when i got my entry-mid level MTB i upgraded to a rigid fork after 2-3 months. I ride beginner-intermediate trails, and i love it. I have had the bike for almost 18 months, and i love it. I would recommend to upgrade to anyone like me.
I am a u15 rider racing races Germany wide, as I was u13 I used to run a rigid fork for every race, yet I found in the last season the races got more technical and people got faster in the downhills, since last year I rarely run my rigid fork, maybe 1 - 3 races in one season. So, in my opinion, it is an upgrade on some corses, but a disadvantage on technical races. I hope this comment was helpful.
After watching this 3 yrs ago I changed the SunTour fork on my Giant Roam to a rigid carbon fork designed to replace it (same geometry). Since then I've had thousands of miles of great gravel riding on the bike that weighs 4 pounds less.
it is a lot of fun riding fully rigid especially on a fat or plus bike. Also starting fully rigid helps in learning the best technique.You just gain some speed in some sections with a suspension. Of course suspension is easier on the body especially if you are older... but if you are a young XC rider go for it, you will love it.
I get sore wrists. I switched my alloy handlebar for a carbon. The difference was staggering. Carbon handlebars flex, take all of the bounce out of the road. I will be getting the cheaper fork in this video to add to my carbon handlebar. Great video!
Actually for around $200 you can have SR Suntour Epixon Airt suspension with 120-140 travel length, it is quite good. Weight about 1,85 kgs. I am not a marketing of this product, i am just happy to have it.
When your suspension fork is 21 years old, has never been serviced, you can't be arsed replacing the oil, you only ever ride on the road and the suspension fork weighs three times more than your full carbon fork.
Depends on where you ride. If you do a lot of climbing and fire roads, groomed trails, gravel, rigid forks are the best way to go for weight, no energy loss, control. Not a good idea on mountain downhill. I swap my rigid and suspension fork frequently.
The price for a lot of the mtb rigid forks is on a par with some really good suspension forks so it's not an upgrade, more of an option. Having said that I have ridden a fully rigid 26er on green and blue trails and I have to say it was very, very addictive. FR makes basic trails lots of fun and I would love to do it on a 29er.
Thanks, I am trying for years allready to convince shops here at the Algarve that transition to a rigid fork for me and my Orbea Deore alu hardtail would work better. But here they are somewhat traditional and frown at the idea. Hope this will help.
Hi i have a rigid fork giant boulder 500 mountain bike. And I really just want to do bike trails and bikepacking, camping. Plus the city i live in has rough terrain, potholes, uneven sideways, etc. So the rigid seems ok for me, because too I have to learn repairs. I really love my bike
I see your point, but for me the problem is that I have 26' wheels, so if I rode a rigid fork I would feel too many dumps. If I had 29' wheels then I would probably buy that carbon fork. Also my entry-level XCT helps my to, for example bunny-hop, and that would be harder on a rigid fork; and finally I just wouldn't spend 230€ to improve a used bike that cost me 180€ as it works really well with the deore groupset it has and light tyres. I really like the videos on which you compare components like this one or you talk about entry-level mtbs.
I have a 26" Specialized Rockhopper for my everyday city commuting bike, it had a low end Manitou suspension fork which didn't work very well, changed it to a Kinesis aluminium rigid fork and schwalbe semi-slick tyres, the bike is lighter and much better for me now. It really depends on what type of riding you do.
beings back memories of back in the day when mountain bikes first came out... we were were bashing around on thick guage steel frames with solid steel forks... the bikes were indestructible, but very, very heavy. Never had trouble with the drive train compared to today and hardly ever had to change cassettes & stuff, but the tyres were rubbish with plenty of flats and we went through plenty of levers & saddles....
sharma Llama well 90s mountain bikes made from Tange steel tubing where pretty light. just recently took an old Tange fork of a steel bike I had and to my surprise the fork was supper light lol it's supper funny how a mid range 90s MTB is lighter then today's mid range MTB 😂😂 I have a bike here from 1996 it's only bout 26lbs Vs my cube aim SL that's 31lbs
I tried for a season. It was fun really, I could even do some jumps and drops. I now have a suspension fork because I found it was not very helpful to develop skills such as leaning bike for corners and pushing for pumping and so on. Some skills need a little bit aggressive riding to be developed. With rigid forks, I couldn't ride that aggressively.
The ultimate mountain bike for trails for me would be a rigid fork for 29er. In Canada all I find are ones for V-brakes not disc. BTW on the Kona project bike. Is that a rear disc brake adapter mounted into the frame? I'm also looking to do that on a older mountain bike. Thanks for the video and explanation.
I was thinking the same thing. My ebike has a Suntour intro XCR fork and I ride on roads, no trails. I am going to try to see if I can tolerate the ride on a rigid carbon fork not only for the 2KG weight savings but more aerodynamic profile for speeds above 20mph. I will try lowering the pressure in the front tire as you recommend. I will let you know if I keep it or switch back to the suspension.
I just installed the carbon rigid fork and I like it, Danny. I lowered the tire pressure as you recommended, and was pretty comfortable. My high speed increased to 36.8MPH, a new PR for me. Thanks for the recommendation!
