy what was so awful about the 170 with a 29?
Front end was all over the place matey.
Ah, I've probably already covered that effect when I figured the -2 headset, and I wrote like it 😀
your 2 degree headset has already lowered the front a bit more than stock (assuming its not got some really fat lower external cups) by kicking the fork out more. so there is a bit of extra to play with.
trying to do some maths in my head:
bigger wheel raises the front by 19mm. Fork of same travel is 19mm longer, but that 19mm is at 66 degrees, so about 12mm taller.
hedtube and bars will be raised by about 31mm.
This you can probably overcome with stem spacers and bars with less rise.
This will stretch out your seated saddle to bar length, but see below, you should slide the saddle forward anyway.
as the bottom bracket is about 2/3 of the way between the two axles, 31mm front end rise will raise the BB by about 10mm. quite a bit, but not beyond the bounds of normality.
Thinner pedals (if flats) or thinner shoes (cleated) could get you down 5mm.
Left field suggestion - I know short cranks are on trend (I have some) but if you are a "outside foot down cornerer" then longer cranks would lower your foot back down for standing cornering, and drop your seated position; with no loss of ground clearance compared to how it is now. But you will still be higher up on level pedal stood up situations.
31mm at the front is about a degree and a half off the head and seat angles. Head angle slackening is a desired feature, on the seat angle you can get about a degree of that back, by sliding the saddle from the middle to the front of the seat mount.
I’m yet to be convinced that mulleting a non-mullet bike is really the way forward
Gotta have the right starting point. Eg your old G160 was far better suited than the 170 as it was lower and longer.
The fag packet numbers I did on mine came right around where your current Status is (in between the high and low settings)
I think you're generally best off mulleting a 29er because it just drops the rear axle by 19mm, so BB by about 12mm and angles slacker by about a degree - and if the bike has a high setting it'll usually cancel out about half of that, making it a bit slacker and lower than full 29" in the low setting.
Unfortunately that won't work great for all the 27.5" bikes already out there!
The fag packet numbers I did on mine came right around where your current Status is (in between the high and low settings)
WEirdly i can't get it into the low setting, the shock seems to get in the way, with both the DPX2 and the Bomber CR, the spacer hits the little ridge, so i'd have to modify them.
Do it, it’ll probably be fine and dandy. Younger already slackened and lowered it with the angleset so it’s not like you’ll ruin the stock geometry.
You’ve already got the frame so not much to lose. I’d stick a pike in it and go for a spin. You can always put a different headset in if the longer fork/wheel make it too slack.