There's nothing quite like the thrill of riding parts from Aliexpress while bombing down a trail and knowing you could go over the bars at any moment. Or through the bars. But in all seriousness I haven't personally experienced any breakages or problems beyond the usual rough edges.
Totally an mtber! Did you see how filthy the bike was when he started the swap? What roadie would ever even contemplate doing such a procedure without cleaning the bike first.
A little late now but you can definitely use the compression style plugs in an aluminium/steel steerer tube, just you can't use a star nut in a carbon steerer.
OK cool, good to know. I had just assumed that the aluminium plug would struggle to hold against the inside of the aluminium steerer tube. But I guess you can really up the torque on the compression plug compared to a carbon steerer... I'll def bear this in mind for next time! Thanks for the tip chaz 👌👌👌
@@TraceVelo Use an old stem (slightly higher mounted on the fork shaft) and the top cap as a guide next time. Don't screw the screw all the way in and then just hammer it in, it will be straight afterwards.
Sometimes the inner diameter of metal steerers is too small for some compression plugs. I have also used it on steel forks. They also seem to slip less on steel or aluminium than on carbon forks. The only thing to keep in mind is that it adds a few milimeters to the steerer length because the plug sits on top.@@TraceVelo
@@alexsch9956 too much of a hassle and risk of hammering the star nut not straight. the drift tool used for this that Luke showed a picture of is dirt cheap and it will last a life time for a home mechanic so I see no reason in bodging this work.
That little blue ring helps you gauge the suspension pressure - push it right down and go for a ride, when you get home you'll be able to tell how much of the range you're using. Add or remove pressure accordingly.
no, it's actually used for measuring sag. On a normal air fork you want around 20-30% sag but on this I have no idea since it's only 40mm of travel. It can be used to see how much range you're using but that's not really it's purpose.
Hi Luke, top tip for the future - instead of cutting down the brake pipe, you can carefully cut a slot in the olive and then twist with a flat blade screwdriver to crack and spread the olive. You then just use a new olive and keep all the hose length. 🥖
I'll soon be in a situation where I'll have replumb my brake lines for something stupidly minor. I had considered what you are suggesting but having no experience with that (always replaced brake lines in the past) I am concerned the new olives wouldn't work as effectively due to compression of the hose from the previous olive. It sounds like you DO have experience so am I overthinking this or worrying unnecessarily?
@@vaulthecreatorthe new olive will crush down just as well as the old one did using the same spot on the hose, and seal just as well against the calliper / lever and the compression fitting. It’s common practice in domestic plumbing to reuse the same pipe with a new olive, even on plastic piping.
@@DandBGhostHunters that's great to hear., that will save me so much time. The LBS here won't sell brake hose and getting anything posted to regional Western Australia is easily a 2 week wait. Thank you so much mate, you're a legend 👍
A little note as you begin to talk about suspension, damping makes you fast (controls your suspension) dampENing makes you wet. Very common mistake but you’ll be silently made fun of by snobby suspension nerds (no comment on how I know ;))
Thanks Luke, are you reading my mind? Every winter, to my wife's regret, I do a build/rebuild of a bike. Next winters project (2024-2025) is rebuilding urban commuter into a gravel bike...with suspension gravel forks. You have definitely convinced me to go ahead.
Please try a suspension stem next Luke. Much simpler upgrade, much lighter, no geometry change. In short, of great interest to a wider range of riders. Probably. 😊
Not tried all the stem options. Just the eesilk from Cane Creek. It's helpful on some of the chatter. But, recently got a Szepter Core 4 with the Rudy Ultimate. No comparison. It's not as much travel as my MTB, but it is so much smoother in the rough stuff. I do venture onto single track on my GB rides fairly often. So, that makes it the best choice for me, while for others it'll likely be overkill. I just mean to say that the two are not equal. That said, I do agree with you in the specific aspects you listed.
Luke, I've been patiently waiting for your review of the 4 piston Juin calipers. Pretty sure it's been more than a year since you introduced them on your channel. I own a road tandem with Avid bb7 calipers/230mm rotors. I'm tempted to "upgrade" to the Juin GT-P. If they prove worthy of more confident braking, cost is irrelevant. Spousal harmony is everything. Hope to see your review soon. Thanks for all of your past videos. I've found them very informative and entertaining.
Just so you know for the future you can use an expansion plug in a an aluminium (or steel) steerer tube, as long as it fits/grips enough to set the headset preload, as it serves no other function you could even use one of those dodgy lightweight ones. Star fangled nuts are a PITA to remove/reposition if you ever need too as well so an expander is the better option IMO.
