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I’m doing my first trip to the alps and taking my orange five.
I want to put a pair of 160mm forks on the front as everyone tells me it will make things easier for myself.
I have three options:
1. Keep the current 140mm fox float for UK riding and buy a cheap pair of Fox 36 Van r’s. Swap to the van r’s for a weekend of DH or an Alps trips but keep the 140 for everything else.
2.Sell the 140’s and put the money towards a pair of 160mm, something like a Fox 36 Talas or Rock Shox Lyrik u turn. Keep them on the bike full time and crank them down to 140mm for climbing and 160mm for downs.
3.Take the Five with 140mm and keep the money.
I’m leaning towards option 2 and buying some Lyriks as I hear you don’t get the full travel from talas.
99% of my riding is done in and around south wales, 70% trail centres (afan + cwmcarn) and 30% natural (Machen and Wylie).
Does anyone run their five with fox 36 talas or lyrik u turns? What’s the disadvantage other than weight? Can I expect the handling to be the same running these forks at 140mm?
I ran my 5 with TALAS but swaped them for Lyrik coil U turns. I had no problem with the TALAS's I just prefer the feel of a coil fork. Weight wise I didn't really feel the difference between the two, I've never run anything else on them but both forks make the bike nice and slack and great fun going downhill. I bet it'd be top notch for an alps trip.
Being as I need to lose a good 2 stone I tend not to worry too much about the extra weight. I'm waiting to get a coil shock too so I'll be adding a bit more. When I want a blast with something lightweight I reach for the CX bike
I'd go with option 2. if it were me
However, I'd get the Float's rather than the TALAS's *
The travel of the Float's can be reduced internally in 10mm increments, so for the UK could be adjusted, but you've still got the option of more travel if you decide you need it.
All this is assuming you're happy living with a heavier 36mm fork rather than the lighter 32's.
Personally the weight wouldn't bother me, being a 90kg rider plus camelbak with spares/tools + water + snacks ... half a pound extra on the forks is neither here nor there
(* EDIT: actually, what I'd really do is get 36 VAN's as I prefer coil to air, and just live with 160mm travel wherever I went)
U-turn Lyriks if you want height adjust, TALAS isn't that suitable and doesn't work that well.
I didn't like the Five much with 160mm forks, not everyone agrees mind but the handling's well sorted with 140mm and I felt like it had extra travel to soak up hits but not as good handling so I'd be less inclined to thrash it like that anyway. Interesting, but not really progress.
What flavour of alps are you doing? Covers a lot of riding.
Swapped from Pikes to 160mm U-turn Lyriks on my Five. No regrets.
Mainly run them at 140 in the UK for welsh/Scottish trail centres. But sometimes at 160 for the odd DH.
Run them at 160 in the Alps and improvement over the Pikes is really noticeable.
I have a HT with 140 Vans for other riding, so dont have to live with extra weight of Lyriks all the time.
Recently fitted 36 floats to 5 not found any downsides yet but do run on the soft side.
Steering response is amazing with 20mm thru axle.
