Fifty Plus (50+) - Dear Santa...

I've been a good boy, please? (http://www.salsacycles.com/mariachi_Comp08.html) :o

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/MTB%20racing/elmariachiComp08.jpg

That is a really "hot" bike............

Hey-what's your thoughts on shocks? I've been staring at my Trek 800 hanging from the garage roof and it has a solid chromoly front fork. I don't do technical off road riding but do enjoy flat trails, rails to trails etc. What's the pros and cons??? What would a medicore fork with double shocks run me?

I prefer no-shock riding. I keep a hardtail around just in case, but I've even been thinking of converting it to a solid front fork (requires special geometry fork -which I have). When you stand up to sprint or crank hard you immediately notice significant energy going into the front shock and not into the drive train. That just bothers me. I have no plans to do serious technical single track, --and even milder single track can be run with a durable roadie (maybe cross). I think (don't tell anybody) older non-suspension mtb's are a great resource usually available for cheap. I have several laying around which I usually end up building into single-speeds and giving away to some kid as a college beater.

What would a medicore fork with double shocks run me?

More than it would be worth.

I would just put some high volume tires running at as low pressure as practical and ride it. For the kind of riding you described, suspension isn't needed. And crummy suspension isn't much help anyway, it's just extra cost and weight. If you do start riding in places and in ways that called for a suspension fork, you would probably be better off finding a used bike with a suspension fork already installed.

I've been a good boy, please? (http://www.salsacycles.com/mariachi_Comp08.html) :o



Now BluesDawg, you ain't supposed to lie to Santa... :p

Hey-what's your thoughts on shocks? I've been staring at my Trek 800 hanging from the garage roof and it has a solid chromoly front fork. I don't do technical off road riding but do enjoy flat trails, rails to trails etc. What's the pros and cons??? What would a medicore fork with double shocks run me?

I do the same type of riding you do and have no plans whatsoever to replace or to "upgrade" my no-shocks 1988 old school top-of-the-line Schwinn Project KOM-10. It looks sharp with its Paramount Team USA red-white-and-blue paint job, weighs in at a reasonably respectable 28 lbs. (full Tange Prestige II CrMo tubeset), and rides responsively and comfortably on-road and off. One of the last made-in-USA (Greenville MS) Schwinn frames, this was the bike Schwinn built when the company sponsored Ned Overend's team.

I do the same type of riding you do and have no plans whatsoever to replace or to "upgrade" my no-shocks 1988 old school top-of-the-line Schwinn Project KOM-10. It looks sharp with its Paramount Team USA red-white-and-blue paint job, weighs in at a reasonably respectable 28 lbs. (full Tange Prestige II CrMo tubeset), and rides responsively and comfortably on-road and off. One of the last made-in-USA (Greenville MS) Schwinn frames, this was the bike Schwinn built when the company sponsored Ned Overend's team.

That bike is crap. Send it to me and I'll dispose of it for you. ;) (if it is around 19")

More than it would be worth.

I would just put some high volume tires running at as low pressure as practical and ride it. For the kind of riding you described, suspension isn't needed. And crummy suspension isn't much help anyway, it's just extra cost and weight. If you do start riding in places and in ways that called for a suspension fork, you would probably be better off finding a used bike with a suspension fork already installed.

Excellent advice and agree. Just another one I've thought about I can now scratch off the list.....

Santa's been so good to me, with bike gifts this year, that I'm being audited by his accountants.

Santa's been so good to me, with bike gifts this year, that I'm being audited by his accountants.

You should live where I do, our accountant told me that because I ride to work everyday with my bike, all my bike purchases should be included under transportation.

He did draw the line at the extra food I consume!

That is a really "hot" bike............

Hey-what's your thoughts on shocks? I've been staring at my Trek 800 hanging from the garage roof and it has a solid chromoly front fork. I don't do technical off road riding but do enjoy flat trails, rails to trails etc. What's the pros and cons??? What would a medicore fork with double shocks run me?

Cheap suspension forks just don't do much of a job. I've come through the era when the suspension was "elastomers" (rubber bumpers in the shock tubes) or springs without any damping. High pressure air is a pain as seals leak and service comes quick and often.

A few years ago I bought my first Marzocchi cross country fork (an MX from about 2003 or so) This fork weighes under 4 lbs, had a spring suspension and oil damperg. Nice fork at about $200. Modern versions cost very little more. These are 3" travel forks suitable for XC bikes but too short for all mountain use. One problem with this kind of fork is that different weight riders need different spring kits to optimize the suspension in the middle of its travel. These are hard to get and take time and installation. This fork is now on my youngest sons bike. (opposit solution...optimize the riders weight to the fork....takes little time and costs nothing...........except that I ended up buying him a fork.)

2 years ago when I was building up the Haro V4 frame ($49) Ebay I went looking for a fork with a suplimental low pressure air cartredge. Found a Marzocchi EXR (OEM version of MX comp without features such a nitrided shock legs) for $129. This was too good to pass up for new in the box and would be a very hard target price to match as ther don't seem to be quite as many OEM bike strippers working on Ebay. This shock weighs just over 4 lbs, has an adjustable coil spring in one leg with oil damping and an air cartredge in the other leg that only needs about 55 lbs max air. Except for cleaning and greasing the legs and seals every now and then this fork has run without maintenance for 2 years and looks to be good for at least 1 or 2 more. Now I can ballance the suspension to my weight with an air pump. (pumped up once in 2 years never leaks......I love Marzocchi.:love:)

These forks work for me as all of my riding is on rail trails, dirt roads or relatively smooth single track where I only have to contend with 2/3" ruts, roots, rocks or ruts. I think that the next MTB will require a 4# fork and probably rear suspension as I wander further and further off road. I don't plan on ever jumping anything bigger than a bunny hop.

In preference to cheap forks- I would rather run a top rate rigid fork like a Project ll triple butted. In fact I did until I got the Bianchi and the forks supplied were no good. My LBS sorted a pair of 95 Rock Shox Judy's and they worked. They worked so well- I still have them.

Depends on your riding but for plain XC with a few fast downhills and singletrack- Rigid forks will still be OK. In Fact uphill- you would be better off. Might slow you a bit on the downhills but if the body can act as suspension, then they will still be OK.

I've been a good boy, please? (http://www.salsacycles.com/mariachi_Comp08.html) :o

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/GonzoDawg/bicycles/MTB%20racing/elmariachiComp08.jpg

Sorry, I don't carry Salsa.

Sorry, I don't carry Salsa.

Impostor!!!! :mad: