Change the pedals, saddle and spend the rest on weekend riding trips. Unfortunately, the bike as a whole is not without its downsides, and a couple of them are bigguns. mount that worked with a 160mm I.S. To place your order, please submit an email with your required information and we will get back with you within 1 business day with a coupon code to use at the time of check out. -This seems obvious but as there are three wheel sizes these days (26, 27.5 and 29), it makes a big difference. What forks are they? The drivetrain will probably be upgraded before the brakes. Wheels. If you are planning to keep your existing headset, those are only designed for a certain size as well. The fork is a simple unit with rebound and compression adjustment, but doesnt control itself incredibly well. Theyre proper plasticky and dont provide masses of grip. -The 160 post mount is the most common on 2009+ bikes/forks. -Know your hub, know your axle and get a fork that matches. These require their own blog posts as well, All in all, this stuff can be more than a bit confusing, Wow, that is a lot of information to digest and think about. There are millions of bicycles out there in the world -- and all sorts of exceptions to common -- so please keep that in mind. Appraisals. Standard and 51mm offset. People will probably **** on the Suntour XCM on this bike, but I want to try riding it for a while before I change it. Contact Us - This is most common on newer bikes (2009+), but it is very rare or non-existent on older bikes. Honestly a dropper post seems more important on a hardtail because your rear suspension is your legs and not having a dropper post effectively limits your rear suspension travel. Rockhoppers to my understanding have straight steerer tubes and headset. if you dont need that low of a chainring. And of course, dont forget the ever confusing Fat Bike axles but that is a whole other topic., -Another confusing thing: The Predictive Steering hub. We will send you a notification as soon as this product is available again. While some may appreciate the room it creates, the slack angle puts your weight quite far back, and makes it tricky to transfer forwards when the trail points up. The Rockhopper Expert sits atop Specialized's entry-level cross country range. Might be limited to what you can get when you eventually want to replace. NVM, the 2017 Rockhopper Sport, which I have, has a straight headtube while the Comp and Expert have tapered headtubes. A few things needed to make a recommendation: You say that the forks are well overdue for replacing, but they are not that old and have not had a rough life. Log in or register to join the conversation. Liam has been in the bicycle industry for over 10 years as a racer, professional mechanic, service manager and as of late, media and content creator. Our capabilities go beyond HVAC ductwork fabrication, inquire about other specialty items you may need and we will be happy to try and accommodate your needs. CLP So are you the type of rider that needs any of those things? It's definitely really sticky right now, but I think that's just because it needs to be serviced. Keep in mind a 15mm axle can also be called QR15, this means the 15mm axle has a quick release lever as shown in the pic below. mount that worked with a 160mm I.S. If youve got one of those you may be in for a struggle. Terms of Service - Older bikes often have a straight steerer. Upgrading your fork can get you some major performance improvement but its important to understand the right model for your bike., Padded / Protective Short Liners / Chamois, The Basics of Upgrading the Fork on Your Mountain Bike (Check Before You Buy!) The Trek X-Caliber 8, meanwhile, comes with pretty much the same spec at the Rockhopper and a similar geometry, is aimed at XC, but has a bolt through fork and a price tag of 975. All in all, this stuff can be more than a bit confusing, Wow, that is a lot of information to digest and think about. Location: In the foothills of Los Angeles County. When you just hear "QR axle" with no reference to 15 or 20 then that means 9mm quickrelease styleand nota thru axle. Air VS Coil, the debate that still goes on everyday., Beyond all these little things, youve got loads of options as far as features you want on your fork: lockout, compression, rebound, air or coil spring, etc. Use Discount Code FIRSTORDER For 10% off any first purchase. Great people and the best standards in the business. Depending on how I feel about the fork after a few rides I may upgrade the fork before the drivetrain or brakes. Those are all things you should consider when looking at new forks. The majority of modern-day 29r frames are engineered around a 51mm offset fork as the 51mm offset simply works better with the 29 wheel. Its good enough for easy general use, but on more serious trails its easy to overwhelm. What kind of terrain are you riding? The 9mm QR axle is not a thru axle so the fork does not come with an axle and looks like the RockShox fork image shown below. If you're on smooth trails the fork may be fine. -Most common steerer tubes these days are tapered, which is 1.5 at the bottom and tapers to a 1- at the top. The following forks are available through the Upgrade Program. I would recommend them to everyone who needs any metal or Fabrication work done. Rockhoppers to my understanding have straight steerer tubes and headset. Theyre Shimano BR-MT200s, and while not as refined as Shimano's spendier options, they reliably slow the bike. There is only one type of V-brake mount for mountain bike forks. You can convert your 3x to a 2x to start. He's not shy of an enduro here or