# Has anybody test fit a 29er wheel in a 27.5 DH fork (or willing to?)



## D.F.L. (Jan 3, 2004)

Of course, you'd never do this. It's forbidden. It's dangerous. Your friends would make fun of you.

But, if anybody has a Fox 40 or Boxxer 27.5 and a 29er front wheel lying around, I'd be curious to see if the tire clears the arch. Of course, clearing the crown would be another issue, entirely.

If anybody else is interested in knowing (or not, but is kinda bored), I'd love to see what you find.


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## Rob-Bob (Jun 11, 2004)

You could probably do this with a Dorado. You would just have to limit the travel to 180mm.


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## D.F.L. (Jan 3, 2004)

I'm not looking for a USD fork..


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## Rob-Bob (Jun 11, 2004)

I am a heavy rider and never noticed any amount of flex. Two of the best d.h. Forks on the market are usd forks. The emerald and the Dorado.


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## D.F.L. (Jan 3, 2004)

I'm only interested in seeing how a 29er wheel fits in a 27.5 Fox 40 or Boxxer.


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## cerebroside (Jun 25, 2011)

D.F.L. said:


> I'm only interested in seeing how a 29er wheel fits in a 27.5 Fox 40 or Boxxer.


Half the ERD difference is 19 mm, so you would need more than that amount of space between the 27 tyre and arch for the 29 to clear.
Doesn't look promising based on this photo (comparing the gap to the 40 mm stanchions):


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## D.F.L. (Jan 3, 2004)

It looks like about 1/3 of the arch would have to go away to create a minimum clearance with a 2.5... thanks. cerebrocide.


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## Dougal (Jan 23, 2004)

Rob-Bob said:


> You could probably do this with a Dorado. You would just have to limit the travel to 180mm.


They make a 29" Dorado. It has longer damper and air spring shafts.

Just remember it's not arch clearance that matters. It's crown clearance at bottom out.


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## Gemini2k05 (Apr 19, 2005)

D.F.L. said:


> I don't want a USD fork. Flex is mentioned in every single USD review.


Ah yes, the words of someone who has no idea what they are talking about


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## D.F.L. (Jan 3, 2004)

"Stiffness has always been the bane of the inverted fork design, but DVO has struck a good middle ground with the Emerald. There's no denying that it isn't as stiff as a FOX 40" Pinkbike on DVO
"I did notice the fork flexing"jungleracing.com on the DVO
"Another issue that some of us noticed if paying attention you might notice that the fork is a little more flexible than a conventional fork."downhillnews.com on Dorado Pro

These are great forks and everyone who runs USD forks is great.

I just want a conventional fork for my oddball project. Really didn't want a debate about fork types, thanks.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

D.F.L. said:


> "Stiffness has always been the bane of the inverted fork design, but DVO has struck a good middle ground with the Emerald. There's no denying that it isn't as stiff as a FOX 40" Pinkbike on DVO
> "I did notice the fork flexing"jungleracing.com on the DVO
> "Another issue that some of us noticed if paying attention you might notice that the fork is a little more flexible than a conventional fork."downhillnews.com on Dorado Pro
> 
> ...


ok ...so you have read this and whatever.....most of us are not pros and need a fork that is that stiff...

lets put it this way.....you are going through a heavy heavy rock garden....do you want a fork that is super stiff ??? well that will bounce you around a lot more

A fork with a little flex actually absorbes side hits and frward backward motion....making you have a smoother ride and being able to control your bike better. It is actually better.

So people saying there is flex and saying it is all bad are just people who don't understand and spit out uninformed information....Pros yes, but everyday riders will never notice the flex....In reality everyday riders will actually be smoother on a upside down fork.
.....a great amount of fork flex is very bad, but those in dorados or especially the DVO Emerald....I will ride those and have a smoother experience through rock gardens then your bouncy "stifffer" fork


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

Gemini2k05 said:


> Ah yes, the words of someone who has no idea what they are talking about


read my post.....can't agree more


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## ianjenn (Aug 1, 2004)

D.F.L. said:


> "Stiffness has always been the bane of the inverted fork design, but DVO has struck a good middle ground with the Emerald. There's no denying that it isn't as stiff as a FOX 40" Pinkbike on DVO
> "I did notice the fork flexing"jungleracing.com on the DVO
> "Another issue that some of us noticed if paying attention you might notice that the fork is a little more flexible than a conventional fork."downhillnews.com on Dorado Pro
> 
> ...


I am 215LBS the Dorado review we did and yes it has a bit of give on the rocks. A 40 with deflect the USD has just a bit more conformity. I can ride either it certainly doesn't hinder the fork having a tad bit of give. Nico won 10 World Champ titles on an inverted fork....


