If you want a cheap experiment to see if it suits you, perhaps consider something like the Salsa steel forks - my personal experience was positive, although they won't kill as much buzz as carbon. My personal experience was that rigid forks are great for dual-purpose commuter/light trail bikes where you often ride some soft roads, but really came into their own for trials or highly technical riding.I'm curious about putting a rigid carbon fork in my hard tail for fire road and back road riding, so I'm after any info,
thanks, Stuart
I should also point out that i have a Niner RLT with a Niner QR fork in it. And it's not much different to the Carver in actual performance. Hell of a lot of fun and yet exhausting. But again I'd love to get a thru-axle Niner fork for it.I too have used a Carver 29er fork in a steel xc hardtail. It was interesting. Light was the defining feature...Made the front end easy to lift and flick but it was also its downfall. Anything and everything could change your line so it requires commitment and concentration to maintain your chosen line.
I loved it but it was exhausting and when a quality suspension fork came up, the Carver went on the shelf. It's still there if anyone is interested.
The other thing I noted in the change over is that the 15 mm axle on the suspension fork was way stiffer laterally than the 9 mm qr of my Carver rigid. If i was to go back to rigid then it would be one with a thru-axle.
I'm interested. Send me a pic if possible. I'll use it in my sons 29er SS.Carver went on the shelf. It's still there if anyone is interested.