Fork travel for FS build

snoopsmydogg
snoopsmydogg Posts: 1,110
edited November 2012 in MTB beginners
Considering building an FS bike for average red/black run riding. I already have a HT which I am happy with but just wanted to see what the difference was like without buying a complete new bike and using spare parts I already have if possible.

Does the rear travel have an effect on how much fork travel you should have? ie if I have a frame with 4" travel at the rear should I be looking at a 4-5" fork?

Comments

  • benpinnick
    benpinnick Posts: 4,148
    You do need to balance it to some degree, but every frame is different. Id go 120/130 on a 100mm frame.
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  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Depends on the frame - what do you have in mind?
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    supersonic wrote:
    Depends on the frame - what do you have in mind?
    exactly.
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  • nicklouse wrote:
    supersonic wrote:
    Depends on the frame - what do you have in mind?
    exactly.

    have just been looking at cheap frames on the likes of ebay, the classifieds. Generally xc or dh frames from the likes of scott, marin etc usually around 10 years old with coil shocks and around 4" travel. Nothing fancy just something different on a limited budget.

    I know they are very likely to be different than more recent frame setups and probably a fair bit heavier than my HT but to me its just a trial and an opportunity to use some of the parts I have left over while making a fun bike.

    not much extra help I know but nothing has been set in stone as yet.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Big difference between a XC and DH frame, even 10 years ago. Personally I'd stick with pretty much what they were designed for.
    Look for an old Marin with TARA or something.
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  • EDIT: scratch that just googled it :)

    dont really mind which frame although XC would be preferred, have some old 100-120mm forks and shimano 8 speed groupset that I thought I would stick onto a frame rather than fleabay them.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Travel and ride adjust. Adjustable travel between 4 and 6 inches. You can probably pick up a whole decent bike for a few hundred.
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  • Buying a 10yr old frame off ebay then fitting an 8sp group to it probably wont give you much more of an idea of what a modern FS is capable of than riding your HT will. Especially if it ends up being a bit of a frankenbike. Improvements in geometry, shock positioning and design, and frame technology have all contributed to vastly different handling bikes today vs 10yrs ago.

    If you want to know what a 4" travel FS is like, just get your LBS in to demo one that is in your anticipated price range, or do one of those Evans ride-it thingies or even borrow one off a mate.

    Plus, that way, you an try out a few different suspension designs to see which one suits you.
  • have never really been the type to buy a complete bike. if i have complete bike money it usually gets used for other things and i tend to enjoy building from scratch.

    the reason for looking is i have accumulated a few spares (almost enough to build a complete bike sans frame :wink: ) so thought i would give an FS a whirl since the last FS I owned had elastomer forks and rode like a kangaroo on steroids. The HT is a good bike but n+1 is always nice (have winter and summer road bikes too)

    I'm not looking to build a frankenbike or anything that compares to the latest lapierre, spesh, yeti or whatever. It seems a lot of folk replace their fork on brand new bikes so there is little difference to what i'm looking at doing, also 10 years ago 8-9spd was common on a lot of good bikes and i dont feel the need for 10spd yet. If i was going single chainring maybe but my road bikes are 10 and 8spd and i cant say the extra 4 ratios have made any difference.

    The reason for the question was more geometry related than anything else, wanting to know what length fork is required for an FS frame. I know it was a bit of a vague question but I was hoping for more of a 'for 4" rear travel you are better off with 4/5/6" travel fork' answer rather than 'just get a complete bike' or 'buy new'
  • I wasn't telling you to buy a complete bike.

    You said:
    just wanted to see what the difference was like without buying a complete new bike

    I was simply pointing out that anything you throw together from 10yr old parts will not illustrate what the difference is between a HT and a FS, just what the difference is between a hardtail and an outdated FS, and in order to do a proper comparison, you might want to just try a modern FS.

    Your initial post sounded like you were keen to try a FS with a view to buying one, but you wanted to build one on a budget first, hence my response. Clearly I mis-interprited that. Fair enough.

