[jacksonpt]

I dug out my old rigid bike yesterday and started cleaning it up. It's an old Diamondback tank from about 8 years ago. It's got decent parts, especially for an 8 year old bike, and the thing is bomb proof. I got to thinking that it might make a nice all purpose bike... upgrade the brakes and put a fork on it and it would make a nice training hardtail or second bike.

Can I put a fork on a bike that old?

 

[the_prozac_kid]

short answer is yes you should be able put a suspension fork on the frame, though you may come into a couple problems. firstly given that it was a rigid frame, i doubt that the geometry was compensated for suspension, this means that you'll be limited to amount of travel you can run (maybe 80mm) or the steering will be to slow. secondly your stem is probably the old quill style (the stem grips onto the inside of the steerer tube via an expander bolt), if so you'll have to get a stem that bolts onto the outside of the steerer and an aheadset (though your current headset may need replacing anyway). hope this helps!

 

[jacksonpt]

Good to hear, thanks for the info. I may try to find a cheap and/or used stem and headset for the rigid, then replace the el-cheapo Manitou fork on my FS bike with something better, and put the old fork on the rigid. That way, both bikes come out ahead.

 

[stosh]

Originally posted by jacksonpt
Good to hear, thanks for the info. I may try to find a cheap and/or used stem and headset for the rigid, then replace the el-cheapo Manitou fork on my FS bike with something better, and put the old fork on the rigid. That way, both bikes come out ahead.

Make sure the Manitou fork fits first.
Although you may want to get rid of that fork anyway.

 

[Yossarian]

yeah, you may hae problems with a 1" headtube on the old bike, and a 1.125 setup on the fork.

 

[jacksonpt]

I'm not going to just scrap the fork, because ultimately I'm saving for a *at this point* Heckler. But if I can upgrade both bikes without sinking a significant chuck of change into my current FS, then I'll probably go ahead with it.

 

[stosh]

Originally posted by jacksonpt
I'm not going to just scrap the fork, because ultimately I'm saving for a *at this point* Heckler. But if I can upgrade both bikes without sinking a significant chuck of change into my current FS, then I'll probably go ahead with it.

We're not yelling at you, we're just saying to check it first.

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by stosh
We're not yelling at you

Oh, I know... if you were I'd tell you all to fvck off . I'm just saying that my ultimate goal is a new bike, so if upgrading the rigid and/or the FS is going to but a noticable dent in the Heckler fund, then that all will have to wait. The Heckler is #1 on my bike priority list right now.

 

[stosh]

Originally posted by jacksonpt
Oh, I know... if you were I'd tell you all to fvck off . I'm just saying that my ultimate goal is a new bike, so if upgrading the rigid and/or the FS is going to but a noticable dent in the Heckler fund, then that all will have to wait. The Heckler is #1 on my bike priority list right now.

Last I knew I didn't think you were getting a new bike.
When do you want the new bike by?

 

[BikeGeek]

Originally posted by Yossarian
yeah, you may hae problems with a 1" headtube on the old bike, and a 1.125 setup on the fork.

If you can find an old Marzocchi with the bolt on crown, I know I've seen aftermarket crowns and steer tubes that work with a 1" HT. I believe you can even get them threaded.

One problem I ran into when I tried to put suspension on my old bike was that the geometry was wrong. My foot would hit the front tire when pedaling around a turn.

 

[The Toninator]

i was able to find (several years ago) a threaded 1" fork for my old HT, 92 gt outpost. It was threaded so i dint have to change the headset or stem.
It is possible to still get all of this stuff in unthreaded but you have to bargain shop.

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by stosh
Last I knew I didn't think you were getting a new bike.
When do you want the new bike by?

I guess it depends on how you look at things. I'm definitely getting a new bike, but probably not unit the off-season. It's going to take me a good 4 months to save the cash, so I'll probably wait till the end-of-season sales.

At this point, it's between the Heckler and the Jamis Dakar XLT 2.0. I'm having a tough time finding any reliable, consistant info on the Heckler.

 

[indieboy]

marz still makes some of their current models w/ 1inch threadless, but you have to order it from them. and 1inch headsets and stems are still widely available b/c up to a year or two ago 1inch was still the standard on the road. shouldn't be all that hard.

 

[Airborne]

Originally posted by Yossarian
yeah, you may hae problems with a 1" headtube on the old bike, and a 1.125 setup on the fork.

yeah, the 1 1/8th wont fit! i put a $69 new rock shox jett 1" threadless fork on an old specialized hardrock ht, and it was ok; just wanted a crap bike for whatever. increased the head tube angle 1*, slowed down the steering, but fnu to jump and for the winter and stuff. needed a new headset and stem, but got it all done for 100 quid...

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by Airborne
yeah, the 1 1/8th wont fit! i put a $69 new rock shox jett 1" threadless fork on an old specialized hardrock ht, and it was ok; just wanted a crap bike for whatever. increased the head tube angle 1*, slowed down the steering, but fnu to jump and for the winter and stuff. needed a new headset and stem, but got it all done for 100 quid...

Sounds like just what I'm hoping to do - thanks for the info. I guess I should talk so some local riders, see what my LBS has laying around.

 

[Drunken_Ninja]

Bad idea. Particularly if it was built for a rigid fork. Your head tube angle is probably like 74 degrees. You need like 69 maby up to 71 (if you like turner) to mount that stuff.

Otherwise I know a fella who was riding fast down a hill and caught a bump with a similar problem and caught over 14' of air. He just went straight up and came straight back down. The fork sent him sky rocketing.

The injuries aint worth it.

Not to mention how easily you will find catastrophic frame failure. A bike built for a fork has a larger headtube, and way more material.

You could break it on the first ride. Plus it would make any city commuter bike to heavy to go anywhere. (I already tried that and do NOT like it.) May as well just buy another frame.

 

[Airborne]

Originally posted by Drunken_Ninja


Otherwise I know a fella who was riding fast down a hill and caught a bump with a similar problem and caught over 14' of air. He just went straight up and came straight back down. The fork sent him sky rocketing.

now thats the BIKE'S fault?: One "bump" = 14 FEET of air?

lets not make it too complicated, as long as he measures a few things out. my 80mm suspension post on my old steel hardtail/fork raised the bottom height of the headtube by 20mm, which results in less than 1* of head tube angle change. Assuming it was not 74* like you state (what HT is? - thats a freeride/DH specific angle) it went from maybe 70* to 72* tops.

as it is my POS, it just gets used for **** weather, the winter, etc. not downhilling and 14' ft airs.

regarding "more material", sure most current aluminum bikes have more material there because they need it. you need 2/3 the amount of steel by wieght to equal the strength of the same amount of aluminum.

and think about it - a RIGID fork exerts a hell of a lot more force into the headtube than the suspension fork will. thats why our bodies like suspension.

 

[Drunken_Ninja]

an old chromo rigid bike is sadly not meant for a suspension fork.

yes it only took an 80mm fork to send a guy in the air that high.

yes most old rigid fork bikes have stupid headtub angles.

no they are not overbuilt like a new aluminum frame.