@@MDZPNMD A lot of people who's main experience is with carbon think the top cap/star fangled nut does more than it does on a metal steerer, and if you're not sure it's always a safer bet to use what the manufacturer states/supplys I guess.
Been riding the Redshift stem and seatpost with 43c tires. This looks very cool for a budget shock. Any little bit of suspension will totally change your gravel experience. Yosemite Sam would be proud
but to be fair - the fork was not much cheaper then the redshift stem and with all the work unclear customer service I would (and I have) go with the shockstop every time...
Also using the redshift on my gravelbike and satisfied with it, but while the redshift is giving some comfort to the rider, a suspension fork like this is also increasing the traction in general I think. But since I need some mounting points on my fork and I don't want to increase the bike weight by nearly 1kg, I will also remain with the redshift, good enough for my style of riding
For the same money ($100CAD) i got a used 27.5 rock shox fork, that is just a little longer at 100mm. You can find these cheap if they use the older non-boost width. But that means they fit gravel/road wheels so thats a win. And 27.5" forks fit 700x45c tires pretty comfortably
I take it that your ERX derailleur was a replacement from your original which failed after water ingress. If they've fixed that issue then the product development is working - that's great news for pwople who are considering an L-Twoo groupset in the near future.
"A bit soggy", you are indeed very much a British person. Here we'd refer to that as a canal. I am actually planning to do the opposite on one of my bikes; get rid of the suspension and install a rigid fork, save some weight. There's no gravel here anyway, just tarmac and such. Being adamant on keeping the V-brakes makes it quite daunting to find a replacement though. 🥖Enjoy your rides, Luke! 🥖
Hey Luke in the years I have watched your channel, the one type of bike you haven't done is a time trial build. Just watched Paris-Nice it had great TT section .your next challenge should be a TT bike on cheap w/gear too . Except for the crazy helmets 😅 ok .
Just a tip. You were hammering the star nut down and the suspension was compressing on every blow. Put a piece of wood under the stem to the floor to remove the compression. Of course they may be lockout forks and you had erm locked them out first! 😊
You can use a compression plug on aluminium steerer, no problem. In fact my cube nuroad has carbon fork with aluminium steerer and compression plug installed from factory.
Luke..followed your channel for ages..love your humorous style. As a MTB er, a roadie and a fanatical snowboarder you should let your viewers know your discount code applies to Siroko Skiing gear as well. Just bought some snowboard trousers for next week from them so I hope you get your kickback.....they look pretty good, although I think their sizing is a little on the tight size... Just means more time on the turbo this week... I think there are a lot of cyclists who enjoy winter sports so get the word out....
I've always used a wrench socket for guiding the lugnut, works fine. But you could have used the compression fitting just fine. You can't use a star nut on a carbon steerer, but the other way around is perfectly fine.
You can use that expander for carbon forks, those star nuts are meh and pita to install, not to mention heavy. I use several expanders in alloy steering tubes, they work well.
You’d be surprised how easy it is to do a lower leg service on suspension forks. If you keep fresh oil in them then it will save the main bushings that the uppers slide on and prolong the forks life.
Actually, you can use the compression plug with no problem in aluminium steerer tubes. They're just a little more expensive and have not much functionality. It's only function is to allow the cap (and stem) to be lowered. Also, the stem itself is not held in place by this bolt, but by the other two.
Dropper post next 👍 it'll make a bigger difference to the ride on the rougher stuff than a Sus fork will... Suspension forks are great for bump removal and adding to endurance rides, dropper post is great for adding control and manoeuvrability
Can you do a video making the most comfortable and cheap commuter? Road bikes are great but the day I switched to a regular, comfy commuter was a life changer. No more ass pain, no more back pain, feels like you're riding on a cloud.
I use a redshift stem myself and honestly it's been perfect even on some pretty hairy mtb trail stuff (I'm also a mtber and roadie). absolute breeze to service and doesn't change the geometry of the bike, there are a few downsides, but so much easier than a suspension fork to look after and doesn't slow you down on road sections, plus super subtle on bumps. I've seen a non branded chinese model much cheaper that looks the same too. Much prefer the look with a rigid gravel fork too.
Interesting! I had a look, i couldn't find a similar looking one on Alix. There's a version with a spring in the middle of the stem, and a version with a very steep up angle. Nothing that looks like redshift?
@@pierrex3226 before I bought it about a year ago there were Chinese ones on eBay that looked the same, I nearly got one but in the space of a few days they went up in price from something like £50 to £90, so I didn't get the Chinese one, I got my redshift off Amazon in the black Friday sale for £123. I just checked on eBay and now can't find the Chinese ones so maybe don't do them anymore.
Have you considered checking out the Wheeltop EDS groupset? Carbon, adjustable number of gears, 100% wireless, IP67 - sounds too good to be true and should be perfect for a test from your side.
