Light Bikes Suspension Fork

[Carbon_Dude]

Looks like Light Bikes has a generic Chinese fork available in each of the three popular MTB wheel sizes.  Fork appears to be air sprung with a carbon steer tube, carbon lowers, and carbon crown.  No specs on the weight, amount of tuning, or price but the fork looks nice.  If they are selling for less than $400 USD it might be a good deal.

http://www.ltbikes.com/products-show.asp?id=523#

They also have a Fatbike carbon suspension fork on their website.

[cmh]

Looks like Light Bikes has a generic Chinese fork available in each of the three popular MTB wheel sizes.  Fork appears to be air sprung with a carbon steer tube, carbon lowers, and carbon crown.  No specs on the weight, amount of tuning, or price but the fork looks nice.  If they are selling for less than $400 USD it might be a good deal.

http://www.ltbikes.com/products-show.asp?id=523#

They also have a Fatbike carbon suspension fork on their website.

Wow, very interesting. Is it just me and my browser, or is there absolutely no information on that site? I see "Description" and nothing at all under it. Same for any of the things I checked, not just the forks.

Can't imagine those are fully carbon lowers, at best it's probably carbon wrapped magnesium.

[bdub]

Carbon_Dude, you are going to be our test monkey and buy one right?

[Carbon_Dude]

Don't need one right now, but it would be tempting if I were to build another mountain bike.  As it is right now, not sure how long it will be before I'm riding my existing Chiners.

I'm sure there is someone who is interested in buying one, they can post up a price and specs for the rest of us.

[325racer]

If they want to ship me one I'd be more than happy to test it and write a review.

[Izzy]

This is pretty interesting. This first model may not be the best fork on the trail, but I bet in time they get to the level of performance that we're used to with name mid-tier name brand suspension forks. I'd like to know if (and if so which one) they used a specific company's fork internals and technology as "inspiration".

If they want to ship me one I'd be more than happy to test it and write a review.

If they were smart they'd do this. Send a freebie out for review to one of the mods or a member that's been around for at least a little while. If it was me, I'd follow along in a build thread and right when that particular thread/member started asking about fork recommendations/suggestions I'd jump in and conveniently offer up a freebie for review. Guaranteed to jump start sales of a brand new product that people may skeptical of at first.

[Oolak]

Is it just me and my browser, or is there absolutely no information on that site?

Nope, not just you. No info or description at all. Hey, at least we got some pics, I guess:

29er:



Fatty:

[cmh]

Is it just me and my browser, or is there absolutely no information on that site?

Nope, not just you. No info or description at all. Hey, at least we got some pics, I guess:

If it was strategically revealing information to drum up some chatter, that's smart, but this is probably all the info we'll see.

So many questions...

[Oolak]

If it was strategically revealing information to drum up some chatter, that's smart, but this is probably all the info we'll see.

So many questions...

Hahaha. Yes, it's actually part of their ingenious marketing plan!

Yes, indeed, TONS of questions.

[Sitar_Ned]

Can't imagine those are fully carbon lowers, at best it's probably carbon wrapped magnesium.

That's what I'm wondering/thinking. The fat fork lower stanchions have the carbon finish but now way they're fully carbon lowers?

I think this is the same fatty fork but on a different site that has a bit of description: http://www.enjoybicycles.com/productShow.asp?ID=162

Name: carbon fat bike hardtail fork.
Model: ECFK028
Finish: 3K/UD/12K, glossy/matt.
Weight: 1300+/-15g.
Alex: 135x15mm
Suspenison travel: 100mm
one side oil and one side air  in the cartridge.

I guess the fact that it says "Finish: 3K/UD/12K" means they aren't true carbon lowers which is what I would've guessed.

[cmh]

Good find!

1300g? I'm going to go ahead and be verrrrry skeptical of that weight. That's phenomenally light for a fork of that size. Only things I've seen in that range are the old RockShox SIDs with the 28mm stanchions, and I'm quite sure you don't want that on a fat bike. I had a set of SIDs back in the day and when I hit the brakes I could see the front wheel flex backwards nearly 2 inches. *yikes*

Also interesting they go with the 135mm spacing vs. the 150 of the Bluto.

I think wrapping carbon on the magnesium lowers wouldn't really add anything to it except weight.  It could potentially help stiffen the top part of the lowers, dunno.

[Carbon_Dude]

I guess the fact that it says "Finish: 3K/UD/12K" means they aren't true carbon lowers which is what I would've guessed.

Just because you can select the top layer of carbon, doesn't tell me anything about the construction of the lowers, all Chinese vendors have this same option with their carbon frames.  It would make sense to me though that the lowers need to at least have metal sleeves for smooth action between the damper and upper as well as one side being oil filled.

[Sitar_Ned]

Just because you can select the top layer of carbon, doesn't tell me anything, all Chinese vendors have this same option with their carbon frames.

Very good point. That said, carbon frames are commonplace, carbon lower stanchions aren't (?) so it's more likely that the carbon finish on the fork is pure aesthetics. Either way, you're right.. an option for carbon finish tells us nothing definitive.

[Oolak]

1300g? I'm going to go ahead and be verrrrry skeptical of that weight. That's phenomenally light for a fork of that size. Only things I've seen in that range are the old RockShox SIDs with the 28mm stanchions, and I'm quite sure you don't want that on a fat bike. I had a set of SIDs back in the day and when I hit the brakes I could see the front wheel flex backwards nearly 2 inches. *yikes*

Agreed about being super skeptical of that weight, although it does support the idea of fully carbon lowers, no?

[cmh]

1300g? I'm going to go ahead and be verrrrry skeptical of that weight. That's phenomenally light for a fork of that size. Only things I've seen in that range are the old RockShox SIDs with the 28mm stanchions, and I'm quite sure you don't want that on a fat bike. I had a set of SIDs back in the day and when I hit the brakes I could see the front wheel flex backwards nearly 2 inches. *yikes*

Agreed about being super skeptical of that weight, although it does support the idea of fully carbon lowers, no?

In theory, yes, but I can't imagine the first carbon lowers that we'll see would come from a Chiner vendor. If it's truth, though, that could be quite impressive. I don't know as there's anything to necessarily preclude the carbon lowers - the bushings are press fit into normal lowers so could be press fit into carbon lowers as well.

Out of curiosity - did a quick search and found this. Billed as a "full carbon" fork but has metal stanchions and dropouts - but still, carbon lowers. Also, 1530g weight which is far more believable.

Also - scroll down around halfway.

So it's not outside the realm of possibility.