Lauf Grit Fork Feedback

[pbarry]

Anyone here running one? Wondering how they do on washboard surfaces? Worth the weight penalty?

Pretty happy with large volume/low pressure tires, but these look intriguing for rougher terrain.

[cachagua]

Have to remember to call them that, that's pretty good.

[pbarry]

Haha! Effing spell check. :rolleyes:

[Clancy]

A friend bought one off of eBay and I was able to play with it but only very briefly. I was surprised at the side-to-side flex, it was possible - when standing still - to crank down on the bars and actually get the tire to rub either side of the fork. My friend quickly got rid of it.

Disclaimer. This was all of a 10-15 minute look over and I have no idea if the fork was set-up properly in terms of rider weight. I have no idea if there are different bands available for different compliance It may very well be that it was set-up for a light rider but even if it was, very surprising how easily it flexed.

I wouldn’t go for one without a test ride. Given the scarcity of the product, that may be hard to do.

Long stretches of washboard are a huge pain, no pleasure at all bouncing over that. If this fork functions properly, it may be the perfect solution. Hard to tell.

[Wayne77]

FWIW, I saw quite a few complete Lauf bikes and other bikes with the Lauf grit fork at the Crusher this year, a handful in the Pro/Cat1-2 field. I spoke with 2 guys and they swore by them...especially for washboard.

I think the earlier models, especially on other bikes, look crazy weird, but the new Lauf gravel bikes, with the fork legs painted to match actually don’t look too bad to me. I will say this...the new gravel frames they sell look really nice from a feature perspective. The paint options look really nice as well.

One other data point: I’ve found that a super stiff wheel can be an equal factor in side to side rub...it’s the fork flexing (especially suspension forks). Anyway, I don’t think too many light XC oriented suspension forks are going to be as stiff side to side as a solid fork...if indeed that is the point of reference for comparison.

I’d try one in a heartbeat. Can’t say whether I’d like it, but I really like companies that innovate and do their own thing.

[GScot]

I rented a Lauf True Grit gravel bike with the newer Grit SL fork and rode as much as I could for two days. Rides started on pavement with some small hills to climb and went through dirt road, canal path, and single track. Loved it (disclaimer is that I have a bad elbow and reducing vibration and hard shocks is my number one priority).

If you stand to climb a steep hill on pavement you can tell the front is soft if you're actively trying to make it flex, if you treat it like a bike and just ride the flex is not intrusive or very noticable. I was a 160 pound rider on a medium frame so at the lower end of its rider weight expectation. On hard packed road with some large rocks and pockets from recent grading if I tried to hit everything the fork made a very noticeable difference in the shock from each hit without any odd deflections that would change your direction. I also had a couple of washouts to cross that were full of deep loose sand and gravel. In those conditions I did not perceive any lack of steering response or downsides from the fork. I never experienced any washboard but did try to ride the rough lines in the roads and paths and found the fork to be great for reducing heavy hits and vibration.

I haven't ridden the same routes with my current monster cross but with my elbow being my ride time limiter a 2 hour ride on one day leaves me with a tender elbow for a couple days. Two days of ridding with the lauf left my elbow feeling better than expected. After the first day it wasn't sore at all. I was considering buying it as an all arounder I liked it so much as I really needed a new road bike (sold off the old ones after arm injury and change of location), now I am in road riding paradise and came to my senses and bought a real road bike. When the time comes to add to the stable a Lauf will be very likely for me.

[AngryScientist]

search for some comments from ebaumman, i know he ran one for a bit, including our east coast infamous D2R2. he had some good insight if i recall.

[bobswire]

I've been intrigued by those forks also because of the type of riding I prefer. If the Grit sold for half the asking price I would have purchased one by now. This was the best review I've seen on the fork. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT1k-7-lcHU

[Bob Ross]

I wouldn’t go for one without a test ride. Given the scarcity of the product, that may be hard to do.

A friend of mine did just that: Rented a bike with a Lauf fork for a one week gravel camp in southern Arizona last February. Liked it so much he ordered a new Lauf bike, which he took delivery of a couple months ago. He's definitely well over 160lbs.


I rented a Lauf True Grit gravel bike with the newer Grit SL fork and rode as much as I could for two days. Rides started on pavement with some small hills to climb and went through dirt road, canal path, and single track. Loved it

Given your location (AZ) I'm wondering if you rented from the same place my friend did? Somewhere south of Tucson but north of Nogales...

