[spocomptonrider]

I built up a 08 Stumpjumper fsr from a frame this year. Its a super fun bike and ended up being a pretty light bike (27 with pedals and no regard really for being light), but sometimes feels let down a bit by the fork (07 32 talas rl) but really only on some descents. Do you guys think it would be worth upgrading to a 36 talas? I have ridden one of those forks in some pretty hairy stuff and it seemed good but I am unsure about the affect it will have on the bike.

Currently it is
<68.5* HA
13.18" BB
120mm rear travel
130mm front travel

edit- I am thinking of getting the one from a few years back that only had 150mm. 20 mm more than standard.

 

[quickneonrt]

I personally hate the Talas the float is a better fork. The talas system was changed on the 08 and on 36s prior to that they were constantly failing. I believe they are changing the 2010 talas 32 to the same FIT design as the 36s so your 07 talas will be the same as an 08 or 09. The float 36 rc2 from 08 on is an awsome fork can be lowered internally down to 80mm with spacers but it is overkill on that frame. Also if you go with a 36 you need a new front wheel. If weight is not that big a deal the Vanilla RLC 32 will be a good option also since you really can't beat the feel of a coil spring I have an 05 van rlc on my 03 S-works enduro 130 and it weights a little over 27lbs with pedals but I am also impressed with my 36 float RC2 lowered....just butter.

 

[spocomptonrider]

I have many wheels... But I remember hearing of the Talas forks playing blow-uppy games. Its not going to see that many super gnar days but the adjustability and beefier front wheel tracking would be nice. I may have to look into a 36 float, never lowered a fork though...

 

[gonefirefightin]

I think you need a better/more suited geo frame before you think about sticking on a bigger fork

 

[sanjuro]

What is it that you don't like about the Talas?

Also what are your trails like?

 

[spocomptonrider]

What is it that you don't like about the Talas?

Also what are your trails like?

I have just had a few problems bending qr skewers, and sometimes there seems to be a noticeable amount of flex in some cornering and light dh situations. The new 15mm thru axle 32 might be a good compromise but I won't be able to find one used and I would have to get a new wheel. Mostly though I am just afraid to push the limits of such a xc oriented fork.

The trails I ride with this bike range anywhere from flowy packed single track to loose rocky type trails. I use it for anything that would be overkill on my V10 (which ends up being a lot) and I think that with a 36 on the front it would just open a good amount more trails as I wouldn't have to worry about hammering it quite so much. But I would still be able to get it to the tops of hills.

 

[spocomptonrider]

I think you need a better/more suited geo frame before you think about sticking on a bigger fork

What do you mean a 'better frame'? It is by far one of the best trail bikes I have ridden and is pretty versatile to boot, not to mention I got the frame for pennies.

 

[gonefirefightin]

it sounds to me like you are wanting to make your race ready XC (4.5 inch) bike into a (6+ inch) all mountain bike.

 

[spocomptonrider]

good point. maybe i should just sell it complete and build a 6 inch... intense ss...

 

[quickneonrt]

The ss is not going to be good for up hill. You might be better off with an Enduro or a Nomad or a regular Intense 6.6

 

[Zark]

I had a an '06 Stumpy FSR and and contemplated putting a 36 on it. I think it might have worked great, but I got a 6.6 for a deal instead. The 6.6 climbed 90% as good as the stumpy and descended so much better.

I've fought this battle before of too sketchy vs too heavy. (Giant AC2, Intense Tracer, Iron Horse SGS Expert, Bullit, Stumpy FSR and various HT's) I've come to three conclusions: that anything heavier than 33lbs hurts me too much for the amount of climbing. That anything lighter than 27lbs and steeper than a 68deg HA is too twitchy a descender. That I'm too old and the Santa Barbara front country is too rough for hardtails!

 

[slowitdown]

I built up a 08 Stumpjumper fsr from a frame this year. Its a super fun bike and ended up being a pretty light bike (27 with pedals and no regard really for being light), but sometimes feels let down a bit by the fork (07 32 talas rl) but really only on some descents. Do you guys think it would be worth upgrading to a 36 talas? I have ridden one of those forks in some pretty hairy stuff and it seemed good but I am unsure about the affect it will have on the bike.

Currently it is
<68.5* HA
13.18" BB
120mm rear travel
130mm front travel

edit- I am thinking of getting the one from a few years back that only had 150mm. 20 mm more than standard.

I think the handling would suck with the 36 at 150mm travel. I think you'd be better off with the 32 TALAS QR15 at no more than 140mm travel. I prefer handling a bike that has balanced suspension. I don't think 2" more travel up front is balanced. But that's just me though. I have a friend who used to ride a Banshee Morphine with a Shiver up front. Some people like the chopped-out ride.

THe up side would be that the 36 chassis is burly enough you could spend all your descending time riding the front wheel through crap, if that's a type of riding that sounds good to you. But again, a super burly front end doesn't feel good on a frame that isn't equally burly, in my opinion.

I'd sell the whole bike and bump up to a Pitch, get the low-end Pitch, and put the 36 TALAS or a Lyrik on it.

I've ridden at Beacon Hill a few times. How much burlier than Beacon's DH race course are your typical trails?

Another thing that matters here -- I don't weigh much. 150 tops. Someone heavier than me would feel differently I'm sure.

 

[sanjuro]

I guess.

I had a 04 Talas on my Kona Dawg in "light FR" situations, and I never bent a skewer.

My biggest concern was running a larger rotor, but I put on a 7 inch and it worked beautifully.

 

[spocomptonrider]

I think the handling would suck with the 36 at 150mm travel. I think you'd be better off with the 32 TALAS QR15 at no more than 140mm travel. I prefer handling a bike that has balanced suspension. I don't think 2" more travel up front is balanced. But that's just me though. I have a friend who used to ride a Banshee Morphine with a Shiver up front. Some people like the chopped-out ride.

THe up side would be that the 36 chassis is burly enough you could spend all your descending time riding the front wheel through crap, if that's a type of riding that sounds good to you. But again, a super burly front end doesn't feel good on a frame that isn't equally burly, in my opinion.

I'd sell the whole bike and bump up to a Pitch, get the low-end Pitch, and put the 36 TALAS or a Lyrik on it.

I've ridden at Beacon Hill a few times. How much burlier than Beacon's DH race course are your typical trails?

Another thing that matters here -- I don't weigh much. 150 tops. Someone heavier than me would feel differently I'm sure.

Not getting a Pitch, the geo is too weird and the suspension design doesn't really work well enough/ provide enough extra squish to really justify the extra weight, if I go with another speci it would probably be an SX trail with a really light weight build.

As far as how much burlier my trails are ^ I wouldn't exactly consider Beacons 'race course' that burly, it just has a few big hucks to flat and one or two sections where a DH or burly AM bike are needed to navigate safely/ without breaking things. I usually ride a place I probably shouldn't but do any way cause its real good but does have some pretty good rocky bits that are a bit hairy on the XC bike at times.

I have decided against the 36 idea. Instead I am gonna pump some dough into it to get it lighter 26ish pounds but still burly enough to do what I need it to. Next year after building my road bike I will maybe build a good mini DH/ AM bike so I don't have to ride my race bike all the time.

-edit-Thanks for the advice all.

 

[oldfart]

the 36 is too much fork for that bike. You may void the warranty too as the fork is longer than the stock one and will exert more leverage force into the frame and encourage you to ride stuff that the frame was never intended to withstand. A 32 float would be my choice with a 15 mm qr that will stiffen up the steering precision .