front shocks on a cx bike

gazaddy · Post by **gazaddy** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 8:52 pm

Toying with an idea of putting short travel shocks onto my my cx bike for bumpier longer rides ( not races) anyone tried this ? ..dont want to buy another bike (yet) just thinking of switching out forks when needed..

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 8:57 pm

If you use Twitter pop @cakebikecake a tweet - he has a custom Ti CX bike built around the idea - if not, I can put him in contact with you.

FYI, he raves about it - perfect for around these parts.

ZeroDarkBivi · Post by **ZeroDarkBivi** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 9:17 pm

Having done my first multi-day on rigid forks (Torino-Nice), I now have mild finger numbness for the first time. Even after 5 consecutive days on tougher terrain riding the Spearfish, I have never felt so beat-up. In future I will be using my new Lauf fork for any multi-day gravel riding; I don't care how Fugly it might be, it just makes too much sense.

Pirahna · Post by **Pirahna** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 9:33 pm

One of the hardest rides I've ever done was a 50 miler around sun baked, horse hoofed bridleways around Bassingbourne, very flat Cambridgeshire countryside. The Tour of the Cornfields, it was the first race of the CX season so I took my CX bike. I should have taken a full suspension mountain bike.

gazaddy · Post by **gazaddy** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 9:55 pm

That's why I'm thinking front shock..I did the YTG 60 miler on a carbon planet x cx bike , my arms were a bit stiff when finished so hence sus...the lauf forks look cool in my opinion but too pricey for me

mountainbaker · Post by **mountainbaker** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 10:06 pm

ZeroDarkBivi · Post by **ZeroDarkBivi** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 10:46 pm

http://www.xcracer.com/shop/viewproduct ... ductid=419

Still pricey, but if you ride enough, the savings over the life of the fork in servicing costs (compared with aconventional fork) make it a competitive option.

In case you are wondering, I have no connection to Lauf or XC Racer, just a convert to the concept.

ootini · Post by **ootini** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 12:02 am

Personally I think Lauf forks look gorgeous, and I can't stand the look of those single strut lefty forks. Maybe I'm weird.

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 9:26 am

ootini wrote:Personally I think Lauf forks look gorgeous, and I can't stand the look of those single strut lefty forks. Maybe I'm weird.

Not weird, just wrong.

Dave Barter · Post by **Dave Barter** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 9:46 am

Seems wrong to me? Have you considered double taping your bars or using gel underlay

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 9:56 am

Have you considered double taping your bars or using gel underlay

After riding from Milan to Turin, I double taped my bars in the hostel the night before the start of the Torino-Nice and it did help. However, the thing that made the biggest difference to how good/bad my hands felt was adjusting my saddle slightly to shift some weight off my hands.

In Reverse · Post by **In Reverse** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 10:22 am

I'm also currently looking into this, started hoarding bits ahead of the release of the new Croix de Fer Ti frame.

Anyone know when the Lauf Grit is going to be available?

JohnClimber · Post by **JohnClimber** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 12:00 pm

1st ride out on my DRITi FrankenBike with the Lauf Grit fork last night and home again this morning.
I've had 2 previous CX bikes, both rigid (a Felt and a Planet X XLS) and this bike is so much more comfortable and also faster, (tested on a local Strava segment on the way home which I've done 122 times and even loaded I equalled my fastest time when I knew I had a tail wind).

I'm getting to old for rigid, but too lazy to constantly clean and service my forks, so the Lauf (although Greg hates them) is the perfect answer. Don't the Lefty's need servicing every 100 hours of so, or is this just an urban myth?

These are my 4th set of Laufs, I've got the original (and slightly more springy) 29 Trail Racers, the new ones are better apparently and 2 sets of Carbonara's, one on my Fat Bike and another on my 29er+. Yes I'm hooked..... and their Brand Ambassador.. so slightly biased.

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 12:09 pm

*Holds hand up*

I actually really like the look of that John. I think it's the understated nature of the Ti frame and black wheels forks ... maybe it's time for a mono-chrome gnome?

JohnClimber · Post by **JohnClimber** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 12:19 pm

Bearbonesnorm wrote:*Holds hand up*

I actually really like the look of that John. I think it's the understated nature of the Ti frame and black wheels forks

Quick, quote it before he edit's it out

STUART LIKES ONE OF MY BIKES

In Reverse · Post by **In Reverse** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 1:50 pm

If you were unbiased John, would you say the Trail Racers are OK for CX/gravel, or are they too bouncy?

Cheeky Monkey · Post by **Cheeky Monkey** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 2:11 pm

Isn't a sus-forked CX just a MTB?

ScotRoutes · Post by **ScotRoutes** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 2:19 pm

TBH, the "fun" of CX-type riding for me is not having suspension.

mountainbaker · Post by **mountainbaker** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 3:23 pm

1990 is calling again.

https://www.redshiftsports.com/shockstop

I especially like that it has the logo upside down, so you can mount the stem upsidedown, so that it doesn't work. duh.

ianfitz · Post by **ianfitz** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 3:33 pm

mountainbaker wrote:1990 is calling again.

https://www.redshiftsports.com/shockstop

I especially like that it has the logo upside down, so you can mount the stem upsidedown, so that it doesn't work. duh.

Hows about a bike with this and a lauf. Now that would be really something...

Pyro · Post by **Pyro** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 3:41 pm

ianfitz wrote:1990 is calling again.

https://www.redshiftsports.com/shockstop.

And haven't Specialized just put an upside-down Headshok into the new Roubaix? We'll be back to Killer V frames and Hite-Rites in no time...

JohnClimber · Post by **JohnClimber** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 4:47 pm

In Reverse wrote:If you were unbiased John, would you say the Trail Racers are OK for CX/gravel, or are they too bouncy?

What I meant. My original 29er Trail Racer from the very first batch are a little too bouncy as we're all of the other original 29er Trail Racer. TBH, I can't tell much of a difference, but I've not ridden the next generation forks in this model.
Unfortunately for Lauf, theses were the forks that some magazines got to test and which some didn't come back with glowing reviews.
Whereas the new Boost 29er Trail Racers models use the same struts as the Carbonara (so I believe) and are not as springy

JohnClimber · Post by **JohnClimber** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 4:57 pm

Cheeky Monkey wrote:Isn't a sus-forked CX just a MTB?

Lauf's tag line is "Absorb the Ride" and that's just what they do, I'm not getting any younger and for the smoothing out of non technical trails, gravel trails, canal tow paths or even the odd trail centre they are absolutely perfect for my type of fast(ish) wheels on the ground riding.

For jumps and rock gardens "these are not the forks you are after"

Isn't a rigid MTB just a flat barred and fat tyre'd CX bike?

stevenshand · Post by **stevenshand** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 10:32 pm

We'll have a Stooshie with pair of Lauf Grit forks at the NEC Cycle Show next week if anyone's who's not seen them in the flesh want to have a look.

restlessshawn · Post by **restlessshawn** » Sat Sep 24, 2016 1:34 pm

Really like the look of the Laufs and was toying with trying to afford a pair but I've just realised they are tapered steerer only so won't fit my cdf :(

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