I'm going to replace my sus. fork on my26" steel hardtail with a rigid one but am a little unsure which length to go for. I've checked with the manufacture who advises that, as the frame will take up to 130mm sus. forks, it's safe to use a rigid fork between 440 - 480mm a-c.
The fork I'm looking at is available in 445mm or 465mm; the 465mm version is generally thought of as a 29er model but I believe that the rake is the same for both (44mm I think).
In the past I've found that a 450mm rigid fork is a tad lower (with the same steerer length) as my 100mm sus. fork with sag.
I'm a bit of a numpty when it comes to geometry; is there any advantage/disadvantage to using either fork (assuming that I place my bars at the same level as they are currently by the length I cut the steerer)?
Shorter fork: lower BB, steeper head angle
Longer fork: higher BB, slacker head angle, possibly a bit wandery on climbs.
MRP, the manufacturers of the rigid fork I'm looking at have got back to me an recommend their 465 a-c fork for a 26" wheeled frame based around a 100-130mm sus. fork, so that seems the way to go.