Is shortening my forks the only solution?

[JohnH]

My Sahara originally shipped with those rather primitive Saracen own-brand "Max Drive" forks. I'd be exaggerating if I said that they had more than 30mm of travel.

When they died, I replaced them with some RS Quadra 21s bought from Sidewinder. They were perfectly suited to the Sahara's geometry -- correct axle-to-crown distance and correct amount of travel. But lord lummy, they were a bit hard on the old wrists.

(Ignore the strange cable routing, I was just buggering about)

When I'd had enough of that, I replaced them with a pair of Marzocchi Bomber Z2s that I'd been given, and compared to the Quadras, they feel fantastic. But, the Bombers offer something like 60 or 70mm of travel and that pushes the front of the frame up by 30 or 40mm more than the geometry was designed for.

Consequently the bike looks a bit.... chopperish. :shock:

...and this really became most apparent when I had a front puncture -- with the top-tube at a flatter angle, the bike's geometry suddenly seemed to be in much better proportion, much less stuck-up at the front, and more retro...

So fellas, what can I do (other than riding around on a flat tyre )?

I love the coil springs on the Bombers, but wondered if there was any way to reduce the travel to 40 or 50mm? Can the springs be replaced with shorter equivalents?

 

[MikeD]

Never mind what it looks like, how does it ride? I used Z2s on a 1993 Cannondale and a 1995 Kona, neither designed with 70mm forks in mind, both fine. Dropping the bars helps.

 

[Scarfacexxx08]

I recognise that sign post/bench anywhere, great trails up Eartham

As for the forks i've heard by either putting a shorter stem or longer stem on will balance it out more???

Also try some flat bars or lower the stem as you have quite a high stack there.

 

[letmetalktomark]

I had bombers on my Killi of (I think) a similar age - it was fine.

As above try dropping the bars a bit by playing with the spacers.

IIRC the quadras were 48mm travel and the bombers are 65mm.

May be worth setting them up with a bit more sag?

 

[raymondluxuryyacht]

Can you set sag on a coil fork ?

 

[Andy R]

Can you set sag on a coil fork ?

If you have preload adjustment, yes. Which is all altering the air pressure (without changing oil levels) does on an air sprung fork.

 

[JohnH]

Never mind what it looks like, how does it ride?

It rides okay, Mike -- but I still don't want to look at my bike and think "Raleigh Chopper".

Dropping the bars helps.

If you compare the photo taken in the woods with the photo below that, you'll see that the black bars with a lot of rise have been replaced with grey bars with less rise.

I recognise that sign post/bench anywhere, great trails up Eartham

Yep, well spotted!

As for the forks i've heard by either putting a shorter stem or longer stem on will balance it out more???

Also try some flat bars or lower the stem as you have quite a high stack there.

Yeah, I could put a stem on with zero-degree rise which would help, but I think that the problem is mostly below the head-tube rather than above it. :?

Can you set sag on a coil fork ?

If you have preload adjustment, yes.

Well, my Bombers have this...

I'm not sure whether this just stiffens the fork or actually adjusts the length of them... :?

 

[MikeD]

It rides okay

Case closed

The preload thing alters how much the fork sags under your weight - less preload, more sag, lower ride height. But also more inclination to move under small forces so will feel a bit squishier. It doesn't affect the static length, just how far it settles with a rider on board. A quarter to a third of the available travel is a good place to be - stick a ziptie on the upper leg, push it down to the seal, get on the bike next to a wall or something to lean on, stand up a bit as if riding over something bumpy, get off carefully without squashing the fork and see how much it's moved. If it's less than 15mm, less preload. If it's more than 25mm, more preload.

What the preload won't do (unlike adding more air to an air fork) is make it harder to bottom out. You need a firmer spring for that.

 

[Scarfacexxx08]

I think it looks fine tbh

 

[Dave_H]

A 24" front disc wheel would lower the front end. You might struggle to get a caliper for that Marzocchi disc mount.

Alternatively a zero degree or even a negative rise stem, and/or maybe a flat bar would put a bit more weight over the front end which might help the way it feels.