    If you want to build a FS, be it newish, or 10yrs old, good for you. But as has been pointed out already, you need to at least have an idea of what frame you're going for first. You had initially said you were looking at DH and XC frames, it's impossible to base any sort of recommendation on that information. Even just saying you're after a 100mm travel FS isn't that useful considering they can be designed for anything from 80mm to 160mm forks.

    I'm not looking to build a frankenbike or anything that compares to the latest lapierre, spesh, yeti or whatever. It seems a lot of folk replace their fork on brand new bikes so there is little difference to what i'm looking at doing,

    There is a MASSIVE difference in what you're doing. People replacing forks on brand new bikes already have a frame sat there, so can see what kind of forks would work. Anyone who replaces the forks without knowing how it will effect that specific frame is a douche and is not someone you want to try and emulate.
    The reason for the question was more geometry related than anything else

    And that's exactly why people have been asking you what frames you're looking at. Geometry varies massively from frame to frame. Thare is no such thing as the ideal fork for a 4" rear travel frame.
    It's like saying, what's the best seatpost for a carbon frame.
  • sorry cwnt the reply about a complete bike wasnt aimed at you. Was just answering more than one post and probably should have quoted really.

    I know I was vague in the original question but did try to add a couple of suggestions in one of my replies. XC would be a preferred frame but I wasnt sure if rear travel was important or not to front fork travel. I would like to try an old DH frame for the craic and the fact it would be very different to what I have but I don't really think the forks I own would be up to the job.

    A couple of frames that took my eye recently were Marin Wolf/Trail ridge and Scott G-0 if they are any help.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Old Marins are excellent buys, there is nothing wrong with the suspension on them at all. Also have very good bearings. But most are designed for 100mm forks.
  • No worries, what sort of budget are you looking at anyway?
  • Ghostt
    Ghostt Posts: 192
    Out of interest, what do you currently ride?
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  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    If this is a bitza build you need to choose a frame to match your current parts, especially forks, to get a ride that is representative of a modern FS suitable for XC/trail you'll need something at most 6 years old with a decent enough air shock, anything else will just make it seem worse than a decent HT, I'd look for a Boardman FS frame and match to 120/130mm forks (if that is what you have) and at least it will be a basis for a decent ride.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • EH_Rob
    EH_Rob Posts: 1,134
    supersonic wrote:
    Old Marins are excellent buys, there is nothing wrong with the suspension on them at all. Also have very good bearings. But most are designed for 100mm forks.

    +1, marin would be a good shout.
  • supersonic wrote:
    Old Marins are excellent buys, there is nothing wrong with the suspension on them at all. Also have very good bearings. But most are designed for 100mm forks.

    Cheers for that, could be a serious contender then :)
    No worries, what sort of budget are you looking at anyway?

    budget has been around £50-£100 since its just a bit of fun. No major rush though really.
    Ghostt wrote:
    Out of interest, what do you currently ride?

    Another bitza that started out as a GT Avalanche :)
    If this is a bitza build you need to choose a frame to match your current parts, especially forks, to get a ride that is representative of a modern FS suitable for XC/trail you'll need something at most 6 years old with a decent enough air shock, anything else will just make it seem worse than a decent HT, I'd look for a Boardman FS frame and match to 120/130mm forks (if that is what you have) and at least it will be a basis for a decent ride.

    That was the initial plan, a cheap fs that matched the current spares. I have a couple of spare forks kicking around that range from 80-120mm. my 'best' forks are 100-120mm but they are on the HT at the mo.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    There was a guy selling a marin in the classifieds here for 70 quid.
  • snoopsmydogg
    snoopsmydogg Posts: 1,110
    edited November 2012
    supersonic wrote:
    There was a guy selling a marin in the classifieds here for 70 quid.

    Had seen that one a little while back and another has come up too. Is there much difference between a springs and amount vision?
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Mount Vision Pros are generally lighter.