Headline price is rather expensive, isn't it? L-TWOO is much cheaper, and in the US (I'm in Europe unfortunately) SRAM seems to be running massive discounts on groups for months now, inventory glut, I guess?
🥖 I have great hack for that type of bike-stand. Remove 1 leg, this would by you a lot of space if you use it against a wall. As center of gravity with the bike is somewhere under the clamp the " rear " leg is pretty useless (the wall would probably cope with any stability issues😸).
I've bought 4 of those forks for MTB, the Fox 36 copies, and they were bad. I upgraded the damper to an original Fox Fit4, and the bushings to original fox too, and it worked well for a less than a year, until the right lower leg started to crack and separate around the bridge. At least not good for MTB.
To fit a star nut like that you need the fork in the frame and the stem fitted - that way the top cap locates in the stem and holds the screw straight as you tap it down.
To be honest - as somebody who is in road bike racing since 1981, and in MTB since 1991, and who recently bought a gravel bike, this is exactly the border which I do not want to cross... yes, in a couple of years, when all have switched to 32-40mm of travel, the industry will figure out that 80mm ist MUCH better...another two to three years later, they will figure out that steering control in rough terrain is better with a flat bar - we called it a "hardtail" already 30 years ago... What I use is a suspension stem, though. I love my fullys, and I love my gravel - but like to keep them different...
... The bonus clip remind me... If I wanted suspension forks I would switch for the MTB and go straight double suspension just because I know what it takes to get the comfort on those rough roads trails sections... And then to have the real thing in the suspension spectrum.
This one looks like the gravel fork of Santour. At our local, ppl use this type of cheap fork on the local racing of the 'MTB on paved road', it's required the bike has the shock fork, rigid is not allowed. So just pick a cheap one on gravel bike with MTB racing tires. It always works. And it's funny to see a suspension dropbar gravel in a group of flatbar hardtail.
When i broke my carbon fork, i installed rigid steel fork.. +1kg. But got used to it, and dont think i'm going back, cuz steel is real! In terms of servicing that fork, the cost of service at bikeshop would cost a half of that forks price, so.. yeah. Cheers!
You could have reused the compression plug in the rigid fork in the suspension fork as well. I don't use star nuts in any of the steerer tubes on any of my bikes.
Thanks for the review, I actually got other parts from that brand, like their carbon handlebars and carbon seat, and they are low cost and very good quality.
I did the moustache thing for a short while. I just couldn’t take myself seriously, but it was worth the laugh every time I looked in the mirror. Have fun with it for awhile. Lol
mountain bike tires.... front suspension... You may be an MTB convert yet... I enjoyed this video, have been interested in light suspension light this for my road bike. I love the air forks on my MTBs and don't get the whole rigid fork gravel thing... products like this make a million times more sense, especially coming from more MTB riding than road riding. I put a lot of road miles in too, but sometimes I wished I had some kind of light suspension when I hit gravel paths, construction zones and other rough patches.
It's a direct function of what you ride. On American unpaved roads, rigid is probably fine, it's where the whole gravel thing started. In Europe, we don't really have these unpaved roads, typically whatever is unpaved is just a mess. It's a generalisation but it matches my experience.
I watch your videos as soon as they're released because they're so watchable, whether I'm interested or not, but this is right up my gravel trail. 🥖🥖🥖 I've had a curiosity with weird suspension options for a long time, particularly the old Rockshox Paris Roubaix SL. . One question is whether it hits the downtube on full lock? Another is when are you going to undo those bolts and examine the internals? The main benefit of suspension isn't actually the cushioning, it's the preload which does its thing extending the fork over holes, which keeps the tyre in contact with the ground more giving you more control. Seeing as UK gravel is often rough bridleways, farm tracks and bogs and wetlands, that's a transformative mod to a gravel bike
Luke the bike looks good, I still miss the old "gervin flex stem" they had enough travel for my liking, cheap and easy to change flex stiffness with different bushes!
i use an ikea desk leg (€4.95) and a threaded bar as my star fangled nut driver, its a little long but it fits nicely over the steerer tube and the rubber foot on the leg makes a good pad for the rubber mallet to hit.
It would be great if you had a look at the kinds of stem suspension Cycling About made a video of recently. The Chinese knockoff might be a bit more accessibly priced than what they were featuring. Weight wise you're looking at something like 200g instead of a 1000g. Although they might not suit what you're dealing with, according to Cycling About they are better for vibration.
