Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Need Help w/Switch To Rigid Fork

I want to replace the stock fork with a rigid. Does anyone know what size I would need? Will a Surly 1x1 fit? The Surly 1x1 measures: Rake = 45mm and the Steerer (I don't even know what that is) = 260mm

I don't want to spend more than $100.00 for the fork. How much (for labor) should I expect my LBS to charge to do the swap?

My 08 Specialized Hardrock Sport is a 17" frame non-disc model.


http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h33/Airedale1/hardrock1.jpg

My bet is you need a 1 1/8 inch fork. I really am not to well versed in mountain bikes so I do not know what fork will cost, but the labor to switch out the fork should not run much over a 1/2 hour labor rate for what ever your shop usually charges.

Didn't you just get it? If so, your LBS may give you a deal on both the fork and the labor.

I put a Surly Instigator fork on my giant boulder last march. It works great. I have tour the last three months with it on my bike, and it is still strong. It runs about $75-80.00 dollars.

Thanks all, I did some research today and the Surly 1x1 fork will be perfect. I spoke to a LBS in my area that is a Surly dealer and they will order the fork and install it for $85.00. As soon as I have that put on I just need to add the Michelin XC Hard Terrain 2.0 tires that I already have on order and my Hardrock Sport will be complete and I hope, "a fit ride for a Clyde.":thumb:

Glad the forks will work well for you. I have the Michelin tires you ordered on my mountain bike and they are great. I ride it on the road alot (when i'm not injured) and they really do offer low rolling resistance and still enough tread so you can still tear it up if you decide to go off road! Great tires!!

Thanks all, I did some research today and the Surly 1x1 fork will be perfect.

I have to admit that I'm a bit skeptical. Why do you think the Surly 1x1 fork will be perfect?

The reason I ask is because the specs for your bike claim that it has 100mm of front suspension travel. The Surly 1x1 fork seems to have an axle to crown race measurement of 413mm. I put a fork of similar length on a bike that was designed for a 100mm suspension fork and it completely ruined the handling! The bike was so twitchy I could barely ride it on the street, let alone off-road.

I've been riding for a long time, but the handling of the bike was so bad I ended up throwing the fork in the trash and replacing it with a Surly Instigator fork. The Instigator had an axle to crown race measurement of 447mm which is obviously what the frame was designed for; it rides like a dream now.

looking at bikepedia the fork length is 80/100mm depending on frame size... can't tell for sure but looks like you're set to 100mm... but I could be wrong...

if it is 100mm you'll want a taller fork then if you have an 80mm (20mm shorter duh)... basically you want to have the same axle to crown height as your fork is stock at sag height... shorter will quicken the handling, taller will slow it down... theres also the factor of the rake... more offset will yeild quicker handling (how fisher's G2 geomotry managed to feel fairly quick with such slack steering angles)... to add to things that you didn't ask.... you can run a g2 fork on a normal bike with more travel and have it handle similar to the shorter stock setup (i'm takling 29ers here as thats what I know)... I run a 29er karate monkey with a g2 tora fork set to 100mm... similar handling to the 80mm rigid... just squishier and a bit more upright with a smidge more bb height...

so basicly just make sure your new fork is about the same length as your current fork sagged...

good luck man :)
mark

so basicly just make sure your new fork is about the same length as your current fork sagged...

I'd be concerned about doing that...

Put a Clyde on a bike with an inexpensive coil-spring fork (Suntour SF7-XCM) and you may end up with more sag than ideal. Duplicating that non-ideal fork length on a rigid fork probably isn't the best way to go.

I'd suggest measuring the axle to crown race distance with the rider off the bike then subtract 20-25mm (20-25% of the 100mm fork length a.k.a. the ideal amount of sag). I would use that as the "ideal" rigid fork length. Given a choice between a fork that was slightly longer than ideal and one that was slightly shorter than ideal, I'd buy the longer fork.

Put a Clyde on a bike with an inexpensive coil-spring fork (Suntour SF7-XCM) and you may end up with more sag than ideal.

Thanks to all for helping me order the correct fork. Your input is much appreciated. My front fork is I believe, worse than the Suntour. My bike came with a Capa RST T7 which I believe has a tad less than 80mm of travel.

Thanks to you guys for making me skeptical of my initial choice I have decided to email Surly and ask them what would fit. Here is the text of the email:

I have a 2008 Specialized Hardrock Sport Non-Disc with a 17" frame. I want to replace the front fork (Capa RST T7) with one of your rigid forks. My LBS (S&W Sports Concord, NH) will order and install it for me, but I need to know which fork will be the correct one for my bike. Thank-you.

Hopefully I will have an answer soon.

it's all about axle to crown height... measure from where the bottom of the tube goes into the head tube down to the axle... subtract about 20% of the forks travel (if it's a 100mm then about 20mm) thats the length of fork you need...

Thanks to all for helping me order the correct fork. Your input is much appreciated. My front fork is I believe, worse than the Suntour. My bike came with a Capa RST T7 which I believe has a tad less than 80mm of travel.

Is there a story behind this fork? Or the bike? Specialized's website seems to think that Suntour forks were the only ones used on the 2008 Hardrock, with 100mm of travel for all frames except the smallest (12"). The HRXC bikes are the only ones I can find that Specialized claims used the Capa RST T26 forks. It sure looks (http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?arc=2008&spid=32576) like your bike should have a 100mm fork installed. If that's the case, you'll want the Surly Instigator rigid fork.

Is there a story behind this fork? Or the bike? Specialized's website seems to think that Suntour forks were the only ones used on the 2008 Hardrock, with 100mm of travel for all frames except the smallest (12").


No story behind the fork. I bought the bike from WheelWorks in Belmont, MA just last month as a 2008 leftover.

My guess is that Specialized used more than just Suntour as a supplier of forks for the 08' Hardrock.

Also, correct me if I am wrong but I do not believe that the shock that they show on their (Specialized) website for the 08' Hardrock is a Suntour. It looks like it says "Stryker" on it.

Here is an image of an 08' Hardrock Sport from the Specialized website and a blowup of the fork.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h33/Airedale1/Factoryimage.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h33/Airedale1/enlargeFork.jpg

The plot thickens and the mystery continues.:)