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## Dougal (Jan 23, 2004)

Inverted forks are stiffer front/back but softer in torsion.

Poeple also seem to forget that EVERYTHING flexes. The only difference is how much. If you have a fork that is twice as stiff then it might deflect 1mm where another fork would deflect 2mm.

It would take a fork 10x as stiff to only deflect 1mm when another deflects 10mm.


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## Lelandjt (Feb 22, 2008)

Well it doesn't really matter cuz the only way you're getting a 29" wheel with DH tire on a fork with more than 160mm travel is to use a Dorado.


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## cerebroside (Jun 25, 2011)

Lelandjt said:


> Well it doesn't really matter cuz the only way you're getting a 29" wheel with DH tire on a fork with more than 160mm travel is to use a Dorado.


I'm trying to find pics from when that idiot cut the arch off his Boxxer (?), but no luck unfortunately.

Edit: Heckler 26 now 29er. :lol:


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## tatankainlondon (Apr 4, 2004)

There was a picture of a Trek Session 9.9 bike with the Fox 40 27.5 forks running 29er wheel floating on the net.


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## ianjenn (Aug 1, 2004)

Mountain Bike Action Magazine | Spy Shot ? Trek?s New Prototype 29er Session DH Bike

Trek had a 40 with a 29" on it this year...


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Curious, I compared the axle-to-crown of my DVO Diamond 29er 160 to my Lyric 27.5 170. They were almost exactly the same. I think the DVO is a little taller than the Pike.

I doubt this is helpful, but I was thinking I'd try my factory-rebuilt and custom tuned DVO on my new 27.5 bike. Only the short steerer tube on the DVO kept me from doing it.


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## Dougal (Jan 23, 2004)

Jayem said:


> Curious, I compared the axle-to-crown of my DVO Diamond 29er 160 to my Lyric 27.5 170. They were almost exactly the same. I think the DVO is a little taller than the Pike.
> 
> I doubt this is helpful, but I was thinking I'd try my factory-rebuilt and custom tuned DVO on my new 27.5 bike. Only the short steerer tube on the DVO kept me from doing it.


There is ~1.5" in diameter between a 27" (23" rim) and 29" (24.5" rim). So that's 19mm radius and you've got 10mm travel difference.

So in your case ~10mm is expected in A-C plus any allowance for different tyre sizes.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Dougal said:


> There is ~1.5" in diameter between a 27" (23" rim) and 29" (24.5" rim). So that's 19mm radius and you've got 10mm travel difference.
> 
> So in your case ~10mm is expected in A-C plus any allowance for different tyre sizes.


I get about 561mm for the 160mm DVO 29er and 566mm for the 170mm Lyrik 27.5 fork. Still, a bit different than I was expecting.


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## fatcat (Mar 11, 2006)

Lelandjt said:


> Well it doesn't really matter cuz the only way you're getting a 29" wheel with DH tire on a fork with more than 160mm travel is to use a Dorado.


Right


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## Lelandjt (Feb 22, 2008)

What do the stickers on that Dorado say?


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## fatcat (Mar 11, 2006)

cerebroside said:


> I'm trying to find pics from when that idiot cut the arch off his Boxxer (?), but no luck unfortunately.
> 
> Edit: Heckler 26 now 29er. :lol:


Dang missed that one 2 yrs ago. I wouldn't even of posted that. How could anyone think that just the upper arch hand tightened by set screws on the stanchions could handle the beating of off-road abuse. The lowers without the cast arch also only means sloppy compression.... It could be a corner store bike...and a Heckler isn't even in the same league as DH bike, he could have chosen a Bullit (barely). But hack sawing that Boxxer was a bad move, but at least he could buy new lowers and take it back to a 26


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## fatcat (Mar 11, 2006)

Lelandjt said:


> What do the stickers on that Dorado say?


Fool, I was making a point. LOL. Its a MRP White Bros fork, not a Dorado.
Groove ? MRP
MADE IN USA, hand-made CNC's uppers & crowns--not alloy or magnesium forged, like our Taiwan friends make (not to belittle them)

EDIT: Those ain't no stickers, theyre lasered on graphics


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## fatcat (Mar 11, 2006)

ianjenn said:


> Mountain Bike Action Magazine | Spy Shot ? Trek?s New Prototype 29er Session DH Bike
> 
> Trek had a 40 with a 29" on it this year...


