First Look: ENVE's New, Adjustable-Geometry Rigid Fork

May 7, 2020
by Mike Levy  


Speaking about the fun of being under-biked, ENVE has just released an updated version of their US-made carbon fiber rigid fork for those who truly embrace the minimalistic, 'let's make this way harder than it needs to be' kinda lifestyle. The cleverly named Mountain Fork weighs 676-grams, which is roughly a third of what a lightweight, 120mm-travel suspension fork weighs, and costs $625 USD.

Like most rigid forks, you can bolt a bunch of stuff to it, including a water bottle on each leg for when you're really, really out there. It also includes a carbon fiber fender, integrated hose clasps, and has room for that 3" wide Gazzaloddi you've been saving for something special.

Mountain Fork Details

• Rigid carbon fork
• Suspension-corrected geo equivilent to 120mm
• Axle to crown: 490mm / 492mm
• Rake: 44mm / 52mm (adjustable)
• Boost or non-Boost spacing
• Max rotor size: 180mm
• Weight: 676 grams
• MSRP: $625 USD
• More info: www.enve.com




The one-piece Mountain Fork is pretty straightforward, but it does have a trick up its sleeve that's carried over from the previous version: Inserts at the dropouts let you choose between 44mm and 52mm of offset, much like how flip-chips are used to adjust a bike's geometry or suspension action. Riders looking for more stability from their rigid bike might want to go with the longest setting, whereas those who spend most of their time on tight, slow trails might prefer the 44mm setting.

The flip-chips also change the axle-to-crown from 490mm to 492mm, and ENVE says that the Mountain Fork is the same length as a 120mm-travel suspension fork.



Posted In:
Reviews and Tech First Looks Forks ENVE


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152 Comments

  • 117 8
 “Riders looking for more stability from their rigid bike might want to go with the longest setting, whereas those who spend most of their time on tight, slow trails might prefer the 44mm setting.“

This is the wrong way around! Shorter offset is more stable when going fast, longer offset better at lower speed.
  • 17 0
 True. More offset results in a diminished trail measurement--quicker steering. Less offset increases trail--more stability.
  • 423 2
 Like I could tell the difference rattling around on a rigid fork
  • 8 0
 @gtill9000: Right?!
  • 43 2
 @gtill9000: enve couldn't
  • 8 0
 @gtill9000: haha your comment genuinely made me laugh!
  • 2 20
flag Davec85 (May 7, 2020 at 11:30) (Below Threshold)
 Pretty sure Enve are correct. More trail is more stable at speed.
  • 27 0
 Edit: I'm a moron, if ignore me
  • 51 0
 The 2 water bottles sloshing around up front have to improve handling.
  • 57 2
 Those looking for more stability should buy a suspension fork.
  • 3 1
 @Davec85: And you get more trail from less fork offset (counter intuitively)
  • 3 0
 @jorgeposada: vibration damping
  • 23 4
 Take out ruler and pencil and draw a 8mm long line. Now study it, mentally apply it to your overall wheelbase, and tell me how different it will make your rigid bike feel.
  • 5 1
 @jorgeposada: you would want to drink them equally, having one full and the other half empty is bound to feel a bit weird
  • 2 10
flag EnduroManiac (May 7, 2020 at 13:29) (Below Threshold)
 @threehats: you are absolutely wrong. The article talks about rake, not about offset. Considering the number of props you got, looks like those two notions are being too often confused. Shorter offset will give longer rake and more stability.
  • 6 1
 @EnduroManiac: Read the article again - I’ve kindly copied and pasted the relevant part here, so you don’t have to scroll back up:

“Inserts at the dropouts let you choose between 44mm and 52mm of offset, much like how flip-chips are used to adjust a bike's geometry or suspension action. Riders looking for more stability from their rigid bike might want to go with the longest setting, whereas those who spend most of their time on tight, slow trails might prefer the 44mm setting.“

