Mountain Biking - Rigid mtb forks

My wife will be taking a Jamis Exile (2003 all stock) eqipped with an Xtracycle on our touring vacation this summer. The Exile is a Reynolds 520 chromoly frame with a Manitou Axel suspension fork on it, and I was thinking she might like a rigid steel MTB fork for the trip. Is that a good idea? She thought the suspension fork might suck up some of her stroke power on long climbs, and slow her down. Any suggestions? I'd like to buy something that can do some offroad duty, and be comfortable.
Thanks!

I recently built a Mtb with touring in mind using a rigid fork. Here's the thread...

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=42592

I bought a Jamis Dakota frame from a fellow mechanic at the bike shop I used to work at and I built it up as a roadie (drop h/bars, road components) heavi-duti all-weather commuter. Snce he took the Rock Shox Quadra-21 fork with him to build up his C-dale, I bought a Bianchi chromoly rigid fork (so I can mount fenders) for $20. It was a new fork but of course in the late-'90s everybody wanted suspension for thier mtn bikes so there was all these rigid forks coming off new mtn bikes and were just gathering dust in the bike shops.

Since most bikes these days are 1 1/8 threadless getting a cheap rigid fork is not so easy. I don't take my Jamis off-road I don't really need suspension anyway.

I recently built a Mtb with touring in mind using a rigid fork. Here's the thread...

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=42592

I just looked at that picture in the linked thread; would you recommend swapping the stock bar on the Jamis for a moustache bar? My wife was interested in putting drops on the Jamis until we found out about all the other parts we would need to change. Is a moustache bar compatible with Deore rapidfire shifters and Avid direct pull MTB brake levers? And would it offer a set of comfortable hand positions for touring?

It may be more money than you want to spend, but you could always buy a suspension fork that has a lock-out feature. That would help eliminate bobbing on road climbs and would also allow you to switch to suspension for off road rides.

As for the bars, a $15 set of bar ends might work out just as well...and you would not have to replace the shifters or brakes! I only ride trails but it's nice to have the bar ends for long climbs and just to give my hands another position.

I think it's a good idea to have a rigid fork for road touring. bikeman.com has a bunch of mtb rigid forks in the $40-$70 range.

My wife was interested in putting drops on the Jamis until we found out about all the other parts we would need to change. Is a moustache bar compatible with Deore rapidfire shifters and Avid direct pull MTB brake levers? And would it offer a set of comfortable hand positions for touring?

No, your Mtb shifters and levers are not compatible with road diameter bars, including the moustache. I have another Mtb equipped with drop bars and identical levers and shifters as the Kona. I personally prefer the wider moustache bars as far as handling a loaded bike. It offers multiple hand positions like the drop bars.

George

Since most bikes these days are 1 1/8 threadless getting a cheap rigid fork is not so easy. Not true. Besides the pile most LBS's have lying around, Surly, Kona, Tange, Dimension and On-one all make reasonably priced rigid 1 1/8 threadless forks.

Get the rigid for touring, it will serve your wife well. I also vote for the M-bars, but your brakes and shifters won't work, so you might be spending more than you'd like to if you replace them.

My wife will be taking a Jamis Exile (2003 all stock) eqipped with an Xtracycle on our touring vacation this summer. The Exile is a Reynolds 520 chromoly frame with a Manitou Axel suspension fork on it, and I was thinking she might like a rigid steel MTB fork for the trip. Is that a good idea? She thought the suspension fork might suck up some of her stroke power on long climbs, and slow her down. Any suggestions? I'd like to buy something that can do some offroad duty, and be comfortable.
Thanks!

She is right, it will rob power. My first real mtn bike was fully rigid, and I rode nearly everything I do now. I did think my eyeballs were gonna rattle out of their sockets a few times, but I still rode it everywhere. Look at the bike links page in my sig, down at the bottom their are several online places to order and this is the time of the year to find good deals.

Also, somebody suggested using a fork with lockout, this is also an excellent option. I have a couple bikes with lockout and they work great. Lots of them are on closeout now too. For someone lighter I would suggest a Rock Shox SID in some form, but only for very light people. I had one and at my 200 lb's it felt like a noodle but the lockout worked well.

Not true. Besides the pile most LBS's have lying around, Surly, Kona, Tange, Dimension and On-one all make reasonably priced rigid 1 1/8 threadless forks.

Get the rigid for touring, it will serve your wife well. I also vote for the M-bars, but your brakes and shifters won't work, so you might be spending more than you'd like to if you replace them.

Don't forget Planet X. They make the Planet-X Knifen.

for 60 smackers you could get a kona project 2 with disk tabs or v brake bosses
I did on my ss and i love it

Don't forget Planet X. They make the Planet-X Knifen.

They are heavy forks for abusive riding. They are proberly quite a bit heavier than the forks they are replacing.

Anyone tried an Independent Fabrication's fork?Know how much they weigh,cost?

One thing I notice about most current rigid forks is that they are straight blade with wide tubing. Sure they will be tough but don't they ride awful? On my old backup beater I have a curved blade steel fork, and while it flexes like a mofo while using the front v-brake, it does smooth out crappy roads quite well.

I built up a lightweight Mud plugger for winter use with Project II forks. They certainly work well enough, and give more precise steering than most suspension forks around. I agree about suspension forks being hard work uphill, and in the winter with the ground being softer, suspension forks are not necessary. Mind you, in the summer on rock hard trails, rigid hurt after about 25 miles.
Going real ret-ro now. Anyone any knowledge of rigid forks with a suspension Stem? Never tried this combination but someone must have.

Going real ret-ro now. Anyone any knowledge of rigid forks with a suspension Stem? Never tried this combination but someone must have.

I've never tried them before but I believe Girvin Flexstems are still available today.

George

Girvin Flex Stems are probably 2nd in the "Worst Components" catagory. Biopace was probably No. 1.

Talk about feeling totally "out of touch" with your bike. The ONLY thing they would be good for is riding on a road. Hitting trails with them was an "adventure".

(Still have the scars to prove it!)

L8R