[stoney]

I have a buddy with a 2013 Felt Edict Pro that is having issues with his bike being too twitchy once is steeper. It's currently at 71*, which is true XC race angle. He got it while he was still in Ohio, where it worked perfectly fine, but CO is whooping his ass on it. However he doesn't have the cashflow to go out an buy a new bike, let alone need a whole new bike - it's largely just the steepness that is his issue.

The frame can't take an angleset because it has an integrated headset, so we're not able to rake it out a little using that. He doesn't mind potentially losing a small amount of travel if it will allow him to rake out the bike some . It's a 100mm frame/fork combo, so there's not much to lose there, but even a small amount that will make his bike more capable, at least locally.

I'm having never-ending travel finding shock stroke and length online. I'm not 100% sure as to how to figure out the travel/change be shortening the shock or reducing the stroke. And more particularly how would just reducing length but not stroke impact things like frame movement/potential impact?

It looks like our other option might be to adjust the travel of his fork up to maybe 130mm. Last I checked, that would give him 1* slacker head angle. Otherwise, does anybody have a good condition medium trail bike frame that runs a 130mm fork they want to sell relatively cheap? That way we can swap most of the bike over at a lower cost than a new bike.

Thanks.

 

[iRider]

Offset shock bushings and a larger volume front tire would be the first things I do, shorter stem, wider handlebar my next.

 

[MikeD]

I did the offset bushings on my RFX. Easiest and cheapest way to get started on it.

(technically, offset spacers, but whatevs lol. That's not what the product's called...)

Edit to add...I also might be willing to part with the medium RFX frame and some parts...it's an awesome bike and a classic but I'm finally moving up to bigger wheels, mostly for logistic reasons...dunno if he'd want the 26"er though.

 

[stoney]

I did the offset bushings on my RFX. Easiest and cheapest way to get started on it.

(technically, offset spacers, but whatevs lol. That's not what the product's called...)

Edit to add...I also might be willing to part with the medium RFX frame and some parts...it's an awesome bike and a classic but I'm finally moving up to bigger wheels, mostly for logistic reasons...dunno if he'd want the 26"er though.

He's 29" on this bike, so we'd need to work around that

 

[6thElement]

He's 29" on this bike, so we'd need to work around that

Shorter i2i shock will drop the static BB height, which might lead to more pedal strikes.

 

[SkaredShtles]

He should just save $$ for a new bike and not try to put lipstick on a pig.

He should also be real careful on steep stuff so he doesn't crash and hurt hisself.

 

[stoney]

View attachment 161316

Shorter i2i shock will drop the static BB height, which might lead to more pedal strikes.

Raised fork in theory short help offset.

 

[MikeD]

He should just save $$ for a new bike and not try to put lipstick on a pig.

True nuff, but the offset spacers are cheap enough it's worth the small cost in the interim before a new bike, plus easily reversible and even tunable (using one vice both) if necessary for clearance reasons.

 

[stoney]

He should just save $$ for a new bike and not try to put lipstick on a pig.

He should also be real careful on steep stuff so he doesn't crash and hurt hisself.

When your long-term budget is <$300 (millennial with a new home in Denver-metro), then you look for solutions for what you've got. Raising the fork just needs spacers, which I have, and crush washers. He already has a stem and bar, but I can swap out a wider one if needed. The bushings are $100 to the US. The pig will be getting lipstick. There's not a lot of choices here.

 

[Jm_]

If it was 29er I’d tell him to stop sucking and get a dropper post, as there’s no way one should be endoing on 29ers, but it looks like a 26er? He’s so ****ed.

 

[SkaredShtles]

When your long-term budget is <$300 (millennial with a new home in Denver-metro), then you look for solutions for what you've got. Raising the fork just needs spacers, which I have, and crush washers. He already has a stem and bar, but I can swap out a wider one if needed. The bushings are $100 to the US. The pig will be getting lipstick. There's not a lot of choices here.

Maybe he should take up trail running.

