Longer travel than intended?

[toolmaker]

I wasn't sure which topic to put this in so here goes; Right now I have a Jamis Durango sport SX,( with a Manitou Six 100mm) I want to put a 120mm travel fork on it.Will it seriously screw up my turning and handling to have 20 mm more travel than is intended for this frame geometry? I really want the extra 20mm but if it will compromise my handling I will get the 100mm.
Thank you for any advice.

[soupboy]

It won't have a favorable impact on your riding unless all you're doing is going DH and even then, the rest of your bike won't be up to that specific task.

Why is it you want more travel? Disappointed with current fork? If so, there are plenty of better 100mm forks out there that should address your issues without giving you funky handling.

I really want the extra 20mm but if it will compromise my handling I will get the 100mm.
Thank you for any advice.

[toolmaker]

Thank you for your help, I can however go with the same fork I had intended on, (Marz mx pro ETA) only with the 100mm ( or was it 105) travel. Thank you again:)

[toolmaker]

Any other advice on a fork? I want a good fork for under 250.00, so that means FOX is out, and I have read that Manitous have really bad problems with their air seals. Does any body know if the new ROCK Shox TORAS are any good? Any advice would greatly be appreciated thank you.

[Buck]

While sean suggests that an inch more travel will turn your bike into a DH specific bike I would disagress with that.

20mm more travel will bring the front end up alittle higher, so you'll have more of an up-right riding position, and your steering will a little different but with all the tight twisty single track around here it wouldn't be all that bad of thing, it will also make the front end easier to pull up and over things.

The negatories: More squish will make it a little less efficient, but if you were worried about that you wouldn't be riding a FS. It'll be a little heavier, it'll be a littler harder to climb with( but this can be solved with U-turn, ETA, lock outt, etc...etc...) I guess you could also say that the change in Geo could be a negative but I think for a round here you'd be fine. And with alittle more travel you'll run alittle more sag in the suspension on the front end so really I bet the change would be pretty small.

Maybe there is someone on here that who's bike you could test ride that did a similar set up? I'd let ya test ride mine but I ride a bike with 200mm of travel front and back, hahahaha

Let us know what ya pick!

Thanks
Buck

[Matthew]

my fiancee rides a tora and it has been good so far. The tora has also recieved good reviews.

[Kosk]

If I were you I'd look at getting the Recon or Tora in the U-turn version, then you can fine tune your travel to whatever length you want anywhere between 80 and 130 and/or get your desired HTA. I ride a Recon, its super nice, and is exceeding my expectations so far. Much better than the previous Psylo and Duke versions.

Depending on what I'm doing I ride anywhere between the 80 and 130 it offers. All the way down for extended climbing, locked out on the road, between 100-120 depending on the trail style. 130 for straight bombing....

IMO u-turn is one of the most useful technologies available for a suspension fork. I've got ETA on another fork and never use it. I use the u-turn and the lock out on my Recon all the time. With a u-turn fork, your concerns about HTA angle and overall geomety/performance will become moot.

[Danimal]

Any other advice on a fork? I want a good fork for under 250.00, so that means FOX is out, and I have read that Manitous have really bad problems with their air seals. Does any body know if the new ROCK Shox TORAS are any good? Any advice would greatly be appreciated thank you.
Go Lefty! They are awesome. http://www.golefty.com

[Wolfchimp]

I wasn't sure which topic to put this in so here goes; Right now I have a Jamis Durango sport SX,( with a Manitou Six 100mm) I want to put a 120mm travel fork on it.Will it seriously screw up my turning and handling to have 20 mm more travel than is intended for this frame geometry? I really want the extra 20mm but if it will compromise my handling I will get the 100mm.
Thank you for any advice.
I have a mint condition 2004 Marzocchi Marathon SL 120mm that I would be willing to part with. :crazy2: PM me if youre interested.

[TrailSquirell]

i went from a 100 to a 120 myself, it does sit a little bit higher, your chaing rings come up farther, harder to bash them, but the best part is, the fork helps you alot in controling threw rock sections and in really bumpy situations, the more travel just soaks it up while your bike stays more stable and its alot easyer to ride, thats why downhillers run 200 front and rear like buck, alot more controle over rough sections

[soupboy]

Never said anything about it becoming DH specific. I find peoples' inability to actually read posts disagressable. :p

One thing I didn't mention was the variation in A-C between mfrs which can be up to an inch. Certain forks have high A-Cs for a given travel amount relative to their like-travel peers. For example, my one-off WB 29er fork with 115mm travel has the same A-C as RS Reba in 100mm. This gives me both more travel and the ability to run more sag while achieving the same ride height.

The other thing to think about is that if your frame was built for XC its tubing, gussets, welds, etc. were also built for XC. Increasing the big lever - i.e. fork - up front increases the risk, however slightly, of inadvertently damaging the frame.

Regardless, Marz makes a good fork. Sturdy and highly tuneable. You can't go wrong.

While sean suggests that an inch more travel will turn your bike into a DH specific bike I would disagress with that.

[Wolfchimp]

Regardless, Marz makes a good fork. Sturdy and highly tuneable. You can't go wrong.

Brian, as I said...I have a 2004 Marzocchi Marathon SL 120mm that I would be willing to part with. :crazy2: PM me if youre interested.