No suspension is better than bad suspension. I have those Exotic forks, the alloy and carbon version and so far they've been spot on as long as you have decent 2.25 or above width tyres and just enough tyre pressure. People who say rigid forks are rubbish are clearly clueless as such a light fork allows you to lift the front wheel with ease and move the centre of gravity back so they actually skip over rough terrain a lot easier than with cheap suspension forks which just crash through it with terrible control. Riding rigid teaches better body position and technique which a crap suspension fork won't reward you.
Conde Brutal Well they are rigid and being carbon means they are stiff so you will feel sizeable bumps, the opposite of cheap forks which don't work at all for small bumps but only move (poorly) for bigger hits. Thick grips and a forgiving carbon handlebar also help in my case. That being said they do damp vibration or chatter reasonably well. Tyre choice is crucial though, get a wideish one with a strong sidewall and run the tyre pressure as low as you can and you'll be fine as long as your not doing Whistler!
I hadn't thought about my sus forks (yes, basic Sun Tour) til I watched this vid a few months back. I sourced an alu rigid and replaced the original. Bike still rides well, and I've reduced front end weight by more than 2kg! So thanks for posting.
I completely agree! Thanks for this great video, I am looking forward to see that Kona bike assembled. On top of your great suggestion, I would also like to add 2 additional points: the first one is that in my opinion rigid bike are even more fun to ride than suspension ones because there is non room for error and the rider has to do everithing, hence you will be more satisfied from a ride. Second for street riding, where you can do a bit of trial triks, rigid fork are much more precise therefore better and easier.
Exotic seems to have quit producing these rigid forks. Now there doesn't seems to be really anyone at the moment making them, or at least selling them on places like Amazon. What's a good rigid fork on the market right now for a 29er XC bike for around $200-300?
Or you can go for even cheaper like the rockshox 30 tk silver for $170 U.S.D. Please make sure you buy the right shocks for your tire wheel size as well. Also buy a crown race as my rockshox didn’t come with one. You should go to a bike store and let them install it if you have no clue.
Not sure what to think on this one, I should definitively had to get a free ride before making a decision. Pretty sure it won't be any good as my Rockshox Recon RL, but I guess it could be better than the Suntour XCT 28 my bike initially had. Then again, this is half the price of my Rockshox, so price wise makes sense, but functionality wise I'm not completely sure.
I'm more interested in upgrading my old 1995 Lapierre to have a suspension fork, tbh. Back then suspension was a premium item. Willing to spend a bit to get a decent air/oil fork.
I've got a rockshox reba rl dual air never been serviced, i mostly ride in the city should i replaced it by a rigid one (which model would you recommend i have a rockrider 8.2) ?
It depends on how you use it. If you are more on the casual riding, cruising. I recommend having a rigid forks. If youre on a light trail or general mountain biking then suspensions is for you.
Man i was trying to find reasons to change from suspension forks to rigid, i lost interests half way cuz he took so long to get to the point. Im learning to make videos too and this is valuable learning. Info is good, but when you start veering off, people lose interest and move a long. Man the comments had more to the point answers than the video. Decent video tho, no disrespect
excellent video. my Fuji mountain bike came with suspension fork, not sure about the price of the bike, it was a gift from my son. wondering if it's safe to ride on short hills?
Yes, as long as you do not screw the geometry of the bike. Make sure to have the lenght of the blade comparable with the one of the suspension fork and not too short, otherwise an over the bar can be quite easy when breaking!
anyway, could someone please post the length - axle toll crown - of a 27,5 suspension fork Ehen you just sit on the bike? ... 120 or 140mm fork ..... most rigids are about 47 cm
my old hybrid's rigid fork is very harsh (steel), i can even feel the road buzz in the road. can anyone suggest one with more compliance and cheap? my fork is in the same diameter up to bottom, and it's curved.
@@MyLifeInTheDesert true, basicaly alumunium are more rigid than steel. although they seem to get better with the butted and shape. don't have the resource to compare those, that's all i can say.
ok then what about cr.moly forks,on a 6061 frame?cr.moly also strong,and has some flex.?my giant escaper expert(expert is magura hydraulic brakes,26 inch zac 19 rims,38 spokes),and 17.5 inch frame,and me only about 50 kilos,i think in some situations i am faster.
Sick, if I keep the same tire, but go from a Fox 34 suspended fork to one of the eXotica forks, how would I determine the correct fork length to buy? With the rigid fork lacking compression, I would not want a fork with a lot of space between the top of the tire and the fork crown. Like you said, appearance is important LOL.
a nice alternative to a carbon rigid fork(especially for 650b wheels)would be a loaf fork which look sick (like you😄) ,have an acceptable amount of travel, but their price is its weak point(999€)
I'm riding a fully rigid 26" for almost two years. Initially I've got a carbon/ alu fork similar to the version shown in the video. Unfortunately, the fork was destroyed after an idiot rear ended my car, onwhich the bike was loaded. I then decided to replace it with a steel fork from PlanetX which is as good as the carbon. The riding feel is a great and I've got a great price to weight ratio ( 9,4 kilos for less than 1000euros on a 1x 10speed sram X5 drivetrain). However tubeless is the only option for this build...
my chinese carbon 29er QR fork weighs 541g. But i did cut the steeretube quite a lot and slammed the stem with one 5mm spacer above. The exotic is heavy for its price IMO
Say you are in Europe and want a rigid fork, to replace a 27.5 suspension fork, aluminium or carbon/aluminium, any ideas where one would look for that, if you wish to purchase within the EU.
