So as the week as got windier and we have had heavy blustery rain i have been indoors most evenings tinkering and decided to get the FOX suspension fork i bought on eBay fitted to the Surly Krampus...
Dremmel Thriller;
The idea to get a used FOX 29er fork and take a Dremmel to the fork arch to enable it to fit a 29+ 3" tyre on a 50mm rim is something most folk would not consider, but many Krampus owners have done this and to date their all still alive, there is a lot of alloy on the brace to shave some tyre clearance, maybe not enough for thick gloop but where i will be riding the bike when the fork is fitted it should be ok,
There is a lot of info on fitting 29er forks to the Surly Krampus on threads on MTBR Forum ,
And blogger friend Vic B has a fox fork fitted to his Krampus, you can read his blog on the fork Here...
Why fit a fork?
Speed!, i can only go so fast with a ridged fork rocky trails without rattling myself to bits,
The Krampus was fantastic ridged in the woods at Pitmedden Forest, but i had sore shoulder blade muscles after hitting rocky stuff at Glentress, I have had this before in the past with the Pugsley too,
This now i would rather have a 29+ bike with front suspension fork option than a 4" fatbike. As the 29+ rides lighter and faster, climbs better, and so i find more fun on trails away from the coast,
I already got the ECR in bike packing/utility build and the Pugsley with it`s 29+ wheels ticks the boxes for winter gloop tyre clearance, fitting the fork will make the Krampus a bit more versatile and ideal for a odd day at trail centres
2015 FOX 32 Float, 130mm travel;
Is what i won on eBay, i did not want to spen a lot on a fork i`m taking a Dremmel too!, and will not be used all the time...
Mods to the front wheel;
Out to the Man Cave and the windy was howling outside and heavy showers rattled the roof!,
First off i had to swap the front hub to one that takes a 15mm thru axle for the FOX fork, or a 9mm QR skewer when refitting the stock Krampus fork. I had a Hope Pro 2 hub on a 29er wheel originally built for the red Surly Karate Monkey and been on all my ridged 29er builds since...
It currently has the 9mm QR hub spacers fitted but i do have other spacers...
Quick look in the Hope Hub spares box and only 20mm spacers and another set of 9mm QR spacers so ordered some 15mm thru axle spacers from CRC...
Stripping the tyres off i managed to leave the split tube attached to the 29+ chronicle, maybe i can re fit this and save another inner tube being used along with more sealant...
The split 29er rim and Surly front New Ultra hub i will use in two other future wheel builds....
So all the stuff need here for the Krampus; RH rim, 198mm spokes, Hope Pro 2 front hub...
Back indoors as the wind and rain started to fall and nice and cosy once the stove was lit and time to re lace the Krampus wheel...
Roughly trued i left it to sit overnight and would true it in the wheel jig next evening...
Loving the new stove!...
Got a bit warm at 22 C!
Next evening postie had delivered the required 15mm thru axle hub spacers needed and i trued the wheel in the jig while the 9mm QR axle was still fitted...
Then it was out to the Man Cave and i fitted the hub spacers and the FOX fork...
The big thing to do would be to grind some of the fork arch with the Dremmel to allow the 29+ tyre enough clearance, to some people a daunting thing to do but it has already been done by many online and there has not been a fork failure yet by doing so, any hows i have Denplan for new teeth if it fails! lol
I would do it once everything else is built up...
To required parts i needed had arrived in the post today, a shimano brake adaptor from CRC, and a replacement rim strip from Charlie Bikemonger as the original broke when i removed it...
I secured the rim tape after i centred it as they can move exposing the inner tube or in my case the remaining split tube, a tyre lever pressed the duct tape into the rim bead...
Going Ghetto;
The Ghetto `split tube` tubeless has been faultless so far on my 29+ bikes, It is a bit of a faff to do but once done no more pinch flats, thorn punctures, or DIY tubeless rim tape failing, lighter rotating wheels too, giving better grip, you can read the thread on Ghetto tubeless here; Going 3", 4" 5" Ghetto tubeless
Time to try and refit the tyre with still sealed split tube and sealant, doing this will save a fiver!...
It refitted after using a tyre lever as real tight and only a little bit sealant leaked...
But it failed to re air without the foam liner re fitted so i removed it and washed the tyre to start fresh with a new tube and sealant. Here you can see where the sealant has sealed a big hole...
2 laps of B&Q vinyl flooring under lay foam was refitted...
Then a 24" tube inflated, fitted and centred before cutting to split along the centre rib line...
Chalk wiped off the washed tyre was fitted, and it was tight and needed a tyre lever...
Then if you have done it tight enough to inflate with a track pump the split tube will need pulled back out from under the bead at the last part with the aid of a tyre lever...
Inflated with the track pump to 20 psi which would seat the bead as i measured out some sealant...
I find the `Joe`s` Sealant better in inner tubes, esp now they do a specific inner tube sealant, while the `Stans No Tubes` sealant works fine in the Ghetto tubeless set up...
Valve core removed and i use the Joe`s bottle as easier to fill the Schrader valves...
Pump back up to 20 psi and do the `Stan`s Shuffle` to shake the sealant around and then trim the split inner tube using a new Stanley knife blade...
Time for the Dremmel...
With the front wheel fitted and still at 20 psi you can see then is minimum clearance...
Get the Dremmel out!...
5 minutes later...
Not massive clearance but should be ok for where i will be riding...
Mask the fork legs and a quick spray with Black Smoothrite...
Ready to roll;
Back indoors and the Krampus is ready to go after airing down the front tyre to 12 psi, and setting the sag on the fork...
Other stuff;
Last weekend when i built up a Pugsley for Alan he told me about a Scottish footwear company i did not know about, Anatom Footwear make outdoor boots and shoes and are a lot cheaper than the big brand companies. I need a new pair of boots for walking and winter cycling if we get snow and bought a pair of these via Amazon...
And a £20 mini water purifier to add to my Bike Packing kit...
There`s a storm coming;
Today Friday the temperature is to drop and heavy rain is forcasted across England and the Scottish west coast and highlands, storm damage expected,
Beach riding with friends tomorrow so will be an entertaining day!...
More soon...
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