Rigid legs on old suspension fork crown?
08-23-20, 07:30 AM
#1
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Rigid legs on old suspension fork crown?
My nuttiest idea yet.
I'm going to get a classic mountain bike today that has a Rock Shox Quadra, the old gray one. I think it has legs that unbolt from the crown but I don't have possession of the thing yet, so I can't confirm.
I'm sure I could rebuild it with kits sold online. I don't want to and they never worked that great to begin with.
I'm sure I could replace the fork with something from the pile at the co-op. That's not exciting.
What I'd love to would be replace the entire lowers with rigid legs. Ideally with canti posts and connected to each other with a totally unnecessary brake bridge.
So the only thing original would be the crown and steerer.
Is this an efficient use of time? No
Is there a better way? Literally every idea is probably better.
Is there a cheaper way? Again, this is probably the most expensive option.
The question is, is this possible and if it is, where do I find the legs?
My only thought would be to buy straight fork legs from frame builder supply if the diameter matches. If it does, I could then have fork ends and posts brazed on. Possibly even a fun way to try to teach myself how to braze.
Any other way to skin this cat?
Talk me out of this guys. It kinda sounds like a great fall project.
I'm going to get a classic mountain bike today that has a Rock Shox Quadra, the old gray one. I think it has legs that unbolt from the crown but I don't have possession of the thing yet, so I can't confirm.
I'm sure I could rebuild it with kits sold online. I don't want to and they never worked that great to begin with.
I'm sure I could replace the fork with something from the pile at the co-op. That's not exciting.
What I'd love to would be replace the entire lowers with rigid legs. Ideally with canti posts and connected to each other with a totally unnecessary brake bridge.
So the only thing original would be the crown and steerer.
Is this an efficient use of time? No
Is there a better way? Literally every idea is probably better.
Is there a cheaper way? Again, this is probably the most expensive option.
The question is, is this possible and if it is, where do I find the legs?
My only thought would be to buy straight fork legs from frame builder supply if the diameter matches. If it does, I could then have fork ends and posts brazed on. Possibly even a fun way to try to teach myself how to braze.
Any other way to skin this cat?
Talk me out of this guys. It kinda sounds like a great fall project.
08-23-20, 07:55 AM
#2
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My nuttiest idea yet.
I'm going to get a classic mountain bike today that has a Rock Shox Quadra, the old gray one. I think it has legs that unbolt from the crown but I don't have possession of the thing yet, so I can't confirm.
I'm sure I could rebuild it with kits sold online. I don't want to and they never worked that great to begin with.
I'm sure I could replace the fork with something from the pile at the co-op. That's not exciting.
What I'd love to would be replace the entire lowers with rigid legs. Ideally with canti posts and connected to each other with a totally unnecessary brake bridge.
So the only thing original would be the crown and steerer.
Is this an efficient use of time? No
Is there a better way? Literally every idea is probably better.
Is there a cheaper way? Again, this is probably the most expensive option.
The question is, is this possible and if it is, where do I find the legs?
My only thought would be to buy straight fork legs from frame builder supply if the diameter matches. If it does, I could then have fork ends and posts brazed on. Possibly even a fun way to try to teach myself how to braze.
Any other way to skin this cat?
Talk me out of this guys. It kinda sounds like a great fall project.
I'm going to get a classic mountain bike today that has a Rock Shox Quadra, the old gray one. I think it has legs that unbolt from the crown but I don't have possession of the thing yet, so I can't confirm.
I'm sure I could rebuild it with kits sold online. I don't want to and they never worked that great to begin with.
I'm sure I could replace the fork with something from the pile at the co-op. That's not exciting.
What I'd love to would be replace the entire lowers with rigid legs. Ideally with canti posts and connected to each other with a totally unnecessary brake bridge.
So the only thing original would be the crown and steerer.
Is this an efficient use of time? No
Is there a better way? Literally every idea is probably better.
Is there a cheaper way? Again, this is probably the most expensive option.
The question is, is this possible and if it is, where do I find the legs?
My only thought would be to buy straight fork legs from frame builder supply if the diameter matches. If it does, I could then have fork ends and posts brazed on. Possibly even a fun way to try to teach myself how to braze.
Any other way to skin this cat?
Talk me out of this guys. It kinda sounds like a great fall project.
08-23-20, 07:59 AM
#3
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So, the original Rockshox RS-1 used a Bontrager composite fork crown. If the quadra has the same dimensioned legs as the mag21, you could probably use the legs of a Tange switchblade or Bontrager fork. Both are hard to come by and A-C is old school short.
Obviously if I found one of them, I wouldn't mess around turning an old fork into it.
08-23-20, 10:23 AM
#4
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Just bailed on the bike. Too small with a mixture of lower end components than were spec'd with it new.
I'll post this for future reference in case I ever have the idea again. The Quadra 10 crown appears to be pressed together, so none of my ideas would have worked.
Maybe for the best, bike #7 with no defined purpose may have prompted explanation to my wife.
I'll post this for future reference in case I ever have the idea again. The Quadra 10 crown appears to be pressed together, so none of my ideas would have worked.
Maybe for the best, bike #7 with no defined purpose may have prompted explanation to my wife.
08-23-20, 10:38 AM
#5
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Back in the 80's there was the Tange switchblade fork .. they were not long fork bladed like a suspension corrected fork needs to be..
so you are going to be searching for a frame builder's service to make something for you, not a product link to order a ready made..
the blades clamped in the fork crown (a licencee use of a Keith Bontrager design)
...
so you are going to be searching for a frame builder's service to make something for you, not a product link to order a ready made..
the blades clamped in the fork crown (a licencee use of a Keith Bontrager design)...
