zazenzach

Am I right in assuming this is Tange #5 (which from what I understand, is straight gauge cromo)?

Seller said it was 1980 grams, which I don't think is possible. I'll have to weigh it when it comes in.

kunsunoke 

https://www.os2.dhs.org/~john/catalogs/tange-catalog.pdf

Looks like a pressed/welded box crown on that fork. Tange typically used them for high-tensile steel forks. It was a nifty trick they had, and it saved a bit of weight. The chrome-moly fork offerings used investment-cast crowns.

I'd tend to doubt the "5" stands for Champion #5 tubing, but it might - it's possible Tange crafted the fork with a straight gauge steer tube for added strength.

It's a good-looking fork, regardless of the alloy in use.

wrk101

Its a date code, January of a year that ends in "5": 1975 or 1985. My guess by its looks is 1985.

zazenzach

Never heard of this before. Should I be concerned with failure/fatigue issues?

I also thought it was a good looking fork. Seller said it was NOS.

Oh wow, that's interesting!

kunsunoke 

I wouldn't be that concerned about it if you're staying on the street.

Unless you have a habit of jumping curbs.

Metacortex

The "5A" stamp in this case means the fork was built in Jan. '85.

The '70s Tange forks used a different form of stamp with the date codes under a domed "T", for example this one stamped "5TB" is dated Feb. '75:



That seller is listing a lot of '70s and '80s Tange forks: timebehindbars | eBay

JohnDThompson 

No. Those forks are as reliable as the day is long.

Lascauxcaveman 

Approx 4.36 lbs? In that case it's either made out of lead (a dud) or gold (a real score, but not for riding). I'm guessing it's not quite that heavy.

Metacortex

This is the original listing for the fork in question: Tange Chrome Steel 27" Wheel 1" x 7 1 4" Threaded Road Bike Lugged Fork Eyelets | eBay

The seller didn't list any weight from what I could see. According to my measurements of similar Tange forks with the same length steerer this one should weigh about 2lbs 1oz or 936g.

79pmooney

I wonder if the 1980 zazenzach was quoted was a misprint and should be 980 grams which would be consistent. (Slightly longer fork blades for 27" wheels and chromed.)

Ben

zazenzach

LOL christ dude. this is why I need to remember to be careful what I mention. Internet sleuths always somehow are able to track info down.

I asked the seller some questions beforehand, thats where i got the weight qoute. Do you think I did ok price wise? Niagra is selling a generic hi-ten fork for half the price and a cromo fork for $10 less than I paid. I put a bet on this being tange 5 cromo, but oh well

I thought that could be the case, too. But i have a really low end generic fork that weighs almost 50 grams less than that. Judging by its construction and the use of tange, i was assuming this one would be higher quality and a bit lighter. but i could be wrong.

miamijim

It was probably the shipping weight...

Does it really matter?

Metacortex

Several of those forks must have come from a Schwinn dealer, for example some were obviously removed from or intended for Schwinn Continentals including one from a 1980 24" Continental and one from a 1982 Continental with the monster 28" frame. The one listed here has the screws for the Schwinn wheel retention clips and is the correct steerer length for a 26" EF frame.

With that in mind I noticed that the fork you bought appears to be the same model and size (steerer tube length) that Schwinn used on 24" fillet-brazed bikes (Sports Tourer, Superior). If that was indeed the intended application then as a consequence it will have a thicker steerer tube with a smaller 21.15mm (0.833") ID, meaning a standard 22.2mm stem won't fit.

zazenzach

@Metacortex

Oh boy, this keeps getting better and better.

MiamiJim said this would be circa Jan 1985. If that's the case, Schwinn stopped its fillet brazed line before then. So there's some hope that's not the case.

I guess I have to waite and see what it is when it shows up. Thanks for all your help.

zazenzach

@Metacortex

The fork came in and is indeed a 21.15mm ID. it weighs 892 grams.

Any conclusion then, what this possibly came off of? I checked the Schwinn 1985 catalogues and couldn't find anything with a chrome fork. And I would have thought Schwinn got rid of that funky ID by then? And Schwinn didnt outsource or use japanese tubing until the late 70's right?

Thanks for your help so far. its been invaluable.

EDIT- it appears Schwinn did do a second run of superiors in the late 70's to early 80's. In '81-'83 the Superior had a tange fork. But all of them are painted with chrome ends, not fully chromed like mine. Also, if this is from a superior, the 5a stamp doesnt make sense.

2nd EDIT- The fork also has a JIS crownrace. *facepalm*

Metacortex

Those later Superiors were basically lugged Paramount frames, not the same as the '76-'78 models I was referring to. The Tange fork on those would have investment cast crowns and chrome-moly construction.

The '70-'78 fillet-brazed bikes used the same style fork you bought, and the steerer length was 7-3/8" for those with 24" frames. Since the one you bought was listed as being 7-1/4" I guessed that might have been the application if the seller mis-measured by 1/8". But in checking an '83 Schwinn dealer parts catalog I don't see any forks for the FB models being listed so it probably wasn't specifically made for that application, although it would work if the steerer really was 7-3/8".

However, in that catalog there are full chrome forks in that crown style with 21mm ID steerers listed for the Voyageur 11.8, Le Tour and Traveler. Those would most likely have the JIS crown race too. Unfortunately I don't know the steerer tube length relation to frame size for any of those, but my guess is it would be for a 23" frame.

zazenzach

@Metacortex

Thank you, yet again, for the insight. I also measured the dropout spacing and its the schwinn 96mm oppossed to the 100mm. No doubt in my mind its a 70s Schwinn fork.

Im going to see what I can do to make this work. If not, hopefully the seller is understanding towards a return.