from what I have found this bike could have come with as suspension fork. The Rockhopper A1 FS came with a Rock Shox Quadra 5. I am having trouble finding the travel on it though. if I find it I will post it here. Once I get some money I am going to try to get the fork recommended above(The Marzocchi MX comp) which is 80mm.

So it looks like the Quadra 5 was a 52mm travel according to mtbr reviews.

If you want to save some $$$, consider a used fork off of ebay. 80mm travel forks are not in big demand.
Good luck with your project. I'm glad that bike landed up with someone who will revive it.

Thanks. I have been looking at ebay for forks but I also need to convert it to threadless. To do that I just need the fork, headset, and stem right?
Any other suggestions on forks so I have more options to look at?

I've actually got a Quadra 5 in my closet. I'll be honest with you, it kind of sucks.

thats what I have read. I was just looking for the travel on it so I knew what the stock travel was.

Not sure about that particular model but I had an old rigid stumpjumper for a while that had a stoopid steep head tube angle. If that bike is similar and came with a 52mm fork it probably wouldn't hurt too much to throw on an 80mm. Anyways, you probably won't find anything with less travel, so it's sort of a moot point.

Yes, and your new fork will probably not have a brake cable hanger for your current cantilever brakes...which won't be an issue if you're planning to switch over to vbrakes at the same time.

You can also get cable hangers that work in place of headset spacers. I have one on one of my bikes. Just sayin.' And yeah, switching to vees would probably be for the best.

So I went to the lbs and they had a brake set for $40. It has the brakes, levers, cables and all the hardware. They are Tektro Quartz MT14 brakes and Tektro Elipse mt3.0 levers. So now I have new brakes.

That would make a sweet rigid SS!!!Strip off the derailleurs and shifters and go single speed baby!!!

I have a rigid Rockhopper right around that year with the STX (although it is steel). My $.02 is keep it rigid and perhaps SS as psychlnut suggests (although we don't all live in Sarasota...).

By the time you switch out the headset, races, stem, spacers, fork, you're sinking a good bit into what could be a significant future investment. And risking the geometry being really sloppy.

Ride the hell out of the RH as is and save your pennies for the next bike. Then commit it to commuter duty with slicks fenders and a nice rack.

I continue to believe that most of us can really enjoy a rigid ride on varied terrain (unless you are planning on riding mostly rockgardens and big drops). YMMV.

Hey, we've got our fair share of hills around here. We just call them bridges!

Not to hijack (which means I am about to hijack)...

My mom lives in Old Myakka and when down there in the country I take her husband's Walmart bike on the trails in the park by their house (Myakka River State Park I think it is called). Really fun riding! I imagine a rigid SS is perfect for that area. In fact multiple speeds and suspension starts looking awful silly.

(end hijack)

I do run a rigid SS in the hills of PA from time to time and enjoy it. But I still have two speeds:
riding and walking.

kzinti,
Look what I found on CL for $10. Its a 94 Rockhopper Sport, double butted steel frame. I think I've got a RS quadra with a 1" threaded steerer somewhere. I think I'll build a MUP rider for sandy, Rail to Trails use. This way I can keep my MTBs from getting sand in the chain and BB. These old Rockhoppers are great.

I've got a 1" threaded Judy fork that I don't need.

nice. I have been watching craigslist to see if a fork would pop up. I can't wait to go ride it. less than a week until I go to my parents and get it. I wont get in until late Monday so the first ride will probably be Tuesday.

Sort of beside the point now, since he got the new brakes...but those hangers wouldn't work so well with the suspension fork he plans to get...lol.

Heh, good point. Was still thinkingabout it as a rigid. Brain fart.

I went for a short ride today then put on the new brakes. It stops so much better now

I agree. (having just done this to an older specialized frame )

And as far as hills go, if you can't make it up hills with a 2:1 ratio, you need to get in better shape.

I was looking at that vintage myself. Did Specialized make any steel bikes in 96?

Tim

It looks like it. Look for the ones that don't have A1 on the frame.

Thanks for the info. I will check it out.

Tim