Afternoon!

Building up a new BFe from scratch, currently looking at:

Large frame (6’2″ bloke)
Fox 120/150 Talas 15mm Tapered
Hope Headset
Hope Pro II on Flows
Using old Saint BB and crankset on (unfortunately) 2 x 8

My main question is what stem (length/angle) and bars (riser/not) have people gone for? I’ve always had 50mm stem in the past as I like a fairly direct feel over the front – but worried with the angle on a 150mm fork.

Cheers

I have just built up one with 140mm slants (520mm ac), a 55mm stem on a large frame. I went for a large and am 6 2 like you. It feels spot on apart from steep ups and I would like to be able to drop it down so your should be spot on.

My bar is a 760mm chromag with 20mm rise.

I have a reverb on it which I also think helps in the comfort stakes as well as some big tires. Run 2 x 10 gears wise.

I ran 140s and found them fine. People run 160s and say they’re great. 149 Max for me mind.

Go for your 50mm stem and some wider bars, which will pull you forward. Win win.

Also, wear a heavy hat. Or grow a bushy beard.

Got an XS BFe running 150mm Marzocchi 44s. 50mm/0 degree rise stem with flat 760mm bars.

Feels fine on everything bar steep switchback climbs where it gets a bit twitchy and front end light.

Medium here, I’m 5’10, Marzocchi 55s @ 160, 50mm Answer dj stem, Answer 780mm downhil bars..Solid downhill, great in the woods..

Convert the talas into floats, otherwise big rim, tyres & brakes.

banks – Member
otherwise big rim, tyres & brakes

This also. Flows, Purgatory/The Captain, 203mm/180mm here.

The talas I was looking at has fallen through. If we’re talking about fixed travel, what has been people’s magic number? 140mm? Or too much on the climbs?

i love mine with 160’s.
even for just practising wheelies on flat ground and general pootling. and it feels right at home in the scottish borders, my main stomping ground…
but there def seem to be numerous varying opinions on this very subject.

I have 140mm pikes on mine and apart from jumping and the BMX track I just leave them at 140.

As for bars and stem I have a 70mm stem and 760x20mm bars. I am 6ft and ride a medium.

6′,
Medium frame, 140mm Pikes
90mm stem + 750mm bars.

Might try a shorter stem one day

To my mind, a BFe is all about pissing around having fun, doing wheelies and bunny hopping stuff. For that reason, I run a few stem stackers and riser bars to keep the front end high-ish. It’s not the most efficient climber but I have (the luxury of) another bike for that. A lower front end would probably be more efficient for climbing, and (for me at least) faster on downhills, too.

If you have a 50mm stem, put that on and see how it goes. It’s all hand waving until you have tried at least one set up and have a frame of reference for changes. I’m a bit taller than you and run a 60mm stem with 740s so (as someone has said) go nice and wide to pull yourself forward.

140 Revelations and a 50mm stem/780mm bar (20mm rise Renthal) combo feels good on my size L BFe (also 6’2″). Keeps the weight forward on decents and feels well controlled, while also not being too silly for climbing efficiently.

I run it 2×9 just to be niche.