 

[Jm_]

When your long-term budget is <$300 (millennial with a new home in Denver-metro), then you look for solutions for what you've got. Raising the fork just needs spacers, which I have, and crush washers. He already has a stem and bar, but I can swap out a wider one if needed. The bushings are $100 to the US. The pig will be getting lipstick. There's not a lot of choices here.

The steerer tube spacers are super cheap. Not sure if they make them for 1.125, but they are a cheap way to slacken.

 

[MikeD]

The bushings are $100 to the US.

I used these guys for 40 bucks.

Main Products

Pinkbike / MBR / Dirt recommended Offset and Standard Shock Hardware for all full suspension bikes. Easy ordering, 48hr turnaround. Shipped worldwide + FREE UK shipping. Produced for Fox, RockShox, X-Fusion, Cane Creek, DVO and many, many more.

www.offsetbushings.com

 

[jstuhlman]

mullet it with a cheap 27.5 wheel in the back...but i guess that would also lower the bb and lead to moar pedal strikes...

 

[6thElement]

mullet it with a cheap 27.5 wheel in the back...but i guess that would also lower the bb and lead to moar pedal strikes...

170mm fork

 

[Jm_]

He's 29" on this bike, so we'd need to work around that

Oh well then hell, he just needs to man the **** up. It’s not the HTA IME, it’s the seat post height and lack of confidence. HTA is of marginal benefit on wagon wheel bikes. While I’m not advocating super steep for everyone, it’s a hell of a lot easier to work around on a wagon wheel bike. Make sure his brakes are tuned up. Beefy tires.

 

[stoney]

I used these guys for 40 bucks.

Main Products

Pinkbike / MBR / Dirt recommended Offset and Standard Shock Hardware for all full suspension bikes. Easy ordering, 48hr turnaround. Shipped worldwide + FREE UK shipping. Produced for Fox, RockShox, X-Fusion, Cane Creek, DVO and many, many more.

www.offsetbushings.com

That's what I was referencing. VAT and shipping to US. Rounding high.

 

[stoney]

If it was 29er I’d tell him to stop sucking and get a dropper post, as there’s no way one should be endoing on 29ers, but it looks like a 26er? He’s so ****ed.

Already has.

 

[canadmos]

mullet it with a cheap 27.5 wheel in the back...but i guess that would also lower the bb and lead to moar pedal strikes...

Mullet it and get an external cup on the bottom headset? Would offset at least some of the lowered bottom bracket..

 

[stoney]

mullet it with a cheap 27.5 wheel in the back...but i guess that would also lower the bb and lead to moar pedal strikes...

One can learn to avoid the ground.

 

[kidwoo]

When your long-term budget is <$300 ..... with a new home in Denver

talk about fucked up priorities.......


Just find the guy a frame somewhere. You're going to spend so much money on a dozen different bandaids that still won't really make a significantly better bike. He's riding a flatland bike on the front range. He should just start over.

 

[stoney]

talk about fucked up priorities.......


Just find the guy a frame somewhere. You're going to spend so much money on a dozen different bandaids that still won't really make a significantly better bike. He's riding a flatland bike on the front range. He should just start over.

We discussed this option as well. Need to figure out options to get a 29", 4-5" travel trail bike that can take QR rear, tapered steerer, threaded bb, and 31.6 (iirc) post. If we can find that, no Band-Aids needed.

 

[MikeD]

Dunno if you've been on Facebook Marketplace recently...

I joined a few mtb sales/swap meet groups and it seems that's where all the bikes are. Prices are still crazyish but there's some stuff floating around...worth watching that space.

 

[SkaredShtles]

 

[MikeD]

I get the "new bike" approach, and it makes the most sense...but if that's not happening, a $50 bushing tweak to make the bike a little better suited seems reasonable to me. Not everyone has the cash and we shouldn't discourage riding because there's not a grand or two to lay out on a new frame right now.

 

[stoney]

You guys are right; 26" wheels. Just doing bushings, raising fork to 130mm, and seeing what I have for old 26" tires (although Haley will likely be getting most). Less than $100 and we'll be working on line choice, being smooth, and jumping at speed for the above.

