[jollytime]

I am looking to make the transition as cash allows and need a new fork on my 26" SS. Can I just buy a 29er fork and run my 26" front wheel? The frame is built for a 5" fork so the travel and fork height should not be a problem, and yes, the wheel is disc...

Anyone done this?

 

[Strakar]

I seem to recall that the endless guys ran a rigid 29" surly fork for a while. I think it worked fine.

You might want to check out the rigid 29" fork lenght and compare it to your 26" fork under sag, but in general I think it would be ok.

Edit: I was thinking of a rigid 29" fork... I have no knowledge about 29" suspension forks.

 

[mud'n'sweat]

If the A-C measurement and offset are relatively close, then it should handle okay.

 

[MMcG]

JT - Also some longer travel 26er forks fit 29er tires as well so for example you could run a 26 or 29" tire in a Surly Instigator fork. Others that will work in clude the salsa cro-moto, the Zion rigid fork (Jensonusa brand) and probably a few others.

Thing is if you went to a 29er frame and then used this fork, you may risk having too low of a bb height. For example a Karate Monkey with an INstigator fork wouldn't be a good combo.

If you wanted to go with a true 29er fork - on your Kona - I'm sure a Karate Monkey, or an On One or Salsa or other 29er fork would work out fine. I think your frame was designed around a 4 or 5" 26er suspension fork right?

JT - if you are in need of an inexpensive rigid fork - I have an instigator fork I'd let you have for next to nothin if you wanted it.

Cheers,

Mark

 

[jollytime]

I think your frame was designed around a 4 or 5" 26er suspension fork right?


Cheers,

Mark

Mark - I was thinking of going with a suspension fork like a Reba. The Roast is designed around a 4-5 inch fork, so it sounds like it could work just fine!

Thanks for the input!!!!

 

[MMcG]

I think you could do a Roast 69er. Keep an eye out on ebay for White Brothers 29er forks - slightly shorter axle to crown heights than the Reba so it won't chopper things out to badly.

 

[næstep]

If the A-C measurement and offset are relatively close, then it should handle okay.

Generally, 29" head tube angles are steeper to accomodate the slow steering that results from "typical" ~38mm offsets.

If I were going this route, I'd look for a 29"er fork with greater offset, such as White Brothers (~43mm) or the retail Fox F29 (~46mm).

By my simplistic calculation, each millimeter of increased offset = ~0.1° HTA. It looks like Fisher slackened their head tubes by about 1.6° this year, when they switched from the old 38mm offset to the new G2 52mm offset (14mm increase).

Another thing is to make sure, at full fork compression, the front tire clears the frame's down tube.

 

[MMcG]

Nate is onto something with the greater offset suggestion. But then things can get pretty pricey (or you have to wait a while longer to get one).

The new RST 29er forks might offer a great deal of bang for the buck for you JT. The new RST isn't the same as the old - their forks are getting very strong reviews (they aren't Walmart junk bike forks anymore - at least their higher end ones aren't).

 

[jollytime]

We have a sweet local shop that only sells 29ers, 5 Hills Bike Shop in Waterbury, VT
(www.bike29.com) At any rate they sell most 29er forks including the Reba and White at great prices. So I plan on shopping locally and am leaning toward the Reba SL since it seems like the best overall value considering cost, weight and performance.

What say yee about the Reba SL???

 

[næstep]

We have a sweet local shop that only sells 29ers, 5 Hills Bike Shop in Waterbury, VT
(www.bike29.com) At any rate they sell most 29er forks including the Reba and White at great prices. So I plan on shopping locally and am leaning toward the Reba SL since it seems like the best overall value considering cost, weight and performance.

What say yee about the Reba SL???

I've recently dealt with George at Bike29.com, and he's a good guy. His shop is definitely a solid choice for a decent selection of 29"er parts and advice.

I don't know your current fork's axle-crown height, but I'd steer you towards the White Brothers for a Fox for two reasons MMcG cited -- greater dropout offset, and lower A-C height for an given travel (compared to Reba).

