How To Install Dual Crown Fork

Intend Wheel Components is one of the smallest interruption and component companies in the earth, so it'due south understandable if the proper noun isn't immediately familiar. The company, which is essentially a ane-man performance, is headed upwards by Cornelius Kapfinger, an engineer who formerly worked with Trickstuff, the German brand best known for their beautifully machined, uber-expensive brakes. He's since branched out on his own, and at present produces cranks, stems, disc rotors, and suspension components, like the Intend Infinity upside-downward fork that'south reviewed hither.

Inverted, or upside-downwardly (USD) suspension forks aren't a new development in the mount cycle world, but despite an e'er-growing list of valiant attempts, they haven't been able to surpass the popularity of the much-more common right-side-upwardly design. That doesn't stop companies from trying to crevice the lawmaking, and Cornelius has tossed all of his technology know-how at the Infinity to try and make his mark in the interruption world.

Intend Infinity Details

• Intended utilise: DH
• Wheel size: 29", 27.five" or 26"
• Air-sprung
• Travel: Up to 215mm
• 20x110mm steel through-axle
• Adjustable rebound and low-speed compression
• Colors: blue or black
• Weight: two,510 grand / 5.5 lb (29")
• Cost: €2,049
• three month delivery fourth dimension
• www.intend-bc.com

Available with upwards to 215mm of air-sprung travel, the Infinity'south upper tubes measure 45 millimeters in diameter, and slide on 35mm stanchions. You can become the fork configured for 29", 27.5", or even 26" wheels, but at that place is a maximum headtube length of 140mm, including the headset. Why'southward that? It'due south because the Infinity doesn't use a traditional steerer tube – instead, a there's a small extension on each crown, and a threaded commodities, which is accessed from the underside of the lower crown, cinches everything together. That helps keep the weight down, and our exam fork checked in at only 2,510 grams, which is roughly 100 grams lighter than a RockShox BoXXer, and 200 grams lighter than a Fox 49.

The Infinity is priced at 2,049 Euro, only be prepared to await up to 3 months for commitment – each fork is hand-assembled afterward an order is submitted. For riders in Canada and the U.s., you're out of luck, unless you're planning a European vacation – due to insurance reasons Intend doesn't ship to North America.

Design Details

The Infinity's air pressure is adjusted via a Schrader valve on the top of the left leg, which is the instance with about every air-sprung fork on the market. The corporeality of finish-stroke ramp-up can be adapted by removing the superlative cap past using a cassette tool and screwing on a plastic spacer, or oil tin can be added to accomplish the same upshot. Co-ordinate to Intend, the Infinity'due south negative air spring volume is larger than most forks on the market in order to create a sensitive beginning stroke with plenty of mid-stroke support.

Rebound is adjusted on the top of the right leg. On my test fork, the rebound knob was 3D printed, and there weren't any clicks to assist proceed track of the position, which is a lilliputian inconvenient. The low-speed compression knob on the bottom of the same leg does have countable clicks, though, 14 of them to be exact.

The damper uses a semi-open bathroom blueprint – a smaller diameter tube that's within the stanchion is filled with oil, and the lesser of that tube is submerged in oil. The compression damper is located in that oil bath, but if yous feel like tinkering with the compression shim stack all you need to practise is turn the fork upside down and information technology can easily exist removed from the bottom of the leg without any oil loss.

On the topic of oil, the Infinity uses 2.5W Danico Biotech Race Shok oil, which is produced from German language grown sunflowers. I experience like Intend should include a sticker that says, "This fork runs on sunflower oil."

Installation

I installed the Infinity on a Kona Operator 29 that was in for testing (look for that review soon). Without whatever steerer tube to cut, it was a simple procedure to go it installed and ready to get. The restriction line routing is a little rudimentary, and it's of import to make sure that it's washed correctly, otherwise there'south the run a risk of the brake line getting pushed into the wheel when the fork compresses. I'd say in that location's definitely room for refinement in this area – zip-ties and plastic cablevision guides seem out of place on a high-end fork.