I got one, and won't recommend it. The fork has enough flex in it, so when I lean into the "right" position, the brake calliper rubs the rotor, of my disc brake. Not a problem with the same brakes, on my suspension fork. Carbon CC's advise, keep riding it, and come back if it becomes worse. If it becomes worse, it becomes dangerous. Terrible advise, and terrible customer service.
Are rigid forks better for someone who weighs more?? I'm looking for a bike that can hold 330lbs... I've read that's I should look for high spoke 26" wheels... and rigid forks
I just bought a Cube Aim Pro hardtail as an upgrade from my ancient but much loved Kona Cindercone (circa 1990, all steel frame with Project 2 forks). Having never ridden with either disc brakes or suspension, rigid forks feel like a good option to replace the heavy entry level Suntour XCT30's. I'll need to find one with a straight steering tube though. Great video thanks. It answered a lot of my questions.
Good video, ..... but I still have nö idea of the right length for a rigid fork in a 650B frame. Could you please give me an idea? Planning a Commencal Meta HT ...... many thanks in advance
How do think, would that cheaper carbon/aluminium fork from the video absorb some small bumps or vibration???? Im considering to get one for my aluminium Cube Ltb Pro 29er, now it has roxshox silvet tk air. Im 190cm height, but 68kg weight, my bike frame is 21inch, so with that fork this bike feels a bit heavy and i want to try some mtb marathon or xc race in Lithuania (mostly flat, no mountains, not much rocks). I will also convert 2x11 xt m8000 to 1x11, and im wondering how many teeth do i need in front??? Cassette is 11-40
My mtb cost around 153 dollars....I'm from India. I only use my bike for riding distances(means no hard cycling..Only plain roads pit holes)...I think my suspension are not good as they don't move when I try to push them with my weight..They only move when I press front brake and apply pressure....Should I upgrade my suspension fork???
Not really. You only use it for leisure riding so you don’t need to spend your money on anything. As long as the bike works you’re fine. Forks such as rockshox go for about $170 For the “silver tk 30s” but if you put that on a $153 dollar bike I would assume that would look wack haha.
i switched to rigid fork and 2 days in and already 3 punctures at fron everything tire side but no debris found. i dont know if its just badluck or it has something with my riding style on the rigid that isnt working well
You need more pressure in your tires. Probably you are getting "snake bite" punctures. That only happens if your tires bottom out and the rim touches the ground. OR You have something sharp in your outer tire. Check for debris in outer tire.
BMX bike and trials bike both have rigid fork and you jump on thuse as the time. A suspension fork with be more forgiving but if you land with both wheels at the same time or land with that back a little bit before a rigid is fine. If you land front heavy a rigid fork with not save you.
you can get a good air-sprung fork for around $300 (like rock shocks recon solo air), so the $500+ mark for a good fork is unrealistic. Why spend $250 on a rigid fork and be unable to ride any rough terrain when you can add $50 more and have a real mtb fork?
@@bog2k3 you've obviously never tried this. Suspension is heavy and sucks energy on climbing, unless you lock it out, then what's the point of suspension.
No. When you get an entry level bike, it usually has the same frame as the higher models, they just give you the very cheapest components, so if you buy one with suspension, in order to make a cheap bike the have to give you a cheap suspension fork that is excessively heavy and not stiff. So he's saying a high quality rigid fork is still better than a low quality suspension fork, and hence it's a cheap upgrade for an entry level bike If you buy a complete bike without suspension, they will probably still give you a cheap rigid fork which will also be heavy and not stiff, so not good.
Hi. I would like to put rigid forks on my specialized chisel 2020 model mountain bike. How can I do this? And where can I get the parts? I need help please.
C-FU gaming no bike shop is actually willing to help me upgrade the fork. Due covid19 they not really helpful for upgrades and would rather try sell me a full road bike or hybrid. This is why I am trying to find information online or RUclips. I just need to know which fork will fit and then I will order it.
@@Aaron83W then i suggest you go on a mtb community and ask around there. It's kinda hard to get that specific information here on youtube. Goodluck asking around
puka Of course, if you have the money to get it for a bike you'll outgrow. But rigid is way better for technique since you can't cheat, and most kids don't do anything rough enough to require suspension. This is my opinion.
Why should you get on your entry level bike rigid carbon fork, when you can get entry lever air fork (raidon, xc 30 air, xcr air)? This is only ad on page in description and you look like you never riden one.
This morning I just upgraded from an entry level Rock Shock Coil suspension fork to a 7005 Aluminum rigid fork. My bike feels much better now, much lighter and faster at climbing.
Well. there is this hill I go every week. 3.8 km of steep on-road climbing. Last week's time was 19m 12s After replacing the fork I could climb in 18m 19s. I cut a minute just by replacing the fork.