Nice. This would be nice on my alloy semi-gravel Giant Contend commuter. The city where I live has utterly appalling roads - my 28mm tyred Giant Defy was perfect in the last town I lived in, but it’s bad road repairs and random recessed manhole covers here that get quite sketchy on a roadie…
State Bicycles sells a gravel suspension fork. If I had to guess, it's probably pretty similar to the one you tested and could get a bunch of the basic info from State's owners manual.
I feel like the best part of a suspension fork on a gravel bike would be being able to run 40mm tyres for speed on smooth stuff but still being able to absorb bigger bumps. Just like how MTBs don't use fat tyres, they use fairly wide tyres and suspension.
Oooooh.... so many ideas... I just rode a trail on my touring bike that is more suitable for this type of machine... i was very underbiked... I love the idea of a drop bar suspension bike. And capital mo! 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖 and a 2 donut bonus🥯🥯
Hi Luke, great one, loved it. I did something like this on my old steel bike (already heavy so the weight difference was not so noticeable). It really transformed my rides in our Welsh (poorly kept) lanes, taking the hand buzz out. Nowadays I would try a suspension stem. Little point, and I hope you don't take this amiss, but if you had washed the bike before openning up all the bearings and so on then you would reduce the risk of getting muck in the delicate bits. PS, did you see Noah in the bonus clip?
I would think the 50mm tires would be enough. Maybe set the pressure at 25 psi. I went the opposite way. I ride my 32mm cross bike on gnarly mtb trails (wheels don't likle it). Also, I have a fully ridgid fat bike. I ride the fat bike on enduro trails. I do have other MTB and road bikes, but it is fun to change it up at times.
Good job. That (higher end version) reminds me of my first MTB with the old yellow version of RST suspension fork back in the 90's. Except that it runs on drop bars 😅
The transition slowly begins as you lean more and more into MTB
Flat bars next to
And Im so here for it!
We are witnessing it first hand! 😂
Waiting for rear suspension on uhm gravel. Minimum 140mm of travel
All part of the plan 😂
I can’t tell if I’m impressed with the continued dedication to cheap parts, or if you’re a mountain biker now. Either way: 🥖
For sure ordered cargo shorts with that fork 😂
There's nothing quite like the thrill of riding parts from Aliexpress while bombing down a trail and knowing you could go over the bars at any moment. Or through the bars. But in all seriousness I haven't personally experienced any breakages or problems beyond the usual rough edges.
Nah there's probably just no content left for road bikes. Time to branch out.
@@dbk81cargo thights is better suited 😂.
Totally an mtber! Did you see how filthy the bike was when he started the swap? What roadie would ever even contemplate doing such a procedure without cleaning the bike first.
What a nice 90s Drop Bar Mountainbike. John Tomac would be proud 😉 🥖🥖🥖
A little late now but you can definitely use the compression style plugs in an aluminium/steel steerer tube, just you can't use a star nut in a carbon steerer.
OK cool, good to know. I had just assumed that the aluminium plug would struggle to hold against the inside of the aluminium steerer tube. But I guess you can really up the torque on the compression plug compared to a carbon steerer... I'll def bear this in mind for next time! Thanks for the tip chaz 👌👌👌
@@TraceVelo Use an old stem (slightly higher mounted on the fork shaft) and the top cap as a guide next time. Don't screw the screw all the way in and then just hammer it in, it will be straight afterwards.
Sometimes the inner diameter of metal steerers is too small for some compression plugs. I have also used it on steel forks. They also seem to slip less on steel or aluminium than on carbon forks. The only thing to keep in mind is that it adds a few milimeters to the steerer length because the plug sits on top.@@TraceVelo
@@alexsch9956 too much of a hassle and risk of hammering the star nut not straight. the drift tool used for this that Luke showed a picture of is dirt cheap and it will last a life time for a home mechanic so I see no reason in bodging this work.
I can't stand star nuts, I always use a compression bung in my forks.
That little blue ring helps you gauge the suspension pressure - push it right down and go for a ride, when you get home you'll be able to tell how much of the range you're using. Add or remove pressure accordingly.
no, it's actually used for measuring sag. On a normal air fork you want around 20-30% sag but on this I have no idea since it's only 40mm of travel. It can be used to see how much range you're using but that's not really it's purpose.
@@NonLegitNation2this. You have to love how everyone’s an 😅expert on here
Hi Luke, top tip for the future - instead of cutting down the brake pipe, you can carefully cut a slot in the olive and then twist with a flat blade screwdriver to crack and spread the olive. You then just use a new olive and keep all the hose length. 🥖
I'll soon be in a situation where I'll have replumb my brake lines for something stupidly minor. I had considered what you are suggesting but having no experience with that (always replaced brake lines in the past) I am concerned the new olives wouldn't work as effectively due to compression of the hose from the previous olive. It sounds like you DO have experience so am I overthinking this or worrying unnecessarily?