Thats a bad idea. That tire is too close to the top of the arch but if stupid Trek likes to pay for dental and OTB injuries, so be it. For casual riders it may be OK but for those in the need for speed genre >>>bad idea


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## HungarianBarbarian (Jul 24, 2008)

Dougal said:


> They make a 29" Dorado. It has longer damper and air spring shafts.
> 
> Just remember it's not arch clearance that matters. It's crown clearance at bottom out.


Is there not enough stanchion adjustment available to eliminate that problem?


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

fatcat said:


> Fool, I was making a point. LOL. Its a MRP White Bros fork, not a Dorado.
> Groove ? MRP
> MADE IN USA, hand-made CNC's uppers & crowns--not alloy or magnesium forged, like our Taiwan friends make (not to belittle them)
> 
> EDIT: Those ain't no stickers, theyre lasered on graphics


You'd want forged crowns, if possible.


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## fatcat (Mar 11, 2006)

Jayem said:


> You'd want forged crowns, if possible.


True dat, but forged is heavier, though possibly stronger (depends on how much the mfgr cares about the quality of alloy, procedure, pressure, QC of product, etc. IMO its like hamburger meat, depends on what kind of quality of meat and how much fat, etc is ground to make that burger, as CNC is a filet and cut to portion. (I like food)
Thats where you get cheap cast parts like no name OEM stuff on entry level bikes vs. parts that say Raceface or Shimano XT on middle to top end bikes. Even Specialized (ugh) has the higher end stems CNC's --I know I bought one for $50 and they also have the OEM cast ones on entry level type bikes. But forged is good as long as its on a brand like Fox, Rockshox or even Manipoo. But either way if the forged or CNC lowers or uppers break, then you'd better check your frame too cuz thems not forged or CNC'd, theys a way more weak bastard.


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## ftbjoe (Oct 21, 2004)

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/13191661/

Im gonna leave this here. 
Leland weren't you at this race....?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Lelandjt (Feb 22, 2008)

Uh huh, but only raced enduro. Cole looked to be doing alright on that wagon wheeler while still recovering from injury. I didn't think to check the fork out. There were lots of DVO Dorados but no White Dorados or even Dorado Dorados. There was a decent showing of 29ers in the enduro race including the Evil bike and the new Santa Cruz.


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## NoahColorado (Aug 3, 2004)

Any MRP Dorados?


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## Lelandjt (Feb 22, 2008)

You've said too much.

P.S. The new MRP SXg has been working awesome for me at the Fontana Winter Race Series.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

maybe i'm picky, but i notice a night and day difference in stiffness between an emerald and a 888...


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## NoahColorado (Aug 3, 2004)

Lelandjt said:


> P.S. The new MRP SXg has been working awesome for me at the Fontana Winter Race Series.


Apparently! You've been killing it.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

fatcat said:


> True dat, but forged is heavier, though possibly stronger (depends on how much the mfgr cares about the quality of alloy, procedure, pressure, QC of product, etc. IMO its like hamburger meat, depends on what kind of quality of meat and how much fat, etc is ground to make that burger, as CNC is a filet and cut to portion. (I like food)
> Thats where you get cheap cast parts like no name OEM stuff on entry level bikes vs. parts that say Raceface or Shimano XT on middle to top end bikes. Even Specialized (ugh) has the higher end stems CNC's --I know I bought one for $50 and they also have the OEM cast ones on entry level type bikes. But forged is good as long as its on a brand like Fox, Rockshox or even Manipoo. But either way if the forged or CNC lowers or uppers break, then you'd better check your frame too cuz thems not forged or CNC'd, theys a way more weak bastard.


Many forged products are CNC finished.


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## Dougal (Jan 23, 2004)

fatcat said:


> True dat, but forged is heavier, though possibly stronger (depends on how much the mfgr cares about the quality of alloy, procedure, pressure, QC of product, etc. IMO its like hamburger meat, depends on what kind of quality of meat and how much fat, etc is ground to make that burger, as CNC is a filet and cut to portion. (I like food)
> Thats where you get cheap cast parts like no name OEM stuff on entry level bikes vs. parts that say Raceface or Shimano XT on middle to top end bikes. Even Specialized (ugh) has the higher end stems CNC's --I know I bought one for $50 and they also have the OEM cast ones on entry level type bikes. But forged is good as long as its on a brand like Fox, Rockshox or even Manipoo. But either way if the forged or CNC lowers or uppers break, then you'd better check your frame too cuz thems not forged or CNC'd, theys a way more weak bastard.


Forged isn't heavier. The forging aligns the grain structure, it doesn't leave it permanently compressed to a higher density.

Weight is also just a measure of the volume of aluminium used. It is design and engineering that determines what is stronger and what is heavier. Not some arbitrary manufacturing step.


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