Umm... You actually can get a really good suspension fork for $300. Beyond really good starting at $500. You must have really limited parts access there. LOL
He's saying that if you buy a bike for $300, a rigid fork would be better and safer than the cheap suspension fork that came with the bike. A person who bought a $300 bike will not likely go buy a suspension fork for the same price as the bike. They might be convinced to spend $100 to $150 on a rigid fork though.
quick question: I've got a 27.5 MTB, the site you linked shows only 26 and 29er, do you have any advice about other shops that provide SAFE carbon forks? I could just buy something on ebay, but the fork is the most important part on my bike as i do like to eat solid food and not be in a wheel chair.
when i got my entry-mid level MTB i upgraded to a rigid fork after 2-3 months. I ride beginner-intermediate trails, and i love it. I have had the bike for almost 18 months, and i love it. I would recommend to upgrade to anyone like me.
I am a u15 rider racing races Germany wide, as I was u13 I used to run a rigid fork for every race, yet I found in the last season the races got more technical and people got faster in the downhills, since last year I rarely run my rigid fork, maybe 1 - 3 races in one season. So, in my opinion, it is an upgrade on some corses, but a disadvantage on technical races. I hope this comment was helpful.
I ride a rigid steel plus bike with slackish angles and it’s so badass I’m never going back
After watching this 3 yrs ago I changed the SunTour fork on my Giant Roam to a rigid carbon fork designed to replace it (same geometry). Since then I've had thousands of miles of great gravel riding on the bike that weighs 4 pounds less.
hey! which fork did you purchase? I'm thinking of doing the same on my roam!
it is a lot of fun riding fully rigid especially on a fat or plus bike. Also starting fully rigid helps in learning the best technique.You just gain some speed in some sections with a suspension. Of course suspension is easier on the body especially if you are older... but if you are a young XC rider go for it, you will love it.
I get sore wrists. I switched my alloy handlebar for a carbon. The difference was staggering. Carbon handlebars flex, take all of the bounce out of the road. I will be getting the cheaper fork in this video to add to my carbon handlebar. Great video!
Actually for around $200 you can have SR Suntour Epixon Airt suspension with 120-140 travel length, it is quite good. Weight about 1,85 kgs. I am not a marketing of this product, i am just happy to have it.
Just get those cheap Mosso rigid forks from alibaba, works flawlessly 7 years after the purchase.
When your suspension fork is 21 years old, has never been serviced, you can't be arsed replacing the oil, you only ever ride on the road and the suspension fork weighs three times more than your full carbon fork.
Why don't you mention Manitou suspension forks? They are cheaper than dirt and great quality starting from Marvel Expert, for example.
Depends on where you ride. If you do a lot of climbing and fire roads, groomed trails, gravel, rigid forks are the best way to go for weight, no energy loss, control.
Not a good idea on mountain downhill.
I swap my rigid and suspension fork frequently.
The price for a lot of the mtb rigid forks is on a par with some really good suspension forks so it's not an upgrade, more of an option. Having said that I have ridden a fully rigid 26er on green and blue trails and I have to say it was very, very addictive. FR makes basic trails lots of fun and I would love to do it on a 29er.
if you look in aliexpress you can get very good rigid fork within $80.
Thanks, I am trying for years allready to convince shops here at the Algarve that transition to a rigid fork for me and my Orbea Deore alu hardtail would work better.
But here they are somewhat traditional and frown at the idea. Hope this will help.
Very useful even 7 years later. My budget mountain bike is used mostly for light trails so bigger tires and ridgid forks may offer the best compromise
Hi i have a rigid fork giant boulder 500 mountain bike. And I really just want to do bike trails and bikepacking, camping. Plus the city i live in has rough terrain, potholes, uneven sideways, etc. So the rigid seems ok for me, because too I have to learn repairs. I really love my bike
I see your point, but for me the problem is that I have 26' wheels, so if I rode a rigid fork I would feel too many dumps. If I had 29' wheels then I would probably buy that carbon fork. Also my entry-level XCT helps my to, for example bunny-hop, and that would be harder on a rigid fork; and finally I just wouldn't spend 230€ to improve a used bike that cost me 180€ as it works really well with the deore groupset it has and light tyres.
I really like the videos on which you compare components like this one or you talk about entry-level mtbs.
i recommend you to use continental race king 2.2 tires with 30 psi on front and 40 at the rear youre gonna enjoy your rigid's
Get a cro mo DJ fork. Go Big & Face plant it with ur plastic. Plastic is for 👧's . maybe work out a little
I have a 26" Specialized Rockhopper for my everyday city commuting bike, it had a low end Manitou suspension fork which didn't work very well, changed it to a Kinesis aluminium rigid fork and schwalbe semi-slick tyres, the bike is lighter and much better for me now. It really depends on what type of riding you do.
beings back memories of back in the day when mountain bikes first came out... we were were bashing around on thick guage steel frames with solid steel forks... the bikes were indestructible, but very, very heavy. Never had trouble with the drive train compared to today and hardly ever had to change cassettes & stuff, but the tyres were rubbish with plenty of flats and we went through plenty of levers & saddles....
sharma Llama well 90s mountain bikes made from Tange steel tubing where pretty light. just recently took an old Tange fork of a steel bike I had and to my surprise the fork was supper light lol it's supper funny how a mid range 90s MTB is lighter then today's mid range MTB 😂😂 I have a bike here from 1996 it's only bout 26lbs Vs my cube aim SL that's 31lbs
Jaybie Dayy 90s bikes are the best
Before there were MT bikes, there were bikes we rode in the mountains.....