[GScot]

A friend of mine did just that: Rented a bike with a Lauf fork for a one week gravel camp in southern Arizona last February. Liked it so much he ordered a new Lauf bike, which he took delivery of a couple months ago. He's definitely well over 160lbs.




Given your location (AZ) I'm wondering if you rented from the same place my friend did? Somewhere south of Tucson but north of Nogales...

McDowell Mtn Cycles in Fountain Hills for my rental. Nice shop and helpful staff. I tried small and medium and even though small was more of a normal fit the short stem on the medium handled better. I'm glad they talked me into taking that one out as that's what I'll buy.

[yinzerniner]

I've been intrigued by those forks also because of the type of riding I prefer. If the Grit sold for half the asking price I would have purchased one by now. This was the best review I've seen on the fork. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT1k-7-lcHU

The problem I see with the fork is that it's ~600g weight penalty and less lateral stiffness at the front end for benefits that should be achievable with a large 650b tire. 30mm of suspension travel is not that much at all, and remember since it's not a true suspension fork there's no ramping / damping and the hit at the end of the travel is severe.

I think it would be great to use on long, rough races like the Dirty Kanza where there's dozens of washboard miles but for everyday riding I don't see the benefits outweighing the costs/negatives.

I found this user review when researching whether to go in on a True Grit frameset and seems to confirm the negatives that of the professional reviews:

https://www.bikeforums.net/cyclocross-gravelbiking-recreational/1147097-i-just-impulse-rented-lauf-true-grit.html

[John H.]

If I need this fork, why wouldn't I just ride my hardtail?

[simplemind]

The problem I see with the fork is that it's ~600g weight penalty and less lateral stiffness at the front end for benefits that should be achievable with a large 650b tire.gatives that of the professional reviews:

https://www.bikeforums.net/cyclocross-gravelbiking-recreational/1147097-i-just-impulse-rented-lauf-true-grit.html


There's a lot about that review that is suspect, imho! The bike was certainly not set up correctly and I'd bet that there were no dimensions taken from his HT bike and transferred to the Lauf. Just a difference in seat height and angle can cause back issues. And the tire pressures were at least 20% too high, just say'in.

[pbarry]

A friend bought one off of eBay and I was able to play with it but only very briefly. I was surprised at the side-to-side flex, it was possible - when standing still - to crank down on the bars and actually get the tire to rub either side of the fork. My friend quickly got rid of it.

Disclaimer. This was all of a 10-15 minute look over and I have no idea if the fork was set-up properly in terms of rider weight. I have no idea if there are different bands available for different compliance It may very well be that it was set-up for a light rider but even if it was, very surprising how easily it flexed.

I wouldn’t go for one without a test ride. Given the scarcity of the product, that may be hard to do.

Long stretches of washboard are a huge pain, no pleasure at all bouncing over that. If this fork functions properly, it may be the perfect solution. Hard to tell.

How much tire clearance on your buddy's bike? I ride 38c tires with lots of clearance left, and know it's easy to make bikes do impossible things when they are at rest. ;) One size fits all on these, but I'm in the light to mid range. Test ride is an excellent idea. Thanks!

[pbarry]

The problem I see with the fork is that it's ~600g weight penalty and less lateral stiffness at the front end for benefits that should be achievable with a large 650b tire. 30mm of suspension travel is not that much at all, and remember since it's not a true suspension fork there's no ramping / damping and the hit at the end of the travel is severe.

I think it would be great to use on long, rough races like the Dirty Kanza where there's dozens of washboard miles but for everyday riding I don't see the benefits outweighing the costs/negatives.

I found this user review when researching whether to go in on a True Grit frameset and seems to confirm the negatives that of the professional reviews:

https://www.bikeforums.net/cyclocross-gravelbiking-recreational/1147097-i-just-impulse-rented-lauf-true-grit.html

Maybe a 450g weight penalty? Are ENVE forks 300g? Thanks for the link. The reviewer really missed an opportunity by not having equal air pressure during his testing. :eek: Dirty Kanza conditions are what I'm riding on till the road graders get back out there, so that takeaway goes in the plus column.

[pbarry]

If I need this fork, why wouldn't I just ride my hardtail?

Exactly.
I don't have one anymore, so looking for some more 'cush on the narrower tires.

