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24" Union Street Molly Maguire - Finally back into riding and looking for setup help

yellowfox

Monkey
Apr 29, 2004
166
0
Akron OH
What up dudes! Been a while since I've searched the forum. Never really posted much before but thought I'd speak up a little and get some help and opinions. I apologize in advance for the long read. Lots in mind right now and pumped to be back on a bike thinking about this stuff.

Been out of riding for about 5-6 years with the exception of my rigid SS MTB for occasional trail cruises. Was mainly into downhill and dirt jumping before getting out. My 3 year old son is starting to ride so we've been spending some time at the local bmx track. I couldn't be there without getting a bike and riding....

Enter this used 24" Molly Maguire I picked up locally on craigslist (actually from a guy I used to ride with too). I'm sure you guys can spot the components. I've been riding this bike about %90 on the track right now. I don't have much time to get out and find the dirt jumps and since my boy is at the track it makes it nice.





Geometry since that's what I'm curious about next.



I really like the way the bike rides. Manuals on the track nicely, flies nicely and feels snappy. The one piece bars throw me off a bit but I think it's because I'm so used to riding my last dirt jump bike with a cross bar on the handles bars. Odd I know. Anyways, I'm desperately wanting to try a rigid fork. I feel like I lose a lot of momentum and pump on the track with the suspension fork and I wouldn't mind shaving a little weight either.

So I've been looking at a few 20mm rigid forks. Mainly the DMR Trailblade 2 and the Indentiti rebate. Head tube angle on the bike is 71.75 with the 80mm jumper. I measured A2C and get 455mm. At full compression head tube angle is 74 degrees (fairly close to bmx). The rebate comes in at 425mm and 465mm and the trailblade 2 which seems to be about 440mm.

So with the 80mm sherman compressed 1" (I have an extra firm spring) I'll be down to around 430mm and should be around 73 degree head tube angle. I'd like to get a taller bar to make up the difference (and allow me to run a cross bar haha). Or will this setup be too twitchy and react to quickly? I will mainly be racing this and dirt jumping. Not going to be doing any crazy tricks, I just like riding the trails, airing out and hitting everything smooth.

What is everyone else's thought? This is a good setup or go with a 465mm A2C fork and keep the same geometry I have now?
 

yellowfox

Monkey
Apr 29, 2004
166
0
Akron OH
Good point. I have no idea what height it's at right now. Chain stay is slightly more than horizontal. If I'm dropping the front end 1" I couldn't imagine it dropping the BB much? Maybe horizontal chain stay?
 

eaterofdog

ass grabber
Sep 8, 2006
8,186
1,426
Central Florida
Level would be as low as I would go on 24. I've done this on a DMR Rhythm, it rode like sh!t. Steep front end was fine, but the pedals would strike and it lost it's agile feel.
 
i'd just keep that fork and slam it way down. i have a 24" Liquid mtbmx that i run a marz 4x modded to 15mm and run 3" bars so it doesn't feel too low.. i wanted to just drop it all the way, but it just didn't seem right. personally, i think the bike handles like a dream....

edit: after a little thought, my bike was actually designed to run such a low a/c height fork and still have a positive rise on my bb...
 
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Level would be as low as I would go on 24. I've done this on a DMR Rhythm, it rode like sh!t. Steep front end was fine, but the pedals would strike and it lost it's agile feel.
i had a dmr rhythm that i used to run a s&m pitchfork on. never had any pedal strike issues and i thought the bike became more agile instead of less. classic case of 'to each his own'...
 

cmc

Turbo Monkey
Nov 17, 2006
2,052
6
austin
this is my Molly with an S&M fork (17.5" axle to crown or 444.5mm). i think you would be fine if you ran this height fork. however, what about just adding more air or stiffer springs to your sus fork? i ride my Mob on the bmx track and it has a manitou gold label fork with stiff coil, and i don't feel like it slows me down . . . maybe a little but it kinda makes up for it with smoothness. if you shift your weight back and pull on your bars when you crank, rather than leaning forward on your hands when you crank... you won't have as much power-suck (is that a word?) from the fork.....





this is when i tried some 4" rise Immortis bars on it:

 
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Axis

Monkey
Jun 9, 2004
471
0
Yellowfox! Man the last time I saw you was at Mohican DH on a minibike (I had a white bullit). I had every generation of the Molly frame. Definitely keep the a/c as close to the og sherman 80mm jumper as you can. I ran a trailblade and it was really good. Try to keep the bb at 12.3" other wise it will want to loop out if too tall or be way too twitchy if too low. I tried a lot of bars on it too. I would stay with 60mm to 80mm rise bars. Those usb bars are fine but keep an eye on them if you case hard they will bend.

If it is setup like it is in the pics just leave it like that... it's perfect. Was that Vance's?

Are you coming out to RaysMTB opening weekend? I will be riding a 22" wheel size S&M homes. If you are looking for dirt jumps I can fill you in... we have a lot of spots running now in the Akron Cleveland area. Welcome back!!!
 
