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Hi all,
For the past 3-4 years I’ve been exclusively riding a rigid SS.
I’ve been tinkering with adding a suspension fork on and off in that time and really struggled. Current fork is a few years old SID RL.
With a SS, the fork needs to be able to ride nicely and be pretty firm when gurning out of the saddle but behave like actual suspension descending (IMO, some people are happy with mushy suspension SS or not). I love how responsive a bike with a rigid fork is, but want to eek out a bit more speed and margin for error descending.
I don’t like using a lock out, as in rolling terrain it would need to be used all the time, plus it spoils the simple essence of just going and riding and adds cables. The other thing I don’t like is raising the bar height on a hardtail at the one time you’d actually prefer a lower front end (climbing)
Setting up the SID to descend nicely (less rebound damping- rebound as fast as I can get away with, average sag, no volume spacers) makes it a horrible pingy pogo stick to climb with. As far as I can tell I am very limited in the adjustments I have on that fork.
So…
I’m thinking something like a Fox 34 with a Grip2 damper. Add quite a lot of LSC damping and quite a lot of LS rebound damping to try and make the fork quite rigid and settled climbing/ sprinting out of the saddle. Then adjust high speed compression and rebound damping as required for descending.
Could I set up a Grip2 to basically be a rigid fork with the AC height pretty much around the sag height, then use the high speed adjustments to get it to function however seems good descending?
I realise this would be a pretty extreme setup but I’m approaching things from the “I love a rigid fork but want a suspension bonus descending” point of view.
Are there any other forks to consider besides A Fox Grip2, adjustments or modifications which would allow a differ suspension fork to work how I have in mind (however odd that might seem)?
Thanks!
DanW
I have a Fox fork and just lock it out with the lever on the top of the fork stanchion. I'd actually prefer having a remote lockout but that's what the 2nd hand bike came with so that's it for now.
Something like the Reba or Revelation (or modern equivalent... I'm out of touch as I'm also on a rigid SS) has all the usual adjustments but you can set the lockout and then adjust the blow off threshold, so it ignores pedaling input and gradual undulations but works fine over bumps.
I also removed the remote lockout from mine, you can unhook a spring inside the fork and then put an Oring into the cable groove on the top cap of the fork to get rid of the cable
I think I’ve got it set up similar to on my previous geared hardtail. If anything it’s plusher and bobs more because it’s a 160mm Lyrik and the bike before had a 150mm Pike. And I can’t lock this out because it’s an RC2 not RCT.
My bouncy bike has a DT Swiss EXM 150, from a few years back, fitted. push down on a knob on the top of a leg and itlowers 25% and firms up considerably. Maybe you need something similar?
It has a Blow off valve for unintended big hits in the lowered state, and no hoses or cables going anywhere...
Setting up the SID to descend nicely (less rebound damping- rebound as fast as I can get away with, average sag, no volume spacers) makes it a horrible pingy pogo stick to climb with. As far as I can tell I am very limited in the adjustments I have on that fork.
Add some more rebound and compression damping then? I've got a 140mm 35's on my Scandal which is singlespeed, works well enough, even if it is heavy. The damper inside isn't a million miles away from the SID, they're both basic motion control dampers.
That and just adjust your pedaling style. Brace your core/arms to keep your upper body steady so the suspension isn't moving in the first place.
I have a Fox fork and just lock it out with the lever on the top of the fork stanchion
Locking out it a PITA on constantly changing singletrack which is where I am and what I ride. Biggest issue is I really dislike making the fork taller on a hardtail. Locking out both ends of a full sus is great but just locking the front for climbing isn't nice for the higher bar height IMO.
My bouncy bike has a DT Swiss EXM 150, from a few years back, fitted. push down on a knob on the top of a leg and itlowers 25% and firms up considerably. Maybe you need something similar?
I wish more forks locked out at sag, not fully extended. I think Magura also did something like this in the past. Sadly no current forks lock out within the travel as far as I am aware. That would be perfect though. If someone knows of one please let me know 🙂
set the lockout and then adjust the blow off threshold, so it ignores pedaling input and gradual undulations but works fine over bumps.