On the Trail

All of my time on the Infinity was spent at the Whistler Bike Park, which is the ideal location to rack up a serious amount of vertical in a relatively short amount of time. Set up-upwardly was straightforward, and I ended upwards with 100 psi of air pressure level for my 160 lb weight, with seven-clicks of low-speed pinch and the rebound set according to my preference. The corporeality of range for the rebound and LSC isn't crazy – you can't brand the fork return as slow as molasses, or feel similar it'due south fully locked out – just it's reasonable, and I'd imagine that near riders would be able to find the sweet spot within the available settings.

The overall feel of the fork is ane of controlled plushness – the travel feels bottomless, with just enough ramp-up at the end of the stroke to avoid whatsoever harshness. My hands welcomed the Infinity'south trail-smoothing abilities, specially on high-speed, restriction bumped filled straightaways. In that location was enough of fore/aft stiffness on those straightaways as well, and the fork took whatever I plowed it through in stride, as long equally I hit those obstacles head-on.

The downside to the Infinity's design, and the same consequence that's plagued near every mountain cycle fork that's gone down this route, is the lack of torsional stiffness. On sections of trail that required a lot of forepart end move, that lack of stiffness became quite apparent. At times it felt as if there was a delay betwixt when I turned the handlebar and when the front bike moved, a sensation that was even more noticeable if there was a sequence of multiple quick turns. That'south when it felt like I really had to apply extra effort to get the front wheel to track where I wanted it to – it was similar driving a automobile without power steering.

The flex felt detrimental when the trails were hardpacked and running fast, only at that place was ane actress rainy day where the Infinity's potential shone through. The roots were slick and the mud was deep, but I found that if I relaxed and let the fork find its way in that location was much more traction bachelor than I'd anticipated. I all the same had a few moments where it felt similar the fork got hung up when I tried to strength a direction change, merely it was in those moisture, glace weather condition, times where finesse is key, that the fork felt best.

How Does It Compare?

The last upside down DH fork that I tested was 5 years ago, on a bike with 26" wheels, and then I tin can't draw any straight comparisons between the Intend and another USD fork. However, I can compare it to the RockShox Boxxer World Loving cup whose spot information technology temporarily took. The Infinity is a little lighter than the Boxxer, just I tin't say that I noticed that out on the trail. What I did notice was how easy it was to initiate the travel on the Infinity - its kickoff stroke was more supple than the Boxxer's, and overall it felt more linear and 'plush', for lack of a meliorate term, while the Boxxer was more supportive in the mid-stroke. Of course, that trait can be tuned to some extent on both forks with volume spacers.

The Boxxer does have a wider range of adjustments, along with externally adjustable loftier-speed compression, which makes it easier to adjust the fork to suit a track or personal preference. So there'due south the whole stiffness side of the equation, which the Boxxer wins handily - the deviation between it and the Infinity was very noticeable.

Durability

The Infinity has seen a mix of dry and dusty days and some admittedly sloppy ones, and it'south remained smooth throughout all of it. Yet, those muddy laps did begin to accept a price on some of the anodizing - the brake line rubbed through the blue in a few sections. Installing some clear protective tape alee of time would be the best tactic to avert this issue. How about those unprotected stanchions? They've survived without a scratch.

Pros

+ Plush and shine travel
+ Light weight for a dual crown fork
+ You'll stand up out from the crowd

Cons

- Lack of torsional stiffness
- No built-in cable guides
- Expensive, not available in North America

Pinkbike's Have

While the Infinity isn't the way to go if stiffness is high on the priority listing, the damper does work very well, and the overall ride experience is quite comfortable. Creating a intermission fork from scratch is no easy task, and this fork is a valiant effort from a very tiny company. Information technology'll be interesting to see what Mr. Kapfinger comes up with side by side. — Mike Kazimer

---

---

Source: https://www.pinkbike.com/news/review-intend-infinity-dual-crown-usd-fork.html

Posted by: geterintentookey1948.blogspot.com

Share this post