130mm Travel Fork Options (650B)

[DannyAwesome]

Lately I've been day-dreaming about what my next bike will be.

At the top of my list at the moment is a 2014 GT Sensor Carbon Pro. I've currently got a 2011 Sensor 1.0 which isn't that great but the new models have come a long way.

However every review (Flow review here) I've read has said that the rear end is so stiff that the Fox 32 forks feel mis-matched to the rear. But the question is, what can be done about it?

Fox don't make 34s in 130mm travel.

Rockshox have the Revelation but it's still a 32mm fork - some reviews suggest they're slightly stiffer than Fox 32s though.

The only solution I can come up with is getting something like a dual position Pike and always running it in the lower position which is 130mm. Are there any downsides to this?

Or maybe getting a normal 150mm Pike and modifying it to reduce the travel?

If there was something available in 140mm travel that could be an option too. Having a slightly slacker head angle should be a good thing?

 

[bell.cameron]

I did a fair bit of looking into this for my Solo and found that the best option was the Reveltations. 34's cant be lowered to 130, pikes and revs cant be lowered at all. Your only other option would be to go for a smaller brand, BOS, Marz, something like that or perhaps a 140mm Pike.

 

[No Skid Marks]

Pike with a 29er(maybe it's 26" one actually, whatever one is shortest) piston rod chopped down will get you close, 140mm at most. You'd only need to tap thread in end of rod deeper to chop it shorter.
It's only an aluminum rod with a hole drilled in the end then tapped. I reduced my 160mm ones to 150mm because there were no 150mm rods in stock.

 

[ozdavo]

New Trek Remedy 9 runs a 140mm Fox 34


Sent from my iThingy using Tapatalk

 

[jbg]

http://www.wiggle.com.au/fox-forx-3...m_medium=base&utm_campaign=au&kpid=5360618898

^^Not too familiar with these and how easy it is to set them at 130mm? no cutting rods and re-tapping I'm guessing
I'm getting a set for my Sensor asap think it will be a good match front to rear
could be a benefit to having 160mm option at times too.

Next batch of Sensors come mid April btw. Force expert looks pretty good too

 

[kl3ggy]

Is 10mm difference going to dramatically throw out your head angle that bad that it's suddenly unrideable? I think not. I recently went from stock 140 manitou's to 150 pikes. Feels great!

 

[DannyAwesome]

http://www.wiggle.com.au/fox-forx-3...m_medium=base&utm_campaign=au&kpid=5360618898

^^Not too familiar with these and how easy it is to set them at 130mm? no cutting rods and re-tapping I'm guessing
I'm getting a set for my Sensor asap think it will be a good match front to rear
could be a benefit to having 160mm option at times too.

Next batch of Sensors come mid April btw. Force expert looks pretty good too

Yeah I guess that would be the same deal as a dual position Pike. They have the same 130/160 switch.

What model Sensor do you have?

What's coming in April? Just more stock or new models?

New Trek Remedy 9 runs a 140mm Fox 34

Yeah I found that during my search. There's also a Hans Rey edition of the Sensor that comes with a 140mm 34: http://www.gtbicycles.com/esp/2014/bikes/mountain/trail-full-suspension/2014-sensor-hans-rey - Just a shame it's only alloy and the rest of the spec is also a bit meh

Fox list the 140mm 34 here but I haven't been able to find it for sale separately anywhere: http://www.ridefox.com/help.php?m=bike&id=35

Is 10mm difference going to dramatically throw out your head angle that bad that it's suddenly unrideable? I think not. I recently went from stock 140 manitou's to 150 pikes. Feels great!

Yeah 10mm doesn't worry me. I'd love to get Pikes but I think 20mm is pushing it a bit too much (unless I get a dual pos)

 

[No Skid Marks]

I'd love to get Pikes but I think 20mm is pushing it a bit too much (unless I get a dual pos)

You can make a 140mm set just by swapping the piston rod.

 

[DannyAwesome]

You can make a 140mm set just by swapping the piston rod.

I've just done some reading on this, seems to be fairly easy.

Some info here if anyone else is interested:

http://forums.mtbr.com/santa-cruz/reducing-pike-150-140-160-150-tech-thread-889096.html

http://blahblahbikeblog.blogspot.ca/2014/01/reducing-rockshox-pike-rct3-solo-air.html

 

[bell.cameron]

You can make a 140mm set just by swapping the piston rod.

Why would you want to when you can just by them in 140 and not void your warranty?

 

[Alo661]

Why would you want to when you can just by them in 140 and not void your warranty?

Only 29" comes in 140mm.

https://www.sram.com/rockshox/products/pike-rct3

 

[No Skid Marks]

Why would you want to when you can just by them in 140 and not void your warranty?

Better fork?
Easy to do. Probably you tube videos now even. Or just pay a shop to do it. Should check oils anyway, so you're half way there.
No need to void warranty if your sensible.
Getting the piston rod might not be so simple if they're not readily available like the 150m ones aren't.

Only 29" comes in 140mm.

I was guessing he meant buy Foxs. Now I'm confused LOL.

 

[jbg]

Yeah I guess that would be the same deal as a dual position Pike. They have the same 130/160 switch.

What model Sensor do you have?

What's coming in April? Just more stock or new models?

Yep, pretty much and both have pretty good reviews, think there were some issues with the Fox CTD early on?

Got an Elite carbon. for less than the price of the Pro I got the Elite and upgraded the spec to my liking, xt brakes, Fox Talas, wheels etc. etc. so for less $$ got a better spec than the Pro and still get to sell off the as new parts

Same 2014 sensor models/spec etc. coming April.
Hard part is finding a shop with a sensor in stock to test ride but I can tell you the difference between the 2014 & 2013/12/11 GT's is night and day, GT really got their shit together again.

 

[DannyAwesome]

Sounds good man, do you have a build thread? I'd be keen to check it out. I thought the Elite was only alloy, do you mean Expert?

I could do the same sort of thing and get the Carbon Expert instead of a Carbon Pro then upgrade it like you did, but to be honest I really like the colour scheme of the Pro better.

I've seen one on display at Venture Cycles at Noosa. I was going to ask for a ride but then I got distracted by a Carbon Force X Pro they had just built and ended up taking that around the car park instead. Force is an awesome bike but probably a bit too much travel for what I need.

 

[jbg]

Yep sorry Expert carbon. The pro is a great bike and I think the 32's would be fine regardless of the reviews.
Will try and get a build thread up in a couple of weeks

 

[DannyAwesome]

Interesting review:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG0ib8gezwU

 

[will2]

X-Fusion sweep and get the travel reduction done from 160 to 140, or the other velvets if you want a 32mm stanchions as opposed to 34mm. bloody good forks for the money in my opinion. Good price, weight and strenght.

 

[jbg]

Interesting review:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG0ib8gezwU

Wow that was uncanny! great minds think alike
Pretty much what I was thinking before I even got my bike. funny thing too is I have a narrow wide chainring, didn't need the triple up front which clears up the cables and saves a few grams too.

 

[DannyAwesome]

Yep a single front ring is the first mod I'd do if I bought one. I've got a 32T up front atm and there's no way I'd go back to a triple.

 

[DannyAwesome]

jbg how is your Sensor going? Ready to post a build thread yet?