On previous RS forks I've found this OK for emergency forgetting the lockout is on but not a substitute for a nicely performing fork descending. It will still be on the harsh side IMO. It may be total nonsense but I was also told by someone not to keep the lockout on in this way as the threshold blow off valve isn't designed to be constantly used and there is a risk of damage. Could be bollo x
Add some more rebound and compression damping then? I’ve got a 140mm 35’s on my Scandal which is singlespeed, works well enough, even if it is heavy. The damper inside isn’t a million miles away from the SID, they’re both basic motion control dampers.
That and just adjust your pedaling style. Brace your core/arms to keep your upper body steady so the suspension isn’t moving in the first place.
I'm well aware how to climb/ sprint out of the saddle. It is more of a case of trying to optimise a fork for the responsiveness climbing similar to a rigid fork and getting suspension benefits descending. The rigid part of the equation is as much about feel and fun as it is speed. In most off road cases a horrible feeling suspension fork is actually quicker climbing from the quick tests I've done.
The fork is a 100mm RS SID RL. With 25% sag and no volume spacers, compression damping fully open, I get 60-65mm travel on an average ride. A very active 60-65mm. The only remaining way to try and get more out of it is adjust the rebound, but if I add even a touch of rebound damping then the fork packs down and becomes really wooden and harsh in fast rocky terrain. I've taken it to TF Tuned and the answer was the SID of that year is just very progressive and there isn't anything which can be done. It also has a really tall bottom out bumper in the bottom of the legs which means even with no air in, it takes a really hard hit to get even 90mm travel. It really is the worst of all worlds. Feels nice in the car park and ticks the "mid stroke support" box of a magazine test but not very versatile. I've got it the best I can for the descending part of the equation with TF's help but would like to improve the low speed/ out of saddle/ pumping/ braking feel of a fork.
What forks/ dampers in the 100-120mm travel range offer a decent amount of separate high and low speed adjustments to try and get the set up I have in mind?
Carbon is my suggestion
Xfusion forks with HRC damper have separate low and high speed compression.
I've got a 120mm SID 35 on my SS and set it a bit firmer (around 15% sag) and a couple of clicks of compression damping for racing where it's twisty and up and down. Almost always reach for the full lock out on anything long though.
I ride SS with 130 fox float RL and rarely use the lockout.
Put a 2.6 tyre on the front, some oneup flexy bars and some revgrips. Embrace the rigid fork...this thread proves how adding complexity takes away from the pure simplicity of riding a singlespeed:)
I have some old 'zocchi forks that "lock down"ie when you click the switch they lock down in the travel which effectively means they also have much more preload when locked so are shorter and stiffer when locked. I don't know if you can still buy forks that do this but it sounds like that is what you need
What about something like the MRP Ribbon SL which has independent positive and negative air springs? Stick a bit more air the positive than negative and you got lots more support.
Not sure if that will give the effect you're after. But maybe worth a bit of googling?
Embrace the rigid fork…this thread proves how adding complexity takes away from the pure simplicity of riding a singlespeed:)
I always go back to that thought having tried suspension 🙂
Xfusion forks with HRC damper have separate low and high speed compression.
MRP Ribbon SL
Some good other options to look in to thanks!
RS Pikes with the Charger 3 damper seem to have very separate HS and LS adjustments.
Does a Fox FIT4?
DVO?
Any other 100-120mm forks where the HS and LS can be independently adjusted?
I N R A T S but I wonder how much a suss fork slows you down on an SS climbing. And even if it does,why should that matter, is it losing you races? Have you tried a comparison with a power meter?
Al, mid placed 00s racer with 130mm forks.
RS Reba with a remote lockout for me.
Which works just fine. I’m tempted to swap for some rigid forks though.
For out of the saddle climbing I want the fork as close to totally locked out as it can be / the remote lockout gets pretty close to that and it’s no hassle to use.