Outsider Fox 40 offset crown kit US$295 + shipping

Reducing the (crown) offset of your fork improves steering stability, but slows down handling. The big brands offer a choice of offsets, but no way to adjust them to suit different tracks. That’s where Outsider come in. We’ve been testing their adjustable-offset Fox 40 kit, which includes two machined crowns, a steerer tube and four sets of inserts. As standard, the 650b fork has a 52mm offset, which Outsider’s kit lets you adjust, in increments, from +8 to -10mm. At 540g, it weighs just 6g more than the standard crown set. Installation is easy, as is insert selection, with two 5mm Allen bolts on the steerer securing it all. We did come across some set-up issues though, needing to add spacers under the top crown and stem to avoid them fouling the top tube and top crown, respectively. Once on the trail, with the -10mm orange inserts fitted the bike felt like it held its line better and tracked corners with more precision, but most notably it felt shorter, allowing us to weight the front end more easily, which further contributed to better cornering control. If you’re a serious fettler searching for a very specific ride quality, then this could be the product for you. Ed www.outsiderbikes.com

A neatly designed and executed way to adjust your fork offset, but with some set-up niggles