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Custom build on a carbon frame
Following much berating and sniggers from track monkeys at my lefty...The second rig will be custom built!!
However already running into the delicate balance of feel and disproportionate weight issues.
I'm currently looking at a SC carbon frame with a Fox Talas adjustable fork upfront. It is a heavy sucker and just wondering if anyone out there that has custom built a rig that has this sort of weight transfer.
Does it affect the overall balance of the rig?
And any tips for custom builds?
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I did a custom build Mojo last year, and went with the Float RLC. Partly due to cost and also because it was lighter than the TALAS.
However for 2010, both the $ and the weight of the Talas have come down, so if you want the travel adjust, go for it.
One tip, I recently fitted a shorter stem (from 90mm down to 70mm) and the results have been good. The bike is faster steering and more fun to ride.
Should have done it ages ago. I liked the Lyrik on the Mojo as I love coil but found that with such a good suspension system I rarely used travel adjust. Before the Mojo I has a SC Nomad (which the fork came from) and it was pretty much the same thing, rarely had a need for travel adjust.
The DT Swiss ironically does have a travel adjust of sorts - when you lock out for climbs it stays compressed at about 110mm which is useful, but to be honest it's not why I bought the fork, it was more the weight.
Since switching, the Mojo has come alive and it far more balanced in weight and quicker to accelerate. Id say that if you're going carbon, it sort of defeats the object to get a heavy fork. Take a look at the new RS Sektor forks coming out soon as well. They have 20mm and 15mm QR, air, coil and U turn in 150mm I think and may be suited to your needs.
FWIW, there are a few forks on special at the CBD sale right now. Saw a 2010 Talas for about $500 off.
I agree with the notion of having a carbon frame and a heavy fork...whats the point?
But part of the challenge is to build the true all-mtn rig with adjustable travel, so basically when i wanna bomb down a rock garden... i can and when i wanna climb like a monkey... i can.
Not asking for much hey
I suppose the simple method is to just lock it in and out when the time calls for it but the objective here is to build a true 'perfect' bike.
We're eyeballin the Nomad carbon they just released and that has Monarch's on it, which is balls ass in my opinion.
But the Marzocchi 66's look pretty sweet but have always been fond of the Mojo's.
At the end of the day, lookin for an adjustable travel fork of up to 6-7 inches that is light
Saw those forks at CBD but its heavy and its cheaper on CRC
Ideally any way. Will of course go 140 - 160mm plus, but they always suggest it was designed around a 150mm. I assure you that with the Mojo's suspension there is very little need for a travel adjust on climbs, but if you were at 6inch plus then maybe.
I've run a 6" fork on the Mojo and a 7" fork on a Nomad. Both benefited from a slightly lower fork if you're looking for an all mountain trail bike to ride all day. Great on the downhills but to be honest when I dropped an inch I never felt that I'd lost any performance and noticed far better handling.
The weight isn't so much the issue and definitely get the fork you like, but geometry makes a big difference with these bikes. Having owned both frames, I'd say go 5" on Mojo, 6" Nomad max up front. This also matches rear travel too pretty much. Both work best for me with a 70mm stem for all day riding with good steering response. The Nomad can go shorter but your climbing can get affected a bit with a steep fork, then you would want travel adjust.
If you ride the dam I'm happy to let you take mine on a section of trail just to get a feel for a 5" fork on the Mojo........
If I was going to build a Am rig with a big budget I'd be going;
Carbon Nomad (what else needs to be said? Pure sex!)
2011 FOX 36 160mm Talas (2.1kg (the Float is not even 100g lighter with fixed travel.))
DHX 5.0 Air (I'd go with RP23 large can if it was possible)
DT Swiss 5.1D with hope hubs (tuff as hell wheelset for 1.9kg total)
XT cranks (bit burlier than XTR?)
XT brakes (adjustability in the lever is the attraction)
XTR front and rear mech
XTR Shifters
Thomson 60mm stem (I much prefer a shorter stem, I run a 40 on my Norco and a 60 on my XC)
FSA K-Force carbon bars at 680mm
Joplin seatpost (I know it's a heavy post, but as I love to drop my seatpost for fast decents and wouldn't want to continually slide my post in a carbon frame.)
I don't know what the weight total would be, but damn I reckon it's be a nice bike!