Need a replacement fork
 

Hi,
I crunched the fork in my Fuji, a 27inch bike. :(
Now I need a replacement fork.
The diameter of the steer tube is 22.2mm;
the length of the steer tube is 298mm. (No typo here!)
If the one you have is VALite (Ishiwata), a Reynolds, or a Raleigh, (lightweight alloy)
I'll pay extra; of course, I'll pay shipping. A black color is a blessing! :o
Please, send an image of your fork.
Thanks, in advance. Jim near Baltimore

I may have a black one from a Fuji. My brother took the frame before I could get the fork off. I'll find out within a few days if he still has it.

If the steer tube is 298 - I may get by with 295 - your fork would be a real find.
Problem: what if your brother has built-up the bike? :rolleyes:

You can get a nice chrome Tange replacement fork with 300mm of steer tube, but it is threadless. (The longest they make threaded is 230mm). I’m wondering if you could get some threads cut into the 300mm threadless fork? I have a black replacement (Reynolds 531) that might fit a 25" frame, but I doubt it is long enough for the freakishly tall unit. But I'll check for you, nontheless.

I could have threads cut; I know a machinist. Q: what is the diameter of the threadless Tange? Most threadless forks are 1" or 1.125". I am considering welding part of my old steer tube onto a shorter replacemnt fork. Any comments out there?

Actually almost any steerer tube for a 1" headset is less than 1" I believe the 1" is the head tube size.. I think yours is the most common size, some especially Schwinns and French bikes have different diameters by a mm or two, but almost any threaded fork with a long enough steerer should be fine for you... You could also move to a 1" threadless by replacing your headset.

This ad appeared on Craig's list out here yesterday. If you work out a deal with them I'll go over and throw $35 at them and send you the fork or the whole frame.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/bik/255130471.html

Bob

Hope you don't mind me tagging along onto your post, but I could use a pair of chrome forks myself - 700C recessed brake mounting, for 60cm frames (8-3/4" steer tube length minimum, if I recall correctly). No sloping unicrown "Cinelli"-type forks - I would like a lugged top. If it's pantographed Guerciotti, all the better. Need two mint, or one mint, and one can be a bit rusty/pitted.

Take care,

-Kurt

I would also have to replace the stem. On a 1980s bike the mixture of technologies would be just a little odd, eigh? Thanks for the idea; ideas are what these forums are all about!

Took a look; saw the 59cm qualifier. It's a little small :rolleyes: my frame is 67.5 c-c; you know what that translates into for a fork, eigh, about 296/298mm? Thanks for the help.

If the bike needs a 298mm threaded steer tube, a 300mm threadless will not be long enough to accommodate a clamp-on stem in a threadless mode. Remember, this is a 67.5cm frame!!!

Oops, when you said 27 inch frame I was thinking tire size! That IS a big frame. I'll be over at a bike shop that has some Fuji stuff today. I will see what they have.

that wouldn't be possible. there was some damage to the rear triangle and the BB shell has been "removed" he thought its was going in the scrap pile and thought he'd save me the 30 foot walk...

Just to add fuel to this option: Bernie Mikkelsen used to do a LOT of this steerer Frankenstein repair, and he did GREAT work for a low price...before he had a stroke (that's another story). How it's done: you cut the old steerer off ABOVE any butted section, nice and square, insert a short (3" or so) section of steel tubing that fits tightly INSIDE the steerer, then slide the new replacement steerer over the insert, half of it in each part. The gap between the 2 parts must be chamfered on both ends with a 45 degree "V", and then it's filled with a nice clean TIG bead, ground smooth and checked in a lathe for perfect alignment. With this method you can make any length you need, threaded or smooth, but I reckon that with adding a threaded tube you must be even more careful to keep it perfectly aligned. Seeing Bernie do it, I am convinced that it's best to trust this to somebody who knows the rountine and has done it alot...he made it look easy (and it was for him) but I know it would be a challenge for an amateur.
BTW, that greenie sure didn't look like a Fuji to me.

The lbs here that caters to the old steel crowd had plenty of forks but nothing with the extreme length you require. The proprieter said he knew at least 5 custom frame builders in town (Mpls) that could make you the fork you wanted and suggest you look for those kind of guys in your area.

See more of Unworthy's comment, above. I obtained another fork (before I saw Unworthy's comment) and cut off the top leaving 100mm above the crown. The I cut the top part of my damaged fork off (less 100mm) chamferred the ends, stuck a 3/4 dowel through (for alignment) and my son-in-law should be able to TIG weld it. I cut the pieces off with an ordinary pipe cutting tool, normally used for copper - worked here. Being steel, it took quite a few more turns! Keep posted and I'll let you know how it works. This will beat two quotes I have in hand for making a custom fork from scratch - $250 and $350. Forks for big-frame bikes are NOT lying around. Take a peek below at one mammoth steer tube!

My daughter lives in Mpls, NE. If I were really desparate, I would only have to nudge her and she would do it.
The accident was mine; this burden is mine. (penance for the crunch - self imposed)

looks like this will probably work, given a competant welder, but if you can get a piece of steel tubing (nothing fancy) for an internal sleeve, I'd highly recommend it. It'll make the welding easier too.

What is not apparent is, even though the ODs are the same, the IDs are different.
The dowel is for preliminary alignment. Would have to set the pieces on a V-block and tack it, then, weld the whole seam.

It's not; don't know what it is; looks clean; didn't have the usual crown construction.
It was black, which would save energy and $$$ in the aesthetics effort.
Do you recognise the type of fork?

New welding fixture
 

Guys,
I have a different idea about how to secure two pieces of steer tube for welding.
Dig the attached foto; just a piece of L-channel (V-channel?) with some simple hose clamps. The welder can lay over 50% of the bead before removal and completing the bead.

What type of fork are you using as the replacement? Sure looks like a sloping-crown fork from an '80s Raleigh Pro.

-Kurt

I really don't know; will trust your judgment. There doesn't appear to be an obvious blade-crown separation. The forks must have been fitted very smoothly into the crown & the fillets ground smooth to make it appear as one piece. I googled 'Raleigh Pro" and came up with this 1969 image which looks just like the one I have; good call! :D

Sounds a lot like an '80s Pro - the '69, I dare say, was done somewhat differently - and was available only in white - the '80s machines had black forks. Pic attached of my '84s fork crown, which doesn't have any rough blade/crown seperation point.

-Kurt

Bad pics, but you may want to look at this ad

http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/bik/255072405.html