Big wheel out front

[Tmacca]

Off and on for the past year or so I’ve been riding my Levo with a 29er front end, 2.5 DHF, love it on my acoustic Trance so though id give it a whirl and it worked a treat .

Recently added a pike airshaft in my 2016 levo to increase to 150mm.

Rode with the original wheel then a few days ago put on the 29er front and it felt terrible, wide on corners and flopping over on uphill corners.

Same thing happed a few years ago when i tried 150mm fork on the Trance, seems to only work for me on 140mm .
Might try lowering the handlebars.

So just after any feedback/ideas from those who are using a 29er front end these days, what length forks, handlebars slammed etc.
The Levo image is over a year old


Cheers

 

[Al Boneta]

I use 29s front and back. It’s faster and it’s easier to drift the back wheel around corners with less grip.

 

[Tmacca]

Saving up for a rear 29er wheel to try, though part of the reason i like the bigger wheel up front is the cornering experience, it just makes or made the bike whip around corners.

 

[Mabman]

My deal with running a 29" wheel up front is that contrary to popular opinion as I find wider low psi tires handle sluggishly to start and then too quick once the contact patch gets on angle, especially with the wider bars in favor these days. Self steering is a thing and many have become used to it on their own terms but I find that a 2.3 tyre on an i35 rim @ 15psi affords me all the traction/flotation I need while handling like the dino bikes I have been riding for over 30 years.

I don't ride aggressively enough to want my rear end to drift and am more concerned with ultimate traction for climbing purposes and the b+ in the back provides that in spades at the same psi. Been running this for the last two years and not looking for other options at this time. However on my any road bikes I tried the road+ thing on the rear and didn't like it as the higher profile squirms around too much at speed while cornering as opposed to the lower profile 700c 45c tyre on an i25 rim at the same 35psi.

 

[HeatproofGenie]

29 rear fits on Levo?
Does 29 rear fit on Kenevo?

 

[Al Boneta]

29 rear fits on Levo?
Does 29 rear fit on Kenevo?

Yes

Kenevo no. Which is a bummer because I like 29x2.6 more than 27.5x2.8

 

[HeatproofGenie]

Thanks.
Total bummer that 29 R does not fit on Kenevo. I'm not at all sold on plus. I have yet to try 27.5+ with Cushcore insert and I think that could make a difference but as long as I race Enduro I want my other bikes to feel similar to my race bike which is a (and always will be) a 29er.

I rode a '19 Levo comp Saturday and it was good but let down by those darn ballon wheels If I bought one I'd keep em for the winter and bust them out for sloppy snowy days though.

 

[Tim29]

Well you double tapped your Levo, first you slacked head angle with a 150 fork in a bike designed around a 130 fork. Then put a bigger front wheel on.
If you put a 35mm stem on that or changed offset on upper tubes it would be much better.
My FS3 with 29er was much better, even with 160 fork. But it came with 68.5 deg head angle and was very nervous stock. But it also came with a 90mm stem and i replaces it with 35mm, that quickened it up in tight and the 67deg head angle it didn’t flop.
You might max out the rear shock with bands so it doesn’t set so deep in the rear.

 

[Kiwi in Wales]

Thanks.
Total bummer that 29 R does not fit on Kenevo. I'm not at all sold on plus. I have yet to try 27.5+ with Cushcore insert and I think that could make a difference but as long as I race Enduro I want my other bikes to feel similar to my race bike which is a (and always will be) a 29er.

I rode a '19 Levo comp Saturday and it was good but let down by those darn ballon wheels If I bought one I'd keep em for the winter and bust them out for sloppy snowy days though.

2019 Levo Comp? Are you referring to the hard tail version?

 

[HeatproofGenie]

2019 Levo Comp? Are you referring to the hard tail version?

No. I did forget to add the FSR though. Turbo Levo FSR Comp Men's Turbo Levo FSR Comp Carbon 6Fattie/29 | Specialized.com

 

[Tmacca]

My deal with running a 29" wheel up front is that contrary to popular opinion as I find wider low psi tires handle sluggishly to start and then too quick once the contact patch gets on angle, especially with the wider bars in favor these days. Self steering is a thing and many have become used to it on their own terms but I find that a 2.3 tyre on an i35 rim @ 15psi affords me all the traction/flotation I need while handling like the dino bikes I have been riding for over 30 years.

