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Recently, I acquired a mountain bike, more or less, from a friend. It’s actually about half of a bike and needs a serious overhauling, so I’m investing about 300 odd dollars to fix it up when I get the money in a few weeks. In the meantime, I figured I’d work on the bit of bike that I actually have. Most of the parts, if they were actually there, would be below the entry-level standard, but I have a bike of my own now so I can’t exactly complain.
Of the few decent parts on it, I pulled off the fork and tested it on another bike and It actually functions pretty well.
This leads to my question: Are the dustcovers and these foam padding things actually necessary? Or would it not be a horrible thing to just cut them off? It’s a coil fork. See pic:
The parts I’m talking about are labeled.
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The dust covers are there to protect your sanctions, which are the part of the fork that the lower fork arms run up and down on. If they get damaged they will eventually damage the seals and your forks will leak oil if they even have oil which I don’t think yours do. Do you really need them? Not at all, modern day forks don’t even have them.
As for the foam bits they are there to protect your bike. When the forks are installed you will notice when you turn the bars the forks will only turn so far because the foam bits will hit your top tube or down tube. Do you really need these? Yup or your frame will get all beat up.
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I highly recommend not doing whatever it is you’re doing and using that $300 to buy a new bike. Airborne makes some mail order bikes that are in your price range and 10 thousand times nicer and more modern than whatever you’ve acquired. In the long run, you’re just asking for problems and a headache by rebuilding a junk old bike.
Airborne Sabre for $250 – [url:2ucv06nz]http://www.airbornebicycles.com/products/111-sabre.aspx[/url:2ucv06nz]
Or save 50 more and get the Airborne Skyhawk for $350 – [url:2ucv06nz]http://www.airbornebicycles.com/products/112-skyhawk.aspx[/url:2ucv06nz]
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"slipfinger" wrote
The dust covers are there to protect your sanctions, which are the part of the fork that the lower fork arms run up and down on. If they get damaged they will eventually damage the seals and your forks will leak oil if they even have oil which I don’t think yours do. Do you really need them? Not at all, modern day forks don’t even have them.
As for the foam bits they are there to protect your bike. When the forks are installed you will notice when you turn the bars the forks will only turn so far because the foam bits will hit your top tube or down tube. Do you really need these? Yup or your frame will get all beat up.
Okay, the dust covers are cracked anyways. Thanks! 😃
"jtorlando25" wroteI highly recommend not doing whatever it is you’re doing and using that $300 to buy a new bike. Airborne makes some mail order bikes that are in your price range and 10 thousand times nicer and more modern than whatever you’ve acquired. In the long run, you’re just asking for problems and a headache by rebuilding a junk old bike.
But where’s the fun in that? 😉 I prefer tinkering over just getting a new bike. It’s a learning experience. I know what I’m doing for the most part, and the parts on the bike I’m keeping are the ones that are in the best condition, and actually of decent quality. Also, this isn’t a one time investment. I’m planning on getting better parts as I go. And if it fails, I have an old rigid bike that I can default back to that I’m used to riding trails with. I just wanted something with suspension to mess around with.
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+1 to jtorlando’s suggestion. This is a cool project if you just want to tinker, but, if you actually want a bike to ride that is fun to ride, your money is better spent elsewhere.
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"General_Eggs" wrote
This leads to my question: Are the dustcovers and these foam padding things actually necessary? Or would it not be a horrible thing to just cut them off? It’s a coil fork. See pic:
The parts I’m talking about are labeled.
[img]**SNIP**[/img]No, you do not need these "fork dust boots" by no means, as there are many forks without these. In fact, it is kind of rare to see these used anymore with the exception of the older generation forks such as this one you posted. They actually can be a nuisance in the long run.
As per the bumpers between the two crowns, yes, you will need them if running a dual or triple crown, as they protect the frame from damage when fully turning the dual or triple crown forks, With dual or triple crown forks, you are limited with your turn ratio compared to a single crown fork.
