another MTB to commuter question
05-24-05, 07:56 PM
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another MTB to commuter question
Now that I have the bug...I wanted to upgrade my old Wheeler atb for use as a rainy day commuter. I was never comfortable for long on this bike, my wrists and shoulders would ache pretty quickly.
I thought a suspended front fork would help the ride, and while I was at it, change the handlebar position to take some of my weight of my arms. I started looking at forks on ebay, and immediatly ran into issues. Threaded vs. threadless, 1 inch or 1 1/8 inch. I go out and take mine apart and it's threaded, I measure and it seems to have a 1 inch ID and 1 1/8 OD.
Here's the questions.
I assume I need a 1 1/8 OD fork to fit my frame?
Will a suspended fork provide a more comfortable ride on the roads, or is the suspension really only a trail thing? If it is a better road ride, is a $40 ebay fork an improvement on the stock front end?
If I go with a threadless, I'd need a new headset, and stem, how does a threadless headset stay on the threadless fork? Is it the same type of came action that keeps my current stem in place?
Does a threadless fork need to be longer so that it extends up from the frame enough to put the headset on it?
Cost is an issue, as I just bought a road bike and don't want to put a lot of money into a 10 yo bike, that will be my back up bike at best. Or my winter ride.
I thought a suspended front fork would help the ride, and while I was at it, change the handlebar position to take some of my weight of my arms. I started looking at forks on ebay, and immediatly ran into issues. Threaded vs. threadless, 1 inch or 1 1/8 inch. I go out and take mine apart and it's threaded, I measure and it seems to have a 1 inch ID and 1 1/8 OD.
Here's the questions.
I assume I need a 1 1/8 OD fork to fit my frame?
Will a suspended fork provide a more comfortable ride on the roads, or is the suspension really only a trail thing? If it is a better road ride, is a $40 ebay fork an improvement on the stock front end?
If I go with a threadless, I'd need a new headset, and stem, how does a threadless headset stay on the threadless fork? Is it the same type of came action that keeps my current stem in place?
Does a threadless fork need to be longer so that it extends up from the frame enough to put the headset on it?
Cost is an issue, as I just bought a road bike and don't want to put a lot of money into a 10 yo bike, that will be my back up bike at best. Or my winter ride.
05-24-05, 08:47 PM
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1. Yes
2. In my opinion, no. A $40 fork is a spongy pogo stick and will kill efficiency. What I think you should concentrate on is the fit of the bike, and your riding techinque and position.
3. Threadless stems clamp onto the steerer tube of the fork, and the headset bearings tensioned by a bolt/cap/star nut system on top of the stem.
4. Yes, you have to measure for the height of the headset/headtube/stem and any spacers you might want to add. You only get to cut once.
2. In my opinion, no. A $40 fork is a spongy pogo stick and will kill efficiency. What I think you should concentrate on is the fit of the bike, and your riding techinque and position.
3. Threadless stems clamp onto the steerer tube of the fork, and the headset bearings tensioned by a bolt/cap/star nut system on top of the stem.
4. Yes, you have to measure for the height of the headset/headtube/stem and any spacers you might want to add. You only get to cut once.
05-25-05, 03:17 PM
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Originally Posted by seely
1. Yes
2. In my opinion, no. A $40 fork is a spongy pogo stick and will kill efficiency. What I think you should concentrate on is the fit of the bike, and your riding techinque and position.
3. Threadless stems clamp onto the steerer tube of the fork, and the headset bearings tensioned by a bolt/cap/star nut system on top of the stem.
4. Yes, you have to measure for the height of the headset/headtube/stem and any spacers you might want to add. You only get to cut once.
2. In my opinion, no. A $40 fork is a spongy pogo stick and will kill efficiency. What I think you should concentrate on is the fit of the bike, and your riding techinque and position.
3. Threadless stems clamp onto the steerer tube of the fork, and the headset bearings tensioned by a bolt/cap/star nut system on top of the stem.
4. Yes, you have to measure for the height of the headset/headtube/stem and any spacers you might want to add. You only get to cut once.
What are the spacers for?
