I've got a 19" rockhopper which has gone from 100mm toras, to 120mm air revelations, to u-turn coil revs, running generally at 115mm.
Since I've put the new Revs on, the front end and steering feels much slower. Not stiff, just, well, slower - not quite as twitchy as I'm used to. The headset's fine and bearings nicely cleaned and packed.
What's making it feel so different? It's not bad - it rides well, and feels ok, but I'm just curious as to what's making the difference?
Its the change n head angle that's making it slower stick a shorter stem on it to speed thing back up.
Increse in head angle, slower steering, but more stable at speed and once lent over into a corner.
Your centre of gravity will also have been raised and moved rearward a little bit with the high front end.
wouldn't i have felt that by putting the first set of Revs on though?
To be fair, Rockhoppers are only designed for 100mm forks I think, but if it was OK at 120mm for you then there's obviously another difference
It could be the feel of switching between air and coil
It might be that you need a different spring in there
You might be running too much rebound damping
You might have a flat tyre!
Just some ideas
your head
For setup on the forks have a look at this:
http://www.locotuning.co.uk/tech-info.html
if you need any further advice drop me a line.
Spring is too soft for your weight and diving too much under compression?
not so much in the compression and rebound - that's fine more to do with the turning.
Loco - those revs I had before; the internals were absolutely shafted. I've written them off
Sorry misread the 2 different revs thing. How heavy are you and what spring is in the revs? A spring that is two soft can make the fork and therefore the whole bike feel wollowy and crap.
[b]check the sag[/b] in reference to spring weight, if they were too soft the fork would sit further into the travel and steepen the head angle making the steering 'twitchier'as well as feeling sketchy going down steep stuff,
as well as diving too much under braking.
I'm 12 and half stone but i don't know what spring I've got unfortunately.
All i can say is it feels much 'harder' compared to running the airs at 115psi + and - chamber. We could be getting into floodgate territory now though
loco ...
Increse in head angle, slower steering
I think you mean "Decrease" no?
Im 12.5 kitted up and have just got a firm spring for my pikes as it does dive a bit with the medium in there.
I reckon this is the problem as you could dial it in the air rev.
Don't think the floodgate will have anything to do with it.
Ha you got me! I meant increase in rake/ decrease in head angle 😳
Pook are they the 130mm Revs? If you can establish what spring you have in there I have a firm one spare that I can sell you.
Yeah 130mm
Change/refresh oil in forks. Possibly you are on the wrong spring for your weight (too soft).
Take it down a rocky descent for the steering 😉 Will feel great compared to 100mm and tight head angle!
Pook did you get the forks SH or are they NOS? The standard (medium) spring will probably be be too soft for you (it is for most) the firm spring seems to be fine for riders from 11st to 16st. If you remove the spring and have a look for a small line of paint on it if the paint is red the spring is a medium.
But first do as Loco says and measure the sag.
Essentially you've spent good money on the wrong fork. Suspect it wasn't as evident with the air sprung 120mm because you could get more sag. Doesn't sound like you want a harder spring, because that will prop the front end up.
Simple answer is use the u-turn feature and wind them down to the length the frame was designed for, surely?
like I've said right form the start - they are ok, ride well and i like them - they just feel different and I want to know why.
It's about the steering, not the compression.
They are too long. That is why the steering feels different.
Use the U-Turn to match the fork to the frame.
I've not read any of this thread and especially not the OP but its deffo the compression, go 1x9 and you'll find it much easier but remember to use bar ends or you'll drop the chain on smooth roads
but glen, it didn't feel different on the longer air revs I had on before.
I assume you have checked the A-C old versus new?
could be the new are much longer even though they are set to similar length travel.
[i]Like I said[/i], you can set the sag on an air fork. The spring rate and hence sag are fixed in a coil fork, plus the spring characteristic is different - an air spring is progressive and soft initially, whereas a coil has a linear rate.
What's wrong with using the u-turn? Set it at 100mm, which will give the handling the bike was designed for, and then you can always play with the extra travel and slacker steering on the odd occasion that you want to.
It's about the steering, not the compression - a softy spring will 'give' as you turn/move around (whilst seated/riding) on the bike whilst riding though. Tiny difference but it'll be there.
Right o. Things clearer now. I wouldn't say I've spent good money on the wrong fork though. As stated up there ^, the fork feels fine and dandy. I was just curious as to why it felt different.
It allowed me to nail Cavedale for the first time ever too.
Thanks all for your input
[url=
smile: :)[/url]
My steel steed will be ready to rock one night this week Pooketta
Thursday looking most likely. Well, the only option as I'm in Leeds on Friday night, saturday and sunday.
OK, not the wrong fork. Just set up wrong. The fork has the facility to tune it to the frame - so all you need do is just that.
T'ursday it is. Whats the earliest that you can get there for?
I think he wants more travel glenp. I run revs on my GT hardtail. I wind it to the type of riding I'm doing. That's the beauty of the u-turn feature.
I have used it on my GT frame at 130mm on some pretty hard riding so the frame seems up to the task. Can't speak for all 100mm frames 🙂
T'ursday it is. Whats the earliest that you can get there for?
Depends on where 'there' is dear boy.
Cheers all seriously on the forks q btw
giddyrob - Yea, I know he wants more travel.
Just not going to get more without it feeling different on the steering.
So use the u-turn, which is what it is for, and increase travel every now and then. I would use 100mm most of the time, because then it will steer properly.
You're saying exactly the same thing as me.
It steers properly...... just [i]feels[/i] different.
? If I'm pointing down some rocks then I like to be out of the saddle with a bit more travel and a slacker head angle i.e. 130mm. The steering will feel more stable and I am less likely to fall off ( go faster too 😉 ).
If I'm off for a bit of light xc then 100mm is all I need and the steering will feel more sharp. As you said.
Horses n' courses 🙂
It steers properly...... just feels different
You havent changed your QR from alu to steel have you? It might ride differently due to the beautiful 'ride it real' properties of steel
I think I had more 10pence pieces in my camelback than pound coins. Will that have made a difference?
Were they 853 pound coins?
A soft fork will make the bike feel wallowy.
When I finally got my air fork sorted it changed the whole ride of the bike - it used to sag too much when out of the saddle on corners and under compression on corners.
Soon my hardtail will fly again! Last winters 456 has gone...all hail my new winter hardtail!