Rigid Fork or not?

[Mojoman]

I ride my el cheapo SS around Magalies with a steel fork, you get used to it but when I change over to my GT with front suspension, its like swopping my old Nissan Sani for a nice plush Jaguar...!

[Tuxstir]

Why not ?

 

the last time i had a rigid fork on a mtb.. i destroyed 4 forks in a year...nuf said

[I FLY]

@slowpoke - I am having a light weight one made out of denim by a tailor in Northcliff. Cost is about R700. But thanks for the offer.

 

They don't want the other commuters or the seats to be cut or marked by the bike.If it is in a bag there is less chance of this happening. So far there is no stipulation that bike must be a foldable one.

[Just Keep Pedaling]

The only reason to go rigid is extreme weight saving (i.e. showing off) or extreme cost saving .

[levett]

I ride my 29er with a rigid carbon fork, and semi-slicks (those that are fairly smooth in the middle, with knobbies on the outside), for commuting, and then fit an 80mm suspension fork, and wheels with 2.4" Mountain Kings, for the weekends.

[Wyatt Earp]

The only reason to go rigid is extreme weight saving (i.e. showing off) or extreme cost saving .

Yip, the cost saving is what motivated me, bucks is low

Just as an aside, rigid fork riders are not disabled, we are just compressionally disadvantaged, you will find when we get off the bike we have two arms and legs and we might even speak a language known to man.

But do remember we are just poor ass show offs.

[Hairy]

Yip, the cost saving is what motivated me, bucks is low

Just as an aside, rigid fork riders are not disabled, we are just compressionally disadvantaged, you will find when we get off the bike we have two arms and legs and we might even speak a language known to man.

But do remember we are just poor ass show offs.

Yip...my Foxy was sold along with the roadie bike and wheels and the Scotty dually frame so that I could buy my new "pre owned" Morewood Shova frame.

After hours of deliberation I came to the conlustion that the SS is primarily just a commuter and simplicity is key. She will get a new fork at some stage in her life again, but there is no particular rush to do so as she rides rather well with the rigid on one steel fork.

Keep the commuter simple and cheap to maintain, if you want a snazzy SS later on for playing in the dirt then cross this hurdle when it comes. You could just build two SS bikes to take care of your needs.

If you need to justify this to yourself or your better half it will be easy to do so once you have been riligiously commuting for a couple of months as the savings vs driving a car can be substatial.

What I would recommend though is that you make sure your commuter is running on tubeless as there are not many things out there that can break your eagerness to commute than having to fix a series of flats.

Good luck with your commuting.

 

H

[I FLY]

@ Hairy - My better half is the problem . I have to try and stop her from buying new bling stuff.

 

She currently has 6 bikes and a mtb frame and she is looking at buying a Santa Cruz SL frame today. Although she has agreed that the frame and one mtb must be sold.

 

Agree on the simplistic approach and tubeless is a given.After all I also ride a road bike and I manage that without suspension.

[Hairy]

@ Hairy - My better half is the problem . I have to try and stop her from buying new bling stuff.

 

She currently has 6 bikes and a mtb frame and she is looking at buying a Santa Cruz SL frame today. Although she has agreed that the frame and one mtb must be sold.

 

Agree on the simplistic approach and tubeless is a given.After all I also ride a road bike and I manage that without suspension.

 

LOL ... would be great if you rode the same sized bikes

[I FLY]

We do

[Hairy]

We do

 

Talk about getting yourself set up right ... well that is only if your better half lets you play with her bikes that is!

[I FLY]

Talk about getting yourself set up right ... well that is only if your better half lets you play with her bikes that is!

 

It is a bit like mating with a black widow spider. Done with caution and not often.

[AndreZA]

...she is looking at buying a Santa Cruz SL frame today.

 

I thought you bought her a SC SL a few years back to replace her Spez.

[I FLY]

I thought you bought her a SC SL a few years back to replace her Spez.

 

No. She wanted a Santa Cruz Blur LT with which she has not bonded well.It is a fantastic free ride bike and handles the descents with ease but does not climb well ( her strength and enjoyment)

 

So we have been looking another SL for awhile as I think my SL is nimble and surefooted.

 

PS: We have an anthem 1 frame and a Santa Cruz Blur LT frameset for sale.

Edited December 15, 2010 by I FLY

[mtbvip]

I love my rigid SS. Absolutely no problems jumping sidewalks OR 4hr rides along the spruit. A lot of fun. You most certainly don't need suspension to commute. You will be surprised how much a carbon rigid fork can take.

[Nuffy]

the last time i had a rigid fork on a mtb.. i destroyed 4 forks in a year...nuf said

 

I broke three suspension forks on my jump bike in quick succession and then went rigid (a steel Planet X fork) and haven't had any problems (though it does limit my offroad options a bit). I would certainly recommend it for commuting. Anyone who thinks you need a suspension fork for riding off pavements isn't doing it right. Just look at what ol' Danny Macaskill can do on a fully rigid bike.