I bought a 29er full rigid thru axle with the axle included for 70usd with shipping and its weightbus 555 grams. BXT brand.
glenny oc from eBay? I ordered one too , how long did it take to arrive ? Thanks
I have a rigid fork i was wondering cuz it looked like theres a suspencion took me 2 months to notice theres none suspencion
If you want to make easy trails more fun, change to ridged fork!
I tried for a season. It was fun really, I could even do some jumps and drops. I now have a suspension fork because I found it was not very helpful to develop skills such as leaning bike for corners and pushing for pumping and so on. Some skills need a little bit aggressive riding to be developed. With rigid forks, I couldn't ride that aggressively.
The ultimate mountain bike for trails for me would be a rigid fork for 29er. In Canada all I find are ones for V-brakes not disc. BTW on the Kona project bike. Is that a rear disc brake adapter mounted into the frame? I'm also looking to do that on a older mountain bike. Thanks for the video and explanation.
I was thinking the same thing. My ebike has a Suntour intro XCR fork and I ride on roads, no trails. I am going to try to see if I can tolerate the ride on a rigid carbon fork not only for the 2KG weight savings but more aerodynamic profile for speeds above 20mph. I will try lowering the pressure in the front tire as you recommend. I will let you know if I keep it or switch back to the suspension.
I just installed the carbon rigid fork and I like it, Danny. I lowered the tire pressure as you recommended, and was pretty comfortable. My high speed increased to 36.8MPH, a new PR for me. Thanks for the recommendation!
No suspension is better than bad suspension. I have those Exotic forks, the alloy and carbon version and so far they've been spot on as long as you have decent 2.25 or above width tyres and just enough tyre pressure. People who say rigid forks are rubbish are clearly clueless as such a light fork allows you to lift the front wheel with ease and move the centre of gravity back so they actually skip over rough terrain a lot easier than with cheap suspension forks which just crash through it with terrible control. Riding rigid teaches better body position and technique which a crap suspension fork won't reward you.
Conde Brutal Well they are rigid and being carbon means they are stiff so you will feel sizeable bumps, the opposite of cheap forks which don't work at all for small bumps but only move (poorly) for bigger hits. Thick grips and a forgiving carbon handlebar also help in my case. That being said they do damp vibration or chatter reasonably well. Tyre choice is crucial though, get a wideish one with a strong sidewall and run the tyre pressure as low as you can and you'll be fine as long as your not doing Whistler!
heey mate.. i was planning to buy this fork on amazon.., which one is better the alu one or the carbon one?! i mean interms of durability,
I hadn't thought about my sus forks (yes, basic Sun Tour) til I watched this vid a few months back.
I sourced an alu rigid and replaced the original.
Bike still rides well, and I've reduced front end weight by more than 2kg!
So thanks for posting.
I completely agree! Thanks for this great video, I am looking forward to see that Kona bike assembled. On top of your great suggestion, I would also like to add 2 additional points: the first one is that in my opinion rigid bike are even more fun to ride than suspension ones because there is non room for error and the rider has to do everithing, hence you will be more satisfied from a ride. Second for street riding, where you can do a bit of trial triks, rigid fork are much more precise therefore better and easier.
ANOTHER great add on to the ridged fork: 3.0 front tire
on eBay a new duel air sr suntour for a 26 is like around 50-100 bucks
or have a one for commuting on your MTB and keep the miles off your fancy suspension fork
Exotic seems to have quit producing these rigid forks. Now there doesn't seems to be really anyone at the moment making them, or at least selling them on places like Amazon. What's a good rigid fork on the market right now for a 29er XC bike for around $200-300?
EBay got exotics usually..and the Topeak/??.. Toseek?.. Carbon forks are quite good
my bicycle don't have suspension settings,what should i do???
Buy A New Suspension
Lol then that is a super trashy fork. Even entry level forks have a preload setting.
Just get a rockshox recon silver its dirt cheep but amazing
Or you can go for even cheaper like the rockshox 30 tk silver for $170 U.S.D. Please make sure you buy the right shocks for your tire wheel size as well. Also buy a crown race as my rockshox didn’t come with one. You should go to a bike store and let them install it if you have no clue.
Must be Huffy
Not sure what to think on this one, I should definitively had to get a free ride before making a decision. Pretty sure it won't be any good as my Rockshox Recon RL, but I guess it could be better than the Suntour XCT 28 my bike initially had. Then again, this is half the price of my Rockshox, so price wise makes sense, but functionality wise I'm not completely sure.
