Longer travel fork for Anthem X4

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Comments

  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    Pudseyp wrote:
    Northwind wrote:
    Not to mention the Glentress Superheroes- sat at the Hub cafe with their Alpines and Spicys complaining that the red route isn't hard enough. :lol:

    But as long as it's fun, it's all good.

    Perhaps they should bugger off to Innerleithen and do the black then ! :wink:

    I am not saying everyone should start on a Anthem, I was just saying they are great to start on, and in many mags and reviews they all seem to say that a 120 stretching to 140 is a great alround platform for most UK riding..OK if I had the money I would love a Spicy, however would I use all it's capacity..no not in the UK no...
    Actually you directly contested my point, which was that a more clever investment of money would be a versatile 120mm bike, not a DH rig or 160mm bike as you've somehow interpreted. I'm not on about "my first bike" either, im assuming the rider in question has at least been riding a hardtail for long enough to learn a few skills on the way, should have made that clear i admit.
  • thel33ter
    thel33ter Posts: 2,684
    bennett_346 wrote:
    Oh do stop being rediculous, 160mm? Who the hell mentioned that.

    I did a while back...

    @Trektom - To answer your actual question, sounds like a no.
    And now you know, and knowing is half the battle
    05 Spesh Enduro Expert
    05 Trek 1000 Custom build
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  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    thel33ter wrote:
    bennett_346 wrote:
    Oh do stop being rediculous, 160mm? Who the hell mentioned that.

    I did a while back...

    @Trektom - To answer your actual question, sounds like a no.
    Not in the context he thinks you meant then.

    Oh btw OP, sorry for the hijack :oops: :P
  • Pudseyp
    Pudseyp Posts: 3,514
    bennett_346 wrote:
    Actually you directly contested my point, which was that a more clever investment of money would be a versatile 120mm bike, not a DH rig or 160mm bike as you've somehow interpreted. I'm not on about "my first bike" either, im assuming the rider in question has at least been riding a hardtail for long enough to learn a few skills on the way, should have made that clear i admit.

    Eh ??? read my first post in this thred (I mention 120mm alot in this thred) then yours...your were saying a short travel bike is not a good place to start...100-120mm is short in my eyes !
    Tomac Synper 140 Giant XTC Alliance 1
    If the world was flat, I wouldn't be riding !
  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    Pudseyp wrote:
    bennett_346 wrote:
    Actually you directly contested my point, which was that a more clever investment of money would be a versatile 120mm bike, not a DH rig or 160mm bike as you've somehow interpreted. I'm not on about "my first bike" either, im assuming the rider in question has at least been riding a hardtail for long enough to learn a few skills on the way, should have made that clear i admit.

    Eh ??? read my first post in this thred (I mention 120mm alot in this thred) then yours...your were saying a short travel bike is not a good place to start...100-120mm is short in my eyes !
    120mm isnt really short, if it can tackle any trail center. But thats personal opinion. Im still living in a house where my dad uses his 80mm bike for trail centres so it depends where you draw the line.
  • frogstomp
    frogstomp Posts: 412
    Returning to the OPs question.. although more than capable of tackling the terrain I found the X a little unnerving at times on steeper, technical descents.

    I switched to 120mm up front (well, removed the spacer from my Rebas) and it became way more confidence inspiring.. it could be the longer travel, the slacker fork angle or even just the higher bar height.. I'm not 100% sure but I am 100% sure it felt so much better! The downside is that you lose a bit (but not too much) on the climbs and the bike doesn't feel quite as 'racey' on the flat but, as always, it's a trade off..

    It's not unheard of in the pro arena either..
  • ianm7222
    ianm7222 Posts: 51
    I have a 2009 X3 and replaced the 100mm Tora with 120mm Recon, if you allow for sag there is only 15mm difference. It transfomed the bike for me in a positive way and now allows me to keep up on the descents with a mate on an Orange 5 pro, I also changed bar and stem to race face evolve (90mm stem and wide bars) and the bike is fast on the climbs , and doesn't wander all over like some people may think.
    I'm very responsible, whenever anything bad happens they always say I am responsible.....
  • mac_man
    mac_man Posts: 918
    Adjustable forks?

    I have 85-130mmm U turn Toras on mine. Up the hills it wanders around like a drunk at 130mm. At 85mm it's perfect.