That is an old fork to really dump any money into, but if you are a tinkering kind of fellow or gal, then why not. Have fun with your new found project…. 😉 😄
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"dgaddis" wrote
+1 to jtorlando’s suggestion. This is a cool project if you just want to tinker, but, if you actually want a bike to ride that is fun to ride, your money is better spent elsewhere.
After taking an inventory of the number of the parts that’ll need to be replaced, It’s actually up to par with the bikes jtorlando suggested with the exception of the derailleurs, which are going to be upgraded later. Even if I do manage to hurt myself, I’m young, I heal fast, and I know how to ride well enough not to. 😃
"CP1" wroteNo, you do not need these "fork dust boots" by no means, as there are many forks without these. In fact, it is kind of rare to see these used anymore with the exception of the older generation forks such as this one you posted. They actually can be a nuisance in the long run.
As per the bumpers between the two crowns, yes, you will need them if running a dual or triple crown, as they protect the frame from damage when fully turning the dual or triple crown forks, With dual or triple crown forks, you are limited with your turn ratio compared to a single crown fork.
That is an old fork to really dump any money into, but if you are a tinkering kind of fellow or gal, then why not. Have fun with your new found project…. 😉 😄
I’m hanging on to the bumpers and I’ve already cut off the duct covers 😃 I’ll probably ditch it for a nicer fork later, but for now it works fine. I tried it out on a different bike and it’s got a good balance of cushion and rigidity. This is just my first suspension bike, I’ve been tinkering with bikes since I was 12 😄
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I think you’re doing the right thing by tinkering with this one and replacing the odd part that needs to be replaced.
Just ride the crap out of it and have fun.
You said you’re young, once you have this bike up and riding start saving your money and buy the bike you really want once you’ve saved enough. -
"slipfinger" wrote
I think you’re doing the right thing by tinkering with this one and replacing the odd part that needs to be replaced.
Just ride the crap out of it and have fun.
You said you’re young, once you have this bike up and riding start saving your money and buy the bike you really want once you’ve saved enough.Definitely +++1 …. 😄
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"slipfinger" wrote
I think you’re doing the right thing by tinkering with this one and replacing the odd part that needs to be replaced.
Just ride the crap out of it and have fun.
You said you’re young, once you have this bike up and riding start saving your money and buy the bike you really want once you’ve saved enough.My plan exactly. Thanks for your help, you and CP1 😃
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"dgaddis" wrote
+1 to jtorlando’s suggestion. This is a cool project if you just want to tinker, but, if you actually want a bike to ride that is fun to ride, your money is better spent elsewhere.
If this project is more for the fun of it than anything else, then by all means go for it, but otherwise I agree with jtorlando and dgaddis.
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"mtbgreg1" wrote
If this project is more for the fun of it than anything else, then by all means go for it, but otherwise I agree with jtorlando and dgaddis.
But isn’t mountain biking for fun in the first place? 😄 This is just for the sake of having a bike to mess around with on some local trails. I need a project for boredom repellent.
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"General_Eggs" wrote
But isn’t mountain biking for fun in the first place? 😄 This is just for the sake of having a bike to mess around with on some local trails. I need a project for boredom repellent.
Absolutely!!!! It is all about fun and noting but fun, and if you take that scenario out of the grand picture, you are left with nothing… 😆
You get a bike, you ride it, ride it again, and you are then having fun. Some have forgotten this TRUTH and have got so mixed up in the technology and the weight game these days, that they lost all the true meaning why and how MTB’ing truly started…."Its true roots". It started as an inspiring story as yours brother 😉 😄
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"CP1" wrote
Absolutely!!!! It is all about fun and noting but fun, and if you take that scenario out of the grand picture, you are left with nothing… 😆
You get a bike, you ride it, ride it again, and you are then having fun. Some have forgotten this TRUTH and have got so mixed up in the technology and the weight game these days, that they lost all the true meaning why and how MTB’ing truly started…."Its true roots". It started as an inspiring story as yours brother 😉 😄
+1 😆
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