Talas Forks do you even bother adjusting?

Having a discussion about the dubious benefits of those Talas forks, how many of you

a) Ride them
&
b)Bother to stop and adjust them.

(They lock down for going up stuff for those who don’t know about this stuff, (I didn’t))

Surely if its that steep they’ll make a difference you’re probably walking anyway..

a) Yes

b) yes/no

yes I do adjust them
no I don’t stop, you can do it on the fly so it’s hardly an inconvenience

and they don’t ‘lock down’, they jsut have 3 travel settings, (depending on model for the steps), 160mm, 130mm, 100m on mine and I do actually use all three, although 130 and 100 mostly, it handle’s like a barge with 160 on anything but big downs.

could you perhaps be thinking of the Marzocchi ETA system which is a ‘lock down’, drops you to about an inch or two of heavily damped travel. But that too can be done on the fly.

It’s only the Rockshox U-turn that you have to unweight the forks to be able to return to full travel for.

“Surely if its that steep they’ll make a difference you’re probably walking anyway.. “

Depends on whether you’re bike riding or taking your bike for a walk ..

I use my U-turn forks. Granted the click per 0.5mm travel is faff, but I wanted to be able to use the intermediate travel settings in between the newer Dual-position-air, 2step style setup as I knew the maximum travel on my fork would make my bike handle poorly in that setting

Lowest travel for ups, some singletrack. Middling travel for bits of both. Longest travel only for downs that I think might be more fun and aren’t too pedally or slow/tight/stop-starty

The issue I have is working out what height to run the bars at? I could make the bike handle better with the fork at full travel with a flat stem slammed, maybe lower rise bars. But then it’d be so low in the lower travel settings that it’d only work on really steep stuff (else my back starts to moan). Conversly if I have the bars a bit higher so I can leave the forks in lowest travel on the flats/less techy downs, then the bike is worse with the forks wound out?

I had a set of pikes with the adjustability – I found I always had them at the wrong travel for what I was doing cos I would forget to adjust them. So for me a fixed length is better

I run the forks on my new HT (110-140) on the lowest setting most of the time, and just wind it out for descents, works really well. My full suss (130-150) climbs perfectly well with them on full travel so I usually just leave them alone on that one.

Oh yeah, I generally just flip the lever whilst riding along and lift the front a couple of times to pop it up/down.

Just reach down and twist the dial, no need to stop.

Yes, Fox 32 150 Talas 3 step 150/130/110
Use 150 most of the time, but 110/130 on long climbs and 130 for agile cross country. Its amazing how much quicker the steering gets on my bike as you reduce the travel and sharpen the steering angle. As above, its done on the fly without stopping.

As everyone else says – use the adjustment (usually just 140/100 for me) but don’t specifically stop to do it. Though I’m usually stopped at the top of climbs anyway as I is such a riding god some folk I ride with climb even slower than me.

Yes, got them on my Stumpjumper FSR (140/120/100).

Adjust them a fair amount – will wind them down for climbs, obviously depending on how steep they are, how long they are and how much prior warning I have.

As above, I don’t stop – it’s just a quick two click move to drop them 40mm which really makes a difference.
The U-Turn on my Inbred takes a bit more effort, as they take longer to wind down…

160 for almost everything, drop it down for long climbs

I have the 100/120/140’s.

I adjust them between 100& 120 on occasion as I can’t quite decide which setting is ‘best’.

None of this while I’m riding though.

Had pikes which were either wound right out or right in depending whether they were on the full sus or HT.

hi Derek… thanks for the ban the other day BTW.. 😀

I use a two step adjustable fork.. 150-120.. invaluable for the style of riding I do and the terrain and bike that I use..

Travel adjust on all my forks (Talas 100-120-140 and U-Turn 100-130) and use it all the time…talas is great for on-the-fly adjustment. The forks will either be set at max or min travel and rarely inbetween though.

yep, all the time. I have Talas on the tandem which has quite high bottom brackets for ground clearance. I tend to leave it short travel for getting on and off to give extra goolie room then let them out when we are hammering it. I think the three position setting is easy and means it gets used a lot more than say it was the rock shox jobbies where its infinately variable butyou have to wind the travel up or down with multiple turns of the knob.

