Rock Shox Elastomer Replacement - Indy Fork

[Donald Gillies]

Are there any after-market sources for Elastomers for the Rock Shox
1998 Indy forks (and similar lower-end forks) ?? It's from a Schwinn
Moab.

I don't really want to change out an entire fork just because $10 in
rubber has gone bad, or change the height of my steerer tube, and all
that. And oh yeah, it's a 1" steerer tube so not many modern
wonder-forks are available for this bike ...

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

[jim beam]

Donald Gillies wrote:
> Are there any after-market sources for Elastomers for the Rock Shox
> 1998 Indy forks (and similar lower-end forks) ?? It's from a Schwinn
> Moab.
>
> I don't really want to change out an entire fork just because $10 in
> rubber has gone bad, or change the height of my steerer tube, and all
> that. And oh yeah, it's a 1" steerer tube so not many modern
> wonder-forks are available for this bike ...
>
you can special-order some forks with 1" steerers - a friend of mine had
a 1" steerer fitted to his marzocchi from factory about 2 years ago.

[Mike Jacoubowsky]

"Donald Gillies" <gillies@cs.ubc.ca> wrote in message
news:fbt6jp$fsh$1@cascade.cs.ubc.ca...
> Are there any after-market sources for Elastomers for the Rock Shox
> 1998 Indy forks (and similar lower-end forks) ?? It's from a Schwinn
> Moab.
>
> I don't really want to change out an entire fork just because $10 in
> rubber has gone bad, or change the height of my steerer tube, and all
> that. And oh yeah, it's a 1" steerer tube so not many modern
> wonder-forks are available for this bike ...

Don: As you've discovered, the fork folk don't want you to be rebuilding old
forks. In fact, there's an intentional lack of parts required to build many
forks that are over 3-4 years old, because the fork folk believe that a
well-used fork of that age has exceeded its reliable lifespan (meaning that
it could fail in use). Trouble is, some forks don't see much service, so
even something nearly 10 years old could be in very good shape.

If forks didn't change so often, there'd be aftermarket people moving in to
fill the need, but the volume for any specific model is just too low.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

[Steve Gravrock]

On 2007-09-08, Donald Gillies <gillies@cs.ubc.ca> wrote:
> Are there any after-market sources for Elastomers for the Rock Shox
> 1998 Indy forks (and similar lower-end forks) ?? It's from a Schwinn
> Moab.

Not exactly. If you want to keep using that fork I'd suggest looking
for a lightly-used Indy, perhaps attached to a garage sale bike, and
cannibalize it. Failing that you might look for a rigid fork, although
finding one with a 1" steerer *and* the right axle to crown length
could be difficult.

[jim beam]

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
> "Donald Gillies" <gillies@cs.ubc.ca> wrote in message
> news:fbt6jp$fsh$1@cascade.cs.ubc.ca...
>> Are there any after-market sources for Elastomers for the Rock Shox
>> 1998 Indy forks (and similar lower-end forks) ?? It's from a Schwinn
>> Moab.
>>
>> I don't really want to change out an entire fork just because $10 in
>> rubber has gone bad, or change the height of my steerer tube, and all
>> that. And oh yeah, it's a 1" steerer tube so not many modern
>> wonder-forks are available for this bike ...
>
> Don: As you've discovered, the fork folk don't want you to be rebuilding old
> forks. In fact, there's an intentional lack of parts required to build many
> forks that are over 3-4 years old, because the fork folk believe that a
> well-used fork of that age has exceeded its reliable lifespan (meaning that
> it could fail in use).

bbbut but but that can't be!!! they're not made of composites - metal
lasts forever!!!


> Trouble is, some forks don't see much service, so
> even something nearly 10 years old could be in very good shape.
>
> If forks didn't change so often, there'd be aftermarket people moving in to
> fill the need, but the volume for any specific model is just too low.
>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
> www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
>
>

[A Muzi]

> "Donald Gillies" <gillies@cs.ubc.ca> wrote:
>> Are there any after-market sources for Elastomers for the Rock Shox
>> 1998 Indy forks (and similar lower-end forks) ?? It's from a Schwinn
>> Moab.
>> I don't really want to change out an entire fork just because $10 in
>> rubber has gone bad, or change the height of my steerer tube, and all
>> that. And oh yeah, it's a 1" steerer tube so not many modern
>> wonder-forks are available for this bike ...

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
> Don: As you've discovered, the fork folk don't want you to be rebuilding old
> forks. In fact, there's an intentional lack of parts required to build many
> forks that are over 3-4 years old, because the fork folk believe that a
> well-used fork of that age has exceeded its reliable lifespan (meaning that
> it could fail in use). Trouble is, some forks don't see much service, so
> even something nearly 10 years old could be in very good shape.
>
> If forks didn't change so often, there'd be aftermarket people moving in to
> fill the need, but the volume for any specific model is just too low.

It could be 'nefarious' but my impression of the fork industry at least
as a customer on the telephone, leads me more to 'feckless' or
'overwhelmed'. But then again I am no expert.

Modern elastomer forks are $79 retail in both diameters, threaded and
threadless, even less for OS AH sometimes. Service kits commonly run
over $100 when you can find one at all. Englund is now defunct but
dropping a $125 cartridge into a $80 fork had a huge popularity which I
cannot explain.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

[Chalo]

jim beam wrote:
>
> Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
>
> > Don: As you've discovered, the fork folk don't want you to be rebuilding old
> > forks. In fact, there's an intentional lack of parts required to build many
> > forks that are over 3-4 years old, because the fork folk believe that a
> > well-used fork of that age has exceeded its reliable lifespan (meaning that
> > it could fail in use).
>
> bbbut but but that can't be!!! they're not made of composites - metal
> lasts forever!!!

Yeah, there's no plastic or rubber in a suspension fork, jim, you're
right. And magnesium is identical to steel in how well it handles
fatigue and corrosion. Thanks for setting us straight.

Chalo