Thoughts pls - is suspension travel too long?

[Prodigal Son]

The 80 will be too long ?

Not ideal for racing and this is a racing bike but it will work fine.

 

[ibbz]

Not ideal for racing and this is a racing bike but it will work fine.

Thanks - I’m going to adjust the forks to see how they fare

 

[legrandefromage]

Some of us only need 30mm travel...

 

[ibbz]

Some of us only need 30mm travel...

To be honest I prefer to cycle with rigid forks (had to word it like that as otherwise I’d have said I prefer to ride rigid!)

 

[joglo]

Hi, just wanted to share my two cents too.
To me, I think the most easy thing to check aren't the angles of head tube or seat tube, but the height of the bottom bracket.
The BB axis should be lower or as an absolute maximum exactly at the height of the front or rear wheel axis skewers (exception Cannondale BotE Geo or other trial bikes with elevated BB).

If you're using a too long fork, the bottom bracket moves up a bit too. Next to the slightly changed angles, the center of gravity moves up (and a bit back). This is IMHO the crucial thing with is causing then the negative impact. You don't feel part of the Bike anyloger, but like sitting on the chopper. Moreover your loosing traction at the front wheel (bad in turns).

 

[ibbz]

Hi, just wanted to share my two cents too.
To me, I think the most easy thing to check aren't the angles of head tube or seat tube, but the hight of the bottom bracket.
The BB axis should be lower or as an absolute maximum exactly at the height of the front or rear wheel axis (skewer).

If you're using a too long fork, the bottom bracket moves up a bit too. Next to the slightly changed angles, the center of gravity moves up (and a bit back). This is IMHO the crucial thing with is causing then the negative impact. You don't feel part of the Bike anyloger, but like sitting on the chopper. Moreover your loosing traction at the front wheel (bad in turns).

Thanks

 

[joglo]

If you're still looking for another, shorter suspension fork, I would recommend to not just look at the travel of the fork but rather the crown to axis length, ideally also minus the SAG when in use. There could be easily 1-2cm differences for forks with as such same travel.
Especially as earlier models often had a much lower crown.
Early RS SID (up to 2001) are, also here depending on model, 445mm with 63mm travel.
An RS MAG was just 415mm.
Yours from the picture look like 48cm.
Just to help a bit with numbers for comparison.
My personal favorite for a good performing but still pretty low suspension fork is the Manitou Skareb or R7 with 80mm travel. Depending on exact version also just 45cm.
Just not sure if those would look great in your Bianchi. Maybe a red fork may be a nice fit to the color stripe at the frame?

 

[joglo]

Not sure if I'm right, is that your bike? A Titanio Team Replica from 1997?


If yes, the original RS Judy SL, had 63mm travel and a length of roughly 430mm from axis to crown.

There was a similar Titanio for 1996, to me maybe identical frame, but with RS Mag 21, as mentioned with 415mm height.

With that in mind, i i wouldn't go further than a 450mm fork at max.

Edit: sorry i should have checked before, but found meanwhile your nice thread:

Bianchi Martini Racing Titanio Team 1997

Re: Bianchi Reparto Corse Titanium Martini Racing XC I wonder what it would look like raw titanium finish? Come everyone let's burn the Heretic :!: :!: :!: :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol: :!: :!:

www.retrobike.co.uk

This is definitively a too nice ride to been screwed up with a not perfectly fitting fork.
What about a red 98 SID, or early red Bomber? Or go back to the Italian/exotic ones like your FRM, a 3G or STM , all those may end up with 450mm max. if you keep an eye on the length.

 

[novocaine]

my original comment was based on 75mm to 100mm. if it is as indicated by joglo that it originally had 63mm then yes, that's a bit much especially as the judy SL was a really short ATC fork designed for XC at the time.

 

[ibbz]

If you're still looking for another, shorter suspension fork, I would recommend to not just look at the travel of the fork but rather the crown to axis length, ideally also minus the SAG when in use. There could be easily 1-2cm differences for forks with as such same travel.
Especially as earlier models often had a much lower crown.
Early RS SID (up to 2001) are, also here depending on model, 445mm with 63mm travel.
An RS MAG was just 415mm.
Yours from the picture look like 48cm.
Just to help a bit with numbers for comparison.
My personal favorite for a good performing but still pretty low suspension fork is the Manitou Skareb or R7 with 80mm travel. Depending on exact version also just 45cm.
Just not sure if those would look great in your Bianchi. Maybe a red fork may be a nice fit to the color stripe at the frame?

Thanks so much for the detailed explanation which makes perfect sense
I wouldn’t have changed the FRM but couldn’t get the Avid brake calipers to work properly with them -
I am going to swap these for a Magura Rond Quake Air with 65mm of travel which I hope will be perfect as it’ll be about the same as the Judy SL - which you kindly provided the photo to. Where did you find the spec sheet? I’ll include that on the build thread if you don’t mind