@@vaulthecreatorthe new olive will crush down just as well as the old one did using the same spot on the hose, and seal just as well against the calliper / lever and the compression fitting. It’s common practice in domestic plumbing to reuse the same pipe with a new olive, even on plastic piping.
@@DandBGhostHunters that's great to hear., that will save me so much time. The LBS here won't sell brake hose and getting anything posted to regional Western Australia is easily a 2 week wait.
Thank you so much mate, you're a legend 👍
You can also use a pair of pliers to crush the old olive too - use a rag to avoid any damage to hose.
That's how i reuse my barbs 2-3 times.
I’ve been fitting star nuts with a hammer for over 25years, never considered using a socket as a guide, that blooming brilliant🎉
A little note as you begin to talk about suspension, damping makes you fast (controls your suspension) dampENing makes you wet. Very common mistake but you’ll be silently made fun of by snobby suspension nerds (no comment on how I know ;))
😂
Looking forward to the next carbon hardtail flatbar xc bike build! And the following full suspension 😅
How does the steering feels? I reckon the head angle will be decreased by about 3 degrees, which increases trail significantly.
I'm slowly watching all these gravel bikes turn into... 2010 era XC bikes
Thanks Luke, are you reading my mind? Every winter, to my wife's regret, I do a build/rebuild of a bike. Next winters project (2024-2025) is rebuilding urban commuter into a gravel bike...with suspension gravel forks. You have definitely convinced me to go ahead.
Please try a suspension stem next Luke. Much simpler upgrade, much lighter, no geometry change. In short, of great interest to a wider range of riders. Probably. 😊
Not tried all the stem options. Just the eesilk from Cane Creek. It's helpful on some of the chatter. But, recently got a Szepter Core 4 with the Rudy Ultimate. No comparison. It's not as much travel as my MTB, but it is so much smoother in the rough stuff. I do venture onto single track on my GB rides fairly often. So, that makes it the best choice for me, while for others it'll likely be overkill. I just mean to say that the two are not equal. That said, I do agree with you in the specific aspects you listed.
I was beginning to forget why I moved to Mallorca years ago.......but now I mind after watching your bonus!!
Love the "new dad has no energy to shave" look!
19:27 - I grew up watching the inbetweeners and hearing "knee deep" put a smile on my face.
Are you a briefcase wanker? OMG that how is infinitely quotable.
6:45 Instead of a star nut, you can actually use the expander plug in an alloy steerer tube. (may need a piece of inner tube as a shim)
Luke, I've been patiently waiting for your review of the 4 piston Juin calipers. Pretty sure it's been more than a year since you introduced them on your channel. I own a road tandem with Avid bb7 calipers/230mm rotors. I'm tempted to "upgrade" to the Juin GT-P. If they prove worthy of more confident braking, cost is irrelevant. Spousal harmony is everything. Hope to see your review soon. Thanks for all of your past videos. I've found them very informative and entertaining.
Just so you know for the future you can use an expansion plug in a an aluminium (or steel) steerer tube, as long as it fits/grips enough to set the headset preload, as it serves no other function you could even use one of those dodgy lightweight ones. Star fangled nuts are a PITA to remove/reposition if you ever need too as well so an expander is the better option IMO.
I support that statement and was also irritated why he didn't use one to begin with.
@@MDZPNMD A lot of people who's main experience is with carbon think the top cap/star fangled nut does more than it does on a metal steerer, and if you're not sure it's always a safer bet to use what the manufacturer states/supplys I guess.
Been riding the Redshift stem and seatpost with 43c tires. This looks very cool for a budget shock. Any little bit of suspension will totally change your gravel experience. Yosemite Sam would be proud
but to be fair - the fork was not much cheaper then the redshift stem and with all the work unclear customer service I would (and I have) go with the shockstop every time...
Also using the redshift on my gravelbike and satisfied with it, but while the redshift is giving some comfort to the rider, a suspension fork like this is also increasing the traction in general I think. But since I need some mounting points on my fork and I don't want to increase the bike weight by nearly 1kg, I will also remain with the redshift, good enough for my style of riding
Redshift is a game changer for gravel bikes. Luke should test the suspension stem and compare it with the fork.
Agree- we need some suspension stem tests from Luke!
Did you guys get your suspension seat post from Ali? Was thinking of a suntour
For the same money ($100CAD) i got a used 27.5 rock shox fork, that is just a little longer at 100mm. You can find these cheap if they use the older non-boost width. But that means they fit gravel/road wheels so thats a win. And 27.5" forks fit 700x45c tires pretty comfortably
I take it that your ERX derailleur was a replacement from your original which failed after water ingress. If they've fixed that issue then the product development is working - that's great news for pwople who are considering an L-Twoo groupset in the near future.
