Rigid forks for MTB

Anybody tried running a 96er

I’ve got Pace RC31’s 440mm on my off road commuter and put a 29″ wheel on the front over the summer. It was pretty good and the increase in comfort was noticeable over downland as hard as concrete, but it wasn’t as manoeuvrable. I’ve gone back to a 26 over the winter as I have a dynamo hub in that wheel. If I were buying a rigid bike again I’d certainly be looking at 29″ wheels.

Thanks guys, interesting. Might play around with the idea of a rigid 96er.

If the forks were the same AtC then the difference is the roughly 1.5cm radius change in the front wheel. Does that really equate to 2 degrees diff in head angle?

@Swedish Chef – I’ve just put a 29in front wheel on my 26 Inbred SS. Only ridden it once so far but I like it, apart from the extra rotational mass, which is noticeable uphill with the heavy wheel/tyre combo I have.

The bigger front wheel makes a huge difference on the downs – it’s almost like having a little bit of suspension.

I dropped the stem about 3cm to compensate for the higher front end. It felt odd for about the first 100 yards but I quickly got used to it after that. Haven’t tested handling on tight switchbacks yet. Might do that tonight.

@MattjG – Exotic do a wide carbon bar. However, it is cheap and light, which, according to the Law of Keith, means it will snap when you haul on it, showering you in deadly carbon shards which will migrate to all your vital organs and turn you to rancid, stinking mush from the inside out.

Depends how fat a tyre you have on the front, big volume tyre = bigger difference in head angle.

Somafunk – You coudl get 15mm to 9mm hub adaptors? I ran some for a while and they were fine.

As for rigid forks I use Pace RC31s in 445mm style on my 69er. originally had a 26″ wheel up front, tried a 29″ and the difference was good, so kept it like that…

Now was it a member on here who was told by Pace that it was his fault when the steerer snapped off his rigid forks as he should have serviced them?

Yeah i could get hub adapters for my Hope wheel easy enough but i don’t want to use a rigid fork with a 9mm quick release, not on the front of my hummer anyway as i’ll be riding the same stuff i ride now and i’d rather have the security and stiffness that a 15mm bolt through axle gives me.

Fair comment, and if you can afford the 15mm rigids then go for it, but riding a 9mm wont hold you back!

1.5cm radius change in the front wheel. Does that really equate to 2 degrees diff in head angle?

Very roughly, about that yes as you’re adding trail twice. Assuming same fork length – the bigger wheel raises the headtube, slackening it and radius is part of the trail equation with similar effects on trail. So it’s twice as effective / bad / much change as just 15mm on the fork length.

This was why my first 69er conversion felt odd-er than expected but ended up convincing me that increased trail and shorter forks were good on rigid 29ers.

Anyway, just on here to see what’s rated and say I have 2 sets of cr-mo forks in the classifieds, 445 or 450mm, all black, fairly light, as used on current Fortitude bikes. MIP.

I’ve bought a set of these, $100 posted from China, worked out to just over £60. Took just over a week to arrive, not fitted them yet, new bikes just arrived to put them on.

I used to ride wi the pace carbon/ti’s and 9mm QR without any probs on my Soulcraft but in some rock gardens or tight n’ twisty singletrack it was a tad springy (floppy, not exactly sharp steering?) at the front end and after riding wi the 15mm bolt through on the Talas/Hummer i’d never use a 9mm QR in the front again, i know that sounds odd as i managed before without any probs but the security and direct steering of the 15mm bolt through will be worth it for the extra few ££ the x-lite forks cost, or at least i hope so.

I’ll report back if decide to get the x-lite’s, unless i find another fork that is cheaper or a dearer one that makes my wallet itch 😉

FWIW, I don’t think security should be a concern, you’re a mechanical sort of person so you’re not going to not do it up right or neglect it for 50 rides while it loosens, or use some joke QR that doesn’t work but weighs 2g less than an XT one.

I think flex/twist gets a bit more complicated with rigids, I think of it as sideways travel No joke, I’m pretty sure that the fork being able to walk where it wants has kept me upright when riding harder than is wise.

I am pretty sure I have some exotics at home, want them?

I’m looking for some secondhand!

i still got these http://singletrackworld.com/forum/profile/mikkel

Price negotiable

Yeah northwind, i realise the security of the front wheel isn’t a major concern as i have a habit of going through a quick 10sec checklist every time i throw my leg over the bike, or any bike i jump on whether that be in the shop or otherwise, i was happy wi the 9mm QR on my custom Soulcraft as that frame was designed for a rather specific purpose, tight, twisty trails, no stupid stuff and with geometry suited to a 80mm travel/locked out fork – very lightweight columbus steel tubing. My Hummer at the moment wi 140mm travel is getting dropped off 5ft drops (to transitions i may add), hammered through n’ over the rocky sections at Dalbeattie, Kirroughtree black etc, and whereas in the past i had to carefully pick my line and skip/hop through stuff wi the x-country geometry of the Soulcraft – and like you say the flex sometimes worked in your favour as it twanged you back into line, with the Hummer i find myself taking a rather more direct approach or over/down/off some of the more stupid stuff and at a helluva lot more speed…sometimes it works, sometimes i find myself on my arse wondering wtf?, I just feel that for the capabilities of this frame the 15mm bolt through axle would suit the riding i’m doing now.

Cheers for the offers boobs n’ mike but i’ll pass

If you want direct steering and no brake movement with a rigid fork use a Jones truss – looks crap but night and day.

Yep, agree wi you Clink, i’ve tried a Jones truss – and fwiw i think they look the dogs bollox. In fact i tried Jeffs own bike, (his are two of the three jones below – that’s my soulcraft feeling totally inadequate and outgunned skulking at the back) and if i thought i could have outrun him on the bike (he brought two over for sswc 07) i would’ve been off wi it, pedalling like **** into the distance never to be seen again but often to be heard cackling maniacally in the depths of night, but as i watched him climb up n’ over the steepest sections of McMoab in reverse with a few hops n’ jumps and wheel pops like a friggin trials rider i thought the better of it.

I’d love a truss fork designed for my frame, but can’t afford a truss fork so a £200 carbon job will have to do.

Unless i have a secret santa who’s feeling generous……..

somafunk – Member

as i watched him climb up n’ over the steepest sections of McMoab in reverse

He rode up the chute at the end? Good going! 😉

Ha!, not quite but i wouldn’t put it past him, Y’know the final last steep lumpy bit of McMoab where you drop down onto the singletrack path to head round the back?, he hopped n’ skipped his way up that bit……

I only ride retro bikes, so I don’t know what suspension is.