@sickBiker what do you think about the really cheap carbon forks on ebay, say under $100 forks. I'm actually tempted to get one and try it out.
lol yeah when you say it like that :)
Full face lol
rigid fork 20mm longer (axle to crown) than the stock suspension fork, any major issue?
When changing to rigid do you have to have geometry adjusted rigid forks or not?
I'm more interested in upgrading my old 1995 Lapierre to have a suspension fork, tbh. Back then suspension was a premium item. Willing to spend a bit to get a decent air/oil fork.
nice video,i am using rigid fork too in my xc race and i used it one time in an enduro race,i love it.
Which is a good one for a 27.5. Thanks in advanced.
My hybrid comes with a suspension fork which is mostly pointless. I rather have a lighter fork.
My hybrid has rigid forks *smug*
Mines has rigid but I want suspension
hello, how is a carbon fork measured? So from where to where do you measure? Best regards
You still like the CarbonCycles eXotic fork? Or is there another one that is more popular now?
Have you considered surly frames?
I've got a rockshox reba rl dual air never been serviced, i mostly ride in the city should i replaced it by a rigid one (which model would you recommend i have a rockrider 8.2) ?
It depends on how you use it. If you are more on the casual riding, cruising. I recommend having a rigid forks.
If youre on a light trail or general mountain biking then suspensions is for you.
Man i was trying to find reasons to change from suspension forks to rigid, i lost interests half way cuz he took so long to get to the point.
Im learning to make videos too and this is valuable learning. Info is good, but when you start veering off, people lose interest and move a long. Man the comments had more to the point answers than the video.
Decent video tho, no disrespect
excellent video. my Fuji mountain bike came with suspension fork, not sure about the price of the bike, it was a gift from my son. wondering if it's safe to ride on short hills?
Yes, as long as you do not screw the geometry of the bike. Make sure to have the lenght of the blade comparable with the one of the suspension fork and not too short, otherwise an over the bar can be quite easy when breaking!
Ok, three years on would you recommend the Manitou Markor as a viable upgrade or stick with carbon rigid (mix of trails and road... No downhill)?
What about Al7005 rigid fork's weight?
Ventsislav Simonov its approx 700-800g
whats the actual lenght on the exotic forks the alum/carbon ones
anyway, could someone please post the length - axle toll crown - of a 27,5 suspension fork Ehen you just sit on the bike? ... 120 or 140mm fork ..... most rigids are about 47 cm
Daniel jakiej firmy i modelu są te adeptery do ramy pomarańczowej ?
my old hybrid's rigid fork is very harsh (steel), i can even feel the road buzz in the road. can anyone suggest one with more compliance and cheap? my fork is in the same diameter up to bottom, and it's curved.
Getting wider tires will be the best option and running them at lower pressures.
@@superspeederbooster it's 1.5" wide. and lowering the pressure will make the ride heavier. but i guess there's no way around it, is it?
Steel actually dampers a lot of road buzz-way better than aluminum. That is why they chose steel for the fork
@@MyLifeInTheDesert true, basicaly alumunium are more rigid than steel. although they seem to get better with the butted and shape. don't have the resource to compare those, that's all i can say.
ok then what about cr.moly forks,on a 6061 frame?cr.moly also strong,and has some flex.?my giant escaper expert(expert is magura hydraulic brakes,26 inch zac 19 rims,38 spokes),and 17.5 inch frame,and me only about 50 kilos,i think in some situations i am faster.
Sick, if I keep the same tire, but go from a Fox 34 suspended fork to one of the eXotica forks, how would I determine the correct fork length to buy? With the rigid fork lacking compression, I would not want a fork with a lot of space between the top of the tire and the fork crown. Like you said, appearance is important LOL.
are those safe for bunny hop on the road?
They do it somehow on BMX, so yeah.
a nice alternative to a carbon rigid fork(especially for 650b wheels)would be a loaf fork which look sick (like you😄) ,have an acceptable amount of travel, but their price is its weak point(999€)
for 999 euros you can get a fox 32 SC which is on of the best fork for cross country out there
Are there any rigid forks currently on the market that are compatible with V-brakes?
www.amazon.com/CarbonCycles-Exotic-Lightweight-Mountain-42-5cm/dp/B00Q6GNEDM/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=rigid+fork&qid=1593483100&sr=8-12
I'm riding a fully rigid 26" for almost two years. Initially I've got a carbon/ alu fork similar to the version shown in the video. Unfortunately, the fork was destroyed after an idiot rear ended my car, onwhich the bike was loaded. I then decided to replace it with a steel fork from PlanetX which is as good as the carbon. The riding feel is a great and I've got a great price to weight ratio ( 9,4 kilos for less than 1000euros on a 1x 10speed sram X5 drivetrain). However tubeless is the only option for this build...
which fork?
my chinese carbon 29er QR fork weighs 541g. But i did cut the steeretube quite a lot and slammed the stem with one 5mm spacer above. The exotic is heavy for its price IMO
Is it possible to jump a drop like 1.5 meters or 2meters, with that type of fork?. My weight is 65 kilograms. Greetings
Yes.
No.
