# Let's talk 20mm front wheels....



## XC Mike (Sep 26, 2004)

With my fork coming from Alex on Monday I need to find / build a front wheel at this time I'm just looking to get a front wheel but I do have plans for rear disc down the road.

Team weight under 270lbs 
my guess most of you run 36-40H so looking for a front hub that won't cost me big bucks I found on ebay a 36H SHIMANO XT 20MM CENTERLOCK DISC HUB anyone use these?

I'm also looking on Pikebike and my local CL to find a Freeride wheel that would work anybody using 32H wheels?

Thanks Guys


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## ds2199 (Sep 16, 2008)

XC Mike said:


> With my fork coming from Alex on Monday I need to find / build a front wheel at this time I'm just looking to get a front wheel but I do have plans for rear disc down the road.
> 
> Team weight under 270lbs
> my guess most of you run 36-40H so looking for a front hub that won't cost me big bucks I found on ebay a 36H SHIMANO XT 20MM CENTERLOCK DISC HUB anyone use these?
> ...


A well built 32h will work fine for your team weight. We are actually running a 32h on our 29er front wheel. I generally run 36h front and rear, but running a Maverick fork, and it so happens that the Maverick hub is 32h. Long story, but it works.

I have a wheelset that I would sell for a reasonable price. They are White Industries hubs 36h laced to Velocity Chucker rims. Nice wheels, but we sold our 26" tandem.


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## XC Mike (Sep 26, 2004)

ds2199 said:


> A well built 32h will work fine for your team weight. We are actually running a 32h on our 29er front wheel. I generally run 36h front and rear, but running a Maverick fork, and it so happens that the Maverick hub is 32h. Long story, but it works.
> 
> I have a wheelset that I would sell for a reasonable price. They are White Industries hubs 36h laced to Velocity Chucker rims. Nice wheels, but we sold our 26" tandem.


Cool pm sent :thumbsup:


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

I would not go centerlock if avoidable. Stay with 6 bolts stuff.

What fork are you getting and why?

PK


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## XC Mike (Sep 26, 2004)

PMK said:


> I would not go centerlock if avoidable. Stay with 6 bolts stuff.
> 
> What fork are you getting and why?
> 
> PK


Hi Paul
I went with the Marzocchi 55 R that Alex had it's the 120mm 
I'm hoping that the 120 doesn't lift the front to much if it does I have a buddy that has a Enduro that wants it and I will just pick up the DJ that he has.........


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## Okayfine (Sep 7, 2010)

You may notice the lift (and change in steering feel) going from a rigid fork to the 120mm, if your frame isn't corrected for a 100mm fork. You probably won't notice the difference between 100mm and 120mm on a tandem, and the sag you set will take care of most of that anyway.


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## XC Mike (Sep 26, 2004)

Okayfine said:


> You may notice the lift (and change in steering feel) going from a rigid fork to the 120mm, if your frame isn't corrected for a 100mm fork. You probably won't notice the difference between 100mm and 120mm on a tandem, and the sag you set will take care of most of that anyway.


Yup that's what I was thinking.......I can't wait to get it all together now :thumbsup:


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

XC Mike said:


> Hi Paul
> I went with the Marzocchi 55 R that Alex had it's the 120mm
> I'm hoping that the 120 doesn't lift the front to much if it does I have a buddy that has a Enduro that wants it and I will just pick up the DJ that he has.........


I did not realize that Marzocchi offered a short fork.

I did give a quick look of their site, but didn't see a 120mm listed. Do you have any more details?

Most Marzocchi's are pretty easy to reduce travel on.

For us, when we owned the 2001 Cannondale, I had a Manitou Sherman with adjustable travel. I believe but may be wrong that it was a 110 / 150 range. I never came to terms with the longer fork, not bad when turning wide radius turns. Tighter turns had a noticeable point where wheel flop occurred and required some effort to maintain or recover.

PK


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## XC Mike (Sep 26, 2004)

From what Alex told me they did a special run of 55 R forks in the 120mm for MTB Tandems


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## Okayfine (Sep 7, 2010)

PMK said:


> Tighter turns had a noticeable point where wheel flop occurred and required some effort to maintain or recover.


Been there, do that


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## XC Mike (Sep 26, 2004)

So Paul how do you reduce it down even more I'm not sure if this fork comes with any spacers that can be moved around.
I checked around on the web site they don't have much info on them in the Tech section


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

Mike, honestly I have never been inside a 55 that I recall. 

When you get the fork, upload a readable copy of the parts breakdown page. Normally I'll fabricate a spacer in the desired length.

I'm guessing that this is what was involved in the MTBTandems version. Possibly Alex had Marzocchi USA install a second negative spring, or a spacer.

BTW, from my tandem experience, it works better to not let the sag / preload be soft to lower the front. Limit the travel exactly where you want it, then run additional preload to give the bike chassis better feel and less wallow.

Our Fox 40 is this way and the bike is planted and easy to pedal. The difficulty is installing the fork cap with the spring fight you.

As a comparison, consider two motorcycles. One a lightweight long travel performance MX bike, the other a performance street bike such as a 1000cc sport bike.

If the sport bike ran light preload, soft suspension like an MX bike it wouldn't work well. If the MX bike ran the firmer more preloaded setup of the sport bike it would deflect off everything. Granted, we ride off-road, however the forks we run are designed as single rider loads similar to the MX bike. For a tandem, a happy medium seems to work well for us. Run a spring RATE that is reasonable, but run a lot more preload than seems good. The combination will offer a rate to use full travel with minimal or no harshness, but the preload will keep the front tire planted and limit dive under braking, when "dropping in", or backside of logovers. Also, if you have ever experienced headshake on a vehicle, it will minimize the chance of that. Headshake on a tandem is real sketchy, the frame acts like a bullwhip...hang on honey.

PK


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## 4slomo (Jul 4, 2006)

XC Mike,

I tried to respond to your PM, but apparently your profile is set up to not receive PMs. PM me your email address if you're interested.


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

4slomo said:


> XC Mike,
> 
> I tried to respond to your PM, but apparently your profile is set up to not receive PMs. PM me your email address if you're interested.


Shoot me a quote

Rear wheel only

DT 540 6 bolt IS disc hub,36 hole, 145mm
Velocity B43 rim, black
DT alpine triple butted spokes, brass nipples

Laced 3 cross, with left and right inner spokes following direction of rotation and outer spokes into direction of rotation.

Tension max rated per Velocity,

PK


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