Keep in mind that every 20mm of increased A-C height over what you have currently is another 1° of slackened head tube.

29"ers, due to the geometry of the larger wheel, are better suited to a steeper head tube, unless it can be corrected through offset.

Here's another hitch: even if the A-C heights of your old 26" fork and your new 29" fork are equal, you still have to account for another 1.5" (~37mm) of increased wheel radius *under* the front axle.

That's potentially another 2° of head tube slackening you'll have to account for!

So (rough guess), I'd definitely be looking for an **80mm** fork to make this work to your satisfaction. I'd be concerned with lethargic performance with anything taller.

 

[næstep]

Can I just buy a 29er fork and run my 26" front wheel?

Jolly, forgive me, I just reread your post and realized you want to keep the 26" wheel.

Ignore all the offset stuff I wrote; I thought you were building a 96"er.

Mud-n-sweat said it 100% right in his reply: "If the A-C measurement and offset are relatively close, then it should handle okay."

 

[MMcG]

We have a sweet local shop that only sells 29ers, 5 Hills Bike Shop in Waterbury, VT
(www.bike29.com) At any rate they sell most 29er forks including the Reba and White at great prices. So I plan on shopping locally and am leaning toward the Reba SL since it seems like the best overall value considering cost, weight and performance.

What say yee about the Reba SL???

Rebas are nice. Keep in mind your plans to eventually move the fork over to a 29er frame. If so, when searching for the frame, try and find one built around the Reba in order to prevent the new frame from steering sluggishly.

Say Hi to George from me as well. He posts on here from time to time as well.

Cheers,

Mark

 

[jollytime]

OK, so you guys are amazing so please indulge me a little further in this conversation...The 96er will just be temporary until I put together enough sheckles for a full on 29er SS. So, I guess if the 96er isn't the best performing ride I will deal with it with my sights set on the 29er.

That being said, for the 29er I am leaning toward the Niner MCR with a Singleator. I know Niner makes the SIR 9 with the EBB, but you pay almost a pound weight penalty. I am also concerned about slippage with the EBB. On my Roast SS I currently have a Singleator and it seems to work just fine. The flexibility to throw on gears is nice, but I will be running the bike as a SS since my geared bike is sweet!

So, oh Llamas of 29ers, which fork is the mack daddy? And, is the pound weight penalty worth it for the SIR 9 or is the chain tensioner the way to go with the MCR.

 

[MMcG]

OK, so you guys are amazing so please indulge me a little further in this conversation...The 96er will just be temporary until I put together enough sheckles for a full on 29er SS. So, I guess if the 96er isn't the best performing ride I will deal with it with my sights set on the 29er.

That being said, for the 29er I am leaning toward the Niner MCR with a Singleator. I know Niner makes the SIR 9 with the EBB, but you pay almost a pound weight penalty. I am also concerned about slippage with the EBB. On my Roast SS I currently have a Singleator and it seems to work just fine. The flexibility to throw on gears is nice, but I will be running the bike as a SS since my geared bike is sweet!

So, oh Llamas of 29ers, which fork is the mack daddy? And, is the pound weight penalty worth it for the SIR 9 or is the chain tensioner the way to go with the MCR.

JT - Here's a thought. If the chainstay length on the MCR is the same length as the AIR 9 (Their scandium hardtail) then I think you could run 32:20 sans tensioner. I've seen a photo of an AIR 9 set up this way and the chain tension is very nice and tight!

Another thing to think about JT - if you are set on a Niner is that Niner will have an OEM Reba built to work in concert with their frames in 2008. I'm sure it'll be shown at Interbike and it may even have a U-turn feature.

I don't know at lot about them - but another brand to talk with George about is Vassago Cycles. Perhaps a Jabberwocky would be right up your alley. The Jabber features horizontal drops, but you can add a derailleur hanger to it as an extra part from Vassago.

www.vassagocycles.com

George sells them and is high on them as well.

Peace,

Mark