"A bit soggy", you are indeed very much a British person. Here we'd refer to that as a canal.
I am actually planning to do the opposite on one of my bikes; get rid of the suspension and install a rigid fork, save some weight. There's no gravel here anyway, just tarmac and such. Being adamant on keeping the V-brakes makes it quite daunting to find a replacement though.
🥖Enjoy your rides, Luke! 🥖
Many thanks for the bonus clip jingle!!!!!!!
Hey Luke in the years I have watched your channel, the one type of bike you haven't done is a time trial build. Just watched Paris-Nice it had great TT section .your next challenge should be a TT bike on cheap w/gear too . Except for the crazy helmets 😅 ok .
Always a good idea to wash the bike before disassembly - minimises contamination and stops creating a mess on the floor ;)
Just a tip. You were hammering the star nut down and the suspension was compressing on every blow. Put a piece of wood under the stem to the floor to remove the compression. Of course they may be lockout forks and you had erm locked them out first! 😊
You can use a compression plug on aluminium steerer, no problem.
In fact my cube nuroad has carbon fork with aluminium steerer and compression plug installed from factory.
Was waiting for someone to review this 👌
Well, I was not ready for the moustache! Went a bit White Goodman at the end there. Kudos to you, sir. 🥖🥖🥖
that's who he looks like. good call. no-one makes him bleed his own blood.
Luke..followed your channel for ages..love your humorous style. As a MTB er, a roadie and a fanatical snowboarder you should let your viewers know your discount code applies to Siroko Skiing gear as well. Just bought some snowboard trousers for next week from them so I hope you get your kickback.....they look pretty good, although I think their sizing is a little on the tight size... Just means more time on the turbo this week... I think there are a lot of cyclists who enjoy winter sports so get the word out....
Indeed, bought skiing socks with the tracevelo code 🤪
Love the camelchops bag. I've got the same but as a small top tube, and a different design as a bar bag! They're solid.
Thanks for that, Man. I was curious about the frame bag
I've always used a wrench socket for guiding the lugnut, works fine. But you could have used the compression fitting just fine. You can't use a star nut on a carbon steerer, but the other way around is perfectly fine.
Great video Luke! If my wife would let me keep a moustache, I totally would!
You can use that expander for carbon forks, those star nuts are meh and pita to install, not to mention heavy.
I use several expanders in alloy steering tubes, they work well.
You’d be surprised how easy it is to do a lower leg service on suspension forks. If you keep fresh oil in them then it will save the main bushings that the uppers slide on and prolong the forks life.
Actually, you can use the compression plug with no problem in aluminium steerer tubes. They're just a little more expensive and have not much functionality. It's only function is to allow the cap (and stem) to be lowered. Also, the stem itself is not held in place by this bolt, but by the other two.
The compression plug is designed to bite into a carbon surface, so it is very likely to slide and slip on the aluminum
I bodged in a few star nuts before buying a cheap $15 installer. It is night and day better, well worth buying even for a single install.
Ace video.
You will be needing a decent suspension seatpost now!
Now keep your eyes out for a Cannondale Lefty fork!!
You got strange mountain bike there, magic man.
That aint a mtb mate, thats a gravel bike yeah
I feel like people also underestimate how much fatigue a stiff bike brings... smooth is fast ;)
I've been saying for a while that, people who say, gravel bikes don't need suspension, need to ride more wash board corregations....
Dropper post next 👍 it'll make a bigger difference to the ride on the rougher stuff than a Sus fork will... Suspension forks are great for bump removal and adding to endurance rides, dropper post is great for adding control and manoeuvrability
Got a dropper on my gravel bike, so much better 👍🏻👍🏻
Can you do a video making the most comfortable and cheap commuter? Road bikes are great but the day I switched to a regular, comfy commuter was a life changer. No more ass pain, no more back pain, feels like you're riding on a cloud.
Just a quick tip, if you put some neoprene fork covers on they will last years and not months as the grit destroys the seals. Thanks for sharing 😊
I use a redshift stem myself and honestly it's been perfect even on some pretty hairy mtb trail stuff (I'm also a mtber and roadie). absolute breeze to service and doesn't change the geometry of the bike, there are a few downsides, but so much easier than a suspension fork to look after and doesn't slow you down on road sections, plus super subtle on bumps. I've seen a non branded chinese model much cheaper that looks the same too. Much prefer the look with a rigid gravel fork too.
Interesting! I had a look, i couldn't find a similar looking one on Alix. There's a version with a spring in the middle of the stem, and a version with a very steep up angle. Nothing that looks like redshift?
