I've just bought a new kona blast but can only get 2.75" of the 4" travel. I have the preload set on minimum but it isn't any better. Does anyone have experience of this fork or even have a newish soft spring they'd like to swap for a medium. I'm 12st but I have pogoed on it some to no avail. I like the rate at which the 2.75" responds but it isn't enough.
They do take a while to bed in. I'm over 14st and i'm getting about 3.5" of travel on mine...
TBH it is a poor fork and little should be expected from it in performance - i've seen some riders only get 40-50% travel out of the dart
if you can get a softer spring this may help but i'd recommend ditching it for a reba instead
Yes it is a cheap poor fork so i dont expect it to be of supreme performance but I do expect to get what it says on the tin (or near). Reba and Tora would obviously be better (and far lighter) but I needed a cheap hardtail and the credit crunch has munched a big chunk out of me recently 🙁
I doubt you'd get full travel on a Tora either. Do what i'm doing and save up to get some better ones!
Mine took ages to wear in. Give it time!
They are pish though - no need to feel guilty about upgrading 😉
I have £300 manitous on my full suss which dont get their full travel either. Suspension conners.
Would upgrade the Darts but after being made redundant its hard to save up when you have a big fat 0 coming in and a family to support (hear the violins)
RoleyMoor - I disagree about the Tora remark. They are pretty much just a heavier version of the Recons and you should def. be able to get full travel out of one.
The thing with cheap forks is they don't actually have that much (or good) technology inside them, thats why they are cheap. A softer spring may sort out the issue but then you may go the other way and and sit well into the travel still not getting the full 4".
[i]"i'd recommend ditching it for a reba instead "[/i]
Or a tora, or recon, or Marzocchi MX pro if you don't want to shell out that much,
[i]" doubt you'd get full travel on a Tora either"[/i]
Quite the opposite, a coil tora U-turn (318) can have a far too soft spring supplied:
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I'm not quite sure why he uses two finger braking, but this is just the braking bumps at cwm carn (2008 BUSA (inter-university) XC race)