[mtbikerboy]

It's pourig down rain here in the PNW. I finally got around to actualy measuring the
head angle on my spot. I dropped a plumb bob from the top of a fork leg and
held a level across the bottom to form a triangle. I know a lot of folks on this board have
the same setup so thougtht I'd share.....and the answer is...... 67.25. I never hear
angles called out as fractions so I 'spose I'll call it 67 degrees.

btw, I got motivated because the angle looked really similar to my gaint faith with a 888 up
front and that just didn't seem reasonable. The faith measured 64.5. Hmm. looks
can be decieving.

 

[tscheezy]

"Z1 FR" can be anything from 130-150mm. Want to narrow that down?

When I measure HA I use a relatively accurate carpenter's angle finder and measure one direction and then spin the bike 180 to face the opposite way and average the two results to take any slope or irregularities in the floor into account. Barny's Spot with an extended Pike came in at 68.75 degrees.

 

[jncarpenter]

"Z1 FR" can be anything from 130-150mm. Want to narrow that down?

When I measure HA I use a relatively accurate carpenter's angle finder and measure one direction and then spin the bike 180 to face the opposite way and average the two results to take any slope or irregularities in the floor into account. Barny's Spot with an extended Pike came in at 68.75 degrees.

...I just finished installing a 06 Z1 Light ETA on the Spot. I was surprised to note that in 130mm mode, there is nearly .25" more exposed stanchion than my 04/ 05 130mm Z1 FR. Somehow, the net setup is nearly identical.

Specs listed A-C at 518.5 mm (2006). Guess I need a cheap angle finder

 

[.Danno.]

68 degree HA on mine...

I just checked the angle with a 518mm A-C Z1 FR (130mm travel). I did two averaged measurements with the bike flipped 180 to cancel out my garage floor slant - which ended up being 1 degree.

 

[mtbikerboy]

true that

"Z1 FR" can be anything from 130-150mm. Want to narrow that down?

When I measure HA I use a relatively accurate carpenter's angle finder and measure one direction and then spin the bike 180 to face the opposite way and average the two results to take any slope or irregularities in the floor into account. Barny's Spot with an extended Pike came in at 68.75 degrees.

good point. Mine is a 2004 130mm. A pretty tall fork compared to other 5 inch forks
that year. A carpenters tool would be much faster and easier than string, level and calculator.
I can say, regardless of the exact angle, it's an incredibly fine ride.

 

[Bikezilla]

...I just finished installing a 06 Z1 Light ETA on the Spot. I was surprised to note that in 130mm mode, there is nearly .25" more exposed stanchion than my 04/ 05 130mm Z1 FR.

My franken fork (Z1chassis TST & TAS rods) also has 7mm(~.28") more stanchion exposed in 130mode than my 130mm '03 Z1 ETA did.
Z1AM: 141mm
'03 Z1: 134mm

I'll have to remove the fender and wheel to get a decent A2C measurement though.
I've been thinking about getting an angle finder myself but figured I'd only use it once or twice, but I thought that about that caliper, and I use it all the time.

 

[xcspeed]

measuring headangle

To measure HA, I take a photo of the bike (not too close or you'll get distortion).
Then I import it into coreldraw and measure the angle.

 

[.Danno.]

To measure HA, I take a photo of the bike (not too close or you'll get distortion).
Then I import it into coreldraw and measure the angle.

Angle finder, less than $10, and works great! I've tried the digital photo route, but find the angle finder is way more accurate, and a whole lot quicker.

I've measured lots of bikes. One friend is sporting a 63 deg HA on a DH rig - plows over everything, but don't try something silly like turning ;~)

 

[Bikezilla]

What kind of angle finder did you get? Brand/location?

 

[Jaybo]

My concern with a 518mm fork

It's pourig down rain here in the PNW. I finally got around to actualy measuring the
head angle on my spot. I dropped a plumb bob from the top of a fork leg and
held a level across the bottom to form a triangle. I know a lot of folks on this board have
the same setup so thougtht I'd share.....and the answer is...... 67.25. I never hear
angles called out as fractions so I 'spose I'll call it 67 degrees.

btw, I got motivated because the angle looked really similar to my gaint faith with a 888 up
front and that just didn't seem reasonable. The faith measured 64.5. Hmm. looks
can be decieving.

Another issue with a large fork on a frame is it lifts the bottom bracket up. Casey told me the Turner is designed around a 505mm fork. Does that mean people don't enjoy their 518mm forks? No. But, you would find yourself with a more sluggish riding bike that is more stable at speed. It would also be a more sluggish climber unless the ETA is activated. I would love to try my Spot with a 518mm fork at speed. Thinking about it.

Jaybo

 

[jncarpenter]

...angle finders, basement mathematics...Pshaw! It all seems so Black & White to me!

 

[mtbikerboy]

...angle finders, basement mathematics...Pshaw! It all seems so Black & White to me!

yeah, really. Actually red and grey for me, but like i said, It was puring down rain here
in the PNW and a needed a reason to hang with the spot. It's intersting info for future
reference.