So, tell me, where does it say RAKE?
  • 4 0
 @EnduroManiac: I see the specs use the word “rake”. And that rake it refers to is synonymous with offset, so it’s measured in millimetres. If it was being used as in the world of motorbikes bikes, where rake is head angle (or the complement of) then it would be measured in degrees.
  • 2 0
 @EnduroManiac: Rake=Offset. So in the case of your comment, Shorter offset will give you a longer TRAIL. This is all relative to head tube angle as the tire contact patch to the centerline of the fork is yet another variable in the convoluted geometry of a bicycle fork.
  • 2 0
 @threehats: wow such a beautiful comment time and effort put into it bravo!
  • 1 0
 @onemind123: Hahaha, I want to hit a 12 foot rock drop and blow open the water bottles. Gatorade everywhere.
  • 1 0
 @nordland071285: I'll put 2 beers in there open and do a wheelie. Guaranteed success!
  • 2 0
 @jorgeposada: ba ha ha! That’s hilarious!
  • 1 0
 Bottle mounts though.
  • 2 1
 @jorgeposada: As long as you remember to alternate which side bottle you drink from on each sip or you might find it getting harder and harder to turn in one particular direction due to inertial progressivity resulting from volumetric imbalance.
  • 2 0
 How much for the useless fender...$100...??
  • 2 0
 I’m glad you affirmed my thoughts when I read that. Now Levy will have to read a mountain of pointless literature like the rest of us geeks did. F@$k OFFSET ride the damn bike! There’s probably a 14 year old on a Huffy smashing harder than you anyway. Or feed the machine. That’s okay too.
  • 1 0
 @jorgeposada: nearly as much fluid volume as an old Marzocchi
  • 1 0
 @munkiemagik: you could rig up the bottles with a tube like one of those 'foam dome' hats where you have a beer either side of your head... For bonus points run it up through the steerer cap
  • 1 0
 @knarrr: I'll drink to that.
  • 1 0
 @Uncle-Tio: How ironic. I am the one that confused rake and trail....
  • 1 1
 @gtill9000:
Thought this article was about the new Truth Suspension Fork. Back button selected and on to Friday Fails.
  • 59 2
 this is to mountain bikers what the abacus is to mathematicians.
  • 12 1
 As much use as a chocolate teapot. I sure as hell won't be rushing to buy one for my rigid bike.
  • 27 0
 @fartymarty: what is this chocolate teapot you speak of? Please tell me more.
  • 15 1
 Bottle Cage on fork! Shut up and take my money.
  • 5 1
 @ssteve: it's from the same shop as chocolate fireguards and waterproofs made from tea bags.
  • 3 1
 @fatduke: or a life jacket made concrete
  • 5 9
flag WAKIdesigns (May 7, 2020 at 14:06) (Below Threshold)
 Pizza made of Pineapple...
  • 3 0
 @WAKIdesigns: all pineapple or with pineapple as a topping??
  • 3 0
 I put one on my 170 travel enduro rig so the squish is only where I need it - under my fat ass.
  • 2 0
 I look at this and think "Why aren't offset flip chips available on ALL suspension forks?"
  • 1 0
 @ozhuck2flat: oh don't your worry it's coming in 2021.. fox and rockshox can't sell all their gimmicks in one year...
  • 41 0
 Id like some water bottle cages on my fox 40
  • 9 11
 like anyone is going to try and ride with 2 full bottles waggling back and forth man this fork is whacked
  • 29 1
 @madmon: Bro, do you even #bikepack?
  • 11 0
 Steering ‘dampeners’.
  • 5 1
 @VtVolk: No lie. Over on the bikepacking sites they're just nodding knowingly.
  • 1 1
 For extra dampening?
  • 1 1
 @RonSauce: #whoosh
  • 1 0
 @watchmen: you think it was over my head because I made a comment right after someone said the same thing?
  • 1 0
 @RonSauce: Nope.
  • 45 8
 Had to check it wasn’t April 1st with those bottle cages hanging off the sides...
  • 3 8
flag mybaben (May 7, 2020 at 14:56) (Below Threshold)
 For real! That's a hard fail.
  • 13 0
 Common for bike packing and touring.

