[WonderBoy]

Would anyone be good enough to share any expirence they might have had with this setup? I currently run my stealthy vpfree with a mojo boxxer, but are thinking about getting a 170mm 66.

Any thoughts, pictures and rideimpressions would be greatly appreciated!

// Emil

 

[Superdeft]

Search, I think there's been a topic w/pics on here before!

 

[WonderBoy]

yes, I saw that one, but it inly includes real life testing and expirences from two guys, and then a LOT of speculations....

I was kinda hoping for a little more REAL info and a little less "too-long, will never last, way too heavy" speculations...

 

[OGRipper]

I currently are thinking about my free too.

Seriously, I don't remember for sure but I think that other thread had good info on the geometry changes, and the forks just haven't been available long enough for most of the general public to be able to give you any long-term feedback. For specs you can check out the sticky thread on long travel single crowns.

 

[bigkonarider]

Would anyone be good enough to share any expirence they might have had with this setup? I currently run my stealthy vpfree with a mojo boxxer, but are thinking about getting a 170mm 66.

Any thoughts, pictures and rideimpressions would be greatly appreciated!

// Emil

My total GUESS would be: the bike won't know what fork is on it .
If the axle to crown height is identical.Then WEIGHT {lighter or hevier} & then actual suspension feel-which is probably the info you are looking for.
I'm guessing the 66 will serve you very well, unless you are pounding DOWNHILL fast & that's where a DC fork will be better i know.
But going BIG & landing in a downward direction is where the SC forks probably feel the same.I like DC better, & chose to run a Monster-T on my Bullet after testing a Z150FR.The Z150 was better for manualing & wheelies,but didn't give me as much confidence DH or Drops--but what will after being used to a MONSTER-T....
Good luck dude!
.02

 

[OGRipper]

Yeah but the A/C is NOT identical. Boxxer is somewhere around 21 3/4" and the 66 is around 23" but there are conflicting reports. In any event the 66 is somewhat taller, so the head angle will be slacked out, raise the bb, longer wheelbase, etc.

 

[jon-boy]

Woah, that's fork's longer than a 8" Boxxer isn't it?

 

[Castle]

it's a little bit lighter, basically shares the same axle to crown as the 8" 888 with stock crowns 5mm's difff. last I checked...

so it's about 15mm's taller than a 8" boxxer or so..... last I checked.

Fork looks like it would suit the vpfree quite well...... I'm wondering the same thing, I want a 8" 888 but the 7" 66 is a good bit cheaper!

what to do what to do.......

 

[OGRipper]

For what it's worth, my 8" 888 with go-ride lowrider crowns has an A/C of around 22.5". If people are correct in saying the A/C on the 7" 66 is 23", that means I've got an extra inch of travel, lower front end, and the security of a dual crown. But it's definitely more $$$, especially with the aftermarket crowns which were $300 for the set.

PS, sweet pics!!

 

[ncrider]

from what I've read the 888 and 66 are the same length and about the same weight.

 

[DßR]

For what it's worth, my 8" 888 with go-ride lowrider crowns has an A/C of around 22.5". If people are correct in saying the A/C on the 7" 66 is 23", that means I've got an extra inch of travel, lower front end, and the security of a dual crown. But it's definitely more $$$, especially with the aftermarket crowns which were $300 for the set.

PS, sweet pics!!

Yeah, but can you do X-ups?

 

[OGRipper]

Thanks...I forgot to say yeah I can't do x-ups or tailwhips...well I wouldn't be doing tailwhips anyway but I can do x-ups, they are fun but not a good enough reason to sway me. Really I think the 66 is very cool and I expect we will see more long travel SC forks in the future...I just think that for the moment I would rather have my lower, more travel, dual crown on my vpfree...especially since I already bought it!!

 

[Castle]

OG- Did you try your VpFree with the 8" 888 and stock crowns? If so, did you find the front to get the wheel flop feel before going to the low ride crowns?

 

[Bulldog]

from what I've read the 888 and 66 are the same length and about the same weight.

You read wrong.

 

[ncrider]

You read wrong.

Oh I'm sorry, thanks for correcting me.

The exact weight of a 170mm 66 is 2810grams w/o steer tube and axle to crown length is 596cm.

The exact weight of an 888 w/o steer tube is 3307grams and the axle to crown length is 575cm for the 7" and 605cm for 8".

My bad, the 888 is heavy w/o steer tube, but the steer tube on the 66 is much heavier than that on the 888. So, they are likely to be equal weight with steer tube (if not 66 heavier).

Notice the 7" 888 is shorter and the 8" is only 9cm longer.

 

[Bicyclist]

When I picked up a 66 it felt pretty light (yes it had a Steerer Tube).

