Fine.

So help me, I got this close -----><-------
to getting a long-travel bike. It was Ed's link to the Santa Cruz garage sale that almost pushed me oer the edge. I have to tell you if it wasn't the fact that I have been out of the loop with regards to forks and something called QR15 (?) that stopped me. Otherwise I would have picked the frame up and transferred everything over from my Turner (save the fork, of course).

It would have been a Santa Cruz Blur LT 2 in carbon. And what the hell is kash and why does it cost extra for a shock?

The Fox site does not do a good job of helping figure stuff out, IMO.

Kash is short for Kashima - - the Kashima coating on the stanchions and shock shafts. It has supplanted ti-nitride as 'the' coating du jour for forks and is a trademarked name developed by the Miyaki Company and only available on Fox bike forks and shocks. Reduces stiction and easier on seals and such. Everything about it that I know of says it's worth the extra $.

I did a bit more reading and it is actually a molybdenum disulfide-infused anodizing process that creates a self-lubricated hard anodizing. More here:

http://www.kashima-coat.com/pdf/English_pamphlet.pdf

QR15 is basically a 15mm thru-axle that has the convenience of a QR-type release. It's supposed to impart some of the torsional stiffness of a thru-axle while still being easy to undo to remove the front wheel. It's also supposed to be "clockable" - - meaning that you don't have to fiddle with number of turns and nut position to get the correct camming tension each time you put the axle back in. Fox actually explains that quite well - - just keep clicking 'More':

http://www.foxracingshox.com/technol...5qr&ref=topnav

If you feel a kashima shock or fork and then feel a standard one back to back, it's readily apparent that the kashima is smoother. I'm surprised no one is using nikasil, it's all over dirtbike and sportbike forks.

I would buy a Blur LT2 in a heartbeat, btw. Do eeeet. :D :thumb:

Thanks, Doug. I remember I hit a google search and fell in the middle of a series of forks. I felt that the issue I was having trouble with was more than the technology but the differences in forks or shocks with the various incremental technologies and what I would have to get. Going back right now I see that if I start from the top the choices becomes pretty clear (assuming Fox only, of course). There are only two 150mm forks to choose from (Talas and Float). Without that 150mm filter the choices seemed endless and I had no clear idea what I would be getting.

It was a spur of the moment thing. At first I thought I'd be getting a new frame at $900 (aluminum Blur LT) then saw the carbon was $1500. Then I looked at what a fork would cost and all of a sudden my sub $1k bike upgrade turned into $2k+! It does appear I may be able to buy an axle kit for my CK hub to turn it into QR15 so at least a new wheelset wouldn't be needed.

//

Thanks for endorsement, ColinL! I don't think I'll be doing it anytime soon.

brap

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/pinit/brap.jpg

^^Dayum!




My Husky 455 should arrive today - - but it ain't gonna be sexy like that!

A Husky TC 449 would be *slightly* cooler, but the 455 is a nice piece too! I've got an old Stihl 036 that suits me just fine but those Huskys are real nice.

Well if this is allowed, then

brap

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...18325656_n.jpg

It's not just allowed, it's encouraged...

Nice DRZ Sam! I've toyed with the idea of getting some 17's for my KTM 530 but 1) I find riding on road alternates between long periods of extremely boring and short moments of extremely scary and 2) I got street legal tags for the new Berg anyway. All I need to do is connect trails.

Too true! It really doesn't make any sense for me to have a motard given that I live in a flat, straight area with nothing but loose dirt & mud trails, but 1) there's a nice kart track run by a Yamaha AMA road racer about two hours south of here that has 7 day/week track days for $45, & 2) I'm moving up to Dahlonega (beginning of AT territory) for school next fall & motards are heaven in the twisties. I'm still on the lookout for a cheap set of DRZ E/S wheels to put on it as my dailies to make it a little more interesting, but those will have to wait until after the holidays.

FWIW, the 17" wheels don't completely rule out off road play :D

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...60403042_n.jpg

To be sure a 449 would be sweet. **sigh**

I almost went with the MS290 but was able to save $100 getting the Husky off the interwebs. Either way it's going to be worlds away from my old saw. Old 4.5 cube Lombard manual oiler - - powerful enough to tear you a new one but gawd it's a ill-mannered beast.

Needless to say I'm thinking about going back to a suspension fork, been having shoulder problems since mid august.

Here's my Ducai Multistrada
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1...ticamping1.jpg

Nice! Huge panniers on that viffer, too. I guess I'll have to post some pics of my motorcycles at some point... :D

Generally speaking, what are people's opinion on this:
http://www.bicycling.com/sites/defau...%20Krampus.jpg

[QUOTE=craigcraigcraig;15068039] more importantly, this can happen:
http://www.salvagetti.com/wp-content.../riding211.jpg

Mildly amusing in the right circumstances

I can't do rigid bikes. my wrists and elbows are fried from motocross and too much mouse & keyboard the last 15 years of a desk job. so I'm not giving up my suspension fork, ever. I can ride a hardtail, but FS is a godsend. :)

I have a hard enough time scraping together money for bikes I really want - - can't wrap my head around spending real money to go backward.

http://www.mxphotos.net/lasx2011/startgirl.jpg

Supercross season opener in Anaheim tonight!

Did Chad Reed slay em again :p

Hasn't even started yet.

Ha! It's not 2008 anymore.

All good mtbers should be pulling for Eli Tomac in the Lites.