Say you are in Europe and want a rigid fork, to replace a 27.5 suspension fork, aluminium or carbon/aluminium, any ideas where one would look for that, if you wish to purchase within the EU.
www.discobrakes.com/?s=0&t=2&rb=6&type=CarbonCycles%20Shop&
I got one, and won't recommend it. The fork has enough flex in it, so when I lean into the "right" position, the brake calliper rubs the rotor, of my disc brake. Not a problem with the same brakes, on my suspension fork. Carbon CC's advise, keep riding it, and come back if it becomes worse. If it becomes worse, it becomes dangerous. Terrible advise, and terrible customer service.
@3RT they're
Are rigid forks better for someone who weighs more?? I'm looking for a bike that can hold 330lbs... I've read that's I should look for high spoke 26" wheels... and rigid forks
If you fit rigid fork what do you do with excess hydraulic brake cable?
I HATE PENTAGRAMS cut it off 👍
I just bought a Cube Aim Pro hardtail as an upgrade from my ancient but much loved Kona Cindercone (circa 1990, all steel frame with Project 2 forks). Having never ridden with either disc brakes or suspension, rigid forks feel like a good option to replace the heavy entry level Suntour XCT30's. I'll need to find one with a straight steering tube though. Great video thanks. It answered a lot of my questions.
so the RST BLAZE forks are bad? they didnt break anywhere
Im a heavy person so light weight upgrade is best for me ...
Good video, ..... but I still have nö idea of the right length for a rigid fork in a 650B frame. Could you please give me an idea? Planning a Commencal Meta HT ...... many thanks in advance
Andre Zachrau meta ht ?omg dude thats painful
sweetheart, painful because ... ?
my bad i thought you meant the am version.which would be a bad experience
because it's "gravity" geometry
If you put a rigid fork on that will kill all the slack in the geometry anyways...
so o gor a bontager switchblade for $50 american. what do you think about that on a entery level gt bike
What is a yankster?
youngster
How do think, would that cheaper carbon/aluminium fork from the video absorb some small bumps or vibration???? Im considering to get one for my aluminium Cube Ltb Pro 29er, now it has roxshox silvet tk air. Im 190cm height, but 68kg weight, my bike frame is 21inch, so with that fork this bike feels a bit heavy and i want to try some mtb marathon or xc race in Lithuania (mostly flat, no mountains, not much rocks). I will also convert 2x11 xt m8000 to 1x11, and im wondering how many teeth do i need in front??? Cassette is 11-40
which exotic fork will be suitable to replace my 27.5 suntour xct forks?
any 29 one
Are those 70€ rigid aluminium forks good? With good I mean safe an worth money.
Man teica, ka tās “Mosso” dakšas esot labas un populāras. Ja nebraucot kā kartupeļu maiss, tad nebūšot problēmu .
👌great vid, I'm looking to replace a 100mm tapered suspension, A 29er, do you know the size from crown to axle, to replace with a rigid one👍
482mm a-c iirc
@@sstrazzi 👍thanks😉
excellent video since I'm trying to configure a full rigid bike
My mtb cost around 153 dollars....I'm from India. I only use my bike for riding distances(means no hard cycling..Only plain roads pit holes)...I think my suspension are not good as they don't move when I try to push them with my weight..They only move when I press front brake and apply pressure....Should I upgrade my suspension fork???
You could get a suspension fork that can lock, then you could have the best of both worlds.
Anchit Katwal ya im also from india...
The forks which 150 dollar bikes have are very shitty...
Rigids are better than them
I modified a cheap fork by removing a spring from one side and replacing it with a rear tailgate car shock absorber. And it works magnificently.
Not really. You only use it for leisure riding so you don’t need to spend your money on anything. As long as the bike works you’re fine. Forks such as rockshox go for about $170 For the “silver tk 30s” but if you put that on a $153 dollar bike I would assume that would look wack haha.
@@guillermosempron5776 Hi I'm interested in this idea. Can you tell me a bit more about what you did?
Is there a Thru Axle Boost version? (mtb standard for high end bikes)
Ignacio Sevil niner rdo fork or tandell
Whiskey parts, enve, tandell all now have boost versions now.
i switched to rigid fork and 2 days in and already 3 punctures at fron everything tire side but no debris found. i dont know if its just badluck or it has something with my riding style on the rigid that isnt working well
You need more pressure in your tires. Probably you are getting "snake bite" punctures. That only happens if your tires bottom out and the rim touches the ground. OR You have something sharp in your outer tire. Check for debris in outer tire.
are they good for jumps
BMX bike and trials bike both have rigid fork and you jump on thuse as the time. A suspension fork with be more forgiving but if you land with both wheels at the same time or land with that back a little bit before a rigid is fine. If you land front heavy a rigid fork with not save you.
you can get a good air-sprung fork for around $300 (like rock shocks recon solo air), so the $500+ mark for a good fork is unrealistic. Why spend $250 on a rigid fork and be unable to ride any rough terrain when you can add $50 more and have a real mtb fork?
You can ride anything with a rigid fork and it's way more fun riding rigid then riding with a entry lvl suspension fork
@@maxhammitzsch1795 yeah right, go ride a rigid fork down a hill over roots and rocks, and let's see how much fun you'll have
@@bog2k3 that's exactly my setup, I am riding a Orbea Alma with the Orbea rigid fork ...