I don't ride aggressively enough to want my rear end to drift and am more concerned with ultimate traction for climbing purposes and the b+ in the back provides that in spades at the same psi. Been running this for the last two years and not looking for other options at this time. However on my any road bikes I tried the road+ thing on the rear and didn't like it as the higher profile squirms around too much at speed while cornering as opposed to the lower profile 700c 45c tyre on an i25 rim at the same 35psi.

Thanks Mabman,
Part of the problem might be the tyre is DH casing and weighs about 1.4 kilo, so a tyre with less rotational mass and a shorter stem as tim29 suggests is something i should try

 

[Tmacca]

Well you double tapped your Levo, first you slacked head angle with a 150 fork in a bike designed around a 130 fork. Then put a bigger front wheel on.
If you put a 35mm stem on that or changed offset on upper tubes it would be much better.
My FS3 with 29er was much better, even with 160 fork. But it came with 68.5 deg head angle and was very nervous stock. But it also came with a 90mm stem and i replaces it with 35mm, that quickened it up in tight and the 67deg head angle it didn’t flop.
You might max out the rear shock with bands so it doesn’t set so deep in the rear.

Cheers Tim29,
I like the expression "double tapped".
The Levo as far as i can recall was designed around a 140mm fork, but yea, defiantly noticably slacker now with the extra 10mm.
Cant believe i didn't think to change stem, it was the first thing i did yrs ago when i did the same to my Trance.
I was so freaked out and dissapointed after riding , compared to how Levo rode before in 29er configuration that i just binned the idea. So thanks

 

[Tim29]

When i did testing on the levo it was a 130/130 travel bike, and they came with a 130-140 fork. Then a 140/150 fork couple years after they hit the market here in the states.

 

[ccrdave]

I think spesh do/did make a short travel 29er levo fsr but wasnt sold in Europe as far as I know
all levo,s sold here had 140mm forks 2016/17 and 150mm for 2018, rear remained the same at 135mm

 

[Tmacca]

When i did testing on the levo it was a 130/130 travel bike, and they came with a 130-140 fork. Then a 140/150 fork couple years after they hit the market here in the states.

Never knew they did a 130mm, in Aus 27.5 first gen came with 140. They'll probably go a 160mm fork eventually, though perhaps getting too close to kenovo territory.

 

[Tim29]

I think spesh do/did make a short travel 29er levo fsr but wasnt sold in Europe as far as I know
all levo,s sold here had 140mm forks 2016/17 and 150mm for 2018, rear remained the same at 135mm

16 i had was 130/140 travel fork. Setup at 130 from factory.
18 model you guys get in the UK, is that with a 150/160 fork?
The travel range i refer to is regarding the printed sag scale on inners.

 

[ccrdave]

mine came with a 150mm revelation, the new 35mm stanchion ones dont know what the scales on the fork said I never take any notice of them I set my sag with a tape measure.
when mine arrived it only measured about 145mm but a cable tie pushed down the airside seal soon let out some trapped air and I got back to 150mm

 

[aspirina]

Went ah ad and pulled the trigger Minion DHF 2.5 and DT H1700. I think I could even go bigger...

 

[Kiwi in Wales]

No. I did forget to add the FSR though. Turbo Levo FSR Comp Men's Turbo Levo FSR Comp Carbon 6Fattie/29 | Specialized.com

Hmmmm, That looks very much like the current 2018 model and not the soon to be released 2019 model that no one has seen or has any photos of yet.

 

[Tim29]

mine came with a 150mm revelation, the new 35mm stanchion ones dont know what the scales on the fork said I never take any notice of them I set my sag with a tape measure.
when mine arrived it only measured about 145mm but a cable tie pushed down the airside seal soon let out some trapped air and I got back to 150mm

Be carful you Mabe have a problem you’re extended length changes from a small hit to a big. The negative chamber isn’t staying balanced