@@pierrex3226 before I bought it about a year ago there were Chinese ones on eBay that looked the same, I nearly got one but in the space of a few days they went up in price from something like £50 to £90, so I didn't get the Chinese one, I got my redshift off Amazon in the black Friday sale for £123. I just checked on eBay and now can't find the Chinese ones so maybe don't do them anymore.
How did the kiddo react to the mustache? That's the real tell, if they liked it keep it!!!!
aliexpress has a guide for convenient pressing of the anchor into the fork
Thanks Luke just about to build up a gravel bike and I might buy a set of these now. 🥖🥖🥖🥖
Have you considered checking out the Wheeltop EDS groupset? Carbon, adjustable number of gears, 100% wireless, IP67 - sounds too good to be true and should be perfect for a test from your side.
Headline price is rather expensive, isn't it? L-TWOO is much cheaper, and in the US (I'm in Europe unfortunately) SRAM seems to be running massive discounts on groups for months now, inventory glut, I guess?
ATB / MTB is the final form - be it with shocks or a fully rigid ride. 👍💜 Glad that you’ve taken the next step. 🙂
You did better than I did at installing the star nut on my bike! 😬
🥖 I have great hack for that type of bike-stand. Remove 1 leg, this would by you a lot of space if you use it against a wall. As center of gravity with the bike is somewhere under the clamp the " rear " leg is pretty useless (the wall would probably cope with any stability issues😸).
I've bought 4 of those forks for MTB, the Fox 36 copies, and they were bad. I upgraded the damper to an original Fox Fit4, and the bushings to original fox too, and it worked well for a less than a year, until the right lower leg started to crack and separate around the bridge. At least not good for MTB.
To fit a star nut like that you need the fork in the frame and the stem fitted - that way the top cap locates in the stem and holds the screw straight as you tap it down.
Ummm, Luke, with that moustache.. you got the 70’s porn star vibe going! 😂
I have a 3D printed saddle by that brand and the quality is pretty good so you liking these forks doesn't come as a surprise.
To be honest - as somebody who is in road bike racing since 1981, and in MTB since 1991, and who recently bought a gravel bike, this is exactly the border which I do not want to cross... yes, in a couple of years, when all have switched to 32-40mm of travel, the industry will figure out that 80mm ist MUCH better...another two to three years later, they will figure out that steering control in rough terrain is better with a flat bar - we called it a "hardtail" already 30 years ago...
What I use is a suspension stem, though. I love my fullys, and I love my gravel - but like to keep them different...
... The bonus clip remind me... If I wanted suspension forks I would switch for the MTB and go straight double suspension just because I know what it takes to get the comfort on those rough roads trails sections... And then to have the real thing in the suspension spectrum.
i installed the same fork on my mom's yoeleo gravel bike. it works fine i guess. its definitely a great solution for her back problems.
Very Dad from The Wild Thornberrys vibes going on there 😂
To fix the strobing you’ll have to run your GoPro at 50fps because if I’m not mistaken UK Electricity is 50Hz not 60Hz
Great stuff. Next step is an xc mtb with drop bars. After that you end up with an xc bike with flat bars!
Liking the stash Luke, as a roadie and mountain biker I love the idea of gravel suspension and it's good to see more budget options reviewed. 🥖🥖🥖
You can use the compression plug in an alloy steerer. No need to install the star nut.
This one looks like the gravel fork of Santour. At our local, ppl use this type of cheap fork on the local racing of the 'MTB on paved road', it's required the bike has the shock fork, rigid is not allowed. So just pick a cheap one on gravel bike with MTB racing tires. It always works. And it's funny to see a suspension dropbar gravel in a group of flatbar hardtail.
I wonder if this hose has enough length if you get rid of all the spacers. Your stem would still be higher then with old fork.
When i broke my carbon fork, i installed rigid steel fork.. +1kg. But got used to it, and dont think i'm going back, cuz steel is real! In terms of servicing that fork, the cost of service at bikeshop would cost a half of that forks price, so.. yeah. Cheers!
You could have reused the compression plug in the rigid fork in the suspension fork as well. I don't use star nuts in any of the steerer tubes on any of my bikes.
you just need rear sus and flat bars and you are golden
Thanks for the review, I actually got other parts from that brand, like their carbon handlebars and carbon seat, and they are low cost and very good quality.
The nervous and excited giggles when pulling out the bigger hammer to install the star nut is 🤌
I did the moustache thing for a short while. I just couldn’t take myself seriously, but it was worth the laugh every time I looked in the mirror. Have fun with it for awhile. Lol
mountain bike tires.... front suspension... You may be an MTB convert yet... I enjoyed this video, have been interested in light suspension light this for my road bike. I love the air forks on my MTBs and don't get the whole rigid fork gravel thing... products like this make a million times more sense, especially coming from more MTB riding than road riding. I put a lot of road miles in too, but sometimes I wished I had some kind of light suspension when I hit gravel paths, construction zones and other rough patches.
