Author Topic: Changing forks  (Read 2024 times)

honesty

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Changing forks
« on: November 02, 2012, 01:42:15 PM »
So, I have an Audax with carbon forks and 25mm tyres. This is pretty perfect for day rides or the odd youth hosteling weekend but I want to be able to interchangeably change between the carbon forks and the steel forks I have in their box still for slightly longer tours. I'm planning on getting a lighter set of day wheels which would be set up with the 25mm tyres and getting the current wheels I have set up with a narrowish 32mm (if they fit!). So my questions are:
How easy is it to change forks?
What do I need to do to make it so I can change between these two forks quickly and without damaging them?
Has anyone ran 32mm tyres with the steel forks on their Audax successfully? (The Thorn catalogue says 28mm are fine definitely, and some 32mm ones should work...)

Erudin

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Re: Changing forks
« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2012, 04:43:27 PM »
Yes it's easy enough, though not a fast job to tackle. I bought a spare fork (top pic below, regular fork bottom pic) for my Thorn audax and left the steerer long in case I want a higher riding position in future. You will need to have a crown race (for example Link: FSA Crown Race XLII) compatible with your current headset put on the new fork, and a star nut fitted and get enough spacers for the amount of steerer tube. If your second fork is set higher than the original you may need to fit longer cables to reach the bars, you only need to do this once.

To change forks just undo the top cap on stem, side bolts on stem. Unbolt front brake callipers, pull cable outers from cable stops on frame, slide out fork. Take care not to kink/damage cables whilst handlebar removed, I secure the bars to the toptube with toestraps while swapping the forks.

Clean and smear some fresh grease on the headset cartridges whilst they are out, observe how everything fits together on the headset. Slide in new fork and bolt everything back together (watch YouTube vids on how to adjust headset/brakes if required). If you run mudguards it would be worth fitting the spare fork with its own guards.

I have two sets of wheels for my Thorn audax, Chrina rims with 24mm tyres for summer/audax rides and Sputniks with 28mm tyres for touring/winter riding. When swapping the brake cables need to be tightened/loosened for the different rim width, check the brake pads for alignment on rims and adjust if required. Both wheels have the same LX hubs so the rear gears don't need readjusting, and their own cassettes and chains. I just put the wheel in swap chains (they have quicklinks).
« Last Edit: November 02, 2012, 08:26:19 PM by Erudin »

honesty

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Re: Changing forks
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2012, 07:22:14 PM »
Ah excellent, so a new crown race and a star tangled nut and I should be good to go. I'll probably get the steerer cut to the same length as I've currently got it rather high anyway and use current spacers though I may fit an accessory bar from thorn as I don't have much space on my current bar because of the cross top brakes on it.

Erudin

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Re: Changing forks
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2012, 08:29:48 PM »
It might be worth buying a complete spare headset (eg. FSA Orbit XL II 1 1/8" Road/MTB Bike Headset ) the same as your current one. This will give you the crown race and star nut, plus you will have spare bearings and cups for future use if needed.