If you don’t have bottles mounted there the mounts can be used for lots of other things.
  • 10 0
 @s-g-d: for example, you could carry two games of jenga with you
  • 1 0
 exactly the same here... no more handlebar baskets bruh.. welcome to the future
  • 25 0
 It's funny how many people here are baffled by the idea of mounting water bottles on your fork. I frequently carry my tent and sleeping setup on a pair of fork mounted outpost cages, and in the past I've also put a 48oz nalgene on each leg (though I don't really recommend putting that much weight there). In my experience, this is a much better setup than using racks, or carrying the weight higher on the bike. Many bikepackers use a full frame bag, so this is a great place to put a couple of small bottles that will be easier to access than one mounted under the downtube.

A $625 rigid fork is definitely not for everybody, but I'm sure endurance cyclists and rich hipsters will appreciate it.

I'd like to see a suspension fork with anything cage bosses, and a dynamo light mount built in to the lowers. I'm sure some folks would be all over that.
  • 15 0
 These are people who think 25km is a long ride,anything steeper than 5% is a push,carrying one tubeless repair anchovy is a full tool kit, a trip to the bikepark is an adventure and 170mm of travel is the bare minimum for going to the shops.
  • 5 0
 @watchmen: Ooh shots fired! The bro brah pyjama suit flannel mafia is going to stage an enduro protest.
  • 22 2
 bicyclepubes is gonna have a field day
  • 15 0
 So I’m pretty drunk but I ride frequently with a weight weenie bike packing ridged crabon fribé equipped ferret man and he likes this sort of thing but it strikes me as a bit niché. Is it niché? I don’t know but if I wanted to bring a couple of water bottles then why not strap them to your forks? Doesn’t seem any more mental than all the other stupid shit we buy and strap all over ourselves. 6 out of ten. Maybe buy it if you like this sort of thing
  • 4 0
 Head hear! A voice of reason.
  • 2 0
 All these guys are strapping on and plugging every hole in their bike with stuff they could easily carry some other way but somehow bottle cages are a bridge too far! For shame. You've bro'd their last brah.
  • 20 2
 April 1st was delayed by Covid-19
  • 10 4
 i mean REALY we are in the middle of the worst possible thing to happen a mountain biker=isolation and now a thousand dollar carbon fork with bolt on cages. What I need is a cheap bike or a used fork for my 26er as i am now broke
  • 4 1
 @madmon: maybe try the buy/sell page then instead of a new product review?
  • 15 1
 "Inserts at the dropouts let you choose between 44mm and 52mm of offset..."

Seems like a clever idea - why don't suspension fork manufacturers offer this?

