Shock compatibility

"H.Pinard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I recently picked up a 1991 Klein "Rascal" at a local Goodwill store
and would like to change out its stock Cro-mo front fork which has a
1" steerer for a margin- ally highend front suspension fork
(Marzocchi, Rock Shox, Manitou, and etc.?) that will fit this bike
well enough without compromising its handlng ability, speed, or
safety. Is there such a product available? If so, what brand and model
am I looking to find, and where might I find it? Please inform. Thank
you.

I don't know if new 1" forks are available, but there are still some good
older ones floating around. My son bought a Rox Shock Judy XC and put it on
an older Specialized Rockhopper. While it did raise the front end nearly 2
inches, the handling was still quite acceptable. That frame has a fairly
steep angle on the fork so the change in angle from the elevation still left
it within a reasonable range.

He eventually sold the fork for $50 when he came across a Schwinn Project
Underground carbon and titanium frame. Now he has a 22 1/2 pound bike that
he has $175 total in..

Speaking of older Kleins, I just built up a Synchros I bought on eBay and I
LOVE it! With a whole new drive train, I have $210 in it. While mine had a 1
1/8 headset, the head angle is steep enough that it could stand the lift
from a taller fork and still ride just fine.

The techies out there will probably correct me because raising the head tube
changes every angle on the bike, but building good bikes out of bargain
frames usually means some kind of sacrifice. Right now there a lots of great
frames available for great prices if you are willing to forego having rear
disk brakes. Cool as they are, you really only need them if you race down
hill or ride in lots of gooey mud.

Personally, I think starting with a 2.9 lb frame from a major maker and
making good use of discounted and used parts is the way to go to get a good
bike for minimal $. Once you have your basic set of parts, you can always
trade your way up as we did, replacing heavy or obsolete components as you
go. Swap meets, eBay, used bike stores, and the instincts of a horsetrader
can make it very cheap to get the parts you need, and sell the ones you
don't. By the time you subtract the money I made selling the two "donor
bikes" that I robbed many of the bits and pieces I needed, my Klein cost me
less than $50 out of pocket. and my son's Schwinn cost him just over $100.

We are quite willing to allow those whose bikes cost way more than ours have
the smug satisfaction of having spent too much.

Have fun with your project!

bmaytum

"H.Pinard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I recently picked up a 1991 Klein "Rascal" at a local Goodwill store
and would like to change out its stock Cro-mo front fork which has a
1" steerer for a margin- ally highend front suspension fork
(Marzocchi, Rock Shox, Manitou, and etc.?) that will fit this bike
well enough without compromising its handlng ability, speed, or
safety. Is there such a product available? If so, what brand and model
am I looking to find, and where might I find it? Please inform. Thank
you.

How about this?
http://tinyurl.com/2x6wr

....not too much travel for your frame.

Dave

Thank you for the nice email. I really appreciate that you were so quick to
let me know that my thoughts were helpful.

Since you live in my area, I will be glad to keep my eyes open for a 1" fork
from my second-best source of used shocks. First is my middle school son's
friends who have a remarkable array of older shocks at great prices, but we
already picked up the only 1" fork they had. Second best is working my
network. I know there is nothing out there right now, things have a tendency
to show up if I put out the word. Of course you will be under no obligation
until you have had a chance to see the fork and decide you want it.

Is there a used bike store in your city? Or used (pawn perhaps) store near
the Campus? Also, most bike shops have a bulletin board where you can put up
notices. Making direct contact with the techs in the bike shops can
sometimes flush out items in their personal supply of old parts. Joining a
club will also put you in contact with a network of cyclists. Swap meets are
also great places for those obscure older parts.

A WTB notice on all the bike boards will also reach thousands of bikers,
some of whom will have your fork. Beware of excessive cross-posting.