there and he's equally happy in the winter slop as he is ripping up the summer's dust. Fitting a better fork also involves the expense of a newfront wheel or a new hub and a rebuild it's going to be bolt-thru while if you don't but instead look at lighter or wider wheels, you're limited by the QR skewer. Up front theres a decent modern cockpit with a 60mm stem and a wide handlebar, but the grips scream out for an immediate upgrade. Seatpost. ", "Very reliable company and very fast. As you read further, well go over the more common questions and discuss the more modern products (roughly 09 and newer). Pricing below is shown after the discount code has been applied. But there are always exceptions. I'll probably only upgrade if the old headset breaks or if I upgrade the fork and I need to buy a new headset for it. That's too bad. The 25mm (internal) rims are ideal for XC and provide a good seat for the 2.3" tyres. The fork's serial number can be located in QR code form or engraved into the back of the fork crown. The strongest part of the Rockhoppers performance is in cornering. In this blog, well go over the key things to keep in mind when making mountain bike upgrades with a new fork.There are tons of options (including fitment options) to consider so that you can be sure the fork fits your bike. mount. Great company and great staff. Fork. Older bikes often have a straight steerer, which is just straight 1- all the way. The XCM is undamped (literally has no damper) so rebound is always violent and can be clunky. Classic and Vintage Bicycles: Whats it Worth? Upgrading your fork can get you some major performance improvement but its important to understand the right model for your bike.Also consider things like your bike's age, and how much it's worth to you. Eg. I bought the Kona Wah Wah II small pedals. They're the stock plastic pedals. I think I'll eventually want nicer brakes, but they'll work for now. Note that all orders with SR SUNTOUR North America ship for free domestically over $49.95. BRL You soon find your weight pitched forwards, onto the slightly lengthy 60mm stem, for a ride that lacks confidence on lumpier tracks. AUD You will also totally mess up the handling characteristics of your bike. I bought a used 2017 Rockhopper on craigslist for $300. Offset is how far the front hub sits out in front of the imaginary line that runs through the steering axis. You always want to keep the same fork travel that your bike is made for. Fox Privacy Statement - Although 15x100 axles are very common, there are plenty of other common ones these days like the 15x110mm Boost axle, or the 20mm axle which is and always has been only 110mm wide, or the quick release axle also called QR or 9mm. It's a cheapish upgrade too. which is just straight 1- all the way. The Official Bike Forums Cafe Press Store, Adaptive Cycling: Handcycles, Amputee Adaptation, Visual Impairment, and Other Needs. So know your wheel size because bike front forks are specific to wheel size. It normally will say what they are on the forks themselves. Otherwise I think they'll work fine. You always want to keep the same fork travel that your bike is made for. Post mount style is more common on 2010+ bikes. So far this is only available for RockShox RS1 forks, and if you have an RS1 fork you can only use the Predictive Steering hub. These require their own blog posts as well. All in all, the Specialized Rockhopper Expert is a fun and engaging ride, but not without its quirks both in the frame and the spec. 2021 Specialized Rockhopper Expert 29 review, Specialized Epic Expert Carbon Evo 2020 review, The bestmountain bikes you can buy for under 1,500 - full sus and hardtails, 10 pieces of essential mountain bike clothing for beginners, MRP Baxter 2 gravel suspension fork review, Pivot introduces Shuttle SL - a lightweight e-MTB, Continental Xynotal 2.4in Endurance Trail tyre review, Peter Sagan commits to 2022 UCI e-MTB World Champs, A closer look Cannock Chase Commonwealth Games XCO course, Mountain bike icons - the Gary Foord story, Gravel in East Africa: Migration Gravel Race. Certain older bikes might have a threaded straight steerer, but that is extremely rare. If you do that, you are taking a major risk of disrupting the structural integrity of the frame and fork. There are lots of bike front forks out there-- literally hundreds. If you have a bike that is only a few years old, it's very likely you can make some upgrades that will work for your bike and might be future proof as well if you wanted to upgrade other parts as well. Seat. Or there's the Trek Roscoe 7 at 50 less with a much better spec, though that's more aimed at trail riding than XC. Or you can opt to buy a new front wheel/hub/axle conversion kit if that option is available. Cookie Policy - Brakes. -There are two mounting types (on modern-day MTBs made for disc brakes), post mount and I.S. Archive - The Judy is a bit of a disappointment compared to, say, the rather capable bolt-through RockShox Sector RLon the Rockrider AM100 HT a similar bike that's a full 150 cheaper than this Rockhopper. -Keep in mind there are some other weird steerer tubes out there. 27.5+, 29+, Fat Bike specific, etc., I'm not going to explain what fork offset does as that is a whole topic on its own, one which we explained in our video on. Post mount is where you only have two bolts that mount the brake caliper to the fork, and they thread directly into the fork. The Rockhopper Elite, meanwhile, is 250 less, and pretty close in spec bar the 10-speed Shimano Deore drivetrain. Then you might want to look at the upper midrange to high end forks. "Highly skilled sheet metal fabricators with all the correct machinery to fabricate just about anything you need. In some cases, there is a 29r frame that is designed around a traditional offset, but that is rare and becoming more and more uncommon. A valid proof of ownership must be submitted along with the fork serial number. Any fork purchased through the Upgrade Program is sold at a substantially discounted price from MSRP. The frame itself is shaped rather well and the bike offers an engaging, efficient and ultimately entertaining ride. Maybe they just need a service? Drivetrain, shifters, etc. Do Not Sell My Personal Information -. The I.S. Cannondale and Giant are two bike brands that have made some super confusing and proprietary steerer tubes for their bikes only. off-road.cc Editorial and general enquiries: info@off-road.cc The Carrera Hardtail combined thread - come on all you Carrera's. Its shortish frame is agile and its very well composed on tight, bermy sections just be careful of those keen-to-roll tyres. Applicants must be the original owner of the bike or fork that they are upgrading from. . It's 160mm but they can be set up shorter. This can almost always be determined by the travel of the fork. You just have to figure out what you need for a middle chainring. -The 160 post mount is the most common on 2009+ bikes/forks. Headset. If your bike is meant for a 100mm travel fork, stick with 100mm and youll be happy. The bike is very lightly used having spent most of the last three years in a garage. The topic is seeming to get less complicated as time goes on but is still one of those things where lots of forks used different sizes and styles of mounts over the years. Some 15mm and some 20mm axles have a QR feature and are often called QR15 or QR20 but that simply refers to the way you install/remove the axle from the fork. There's the Marin Bobcat 5 with a Boost-speced, bolt-through fork at 825. In this blog, well go over the key things to keep in mind when making mountain bike upgrades with a new fork. Errr, would it help if I cleaned them at all?! I have an extraordinarily poor, weight-forward riding position, which seems to rely on my right hand as a key contact point (embarrassingly I can't actually ride no-hands nor even left handed!). Just need to see if the current seat will work for me or not. The brakes arent too shabby either. NZD, This article was written / authored by Liam Woods. Hello. Mountain biking is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. This is most common on newer bikes (2009+), but it is very rare or non-existent on older bikes. If youve got one of those you may be in for a struggle. -Most common steerer tubes these days are tapered, which is 1.5 at the bottom and tapers to a 1- at the top. -This is only important for 29 wheeled bikes. There are lots of bike front forks out there, intended for your style of bike. 2021 SR SUNTOUR North America Inc. All rights reserved. I would only upgrade these if I want something lighter or if I have problems with the current wheels. Terms of Service. it can be complicated figuring out what fork fits your bike. I want something thinner, wider and with metal pegs. If youre commuting in London Id get some suspension corrected rigid forks. Fork The flexy quick-release axle doesnt help with control either. adapter but. For a little bit more money, you can often get a more modern mountain bike that has newer standards and geometry. (Or a dictionary-sized book!) Id swap the fork ahead of the drivetrain makeover. I may service the uppers of the fork if it still feels sticky, and I think it would be an instructive thing to do anyway. Theyre also easy to service. If. -If you have a 26 wheel or a 27.5 wheel, dont worry about this at all. The brakes seem fine right now, maybe the rear needs servicing or new pads. CAD Advertising and commercial: sales@off-road.cc, Mountain bike, bikepackingand gravel bikes. It moves for bumps fairly eagerly, but is keen to spring back without much control and theres little progression to its stroke. Certain older bikes might have a threaded straight steerer, but that is extremely rare. So here's the big call for me - no worries if everyone's had enough of my dreary fork dilemma - but any advice appreciated. mount. A big plus for most riders, and for rookies especially, is the 12-speed SRAM Eagle SX drivetrain, which is of course 1x. Next I'm going to clean the lowers on the fork and take it for a ride to see how it feels. All material Farrelly Atkinson (F-At) Limited, Unit 7b Green Park Station BA1 1JB. Yes, what a numpty I am for not realising the name of the fork is written on them! These mounts work and look entirely different than disc brakes. The 445mm reach on the Large frame is fairly short, and that makes it tricky to keep weight properly centered, especially for those rough sections of trail. The rockshox is more reliable and better quality, although the Suntour is slightly cheaper. Your are successfully subscribed for email notifications. Copyright 2021 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. These mounts work and look entirely different than disc brakes. The upgrade path on this bike is extremely limited unless you're happy spending another heap of cash. It doesn't deflect and remains stiff when turning. If you have a 29r then you need to make sure what fork offset your frame is intended to use, very likely and most common it will be designed for a 51mm offset.I'm not going to explain what fork offset does as that is a whole topic on its own, one which we explained in our video onFork Offset Explained. Unfortunately for the XC fans, climbing performance is impacted by the rather slack seat tube creating a fairly stretched out riding position when paired with the 60mm stem. Proof of purchase can be in the form of a receipt or online transaction from an authorized seller. Our shop is equipped to fabricate custom duct transitions, elbows, offsets and more, quickly and accurately with our plasma cutting system. 