upstairsdave

Greetings,
I have a 2006 Marin Eldridge Grade bike with the Cantilever brakes that I want to install a suspension fork onto. Has anyone made this mod and what fork did you use?
Happy trails
Dave

BCRider

Being a 2006 it'll use the now and then standard of a 1 1/8 threadless headset.

There's three things you need to check on when shopping for a fork for this bike.

First off you want a 1 1/8 inch size steer tube. Second is that if you buy used you need to make sure the steerer tube is at least as long as the crown to top of the stem as your present fork. If longer it can be cut down. If too short you just made a bad decision. And finally since Bikepedia says all the Eldridge Grade bikes had an 80mm travel fork that is what you want to get so it maintains the steering geometry.

jimc101

Are you sure you have a 2006 model, not a 1996 model, Cantlever brakes havent been fitted to mountain bikes for 15 years, and linear pull for the best part of 10 years.

Either way, as BCRider, it will have a 1 1/8th fork, if a 1996, this may be threaded, if 2006 it will be threadless, would convert to threadless if it's the 1996 one.

For the fork length, anything upto 100mm will be fine, they can cope with 20mm difference in travel from the orginal spec, and finding an 80mm fork now is harder than a 100mm.

For what it did use, what does it have at the moment?, if 2006, it will be a Manitou Skareb Comp w/Hayes discs, if a 1996, probably rigid, with fork options from the catalogue


Edit, re-reading, if your bike is stock and it has rigid forks / canti's, it's a mid-90's bike, as a 2006 would be disc only, with the Skarab, advise as above stands, i have a '95 Pine Mountan, and have run forks from 60-100mm, works fine with all of them, would go for disc's on the front when you get forks, non-disc forks now are just about non-existant, if looking at a current fork, a Rock Shox Reba or Marzocchi Marathon RL

dabac

Cantis and sus forks have become a bit tricky. You need to have some sort of cable stop on the brake bridge, and these are quite rare on recent productions. If you can't find one, your next nearest option is probably V-brake and a Travel Agent.

upstairsdave

Wow!!! Me bad. I meant 1996. It has a Rirtchy adjustable stem that I put on it and it's not a threaded stem. I was going to have install a Rock Shox Dart 2 but was told that the bracket that the front brake cable on the fork tube is too short causing the brake cable to hit the part of the Dart 2. And also the integrated shifter and brake controls would not work and would have to be changed out. With these upgrades necessary, it's not worth changing to the Dart 2 fork.
Has anyone found a suspension fork that would work with the 1996 Eldridge from past experience?
I took pictures and can email them to you. How can I attach a picture to the forum? I tried and we'll see if the pics attached.
Thanks so much
Dave

jimc101

Any current 80-100 mm fork will work fine with your bike, I would look at something like a Rock Shox Reba.

However, there are couple of issues with your bike with will complicate the fitting of a current fork.

Brakes, Cantis became obsolete in 1996 for MTB's linear pull then discs have replaced them, the biggest problem you have, is the LX rapidfire+ STI's which are canti only, you would need new shifters / brakes

Shifters, a 1996 stock will be 8 speed, individual shifter pods are getting hard to find for 8 speed systems

The 2nd hand option is a posibility, but it can be hard finding a good fork, and you have no warranty.

Being realistic, to get a decent pair of forks on that bike is goig to cost a lot of money, and it will be cheaper to buy a complete new bike.

This is based on the bike being used as designed off road, it would help to know what type of riding you do, as your bike was a good mid level MTB when new, and looks as though it's never seen dirt.

upstairsdave

HI Jim
I am a gentle rider. It's seen some trials but nothing in the catagory of jumping logs etc. Having kids puts a damper on getting out and riding too. Now I have spinal stenosis and need to take care of the lower spine. I just paid $160 for a Cane Creek Thudbuster for the bike and add the stem and bars to get my bars more level with the seat. So now I'm into the bike $250 in upgrades and prior to adding these parts I was told a Rock Shox Dart 2 would work. Then I went to pick up the bike and they told me the same thing you explained. I doubt I can take the parts back but could try I guess or just live with it. The bike is a very high end component bike and I really love the way I can crawl up a hill.
I tried brand new $1500 Marin and it was like shifting a HARLEY.
Was there ever a suspension fork that worked on that bike. Yeah, I konw, like looking for a needle in a haystack but that's my only option it seems.
Thanks

jimc101

The stock suspension forks in the mid to late 90's for Marin were Manitou's, which are long OOP, the question you are asking has an open answer of any fork with travel upto 100mm will work, nothing wrong with the RS Dart 2 you have mentioned, but nothing right about them either, just a basic cheap fork.

At present you seem to be putting a lot of money into what was a mid level bike to make it somthing it never was, you say you tried a current model which was heavy, what type of bike was this, as unlike 1996, there are bikes for different purposes; XC, AM, Freeride, DH, 29er, which will all rid very differently, if you aren't going off road have you looked at their Path range, as this would seem to be more apropriate for your needs?

upstairsdave

Thanks for the info.