Ok so I think the forks on my winter single speed are goosed - what are the pro's and con's of running fully rigid forks like these On One Forks?
Bike Forum
Fully Rigid - fnar fnar!
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Posted 6 months ago #
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I used one of those last year on my 456 and it cornered like a house fly however after a week around the welsh trail centres with my mates I needed new wrists. I was destroyed. Around the local stuff and Cannock chase it was great.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Pro's -
Winterproof.
You probably ain't going to break 'em.
Cheap.Cons -
They will give you a right battering until you get used to them.
S'about it.In conclusion - do it.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Pay a wee bit more and get the carbon fork. Well worth it.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Got p2s on my winter ss. they'll always be harsher than bounce but for churning out winter xc miles without any maintenance worries and minimal cost they are the best tool for the job...
Posted 6 months ago # -
What Mr Sparke and epicyclo said really.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Look at the Exotic forks from Carbon Cycles, running one on my SS, love it.
APF
Posted 6 months ago # -
As per Alex's post, i'd go for the Exotics.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Yep, I've got a set of those Exotic carbon forks on my Global and I don't miss the Rebas at all, in fact I'm going to Ebay them. The bike is lighter, faster, handles better and saves you a hell of a lot of energy on a big mountain day. On a recent trip over High Street I still had fuel in the tank at the end while the poor guys on heavy FS bikes were absolutely shelled.
You only notice the lack of suspension on big hits like steps and kerbs. We all started on full rigid back in the 80s and it did us no harm.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Fully rigid is brilliant. It seems to make the bike so much more responsive abd you always know where the front wheel is. It does take a bit of getting used to. I had sore wrists the first couple of rides and what seemed like a bit of tennis elbow but you do get used it. It will also improve your riding skills so much as you won't be relying on anything other than your body to do the work. I would play around with front tyres and find one you like and that you can run a bit softer. My preference would be to go steel. I have run steel and carbon and just prefer the way steel feels.
Posted 6 months ago # -
The on-ones are REALLY harsh.
Years ago I rode my Surly 1x1 (subsequently stolen) for a few winters rigid and loved it - mainly in the Surry Hills. The surly forks are really curved and have loads of 'give' which the on-one's don't.
Tried the surly with some Fox 32 TALAS but went straight back to rigid forks as the 32s were rubbish in comparison!
Put some fat tyres on and enjoy the skills you'll have to hone.
Posted 6 months ago # -
have the PRO carbon ones really good and light, run higher volume front tyre for extra comfort all good
Posted 6 months ago # -
Rigid winter ss bikes are great. The ground's softer now and that helps although wet roots need more care.
Pros - simple / no maintenance, better climbing on a ss, lighter.
Cons - less room for error, will be more tiring and slower on rocky / really lumpy terrain.I agree with tom13, some steel forks are more fore-aft flexible than most carbon forks so may feel more forgiving. There's something reassuring about steel forks too although I know that's irrational.
Try some bars with 30 degrees or more of sweep if the rigid forks give you a beating, it's a lot easier to control a rigid front with a bar this shape for some good ergonomic reason that I don't quite get. Also get your weight as far back as feels naturally OK - you don't need that long-fork-needs-weight-forward positon for climbing now and the further back you are the less shock you get, gets the weight off your hands and makes the front easier to lift too.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Cheers guys - currently running the SS with a short 50mm stem that has a 60 degree angle so my weight is fairly back anyway - I'm 6'4" and its only a 20" frame and it fits just right with a semi riser bar.
Concerned about tyre choice as this time of year run Panaracer trialraker 1.95" due to the XC gloop I ride through - saving the 2.25/2.35 Maxxis' for trail centre weekends on the geared hardtail - should I just go for a bigger trailraker? ooooo no was that the start of a tyre thread?!?!?!