This fork could be a great (though expensive) piece of gear for riders who want to explore bikepacking.
  • 3 0
 columbus did it first though
  • 4 2
 probably a weight and strength thing. Making your axle dropouts stick out enough to allow for adjustable offset is gonna make them pretty "Sticky-outy" from the fork lowers which means a lot more material being added to the fork to ensure the strength stays the same. As of right now the offset is in the crown keeping the axle of your wheel nice and close to the lower.
//
If they were to do this I could see it being maybe more beneficial for the XC race folk? Allowing bike designers to design a frame to be slightly slacker but then depending on the course giving the riders the choice of snappier steering or more stable at speed steering.
//
This feels like the most Bro-Science shit to ever come out of my mouth haha.....
  • 5 0
 Or every year manufacturers could tell you that a different offset will make your bike handle 13.67% better and watch all the bro-dudes rush out and sell their now totally obsolete fork for peanuts so they can drop another 1k on a new one with +/- 2mm offset.
  • 2 0
 @Sethimus: He was bored whilst looking for the new world.
  • 2 1
 @watchmen: I think there is some logic to what we're seeing. As bikes are getting slacker you're starting to see less offset to reduce wheel flop. Still confused by the size of the change we've seen though
  • 1 0
 because you would die!
  • 1 0
 Though I mostly agree with you. My latest 29er is 42mm offset where as my last was 51... That's 9mm...
  • 1 0
 @TheBearDen: there was a noticeable difference at very low speeds (climbing) going from my old marzocchi cr350 to the fox version which was only a 2mm change. I also haven't seen suspension companies trying to push different offsets, that seems to be coming from the manufacturers
  • 1 1
 I had this sort of fork on my Rondo and it sucked. You’re not gonna want to swap the adapters around often, you just want one position. In that case the bike also just sucked in both settings so I got rid of it after like five rides.
  • 3 0
 @TheBearDen: no shame, bro science is the very foundation of mtb.
  • 1 0
 Totally agree. I'm lucky enough to have tried 2 29ers that recommend different offset forks back to back. I tried them both, then swapped the forks between them and tried them again. I preferred the recommended offset on both for the steering characteristics. I'd pay extra to have offset options-same as multi length chainstays.
  • 1 0
 @watchmen: columbus is an italian steel/aluminium tube and carbon forks producer you cretin
  • 1 0
 @Sethimus: And they say you lost your collective sense of humour on this day 75 years ago.
  • 14 0
 It's incredible (and hilarious) how pretty much all of you are baffled by or just downright scared of this thing.
  • 11 0
 What's old is new again... GT 2x4 mountain bike forks had adjustable dropouts to vary the offset & trail #s... THIRTY YEARS AGO !!!
  • 3 0
 #nonewideas.
  • 14 0
 @TheBearDen: I read that as "none wide as"....is it Friday yet?
  • 1 0
 www.pinkbike.com/photo/17167608
  • 2 0
 @TheBearDen:
None wide ass?
  • 1 0
 @emptybox: Not even this joke is a new idea....
  • 1 0
 @TheBearDen:
Oh I forgot to refresh before I posted
  • 14 0
 big gravel conspiracy
  • 17 6
 The gravel grinder dorks will be all over it!
  • 3 0
 Bike packing is fun.
  • 7 0
 Put a coke can in it, then hand it to your riding buddy at the end of that rock garden.
  • 8 0
 I like the burrito holders on the fork legs. Pretty sweet
  • 5 0
 This guy gets it
  • 4 0
 i have the older model of this fork on my canfield yelli screamy with surly extra terrestrial tires. i road it for a year as my main bike as my riding was focused on preparing for and riding in the VT50 race. Worked well enough but taught me the virtue of line choice. I've since moved on and now it is my defacto road/gravel bike for mixed surface rides from my house...that and 7-11 runs to get slurpees with the kids.
  • 2 0
 @mikelevy: on your next silly shirt merchandise graphics, you should have

...
Useless rambling about ENVE rigid fork
...
UserX (1 hour ago)
(Below Threshold) show comment
...


I think people would love it, and probably pay a premium for @WAKIdesigns instead of UserX

I know you were short of ideas and that this will earn me the status of dream bike tester for life

Good night
  • 1 0
 Will be just another day and we all see someone who has tinkered a damper and some linkages into this fork... Than a whole bunch of comments show up... looks like a trust. Rigid forks are either for men or for gravel roads... so why not stick with one offset option.
  • 1 0
 It would be a pretty fork if it weren't for those water bottle cage bolts on the legs. Why does nobody make a rigid boost fork other than Carver and the cheaper chinese Alibaba? I know Niner does, but it too has those aweful bottle cage bolts as well...
  • 7 3
 Please can we get Paul Aston back to test it Smile
  • 4 0
 Kona Project Twos for the win
  • 3 1
 I can see Mike Levy smiling behind his keyboard. Water bottles! Now a Pinkbike head to head special testing the shit of every 2021's enduro bike with this fork. Woohooo!
  • 4 0
 Where’s the huck to flat???
  • 3 0
 You had me at carbon fiber FENDER!!!
  • 3 0
 OMG ADJUSTABLE GEOMETRY....*two setting flip chip*
  • 4 1
 OMG ADJUSTABLE GEOMETRY....*lowers BB by 4mm and changes HA by 0.3 degrees*
  • 6 3
 "The cleverly named Mountain Fork"

