[jacksonpt]

To those of you who have a travel adjustment on your fork, do you use it? If so, how often? I have a TALAS on my Yeti and I don't think I've ever used the travel adjustment... I've goofed around with it a few times, but never really used it on the trail. It just annoys me to have to stop to adjust something on my bike... ruins the whole flow of the ride.

 

[berkshire_rider]

I've never ridden with the 100/120 Black on the NRS in the 120 setting. It would be way chopped out with that much travel up front.

The Craftworks has a Sherman Firefly up front, and I have had it in 6" mode a few times in rough stuff, but it generally stays in 5" travel setting. Funny, I can run the frame in 5" or 6" mode, but have never moved it into 6" mode. Maybe I should ride it as a 6" and 6" bike this year. neaky:

 

[binary visions]

When I had my Psylo XC, I never used the travel adjustment except once in a great while when I had a long hard climb where I just slammed it all the way down.

I use the travel adjust on my Sherman Firefly all the time because I can switch it easily from in the saddle - just reach down and flip the lever.

 

[COmtbiker12]

My PsyloXC Tullio has the U-Turn thing on it, and it seems pretty useful despite having only done it in the garage. But, I'd definitely be using it on climbs just so far, I haven't had any.

 

[jdcamb]

Yes. All the time. Makes my bike climb like a mofo when I drop it down. I used it on the black before I got the Talas too. I would never own a fork without variable travel. Just like I change gears, I change travel.....jdcamb

 

[anthonysloan]

I use the TALAS on thr front of my 575 all thr time. It's nice to ba bale to tuck the front end in for steeper climbs, it shifts my weight forward and keeps the front end from wandering on the steep stuff. I also have found that I like the way the bike singletracks when it is set at about 120mm.

On the AS-X I have the Sherman breakout plus, and that travel adjust works a bit differently. It reduces the travbel from a plush 170 to a fairly firm 130, and again, I use this feature a lot when climbing.

 

[kinghami3]

It helps when climbing. Also I've found that have too much/too soft travel kind of throws me off on landings and makes jumping harder too.

 

[Westy]

I use my travel adjust on the Talas quite often. One place I ride has very tight trails, it makes it so much easier to get the bike turned in with the head angle steepened up a bit. There are a few long technical climbs that are nearly impossible to climb without it cranked all the way down. On more open trails without the big climbs I leave it in the full travel mode. I even give a few extra clicks of compression damping for long downhills to alleviate brake dive. I love the adjustability of the fork, it makes the bike shine on any trail conditions.

 

[Skookum]

Yes i use them best feature on the fork. Here in Washington we have these things called "mountains" and you have to climb and descend from them... ok ok i'll stop...
But really for many of my bigger rides it involves climbing over 3000 feet of elevation anywhere from 6 to 15 miles up. Having the front end lowered changes my body geometry forward making climbing easier. More comfortable position as well as being forward to get off the saddle and hammer up them harsh climbs.
Then for lowland techy XC it helps to go inbetween, so i essentially have a sub 4 inch fork to take small hits, get over rocks, logs, roots, but the head angle is still steep enough to spin up sharp steep ascents, and manuever lowspeed techy twisty trails with more finesse and control.
Then of course slack out the front with the steep for the super fast descent. Let the shock glide over the craziness and occasionally save you on a mistake you make on the trail.
Yesiree Bob, i'm a BIG fan of variable travel.

 

[Skookum]

It just annoys me to have to stop to adjust something on my bike....

i never stop when adjusting the travel on the Talas. That's why i like it so much. Takes 2 seconds to dial it from one end to the other while still riding. i wish my Boxxer Ride did that, it doesn't seem to want to twist while i'm in the suspension.

 

[sanjuro]

I love travel adjustment, but I am a horrible climber and I need every advantage I can get.

ECC is my favorite because most of the time I need all of the travel or none of it. I find with the up-and-down trails, I prefer TALAS, where I might I adjust it to 105-110 for a good all around ride.

 

[anthonysloan]

i never stop when adjusting the travel on the Talas. That's why i like it so much. Takes 2 seconds to dial it from one end to the other while still riding. i wish my Boxxer Ride did that, it doesn't seem to want to twist while i'm in the suspension.

