Aluminum frame, steel forks?

ThomasElliott

Old School Hero
A while back, I bought a very nice 1996 Kona Kula with a lot of help from forum member magas. The Rockshox Judys were however pretty much shot, and since I didn't plan on using the bike for trail riding I replaced them with a pair of steel Project 2 forks, approximately a few years older than the frame. I've modded the bike slightly here and there since then, but iI just can't seem to make it into a comfortable ride, even on flat surfaces it feels overly stiff and sluggish. Would this be a result of me just not agreeing with Kona's aluminum frames, or is the aluminum frame/steel forks-combo some major no-no that I've missed?
 
What tyres? They can make a hell of a difference. Aluminium frames can feel harsh but done right they ride very well. However if you are a lighter weight rider, they can be harsh where steel is too supple for the heavier rider.
 
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Another possibility could be the use of a standard length fork in a suspension corrected frame. The angle of the headtube increases and influences the steering in a negative way. This might feel as a harsh ride.
 
legrandefromage":17bz6ayr said:
What tyres? They can make a hell of a difference. Aluminium frames can feel harsh but done right they ride very well. However if you are a lighter weight rider, they can be harsh where steel is too supple for the heavier rider.

Remko":17bz6ayr said:
Another possibility could be the use of a standard length fork in a suspension corrected frame. The angle of the headtube increases and influences the steering in a negative way. This might feel as a harsh ride.

It doesn't feel like it's the tyres, but trying a pair with lesser studs would be cheap enough I suppose. Not sure about the suspension correction, does it look like that in the picture? Sorry about the bike being turned the wrong way...

Kona.jpg
 
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The stiffness and sluggishness could be the result of more than one cause. Stiffness might be related to the fork; sluggishness is less likely to be. What feels stiff and sluggish to you also depends on what you're used to.

Aside from going for less knobbly tyres, you could make sure that the replacement tyres are fairly lightweight. Something like the Schwalbe Hurricanes might be worth a try or the City Jets. Presumably, you've checked the bottom bracket and made sure that the hubs and bearings are not too tight, and that they are clean and well greased. Failing all of that, it might be worth checking the weight of the wheels: if they are heavy in comparison with whatever you're accustomed to, the bike is likely to feel sluggish.
 
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Remko":2u1pdct9 said:
Another possibility could be the use of a standard length fork in a suspension corrected frame. The angle of the headtube increases and influences the steering in a negative way. This might feel as a harsh ride.

I had exactly the same issue with my Zaskar. Even the 1993 model was ever so slightly suspension corrected and I quickly learnt what the wrong length of fork could do to the ride and feel.
 
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My cannondale M400 is aluminium with chromo forks (original) and it certainly isn't overly harsh.

Just a thought on the "sluggishness". I ride a few different bikes to work dependant on what I'm carrying (or what's working :roll: ). Inevitably my 700c road bike feels faster than my mtb (with suspension), and some days it just doesn't feel like I'm able to carry any speed on whatever I'm riding. However I usually complete the journey in the same time (35 mins) give or take a minute or two. So maybe sluggishness is more psychological!
 
Thanks for all the advice, I'm toying with the idea of simply getting a '96-ish steel Kona frame designed for the P2 forks and swap the components from the Kula to see if I like it better. Anyway, good to know that the steel forks/aluminum frame combo in and of itself isn't the problem!
 
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