[crazylax42]

So I just ordered a RS Tora w/ 85-130 mm travel. If I buy a fs frame this summer, can I even consider something like the Kona Coiler w/ 150 mm of rear travel. Does 150 rear/ 130 front travel make sense? Or should I try to keep it below 130 for the rear shock? thanks

 

[dadat40]

You will need to stay in the 115to 130 range so you won't be riding downhill all the time

 

[mtnbiker72]

Pretty sure it will work out fine

So I just ordered a RS Tora w/ 85-130 mm travel. If I buy a fs frame this summer, can I even consider something like the Kona Coiler w/ 150 mm of rear travel. Does 150 rear/ 130 front travel make sense? Or should I try to keep it below 130 for the rear shock? thanks

The Coiler is designed to run a 150mm fork, so putting a shorter fork on it will affect the way the the bike rides. Not sure how much, were talking about a degree steeper in the headtube (and seattube) on a pretty slack headtube angle...so in theory it would quicken the steering a bit (and put you a tad more forward in the seating position). I have a 150mm fork on my '04 Stinky which is essentially the same frame as the '05 and '06 Coiler and when I have a long climb I lower it to 110mm (its a Sherman Flick) and it works great for climbs. I have forgotten to raise it back up a couple times and hit some single track and noticed it was quick steering, but the bike didn't do anything unpredictable. I say if you like the Coiler frame, go for it...and BTW they climb fine...unless you got a fire to go to

BTW-you don't have to have the same travel front and rear...how many V-10 owners do you think have 10 inch travel forks?....hmmm....NONE They run 7-8 inch forks with 10 inches of rear travel. Its not all that uncommon and as long as the suspension works well in unison, they don't need to be equal travel

Good luck

 

[crazylax42]

yeah the kona dawg has 120 mm fork w/ 150 rear shock, but I guess the frame is made for that. Maybe I should try and find a dawg frame instead of coiler...

 

[snaky69]

You'll be just fine, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[umbertom]

I have a pike (140mm) on mine and in all honesty would not personally put a tora on my bike. It'll be perfectly rideable, but it will steepen the entire bike's angles and your riding position.

I'd consider the kona dawg. From what I've heard and read it's a great bike and I've seen Pikes mounted on a few, so a slightly long fork wouldn't be any problem with it

 

[mtnbiker72]

10mm difference is less than 1/2 of a degree

A 10mm difference in travel (140mm vs 130mm) will result in less than 1/2 of a degree steepening of the headtube and seattube angles. It is highly unlikely that you would even notice the difference.

Lets use our brains here people :madman:

 

[Mountainbikextremist]

So I just ordered a RS Tora w/ 85-130 mm travel. If I buy a fs frame this summer, can I even consider something like the Kona Coiler w/ 150 mm of rear travel. Does 150 rear/ 130 front travel make sense? Or should I try to keep it below 130 for the rear shock? thanks

First off, what are you planning on doing on the bike. If its just All-Mountain, w/o largeish drops, buy a Dawg Frame. To me, it doesnt make sence to buy a 6inch travel bike like the coiler, and put a short travel fork up front. Right tool for the right job, u know? Now, if you plan on/or even foresee a more hardcore lifestyle and climb for the Downhills and Drops, I would stick with 150mm travel and get a Coiler frame. Personally, I would not use that short of a travel fork on my Coiler. 150mm is the the very minimum that "I" would use, and that even looks short to me now, as I keep my 66sl close to or at 170mm. But, I like to live dangeriously

 

[umbertom]

A 10mm difference in travel (140mm vs 130mm) will result in less than 1/2 of a degree steepening of the headtube and seattube angles. It is highly unlikely that you would even notice the difference.

Lets use our brains here people :madman:

ok let's

The difference in travel of the two forks, marzocchi drop-off and rs pike is 10mm. The actual total crown height of the pike is in fact 20mm shorter because it is more compact than the notoriously tall crowned marzocchi fork. This means 10mm from travel and 10mm from crown/fork design. 20mm is 2 centimeters and yes steepening your bike a full degree actually is noticeable, I've ridden the bike both ways.
I like riding the Pike better because my fork doesn't wander as much from the added weight on the front. Some people put longer forks on it and that's probably noticeable too, but for better or worse that's their decision.

If you want me to find the crown height of the tora it's not difficult, but a rough geuss would be that it's ~30mm shorter than the stock drop-off. Again, this is because the marzocchi has 20mm more travel and a taller crown than the rockshox

hope that makes sense

and oh yea, I still think the dawg is the way to go if you're running a tora fork

EDIT:
http://www.marzocchi.com/Template/l...LN=UK&Sito=usa-mtb&IDFolder=229&Submit=Select
via this, the 06 OEM Drop-Off 4 is 539.7mm axle-to-crown length

http://www.sram.com/_media/techdocs/Tora US4-310058-010_A.pdf
via this, the axle-to-crown of the tora is 509mm

well, 539.7 - 509 = 31.7, so if you slap a tora on the coiler you'll be putting a fork that's almost 3.2 cm or 1 1/4 in shorter
For front/rear suspension balance, that'll be a little off, but in terms of use and durability, the coiler frame is meant for a bit "beefier" fork.

hope that helps

 

[mtnbiker72]

umbertom

I was referring to your post comparing the travel of the Pike to the Tora...nowhere in that post did you present the argument of the stock Marzocchi to any of these forks. That's a totally different argument (and legitimate one) but was not what you were talking about in your original post. Lets stick to one subject at a time

 

[umbertom]

ahh... sorry about that
but I still think that the tora is going to be too steep for the frame and not going to match up well. It might suit the dawg better

 

[crazylax42]

helps alot thanks. Just what I wanted to know