Agreed, reach down, twist, done. I rarely fret about exact increments either.

 

[chicodude]

ETA. flip the lever, and your DONE!

 

[AlexYuen]

I used to adjust my Talas when Climbing, but after couple times going downhill without flipping the travel back to 130mm, I stop messing up with the travel adjustment.

 

[jacksonpt]

I use the travel adjust on my Sherman Firefly all the time because I can switch it easily from in the saddle - just reach down and flip the lever.

I think if my TALAS was like that I'd be more inclined to use the adjustment.

 

[MTB_Rob_NC]

I have a TALAS and I never use it.

 

[PonySoldier]

I use it frequently on the Black, 80 for climbing mostly and 100 for descending, basically what Skooks says..

 

[I Are Baboon]

Nope.

 

[anthonysloan]

I have a TALAS and I never use it.

Mtb_Rob_FL
Turbo Monkey





Location: South Florida

ayep.

 

[MMcG]

To those of you who have a travel adjustment on your fork, do you use it? If so, how often? I have a TALAS on my Yeti and I don't think I've ever used the travel adjustment... I've goofed around with it a few times, but never really used it on the trail. It just annoys me to have to stop to adjust something on my bike... ruins the whole flow of the ride.

I'll take that Talas off your hands and I can give you a 99 Z1 in return.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Nope.

I use the lockout function. Does that count?

 

[MMcG]

I've never ridden with the 100/120 Black on the NRS in the 120 setting. It would be way chopped out with that much travel up front.

The Craftworks has a Sherman Firefly up front, and I have had it in 6" mode a few times in rough stuff, but it generally stays in 5" travel setting. Funny, I can run the frame in 5" or 6" mode, but have never moved it into 6" mode. Maybe I should ride it as a 6" and 6" bike this year. neaky:

Yes give it a go in six and six mode!

Why did you opt for the 100/120 for the NRS vs the 80/100?? WAs it a better price? Doesn't the travel feel super stiff in the 100 setting? I read reviews on mtbr and a lot of riders commented that the Blacks are very stiff and unresponsive in the lesser of their two travel settings (almost as if the lesser setting is more like Marzocchi's ETA feature). Is this not the case though STeve?

 

[Andyman_1970]

I've got a TALAS RLC on my Blur and I use the travel adjustment. I typically set the travel to about 113-116mm for single track, but on the few really long (1 mile+) switchbacky climbs I'll lower the travel all the way. I'll also raise the travel when doing long decents - but for "normal" single track riding I leave it alone.

 

[The Toninator]

does 'Lockout' count? it goes from 80 to nothing. I use it a lot.

 

[McGRP01]

I use the lockout function. Does that count?

Same. I use the lockout, but... Wait, I don't have any travel adj. on any of my forks.

 

[McGRP01]

The Craftworks has a Sherman Firefly up front, and I have had it in 6" mode a few times in rough stuff, but it generally stays in 5" travel setting. Funny, I can run the frame in 5" or 6" mode, but have never moved it into 6" mode. Maybe I should ride it as a 6" and 6" bike this year. neaky:

Do it! Do it!!

 

[narlus]

Yes i use them best feature on the fork. Here in Washington we have these things called "mountains" and you have to climb and descend from them.

skook's right - i'd use it out west, where a typical ride is climb for 60-120 min, get to the top, then ride down. out in new england, long sustained climbs are not so prevalent (excepting white/green/berkshire mountains stuff - i'm talking NE singletrack in a 120 min radius from boston). so it doesn't really make sense to me to keep adjusting it.

 

[BillT]

I've got a TALAS as well and I played with the travel adjustment when I first got it and then pretty much decided that I liked the 125mm setting the best and I haven't really switched since except to just expirement. I imagine that if I actually had any extended climbs around here (Central Florida) that I might use it, but since I don't, it doesn't really get used much.

 

[golgiaparatus]

To those of you who have a travel adjustment on your fork, do you use it? If so, how often? I have a TALAS on my Yeti and I don't think I've ever used the travel adjustment... I've goofed around with it a few times, but never really used it on the trail. It just annoys me to have to stop to adjust something on my bike... ruins the whole flow of the ride.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the TA on the Black is not as ghood as the one on the Psylo. Psylo keeps its plushness, Black gets really firm when travel is shortened.

