Erik_A

I am considering adding a 100mm 26" suspension fork to one of my cyclocross bikes (Lemond Poprad disc) and ditching my MTB. If the fork with wheel is about the same with the 26" suspension (uncompressed) as it is with the stock CX fork and 700c wheel; is there any reason not to go for it?

Breathegood

It will look goofy. Do you need any more reason than that?

The geometry of your Poprad is not really corrected for suspension, but if the offset of the suspension fork is close to the rake of the current fork and you have the same wheelbase, it may not make a huge difference.

I would say that the smaller wheel won't roll quite at smoothly as a 700c wheel, but with suspension it may not matter. Moots used to make a mtb with a 26" rear and 29" front. They claimed better torque application and nimble handling characteristics from the shortened rear triangle and smaller rear wheel, and improved comfort and rolling resistance from the larger front wheel. I expect you'd get exactly the opposite by doing what you are proposing, but I don't think the effects are going to be super dramatic.

Erik_A

OK, thanks for the reality check - I will just use a fatter tire (with lower pressure) up front, but forego the suspension experiment.


I just want to be able to do this with my CX bike: https://vimeo.com/11695455

FMB42

Ya, I too thought about using a left-over D1 Rock Shox fork on my CX/track bike lash-up. The weight increase alone turned me against it.


I think a few CX pros ran sus forks some years back. This trend didn't last long tho. But who knows? Purpose designed suspension forks might become the norm in CX some day.

ljrichar

Why would you need a suspension fork to ride trails that groomed. I wish we had some trails like that to ride my CX bike on. Ours aren't bad but way rootier than that.

fietsbob

You bugger up the front end geometry raising the head tube..


Look for a Hybrid Bike, some come with a suspension fork

Trek Dual Sport is an example,