[eBAUMANN]

i have one on my eriksen...also rode one on a couple other frames for testing purposes, and have another in a box waiting for a frame i built to come back from paint...needless to say, im a pretty big fan for gravel purposes.

you dont notice it all that much until the road gets very rough, and even then, its subtle, more of a fatigue-reducer for your upper body on long days in the saddle than enything else.

as far as the early comment about flex is concerned, i have not noticed anything like that at all, it feels very solid and planted to me on every type of road you can imagine. i even rode one in a couple cx races that included extended sections of single-track mtb trail.

weight penalty is there, its about twice the weight of a high end carbon disc fork, 900 vs 450g - not a huge deal breaker for a gravel bike, particularly if you are just riding recreationally.

its a big price to pay for an experiment, no doubt, but if you arent in a hurry keep you eye on ebay, they sometimes show up there secondhand.

[dddd]

I've never had any problem riding bikes with the old RockShox Paris-Roubaix suspension forks that weigh just over two pounds and had about 30mm of travel.

They're air and damping adjustable, low on maintenance and hold up well.
The lateral stiffness is commendable as well.
But for normal road riding, just isn't needed, and there is some bob while riding out of the saddle.
They offered a model with canti bosses and greater tire clearance, but both versions are long out of production.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2250/1870225229_4afabb72b9_o.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7068/6820080658_ac55f401de_c.jpg

[pbarry]

Much appreciated real world experiences from GScott and ebaumann, Thank You! No dealer for miles here, kinda shocking being nearish to Boulder and all.

[pbarry]

I've never had any problem riding bikes with the old RockShox Paris-Roubaix suspension forks that weigh just over two pounds and had about 30mm of travel.

They're air and damping adjustable, low on maintenance and hold up well.
The lateral stiffness is commendable as well.
But for normal road riding, just isn't needed, and there is some bob while riding out of the saddle.
They offered a model with canti bosses and greater tire clearance, but both versions are long out of production.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2250/1870225229_4afabb72b9_o.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7068/6820080658_ac55f401de_c.jpg

Wow! That's a jumping stable for sure. How does the BB rear suspension feel? Have a Ruby sitting here, but slightly different from the PR.

[dddd]

Wow! That's a jumping stable for sure. How does the BB rear suspension feel? Have a Ruby sitting here, but slightly different from the PR.

The rear suspension is transparent while riding, since it needs to be pumped with sufficient air to prevent pedal strike in turns.
I.e., it remains topped-out until an impact compresses it.
But on big, sharper bumps, it takes the amplitude out of the impact, like the bump was nothing.

The fork is slightly plusher, seems to have a short-travel "negative" spring that keeps the air pressure from topping it out against a hard stop. It does bob during hard, steep climbs while out of the saddle.

[BikeNY]

Not sure if everyone is aware of this, but Fox and MRP have both released limited travel forks for the gravel/adventure crowd. No idea how they compare to the Lauf, but I'd guess they feel more like a real suspension fork but with much less travel. I imagine they are heavier than the Lauf as well.

https://www.cxmagazine.com/firs-ride-review-fox-stepcast-ax-adventure-cross-suspension-fork-float-32

https://off.road.cc/content/news/first-look-mrp-baxter-gravel-suspension-fork-1174

Then there's the Cannondale Lefty Oliver...

I'm guessing we will see more forks in this category, and they will get lighter and better performing.

[pbarry]

Not sure if everyone is aware of this, but Fox and MRP have both released limited travel forks for the gravel/adventure crowd. No idea how they compare to the Lauf, but I'd guess they feel more like a real suspension fork but with much less travel. I imagine they are heavier than the Lauf as well.

https://www.cxmagazine.com/firs-ride-review-fox-stepcast-ax-adventure-cross-suspension-fork-float-32

https://off.road.cc/content/news/first-look-mrp-baxter-gravel-suspension-fork-1174

Then there's the Cannondale Lefty Oliver...

I'm guessing we will see more forks in this category, and they will get lighter and better performing.

Oh my! More options.. :eek:

[Mark McM]

Something that hasn't be mentioned is that fitting a suspension fork to a bike designed for a rigid fork will have a major change on the geometry (and handling) of the bike. The Lauf Grit fork is about 30mm longer than typical gravel bike rigid fork. This will slacken the head and seat tube angles by about 1.5 - 2 degrees, and raise the BB by about 15 mm. It will also shorten the frame's reach and increase the stack (by an amount proportional to frame size, but typically in the range of 10 - 15 mm). The slacker head angle will also likely change the trail dimension, although this will depend on the current fork offset.