Posted 6 months ago # -
I am currently running singular swift forks with 50 mm stem and ragley carnigie bars , this works much better for me than the pace carbon forks I used to run on my td-1
Have a set oj j bars to try but brake hoses currently too shortPosted 6 months ago # -
Orange F8s are nice if you're sticking to steel.
Posted 6 months ago # -
i've a 2.2 Rubber Queen up front and its the nuts
Posted 6 months ago # -
Should have added I run 2.4 mountain kings of the 29er flavour ,
Posted 6 months ago # -
2.2 Rubber Queen ust were great on my 26" rigid. Coped with winter slop better than I expected, a good all round tyre.
Posted 6 months ago # -
I have ridden mainly rigid in my 22 years of riding mountain bikes, in that time I have had many quality steel forks like IF, Vicious and Dekerf but my cheapish Singular forks have given the best ride.
Posted 6 months ago # -
I put on one forks on my winter bike. Your wrists will take a battering but all of your local trails take on a whole new aspect both rigid and none rigid.
Posted 6 months ago # -
I've been running a set of 29er P2's on my old Kona for years now, and it's great.
'Tis a bit apples n' oranges I grant you, but I much prefer the 'feel' of them over the carbon forks on my road bike.
I'd agree about the Singular forks too ...
Posted 6 months ago # -
The Exotic carbon ones give a much better ride than the On-One carbon rigids. The Exotic alloy ones are nice also. I'm just about to put some Singular rigids on my Inbred.
Posted 6 months ago # -
just stick a Kashima sticker on them and go to a trail center and watch nobbers **** over them.
Posted 6 months ago # -
I have used Rigid on my SS before and it was fine, but i just find my local trails way more fun with suspension.
Give rigid a go, if you like great, if not can sell and i suspect you will not lose to many pennies.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Everything has been said above harsh on wrists etc
What I've found Is that I am always on the look ou for the smoothest lines and have come up with some pretty inventive ones on my local trails which when I'm out on full bounce makes for faster rides
Posted 6 months ago # -
I've got a set of the Exotic ones, they're fab- light enough, stiff enough, but not too stiff...
Just scrapped my Official Rigid Nichemobile but they'll still get stuck into the 456 from time to time, rigid riding is brilliant. Especially if you're riding the same place a lot, since it can really be like riding a totally different trail.
Posted 6 months ago # -
A 2.4 Racing Ralph at 25psi has made riding rigid a whole lot nicer (using exotic forks)
Posted 6 months ago # -
I love rigids,
Only time I really notice them is when Im not fully concertrating on the trail and hit a hole or something.
You know how it is messing with your light or something not watching the trail, all of a sudden nearly thown over the bars. Stuff a suspension fork would have just soaked-up.Too close to the rider in front is the other time I sometimes get caught out.
But overall, the weight saving and increased level of being 'at one with your bike'. I love them.
Had them all, currenty coverting the DT Swiss ones.Posted 6 months ago # -
I USE MY RIGID KONA FOR COMMUTING
CARBON BARS TAKE A BIT OF THE STING OFF THE WRISTS
sorry for caps lock, cant be arsed to retype it tho
Posted 6 months ago # -
I'll second what jambon says & put it in BOLD
Steel On-One forks are REALLY HARSH! Then you get what you pay for I suppose. Disc mount alignment was also really bad. Had to machine a lot off to get the caliper in-linePosted 6 months ago # -
I have rigid forks on my winter bike. As well as the comfort difference you may also notice a reduction in front wheel traction given the same tyre choice as you have been running with suspension.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Can you fit 15mm axles on these Exotic carbon forks please anyone, been offered some wheels to build up a 29er
chers, Rob.
Posted 5 months ago # -
Has anyone tried the Mosso aluminium rigid forks which come up on ebay for c. £40? Wondering how harsh they would be...
Posted 5 months ago # -
I put some of the exotic cc alu ones on my wifes bike and they seem fine - not too harsh but not twangy either.
Posted 5 months ago #
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