Transforming a Yo into a modern trail ripper.

[steelisreal, yo]

Purists: cover your eyes!

My one and only is a purple/blue fade Yo Eddy Team, prolly an older one because it is 1" threadless. I am transitioning away from gofast xc racerboy wannabe to a more laid-back go slow have more fun mindset. I really like my bike, but after riding modern 29ers with modern parts, I am definitly left wanting. Now, I really dont want to sell it for sentimental reasons, but havent the funds for a new bike. So, I am throwing around some ideas to make my Fat into a more capable descender. Heres what I got so far:

Put on a shorty stem, wide bars.
Roll the biggest tires I can fit. So far 2.35 Nevegals are working great.
Put on a 100mm fork to slacken the head tube angle, eat up bigger bumps, and run a disc brake.
Eventually install a dropper post.

Thoughts/suggestions? I have basically broken or worn out and replaced everything but the frame and sewtpost over the last 12 years of riding and racing, so theres nothing really "retro" left about it. Right now im running wide bars and a newish Sram XO 1x9 setup.

Thanks!

[tvcreative]

sell it and buy a surly snow bike?

[THE ARS]

Like the XO (grippies I hope), like the short stem................but where are you going to get a 100mm disc fork in 1"?


I wouldn't worry about any "purists" it's an old bike not the ****ing Mona Lisa.

Good luck with your build, Steel.


Tom

[chefmiguel]

Go for it! Except the fork part, that's a bad idea.

[colker]

so how exactly you plan to make a 26 in ride like a 29er? It's your bike.. not the MOna Lisa as i learned in this thread but still..
HOw will a shorter saddle to bars fell while pedalling?
My gut and experience says you wil spend a lot of money and won't be satisfied.
I say: buy another bike, ride it, keep the Yo and come back to it when you want the old feel of the vintage geometry.

[ameybrook]

Originally Posted by colker

My gut and experience says you wil spend a lot of money and won't be satisfied.

This. You can't turn a donkey into a racehorse no matter how much hay you feed it.

[Bulleidawg]

"Put on a 100mm fork to slacken the head tube angle, eat up bigger bumps, and run a disc brake."

Where will you find one of these for a 1-inch head tube?

[tvcreative]

you won't….you may be able to find a White Bros, magic from the factory with a 1 inch. Its a special order, to the order of 600 bucks

[THE ARS]

Originally Posted by colker

so how exactly you plan to make a 26 in ride like a 29er? It's your bike.. not the MOna Lisa as i learned in this thread but still..
HOw will a shorter saddle to bars fell while pedalling?
My gut and experience says you wil spend a lot of money and won't be satisfied.
I say: buy another bike, ride it, keep the Yo and come back to it when you want the old feel of the vintage geometry.

You need help.

TVcreative, tell me more.

This sounds interesting if true. I'm going to call them on Thursday.

Man you started a revolution if custom susser forks are a reality.

Happy New Year all.

[colker]

Originally Posted by THE ARS

You need help.

TVcreative, tell me more.

This sounds interesting if true. I'm going to call them on Thursday.

Man you started a revolution if custom susser forks are a reality.

Happy New Year all.

Mona Lisa said she loves you.

[mainlyfats]

Originally Posted by ameybrook

This. You can't turn a donkey into a racehorse no matter how much hay you feed it.

This. Waste of time, money and it won't feel anything like a modern 29er.

(A Nazi, dude? Really?)

[Jeeves]

Not sure what all the angst is about. I agree with the idea of tweaking the bikes in certain ways. NO, you're not going to get a YO to ride like a modern 29er. But yes, I think that the "straight bar, long stem" setup is an idea that doesn't apply to all aspects of trail riding. My Ti Fat came with suspension fork (a RS Judy FX carbon) which, although pretty dope at the time, was heavy, sloppy, and not that effective (in modern terms). I recently replaced it with an Iglehart, and took the opportunity to add some spacers , a shorter stem, and some risers. I went ahead and plumped up the tires for a little more cush as well. Looks a little goofy, I'll give you that.

Made a HUGE difference in how the bike rides - both descending and climbing. The climbing position is more like the Wicked's now - a good half crouch. No need for aero when you're riding rigid, so my older neck and back appreciate the more upright position. For what it's worth, my 1994 TI with upgrades is once again my primary offroad bike.

-Raj

[colker]

Originally Posted by Jeeves

Not sure what all the angst is about. I agree with the idea of tweaking the bikes in certain ways. NO, you're not going to get a YO to ride like a modern 29er. But yes, I think that the "straight bar, long stem" setup is an idea that doesn't apply to all aspects of trail riding. My Ti Fat came with suspension fork (a RS Judy FX carbon) which, although pretty dope at the time, was heavy, sloppy, and not that effective (in modern terms). I recently replaced it with an Iglehart, and took the opportunity to add some spacers , a shorter stem, and some risers. I went ahead and plumped up the tires for a little more cush as well. Looks a little goofy, I'll give you that.

Made a HUGE difference in how the bike rides - both descending and climbing. The climbing position is more like the Wicked's now - a good half crouch. No need for aero when you're riding rigid, so my older neck and back appreciate the more upright position. For what it's worth, my 1994 TI with upgrades is once again my primary offroad bike.

-Raj

Yos never had long stems... A 17in Yo has a 23in top tube. Looking at the first Yos to hit the bike tests, they were sporting 120mm stems.
An 18in Ritchey then had a 22in top tube. Ritcheys had long stems.
Fats had long top tubes.
You could spec a 110 stem on a Yo and it wouldn't be that different from the norm. It was built for 2.5 tires.
So what's the rant about again?

[RobTu]

Sell the Yo, and actually buy a "modern trail ripper".

If you are interested, post pics of your Yo, and I might trade you a 29er I have, for it