[knutso]

I have an NS Liar frame. I put an Origin8 CX fork ( 403 A-C 45mm offset ) on for a try. I like the rigid life, and the handling is real fun at low speed, but descending at speed on country roads has yielded a few hairy twitches I don't want more of.

I am thinking of going for a custom fork. I wouldn't mind dropping the BB a bit because I run bigger tires, but I do simultaneously want to slow the handling down. Right now I am leaning towards a 395 A-C and a 25-30mm offset.

Whaddya think?

Thank You for reading

 

[pvd]

Figure out what you are trying to accomplish.

Flop | Peter Verdone Designs

www.peterverdone.com

 

[knutso]

Figure out what you are trying to accomplish.

Flop | Peter Verdone Designs

www.peterverdone.com

Right on! If I am reading the trail and flop calculator correctly. Going with a shorter fork ( from 403 to 385, taking head angle from 71.6 to 72.6 ), then making up for it by reducing offset ( from 45 to 35 ) actually gets me more trail without adding flop. Which is what I think I want, as the bike feels too anxious to turn when I pedal down a hill in my 38 x 9 big gear, but the balance and responsiveness feels great when I am actually in a turn.

Fwiw I found out bike polo forks are pretty close to what I want.

 

[pvd]

You missed it.

I had linked back to another post in that article about how we really don't need to be focusing on trail with more modern MTB designs. It's front center and flop that are the important factors given current conditions.

High Trail MTB | Peter Verdone Designs

www.peterverdone.com

 

[knutso]

I kind of figured we were at opposite ends of the spectrum. I think what you needed, I have too much of, and visa versa. Currently I am at 67mm trail and 20 wheel flop.

 

[pvd]

I really don't understand what you are trying to do. You have a low end dirt jump frame and You've put a cycloross fork on it, and you want it to handle well....somewhere? There are several lessons here that folks learn over time and we have ways of explaining it. All I can think of right now is, if you wanted a 600cc sportbike why did you buy a KLR and modify it to get there?

It's all a disaster from where I'm sitting but I've shared with you something to learn from.

 

[knutso]

I really don't understand what you are trying to do. You have a low end dirt jump frame and You've put a cycloross fork on it, and you want it to handle well....somewhere? There are several lessons here that folks learn over time and we have ways of explaining it. All I can think of right now is, if you wanted a 600cc sportbike why did you buy a KLR and modify it to get there?

It's all a disaster from where I'm sitting but I've shared with you something to learn from.

The only thing the Liar has in common with a DJ bike is the short seattube. HA is steep, BB is low, frame is light and stiff, runs a derailleur.

I got the fork for $20, so I gave it a shot, my trails are soaked. Just asking for opinions on how best to slow the steering a touch.

Modern geo mtn bikes have head angles and BB heights that become shockingly close to road, CX, or cruiser bmx geo when dropped onto rigid forks. I like mtb components and tire clearances, but prefer stretched out classic geo. I don't care about saddles or seat angles, so I get the best of all worlds from $100-$200 alloy frames.

Like I said we are on different ends of the spectrum. Your bikes look like specialists, mine are generalists. I ride out of the garage, immediately descend a steep country road frequented by 30 ton tractor trailors, then whatever else I decide to ride: chip seal, gravel, dirt or beat up road over the bridge into the city of Portland, all good. I just like me some different riding positions and ride characteristics to keep my legs and mind fresh.

 

[pvd]

You are confused.

 

[knutso]

You are confused.

Gotya 👍

 

[dr.welby]

Flop is a "lever arm" and not the force you actually feel. Making the front center shorter to get more trail also adds more weight onto the front end, and it's that front end load applied through the flop lever arm that you think you feel. So your plan is going to cancel out, you'll get more trail, but the flop force will be worse.

The shorter front center will also make the bike more endo-prone, which everyone would agree makes the bike feel sketchier.

You have enough co-ops in Portland to supply all sorts of cheap experiments, so I'm not going to tell you not to mess around. But really, if you want more trail, you can do it for free by just turning your fork backwards.

 

[knutso]

Flop is a "lever arm" and not the force you actually feel. Making the front center shorter to get more trail also adds more weight onto the front end, and it's that front end load applied through the flop lever arm that you think you feel. So your plan is going to cancel out, you'll get more trail, but the flop force will be worse.

The shorter front center will also make the bike more endo-prone, which everyone would agree makes the bike feel sketchier.

You have enough co-ops in Portland to supply all sorts of cheap experiments, so I'm not going to tell you not to mess around. But really, if you want more trail, you can do it for free by just turning your fork backwards.

Good advice. Bike Polo forks are roughly 390 with 35 offset and Trials forks are 400 with 30 offset. Whichever I can find first for under $50 is getting put on 👍

Until then I will quote PVD

"You ride what you have as fast as it will go. Possibilities are all you see, not limitations."

Thanks All