Can a Springer Fork Handle MOderate MTB Terrain?

[stepper]

Hello,
I think my next bike will be something that I can use to ride some local dirt trails with moderate bumps, dips and the occasional jump. Would you guys say that a cruiser with a springer fork could possibly handle such terrain?

I came accross this beauty by Praisethelowered and thought that this kind of build would be perfect if it could handle it.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10527

Thanks,
Jason

 

[Lightfoot]

I've got 2 bikes with that type of springer, I'd be scared to take a jump on one. On the street they're awsome.

 

[2manybikes]

I snapped off a cheapo knee action springer right at the crown/steerer tube junction going off of a tall curb. I certainly would be reluctant to huck myself off of any sort of jump ( unless I had on my full downhill garb and the cameras were rollin :mrgreen: ).
The other weird thing about springers is that most of them change the wheeelbase considerably as they flex. Makes for strange handling characteristics.
I I was going to use one I would trust a higgins beehive, or maybe a ratrap way more than a knee action type.

 

[johnny nightwolf]

I wouldn't trust a Schwinn style springer for off road use. That being said, the Hillbomber, the bike I entered in the RRBBO3 has a Spaceliner springer fork on it, and I use that for trail riding all the time. Nothing too hardcore, but it handles rocks and branches just great off road, and curb hops etc. great riding around town. It can handle SMALL off road jumps too. I wouldn't really trust it for big (or even medium) jumps though.

 

[langsmer]

If the frame is a Chicago built Schwinn it should be fine. The springer on the other hand...maybe an old one would hold up, but I wouldn't trust a re-pop.

 

[GodHatesCleveland]

For the best feel and the lightest weight you'd probably want to go with a standard fork, but this is a rat rod forum. Throw something together, test it out, and tell us how it worked. Personally, I like the Schwinn springers, but I wouldn't try anything other than street cruising with them. I'm perfectly happy with the front teeth I have now.

 

[SkidMark]

I would recommned replacing all the hardware with grade 8 or stainless. I would also use nylock nuts instead of acorn nuts, and crank down the big one for the spring and use a nut on the backside as a locknut.

I haven't done it yet but I have considered using a small spring/shock unit from an MTB rear suspension up front. Some brackets would need to fabricated but it could be done.

 

[praisethelowered]

Hey- thats my bike!

I can't stop myself from jumping curbs.

In a previous version I had a repop schwinn springer where the horizontal pivot bolt goes through the center of each fork tube- I sheared off the horizontal pivot bolt.

On this one I have a 1956 schwinn springer- note that the horizontal bolt sits behind the fork tube. It looks like a stronger design. I am looking for a grade 8 bolt for this one but the threads are unusual. I am still feeling a little sketchy about it.

 

[CCR]

definately do not use a cheapo schwinn look alike springer, 3 outta 4 ive had didnt run straight and had to be bent out of the bag (and it didnt take much to bend em). the cheapos are great for cruisin around, but even a small jump is asking for trouble.

 

[VonMoldy]

Whoa I think that gold bike is my favorite bike I have ever seen. It reminds me of a 60's Kustom car.

 

[bikepusher]

those schwinn 'springers' aren't even real springer forks since they pivot as a whole and have no bottom link they're more related to girder forks only much worse.

 

[SkidMark]

those schwinn 'springers' aren't even real springer forks since they pivot as a whole and have no bottom link they're more related to girder forks only much worse.

True, except their whole name is "Knee Action Springer" and they mostly definitely function like a knee, kicking forward. A well designed girder has minimal changes in steering geometry, and somewhere online there is a really good page about girder geometry, but I can't remember where.