ed 

I've noticed now that everyone has gone QR15 and Tapered...you just can't find a good deal on an OEM overstock or cheap used fork. I was entertaining the thought of finding a good suspension fork for the Komodo to bring it back up to spec' since I'm down to a rigid on it. Heck man...1-2yrs ago, you could find hordes of used reasonable forks between 140-160mm 1 1/8 straight steerer tube (at least 8" long) with a 20mm thru axle. Now it's all tapered and QR15. Most of the used ones have the steerer too short.

Heck man...I got my Sektor for $215 new. There were a ton of PIKE's out there for less than that lightly used. Domains were still available in the $200 and less range. I got my Domain 318 for $185 as well as my PIKE UT.

Sadness. I may either have to sell the frame and go tapered or bite the bullet and buy the more expensive Lyrik or even a Fox 36.

I'll have to see what Christmas brings in the way of fundage toward something.

ColinL

I'd sell it. Have you been riding it much, since you have the Heckler?

ed 

You can't sell a legend.

Yeah man, I ride it frequently. The geometry of the bike is perfect for a hardtail. Long spacious TT for my long arms, semi slack, beefy. Love it. It just needs to be raised back up to proper ride height via suspension fork. The new version has a tapered HT, but it also has a much shorter TT so I'd have to run a longer stem which I don't like much.


I'll find one. I'm only half serious right now because I don't have money to throw around, but when one pops up, I may have to bite the bullet and jump on it.

Dannihilator

https://www.jensonusa.com/Bicycle-Sus...TST2-Fork-2009

unterhausen

I don't know how long 20mm forks will be available, but I think I would get one now rather than waiting. Pretty sure 1 1/8" will be available for some time

ed 

Oh Snap!

Crap man...may have to get out the credit card. How did I miss that one, Dan? Is it a new listing?

ColinL

That looks pretty close to perfect.

DX-MAN

Yep, longer-travel 1-1/8" forks are getting tougher to find; 20mm is still popular, but tapered is taking over the market. Come February, I'll be investing in one (likely a Sektor w/15mm, since I just bought a 15mm-compatible wheelset), and just roll that until the beloved Kona frame breaks. The Nixon I'm running now was bought in '07 ('05 model on clearance), and has been on 3 bikes now.

I get the reasoning behind the tapered headset/steerer, it's stronger and can take more abuse. I just mourn the passing of the old standard. (BUT, 1" went the same way.....)

Dannihilator

Been there.

dminor 

I have three non-tapered-steerer, 20mm axle inverted forks I'd let you have cheap. Plus uncut swappable steer tube spares. Except they're all 8"-travel, inverted monsters

ed 

I passed it on to my wife. She said maybe between her and her parents, they can swing it for Christmas.

Grimlock

Is your Komodo internal or external? Why not replace the bottom cup with a 44mm 1.5" and run a tapered fork? You can probably also find lowers cheap if you find an otherwise perfect QR15 fork.

(I'm back.)

dminor 

Welcome back, G.

You're right - - his '04 Komodo frame I believe was semi-integrated Zero-Stack, so 44/onepointfive should work in the bottom.

ed 

Yo! My frame is a 2005 so it's all external. The 2004 (as D stated) was 44mm....so it would have worked on that one, but I got rid of the 2004 in favor of the burlier 2005. I love this frame. I'd probably sell all of my other bike stuff before selling this frame.

So I went a different direction. Thanks for the heads up on the Zoke, Dan...but I'm really digging the rigid setup. I rode my local loop the other day again on this bike with the Kona P2 and just had so much freakin fun. My only complaint would be low BB in the chunk and twitchy at speed.

I've already got the Heckler, so something on the other end if the spectrum was what I really wanted...but still strong enough to drop my lines.

