[RockStarRacing]

thinking of swapping my rig for a ferrous frame, as i find the rig a little harsh for longer rides, and reckon the steel ferrous will suit me better. how compliant is the ferrous frame?

 

[azpoolguy]

I swapped from an '06 Rig frame to an '07 Ferrous. The ride difference is amazing. The Ferrous tracks better,steers better and feels like it has 2" of suspension compared to the Rig. I was always pushing the front end of the Rig in corners and the Ferrous just rails. The only issue is the Ferrous has less tire clearance in the chain stays.

 

[tanen]

did you use the same G2 Fork? or switch to something else?

 

[BigWheeler]

The Ferrous and the Rig do have significantly different geometry, so that's something to consider: the Ferrous is non-G2 (built around 38/9mm offset forks, but not quite G1) geometry, while the '08 Rig is G2, with the longer offset (51mm) fork. Swapping parts over from the '08 Rig to the Ferrous will have you putting the Fox fork with the longer offset on a bike with a super-steep headtube (72.6 degrees, if I remember correctly), and this will result in a very quick handling bike. Very.

I have a Ferrous and I really like it, but I can't imagine putting a G2 fork on it. I might consider putting a 44mm offset ('modern' 29er offset) fork on it with the travel bumped up to 100mm to slow it down just a little.

One other thing to note is that the Ferrous is a heavy frame. Between the steel and the chunky EBB it's a bit of a porker. It makes up for that in a very forgiving ride, but you're not getting a weight-weeny bike with it. I've built mine up with reasonable parts (Thomson, Rhythm Comps, etc.), and even as a single speed it's well over 27 pounds.

Good luck on making the switch if you decide to go that route, but remember that more than just the frame material will change.

 

[azpoolguy]

I used the '06 Reba from my Rig witch was G-1.
There are lots of threads on fork offsets. I'm not sure how a Ferrous would handle with the newer offset forks. The Ferrous has its own geometry not G-2. You could compare geometry with a Niner or some other brand and maybe come up with a handling comparison with the newer fork offset.

 

[axcxnj]

i switched from a rig to a ferrous frame, so i have a G2 fork on the ferrous and i have to say, its not ideal... it rides alright..but it doesnt do well with tight switchbacks....too much steering input and it likes to snap the wheel all the way around and throw you on your face...the bike is happier leaning than steering...so it has trouble in slow tight stuff

also what i found to make a bigger difference was a carbon seatpost, much bigger change than going from alu to steel.

i do like the ferrous frame though...

 

[robkhoo]

Hi Trev... I've got a geared Ferrous at the mo, nice and comfy but like Bigwheeler said, bit of a porker. I keep it for long days out and special occasions; I think it looks lovely though.

PS Did Voley beat you in the Haribo eating contest?

 

[Steel29er]

The Ferrous Rocks :thumbsup:

 

[LBIkid]

So, BigWheeler and axcxnj:

What should one look for in a fork for the Ferrous, in terms of offset, a-c length, etc.?

 

[BigWheeler]

What should one look for in a fork for the Ferrous, in terms of offset, a-c length, etc.?

To match the steep headtube on the Ferrous you're going to need a older-generation Reba (2008 or before) with 38-9mm of offset (it's listed as both in different places). Assuming you're running this at the 80mm setting, you're looking at about a 485mm axle-to-crown height, or a 465mm sagged height. (Both of those A-C heights are off the top of my head, but they're pretty close.)

I *think* that the first generation of the Rebas are the only suspension forks to have these numbers. There are a number of rigid forks that are built to mimic this; the Bontrager Switchblade comes immediately to mind, but there are others.

I've heard of people trying new-generation forks on the Ferrous. These forks have between 43 and 45mm of offset (think RST, Manitou, Fox, and non-G2 Rebas) and will quicken the handling of the bike if kept at the 80mm travel setting. I've considered getting one of these forks and setting it up at the 100mm setting, though, in hopes of balancing out the ride some. I don't know of anyone who has done this, but it seems like a reasonable way to get a stiffer fork with more travel while keeping roughly the same handling. Again, I haven't tested this, but I have been toying with the idea.

 

[mo0se]

The technique.. is more important than frame material.

 

[KonaEnduroJC]

I have one of each.... i really like both for their individual characteristics. Overall I like the Ferrous for longer rides... But its heavy.... Decisions suck. PM me if you want more info.

 

[RockStarRacing]

PS Did Voley beat you in the Haribo eating contest?

Hey Pal, i got DQ'd for cheating, i called it using my imagination..............

 

[RockStarRacing]

how much heavier is the ferrous in the frame than the Rig?

 

[azpoolguy]

I believe between 227 and 340.5 grms.

 

[RockStarRacing]

that's quite precise! less than a pound then.

 

[azpoolguy]

I'm trying to remember back a few months when I weighed my '07 Ferrous frame and it was 4.8lbs. I had a friends '09 Rig in my garage at the same time and it was 4 pounds even if I remember right. The Rig frame was the same weight as a Niner Sir9 and my Ferrous was more but I didn't care because it cost a lot less than the Niner and its a trail/race bike not a pure race bike with stupid light components or wheel/tire combo.

 

[azpoolguy]

And don't believe the hype about a carbon seat post riding better than the steel Ferrous. I used the Bontrager ACC post on both the Rig and Ferrous. The Ferrous frame far out ways the benefits of the carbon post. But mine does have some aluminum in it so YMMV.

 

[RockStarRacing]

cheers azpoolguy, think ive made my decision.

 

[azpoolguy]

Report back and let us know how it works out for you.