I'm killing myself over this basically because I can't waste money on buying wrong parts and it's something new to me that I've never done before....I have a wanted ad for a 24" fork with 5 inch tube, and I can't find a replacement to specs with that. I can spend $40 on ebay and buy a fork with an extra long tube and cut it using a pipe cutter (the threads come down far enough to work), but my question is can I get away with buying a fork with a 5 1/2 inch tube or is that half inch going to screw me up? I also see headset spacers, any way I can use them with another fork I have with a steer tube over 7 inches? I've never mated a different fork to a bike before, so I'm scratching my head and not wanting to blow money... thanks!
fork steer tubes
- Thread starter Euphman06
- Start date
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If you buy longer ask if there is a local bike shop with the thread tool and chop the extra..the spacers look bad in my opinion...I personally like to section the tube and re weld but it can be a pain with angles and whatnot! So I'd say buy the longer if the threads come down and chopp the extra off the top....the half inch will make all the difference and have a lot of play!
Depending on what type of fork your looking for I may have one and I can cut it and thread it. I have a number of Schwinn forks, a few 24's and some 26's there isnt that much difference in height between the two but you would notice it if you ran a fender otherwise it just gives the front a little more rake. I know one of the 24's is even freshly powdercoated gloss black. If your looking for a bmx style fork I've bought them for 10-20 on ebay and done the same. I'll take a look tonight and let you know what I have. As for using a taller fork and using spacers, it could be done but most of the spacers you can buy are for 1-1/8 threadless forks not 1" threaded so they wouldn't fit very well.
and use a saw!, a pipe cutter will trash the threads..
The pics are of a 24 and 26 to see the height diff. the 24 is powder coated black and the 26 is metal flake silver. I have the 24" cut at 5-1/2 from the base of the bearing race right now. I could easily cut off the 1/2 inch if that is what you want. I could cut and thread the 26 to 5" as well. The 26" is for a 7/8 (22.2) stem and the 24 is (21.1) 13/16 stem off an old schwinn 24". Id sell either for $25 shipped.
