Stupid(?!) questions regarding forks…

Can any fork be reduced in travel?

No, but most can be, at varying cost, dependant if they just need a new air shaft (£40-50 plus fitting) or new damper (£££) easy to do if you have all the tools, but that’s a big if.

If your total budget for fork and swap is £150, I’d look for a fork at the required travel.

If you could find a tapered steerer fork that would otherwise work, RSF can fit a straight steerer, but that’s your £150 blown.

Thanks so far @tomhoward

Current budget is 100-150 but if I’m honest, I’m in no HUGE rush to swap the forks over to bouncy so there is always time to fill the pot as it were

Largely looking at options for the moment but if something did come up that would be worth looking at, I’ve got that stashed away just in case

Some can be lowered with spacers (old Fox), some just need a pin moving (X fusion, Suntour) but most modern forks need a new air shaft for around £50. Fitting is pretty easy if you take your time and watch a few videos of how to do it .

You might be able to find some 26" forks that fit a 650b wheel, I'm pretty sure my Fox 32's fit a 27.5x2.3 wheel/tyre and they're built for a 26" wheel

@dc1988 something I had considered was a 29er fork but feared that might mess with the geometry too much, hadn’t really considered 26” forks that could accommodate 27.5 wheels

Would there be a guide / reference point for most forks to tell you what wheel / tyre it could go up to or would it simply be a case of asking sellers if the know?!

Certainly something to look into though

I reckon your best bet is to find a rockshox Recon or Judy to hit that budget. Anything higher up the range (if talking new formks) will have a tapered steerer I’d think.

If you have a non-boost wheel (I’m sssuming you have a bolt through hub) then I’d pick up some velo solo boost spacers or something to give you more options.

I don’t think you’ll find a guide to what forks can take a different wheelsize anywhere.

Pretty sure 26” X Fusion Sweeps can take a 27.5” wheel though. Not sure you’ll find one with a straight steerer though.

If going 29er you’ll generally have to shorten the fork travel to keep the same axle to crown length. Although different makes of fork can have quite different a2c length for the same given wheel size and travel.

Were 27.5 and straight steerer around at the same time? It sounds like a big ask

You might find some straight steerer 29 er 80mm forks

Years ago I waited about a year for the fork I needed to come along

Maybe as on the classifieds for people to look round their garages and sheds

As above, there's unlikely to be any guide of what 26" fork might fit a 650b wheel. I only know because I was trying to fit a 650b wheel to my 4x bike without lifting the front end too high.

What size tyres will you be running?

there was a fair few suntour options at cheaper than that on wiggle, i know my nippers bike came with a suntour (coil weighed a metric ton) which was 27.5 and straight steerer
i believe one of the manitou forks is also a straight steerer and still in production now?

You don’t want a Suntour coil fork - they’re utter crap. They’ll go rusty in months and you can rarely get much travel out of them. A mate has one and at 13.5 stone he can’t get more than about 60-80mm travel out of a supposedly 120mm travel fork.

The air forks are ok - raidon / epixon/ epic on - but their longevity isn’t as good as rockshox - they only have grease in the legs with no lube to keep it running sweetly.

@joebristol thankyou for the Judy and recon suggestions, I had asked a similar question here a little while ago and the general feeling was Reba’s were what I was after but haven’t found a suitable set yet so always good to open up the option pot

Front hub is a halo MT something and I have a few different end caps so fitment isn’t too much of a hindrance at this stage

@ampthill it does seem like a big ask since I’ve been looking about, there is a wanted ad in the classifieds at the minute but have not had so much as a tickle yet unfortunately

@dc1988 currently have Conti 2.1’s as that’s what was on the wheels when I bought them but looking to up that to schwalbe 2.35’s soon

@alan1977 trying to avoid springs if I can but it’s not a dealbreaker kind of thing, I’ll look into the manitou options too, many thanks

The Manitou with a straight steerer is the Markhor. Considered one a few years back for an old Kona but went with an old secondhand u-turn revelation in the end. They went from 100-130mm on a twisty thing on top. Bit long in the tooth now though.

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a 27.5” / straight steerer Reba for sale. Recon gold rl might be the best thing you’ll find - they have alloy stanchions so they aren’t as heavy as the recon silver jobs.

@alan1977 Really do appreciate the suggestions @joebristol that’s one of the reasons that I’d like to stick with Rockshox if I can, I’ve always been lucky enough to have RS forks on my bikes so keen to stick with what you know and all that shiz

Here’s a recon that appears to hit your 100mm travel / 27.5” wheel / straight steerer requirements.

Marginally over budget but not by too much.

How about manitou?

I've become a fanboi since buying a Mezzer.

Most of their current forks seem to be designed for travel adjust (with internal spacers rather than having to buy a whole new air shaft)

I believe the 'Markhor' is their budgeti-sh 80-120mm travel fork with 30mm stanchions, the Machete offers similar for a bit more and with 37mm stanchions while the R7 costs lots, weighs less and has 32mm stanchions for XCness...

@joebristol

Here’s a recon that appears to hit your 100mm travel / 27.5” wheel / straight steerer requirements

apologies if I’m being simple but where?

@Cookeaa thankyou, never had a manitou fork but will check them out as well

I spent yesterday pulling apart a straight steerer QR Markhor 27.5 that I bought to upgrade my sons bike. They’re unbelievably easy to work on, need no special tools (20mm spanner and 22mm socket, but a big shifter will do) and travel change needs just a spacer.
However… these are supposed to have 120mm travel but are only moving 90mm max. Can’t for the life of me work out why.

I have Mattoc Pro on one of my bikes. Great forks. Wanted to reduce them from 140 to 120mm but the part that needs removing with a modified cassette tool is well and truly stuck in place.

Make sure you budget for some fork oil as you’re going to need that. Get motorcycle fork oil for cheapness.

What head tube spec is the bike? If it has a 44mm ID headtube with semi-integrated cups you could fit an external lower cup and a taper steerer fork.
44mm ID with semi-integrated cups -

Forgot the link

https://winstanleysbikes.co.uk/rockshox-recon-silver-rl-straight-2021-fork?gclid=Cj0KCQjwyLGjBhDKARIsAFRNgW80RZ__1Fo0OU_gDT7yCcLC5SKDETqXkwEupwcjMoWFZMVdkfiulCUaAvNREALw_wcB#183=390&301=15999&405=19189

Only thing is I’m not sure what axle standard it is…

@reeksy

try it with the damper removed.. i accidentally overfilled my damper on a set once and that cause hydraulic lock at end of the travel

@joebristol @reeksy @cookeaa many thanks for the suggestions and the link too, I think Manitou and Recons have been firmly added the lookout list as they seem to tick the boxes for the most part

@jameso good suggestion, sir, unfortunately, no semi integrated cup compatibility