Hello bike riders! Newbie here, happy to join.
Visited fam during the holidays. Found my old Fuji mountain bike in the attic. Took it back home to use for weekend rides and occasional commuting. It has rigid fork. I prefer to swap it for suspension fork. I want it to be a DIY project. My first bike build in other words. Might get overwhelming at start. So where do I begin? Anyone here has done rigid to suspension fork conversion?
Thanks in advance.
(12-27-2019, 07:28 PM)Lemon Wrote: .... Found my old Fuji mountain bike in the attic. Took it back home to use for weekend rides and occasional commuting. It has rigid fork. I prefer to swap it for suspension fork. I want it to be a DIY project. My first bike build in other words. Might get overwhelming at start. So where do I begin? Anyone here has done rigid to suspension fork conversion?
Thanks in advance.
I haven't done a conversion but considered going from the suspension fork on my Schwinn 700C hybrid, to a rigid fork. I also considered putting a quality sprung fork on it but because the Schwinn was a low end bike, the cost of a decent sprung fork would be as much, or more than, the bike cost. Hardly worth it.
As for riding, I take it your commuting would be on pavement? I don't think you'd need a sprung fork for that. The only negative I can think of, is the added weight. There's also the resale value of the bike if you should decide to sell it in the future. Being an 'old' bike, you might be unlikely to sell it for what you put into the cost of the fork.
If I knew how to ride a bike properly, I'd do it every time.
(01-19-2020, 05:09 PM)Lemon Wrote: Hello. My aplogies for the late response. Holidays and work took over...
Don't mind me asking, but why do you tag me in a private message each time you post? This is the second time.
If I knew how to ride a bike properly, I'd do it every time.
The tagging is a (new?) feature of the forum. Basically whenever somebody writes @someusername that person gets sent a PM. Yeah, I also find it a bit annoying at times.
Back to the question. Doing your own checkups and maintenance on your bikes is not too difficult. Check stuff that is tight still is tight, lube things that need to be lubed, check parts for wear (chain, brake pads, cables, tyres).
The end of year offers are mostly through around here... Remark: a gravel bike has a road handle bar, not sure if that's what you are looking for. Check out cyclocross bikes as well. Almost all bikes with road bars have a rigid fork. Check the tyre clearance, you might be able to install really wide tyres to ride on gravel paths. Plus it's a matter of riding technique... ;-p
(01-20-2020, 08:58 AM)Joe_W Wrote: The tagging is a (new?) feature of the forum. Basically whenever somebody writes @someusername that person gets sent a PM. Yeah, I also find it a bit annoying at time
I wasn't annoyed, just wondering why I was getting the PMs. I didn't know that @someusername would generate a PM. Thanks for the info.
If I knew how to ride a bike properly, I'd do it every time.
I did not know that members here receive personal messages together with the tagging, apologies for that in case it is too much. I am simply very used to tag @ friends everywhere and I also appreciate receiving notifications - we often forget to reply, read bookmarked articles etc.
Back to the subject. Thank you for the answers. I will look around the website and go through some older topics, also videos in above section might help.
Charley, you mentioned switching from suspension to rigid. Do you feel "low end fork" quality? Could it be that such simple guy like me does not need a higher quality suspension fork?
Joe, I have some experience with road bikes. Therefore the idea of having road bike "sportiness" and speed combined with the ability to go off pavement ... it is exciting.
(01-21-2020, 07:34 PM)Lemon Wrote: ...Charley, you mentioned switching from suspension to rigid. Do you feel "low end fork" quality? Could it be that such simple guy like me does not need a higher quality suspension fork? ...
I'm no expert on forks, but I'm learning that if you're going to change your fork, get the best you can afford. I had a Schwinn hybrid bike that came with suspension fork. I noticed that when I brake hard and come to a stop, they go down but don't come up until I let go of the brake lever. While riding, I haven't noticed any effect in damping bumps and vibration. I squirted oil inside them, and it all leaked out from drainage holes at the bottom. It didn't make any difference. Cheap forks are not worth it. I ride two other bikes with regular forks and I don't feel any less comfort between them and the Schwinn fork, but they are lighter, so weight is a consideration if you decide to go with a suspension fork.
If you get a chance to ride a bike with a decent suspension fork, go for it and see what you think.
If I knew how to ride a bike properly, I'd do it every time.
I second what Charley says.
There are two kinds of people in the world, "Those who help themselves to people, and those who help people!"
Yeah, cyclocross bikes were a revelation (well, putting 'wide' 30mm tyres on an old road bike...). The new bikes are very responsive (compared to 40 year old ones, that is), and riding a road like bike through the woods and on easier flow trails is a ton of fun.
As for the tagging: it could really be useful at times.
Thank you all for thoughts. Charley's "cheap forks are not worth it" is the conclusion here, which means that my Fuji will stay as it is for now. I will soon revisit with more questions about cyclocross bikes.
(02-07-2020, 02:26 PM)Lemon Wrote: Thank you all for thoughts. Charley's "cheap forks are not worth it" is the conclusion here, which means that my Fuji will stay as it is for now. I will soon revisit with more questions about cyclocross bikes.
I think you're making the right decision, Lemon. Have you ever bought something and wished you hadn't, and you're stuck with it? I have, a few times!
So now I'm careful about things that seem like a good idea but are really a waste of money. I did look into a good quality fork, too, to replace my cheap Schwinn one but the price was way too high. The best on Amazon are $300... not wise to put them on a $199 bike.
If I knew how to ride a bike properly, I'd do it every time.
Where to start? rigid to suspension [Solved]
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