150mm Fox 32s on 2013 Zestys

lochussie
lochussie Posts: 276
edited July 2013 in MTB general
I have 140mm QR 32s on my HT and they work well, as I'm not going to be smashing through rough stuff on that bike. However, I would be expecting to on a Zesty and would think the even longer 32s (admittedly with a 15mm QR) would be too flexy and hamper the bike. Is this the case?

Comments

  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    last time i rode a 150mm fox 32 i flexed them so much ina corner they pretty much threw me off the bike even witha bolt through (15mm bolt through is almost pointless in comparison to 20mm IMO) get a 34 stansion!
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    They flex badly. RS Revs are much stiffer.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • jairaj
    jairaj Posts: 3,009
    or if budget allows, the new Pike will be stiffer still ;-)
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Anyone ever wondered how much extra stiffness these larger diameters actually give? If we just look at the stanchions by themselves (same wall thickness), then compared to 32mm:

    - 34mm is 20% stiffer
    - 35mm is 31% stiffer
    - 36mm is 42% stiffer.

    Of course, there are other factors in play as the lowers will increase, larger bushings etc. But as far as tubing stiffness goes, the figures are roughly right.
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  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Those figures will depend on the length of travel. On a longer travel fork those percentages will be higher than on a shorter travel fork.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • jairaj
    jairaj Posts: 3,009
    I'm not sure how much the numbers mean in the real world as the chassis design has a big factor in the stiffness too.

    Eg my old Fox 32's where much flexier than RS Sektors which are more flexier than Magura's thor.

    All at 140mm travel, QR axle and I think they all are 32mm stanchions. There are too many variables in the equation. I just go by feel. For me my RS Revs with 20mm is stiff enough. I can feel it twanging a bit when the going gets really rough but my local trails aren't rough and the twanging isn't enough to put me off my stride.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Axle type does very little for fore/aft stiffness mind. Mind you from the tests I have seen of some forks, 15mm does very little for anything lol.

    Going on feel is the best way though, but we can generally say the bigger the stanchions, the stiffer the fork ;-) (for a given travel).
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • jairaj
    jairaj Posts: 3,009
    I also found tapered steerers felt stronger. I demoed a lot of bikes earlier in the year before settling on Transition Bandit and while they didn't all have the exact same fork and axle standards the ones with tapered steerers seemed to have less fore and aft movement.
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    I think a lot of the stiffness in a bike with tapered steerer comes from the larger joint in the head tube rather than from the actual tapered steerer.
    bike has a tapered head tube fitted with a reducer headset and straight steerer fork. I don't think a tapered steerer would add much stiffness.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • julesreece17
    julesreece17 Posts: 70
    Of the two reviews ive read of the 2013 Zesty 514, both reviews mention the flex through the fork. One changed the wheelset, and still felt it through the fork, and mentioned maybe a 34 as a solution.

    I have the 514 myself and have never noticed said flex, but im not the quickest guy in the world so probably couldn't comment.

    Jules.
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    People are making 150mm travel, 32mm diameter forks? What is this, 1998?
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