51mm vs 46mm Offset – Any 120mm 29er owners with an opinion either way?

51mm Offset Yay or Nay?
70 degree head tube angle here, wanting to run 120mm forks.
Any owners with a strong view for either offset. Opinions please?

Depends if the frame was designed around it?

Or, will you notice a difference either way?

There was a recent thread on this. My Horsethief seems to work well @ 51mm, but it was designed around that.

BTW, good luck getting 120mm 51mm offset 29er forks – not much about.

I had this with my Czar. (Ie. I couldn’t get 51mm which would have been ideal.)

I ended up with 46mm (FOX). You are talking slightly slower turns somewhere in an S-shape but you get used to either.

What is the frame designed for?

Running Santa Cruz Tallboy, they seek them with 44 + 46mm offset forks.

I’ve ridden a Trek / fisher and liked the steering, though i’m sure it’s not all down to the offset. I know I’ll adapt either way, though with the option to choose and tune, i’m interested in anyones experience in 51mm.

You can get Sid’s in 120 51mm, though I’m heading towards a Pike as it weighs in under 1900 and readily available in 51 / 46mm.

I couldn’t get an 120mm Pike with 51mm offset; I bought some at 140mm and Loco put in an 120mm air spring.

Was going to ask about this.
My Spearfish should have 51 mm but I’ve built it using my 46mm forks.
How does this affect how it should ride? Compared to my Superlight I would say it wants to wash out in really tight turns.

I’ve just gone from 46mm revs to 51mm pikes on my 29er and the bigger offset does make the steering feel more responsive like the edges of the tyres are digging on more. It’s a big improvement. However the steering does feel a bit more ‘flip floppy’ for want of a better term. I mean there is a point when you turn the handlebars that they go from a neutral self-centring feel to wanting to flip to full lock. Not a real problem and something you get used to and might not be an issue at 120mm travel as mine are 15mm. I’d say if you have the choice go for 51mm offset . I think all fox forks are anyway.

I’m running 120mm mrp stage forks with 51mm offset on my phantom with a 68 deg ha as that is what it was designed around. My swift is running 48mm offset 100mm minutes with a 71 deg ha. Both handle well.

Slacker bikes need bigger offset to keep handling quick. I’d go with the longer offset.

Hi
I don’t know the numbers or HA or anything like that but I have a Trek Superfly 100 which came with 100mm Fox Float E2 (or G2 ???) forks.
Swapped for White Bros 120mm forks then Fox Float 120mm Talas and can’t tell the difference between any of them in terms of steering etc
Cheers
Steve

Bump, Still trying to decided. Options focussed on a Pike reduced to 120mm in either 46mm / 51mm.

The 44mm offset on my foxes are fine, it’s what came on the bike after all.The desire to liven them up a touch at a slower pace is on my mind.

Will there be any detrimental handling running 51mm at 120?