Help me... I think I’m going crazy!

careca78

Hello All

I’m in a dilema!
Back in 2013 I’ve started buying parts for my 2005 Mondraker Foxy in order to bring it to shape. First came a 150mm Revelation, later a CrossRoc wheelset and finally a shorter stem/ wider bar combo… in late 2014 I got it assembled and tuned and this should be the end of story.

The problem began when I used my N+1 privilege and used the old 130mm Fox Vanilla and Sun Ringle wheelset together with some new parts to assemble with an On One 456 Evo 2 frame.

One year later and after using the 456 in my regular trails alongside the upgraded Foxy I can’t seem to consider the 456 as the second bike… it’s a typical case where the mistress replaces the wife!

The geometry is so far better that now I can’t seem to be able to adapt to the Foxy again. It seems that adorning a pig with jewellery doesn’t change the fact that it’s a pig (just for comparison). The 2005 Foxy now looks tall, steep and short and I’m starting to believe that no matter how much money I put into it that will never be entirely corrected

So, to end the story, I’m now considering changing all new parts to the 456 and leave the Foxy for my better half… Am I going crazy????

Help me, please!!!!!!!!!!!!

buddy_club

Sounds like a good idea. As long as the 456c will take that length fork.

cooldad

It can take 4, 5 or 6 inch forks, hence the 456 bit, but that will also change the geometry so it might feel different and you'll hate it.

careca78

cooldad wrote:

It can take 4, 5 or 6 inch forks, hence the 456 bit, but that will also change the geometry so it might feel different and you'll hate it.

I can always try, but the fact my Revelation is a Dual Air can minimise some of the differences.
The 150mm will be welcomed during the descents and I can always revert it to the 130mm that I’m used to during climbs.
Worst case scenario is changing everything back to as it is right now.

Herdwick

buddy_club wrote:

Sounds like a good idea. As long as the 456c will take that length fork.

on one 456 evo 2 won't take a tapered fork but 456c will, what's the one on the foxy?
I own a 456 evo2 and running a RS sektor 150mm dual position coil, climbs prety well in 150mm mode, in fact I use the 120mm travel when descending on moderate, not to rough/steep trails, it feels better as front wheel need less weight to gain traction.
It's a fantastic bike but not everyones peace of cake, and certainly won't beat any modern geometry trail full susser in any way.

Herdwick

Arhh 150mm revelation it is! definently fits the 456

careca78

Herdwick wrote:

buddy_club wrote:

Sounds like a good idea. As long as the 456c will take that length fork.

on one 456 evo 2 won't take a tapered fork but 456c will, what's the one on the foxy?
I own a 456 evo2 and running a RS sektor 150mm dual position coil, climbs prety well in 150mm mode, in fact I use the 120mm travel when descending on moderate, not to rough/steep trails, it feels better as front wheel need less weight to gain traction.
It's a fantastic bike but not everyones peace of cake, and certainly won't beat any modern geometry trail full susser in any way.

My Revelation has a straight tube, which was required for the Foxy (in 2005 this was pretty standard), so it will fit nicely in the 456.

Like you said, the 456 is a fantastic bike and it seems to be “my piece of cake” 
I also agree that it certainly won’t beat any modern geometry full susser, but my Foxy certainly don’t fit that description… bike geometry has changed a lot recently and when you try something better sometimes it’s hard to go back.

Just to give you an example, I have to run my rear shock in the 125mm position (100 / 125 / 150 available) and still my BB stands slightly more than 350mm from the ground, with 150mm it stands almost 360mm. I’ve tried different front and rear sags but I still feel “on top of the bike”, not “on the bike”… if you’re familiar with motorcycles, it feels the same difference between my 2003 Yamaha R1 and a same period MV Agusta.

From my analysis I would need to put eccentric bushings and/or a new shock to change that, and honestly, that feels too expensive for a 2005 frame.

The Rookie

A 2005 bike will not match modern geometry at that travel, even the shorter travel bikes need some tweaking.

For example on my Niota I have used a 10mm shorter E2E shock to lower the rear by 20mm, it can still run the full 100mm rear travel as it had an option of a 120mm mode anyway, this lowered the BB and relaxed the head angle just enough that my BB height and head angle are now pretty much identical to the current Anthem. On your Foxy you could try offset bushes which will shorten the shock by circa 6-8mm, crunch the numbers and see how that stacks up.

careca78

Hello

I decided to go forward with the part change and the final result can be seen here:
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=12960790

The bike’s handling is great as the longer fork doesn’t affect it much is straights, got better in descents and the Dual Air gives the same geometry she had in climbs.
So far so good and it seems my mental sanity is still as it was…