Don't neglect eBay. Sellers with at least 50 feedback points and 98%+
positive ratings have a reputation to maintain and a track record to prove
customer satisfaction. PayPal also offers a buyer protection plan. Find out
if your purchase qualifies. NEVER pay with anything but PayPal or a credit
card. Read the descriptions CAREFULLY, look at the pictures and ask
questions if you are not sure. Watch out for shipping costs. $15-$20 seems
typical for forks, but what ever it is, just figure it into the cost and bid
accordingly. You can also look up what past auctions have yielded so you can
bid appropriately. Bid late to avoid needlessly running up your cost by
getting into a bidding war early on. Decide what your maximum bid will be in
advance and don't go over it in the heady desire to win. The eBay stores
often have good deals as well. Most sellers will give you a break on
shipping if you buy more than one item at a time.

Considering the fact that I was able to pick up a Klein Synchros on eBay in
essentially new condition for $78, you may want to sell your existing frame
and get a newer one that won't tie your hands equipment wise. If you bought
it at the Salvation Army, you may be able to make some money on the sale. I
know of a Cannondale that takes a 1 1/8" steer tube for about what I paid.
Since I wasn't looking for a frame, I didn't look at it very hard, but if
you are interested, I would be willing to check it out. I don't know the
size.

BTW, if I were to sell the left over frame and suspension fork from the
second donor bike, I would actually have made money on my Klein project! I'm
hanging onto it because I'm thinking of building it back up for my wife with
better componentry.
If my son were to sell off his extra parts, his project would drop to near
$0 as well. It is our goal to have enough parts on hand to build another
complete bike just in case a frame we can't refuse falls in our lap. Like
the brand new Yeti full suspension frame with rear shock for $100 that
popped up at Performance a couple of weeks ago. If it hadn't been two sizes
too big, I would have grabbed it instantly. Sorry it is already sold, I
pointed it out to another customer standing next to me and he grabbed it.

I hope this is useful.

Good Luck on your project.

Brian Maytum

"B Maytum" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"H.Pinard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I recently picked up a 1991 Klein "Rascal" at a local Goodwill store
and would like to change out its stock Cro-mo front fork which has a
1" steerer for a margin- ally highend front suspension fork
(Marzocchi, Rock Shox, Manitou, and etc.?) that will fit this bike
well enough without compromising its handlng ability, speed, or
safety. Is there such a product available? If so, what brand and model
am I looking to find, and where might I find it? Please inform. Thank
you.

I don't know if new 1" forks are available, but there are still some good
older ones floating around. My son bought a Rox Shock Judy XC and put it

on

Quoted message said:

an older Specialized Rockhopper. While it did raise the front end nearly 2
inches, the handling was still quite acceptable. That frame has a fairly
steep angle on the fork so the change in angle from the elevation still

left

Quoted message said:

it within a reasonable range.

He eventually sold the fork for $50 when he came across a Schwinn Project
Underground carbon and titanium frame. Now he has a 22 1/2 pound bike that
he has $175 total in..

Speaking of older Kleins, I just built up a Synchros I bought on eBay and

I

Quoted message said:

LOVE it! With a whole new drive train, I have $210 in it. While mine had a

1

Quoted message said:

1/8 headset, the head angle is steep enough that it could stand the lift
from a taller fork and still ride just fine.

The techies out there will probably correct me because raising the head

tube

Quoted message said:

changes every angle on the bike, but building good bikes out of bargain
frames usually means some kind of sacrifice. Right now there a lots of

great

Quoted message said:

frames available for great prices if you are willing to forego having rear
disk brakes. Cool as they are, you really only need them if you race down
hill or ride in lots of gooey mud.

Personally, I think starting with a 2.9 lb frame from a major maker and
making good use of discounted and used parts is the way to go to get a

good

Quoted message said:

bike for minimal $. Once you have your basic set of parts, you can always
trade your way up as we did, replacing heavy or obsolete components as you
go. Swap meets, eBay, used bike stores, and the instincts of a horsetrader
can make it very cheap to get the parts you need, and sell the ones you
don't. By the time you subtract the money I made selling the two "donor
bikes" that I robbed many of the bits and pieces I needed, my Klein cost

me

Quoted message said:

less than $50 out of pocket. and my son's Schwinn cost him just over $100.

Have fun with your project!

bmaytum