Girvin Vector expert advice needed

Before we start please don't shoot me down in flames as I am trying to do something a little different :shock: . Right now we have got that out of the way I will reveal all. So I've always wanted an early Cannondale Super V with the carbon rear swingarm..and I have always fancied mating it with a pair of girvin vectors...so, so wrong in many ways I know but I can't help my longings. Anyway I got a super V frame minus a shock but with the 1.5 to 1 1/8th convertor headset with the lengthened bottom as it was a non headshock model. Then found a sad rusty Proflex reptile frame with a set of Vectors on it and set bout trying to mate it with the Cannondale, and that is where the fun begins. Got a Risse air shock and it just (and I mean just) clears the headtube but had to get an FSA Orbit reducer headset . The actual headset is 120mm long the same as the proflex, obviously the Orbit headset is slimmer than the aheadset that was on the Proflex.
Can you good folks study the below pics and work out how I should proceed. There is obviously space above the upper part of the headset . I will probably need to fit the lower spacer to get the correct axle to lower headtube length. Does the relative angles of the upper and lower linkage to each other seem right and what measurement needs to be between them. The lower spacer can be machined down if needed to make things perfect. Lots of questions I know but I want to get it working right and visually right (the forks will be treated to a new colour and complete restoration once I have this stage right). thanks in anticipation.

I'd also ask this question on the idriders proflex forum, and they have info on the correct set up and linkage angles etc.
To my non-expert eye it looks ok, just fit headset spacers under the top fork clamp.
That shock does look awfully close to the headtube though.

jimo746":2pxodlip said:

That shock does look awfully close to the headtube though.

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It has about 1mm clearance but doesn't touch. I may put some paint protection film on the headtube once I've touched it up properly just to be on the safe side!

Thanks for the link. I may wait to see what info comes from here before I join yet another forum :roll:

Re:

Resurrecting this old post.
Did you manage to sort this out?
I am trying to do the same thing.
eyelet to eyelet is 185mm
It's the clearance to the headtube that's the problem, I think the width of the shock can;t be nmore than 40mm otherwise it would hit, but I cant be sure.

Re:

I did manage to do it by machining the lower headset reducer and once spacers were placed on the top it all worked well and the shock cleared the steerer tube without a problem. I have now got some Cannondale Moto 120 forks now so no longer have the Girvins on the Super V but they did look good in situ

I have found lots of rear shocks that are 38mm in diameter, but they're all only 165mm in length :?
I need something 135 to 138mm diameter but 185/200 in length.

yakboy said:

Re:

I did manage to do it by machining the lower headset reducer and once spacers were placed on the top it all worked well and the shock cleared the steerer tube without a problem. I have now got some Cannondale Moto 120 forks now so no longer have the Girvins on the Super V but they did look good in situ

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Reviving this one last time. What do you mean by machining the lower headset reducer? I have a 93 delta v and I just ordered some cane creek headset cups to match the steerer tube. The vector fork I’m getting is has a Reese genesis damper shock just like the one in the pick and I’m wondering what to do to make it clear. I assume the head tube on your old cannondale is the same size as mine

Sounds like what is needed here is for the reducer cups to be eccentric so you can move the steerer tube for the fork further forward and clear the head tube better, rather than the steerer being slap bang in the middle of the oversized head tube.

ishaw said:

Sounds like what is needed here is for the reducer cups to be eccentric so you can move the steerer tube for the fork further forward and clear the head tube better, rather than the steerer being slap bang in the middle of the oversized head tube.

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That's a great idea as I had a Risse shock on mine and it was damn close, hence jiggling about with the cup height to get the shock in the right position

yakboy said:

That's a great idea as I had a Risse shock on mine and it was damn close, hence jiggling about with the cup height to get the shock in the right position

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Was your girvin with the risse a 1 1/8 or just a 1 inch?