I decided to go with the Identiti Rebate XL 465mm a2c rigid burly jump fork. The frame was designed around 120-150mm fork. Factoring in the average of the two heights plus 30% sag, you get a 470mm axle to crown height. I got an FSA Hammer headset with it, so it raises it another 5mm...giving me exactly 470mm A2C. Perfect. It carves just like it did with the PIKE except with the rigid simplicity, nostalgia and efficiency that I wanted.

ed 

ColinL

I can't go back to rigid on any terrain more chunky than a fireroad or dirtjump park. My wrists and elbows just can't do it.

Not that we needed further proof, but you're a better man than me. Have fun!

ed 

Lovin crap! This thing is fun!








Now I gotta find a QR disc front wheel so I can have a front brake.

Dannihilator

Identiti Rebate huh...

I'm a little familiar with that fork. Not the XL but the small A-C Rebate Dirt fork.

DX-MAN

Chain Reaction Cycle sells single wheels, as does BikeIsland.

ed 

It's going to be quite the punisher for sure. Super stout and strong equates to no flex in the chop. I'll have to combat that with tire pressure.

ed 

Good call. Been looking there. Got a guy somewhere round here that had an XT 6 bolt/mavic something he said he'd sell me for $20. I just need to find an opportunity to hook up and get it.


Kinda funny...the wheel that's on it is an STX-RC/Sun CR 18 from my 1998 Cannondale Super-V 900 Comp. I changed over to XT x517's on that bike and this wheel has followed me around for 15 years on various secondary builds. It's a good strong wheel though. It's gone off many 2.5-4 foot-to-flat concrete drops over the years.

ed 

So I finally met up with the local guy with the XT disc Mavic wheel that he let me have for $20. Straight and true. Even tension. Awesome. My local bike shop hooked me up with a donated 160mm rotor for free.

I got the Juicy's for $40 from another local.

So I got the fork, headset,.brakes, front wheel, and rotor for $160 total.



STOKE!

trekker pete

I'm a mtb noob. Got my feet wet this summer on a $20 old rigid raleigh I found on CL. What an absolute blast that thing was to ride on slower sections. Trouble is going fast over bumps is kinda fun too and I quickly found out that 50 year old clydes, fast bumps and a rigid bike is not a good combo.

So, now I am on an old C-dale Jekyll. I realize the headshock doesn't have a lot of travel, but, what it does have is very nice. And that Headshock is very stout. Has an almost rigid feel to it, control-wise. I am tempted to try a chromoly 29er rigid. I think that with reasonably fat front tire, it might be plush enough.

Anyone out there on such a bike?

seat_boy

A rigid steel 29er is my basic go-to bike. I've had a few of them over the years.

ed 

Seat_boy...nice blog, man. Digg it.

Well y'all...I just got back from the trail and I'm really satisfied. It performed as expected in some ways and totally surprised me in others.

1. Super Chunk: boulder drops, ledges, trials'y hop-up's...etc... this thing likes to wheelie so much better now with a taller fork. Wheelie drops off ledges, manuals off ledges, bunnyhops over logs, Monster Trucking! This thug will buss a cap on the Super Chunk.

2. The Chop: baby heads, big gravel, rock gardens...etc... As expected...the big steel tubes don't flex like the old spindly Kona Project 2 fork legs...not terribly compliant...but a tad more forgiving than aluminum. As expected...I gotta pick my lines, but the thing handles so well that picking lines is simple.

3. The Flow: winding singletrack, fast high-gear pedaly, smooth flowy...etc... This surprised me. The beginning of this trail is hard pack winding fast stuff. This rigid Freeride / All Mountain bike is 28.1#...I don't expect it to feel like my old rigid '98 Easton RAD tubed 22# singlespeed rocket. I expected it to be slightly quicker than my 28# 10oz Heckler, but this thing motors, man! It is situated such that standing for long periods is easy and asks me to pick a bigger gear and motor. It flows around corners well and just feels plain fun.

I'm really happy with it. It's a fantastic contrast to the Heckler. I wish I had one more identical, but with a 4XWC or something light/tough to fill out my garage. This will be my go-to bike for my "on-the-way-home-from-work" trail rides. Throw it on the rack and motor.