smelly said:
it's not the best of ideas. i'd guess that it'll rip off the headtube pretty quickly. the bike just isn't made for a 7" fork, not strengthwise or geometrically. it'll jack up the front end and bottom bracket a considerable amount. on top of that, you'll also have to buy a new front wheel because the stratos fork uses a 20mm thru axle, you have a QR right now.
my opinion is that you'd be better off either putting that money into a decent 4 or 5" fork, or upgrading the brakes/drivetrain, or just using that money to save for a new bike.
DITTO!
Amping a 4" to 7", crap!, double crown is not needed because the frame does not suggest it can handle the terrain double crowns usually tackle.
DON'T DO IT!, you'll put you and your only good bike at too much risk.
3" extra:
- Rise front end (need new stem to compensade)
- Rise BB height (lose standover height= more knackerage)
- Uneven travel differance between front and rear (buggered handling)
- Overslack headtube angle (slack handling)
- Overstressed head junction (bye-bye headtube, and one very injured (or dead) oreo321321)
- Double crown hamples steering angle range (problem in my oppionion, can't pull off trackstands consistenly)
oreo321321, if you got cash (even if it's not much), here's the go:
- Bloody good brakes (no use trying to explore 7" front travel, if you fcuk up)
Front disc brakes: hydro 1st choice, mech 2nd choice cheaper, just as good, get good Speed Dial brake levers to maximise their potential, hydro or mech either if you have disc hubs, don't spend money building a disc wheel just to use them. Rear disc: if you're desperate.
If you're going to still run rim brakes, switch the pads to a cartridge system and play around with different pads. Now when you grind your pads to 'nothing', you can get your brakes back within a couple of minutes.
- Kick arse drivetrain, upgrade to higher end stuff, use twist or triggers your choice
- Drivetrain related as well, a quick-release chain, now you can maintain it a whole lot better
- Tune your fork to your specs, adjust damping oil weight, get springs to suit your weight, you'll be surprise how much better suspension performs when they suit you. (personally I would ramp up the rear shock's preload (I think that's the only adjustment you get) to reduce pedal-induced bob, and ride the bike like a softtail.
- Clipless pedals, and you can now climb like you never could before
- Grippy and comfortable grips
- Tubeless conversion like Stan's No Tubes, only like you have disc brakes or very strong rim brake wheels, cos with tubeless, you'll (I would) bomb and huck to see if you can get a puncture.
- If you're going to build wheels, please build them strong, get as many spokes and crosses as you can, good strong high quality rims and sealed disc hubs.
- Experiment with different tyres... width, tread design, compound, casing and use wire bead tyres to keep cost down.
Take a deep breath oreo321321... exhale. Now don't stupid things!, do crazy things like 1 metre drop and break stuff (your bike). If you can't land properly, then 7" of front travel is useless.
First learn how to ride hard, break stuff along the way and upgrade while replacing. Shift less and pedal harder in the saddle, go to your local BMX track and learn to jump and land properly.
Here's a good idea, keep a jar where money go in and doesn't come out until you use it for an emergency to revive your bike. Over time you'll have a hundred or two, and when you fork 'explodes', you won't be depirived of your bike for months.
I'm still 17, I've got a low-low paying 'job'. I'm still learning to pedal properly, singlespeeding soon, I go to my BMX track and huck away.
