2012 Salsa El Mariachi Fork Swap
11-15-19, 10:22 PM
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2012 Salsa El Mariachi Fork Swap
Hello all, I am in the market for a new bike.
I have been looking at this 2012 salsa el mariachi single speed, as it's PERFECT for just about everything I could ask for out of a bike.
For my current my riding style, upright, "carvy", and nimble fits me the best. I tried a CX bike, and it was getting there but it was still too limited. Track bikes are just not versatile enough (can't take one on a trail).
Becuase it has interchangeable dropouts, it can be a workhorse, trail bike, commuter, long distacne rider, grocery getter, and fun fun bike for the occasional street shred.
Best thing is simplicity of the ss, and option of 1x.
So anyways, it rides great, but I had just a few worries and I wanted to consult with other riders before I make the decision.
1. The el mariachi in 2012 did not have an SS variant (2014+ did). So it has had a fork swap. The forks are made by salsa, and they are properly thru axle, etc. They seem like they are made exactly for converting mtbs to straight blades.
BUT, it feels a taaad bit "funny". When I turn, it kind of feels like the frame wants to go one way, while the wheels are turned another.
They are also incredibly "loose" and "fast". Meaning, they feel like they turn waaaay to sharp, and the frame doesn't want to follow.
I did some test carves, and there was no weird gyro effect that felt like it was going to throw me off the bike, but at very high speeds I may be concerned.
If I ever work with this thing, I want it to be able to react quickly and confidently.
Right now, i'm just writing this off as the way MTB's are supposed to feel. I'm used to track bikes, and the fork is made by salsa, so it could jsut be me.
Can anyone chime in on this specifically? How should an mtb feel when turning?
2. The rims are stans rims rated for 45 PSI max. I'm a clydesdale, and it felt great when I dropped the pressure (definitely rideable as a commuter and workhorse), but I have heard horror stories about the tire blowing off the rim if you go over
manufacturer spec. Should I be worried about this at all?
3. What would you pay for this bike? Is something around $500 reasonable? It's a 2012, so it's 7 years old, but it's in VERY good shape and it has hydraulic disc brakes.
I have been looking at this 2012 salsa el mariachi single speed, as it's PERFECT for just about everything I could ask for out of a bike.
For my current my riding style, upright, "carvy", and nimble fits me the best. I tried a CX bike, and it was getting there but it was still too limited. Track bikes are just not versatile enough (can't take one on a trail).
Becuase it has interchangeable dropouts, it can be a workhorse, trail bike, commuter, long distacne rider, grocery getter, and fun fun bike for the occasional street shred.
Best thing is simplicity of the ss, and option of 1x.
So anyways, it rides great, but I had just a few worries and I wanted to consult with other riders before I make the decision.
1. The el mariachi in 2012 did not have an SS variant (2014+ did). So it has had a fork swap. The forks are made by salsa, and they are properly thru axle, etc. They seem like they are made exactly for converting mtbs to straight blades.
BUT, it feels a taaad bit "funny". When I turn, it kind of feels like the frame wants to go one way, while the wheels are turned another.
They are also incredibly "loose" and "fast". Meaning, they feel like they turn waaaay to sharp, and the frame doesn't want to follow.
I did some test carves, and there was no weird gyro effect that felt like it was going to throw me off the bike, but at very high speeds I may be concerned.
If I ever work with this thing, I want it to be able to react quickly and confidently.
Right now, i'm just writing this off as the way MTB's are supposed to feel. I'm used to track bikes, and the fork is made by salsa, so it could jsut be me.
Can anyone chime in on this specifically? How should an mtb feel when turning?
2. The rims are stans rims rated for 45 PSI max. I'm a clydesdale, and it felt great when I dropped the pressure (definitely rideable as a commuter and workhorse), but I have heard horror stories about the tire blowing off the rim if you go over
manufacturer spec. Should I be worried about this at all?
3. What would you pay for this bike? Is something around $500 reasonable? It's a 2012, so it's 7 years old, but it's in VERY good shape and it has hydraulic disc brakes.
11-16-19, 01:02 PM
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Nevermind I answered this myself. I'm adding to this so that it pops up in search engines if anyone else has the same question.
Turns out the forks on the bike are corrected and offset to compensate for 80mm travel forks, and the frame is designed to be used with forks that have something between 80mm and 100mm of travel.
So that feeling was indeed correlated with the fact that I have never ridden a 29er mtb. I verified this by actually trying to "overturn" and throw the bike off balance (at low speed so nothing gets damaged).
I just had to verify the math.
My only concerns now are the reports of frame crackage at the chainstays.
Turns out the forks on the bike are corrected and offset to compensate for 80mm travel forks, and the frame is designed to be used with forks that have something between 80mm and 100mm of travel.
So that feeling was indeed correlated with the fact that I have never ridden a 29er mtb. I verified this by actually trying to "overturn" and throw the bike off balance (at low speed so nothing gets damaged).
I just had to verify the math.
My only concerns now are the reports of frame crackage at the chainstays.