 

[SkaredShtles]

You guys are right; 26" wheels. Just doing bushings, raising fork to 130mm, and seeing what I have for old 26" tires (although Haley will likely be getting most). Less than $100 and we'll be working on line choice, being smooth, and jumping at speed for the above.

What "steep" trails are we talking about, here? The Wall at Deer Crik?

 

[Atomic Dog]

One can learn to avoid the ground.

 

[MikeD]

 

[Pesqueeb]

We discussed this option as well. Need to figure out options to get a 29", 4-5" travel trail bike that can take QR rear, tapered steerer, threaded bb, and 31.6 (iirc) post. If we can find that, no Band-Aids needed.

I've got a RIP 9 frame hanging in the garage meets these requirments. Lots of miles, hit by 1 car. No low ballers, I know what I got.

 

[stoney]

What "steep" trails are we talking about, here? The Wall at Deer Crik?

Steep for a newer cyclist. So I guess rowdy would have been a better choice of words.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Steep for a newer cyclist. So I guess rowdy would have been a better choice of words.

So what fucking trails is he having trouble on? We're getting perilously close to "HTFU, Nancy" territory, here.

ETA: If you tell me it's Box o' Rox at Green Mt I'm gonna start throwing shit.

 

[StiHacka]

71 deg HA?

Thoughts and prayers.

 

[MikeD]

It's OK as long as you use a 120mm stem and 12" wide flat bars. The bar ends help keep things under control.

 

[SkaredShtles]

It's OK as long as you use a 120mm stem and 12" wide flat bars. The bar ends help keep things under control.

You're speaking my language, amigo.

 

[stoney]

You're speaking my language, amigo.

But only when riding trails at night with no lights.

 

[SkaredShtles]

But only when riding trails at night with no lights.

The Wall, no less.

 

[Westy]

If you only go up hill your head angle is always slack.

 

[pizza diavola]

9point8 has an IS angle adjust headset. Maybe it'll work for that Frame?

Slack-R

www.9point8.ca

 

[Sandwich]

Ok, I'm going to go out on a limb here and try to actually answer your question...

First off note that shortening the shock i2i or raising the fork are going to dramatically change reach measurements which may be super uncomfortable depending on where he is fit-wise. When I dropped my fork 20mm but kept rear travel the same, I found that I measured about 20mm more reach.

Likewise with dropping the shock and the BB. If it's already in a reasonable place, then it could be extremely low after dropping. It's hard to mathematically determine where it should fall, I found the only way to do a good job was measuring it. Dropping 0.375" off the shock on my 2.5:1 frame lost about 15mm of BB height, for reference.

Anyways, I swapped a 7.5x2 for a 7.875x2.25" shock and dropped my fork at the same time in hopes of getting a lower, shorter travel bike...it took one lap around the house to know that the short reach and low BB just weren't what i was looking for (then again I was after a different goal).

As for measuring what will actually happen if you start messing around, hop over to linkage blog: https://linkagedesign.blogspot.com/search/label/Felt Bikes and see what the bike is doing. If you drop i2i without changing travel, then the curve will simply shift to the right, and you'll miss out on a little bit of travel. If you drop i2i and travel, at the same time, you're simply cutting off a certain portion of the curve. You need to do the math for the ratio of travel at the end you're shaving from. So, if you're at a 2.7-2.66 (2.68:1 avg let's say) and drop 5mm out of the i2i, then you'll drop a little over 10mm of axle position. You'll get some amount of BB drop, HA drop, and shorter reach out of that. No idea what the shock length is and if it's even reasonable. It looks like the BB height is like 365mm, so you have plenty of range to start dropping. You can also run a small bottom out shim to add clearance and drop travel if need be.

It can get hyper complicated but the quick solution is that if the bike is on the edge of fit right now, before shortening the stem, then it's probably not the right choice to pursue as any change is going to make it ride pretty terribly.