Question time ... parting HT to transfer to FS frame

[HamishS]

Ok, have been thinking of moving to a dually 29er for a while now and struggling with available funds as usual.

Would love to go get a Spearfish though aint going to happen in the short-term.

Alternative is to, take my 2009 Kona King Kahuna HT and part to transfer to a Voodoo Canzo 29er FS frame (read pretty positive review so happy to give it a go for an extremely good price).

Obviously as cash is tight I want to covert as many (all) parts of the Kona to the Voodoo ... want I want to establish if does anything jump out ... will not fit etc?

My Kona is pretty much stock ... fork is not tapered (either is the Voodoo) though it is an 80mm fork ... Voodoo says 100mm. Am I going to be up for another fork or will it fit, just less travel etc?
Then comes things like bottom brackets etc ... anything that I should be wary of?


Finally - sizing, I’m just shy of 6’5” so frame size is extremely important ... the Kona comes in a 22”. As they all brand measure slightly differently I’ve tried to make a comparison below ... does anything scream ‘too small’.
The one thing that jumps out to me is the seat tube difference (SIZE) ... am I going to be riding around with a huge amount of seat tube hanging out?



Cheers, any insight would be greatly appreciated.

H

 

[aaron01]

fitting an 80mm fork to a frame with a 100mm rear (and intended for an 100mm front) will change the geometery a bit, the ride will not be as balance either. I recently posed this question when I was going to fit a set of 80mm fork to my anthem (100mm bike)

 

[HamishS]

Cheers Aaron, so I am most likely up for a new fork should I venture down this route ...

Thanks for the info ... as if the sum of all parts add up to a hell of a lot I may as well sell my Kona and cough up the $ for a new rig ... though not preferred at the moment though if its just a new fork I maybe good to go.

 

[leftieant]

Check steerer lengths - many a person has been left standing with their <insert appendage here> in their hand after trying to swap out parts between frames.

Same goes for seat tube diameters.

The little non-compatible bits and pieces can easily add up to several hundred dollars in additional unintended cost if you're not wary.

 

[aaron01]

You may get lucky and find a Giant Anthem x29 on sale, with new models arriving in May/June a 2010 model could be a good option, also has a decent spec list which could be transfered to a "better" frame should you wish.

 

[Big JD]

Big lad

At 6.4 myself l would suggest you get the biggest (TT) you can find. Careful with the steerer length. This is the finest secondhand FS frame on the planet. 25.5 TT minimum

http://classifieds.mtbr.com/showproduct.php?product=62709&cat=38

Oh l weigh over 100kgs so stiffness is paramount. I have no interest in racing so shouldnt be concerned with bike weight. Have tried to pacify the XC racer in me with light FS 29er and 26 inch frames - not for me.

If you are on a budget stick to a HT otherwise there are a few 29er fs l would suggest but much more expensive. If you are in Melbourne you would be welcome to try my XL FS bike to get a feel for the size and stiffness required.
JD

 

[ViS]

I have the 2011 Canzo, and I put a 2011 RLC TALAS fork on it with 95 - 120mm range.

I LOVE it set at 120mm. I only use the 95mm setting when climbing or riding flat fire roads. The 120mm front gives it a totally different feel, and it's a very playful bike. I have a relatively short stem (70mm) and it steers almost as well as my 26" dually.

I just completed a half marathon on it (40+km) in very tough conditions, and it performed flawlessly, even allowing me a 3rd place in my age bracket. It climbs like a goat, and charges the downhill trails like it's a 6" forked 26er. I'd definitely not put the 80mm fork on it. A 100mm minimum if you do a lot of racing, and a 120mm if you predominantly ride singletrack on weekends.