Now for your current question. Yeah, I use to use it every once in a while. If I had to cruise on the street or on some super fast twisty smooth hardpack I'd shorten it to 100. Now-a-days I tend to leave it alone. I have my suspension (front and rear) tuned to match eachother perfectly... I like it that way. I feel like if I change one I should change the other and I'm too lazy to get out the allen and move that boly on the rear linkage.

 

[berkshire_rider]

Yes give it a go in six and six mode!

Why did you opt for the 100/120 for the NRS vs the 80/100?? WAs it a better price? Doesn't the travel feel super stiff in the 100 setting? I read reviews on mtbr and a lot of riders commented that the Blacks are very stiff and unresponsive in the lesser of their two travel settings (almost as if the lesser setting is more like Marzocchi's ETA feature). Is this not the case though STeve?

I got a killer deal on the Black from Greenfish they were closing them out, and they didn't have one in 80/100 at the time. I have never felt that the travel was stiff. Seems to respond as needed. Can't speak about the ETA feature. The only Marz product I have owned was a DJ III. I'll reserve comment about the quality of reviews on mtbr. They used to be more usefull in the past.

 

[Pau11y]

I'm not liking the ETA much. It's flip the lever, then jump on the front to get it down. Mine slips a bit too. So at the end of a long climb, it goes from 80 up to 100 or so. But, I've just changed the oil to 10 wt for this year so the slippage might be remedied.

 

[SkaredShtles]

skook's right - i'd use it out west, where a typical ride is climb for 60-120 min, get to the top, then ride down. out in new england, long sustained climbs are not so prevalent (excepting white/green/berkshire mountains stuff - i'm talking NE singletrack in a 120 min radius from boston). so it doesn't really make sense to me to keep adjusting it.

I have the 80-120 Psylo and it's a nightmare to climb with in anything but the 80mm position. It's *real* nice after the climb to stretch it out to 120mm for the way down.

If I'm doing long XC singletrack I'll rarely take it out of the 80mm position unless I'm pretty sure the DH is long, sustained, and rough.

-S.S.-

 

[pixelninja]

Yes. I have a Talas and for the many long climbs around here, it really helps.

 

[Morryjg]

When I had a psylo I never adjusted it. I just left it at 120 and got used to climbing with it.

 

[mobius]

If i had one i would since my heckler sees everything from flat rolling XC back home and up here at school to just straight up shuttling or climb and bomb down riding.

 

[BuddhaRoadkill]

I got a 100mm fork that locks down to around 20mm [ECC]. When I first got it I thought it was better than sliced bread ... I had also just started riding.
Now I have a 130mm Z1 that locks down to 20mm, and I very, very, rarely use it. Only on those trail segments where each pedal stroke wants to send me over onto my back do I reach down and flip the dial. ... and I usually forget then too.

Oddly enough, I have an "itch switch" in back and that travel adjust I do use. I like to leave it locked out for climbs, but often use the 4" setting for rougher sections. 5" going down of course.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> Only on those trail segments where each pedal stroke wants to send me over onto my back do I reach down and flip the dial. ... and I usually forget then too.

You lucky dawg. Seems every ride I do has one of those sections that threatens to flip me over on my back.

-S.S.-

 

[The Amish]

I have the 80-120 Psylo and it's a nightmare to climb with in anything but the 80mm position. It's *real* nice after the climb to stretch it out to 120mm for the way down.

If I'm doing long XC singletrack I'll rarely take it out of the 80mm position unless I'm pretty sure the DH is long, sustained, and rough.

-S.S.-

I had one of those, loved to ride it cranked all the way down hated it everywhere else. Alas I blew it up, man did that take a lot of effort.

 

[JRB]

I dialed my Talas in a few clicks for some tight climbs today. It is pretty easy and quick. Worked nicely for me.

 

[jacksonpt]

I played around with my fork a bit this weekend... just in my yard and such. seems like the TA shortens the fork by about 1.5". That's a lot more than I had expected. Perhaps it's worth trying out on some of those steeper climbs when I have trouble keeping the front wheel on the ground.