Fork replacement questions
 

Hi guys,

I have an older MTB with shocks on the front fork and I'd like to replace it with a rigid fork. I'd also like to do it as inexpensively as possible.

It currently has a RST 260 fork with a 1 1/8" Tange-Seiki RBC-2 headset on it. Would I just need to buy a new fork or will I need other things, as well?

I noticed the following fork on Nashbar for $49.99. Would this work?

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...1_10000_202440

Thanks!

Your current bike/fork would need to be the right system. The fork on Nashbar is not threaded. Look at your fork setup and see if it has 2 nuts at the top of the fork and if the stem has a tube that slides down into the fork, if it does you have a threaded fork and a quill stem. If your fork steertube goes out beyond the frame and the stem clamps to the steertube you have threadless. It looks like that headset is threadless but you will have to look to make sure. If it is threadless, then the only thing you will need to do is remove the bottom headset race from the old fork and press it down on the new fork so it makes contact with the bottom bearing assembly, and then move everything onto your new fork. That and maybe press a star nut down into the new steertube.

Thanks greyghost!

Okay, so I think mine has a quill stem, so I guess it's threaded? The stem doesn't attach to the steering tube with 2 nuts, but curves and extends into the head tube instead.

Does this present a problem?

Update: This is the exact bike.

http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/B...M-50&Type=bike

If you can get a new aheadset / stem, it will be a lot easier to work with the threadless system, with a threaded headset, you need to deal with thread lengths, just cut and fit for a threadless.

I just did this upgrade to a bike this week. My commuter bike had a 1 1/8 threaded headset before the fork swap. I did pay a shop to switch out the headset and install the crown race on the new rigid fork. I have heard of people swapping their own headsets at home, but I figured it was worth the minor cost to have the shop use its press and install the headset properly. The mechanic also installed my star nut. He only charged me $35, including the cost of the headset, star nut, and spacers. (Labor was $10 of the $35.) I purchased my fork online, as I needed one with a very long steerer to accommodate my bike's long head tube.

One thing you can anticipate in the fork swap is cutting the new fork's steerer down to size. While my bike needed every millimeter of the 300mm steerer, your bike will probably need the steerer cut to length.

Depending on the fork you get, you may also need to clean up the brake bosses before installing your brakes. My fork's brake bosses had just enough paint on their shafts to make the brakes bind. Once I cleaned that paint off, the brakes worked great. I also greased the brake bosses before installing the brakes.

Good luck on your fork swap. It is not a difficult task. In my case, doing away with the suspension fork has made a significant improvement in ride quality, especially when riding across tire ruts in intersections. The suspension fork always felt like it was going to bounce me to the point of losing control if I crossed over the tire ruts too quickly.

Thanks to both of you. I'm now convinced that switching to a threadless headset is the way to go.

Seems like you received a reasonable deal from your LBS, Scooby. I think I'll check with mine to see what they'll charge.

One thing I forgot to mention earlier is that you should get a "suspension corrected" fork. Many of the replacement forks are called suspension corrected, but you want to get one that matches your current axle to crown height when you are seated on your bike. My bike's original suspension fork had an axle to crown height of 450mm. When I would sit on the bike, the suspension would compress somewhat, to closer to 430mm. The rigid fork I bought has an axle to crown height of 420mm, which is close enough for me. My bike's head tube angle was quite relaxed, so the difference in axle to crown height made the effective head tube angle slightly less relaxed (a good thing in my case). It also made the bottom bracket slightly lower, though it was higher than average in the first place so this was also a good thing in my case.

If you get a non suspension corrected fork, such as a Surly Long Haul Trucker fork, your bottom bracket may be so low that you risk pedal strike when pedaling through curves. If you can get a fork that has a axle to crown height that is fairly close to your current fork (when you are sitting on the bike), none of the changes mentioned above should be a problem.

I was wondering about that.

Thanks for the information!

How much good is the raleigh M50 i buy that bike but need work the headset is lose i not know yet if is just lose or the fork need replace. other need that bike is brakes and shifters. As frame is worth to restore that bike or not worth. The bike is 22" what height person fit. 22" is 56cm in road bike. road bike i ride 56cm. The raleigh m50 Because is mountain bike 22" is too tall for me? And wich one is better Raleigh M50 or trek 830

POS bike and too big for you. A 17" or 19" at the largest. Trek 830 is better.

A bit harsh with the bike, it's got STX parts which are period equivelant of current Alivio/Deore level, the Trek 830 is probably a worst spec depending on year, correct about the size/height issue, nothing is ever going to change that