Proof of Concept: “Do-It-All” Bike
Frame and Fork:
Frame – Canfield Balance (SM)
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Why I chose the Canfield Balance
I chose the Balance for a few reasons. It’s a highly versatile bike with a very nice suspension design. The construction was burly enough to handle what I am going to be throwing at it while still keeping the weight reasonable due to its full aluminum tubing. I am also a big fan of Canfield’s color selection and having a frame that is relatively unique.
Below are some highlighted reasons why I chose the Balance.
- Adjustable travel: The rear travel can be adjusted to 4.86” or 6.02”. This amount of travel is what I felt would work well for me in most situations. I’d liked to have had maybe an inch more of travel for bigger maneuvers but 6” seems to work pretty well for now.
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- Adjustable chainstays: The chainstays can be set to either 16.25” or 16.75”. Since the chain stays are shorter on the Balance it makes the Balance easier to manual and helps the bike through technical terrain.
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- Excellent suspension qualities: The suspension on the Balance is what initially sold me. Canfield’s suspension design works really well at handling square edges due to its rearward axle path. The bike pedals extremely well with little to no bob. The suspension is very progressive and the links are made with one piece construction using 20mm bearings. By using 20mm bearings the Balance is able to handle more abuse due the load be put on a larger surface area.
- Nice geometry: With the Marzocchi 66 SL 1 ATA in full 180mm travel mode my bottom bracket sets at around 14.5”. This is plenty low and gives the bike a great feel in most situations. This could be too low for some riders and crank length selection should be considered. The bike handles well with a head angle that isn’t too twitchy or too slack for most situations.
- Shock options: The Balance can be purchased with either a Fox DHX 5.0 coil or a Fox DHX 5.0 air. I chose the coil over the air due to my riding style and the coil feel.
- ISCG mounts: The Balance comes with ISCG old mounts. This makes it easy to mount chainguides.
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- Front derailleur compatible: You can run a front derailleur on the Balance. I chose to not set up my Balance in this way but it is a nice option if I ever want to use it.
- Full seattube: The Balance has a full seattube which allows me to have the ability to drop the saddle when Djing and descending and raise it up when I need good leg extension for climbing.
Fork – Marzocchi 66 SL 1 ATA
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Why I chose the 66 SL 1 ATA
I chose the 66 SL 1 ATA from Marzocchi due to its adjustability, weight, and hot looks. The ability to go from 180mm of travel to 140mm of travel easily was very appealing to me and works very well for creating a versatile bike. The 66 offers other adjustable options as well which helps in tailoring the bike to various terrain.
Below are some highlighted reasons why I chose the 66 SL 1 ATA.
- Adjustments: The 66 SL 1 ATA has more adjustable options than you can shake a stick at. Rebound, Travel, and Compression are externally adjustable to fine tune the fork to the terrain you’re riding. The air can be adjusted in both the bottom out chamber as well as the ATA. The bottom out chamber allows you to more finely tune the progressiveness of the fork near the end of its travel, while the ATA compensates for travel adjustments by automatically tuning the progressive air.
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- Weight: The weight of the 66 is relatively light due to its air spring. By keeping the weight down the front end is easier to maneuver and the overall bike weight stays down.
- Construction: The 66 is built with burly 35mm stanchions which are mated to a beefy crown assembly. The lowers are built just a strong with a 20mm thru-axle.
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To see more pictures of the frame and fork check the gallery.
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