Rock Shox Reba To Be Tweaked For 29″ers
February 26th, 2007 by Guitar TedI have just received word through a confidential source that SRAM/ Rock Shox is testing a new fork offset to be released in the near future for the Reba 29″er. A longer offset is being tested that will allow designers of 29″ers to do a couple of things. First, the head angle will not have to be radically steep to gain a lower fork trail number that more resembles what we have on 26 inch wheeled XC bikes. Handling in the tight, twisty single track trails will be markedly improved and the front end quickness should be suitable to most trail riders situations. Secondly, the smaller sizes of 29″ers will benefit, as a slacker head tube angle will not only kick the wheel out further, but so will the longer offset, helping to eliminate toe overlap with the front wheel in tight, slow manoeuvring. Yet the offset will help retain quick handling, unlike the current offset of 38mm.
Good timing on the part of SRAM/ Rock Shox will allow them to keep pace with the upcoming Manitou offering that will also have the longer offset on offer. Also, I suspect Fox to be working on something that should show up yet this year, as well. The Reba is the undisputed “queen” of 29″er forks, and this should help keep it in the hunt for the top fork choice for 29″ers going into the future.
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…man, if they really want to keep pace…let’s see a 29er Pike!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am with you on a Pike 29er or Revelation 29er fork.
so how would this affect a frame thats already designed around the current reba offerings?
Anonymous: It’s pretty easy, really. More offset = less fork trail = quicker steering. That’s a rather simplistic example, but it works for most bikes.
Like your current handling? Stay away. Wishing for more quickness/flickability/steering precision? Then buy in.
This is a really good move for them, and as you said, riders using smaller frames will certainly benefit.
I hope they will make this great fork a little bit stiffer because now with the longer legs head is not on the stiff expecially if you are an hard rider.
M@RCO: My secret hope is that they do as the first two commenters to this thread posted and come out with a 29 inch version of the Pike or Lyrik. This would address the needs for a fork suited to more aggressive riders and demanding terrain and leave the Reba as a dedicated XC fork.
Wow, would lobbying really work in the long run? I know Gary Fisher was all for this, and he did do RockShox a little favor by launching their 29″ Reba’s with a large OEM deal…
If you have a frame with steeper head angle to get the short offset fork to steer quicker, you can still enjoy the longer offset of upcoming forks :
Get one in 20mm longer than what you’ve got now (like going from an 80/39mm Reba to a 100/48mm Manitou. The taller front will slacken head angle, compensating for the extra offset, handling quickness with feel different, but not hugely quicker or slower.
Mounting a longer fork also slightly shortens effective top tube (many 29″ frame can spare some) as you’ll want to slide your seat forward ca 11-14mm to get back in the same position over the BB.
You get to enjoy the longer fork travel, lose some headset spacer or bar rise.
Are they going to lower the crown and knobs, so framemakers don’t have to squeeze the top tube and downtube together to avoid the knobs hitting the DT? The requisite short headtubes are already a negative for the 29ers and if frame makers need to mess with gussets and welding DT and TT together –just isn’t the most elegant engineering solution.
anonminousness: No, I don’t foresee this happening. I think that since the frame designers have capitulated and modified there approach, the issue is dead, for now.
Curiously, most of my head tubes on the 29″ers I ride are actually too short. I wouldn’t mind having an extra bit on all of my bikes head tubes!
quick question…..i was recently looking at the sram website, and the reba 29er fork is NOT listed on their site. is sram going to keep making a 29er fork???
a nony mouse: YES! Don’t for a minute think that Rock Shox is going to just give away their current preeminent position in the 29″er marketplace. There are going to be tweaks to the platform, no doubt. We shall not probably see the results until Interbike. That’s the next big show that features product introductions.
Look for several rumors to surface in the meantime. As always, Twenty Nine Inches will keep you updated as to the latest scuttlebutt.