Max Hammitzsch you may have enough strong wheels set up and your arms was flexibility like a spring
@@bog2k3 you've obviously never tried this. Suspension is heavy and sucks energy on climbing, unless you lock it out, then what's the point of suspension.
what should be my tyre pressure when using a carbon rigid fork?
5 psi
I'm so confused, so your saying if I were to get a cheap mtb with out ANY suspension, it would be better?
No. When you get an entry level bike, it usually has the same frame as the higher models, they just give you the very cheapest components, so if you buy one with suspension, in order to make a cheap bike the have to give you a cheap suspension fork that is excessively heavy and not stiff. So he's saying a high quality rigid fork is still better than a low quality suspension fork, and hence it's a cheap upgrade for an entry level bike
If you buy a complete bike without suspension, they will probably still give you a cheap rigid fork which will also be heavy and not stiff, so not good.
Hi. I would like to put rigid forks on my specialized chisel 2020 model mountain bike. How can I do this? And where can I get the parts? I need help please.
i think you can find a rigid fork on your local bike shop, you can pay for the guy to install it on your bike.
C-FU gaming no bike shop is actually willing to help me upgrade the fork. Due covid19 they not really helpful for upgrades and would rather try sell me a full road bike or hybrid. This is why I am trying to find information online or RUclips. I just need to know which fork will fit and then I will order it.
@@Aaron83W then i suggest you go on a mtb community and ask around there. It's kinda hard to get that specific information here on youtube. Goodluck asking around
@@Aaron83W just contact specialized. I think they even have a rigid fork for the chisel...
I have a carbon fiber rigid fork on my 2018 Chisel. I love it.
You should only use rigid forks until you finish growing.
Or get air front fork.
puka Of course, if you have the money to get it for a bike you'll outgrow. But rigid is way better for technique since you can't cheat, and most kids don't do anything rough enough to require suspension. This is my opinion.
where tf do you get all these bikes and parts?
ben murphy you should get make videos on youtube, it pays pretty well.
Why should you get on your entry level bike rigid carbon fork, when you can get entry lever air fork (raidon, xc 30 air, xcr air)? This is only ad on page in description and you look like you never riden one.
This morning I just upgraded from an entry level Rock Shock Coil suspension fork to a 7005 Aluminum rigid fork. My bike feels much better now, much lighter and faster at climbing.
Send me times on your favorite track. :)
Well. there is this hill I go every week. 3.8 km of steep on-road climbing. Last week's time was 19m 12s After replacing the fork I could climb in 18m 19s. I cut a minute just by replacing the fork.
Good job. :) I dont trust anything without results. :D
will this fit with carrera vengeance espec 2020?
Umm... You actually can get a really good suspension fork for $300. Beyond really good starting at $500. You must have really limited parts access there. LOL
And a few minutes later your talking $800 for a light suspension fork ROFLMAO!!!!
He's saying that if you buy a bike for $300, a rigid fork would be better and safer than the cheap suspension fork that came with the bike. A person who bought a $300 bike will not likely go buy a suspension fork for the same price as the bike. They might be convinced to spend $100 to $150 on a rigid fork though.
Not what he said. May be what he meant. But his words literally say otherwise.
Tried FX 3 vs FX 2 ? Is the difference noticable?
What are steel suspension fork, are they good, I bought a mountain bike it said steel fork?
no
I still like suspension fork😎
I like it to drive fast. So I do not use an entry level fork, end of the story. Good suspension is essential. To save money here I think is a mistake.
U mean Ride ? Fck that driving we b riding. All rigid all the time.
quick question:
I've got a 27.5 MTB, the site you linked shows only 26 and 29er, do you have any advice about other shops that provide SAFE carbon forks?
I could just buy something on ebay, but the fork is the most important part on my bike as i do like to eat solid food and not be in a wheel chair.
I have a feeling I'm going to need to get a lot lighter to justify the fact that I only want to ride rigid forks on all my bikes.
Does the rigid fork have a shock?
yes, thats what rigid means :D
I use rigid fork on my wheelie bike coz it lighter
Rigid fork for the win!
I need to get some carbon MTB forks 26'inch..got a oldskool cannondale f1000 to fix up
Gonna drip it un ultralight MTB candy😘😘
Could always go mullet with bigger front wheel and smaller rear. Maybe 27.5 front 26 rear
Nice video ' full of information in regards to high quality rigid forks . Good job 👍
If you are buying a entry level mtb, i think you don't have the money of you don't want to spend a lot for your mtb
with 230$ u can easily buy a 120mm rst first and be done for a life
or sr epixon, even raidon works OK
defenitely and personaly i would not trust a plastic fork if u know what i mean
Does anyone know where i could buy rigid fork for mtb in EU?
Amazon
Why not buy from Carbon Cycles? They have a UK office. Just do it before Brexit happens and you're good to go.
@@elendilion still have to pay VAT
ChainReactionCycles
@@Bugged-pz7fx 3t has some 29 rigid forks left. Have one for my own.