Evolution of Mrs. Batty Cee (how it finally became a Drop Bar 29er) Part 1 - Kona Fork

 Not sure I crossed the line or blurred the line with my 29er.  I got her a few years ago to to experience the 29" wheels.  The bike definitely roll a lot faster than the 26" wheels.  I can't say that I was in love with it in the early stages, but I have grown to love it.

However, I never really liked the high front end and the slack/relaxed angles.  The stock 100mm front shock was supple but the front angle changes too much and I much prefer bikes with less changes. My fork eventually needed service and I decided it was time to retire the fork and get something different.

Sourcing out a rigid for in 2020 wasn't a easy task.  They are out of stock in lots of places because factories were shut down around the globe.  In December, I found one.  Not an ideal one but the price was right.  I got myself an Kona P2 29er.  The fork was designed for one of Kona's 29ers bur the fork is very different than the Rockshox XC30.  For one thing, the Kona is about 40mm shorter and have 5mm less offset.  The common belief is that the frame is designed for 100mm fork and I should replace it with a fork that is similar in length.  But I have a different idea.  

The suspension forks are designed to move during the ride and the angles of the bike will be different depends on how much the fork moved.  I also feel that the fork are often compressed more than 40mm when it is ridden down hill.  So instead of pursuing a 480mm fork, I opted for a 460mm

It was somewhat a gamble.

The fork arrived and I nervously  installed the fork.  I really hope that it would work.  I didn't change anything at first.  I ran the bike with a 60mm stem and a 700mm flat bar.  I tried this combo out and I didn't like it. the steering was way too quick.  The wide bar had too much leverage.

To slow it down, a 70mm stem and a 600mm flat bar went on. It slowed the steering and I liked it.  It worked and I rode like a 90's XC bike.  It was a fun bike to ride on the easy trails.  But needless to say, the flat bar didn't stay with the bike long. It was replaced with a Jones bar