Genesis Altitude, Update

[MichaelM]

The Tora fitted to the Altitude 00 is the plain vanilla one which only has preload and rebound adjusters on it. I'm thinking about selling it and buying either the next one up,...........

What you are describing is the reason I'll probably never buy a complete mtb again.

Try giving Tim Flooks Tuned Shox a call - they are very knowledgable (and friendly) - they may be able to sort you out regarding rebound, and offer advice over whether or not it would be worth changing the spring.

 

[ratty2k]

Yer, but to buy a bike as parts and do a self build- whilst very satisfying it's an expensive way of doing things.

M r Pig, cant quite belive you are thinking of upgrading a part you haven't even used yet! Lockout is something of a pain in the arse where I'm concerned.
Got it on my Fox forks as standard, but when I use it, I forget to release it. So after a few close calls on fast single track I never use the bloody thing. Overrated unless you are doing a lot of road work with the bike IMO. You dont actually need more than a preload and rebound adjustment, certainly from what you have described your riding to be....

 

[Mr Pig]

Rockshox forks have a 'blow-off' that knocks off the lockout if you hit a big bump so forgeting to unlock it shouldn't be a issue. I don't know if any other fork brand offer this feature?

I spend a lit of time on the road, in fact I'm going to buy another set of wheels for road tyres. Where I really want the lockout is for on road fast corners comming down hills. I just don't like the way the front end feels in that situation, and where I live that situation is often.

I did look at buying a frame but the cost of parts, even using parts I have lying around and buying cheap parts, was too much. A whole bike was a lot cheaper. Changing the fork isn't that big a deal. These forks fetch good money on eBay so it would probably only cost maybe thirty or forty quid extra to buy the lockout version. Now is the best time to change the fork if I'm going to as the fork I'd be selling is brand new, unused.

Off to look for Tuned Shox :0)

 

[Flying_Monkey]

This is one of the reasons why I gave the advice of going to On-One... they have a choice of forks when you get a bike off them. You are going to find this gets more expensive than you had anticipated now. I am you'll enjoy the bike anyway and, who are we kidding, whatever we buy we tinker and upgrade and end up paying far more than our so-called budget!

 

[Mr Pig]

I looked at the On One site but it was going to work out more expensive, lots of their options were out of stock and I didn't want to buy a bike I hadn't even sat on.

Apart from the fork the spec of the Altitude is pretty good, it's a very well thought out bike.

 

[ratty2k]

Most forks have a blow off feature- its a safety device. But you only get the fork action on bigger hits that way, and lose the plushnes of the fork on normal rough ground. Could you not just get a rigid carbon fork? IIRC you are riding sedate off road as in gravel tracks and smooth bridleways?
You are right in saying now is the best time to sell the fork, but again, I seriously doubt you'd notice much difference. And as for the front end feel, its just something you get used to. I hadn't ridden my full sus for a whaile and it took most of a ride to get used to the back end squishiness.

 

[RedBike]

Where I really want the lockout is for on road fast corners comming down hills. I just don't like the way the front end feels in that situation, and where I live that situation is often.

I'm not sure that a lock-out would help you. You're not braking or pedalling hard so it's hard to see how having the fork locked out would help.

Most lockouts don't stop the fork from moving completely. There is normally 5mm or so movement.

 

[Mr Pig]

You're not braking or pedalling hard so it's hard to see how having the fork locked out would help.

As you corner the front wheel loads up and the fork compresses. I just want the front to feel more ridged and stable.

IIRC you are riding sedate off road as in gravel tracks and smooth bridleways?

That's right, mostly, but it's pretty hilly where I live and it's pretty hard to go down a steep gravel track sedately! ;0) Often you can't brake on them or you'd be off. And we want to do more off road exploring. Over the years we've gone for miles on the back roads around here and we're looking for something else.

 

[ratty2k]

Still think lock out is overrated, more a matter of getting used to how the bike rides now you have a squishy fork.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Still think lock out is overrated, more a matter of getting used to how the bike rides now you have a squishy fork.

Well, on a fairly even surface and especially when climbing, locking out suss forks makes a massive difference. You are just wasting energy otherwise...

 

[Mr Pig]

When I got the bike with a suspension fork I developed a very smooth peddling style to avoid bobbing the front of the bike. I think it's really funny when you see kids bouncing along the road on their cheapo full-suspension with no damping whatsoever.

 

[Mr Pig]

Was at Glentress today and saw a couple of these badged up as hire bikes from the Hub.

Yes, I spoke to them before I bought the bike. They reckon they're good bikes. I'm waiting 'till I've had it a while before I post my opinion on it. Still got a few 'issues' to sort out.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Still got a few 'issues' to sort out.

Yeah, we know that - but, more importantly, what about the bike?

 

[Mr Pig]

Yeah, we know that - but, more importantly, what about the bike?

Oh you're such a wag ;0) To be honest I've not used the bike enough to be able to say anything sensible about how it rides, I've not used it off road at all yet. And maybe I'll be able to say something conclusive about its reliability when I stop having to take it back to the shop! At the moment I'm waiting to see if a new seatpost clamp has stopped the post sliding down and for parts from Rockshox to fix the rebound damper that apparently couldn't handle the walk from the shop to the car!