High quality suspension forks for cruisers and bikes with 1" neck tubes. bye springer

waylow

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Everyone, it is official, you may now all love and worship me!

after what felt like forever, reading and searching every forum I could find, I finally came up with the perfect solution to our suspension woes!!!!

like many of you, my new bike has a 1" neck tube / steer tube / head tube / steerer (trying to make this search friendly) and our only solutions seem to be cheap and very flimsy looking reproduction schwinn style and monarch style springers. and these dont have steer tubes long enough for my frame. So I looked into the Pantourhub, and eh, I'm still not sure about it. if there was no other way, I would get the 1/2 Inch Pantour hub. But there is another way!!!

An Italian company called Marzocchi made a series of awesome mountain bike suspension forks with 1" steer tubes! and they are easily removed with 2 allen bolts, to put a longer one in, which I will need to do. These things were like 650 bux new in 2007. but you can get them used and in perfect working order for 150-400 dollars on ebay. for v-brakes, or disc. they look like great products, and they just went on my list.

happy, and smooth riding to everyone!
-waylow
 
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Marzocchi Forks?

Could you please provide more information about which model of Marzocchi fork you are talking about and how recently they were manufactured. I remember you could get Marzocchi forks with 1 in steerers back in 2000 maybe 2002 but then they stopped making them. You seem to be talking about a fork that is much more recent?

ocscully
 
They stopped making them in 2007
and I heard that Rock Shox stopped making them in 2006, so the 1" mtb forks are drying up quickly. I am not sure which Rock Shox had them, but the Marzocchi Bombers have 1" neck tubes. you can find them on ebay by searching: Marzocchi 1". however my LBS warned me about buying used shocks on ebay, because they tend to be ragged out. but we will see. I have him searching to find some for me, and a neck tube long enough for my frame (frame has a 9" head tube) so, I might have to see about making my own neck for the forks, if it comes down to it. Also, the Marzocchi's have a neck tube held in by 2 alen head bolts, so it is super easy to change, no pressing the tube into the fork crown.
 
They stopped making them in 2007
and I heard that Rock Shox stopped making them in 2006, so the 1" mtb forks are drying up quickly. I am not sure which Rock Shox had them, but the Marzocchi Bombers have 1" neck tubes. you can find them on ebay by searching: Marzocchi 1". however my LBS warned me about buying used shocks on ebay, because they tend to be ragged out. but we will see. I have him searching to find some for me, and a neck tube long enough for my frame (frame has a 9" head tube) so, I might have to see about making my own neck for the forks, if it comes down to it. Also, the Marzocchi's have a neck tube held in by 2 alen head bolts, so it is super easy to change, no pressing the tube into the fork crown.

I feel you are giving the impression that all Marzocchi forks come with a fork crown that you can easily change the steerer tube in and that is not the case. Up until around 2002 Marzocchi fork crowns were as you describe the steerer was held in place with 2 6mm allen cap screws, so fork steerers could and can be easily changed. The forks from this era also had a removable brake arch. Also about this time Marzocchi also started casting the sliders and brake arch as one piece and they also went to press in steerer tubes. By 2002 1 in. steerer tubes had pretty much disappeared from the MTB scene, Ritchey and Bridgestone were the last holdouts using the 1 in standard. Also cheap Dept. Store Bikes kept the 1 in standard. Marzocchi USA still today will press a 1 in steerer tube into your 2007 or older Marzocchi fork crown or sell you the 1 in. steerer tube if you have one of their bolt in crowns. But the bulk of the fork crowns made and sold since 2002 are press in steerer not bolt in. So if you are going to buy a used or NOS Marzocchi fork for mounting into your bike you need to be sure what you are getting in regards to the fork crown, and what your options are to convert it to 1 in.

The other area that creates problems/expense with this conversion is the headset. There are two different 1 in. headsets available. The BMX/Cruiser and the Road/MTB 1 in. and they are not interchangable. Also you will almost certainly have to convert to the threadless/A-Headset system to make this conversion which means buying a new stem.

I'm not trying to say that this conversion can't or shouldn't be done. I'm just trying to point out that it isn't as easy as buying any used or NOS Marzocchi fork and away you go. Modern MTB Suspension forks are wonderful and Marzocchi made and continues to make some of the best available. Adding them to your motored bike will provide a great riding experience.

ocscully
 
all I have to say to that is....wow. Oh yeah...and I like my springer, but I live in the past.
 
I never said they were all 1"

I dont want to be a jerk about it... I just got out of the hospital and I feel terrible. but I never said that all of the Marzocchi had allen bolt held neck tubes in the crowns. I said that the 2007 Marzcocchi Bombers have a 1 inch neck tube.
 
Marzocchi USA info.

For anyone who wants to persue using a Marzocchi fork on a bike requiring a 1 in steerer, here is a quote from Chris @ Marzocchi USA

"We haven't offered a fork compatible with a 1" steer since about 2005 but the 2007 Corsa WC 80mm is the last fork that we could press a 1" in to. As for the bolt style crowns if you find one that is 80mm or less we can get you a 1" but it must be 80mm or less."

I offer this so you will have the information you will need to purchase a fork that is compatiable with a 1 in steerer tube. These forks are great forks and can be purchased at really good prices. There was a mint one for sale this weekend on orangecounty craigslist for $160.00. Going this route would be a great upgrade to any motored bicycle project.

ocscully
 
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Thanks for the info ocscully.
glad to know that the crowns with bolt in neck tubes have a length maximum. I will have to see what the guys at my LBS can come up with for a press in 1" tube that is long enough for my frame. I sure hope that I can work this out... If I can't my engine might be going on my mountain bike instead of the cruiser. Not having suspension is much more harsh than I had hoped.
 
I am considering taking a fork like Hawthorne and turning it around backward and making leading links for it using stainless allen shoulder bolts running in brass hardware store bushings and running joined struts or possibly a chopped off Schwinn blade fork up to a horizontal leaf spring like the Indians in the 30's. A bit heavy perhaps but old cool and should give a good ride.:cool: I think I will put my Schwinn spring fork on the Schwinn cruiser/DAX and the indian lookin thing on the Monarch /5-1/2 hp with the tranny. and the Rollfast springer on the Rollfast /3hp Clinton. I would like to put the 8hp Kohler golf cart engine with the starter/generator on something but that's pushing the envelope for moped license-free riding. Maybe if I stuffed it into something tiny like a Doodlebug but with full engine cover, I could pull it off if it was totally silent or made little squeaky noises like a weedeater.
Keith (trackfodder) Williams
 
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