Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 41 total)
  • Long travel forks- how can I stop the front washing out?
  • hora
    Free Member

    Ok, these forks are purely to tide me over until rockshox send through some new forks (I wont go into that..).

    However the 66 coils I've got to keep me riding are quite tall. Even at 150mm travel. I've washed out a few times on them. How can I avoid this? Is there anything I can do? Run the rebound as slow as possible or compression at either end of the spectrum? Take out all the air assist from the forks?

    My frame is rated to above the travel however it sits pretty around 140mm max with shorter lowers.

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    Setup is probably wrong 😀

    Stiggy
    Full Member

    Get more weight over the front? Get rid of some spacers maybe?

    the_lecht_rocks
    Full Member

    hora – you got rid of the ti456 for some travel / fork related issue.
    is there something missing ?

    hora
    Free Member

    is there something missing ?

    tiny willy? Yes different subject though 😉 Plus I got rid of the 18" Ti456 as I really didnt like how it flexed or how long it felt. I now own a 16" 456 and its spot on compared.

    Spacers are all ontop of the stem. run a shorter or longer stem helps avoid the front being front-wheel washout prone? Hard to describe but the front feels too tall/remote.

    uplink
    Free Member

    Stop over-thinking it & relax

    You've always got problems with forks – are you sure it's not the nut behind the wheel that's causing the problem? 😉

    rs
    Free Member

    this isn't related to it being drier and dustier recently rather than a change of forks is it, hence maybe loose gravel rather than sticky mud, what tyres you running?

    hora
    Free Member

    Ardents- swapped over from Swampthing on the front..

    mafiafish
    Free Member

    Get a better front tyre?

    rs
    Free Member

    Ardents- swapped over from Swampthing on the front..

    At the same time you changed the fork?

    hora
    Free Member

    Hmmm the ardents are great. Maybe I'll try the Advantage I have spare. Im sure its the forks being too long for the frame.

    At the same time you changed the fork?

    Waiting for warranty new forks. Supposed to have left Tues. I had to chase twice and guess what? They only left today. Thanks guys. You love your customers.

    I'm switching to Fox for the future.

    ton
    Full Member

    mtfu………….shandypants…….. 😉

    hora
    Free Member

    Who told you about my shandyfest on Sunday? BINNNERRRRSSSSS!

    james
    Free Member

    Try to get your saddle further forward (on the rails, or perhaps an inline post?), even if you aren't sat down, you (at least I do) end up using it as a kind of 'reference' point for legs as to where my body position is in relation to the bike

    Longer stem would put more weight to the front
    Is it possible to get the stem lower/slightly more forward by flipping it upside down?

    Do you have any lower rise bars, or even some wider ones to make it feel less tall, partly as they'll drag your weight forward a little, but the extra leverage/width in relation to height can make it feel less tall too

    You could also put a bigger tyre on the back than the front

    hora
    Free Member

    Good point, I tend to hover over the BB and rear and pull on the bars into corners etc (prob not what proper riders do) which means my weight is always too far back. Saddle is currently set right back. will push it fwd and run a 50 stem instead of 70 (have a collection of Thomson Stems) 8)

    jam-bo
    Full Member

    skills day?

    Woody
    Free Member

    2 words…………………………. skills course 😉

    Woody
    Free Member

    Heehee 😆

    hora
    Free Member

    Its only on this set up though. If it was consistent then yes. Its either freakin long forks or NO riding this weekend. I chose the former.

    poppa
    Free Member

    Cente of gravity low and centred, weight the outside pedal and inside h/bar, and commit! Lean the bike under you but keep your bodyupright. Don't be a passenger. Some tyres grip better leant over a lot than leant over a little. Otherwise, try saddle forward, lower bars, longer stem(?).

    Obviously, it could be the length of the forks however.

    hora
    Free Member

    Ok Advantages (more prominent), saddle forward and keep longer stem.