Great function, use it all the time as makes climbing easier and more comfortable as can ride in a normal position longer.

IMO U-turn is for when you swap the forks onto a different bike, or you’re riding a race and want less travel for the whole ride. Changing on the fly is a PITA and as people have said you’ll forget to wind them out again.

I like the look of Dual-position air or ETA where a simple flick 90º and you’re in climbing mode. I think I might use that, the next forks I buy will have this on the spec list.

The other time I’ve found U-turn to be useful is when you’re throwing the bike in the back of a van with loads of other bikes. Wind the forks down = less stansion exposed = less potential for damage. I hardly think that’s worth the weight penalty though.

Travel adjust is a great idea, but I kept forgetting to change it on climbs and descents. Of the 110-130-150 options, I found it easier to leave it in the 130 setting. It helps if your frame is designed with good angles.

A = Yes, 36/160

B = Yes, but my bike handles better 75% of the time at 130mm travel. I wind ’em up for the fast steep downs and stopping to play on jumps only.

140/120/100 never use the middle setting, 100 is great for climbing, the front end can be a bit wandery on a soul at 140. As above it’s really surprising how much sharper the steering becomes especially on tight switchbacks.

I use the 120 setting on my 150 Revelations quite often for steep-ish assents, takes about 1 second to reach down and tweak the dial. Makes the difference between me getting up a steep bit on the bike, or pushing it up.

Wasn’t that familiar with the concept before I bought them – I thought it just reduced the travel. But its the lowering of the front end that helps (does that have the effect of steepening the head angle?)

Having a discussion about the dubious benefits of those Talas forks

given the number of responses on what is quite frankly, a slow day for STW, they’re not looking so dubious now I would imagine…

yunki – Member
hi Derek… thanks for the ban the other day BTW..

I’m really really sorry if I caused that, I wasn’t happy about the post, but I’d never ever expect anyone to get banned over it, my sincere apologies, as it happened they got me with a two day ban over something that to me seemed fairly trivial later that day so God & the Goderators evened things out for you.

As for the Talas thing, I’m still not convinced, I think if it were operated by a little lever on the bar a la uppy downy seat post, I might switch to them, I think it was that bender on IMBIKE Mag, he rides round here and I bump into him on occasion, was cracking on about them in reference to the Bandit in a review in their mag, that started the conversation, I’d never heard of Talas forks, that Bandit climbs well enough anyway, you’d have to be a total ‘tard to need forks that adjust to make it climb imv.

Yes – I have them 100-120-140 32mm and yes I use them quite a lot. 100mm for the long climbs; 120 for twisting singletrack; 140mm for steep downs. Currently contemplating a new bike (frame is an old ETS-X) and wondering actually what new frame works best with 100-140mm Talas.

sweaman2 – Member
Yes – I have them 100-120-140 32mm and yes I use them quite a lot. 100mm for the long climbs; 120 for twisting singletrack; 140mm for steep downs. Currently contemplating a new bike (frame is an old ETS-X) and wondering actually what new frame works best with 100-140mm Talas.

Well according to IMBman then it’s the Bandit, then again every bugger is telling me Bandit right now and I’m sick of hearing it..
I’ll stick some on my Covert instead, just to piss them off, not that it needs them imv.

yes
160/130/100

use it all the time especially long road climbs and some off road climbs

miss the old ETA from marz.

Another yes. Fox Talas

160 – Downs
130 – Jumps (weight and position feels a bit more balanced)
100 – Longer climbs (front lifts or wanders on 160)

I find I tend to set my Pikes before I set off and don’t touch them, the Fox I just do on the fly, same with the Pro pedal lever on the rear shock and my droper post.

On an old bike that used to sit into it’s travel on climbs I would wind them down. Easy enough to do on the move and with the shock pro-pedal on it made the long slogs uphill less of a chore. Newer bike doesn’t really need it as it doesn’t sit into it’s travel and slacken the seat angle so much.

my sincere apologies

you’re forgiven.. it wasn’t a great inconvenience.. 🙂

what did you object to in the post though..?
the bare flesh, the obesity or the disrespect to the queen..?

