So, I've got an old frame, but I really like it. It's a Litespeed (titanium) hard-tail. Most of the components are high-end. I really like the bomb-proof nature of a titanium hard-tail frame. BUT.....here's my problem- the head-tube angle is 71.5 (like I said, old school) and the bike was originally intended to use a 80mm travel fork. Well, I'm running 100mm now...and have no problems. In fact, I used to run 140mm Fox and that didn't seem to be much problem either. The reason that I'm even bothering with this is because I recently went to Utah and did some fairly technical riding with a buddy. The really steep and rocky descents....to put it mildly....scared the ($(@# out of me
!! I felt like the bike wanted to endo too often. I could feel the back-end wanting to come up a bunch of times (and it did once). Meanwhile, my buddies were bombing right through those spots with their modern head-tube angles and 140mm or 160mm travel forks, seemingly without a thought or concern.
So.....I'm going back and forth in terms of buying a new (modern) FS frame and 140mm travel fork (using all the rest of my components to build it up). But, in that case I'm now riding aluminum (which is not my preference) and also FS....when really, I like a hard tail. Option #2 would be to buy a new titanium frame with a slacker head-tube angle....but that's going to set me back nearly $2,000, and then I'd still need to drop another $600 on a fork with longer travel. Option #3 is to simply stay with this frame and put a fork with dual settings (140 / 110). That would work just fine....but I'd still have that darn 71.5 degree angle (though the taller fork would change that somewhat).
Maybe I'm over-thinking it. Perhaps someone can help me out on this one?