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 Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
If you like long-travel forks but also love to climb steep hills like me, but don't want the front end to
wheelie due to the fact your bars are an inch or two too high...just do the "Tinker Juarez" trick.
Keep the spacer, reverse the stem. It works especially well if youre using a bar with a 2" or 1.5" rise.
Intense recommends this 4" travel frame to have some no-travel 80mm to 100mm fork.
Well thats good for some, but I like to have a bit more. This 130mm is only an inch plusher, so to
make up for the inch height I reversed the 10 degree rise stem. The added 2" rise of the bars
turns out being close to having a zero degree stem with a zero degree flatbar. Thus rids the
"chopper" -esque ride up the hills, yet has the bar height of a 100mm fork with a spacer & 8-10 degree
stem but with an added inch of travel.


Here is a Specialized stem (about $60) that is really kewl. This "66" fork is long and
feels like you're riding a chopper. Even in November's"MBA long travel forks comparison" article mentions
that the 66 makes the front end sway when climbing. I like to climb and I noticed that as well.
So I got rid of the Diabolous stem and bought this Specialized. Its a 31.8, has a shim inside
to position your bar in 4 different degrees depending on which side you mount it and what side of the shim:
-8, 0, +8, +16.This versatile stem is available in 90, 100, 110 and 120mm lengths.
On this fork, I'm using the -8 side of the shim, since the bike has a 1/2" spacer
and the fork has 170mm of travel and the added 1" crown to stanchion height exclusive to this model.
The bar is now lowered a tad more than an inch, giving the stem around a zero degree rise
yet the bar's 1.5" rise & spacers still gives it a comfortable height for descents.

Good riding to all you long-travel fork fans who like to climb. If you don't have anything
nice to comment about this well-know trick, f-off & eat sh!t.
But those of you long travel fork owners who have this wheel drifting problem on steep climbs, try it.



Posted by Diamondback a Cross-Country Rider riding a Spider from LaCanada on 11/21/05


Responses: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (18) (19) (20) Post Reply  

  •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
    Aestetics aside , isn't that a road bike stem ?


    Posted by Coke Eyes on 11/21/05


    Responses: (0) (1) Reply (to this)(main)

    •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
      Yes and No....Specialized says it can be used on both, besides when was the last time
      that you've seen a broken stem?
      Posted by Diamondback a Cross-Country Rider riding a Spider from LaCanada on 11/21/05

      Responses: (0) Reply (to this)(main)

  •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
    FYI The manitou from the 5.5 and the diablous stem put on the Bullit will make the Bullit a climbing bike that does it all.

    IMO A Zoke marathon race or Fox vanilla would unleash the potential of the 5.5 .


    Posted by Coke Eyes on 11/21/05


    Responses: (0) (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) Reply (to this)(main)

    •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
      It's a Spider.
      Posted by MtnbikeMike a 20 year old Racer riding a Diesel/Fuel/R-650 from La Verne on 11/21/05

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      •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
        They make forks to fit the spider as well . The sherman is not it . The sherman is at home on the bullit.
        Posted by Coke Eyes on 11/21/05

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        •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
          Yeah, well, he doesn't know that....
          Posted by MtnbikeMike a 20 year old Racer riding a Diesel/Fuel/R-650 from La Verne on 11/21/05

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        •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
          I thought of that too....This older Sherman is the 130mm one, newer ones are 150mm.
          The newer Bullits have 7" rear travel. I dont want to have 5" front and 7" rear travel bike.
          Posted by Diamondback a Cross-Country Rider riding a Spider from LaCanada on 11/21/05

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          •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
            I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't accually do it first. I ride an '04 sherman (130mm) on my 170mm Bullit. It rides great. It hucks 5 footers no problem. Any bigger it would need a stiffer spring.

            The '04 Sherman was really tall axle to crown. The same as an '06 sherman with 150mm .
            Posted by Coke Eyes on 11/22/05


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            •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
              thanks I'll try switching it out, I think my steer tube will fit on the bullit, i just
              wont have to use spacer. I rode the 66 yesterday and it doesnt drift
              as much with the offset stem, but lemme try the sherman.
              Posted by Diamondback a Cross-Country Rider riding a Spider from LaCanada on 11/22/05

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  •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
    hey db,
    why do you have the riser bars and then a stem at a negative angle? Wouldn't buying a flat bar or a riser bar with less rise do the trick instead of inverting the stem?
    Happy Holidays
    paz afuera
    Posted by Papisimo a Die-hard Enthusiast riding a Bike on 11/21/05

    Responses: (0) (1) Reply (to this)(main)

    •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
      I thought of that too...but flat bars are only 24" max long, I like them 26-27" long as perhaps you do as well.
      Posted by Diamondback a Cross-Country Rider riding a Spider from LaCanada on 11/21/05

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  •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
    thank you and what have you contributed lately, sans your sour outlook on life
    Posted by Diamondback a Cross-Country Rider riding a Spider from LaCanada on 11/21/05

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  •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
    This is dumber than your usual stuff

    why not purchase a fork that fits your bike to start with? if the 66 is too tall - get a Z1 or a Fox 36....there are so many good choices these days in forks for every size bike, there just isn't any reason to have to do something as stupid as flipping the stem....
    Posted by Macrider a 38 year old Die-hard Enthusiast riding a VP Free, Turner RFX, XCE & Evil D.O.C. from LA on 11/21/05


    Responses: (0) (1) Reply (to this)(main)

    •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
      good point, Macky, but you still wouldnt have the 170mm & 35mm legs...
      In high school I built a V-8 Chevy Vega, sure, the engine compartment
      had to be altered a bit and braces welded, etc. for the 327 & trrans, but
      it fit and performed better than a stock one. Thus, why not alter
      some stem and spacers so a larger travel fork will perform a bit
      better on a bike better than a standard sized one?
      Posted by Diamondback a Cross-Country Rider riding a Spider from LaCanada on 11/21/05

      Responses: (0) Reply (to this)(main)

  •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
    One question.....where are the bar ends?
    Posted by MtnbikeMike a 20 year old Racer riding a Diesel/Fuel/R-650 from La Verne on 11/21/05

    Responses: (0) (1) Reply (to this)(main)

    •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
      No need for bar ends now that the stem is a 120mm
      Posted by Diamondback a Cross-Country Rider riding a Spider from LaCanada on 11/21/05

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  •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
    Sounds like DB has it all figured out.

    Do you need that much travel on an XC bike? Why not run a Super Monster on your Spider and put freestyle pegs on the axel? This way, you could really climb!!
    Posted by Intenserider2 a 30 year old riding a VT and an OG Intense Spyder from Colorado on 12/08/05


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    •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
      it has a 5" travel fork, big deal....its also a Manitou, so you'll know you'll get only 4.25"
      Posted by Diamondback a Cross-Country Rider riding a Spider from LaCanada on 12/08/05

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      •  Re: Tip 4 Long-Travel fans who like 2 Climb
        I measured the dust ring at a full 5 inches . Slammed the stop out bumper to get it . Not really harsh , but knew it went all the way.
        Posted by Coke Eyes on 12/08/05

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