Looking forward to the XC at Novo Mesto after a great bit of racing the new Short Track format on Friday…

Curious though if weight is such a factor why racers don’t using Lauf forks… is it sponsorhip that keeps them on “conventional” forks… Lefty’s aside, that is…

Short throw with no damping or lockout ?

First up are lauf going to pay somebody to race them? Second is the performance up to the job?

Lack of damping I reckon.

Other than the evangelical riders I don’t know from adam I’ve seen several people I know and who’s views trust buy them with their own cash and hate them and condemn them to their gravel bikes .

Main complaint is when it gets rough at speed it all gets uncontrollable.

More suited to gravel bike/washboard and fire roads

 if weight is such a factor

It obviously isn’t a big enough factor that it’s worth having short travel and no damping to save a few hundred grams.

Didn’t someone’s Lauf fork snap on the Tour Divide in 2016?

Weight isn’t *such* a factor anymore with the technicality of courses. Look how many are now running dropper posts, full suss etc.

Yep, on the Tour Divide, some lad going down Fleecer in Montana, which admitedly is one of the steepest bits of gravel I have ever seen, still…

Fyi that’s not just a random broken lauf thats the one that broke on fleecer

Yep Trail_rat thats the one. That must have been a pants filling moment. Nice 15 mile walk out as well…

I must say having broken two carbon steerers my self I’ve gone back to a steel fork for bikepacking

What you lose in weight (my bikes still sub 30lb loaded before fuel and water ) you gain in forgiveness.

+ I hate walking with two bits o bike.

Are any of the competitors sponsored by Lauf,  and of the few competitors who have open use of any fork, how many would choose a Lauf over a conventional fork for a top level xc race……

The only rider who uses a Lauf for any pro level XC is Soren Nissen, and he really tends to lose time on the descents (this is in marathon racing too, not balls out XCO). Even he occasionally uses a normal fork for more techy courses, despite being sponsored by Lauf.

I’d never dare take Laufs to an XC race, they’re just too noodly and uncontrolled. Not just the descents either, they feel horrible while sprinting, like you’ve left the front axle ondone.

 That must have been a pants filling moment. Nice 15 mile walk out as well…

15 miles to work out how you walked away from that? Fair play

The only rider who uses a Lauf for any pro level XC is Soren Nissen

Hardly notice how ugly the forks are.