Morning all,
I have an old 2016 Transition Scout. I've not rideen it for 4+ years but recently got it moving again over Christmas. Coming from my Scandal v2 it has a steeper head angle (67 degrees) and a much lower bottom bracket height (330mm) so I have been wondering about installing a 9point8 Slack-R headset kit withe external cups that looks as though it would both slacken the head angle and raise the bottom bracket (since the current headset is zero stack type). The downside I have spotted is that the seat angle would get slacker (currently 75 degrees) but I think the other two changes would probably outweigh that.
Am I missing anything or should I place my order?
Place the order, it's made my Yeti ARC much less twitchy and I can't say I've noticed the change in seat angle.
As you say, the two changes should cancel each other as far as the seat angle goes. With my old smuggler, went up 10mm fork travel, as with the angle set, bb did get a bit lower, so corrected it back with the fork travel.
I posted up this thread a couple of years back when considering a slackset:
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/slackerizer-headsets-what-do-i-need-to-know/
Think the relevant advice for you was from this response:
“ Don’t forget they’ll reduce your reach so if the frames on the short side it might be an issue.”
Actually, they hardly change this at all – any loss of reach from the top cup moving backwards is almost exactly cancelled out by the slacker fork causing the frame to rotate forwards, steepening the seat tube, lowering the BB and lengthening the reach.
So a -2 deg headset tends to slacken the head tube by about 1.5 deg, steepen the seat tube by 0.5 deg, lower the BB by about 5mm, and shorten the ETT but not the reach.
My slackset was a like for like swap, ie had external headset cups already, so no change to stack. As you're adding external headset cups, I suspect it'll bring the BB height back to about where it is now, and the ST angle will be about the same.
If the seat tube goes too slack you could always get a Fair Bicycle Drop Best to bring it forward again. I've got one and it saved me from selling the frame.
The main thing that can be a stopper is you need a little bit more fork steerer.
I'd have a shop around and see if you can find a similar product cheaper, there's quite a few slack headset options though some headset types are rarer.
I've literally never fitted one and regretted it though. Yeah you get small changes in other dimensions but they're not massive, they usually somewhat counter each other (Like, here the slacker fork will slightly steepen the seat and lower the BB and partly counter the effect of the taller headset, which is small anyway) but people get overly hung up on that, what are the odds your current numbers are perfect? And even if you do notice the small change it might be better. And mostly you cna counter the changes with other changes like seat position.
@Northwind, thanks that is useful. I had picked out the Slack-R as I can put an external cup into the lower crown race (which is currently zero stack) and lift the front end amd more critically to me BB so that that does not get even lower. Off the top of your head are you aware of others that would also do that?
I have enough steerer I think as I have spacers under and above the stem.
Are you sure it's an integrated headset and not a zero stack one? If you've not used it for four years, it might be the previous model which has a zero stack headset with cups. The newest one has a fully integrated headset.
That would mean you could use a headset other than the SlackR like a works components one that'll be cheaper and less faffy to fit. But it also doesn't have an external lower cup that you're after.
I don't think I said it was integrated. It is a 2016 frame and the headset cups are zero stack top and bottom.
I don't see how the 9point8 one is more complex than the Works to fit - kinda look the same. But I think you may be thinking of the 9point8 solution for integrated headsets which is also part of the Slack-R solutions they offer. That one does look faffy.
I’ve fitted Anglesey’s (usually Works or Superstar) to a lot of bikes and have never regretted it. The only regret was the first time when it was a -1 and I wished I’d fitted a -2*.
I have a similar era smuggler with a 2° superstar slackerizer and 140mm forks. It's much better for it, absolutely no regrets.
keppoch
Full MemberI had picked out the Slack-R as I can put an external cup into the lower crown race (which is currently zero stack) and lift the front end amd more critically to me BB so that that does not get even lower. Off the top of your head are you aware of others that would also do that?
I <think> Works can do that but you'd need to check your exact applciation. And tbh if Works do it then someone else will probably do it cheaper since the business model for so many of these is "copy what Works do"
It is the manual.
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/ https://www.transitionbikes.com/PDF/2016FrameManual_Scout.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOopJ1-O-MxQ4VypzoewPqO6eQG6WXX5jnx2lsJYCW0GHztJ2Mn9j
It states the head tube is a 44mm/56mm zero stack
This will fit
Go for the -2degree, you'll struggle to notice -1 degree
Or this 1 degree version if you really want the extra stack of EC56