Touring - OMFG ~ I need help!

Here is the crisis. I was planning on touring on my Schwinn Moab.

http://www.davehamel.com/images/1999_Schwinn_Moab_1-bikes.jpg

I totally love this bike. Anyway I just got a full set of Ortlieb panniers recommended by a friend. Today I went to the bike shop to swap out the front fork (a Psylo) for a rigid and buy some racks. The guy at the shop said something about the head tube angle being to steep or something and that they strongly recommended against it. So now what the *&$% do I do? I don't want to go buy a Bob since I just bought panniers. I saw some Norco racks for suspension using U-bolts. If someone has used them and says they are okay I would be more comfortable, but I don't want to jury-rig my bike.

If anyone has any ideas please let me know.

A bike is a bike, take a trike if you like ;) If he is saying that it will be uncomfortable to ride, that is one of the drawbacks of taking a mountain bike. If he is saying the racks wont fit, then get diffrent racks. Old man on the mountain makes some nice ones, do a search for his sight. Look, I plan on using a racing bike with 0 brazons and the bike is too small for me. You just modify everything that you can to get the optimum. You could allways buy a diffrent with 'better' rake, but what fun is a trip without suffering? Just kidding. If you are afraid of comfort do some shake down rides first. If it is fit. I'm sure there are a bunch of options for racks. Try Rivendell Bike Works http://rivbike.com for more info. Now for somebody more knowlegable to chime in...

Your frame's geometry is meant to work with a suspension fork. Slapping a standard rigid fork on can make handling funky. There are "suspension corrected" rigid forks available that, as the name suggests, compensates for this. But, they probably will cost a couple hundred bucks.

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=86&subcategory=1183&brand=&sku=13284&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

?

But, they probably will cost a couple hundred bucks.

or 60.

or 60.

I often win at Google.
The thing was to find one with eyelets, not so common for suspension corrected.
I guess you could have them brazed onto a suspension corrected chromoly fork without.

The guy at the shop said something about the head tube angle being to steep or something and that they strongly recommended against it. So now what the *&$% do I do? I don't want to go buy a Bob since I just bought panniers. I saw some Norco racks for suspension using U-bolts. If someone has used them and says they are okay I would be more comfortable, but I don't want to jury-rig my bike.

If anyone has any ideas please let me know.

"Too steep or something." For what? He couldn't get you a fork, or a rack? You need to be really clear, which might possibly require calling this guy and have him say it again. The people on these lists can give you good info, but you need to be specific.

You can get a suspension corrected fork with eyelets several places, or a rack from Old Man Mountain for suspension forks. You can tour on a Moab.

You can buy a suspension corrected rigid forks for $69. You can get racks to work with your fork with suspension anyway. There are a couple of different kinds of front pannier racks that have "U" bolts, they are fine. You really don't have a problem.

Specs for your bike say the HT angle is 71.5 degree. hardly too steep, even for an MTB. Your Lbs must be sniffing the Prolube again. Buy an Old Man Mountain clamp on rack for your pogo sticks and go touring.

"Too steep or something." For what? He couldn't get you a fork, or a rack? You need to be really clear, which might possibly require calling this guy and have him say it again. The people on these lists can give you good info, but you need to be specific.

You can get a suspension corrected fork with eyelets several places, or a rack from Old Man Mountain for suspension forks. You can tour on a Moab.

Sorry, When I get panicy I tend to leave stuff out. The conversation went something like this:

Me: I would like to swap out the psylos for a rigid that I can mount a rack to for my sport packer plus panniers.

bike dude: You can't really the geometry is wrong.

other bike dude: Ya, it is too steep. You could get the corrected rigid forks but even then it wouldn't be right.

bike dude: ya the handling would be off. You're better to tow a Bob.


I would prefer rigid forks, even with the lock out on the psylo. Thanks for the suggestions. I don't feel so panicy anymore!

Sorry, When I get panicy I tend to leave stuff out. The conversation went something like this:

Me: I would like to swap out the psylos for a rigid that I can mount a rack to for my sport packer plus panniers.

bike dude: You can't really the geometry is wrong.

other bike dude: Ya, it is too steep. You could get the corrected rigid forks but even then it wouldn't be right.

bike dude: ya the handling would be off. You're better to tow a Bob.


I would prefer rigid forks, even with the lock out on the psylo. Thanks for the suggestions. I don't feel so panicy anymore!

Well, a "proper" touring bike IS different from the kind of bike you're riding. I have a hardtail and a touring bike, and I can say that there is quite a difference. That said, people tour on everything. Search the touring forums for touring on a MTB. That will give you greater confidence. Good luck!

Maybe not the ideal for a tourer head tube angle, but not unworkable. The trail might be a little off unless the rake compensates.

What kind of tire are you using? Slicks?

Yes I just got them just for this ride.

Suspension corrected rigid fork is the way to go. Compare the axle to crown and trail specs of your suspension fork and the rigid fork - if they're close, you should be OK.

Did you ask the bike shop guys if they have ever personally done a bike tour?

(I'd bet the answer is no)

Only take advice from real touring folks. Not shop wrenchs who race road or downhill on the weekends and think they know something about touring.
Just get a cheap supension corrected rigid fork and go for it. Or the u-bolt racks and go for it. Or just rear bags and a big handle bar bag and go for it. Or screw it all and bunge cord an old "Power Rangers" sleeping bag, a blue trap and a few cans of Bush's baked beans to the rear rack and go for it.

Quit the worrying and start the touring!

And your answer is.............



Specs for your bike say the HT angle is 71.5 degree. hardly too steep, even for an MTB. Your Lbs must be sniffing the Prolube again. Buy an Old Man Mountain clamp on rack for your pogo sticks and go touring.

Just leave the original forks on. I tour on my hybrid for thousands of miles, and there's is nothing wrong with having a suspension fork. Keep it simple.

Just leave the original forks on. I tour on my hybrid for thousands of miles, and there's is nothing wrong with having a suspension fork. Keep it simple.

You're probably right - but I think the OP's idea IS to keep it simple, and use a rigid fork. Since they are inexpensive, and have no internals to worry about, it is the simplest way to go, especially with a front load.

A new fork also allows him to cut the steerer tube at a more desirable length, if that's a consideration, to change the handlebar height without worrying about spacers. Again, only if that is a problem already.

Changing forks and handlebar height and spacing and and and is not keeping it simple. There is no reason why his current fork should fail in the middle of a tour.

Changing forks and handlebar height and spacing and and and is not keeping it simple. There is no reason why his current fork should fail in the middle of a tour.

No? Not simple? Why? There is nothing difficult or mysterious about these things. I'm not arguing that the fork will break, but these *simple* mechanical matters will take very little time, far far less time than the time spend riding on tour. I don't want to be antagonist, OK, but this is akin to saying that changing your chainrings isn't simple and so should be avoided, even though that is regularly done for touring.

I think a rigid fork is a great idea for touring with a MTB. It will be simpler, arguably more durable, require no maintenance and weigh less by a 1-2 pounds. How many times do you get all of those qualities together, and not be giving something major up? :)

I think I may buy a rigid fork simply because I would need to lock the Psylos out anyway thus loosing any of their suspension properties. Now this may be a newbie question but as long as the rigids are the same length as my psylos, are there any issues? I mean apart from the dampening effect of the suspension the handling should be similar right?