It's a direct function of what you ride. On American unpaved roads, rigid is probably fine, it's where the whole gravel thing started. In Europe, we don't really have these unpaved roads, typically whatever is unpaved is just a mess. It's a generalisation but it matches my experience.
I watch your videos as soon as they're released because they're so watchable, whether I'm interested or not, but this is right up my gravel trail. 🥖🥖🥖
I've had a curiosity with weird suspension options for a long time, particularly the old Rockshox Paris Roubaix SL. . One question is whether it hits the downtube on full lock? Another is when are you going to undo those bolts and examine the internals?
The main benefit of suspension isn't actually the cushioning, it's the preload which does its thing extending the fork over holes, which keeps the tyre in contact with the ground more giving you more control. Seeing as UK gravel is often rough bridleways, farm tracks and bogs and wetlands, that's a transformative mod to a gravel bike
Luke the bike looks good, I still miss the old "gervin flex stem" they had enough travel for my liking, cheap and easy to change flex stiffness with different bushes!
i use an ikea desk leg (€4.95) and a threaded bar as my star fangled nut driver, its a little long but it fits nicely over the steerer tube and the rubber foot on the leg makes a good pad for the rubber mallet to hit.
It would be great if you had a look at the kinds of stem suspension Cycling About made a video of recently. The Chinese knockoff might be a bit more accessibly priced than what they were featuring. Weight wise you're looking at something like 200g instead of a 1000g. Although they might not suit what you're dealing with, according to Cycling About they are better for vibration.
Hello Luke, how about reviewing a suspension stem - much lighter - there's some available for £25 on Aliexpress.
Hey Luke! Just saying _hi_ to the new moustache!
keep the stache! all the gravel bros have em
The hex wrenches and open/box combo wrenches laying around on the floor make my OCD itch
Ha! So you’re finally moving towards what I’ve been asking for on half your videos - the Ali express MTB build 😂🤣🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
Nice. This would be nice on my alloy semi-gravel Giant Contend commuter. The city where I live has utterly appalling roads - my 28mm tyred Giant Defy was perfect in the last town I lived in, but it’s bad road repairs and random recessed manhole covers here that get quite sketchy on a roadie…
Id love if the police chief comes back - used to enjoy his segments very much
State Bicycles sells a gravel suspension fork. If I had to guess, it's probably pretty similar to the one you tested and could get a bunch of the basic info from State's owners manual.
I feel like the best part of a suspension fork on a gravel bike would be being able to run 40mm tyres for speed on smooth stuff but still being able to absorb bigger bumps. Just like how MTBs don't use fat tyres, they use fairly wide tyres and suspension.
Oooooh.... so many ideas... I just rode a trail on my touring bike that is more suitable for this type of machine... i was very underbiked... I love the idea of a drop bar suspension bike.
And capital mo!
🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖 and a 2 donut bonus🥯🥯
Yet another thoroughly entertaining and informative video Luke. Thanks, keep 'em coming.
Another very interesting adaptation/experiment...as entertaining as ever. Nicely done.
Keep the mustache!!! 🎉🎉🎉
That stache puts you one step closer to being Jeff from NorCal Cycling 🤣
Great as always mate ! I have to admit I quite like Kocevlo bits and pieces !
get a set of Pit-Viper glasses with that lip rug!!
It looks sharp, nice colour. Ride Safe everybody !
Luke the faster you transition to MTB, the faster you 'll experience pure joy! Take my word - in form of baguettes - for it! 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
Hi Luke, great one, loved it. I did something like this on my old steel bike (already heavy so the weight difference was not so noticeable). It really transformed my rides in our Welsh (poorly kept) lanes, taking the hand buzz out. Nowadays I would try a suspension stem.
Little point, and I hope you don't take this amiss, but if you had washed the bike before openning up all the bearings and so on then you would reduce the risk of getting muck in the delicate bits.
PS, did you see Noah in the bonus clip?
You make your videos so fun. Cool product might try it
I would think the 50mm tires would be enough. Maybe set the pressure at 25 psi. I went the opposite way. I ride my 32mm cross bike on gnarly mtb trails (wheels don't likle it). Also, I have a fully ridgid fat bike. I ride the fat bike on enduro trails. I do have other MTB and road bikes, but it is fun to change it up at times.
Good job. That (higher end version) reminds me of my first MTB with the old yellow version of RST suspension fork back in the 90's. Except that it runs on drop bars 😅