New headset and a different fork. Is it safe?

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zoltanka79
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New headset and a different fork. Is it safe?

Post by zoltanka79 »

Today i installed a new headset on my bike, and realized that my Manitou's steerer was not long enough, so i replaced it with a 2011 RockShox Xc28. Not a great fork, but a bit more user friendly compared to the Answer(still want to convert that to srpings). Now, i was wondering, should i ride my bike with a 100mm travel fork, is it safe, or is it to risky? Could i crack the bike's frame?
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Re: New headset and a different fork. Is it safe?

Post by vpc66 »

Is it safe...100 mm will not hurt you nor the bike, will it handle like those that design the frame had in mind NO ! Now that I think about it, the reason for the change in frame design was in part the longer travel put on bikes these days...you know how a lot of the frames now have the down tube where it has the funky bent so it goes straight into the head tube and BB...I read that makes a better weld there fore holding up to the stress from long travel...is it Bs just to sell bikes, I don't know. I love modern rides also but with a vintage frame I feel you can only push updated parts to a point...fork travel being one that need be left in the past, but that is my thoughts..if you like the travel, so be it !
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Re: New headset and a different fork. Is it safe?

Post by neo_pop_71 »

Hey zoltanka79,

vpc66 is right on the money again as always, being your 1994 A2T is made with AeroLite chromoly steel and not the Easton aluminum like the 1995, you are good to go. The extra 35mm of travel that your newer fork has will affect the steering some but there is no way you're going to pop those tig welds. You probably want to examine it closely before or after rides for crazing in the paint from stress on the head tube. The steel is not going to crack like the aluminum frames... lucky you! Just watch the handling on the descents, it may be wonky at higher speeds. I had a Manitou Ti SX with 85mm of travel on my A2L and I didn't dig the sloppiness, so I swapped it out for the White Brothers SC72 and it's stayed in that configuration ever since. These older frames do well with 65-75mm of travel, any more and it's going to get squirrelly.

zoltanka79
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Re: New headset and a different fork. Is it safe?

Post by zoltanka79 »

I found a 2003 RockShox Judy XC, with 80mm travel, and i installed it a couple of days ago. So for now i'm gonna keep that one on the bike.
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Re: New headset and a different fork. Is it safe?

Post by vpc66 »

I know I keep a eye on mine having the Sid set at 80 mm travel with Comp made out of Easton tubes. But I have second generation and have notice that my head tube is larger than the older model....Question, could that have been their cure for the cracking head tube...would that not spread the force of the steering tube out over a longer run in the head tube...or worse ?
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