Angleset and/or increase fork travel on eTrance

[LowLow]

Hi, I have a 2021 eTrance 1. I've been riding steeper and more technical trails since I got this bike because the climbs are now worth the short/steep descents. But I've noticed that the Trance dives quite a bit, and I think it's the bike's geo that causes it. I've got 30mm riser bars and tokens in the fork, and I firm up the LSC and increase rebound when I ride the steeper stuff. But it's still dives more than I'd like it too.

So I was thinking about decreasing the HA by 1.5-2 degrees and/or increasing the fork's travel by 10mm. Has anyone done either or both of these things and, if so, what did you think? Or any other suggestions or thoughts?

 

[ThePete]

Hi, I have a 2021 eTrance 1. I've been riding steeper and more technical trails since I got this bike because the climbs are now worth the short/steep descents. But I've noticed that the Trance dives quite a bit, and I think it's the bike's geo that causes it. I've got 30mm riser bars and tokens in the fork, and I firm up the LSC and increase rebound when I ride the steeper stuff. But it's still dives more than I'd like it too.

So I was thinking about decreasing the HA by 1.5-2 degrees and/or increasing the fork's travel by 10mm. Has anyone done either or both of these things and, if so, what did you think? Or any other suggestions or thoughts?

Here’s an angle set suggestion from a really cool local guy I ran into a few months back. He had done some pretty killer stuff to his trance E. So he sent me some info.

Angleset and geometry


You have two vendors to choose from... Cane Creek or Works Components (I have both and prefer Works... cheaper, quiet and has the 2-degree correction... which I highly recommend).
AngleSet - Cane Creek Cycling Components

2.0 Degree EC44-ZS56 Angle Headset - To Suit Tapered Steerer Tube

As for my own trance, I ended up getting a fork with a longer axle to crown than the stock fork which lifted my front end quite a bit.

 

[LowLow]

Here’s an angle set suggestion from a really cool local guy I ran into a few months back. He had done some pretty killer stuff to his trance E. So he sent me some info.

Angleset and geometry


You have two vendors to choose from... Cane Creek or Works Components (I have both and prefer Works... cheaper, quiet and has the 2-degree correction... which I highly recommend).
AngleSet - Cane Creek Cycling Components

2.0 Degree EC44-ZS56 Angle Headset - To Suit Tapered Steerer Tube

As for my own trance, I ended up getting a fork with a longer axle to crown than the stock fork which lifted my front end quite a bit.

Thanks for the information. If I end up doing this, I'll definitely go with Works Components. I actually went to a website where you can calculation the geo of an MTB and got the below result. It looks like things don't change all that much except for the WB and HTA. I think I should probably try the headset before increasing the travel too.

​	Original​	-1.5d​	-1.5d & +10mm​	-2d​	-2d & +10mm​
Reach	452​	453​	449​	453​	449​
Stack	613​	609​	613​	608​	611​
HTA	66​	64.8​	64.4​	64.4​	64​
STA	76​	76.3​	76​	76.4​	76​
BB Drop	30​	33​	29​	34​	30​
BB Height	348​	345​	348​	343​	347​
Wheelbase	1233​	1244​	1248​	1247​	1252​
ETT	605​	601​	602​	600​	601​
Trail	120​	129​	132​	132​	135​
A2C	560​	560​	570​	560​	570​

 

[LowLow]

Are your maths backwards? If you go slacker your BB should be lower than when you over fork the bike +1cm it should take the BB back up. And doesn’t your reach get shorter not longer with the Angleset?

I didn’t do the calculation, just relied on the website. But I think what you’re saying about the BB is what’s happening…the BB height goes down a few millimeters (348 vs 343). I think angleset will drop the front by raking the fork out, so it’ll increase reach. It’s all very negligible.

 

[johnc]

As the fork goes out/forward the bars move back, decreasing the reach.

 

[LowLow]

As the fork goes out/forward the bars move back, decreasing the reach.

Reach is the line from the center of the BB to the center of the headtube (ie a frame measurement) so the bars moving back won’t change that.

 

[gbarfoot]

I've done both 10mm longer travel and the 1.5 degree WC headset ...the headset made the biggest difference, really noticable...doing it again I'd go with 2 degree. I'm in Colorado with some pretty steep trails...The bike goes down steep stuff with so much more confidence now.

 

[LowLow]

I've done both 10mm longer travel and the 1.5 degree WC headset ...the headset made the biggest difference, really noticable...doing it again I'd go with 2 degree. I'm in Colorado with some pretty steep trails...The bike goes down steep stuff with so much more confidence now.

Thanks! Did you notice any downsides when it wasn’t super steep?

 

[gbarfoot]

Thanks! Did you notice any downsides when it wasn’t super steep?

It's longer now so tight switchbacks are a bit harder....but they weren't easy to begin with on this bike....and my switchback skills suck