    Ta guys. Only need this **** set up until monday when my new/replacement forks arrive.

    rs
    Free Member

    its not the forks its just becoming a dad has turned your riding ghey 🙂

    hora
    Free Member

    My riding has always been deeply gay. Im hoping Jedi can remove some of this when I do book on a course with him 😀

    grantway
    Free Member

    How much sag do you have, and maybe slow down the rebound a
    couple of clicks and maybe try a shorter stem

    cycleactive
    Free Member

    Saddle is currently set right back. will push it fwd and run a 50 stem instead of 70 (have a collection of Thomson Stems

    Hope you mean run a 70 instead of a 50? if you're runnin an extra inch of travel in your forks you're losing about a degree off your head angle, pushing that front wheel further ahead of you and reducing the pressure on it. so either go for the longer stem (but that'll also quicken the steering, so you may "snap" into corners harder than you expect and increase the chances of washout) or get onto those bars more.

    If you reckon you ride too far back into turns then maybe you don't have enough flex in your arms to lean the bike right over (very common problem: weight back = straighter arms = limited sideways movement), and rely on turning the bars instead. This'll also increase the chances of washout.

    If you ride with anyone else regularly get them to session some turns with you and shoot a bit of video on a camera or phone. Amazing what that'll reveal for you.

    hope this helps a bit, chris@cycleactive

    MrSmith
    Free Member

    get rid of spacers/high rise bars possibly go to a slightly longer stem if you are using something really short.

    AJ
    Free Member

    Hey

    Re POPPA, I'd say weight your outside arm

    Here's something else to try roll/rotate your bars forward a tad this will pull you forward on said velo.

    pastcaring
    Free Member

    @cycleactive

    a longer stem will slow the steering down, not speed it up! think dh bike.

    @hora

    try attacking the corner, centered, knees and arms bent, looking for the exit of the turn.


    markd
    Free Member

    I tend to hover over the BB and rear and pull on the bars into corners etc

    That will cause the problem you are having.

    No weight over the wheel then no grip. Try leaning into it more. It will help.

    MrSmith
    Free Member

    a longer stem will slow the steering down, not speed it up! think dh bike.

    a longer stem will also help weight distribution (by bringing the COG forward) if moonface has his saddle right back and is always sitting back rather than 'in the bike'

    captaindanger
    Full Member

    yeah keep your weight forward, jedi taught me this a few weeks ago. As soon as I did I was cornering MUCH faster and felt much more confident in the traction

    MrNutt
    Free Member

    shorter stem, wide bars, more sag, get elbows up and out, stick a foot out and go faster, oh and know you'll make it.

    mildred
    Full Member

    I tend to hover over the BB and rear and pull on the bars into corners etc (prob not what proper riders do) which means my weight is always too far back.

    You already know what the problem is – NOT THE FORKS.

    As already mentioned, you need to put weight over the wheel for it to grip.

    With a long travel hardtail you need to "ride the fork" more; let the front do a lot of the work. Perhaps a skills course is the answer, if only to show you how much you can put through the front?

    pitcherpro
    Free Member

    stick a high roller on the front , lean into your fork and let rip!!!

    zeus
    Free Member

    If you run a very high pressure, then dropping it half a bar (or more) can make a big difference too. And you can afford to, with a lt fork on the front to soak up the square edges.

    hora
    Free Member

    With a long travel hardtail you need to "ride the fork" more; let the front do a lot of the work. Perhaps a skills course is the answer, if only to show you how much you can put through the front?

    mildred. The forks are coming off the bike next week. My usual forks are almost 2inches shorter even at their longest setting. The frame angle is soo steep its really hard monstoring the front with these forks.

    Zeus- I was running higher air assist. Will back this right off. On Lyriks set at 145 I've never had even close to a problem- hence I run an Ardent in fine/dryer weather on the front.

    ampthill
    Full Member

    More sag, get forward over the fork…..

    solamanda
    Free Member

    Lean forwards more and make more motorbike sounds. I find going bwaarp bwaarp helps my cornering.

    hora
    Free Member

    With leg out a la Doddy 😀

    Dancake
    Free Member

    Personally I only suffer this if I am a bit sketchy, using the brakes too much and looking down. It used to be really bad for me

    When I am on form, I am looking way ahead and picking lines well. It just seems to transform my riding. The bike slides around a bit but it is an ace feeling.

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 41 total)

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