As you may already know I am a huge fun of any comfort improvements that are available on the gravel market and Lauf Grit SL promises to be one of the best one so I really wanted to test it and finally I did.
First things first: it works but to get most of it you need to keep the tire air pressure low. Why? Because it uses a springs that basically do not absorb the energy but releases it to the tire and frame (rider). So if you ride on a firm tire then most of the energy will go directly to you but just use a supple tire like mine Soma Cazadero 700x42c and run it at 30 psi to really enjoy the benefits of Lauf Grit fork. I also added a Redshift Shockstop stem to mitigate even more energy generated by Lauf and in this setup I have a vey comfortable gravel bike. Comfortable and in the same time a fun bike because Lauf Fork is also stiff and precise when needed. And it has a really HUGE tire clerance. I put a Schwalbe Thunder Burt 27,5 2,25 tire in it and there was still a tons of space between tire and fork (but I would not go any further because on bigger bumps the tire could start scratching the fork).
Two more things I have observed:
- Riding on the tops is the least beneficial. It seems that the more weight you put on the handlebar the better for the Lauf (it feels more like a suspension and less like a spring)
- it makes a noise
in a strong wind you can definetely hear some sort of whistle due to its unique construction.
If you have any questions about this fork just ask me. And if you want to find out more just read my review:
https://gravelbikes.cc/tests/lauf-gr...n-fork-review/