Perfectly Executed Upgrade... or Not?
05-30-10, 12:24 PM
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Perfectly Executed Upgrade... or Not?
Even though I'm a year removed from this experience, I thought it would be fun to share it.
I have a mountain bike that I wanted to convert to a utility bike. First thing - get rid of that shock and put on a rigid fork. No problem. I of course read manuals and searched YouTube for tutorials in what to look out for. The most important thing I repeatedly found stressed was to carefully measure the old fork, make an exact cut to match, file down the new fork, and your set. It was also advised to remove your spacers, etc. in place them down in order so that they can be reinstalled the same way you originally had them.
Great. Got my fork, measured twice and cut once with a pipe cutter. Took off about 2 inches to equal my old fork. Grabbed my carefully placed spacers along with my stem riser and put them back on in the exact order that I took them off. Finally I put my handlebar on and BAM... perfect fit! Job well done.
Now, what's terribly wrong with this story?
Scott
I have a mountain bike that I wanted to convert to a utility bike. First thing - get rid of that shock and put on a rigid fork. No problem. I of course read manuals and searched YouTube for tutorials in what to look out for. The most important thing I repeatedly found stressed was to carefully measure the old fork, make an exact cut to match, file down the new fork, and your set. It was also advised to remove your spacers, etc. in place them down in order so that they can be reinstalled the same way you originally had them.
Great. Got my fork, measured twice and cut once with a pipe cutter. Took off about 2 inches to equal my old fork. Grabbed my carefully placed spacers along with my stem riser and put them back on in the exact order that I took them off. Finally I put my handlebar on and BAM... perfect fit! Job well done.
Now, what's terribly wrong with this story?
Scott
Last edited by Sundance89; 05-30-10 at 12:36 PM.
05-30-10, 12:27 PM
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You are now about 4"s lower in the front?
05-30-10, 12:28 PM
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05-30-10, 01:50 PM
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The old fork had a threaded steerer and the new fork was threadless. You didn't allow for the stem clamp width?
05-30-10, 02:19 PM
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I assume that since you got it together, it wasn't steerer diameter or length, and would have guessed short blades/low head but curbtender eliminated that.
So you didn't leave the crown race on the old fork, did you?, or bearing retainers upside down? (is 2 guesses in one cheating?)
So you didn't leave the crown race on the old fork, did you?, or bearing retainers upside down? (is 2 guesses in one cheating?)
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05-30-10, 02:36 PM
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I assume that since you got it together, it wasn't steerer diameter or length, and would have guessed short blades/low head but curbtender eliminated that.
So you didn't leave the crown race on the old fork, did you?, or bearing retainers upside down? (is 2 guesses in one cheating?)
So you didn't leave the crown race on the old fork, did you?, or bearing retainers upside down? (is 2 guesses in one cheating?)
This is good by it not being so obvious. It softens my "duh moment" every time I look at the bike to this day. Scott
05-30-10, 02:49 PM
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Alright, the bonus power-round will give no more written clues but a visual one...
05-30-10, 02:50 PM
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This isn't a bad idea, eventually you'll have a primer covering all the ways to f*ck up a fork switch.
After I posted I thought about it and figured it had to be something that couldn't be fixed, so did you buy the wrong fork and have brake incompatibility, ie disc mount vs canti bosses?
After I posted I thought about it and figured it had to be something that couldn't be fixed, so did you buy the wrong fork and have brake incompatibility, ie disc mount vs canti bosses?
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
05-30-10, 02:51 PM
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Top screw is too short to reach through the adapter to the star nut in the fork. Need a 6x1 screw 3-4" long.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
05-30-10, 02:52 PM
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This isn't a bad idea, eventually you'll have a primer covering all the ways to f*ck up a fork switch.
After I posted I thought about it and figured it had to be something that couldn't be fixed, so did you buy the wrong fork and have brake incompatibility, ie disc mount vs canti bosses?
After I posted I thought about it and figured it had to be something that couldn't be fixed, so did you buy the wrong fork and have brake incompatibility, ie disc mount vs canti bosses?
05-30-10, 02:56 PM
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Scott
Last edited by Sundance89; 05-30-10 at 03:06 PM.
05-30-10, 03:05 PM
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Did you screw up the trail?
05-30-10, 03:07 PM
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I think I've got it. You made the mistake of cutting your fork to the same length as the previous one which had to be used with a stem riser. In hindsight, you could have left the fork the proper length (old fork plus stem riser) and just used more spacers for a stronger/lighter solution than the stem riser.
05-30-10, 03:09 PM
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05-30-10, 03:11 PM
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i think i've got it. You made the mistake of cutting your fork to the same length as the previous one which had to be used with a stem riser. In hindsight, you could have left the fork the proper length (old fork plus stem riser) and just used more spacers for a stronger/lighter solution than the stem riser.
05-30-10, 03:15 PM
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It was the silliest thing as soon as I proudly looked at the finished project. It hit me... WTF did I even cut the fork down for in the first place only to put a riser back on? I mean, I made a special trip to Lowe's to get the pipe cutter and file.
Unbelievable... but I have company now. Thanks guys.
Scott
Unbelievable... but I have company now. Thanks guys.
Scott
05-30-10, 04:00 PM
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Not so fast, that's how you made the mistake in the first place.
Guessing at how someone might f*ck up a fork replacement, isn't quite the same as actually doing it! You're still flying solo.
But thanks, it was a good object lesson in the importance of thinking before acting.
Guessing at how someone might f*ck up a fork replacement, isn't quite the same as actually doing it! You're still flying solo.
But thanks, it was a good object lesson in the importance of thinking before acting.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
05-30-10, 04:09 PM
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Not so fast, that's how you made the mistake in the first place.
Guessing at how someone might f*ck up a fork replacement, isn't quite the same as actually doing it! You're still flying solo.
But thanks, it was a good object lesson in the importance of thinking before acting.
Guessing at how someone might f*ck up a fork replacement, isn't quite the same as actually doing it! You're still flying solo.
But thanks, it was a good object lesson in the importance of thinking before acting.
Scott
P.s. There's gotta be a bunch of closet f*ck up stories out there like this with other people too.
05-30-10, 04:18 PM
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This isn't exactly a mechanic issue, but I commute to work by bike, about 1/2 hour each way. I have a key to the warehouse screwed to an unused waterbottle boss on my commuter bike. People ask me why it's there. I don't have to explain why to you, do I?
BTW- It was a Saturday when we're closed and I was going in to catch up some paperwork and, to add insult to injury, it was raining.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
Last edited by FBinNY; 05-30-10 at 04:27 PM.
05-30-10, 05:45 PM
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Absolutely, mechanics can be divided into two groups, those who'll admit to truly stupid blunders, and liars.
This isn't exactly a mechanic issue, but I commute to work by bike, about 1/2 hour each way. I have a key to the warehouse screwed to an unused waterbottle boss on my commuter bike. People ask me why it's there. I don't have to explain why to you, do I?
BTW- It was a Saturday when we're closed and I was going in to catch up some paperwork and, to add insult to injury, it was raining.
This isn't exactly a mechanic issue, but I commute to work by bike, about 1/2 hour each way. I have a key to the warehouse screwed to an unused waterbottle boss on my commuter bike. People ask me why it's there. I don't have to explain why to you, do I?
BTW- It was a Saturday when we're closed and I was going in to catch up some paperwork and, to add insult to injury, it was raining.
(An hour's ride in the rain on a Saturday? Yikes. I bet you came up with that key stash solution before you got home though, huh?)
Scott