9mm QR ismore old school and/or cheaper style. Id assume youd have a straight steerer, qr axles and 100mm travel from pictures online. All forks just come in the offset they come in, however, many forks made specifically for a 29 wheel are offered in two offset types. Newer Fox 40s use a 200mm post mount, where the old ones used a super confusing I.S. Pedals. Crank Brothers make some good affordable flat pedals. Forks are not required to be sent back to our facility. This means you can mount disc brakes directly to the fork, no adapter is needed and it will be spaced for a 160mm rotor. However, some forks like the Fox 36 series use a 180mm post mount. This program is intended to allow riders using less than ideal equipment in demanding terrain to upgrade their fork for a model that will perform at a higher level than what they currently own and ride. Post mount style is more common on 2010+ bikes, and I.S. So know your wheel size because bike front forks are specific to wheel size. This can almost always be determined by the travel of the fork. Cyclocross and Gravelbiking (Recreational), Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling, Track Cycling: Velodrome Racing and Training Area, https://mtbdatabase.com/bikes/2017/sper-expert-29/. The Expert sits at an interesting price point in Speshs line-up. adapter but was spaced for a 203mm rotor. -You need to be sure you get the right size steerer tube because certain frames only fit certain steerer tubes. The last thing to consider is how much do you want to spend? and I.S. RockShox If youve got 80-100mm travel, odds are youve got an XC bike or general light trail bike; 120mm-140mm, youve got a modern-day trail bike; 150-170mm, its probably a modern-day enduro bike; and 200mm, youve most likely got a downhill bike. , -To add a bit more complexity, youve got Fat bikes and Plus bikes that use one of the three common wheel sizes, but need a different fork because of the super wide tires. Another 400 gets you the Chisel, whichiseven more XC focused but has a thru-axle fork and a lighter frame (its more open to upgrades too). Do you want a better feel, more travel, more adjustments, or lighter weight? This is what I'm thinking right now. Its light and the frame is pretty well-shaped, but the spec leaves a lot to be desired and the price sits at a confused spot in Speshs line up. Standover clearance is decent, though, so there's plenty of space for a dropper should you choose. The I.S. At the moment no other forks but the RS1 use this style axle/hub. If youve got 80-100mm travel, odds are youve got an XC bike or general light trail bike; 120mm-140mm, youve got a modern-day trail bike; 150-170mm, its probably a modern-day. If you are also looking to maybe turn your mid-high end fork into a coil fork, you can look at Push Industries ACS-3 coil insert kit.. This means you can mount disc brakes directly to the fork, no adapter is needed and it will be spaced for a 160mm rotor. We can fabricate your order with precision and in half the time. Overall then, the Rockhopper is surprisingly capable, if held back by the way the fork rapidly gets uncontrollable over repeated large hits. Thanks both. -This seems obvious but as there are three, it makes a big difference. Post mount is where you only have two bolts that mount the brake caliper to the fork, and they thread directly into the fork. When frames are engineered they are designed specifically around a certain travel fork. When choosing a new fork, it can be complicated figuring out what fork fits your bike. Specialized uses its own wheels here, and theres not an awful lot wrong with them bar the QR axles, which introduce some flex you might reasonably expect at least a front thru-axle for this money. I think I'd also get a dropper post quite soon, but that depends on how the bike rides and what I end up riding. GBP video , Currency: At 1100, the Rockhopper Expert faces some very fierce competition. If youre in this boat, youve got to figure out what youve got and get a fork with the same spec. Youll not only want to get one that fits your bike but is also intended for your style of bike. Now I want to go about upgrading the bike hopefully ending up with something pretty nice for less than $1k. Check out this forum to discuss the latest tips, tricks, gear and equipment in the world of mountain biking. youve most likely got a downhill bike. Just about to ride into work till late tonight - will have a good look and post again on Monday. EUR At heart though, the Rockhopper Expert is a great mile muncher on smooth ground and most at home on groomed singletrack. style mount always needs an adapter, two bolts go through two holes on the fork and thread into an adapter, then two bolts come straight down from the brake and thread into that adapter. -If you want to geek out more on fork offset, PinkBike wrote a great article you can read here. Now, there are a few coil forks coming back to life in the mid-high end range, like MRP Ribbon Coil, CaneCreek Helm Coil, and the new Marzocchi Z1 Coil fork, are new coil options if you want a set it and forget it fork. If you desperately want to get a new fork with more or less travel, we NEVER suggest you go more than 20mm away from what the bike was designed around.
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