Which Fork Length for DH: 7" or 8"

PB Forum :: Downhill
Which Fork Length for DH: 7" or 8"
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flag jengah
Posted: Feb 23, 2010 at 10:41 Quote
I'm considering getting a new frame and the only way I can afford to get what I want is to keep my 7" Boxxer. I'm looking at getting an 8" rear travel frame like a VP-Free, Devinci Wilson, or Iron Horse Sunday.

My initial thought is that longer is better to suck up bumps and cover for my mistakes/shortcomings. I also figure that since so many of the new forks are all 8" that this must be the way of the future.

Now I know tha tsome pros can or do race on 7" travel forks, but I'm no pro. I'm about a Sport/Expert racing level and like something relatively raked out 65-66 degrees. Does anyone with an experienced opinion have something to help me out?

BTW - the nature of my question is not strictly for DH racing, I'd only be racing on this bike about 20% of the total time ridden on it.

Thanks
flag Unhallowed
Posted: Feb 23, 2010 at 10:50 Quote
7" will be fine. Rake really depends on your ATC, if it's not enough for you then you can look into the possibility of angled reducer cups.
flag spahman
Posted: Feb 23, 2010 at 11:16 Quote
7" inches will do fine until you can afford a new fork. I rode a 2004 boxxer team on my DHR for a while
flag jengah
Posted: Feb 23, 2010 at 12:31 Quote
Unhallowed wrote:
7" will be fine. Rake really depends on your ATC, if it's not enough for you then you can look into the possibility of angled reducer cups.

Sorry... ATC???
flag jengah
Posted: Feb 23, 2010 at 12:32 Quote
Do you think stiffening up the springs on the 7" would in some way help make up for the shorter travel? Or is it better to leave it the same set up as if they were the same shocks, just different length travel?
flag knightridersix04
Posted: Feb 23, 2010 at 12:32 Quote
jengah wrote:
Unhallowed wrote:
7" will be fine. Rake really depends on your ATC, if it's not enough for you then you can look into the possibility of angled reducer cups.

Sorry... ATC???
axle to crown length or height
flag knightridersix04
Posted: Feb 23, 2010 at 12:34 Quote
I will be running a 66 (6.7 inch single crown) on my vp-free (8.5 inch travel frame)
flag TomBo-The-One
Posted: Feb 23, 2010 at 22:19 Quote
Being 5'6", I like 7" over 8" up front. I find I can work over the bike with out the front end "getting" away from me. I run my forks a bit soft and like to pump and stay light. While to fork smooths out the little junk.
flag
Posted: Feb 24, 2010 at 7:51 Quote
Iv got a friend who rides a intense m3 with the old 7" boxxers and he is like one of fastest riders i know. He says he feels no reason to change them cos they work fine for him. And ill tell ya, they dont hold him back, he's pinned!

- id also reccomend the Vp-free Smile Mine feels sweet! thats only if you like short bikes with steep angles though + its got a 15inch height BB which might annoy some people.
flag jengah
Posted: Feb 24, 2010 at 9:23 Quote
IronHorse-Chris wrote:
Iv got a friend who rides a intense m3 with the old 7" boxxers and he is like one of fastest riders i know. He says he feels no reason to change them cos they work fine for him. And ill tell ya, they dont hold him back, he's pinned!

- id also reccomend the Vp-free Smile Mine feels sweet! thats only if you like short bikes with steep angles though + its got a 15inch height BB which might annoy some people.

what do you mean by steep? - It's got a 66 degree HA, that's pretty slack in my book - no? I realize it's not the 65 HA of the Sunday, but still pretty slack.
flag
Posted: Feb 24, 2010 at 9:34 Quote
jengah wrote:
IronHorse-Chris wrote:
Iv got a friend who rides a intense m3 with the old 7" boxxers and he is like one of fastest riders i know. He says he feels no reason to change them cos they work fine for him. And ill tell ya, they dont hold him back, he's pinned!

- id also reccomend the Vp-free Smile Mine feels sweet! thats only if you like short bikes with steep angles though + its got a 15inch height BB which might annoy some people.

what do you mean by steep? - It's got a 66 degree HA, that's pretty slack in my book - no? I realize it's not the 65 HA of the Sunday, but still pretty slack.

I dunno 66 is pritty steep for DH though dont you think? thers not many other DH rigs with that steepa HeadA is ther?
flag riggadon
Posted: Feb 24, 2010 at 10:04 Quote
a 7" fork is fine, it all depends on how the fork is set up. a fox 36 could feel like more tavel than say, a totem if the totem was set up really soft and the 36 was progressive.
flag knightridersix04
Posted: Feb 24, 2010 at 11:40 Quote
IronHorse-Chris wrote:
jengah wrote:
IronHorse-Chris wrote:
Iv got a friend who rides a intense m3 with the old 7" boxxers and he is like one of fastest riders i know. He says he feels no reason to change them cos they work fine for him. And ill tell ya, they dont hold him back, he's pinned!

- id also reccomend the Vp-free Smile Mine feels sweet! thats only if you like short bikes with steep angles though + its got a 15inch height BB which might annoy some people.

what do you mean by steep? - It's got a 66 degree HA, that's pretty slack in my book - no? I realize it's not the 65 HA of the Sunday, but still pretty slack.

I dunno 66 is pritty steep for DH though dont you think? thers not many other DH rigs with that steepa HeadA is ther?
the VP-Free was designed as a freeride bike not a dh bike, the v10 is the dh bike
flag
Posted: Feb 24, 2010 at 11:58 Quote
knightridersix04 wrote:
IronHorse-Chris wrote:
jengah wrote:


what do you mean by steep? - It's got a 66 degree HA, that's pretty slack in my book - no? I realize it's not the 65 HA of the Sunday, but still pretty slack.

I dunno 66 is pritty steep for DH though dont you think? thers not many other DH rigs with that steepa HeadA is ther?
the VP-Free was designed as a freeride bike not a dh bike, the v10 is the dh bike

I know but it totally works for DH Wink
flag knightridersix04
Posted: Feb 24, 2010 at 12:08 Quote
IronHorse-Chris wrote:
knightridersix04 wrote:
IronHorse-Chris wrote:


I dunno 66 is pritty steep for DH though dont you think? thers not many other DH rigs with that steepa HeadA is ther?
the VP-Free was designed as a freeride bike not a dh bike, the v10 is the dh bike

I know but it totally works for DH Wink
I'm not saying that I'm not going to use mine for dh
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