Years ago, tried a RockShox Paris-Roubaix fork on my road bike. Although it did provide some cush the front end, I found that the geometry changes had a more deleterious affect on the ride than any benefit of the extra shock absorption. Shock forks really work best on frames designed for them.

[NHAero]

Is that 30mm unloaded, or an estimate of the added height after sag from a rider weighing xxx pounds getting on the bike?

Something that hasn't be mentioned is that fitting a suspension fork to a bike designed for a rigid fork will have a major change on the geometry (and handling) of the bike. The Lauf Grit fork is about 30mm longer than typical gravel bike rigid fork. This will slacken the head and seat tube angles by about 1.5 - 2 degrees, and raise the BB by about 15 mm. It will also shorten the frame's reach and increase the stack (by an amount proportional to frame size, but typically in the range of 10 - 15 mm). The slacker head angle will also likely change the trail dimension, although this will depend on the current fork offset.

Years ago, tried a RockShox Paris-Roubaix fork on my road bike. Although it did provide some cush the front end, I found that the geometry changes had a more deleterious affect on the ride than any benefit of the extra shock absorption. Shock forks really work best on frames designed for them.

[Mark McM]

Is that 30mm unloaded, or an estimate of the added height after sag from a rider weighing xxx pounds getting on the bike?

Good question. The Lauf Grit fork has a spec. fork length of 409mm (don't know if that includes sag). Compare that to the Columbus Futura Gravel fork at 380mm and the Enve Gravel Road fork at 382mm (all are disk brake forks, and all have the same offset of 47mm). It makes sense that a suspension fork's compressed length can't be much shorter than a rigid fork, so the uncompressed length of the suspension fork will be close to the length of a rigid fork plus the travel travel. In my experience, the only rigid forks that are as long as suspension forks are "suspension corrected" rigid forks (rigid forks that are purposely built longer to match the length of a suspension fork).

[kingpin75s]

Not sure if everyone is aware of this, but Fox and MRP have both released limited travel forks for the gravel/adventure crowd. No idea how they compare to the Lauf, but I'd guess they feel more like a real suspension fork but with much less travel. I imagine they are heavier than the Lauf as well.

https://www.cxmagazine.com/firs-ride-review-fox-stepcast-ax-adventure-cross-suspension-fork-float-32

https://off.road.cc/content/news/first-look-mrp-baxter-gravel-suspension-fork-1174

Then there's the Cannondale Lefty Oliver...

I'm guessing we will see more forks in this category, and they will get lighter and better performing.

Yeah. At least a couple of bikes at NAHBS this year built around the Fox AX fork. Desalvo and Calfee come to mind.

Honestly, not my thing for gravel at all and even talked my 70 year old uncle out of front suspension for gravel and got him on a Fargo Ti and let the tires sort the washboards. He is happy. That said, I do like bringing a knife to a gun fight and kind of dig short travel forks for real off road riding so if singletrack is in the mix, could be fun. I still ride my Serotta Odile 26er with a short stroked 75mm SID and its a blast for XC.

[BikeNY]

That's a good point about fork length affecting geometry. A lot of gravel bikes are coming with forks in the 400 to 405mm A-C range, and those would be good candidates for a Lauf. If your current fork is more like 380mm, than I think it's a no-go. I think the Fox and MRP are even longer, in the 425mm range, so those need a frame designed around them.

I have no plans for suspension for my gravel bike. My latest bike was actually designed for a 425mm fork, but the only suspension I'm currently using is nice cushy 27.7x2.35 tires! If somebody gave me a Lauf fork i'd be happy to try it out, but I'm not spending that kind of money for an experiment.

[NHAero]

When I converted my late 90s Litespeed Unicoi to a 1x10 drop bar bike, I left the Rock Shox SID fork on there. It's worn but functional, I think it was 80mm travel originally. It weighs under 1200g. The steel disc fork on my Anderson weighs just under 1000g, and a number of steel disc forks weigh as much as the SID. So the only reason to change would be to a carbon disc fork, which would easily save over a pound, but I'd be giving up a fair bit of comfort and control on the trails (I use the bike for getting around, which is mixed trails and pavement and dirt roads.)