lulz
  • 1 0
 What are you supposed to do with your brake caliper if you're moving your axle back and forth by 8mm? Does the fork come with some kind of spacer(s)?
  • 2 0
 Yeah it comes with spacers. The bike rumor comments section mentions that they failed to include that tidbit in the article.
  • 1 0
 Was thinking the same...wtf?
  • 2 1
 Yeah, that things sick, but since it is rigid, wouldn’t the water bottles rattle around?
  • 18 2
 Probably not. People that strap bottles onto their forks for bike packing don't exactly ride at "shredding the gnar" pace.
  • 7 0
 @PAmtbiker: people who strap bottles to their bike aren't the biggest plastic fans
  • 4 3
 You'll never see me with a carbon fork on my bikepacking rig.. steel is real! Salsa Firestarter steel for lyfe.
  • 2 0
 Overcomments on an underbiked article....
  • 1 0
 Useful for carrying a jar of olives and Camembert, alongside a bottle of wine.
  • 1 0
 Description says 44mm / 52mm (twice), fork says 44mm / 55mm... Which is it?
  • 1 0
 Does anyone know if this would work for frame designed for a Cannondale lefty fork?
  • 1 2
 "The cleverly named Mountain Fork weighs 676-grams, which is roughly a third of what a lightweight, 120mm-travel suspension fork weighs, and..."
No. A Pike weighs that much, and that's a 160mm Enduro Fork.
  • 1 0
 Ah! Fork mounted bottle cages. For when you really want to shake those growlers of beer!
  • 2 3
 Enve is making a fool of themselves. This is Pinkbike. If you release a new product, you add an exciting product release video. Just to make even more a fool of yourself.
  • 5 1
 you can't make an exciting release video of a rigid fork
  • 1 1
 @rickybobby18: Don't be daft.

Design fork.
Give to Barelli.
Receive video.
Release product with video.

There is no "can't". Just make the product a bit more expensive so that you can pay the right people.
  • 2 1
 Someone sent their press release 36 days late...
  • 3 5
 27.5 130mm Pike = 522mm A to C
29 140mm Pike = 551mm A to C

that means... *beep bap boop beep*

27.5 120mm Pike = 512mm A to C
29 120mm Pike = 531mm A to C

Can someone tell me HOW E=NV^2 x 490mm = 120mm travel fork?
  • 17 0
 Travel adjusted = sag
  • 2 1
 How is this only $625 but their wheels are a down payment on a car?
  • 2 2
 LOL! The fork is nice, but running it with those water bottle cages is a hard NO!! Launching Air to Dork missile.....
  • 2 1
 I'm only here to read the comments on the absurdity of a rigid fork.
  • 1 0
 Those fenders are SO CUTE
  • 1 0
 Will this fit on my Epic?
  • 1 4
 A) I’d never buy one, but...
B) I’ve been running an enve stem on my trail bike for a few years, and I’m 190lbs and hard on stuff.
And C) I ran an envelope fork on both a road and cross bike for years and they were really nice - super rigid laterally and just right fire and aft...
D) also have some XC (M50) wheels that I ran pretty hard til rims got wider and I switched to 35s
So the stuff is well made - the rims were too stiff back at the beginning, and I haven’t ridden the newer ones, but there’s a market for their stuff...
OTHER THAN THIS IDIOTIC FORK!
  • 2 0
 This is pretty rad.
  • 3 1
 Rigid? But why?
  • 1 0
 About $1 per gram (if you're in US), seems correct
  • 1 1
 GT Bicycles did this over a year ago with their GT Grade Gravel bike. Nothing new here!
  • 1 1
 Perfect for the bikepacker that probably spends his nights in 5 star hotels...
  • 1 1
 "Enve further dilutes what matters in mountain biking and confirms themselves as one of the biggest douchebag brands in MTB"
  • 1 0
 why?? who would actually want this thing??
  • 5 4
 Nope AND Nope.
  • 1 1
 1/3 of the weight of a 120mm fork and rattles you to bits on every bump.
  • 3 3
 Tell me about it - I went through a weight weenie phase years ago, built up a lightweight rigid MTB also with a carbon fork, possibly even front brake only, can't remember. Razz Then I took it to the 10 Under The Ben endurance race, figured it would make up time on the fire road sections. It did, but the rest of the course was a masterclass in pain (not even very technical either), my team-mate had to do extra laps to make up for my retiring early! The next week I stripped and rebuilt it as a full sus! Big Grin

The fork and frame though are still pulling duty as a rapid skinny-tyred city bike!
  • 1 2
 Sorry. Enve just makes me laugh these days. They are all over the place. What the hell happened?!
  • 1 1
 Looks snappy
  • 2 5
 I'm bored ridgid just thinking about riding it!
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