Replacing Acros Blocklock on YT Decoy w/Taller Lower Headset "Cup" SOLVED

[Dirtnvert]

My 19 decoy came with a relatively short steerer. I had 10-15mm of spacers and wouldve prefered more. The 19 base modrl came with a 20mm rise bar, short steerer, 160mm travel yari and only 100mm long headtube on the medium. Waaay too low on the front for my liking. Shorter stack height stem and the sorks components headset has a lower stack height as well.
The shorter stack height stem allowed me to raise the bar 5ish mm along with a 180mm air shaft for the yari and a 50mm rise spank spike bar its 55mm higher than stock. I have 18mm of stem spacers under my deity copperhead stem.
A little longer steerer wouldve made things a bit easier but we got there. That wolf tooth headset would be a welcome addition. I wouldnt mind the touch bit higher bb it would give as well

 

[ranrushing]

Thanks for the advice. Ya I usually swap the oem headsets on my bikes as I’m pretty rough on them and I can’t stand the snap crackle pop they make in a carbon frame. I’m just wondering about the whole frame clearance issue on this bike. I am riding a medium Mx core 4, with a Fox 38 44mm offset I swapped on. Think the wolf tooth extender lower will give me plenty of clearance for a medium frame? What size is your decoy you did this on?

@as123, Off topic, but I was wondering your thoughts of having the 44mm offset fork vs factory 51mm. I'm thinking of swapping forks and offset is under consideration for me. The more I read about it, the more I'm thinking I will like the 44mm offset or at least that I won't hate it. I'm riding a 2024 core 4 MX and ride pretty much enduro style.

 

[as123]

@as123, Off topic, but I was wondering your thoughts of having the 44mm offset fork vs factory 51mm. I'm thinking of swapping forks and offset is under consideration for me. The more I read about it, the more I'm thinking I will like the 44mm offset or at least that I won't hate it. I'm riding a 2024 core 4 MX and ride pretty much enduro style.

I never rode the decoy with the 51mm, as I swapped the fork as soon as it arrived to the 44mm 38. But the thing rips with the 44mm, no complaints from me whatsoever. Seems to compliment the bike perfectly. I ride a lot of fast flowy trails, high speed cornering and jumps. Maybe wouldn’t be so good for slower techy type stuff but I am just speculating. At the end of the day, I wouldn’t expect the difference to be huge regardless.

I personally feel like we adapt our riding style for small changes like this with our bikes anyways. So while maybe back to back you notice a difference, after a couple solid rides you likely would not notice anything anymore. I’d say if you are in the market for a new fork, try the 44mm. But if you are wanting to swap purely to try out a different offset, I wouldn’t bother.

 

[ranrushing]

I never rode the decoy with the 51mm, as I swapped the fork as soon as it arrived to the 44mm 38. But the thing rips with the 44mm, no complaints from me whatsoever. Seems to compliment the bike perfectly. I ride a lot of fast flowy trails, high speed cornering and jumps. Maybe wouldn’t be so good for slower techy type stuff but I am just speculating. At the end of the day, I wouldn’t expect the difference to be huge regardless.

I personally feel like we adapt our riding style for small changes like this with our bikes anyways. So while maybe back to back you notice a difference, after a couple solid rides you likely would not notice anything anymore. I’d say if you are in the market for a new fork, try the 44mm. But if you are wanting to swap purely to try out a different offset, I wouldn’t bother.

After doing more research I think you are 100% spot on and for the type of riding this bike is meant for and that I do, 44mm has some advantages or at least I don't really see a disadvantage in moving away from the 51mm. Turns out my first Decoy MX which i bought used has a 44mm fork, however it's also a 180 so it feels and tracks very different than the factory 51mm / 170 fork on my new Decoy.
On the plus side, I think I'm finally getting my Ohlins fork figured out and am leaning towards keeping it. But now I actually want 44mm offset

 

[John_likes_bikes]

44mm is generally the most common single crown offset and I doubt many would really notice the difference. People change stem length often and it's about the same effect on steering, which is to say little.

 

[mccabeua89]

If you are wanting a lower extender like the Wolf Creek 10mm (cannot find them anywhere), Niner bikes makes a 15mm one for $20. The 15mm allowed me to get rid of that crap Acros Block Headset. It also let me play around with converting my 2022 Full 29 Decoy (Size Large) into either a Mullet or a complete 27.5 bike with the factory 150mm fork. I have measured the 2 most impt geo specs I believe when making these kind of changes (HA and BB Height). Yes, starting with a Mullet config is better, but when a 29er is what you got, its what you got.

Factory Specs (Full 29er)
HA 65.8 / 66.3 (Low/High)
BB Height 338/345 (Low/High)

Mods to my bike
15mm Headset Extension (Niner Headset - ZS Lower Cup)
Rear shock changed from 230x60 to 230x65
Bike is set in High Position

Mullet setup Geo
HA = 64.2
BB Height = 342

Full 27.5 Setup Geo. If you put on a 160mm fork, it would slacken HA about 1/2 degree and raise BB into 340s.
HA = 65.4
BB Height = 336

View attachment 152955 View attachment Clearance Fork to Frame.jpg

 

[John_likes_bikes]

If you are wanting a lower extender like the Wolf Creek 10mm (cannot find them anywhere), Niner bikes makes a 15mm one for $20. The 15mm allowed me to get rid of that crap Acros Block Headset. It also let me play around with converting my 2022 Full 29 Decoy (Size Large) into either a Mullet or a complete 27.5 bike with the factory 150mm fork. I have measured the 2 most impt geo specs I believe when making these kind of changes (HA and BB Height). Yes, starting with a Mullet config is better, but when a 29er is what you got, its what you got.

Factory Specs (Full 29er)
HA 65.8 / 66.3 (Low/High)
BB Height 338/345 (Low/High)

Mods to my bike
15mm Headset Extension (Niner Headset - ZS Lower Cup)
Rear shock changed from 230x60 to 230x65
Bike is set in High Position

Mullet setup Geo
HA = 64.2
BB Height = 342

Full 27.5 Setup Geo. If you put on a 160mm fork, it would slacken HA about 1/2 degree and raise BB into 340s.
HA = 65.4
BB Height = 336

View attachment 152955 View attachment 152956 View attachment 152957

I'm on a 29er as well with the Niner slacker cup, 160mm fork in the low position. The slacker HTA is welcomed.