    The reverse is true on the downhill with 85mm feeling a bit sketchy on the bumpy stuff and 130mm giving loads of confidence by comparison.

    To the OP.. that's the answer... just get adjustable forks and you'll be fine (IMO).

    Some bike seem to master the compromise of long travel with excellent climbing... plenty of 140mm slack headed hardtails are good on the climbs.
    Cool, retro and sometimes downright rude MTB and cycling themed T shirts. Just MTFU.

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  • ianm7222
    ianm7222 Posts: 51
    Yeah, fitted 120mm forks (recon), evolver riser bars and 70mm stem, was an 09 X3.

    Had to run the stem on top of the headset with no spacers to get the front down a little to accomodate the extra 20mm on the forks, and bough an XL frame to allow for a shorter stem without compromising the stretch of the bike.

    It tears down hill now, even pals on remedy and orange 5 can't keep up.

    It climbs just as well as it used to, ultimately you change your style slightly to suit the changes you make to your bike.

    Just change it, and hang on to your old fork for a short while to make sure you are happy with the changes, then you can ebay whichever fork you like least. This will minimise your losses if the new fork doesn't work out or help to offset the cost of the new fork if you are happy with it, I'm sure you'll prefer the changes if your riding is more agressive than it used to be.
    I'm very responsible, whenever anything bad happens they always say I am responsible.....
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 58,801
    If you can, keep the bike as it is and get another bike with more travel - n+1. Or else upgrade the fork to a better 100mm one.

    It is a capable bike and can do more than the 100mm travel suggests, but agree with The L33ter that I wouldn't feel comfortable going more than 2-3ft drops on it.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Doesn't geometry count for more than travel? My 456SS with the forks dropped to 120mm can take on pretty hairy downhill trails where my 120mm travel Trance X would be getting too twitchy and would end with me taking a flyer BUT for a day at a trail centre including climbs & black descents I would take the Trance over the 456SS every time
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • Eyon
    Eyon Posts: 623
    I agree, geometry is more important than travel.

    I've yet to find something to out-do my X3 2010, you just have to pick your lines a little better than say somebody with 50% more travel who can hit boulders as though they aren't there.

    I do wish however the Anthem was a few degree's slacker on the bigger descents just to make it less nervous, but its not a bad machine and I seriously don't think it needs more travel.

    I found the biggest change to make it ride better was to change from 110mm stem to a 70mm stem, made the climbs a little less precise (but certainly not harder) and the descents so much better! Actually its really the only upgrade I think this bike needs.
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 58,801
    Eyon wrote:
    I found the biggest change to make it ride better was to change from 110mm stem to a 70mm stem, made the climbs a little less precise (but certainly not harder) and the descents so much better! Actually its really the only upgrade I think this bike needs.
    That plus wider bars - mine came with the 620mm flats jobs so swapped them out for a 660mm riser. Fine for this bike.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    I do wish however the Anthem was a few degree's slacker on the bigger descents just to make it less nervous, but its not a bad machine and I seriously don't think it needs more travel.

    Have you tried a Trance X? A little slacker only slightly heavier and it takes some abuse on descents. i can hit 5 foot drops, double jumps & rock gardens on the way down a hill then pedal quickly up the next hill ready to hit the next descent and keep going all day. It's not as fast as my downhill bike but that won't pedal up hills at all.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • Eyon
    Eyon Posts: 623
    Stevo 666 wrote:
    Eyon wrote:
    I found the biggest change to make it ride better was to change from 110mm stem to a 70mm stem, made the climbs a little less precise (but certainly not harder) and the descents so much better! Actually its really the only upgrade I think this bike needs.
    That plus wider bars - mine came with the 620mm flats jobs so swapped them out for a 660mm riser. Fine for this bike.

    Agreed, though the Anthem X3 2010 I have came with 670mm low rise bars. I am tempted to try wider as I am broad shouldered but the difference between a friends older Anthem with long stem/narrow flat bars and my Anthem X (short stem wider riser bars) is noticable. Forgetting suspension, his feels racey mine feels still racey but far more confidence inspiring.

    Not tried a Trance, I nearly got one but tbh where I live even 100mm is more than ample, so got the Anthem. Not had any issues at any trail center I have been to, and a 4 day trip around the breacons certainly proved its all rounded-ness.

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