 

[MK_]

Another issue with a large fork on a frame is it lifts the bottom bracket up. Casey told me the Turner is designed around a 505mm fork. Does that mean people don't enjoy their 518mm forks? No. But, you would find yourself with a more sluggish riding bike that is more stable at speed. It would also be a more sluggish climber unless the ETA is activated. I would love to try my Spot with a 518mm fork at speed. Thinking about it.

Jaybo

We're talking 13mm here, half of an inch. Bottom bracket heigh gets affected about 25% as much by the height of the fork, so we're talking 3-4mm higher. If the 5 Spot is designed for 505mm, then the original setup with 125mm 32mm Foxes was 10mm shorter than the design calls for, so it is just as much off the sweet spot as the too tall fork, and I wouldn't give up the feeling of a stiff fork for the sporty handling the Fox provides.

_MK

 

[.Danno.]

Angle finder

What kind of angle finder did you get? Brand/location?

BZ,

Mine's a "Johnson Magnetic Angle Locator". The "Magnetic" part is that it has a mag strip on one side that allows you stick it to ferris metals (e.g. my Z150, ouch), the other side is a V groove that works really good against a fork stanchion. You can eyeball it to ~0.25 degrees.

I got this one at Lowe's, but I've seen them (and others of the same ilk) in a lot of home improvement type stores.

 

[.Danno.]

Another issue with a large fork on a frame is it lifts the bottom bracket up. Casey told me the Turner is designed around a 505mm fork. Does that mean people don't enjoy their 518mm forks? No. But, you would find yourself with a more sluggish riding bike that is more stable at speed. It would also be a more sluggish climber unless the ETA is activated. I would love to try my Spot with a 518mm fork at speed. Thinking about it.

Jaybo

I love the Spot's handling with the 518mm fork, but you're right about climbing because I'm all over ETA for that. A lot of the downs here in SoCal tend to be pretty steep, and a little slacker HA helps. I'm also used to slack bikes, so I run short stems and DH bars so I can get a lot of weight on the front to carve the turns.

 

[Jaybo]

I never said I agreed....

We're talking 13mm here, half of an inch. Bottom bracket heigh gets affected about 25% as much by the height of the fork, so we're talking 3-4mm higher. If the 5 Spot is designed for 505mm, then the original setup with 125mm 32mm Foxes was 10mm shorter than the design calls for, so it is just as much off the sweet spot as the too tall fork, and I wouldn't give up the feeling of a stiff fork for the sporty handling the Fox provides.

_MK

Just what Casey at Turner told me when I called him. He did say it is personal preference. The 125mm Fox forks were 500mm I think. I think the 518mm forks just slow down the steering, raise the BB, and create a more stable bike. Nothing more or less....If you like it great, if not, great! I might give it a shot. I might just keep my Fox and throw a Pike or Marzocchi on for certain rides.

Jaybo

PS PNCarpenter, you look like a perfect candidate for a 6 Pack with that build.

 

[PSI]

Climbing with 518 A2C

I love the Spot's handling with the 518mm fork, but you're right about climbing because I'm all over ETA for that. A lot of the downs here in SoCal tend to be pretty steep, and a little slacker HA helps. I'm also used to slack bikes, so I run short stems and DH bars so I can get a lot of weight on the front to carve the turns.

There's one particular training loop near here (Nepoleon hill for you locals) that has one short uphill section, that to the best of my knowledge, only a few expert level xc racer types can climb. I consider myself a fair climber and I've tried clearing that section with my HT and old Superlight a billion times (both set to 80mm/71 HA) to no avail. Last week I took a crack at it with my 5 spot and made it on the second try. I have a Z1 SL 130 (no ETA, only useless ECC) so it was fully extended at 518 A2C/68 HA.

Obviously I congratgulate the frame's rear suspension (HL, but thats for a different thread) more than I do myself.

 

[Bikezilla]

Tnx .Danno. That's the one I have to find. My local HD has a crappy one which barely eyeballs to 1 deg accurately, more like 2 degs. I'll check Sears.

PSI it wasn't your HL that got you up that hill...it was the "Force"...diagram.

 

[dogvet]

By putting the long fork on it therby totally destroying those hallowed angles that DT designed into the bike which it would appear on this forum are the most important parameters, now that TNT has replaced HP. (originally designed for 19.75 " or 202mm) Why not put a huge layback seatpost on it as well and call it a Turner Chopper!!

 

[jokermtb]

I ride a spot w/ an 04 Z1FR...and it definitely pushes in the front, when cornering hard, tight trails....if you don't have your weight up front! I have to constantly remind myself to "get up on the tank" in these situations....but, I believe it is a worthwhile trade off for the outstanding abilities to tackle sketchy terrain w/ the zoke out front padding one's way....until fox makes a 110 mm fork w/ marz damping, I'll stick with my chopper!