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Axis

Monkey
Jun 9, 2004
471
0
Come to think of it I have a video of you jumping a giant "ac" with 24" wheels on it... I gotta find it but I think it was at the high tower trails in Parma?
 

yellowfox

Monkey
Apr 29, 2004
166
0
Akron OH
Come to think of it I have a video of you jumping a giant "ac" with 24" wheels on it... I gotta find it but I think it was at the high tower trails in Parma?
What's up man! It's been a long time..... I remember meeting up with you at Rays! It's been years. I can't put a name to the face though. Scott perhaps?

Yeh I rode a Giant AC on 24s for a while when I was racing. Don't remember riding Parma but who knows. Rode lots of places back in the day.

I ended up ordering a Trailblade 2 today. 430mm A2C. It'll definitely change my geometry around but I've felt it's been a bit off since I started riding anyway. I also snagged a set of 4" bars. Most people are probably going to smack me around a bit for doing it but hey, worst case scenario I stick with what I have. It should be very similar to CMC's ride posted above, slightly steeper head tube angle but bars should be about the same height.

I doubt I'll be up at Ray's for the opener. I did talk to him the other day. Sounds like things are going great. Keith Miller has been racing out at the BMX track which has been pretty cool. I think he thought I was Vance the last time when he seen the bike. It is Vance's old bike haha
 
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don

Turbo Monkey
Nov 8, 2001
1,319
0
Rumson, NJ
Yellowfox - glad to see you are keeping an old Molly up and running. I know there hasn't been much action from USB but it's been hard getting US made frames built even at the prototype level.

I have specs for a V5.1 Molly all drawn up and they will be based around a 16.5" Axle to crown yielding a 73 deg HT and 12.5" BB height. It seems that most of the people riding Molly's are running rigid forks and using them for street and park where a rigid fork works well and is cheaper/more durable and gives a steeper HT angle. With 20" guys running 75+ degs a 73deg HT on a 24" is nice.

I think you should be good with the Trailblade 2 fork. Cmc's Molly looks just about perfect IMO with that 17.5" S&M fork and the Trailblade is at 17" and should put you at 73 deg HT and level BB or 12" depending on what tires you run.

The 4" bars with the drop USB stem should be spot on. I would love to get a batch of 4" bars based off the classic S&M Gay bar with the lower cross bar but need to get frames done first and foremost.

Let us know how those forks and bars work for you.
 

yellowfox

Monkey
Apr 29, 2004
166
0
Akron OH
Thanks for the reply Don! Glad to have a little reassurance in the parts I ordered. My goal was around a 73 HT angle so that'll work out good. I know what you're talking about on those S&M bars.... Would be killer for sure. I picked up a set of the Shadow Conspiracy Voltus 4" bars.

I'm not too worried about the BB height. I'm running some KHE tires that seem to have a pretty tall side wall anyway.

Do you have the newest Molly version drawn up in Solidworks or the like? Be cool to see. I love the setup now and would definitely be interested in updating.
 
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yellowfox

Monkey
Apr 29, 2004
166
0
Akron OH
Come to think of it I have a video of you jumping a giant "ac" with 24" wheels on it... I gotta find it but I think it was at the high tower trails in Parma?
Let me know where you're riding today, I'd like to stop by on the way home from work to check the place out.
 

yellowfox

Monkey
Apr 29, 2004
166
0
Akron OH
Fork and bars came in today! Now to just find time to get it all together.....

Don, did you send out an email? I haven't seen anything come through.
 

yellowfox

Monkey
Apr 29, 2004
166
0
Akron OH
Well she's back together!



Wasn't paying attention when I bought the bars. Talk about narrow! I remember cutting my bars down quite a bit back in the day but not sure I went this crazy with it. I'll have to see how it feels.



BB is 12.5" and rear axle is at 12.125" so the CS is slightly positive to horizontal.
 

don

Turbo Monkey
Nov 8, 2001
1,319
0
Rumson, NJ
yellowfox - looks good and I am glad the BB height is still at a positive. I think those bars are made for the fixed gear crowd - they look a little narrow. I know there are some companies like Deluxe that make bar end extenders. Maybe an inch on each side would be good.

Let me know what you think of the rigid fork and send me some ride/build pics when you get some!
 

yellowfox

Monkey
Apr 29, 2004
166
0
Akron OH
Hmmm never knew about the bar extenders. That would definitely be something to look into! Thanks!

Well if AXIS would ever reply back to me about some jumps he knows of I might be able to get this thing dirty! haha I'll post some pics soon hopefully.
 

cmc

Turbo Monkey
Nov 17, 2006
2,052
6
austin
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cmc

Turbo Monkey
Nov 17, 2006
2,052
6
austin
There used to be a couple of Union Street videos on youtube. Does anyone know how to find those? I did searches and didn't find em.