Thoughts ? 170mm Fox 36 and High BB Setting?

[TransAmMan]

I have had my Decoy for a couple weeks now and am absolutely loving it!

The only area I am concerned about (albeit have adapted in the last few rides) is the very low BB. In fact I just replaced a 4 month old set of pedals that were almost new when installed yesterday because I have ripped so many pins out - lol

Since I am sending my suspension out to be rebuilt over the winter, I was contemplating throwing in the 170mm air spring and running the BB position is high setting (to offset the geo change from the 10 mm elevation change out front). Rumour has it the decoy was "originally" designed around a 170mm fork, but this travel fork was unavailable at the time of production … this may be complete hearsay.

Here is the dilemma ... I love how the bike feels currently and after having many bikes where I have messed with geo settings, I am a bit leery to "mess with success".

PROS: Less pedal strikes and marginally more front fork travel
CONS: Higher center of gravity.

Any constructive thoughts on the idea ? CHEERS (ok where's the beer smilie)

 

[Gary]

it doesn't have a very low BB
Part of why it handles well because the BB isn't hugely high.

Stop pedalling into things and pay more attention to your foot position when aproaching obsticles or riding in ruts/compressions. The motor tempts you to keep pedalling and the higher (climbing) speeds give you less time to adjust/plan foot position/pedal strokes. You're new to it. embrace the BB height.
10mm on the fork is only going to raise the BB 3mm

 

[Dirtnvert]

I agree with what Gary says. All thise reasins are why im hitting my pedals despite thinking im usually pretty good with my pedal timing. That being said ive been out looking for some wet rooty technical climbs and having fun in those. I think ive got a good feel for the motor over run and am able to play with that to find those traction pounts and time my pedal strokes. Pedals still are taking more hits than usual and ive bent a new pedal. I cant remembrr ever bending one. I dont break a lot of things. I may smash a rear rim or tear up some tires and on a rare occasion smash a der but thats it. The added bike weight pushes through the travel a bit more and ive set it with a bit more sag than normal because of the weight if i want to use my travel as i normally do. Im not 100% sure, but like i said, i thought i had a handld on this bike and was surprised on a couple pedal smashes. Subject to change as im still an eeb newb
Also depending what youre doing with the bike and what your trails are like you may want more travel on the fork. I put mine at 170 and its a bit of an improvement for what i want to do. Im thinking ill put it at 180 though. 180 raises the bars 20mm and the bb 6mm and slackens the head angle .8 degrees to 64.2 in the low setting. If i put the setting in the high setting for a 64.7 ha and your center of gravity should be quite close to stock as your bars are higher

 

[TransAmMan]

Good advice gents

^^ Did you find the 170mm affected the handling in any way ? Can anybody verify "the rumor" (or provide more rumors) that YT originally designed the bike for a 170mm fork ?

True …. the pedal striking UPHILL has diminished quite considerably and it was an adjustment phase for e-bike riding. The first few rides, I was striking everything but its less common lately. I find the climb switch is pretty critical to keep the suspension from sagging.

Either way I will be sending my suspension away in just over a month and am really considering the 170 air spring change even without running in the high BB position (*its always an easy option to try)

 

[Dirtnvert]

Good advice gents

^^ Did you find the 170mm affected the handling in any way ? Can anybody verify "the rumor" (or provide more rumors) that YT originally designed the bike for a 170mm fork ?

True …. the pedal striking UPHILL has diminished quite considerably and it was an adjustment phase for e-bike riding. The first few rides, I was striking everything but its less common lately. I find the climb switch is pretty critical to keep the suspension from sagging.

Either way I will be sending my suspension away in just over a month and am really considering the 170 air spring change even without running in the high BB position (*its always an easy option to try)

With it at 170 it just the same bike with .4 degree slacker ha and sa. If that works for you its relatively minor.
Also i think its a host of little things thst can damage pedals on these. Im still mulling it over but i think at speed the extra weight combined with the bit of over run on the motor when yoyu stop pedaling through rocks can add a bunch of force if you do clip a rock. An extra 15lbs plus motor over run driving a 50lb bike into rock now makes it a 70 lb bike or there abouts. WE NEEDZ EEB PEDALZZ!!!

 

[KenX]

Still better to bend a pedal or crank arm than damage the motor!!!

 

[Dirtnvert]

Still better to bend a pedal or crank arm than damage the motor!!!

Thats what i was thinking. How many hits will those bearings take? Something to be said about that motor that rocky mountain has, i think the bb is seperate from the motor?

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

What's your crank arm length currently? If it's a 170mm you might want to consider changing to a 165mm... but no shorter if it already is.

 

[Dirtnvert]

Stock is 165. Id go 160 but not sure i want to cough up for 155's and have them suck. I want a 180 fork regardless so ill start there and then thatll allow me to use the steeper setting anfd then decide if i need shorter cranks. The one pedal has a bit of a bent axle but not crazy so ill use that until i get the fork set and maybe graduate a bit from being a full on newb eeber before i put my expensive pedals on. It was a race face chester composite pedal i bent. I have a pair of canfield crampons i can put on when/if needed

 

[Camstyn]

AFAIK the e-bike specific Fox 36 on these bikes uses a Fox 34 air chamber so 160 is the longest available. If you want to go longer you’ll have to change forks.

 

[TransAmMan]

AFAIK the e-bike specific Fox 36 on these bikes uses a Fox 34 air chamber so 160 is the longest available. If you want to go longer you’ll have to change forks.

Thanks for this

Just looked this up and you are correct, it is a Fox 34 air spring as the stanchions are 2mm thicker than a regular 36 fork (earning it the prestigious e-bike optimized label)

I guess I am staying with 160mm ..

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

Just looked this up and you are correct, it is a Fox 34 air spring as the stanchions are 2mm thicker than a regular 36 fork (earning it the prestigious e-bike optimized label)

Because some marketing opportunist fish heads are already abusing the “e-specific” moniker (eBike specific cycling shoes for example featured in a trade show), it’s understandable that we have become sceptical of everything with that label. But as you have rightly pointed out, there are legitimate engineering reasons why certain components have to be made and be called that. It’s not always easy to distinguish what’s bogus eBike fashion from proper eBike engineering. I for one am very distrustful of anything that smells like hype.

 

[damo]

Does anyone know of any frame warranty issues caused by changing fork length? Also how about an angle-set? Would that screw warranty?