 

[Bulldog]

My bad, the 888 is heavy w/o steer tube, but the steer tube on the 66 is much heavier than that on the 888. So, they are likely to be equal weight with steer tube (if not 66 heavier).

My 66RC weighs 7.0 pounds with axle. Never seen or heard of an 888 that can approach that. 7.5 is the lightest report I've seen.

 

[ncrider]

ok, so I did some more searching and found this.
66 uses a reinforced steel steer tube that weighs 535g
888 uses alloy steer tube that weighs 166g
grand total w/steer tube=

66 = 3345g or 7.3lbs
888=3475g or 7.6lbs
difference of 1/3 lbs

all numbers come from marzocchi.

 

[Bulldog]

ok, so I did some more searching and found this.
66 uses a reinforced steel steer tube that weighs 535g
888 uses alloy steer tube that weighs 166g
grand total w/steer tube=

66 = 3345g or 7.3lbs
888=3475g or 7.6lbs
difference of 1/3 lbs

all numbers come from marzocchi.

If you never cut a long steerer tube that's probably true. But, if like 99% of us you do cut, the more you cut the bigger the gap becomes. Catch my drift?

 

[WonderBoy]

Thanks for all the info on the weight and height...but wouls someone please tell me how i feels and rides?

I´m under the impressin that due to the airsupport it is riding quite deep in the travel and therefore dosn´t feel overly high.

Anymore pictures, anyone?

 

[Castle]

Thanks for all the info on the weight and height...but wouls someone please tell me how i feels and rides?

I´m under the impressin that due to the airsupport it is riding quite deep in the travel and therefore dosn´t feel overly high.

Anymore pictures, anyone?

actually, it's the 888 that is known to suffer slightly from brake dive, this was remedied in the '04 888r's by adding a low speed compression sleeve, go-ride has info on there website regarding this if you wish to research further.

for '05 the 888 got smaller holes on the cartridge so there isn't suppose to be a need for this feature from what I understand, this hasn't been verified yet.

the 66rc has a Air Assist feature, which would actually make this fork easier to dial in from bottom out, whether or not it would help with brake dive, I don't have an opinion but, it wont hurt it that's for sure! It should help it if anything......

my .02 cents, it'd be nice to hear from people who have ridden this but unfortunatley only time will let that happen; the product is just too new

 

[ncrider]

If you never cut a long steerer tube that's probably true. But, if like 99% of us you do cut, the more you cut the bigger the gap becomes. Catch my drift?

yeah I see what you're saying.
All I was doing was using zocchi's numbers on weight and height.

I just don't see the point in SC forks unless you really want to do x-ups or ride extremely tight tech trails. The weight difference is minner (don't eat at Mc Donlads before a ride and your even), the height (on these forks) is the same for 7" versions (actually zocchi says 888 is shorter by like 3mm) and less than 10mm longer for 8" 888.

Like everything else, if you want it and like it, then get it, and screw anybody that doesn't like it, casue you do and thats what matters.

 

[OGRipper]

OG- Did you try your VpFree with the 8" 888 and stock crowns? If so, did you find the front to get the wheel flop feel before going to the low ride crowns?

Yes I rode with the stock crowns for a short time. Not to be aprick, but "the wheel flop feel" is kind of a subjective way to describe performance and I don't know what geometry it takes to give you that feel... Here's what I can tell you about the difference before and after the go-ride crowns on my 888/vp-free, using a cheap angle finder (not digital), measurements in inches:

Before (stock crowns):

H/A 64.5
Axle/Crown 23.5
BB 15.5
Wheelbase 46
Bar height (top of grip to floor) 43.75

After (go-ride crowns):

H/A 65.5 to 66
A/C 22.5
BB 15
WB 45.5
Bar 43

Those numbers might not seem that far apart but if you are aware of subtle differences and/or finicky about geometry there is a huge difference, immediately noticeable on the trail, slightly steeper, lower, and shorter all have a big impact. My bike was too slack and tall with the stock crowns for me but lots of people don't have a problem and happily run the stock crowns on vpfrees.

Plus, I've never weighed either but go-ride says their crowns are 80 grams lighter than the stock crowns. Like I posted earlier, if the 7" 66 has a 23" A/C dimension, my 8" 888 is shorter, steeper, about the same weight, more adjustable, more travel, and probably stronger.

Truth is that if I was going to buy another fork this year I would look pretty closely at the 66, and I really dunno what I'd get but since I use this bike mainly for dh and shuttle runs, I would probably stick with the 888. The biggest difference is the extra inch of travel. I really like the way the 8" fork feels with the 8" travel frame, it's so ridiculously plush, more balanced and great for stuffing the front end down steep chutes and landing big moves. Big for me anyway...