FWIW I use an adjustable fork on an all purpose hardtail where I think maybe the effect on the geometry can be felt more severely perhaps..

I wouldn’t have thought that a sorted FS would benefit so noticeably..

yunki – Member
what did you object to in the post though..?
the bare flesh, the obesity or the disrespect to the queen..?

disrespect to the queen of course, she’s still someones grandmother after all..

Edit, in hindsight I wouldn’t have reported the post if I’d known the outcome.

The Talas and U-turn forks I’ve had only got adjusted when being used on different frames, set them at the best length for the bike, but rarely if ever while riding. CBA with fiddling with fork or shock settings mid-ride.

Depends on the bike. I’ve a set of Talas 36s on the full suss and the only time the travel adjust is used is when putting the bike into and out of the car. I’m planning to swap them onto my 456SS and will likely use it more then.

I also have a set of U-Turn Revs on an old hardtail and they’re dropped to 80-90 for jumpimg and between 115-130 for the trails.

I’d never heard of Talas forks

really 😯 , must have been living in a cave for the last 5 or 6 years then…

Yes, I have the 36’s 160mm, and I use the travel adjust quite frequently, dont have to stop to do it though. I also use the lockout function on the road. I could probably get up the hills without winding them in, but it makes it easier. I also wind them in if I’m on tight undulating terrain

Mine are the newer talas that just have 2 positions of travel, 160mm and 120mm. I used to have some older ones that were variable between 150mm and 120mm in 5 mm increments, but I only ever used them at eitehr 120mm or 160mm and nothing in between.

Almost every ride. Twist and go, no stopping.

amedias – Member
I’d never heard of Talas forks
really , must have been living in a cave for the last 5 or 6 years then…

Nope, just not really that interested until recently, not everyone is a total nerd when it comes to bikes. I find it amazing just how many anoraks there are in this world, still haven’t quite got my head round it all.

I kind of get it, even at the start of this thread I’d just assumed they went all the way up or down, didn’t realise they were pre-set to various fork lengths, I guess they must cost considerably more than my floats I shall google in a minute and see. I do hope IMBender doesn’t turn out to be correct after all.

So this forum has served a useful purpose other than entertainment at last..

I had a set and as others have said would forget to change them and found myself at the bottom of gnar with the forks at their min setting.
My TALAS and Lyriks used to fail very frequently and would get stuck in the extended position – eventually I got fed up with the servicing/interruption off the bike and left them that way.
I don’t have issues with the front wandering with long forks – once you get used to it its not a problem – its only when you continually change the travel that you have issues climbing.
If a handlebar remote operated version came out I’d probably give it another go.

I’m kind of tempted to mess around with my u turn pikes on my mmmbop now I have seen this thread.. I’ve just always ran them at 140.

I don’t use the motion control lockout thing anymore though, I don’t trust it after all the fluid leaked into the lower leg. Takes an hour to fix, and I’d rather not again.. Plus I can’t trust myself to remember that I have the fork locked out before hitting something…

It will leak again, well known fault. Got to do mine again for the fourth time. TFTuned claim to have a permenant fix.

As for TALAS forks, change the travel setting all the time on mine, on the fly. Love them.

If a handlebar remote operated version came out I’d probably give it another go

That would be really nice.

My TALAS and Lyriks used to fail very frequently and would get stuck in the extended position

My TALAS went through a phase of doing the opposite, starting at the top of a descent at 140mm and dropping to 100m half way down, caused a few over the bars incidents. Since fixed and not happened again.

ive had 4 (i think) different sets of travel adjust forks and found them to be a pointless faff everytime.

yes they do change the geometry but i much prefer the fork to be set right and then just ride the bike,

i probably dont ride hard enough, fast enough or care enough tho.

Yep
Nope
My bike rides fine at 140mm, feels weird dropped down. Only got them because they were cheap, otherwise would have bought a float or van.