Tange shockblades

Just got these & love them - 3.1lbs and great dynamically - short travel making predictable cornering, and just a 10 minute job for even a cack-handed bloke to take them apart, service, and adjust travel.

Would like to hear of anyones experience in modifying the elastomer stack - how thick? and I can't seem to find replacement elastomers anywhere???
Cheers

Hi,

You know, like I have this like... article 'n stuff in the November 1992 MBA magazine about the ShockBlades.

The extended the elastomers from the standard 2.25" up to 3" by just adding 3/4" of elastomer stack and replaced the inner bolt that holds it together with a 4.25" one (standard is 3.5"). That way you can get up to 2" of travel out of them. The article says it's quite easy, just take them apart (it looks like it's about the same way a Manitou 1 is disassembled) and put it back together after adding the extra elastomer stack and longer bolt.

Although I wouldn't know where to get extra/replacement elastomers for this fork... maybe Manitou elastomers would fit, but in the article I can see that the elastomers in the shockblades are star-shaped (or like a 6-tooth cog) whereas Manitou ones are just round tube-like shaped.

Hope this helps??? Now where is my 1" RS-1 steerer/crown!! :twisted:

Thanks for this, didn't realise they might be 15+ years old! Still can't get hold of elastomers - think I will try cutting discs out of the foam rubber outsole of some old trainers and adding them to the stack - doubtless won't last as long as 'proper' elastomers and will take a bit of experimenting to get the feel right, but better than having to get an annual service like with modern forks!
Cheers again,
Dave
PS is that article on the web anywhere?

dkirkland":j90e4c6y said:

PS is that article on the web anywhere?

Click to expand...

RE: PS: Nope... not that I have ever found. It's actually a review about the new shocks for 1993. Also forks as the Dura-Trac upside down fork, SR/Sakae fork, Tange Struts (they liked this fork better than the ShockBlades btw), Rock Shox Quadra and MAG-21, Joe Murray Z-Link, AMP fork (with ChroMo legs and alu linkage), ATZ Swing Pro, ROC-R fork, Interloc and finally the Marzocchi XC-400.

Quite a lot eh? Further it says that it would be wise to use a small screwdriver to pop the seals out of the upper legs... but maybe it goes easier, like with my Manitou I just take them out with my fingernail

Void(EN12-82)

Tange shocks

Wow, someone else with a pair of these! I too have a set which as luck would have it have been factory (well, dealer) altered. They were very light and stiff compared to others of the time but didn't handle mud very well. I seem to recall having longer bolts and elastomers fitted. They are in the loft at the moment. When I next have to go up there (yuk) I will get them and take some pics and measurements.

I've got a product test of these from a 93 MBUK, along with 8 other forks, but they are called Tioga Shockblades but they have Tange written on the brace, guess they would be the same?

Came out very good for weight and torsional deflection, but '... needs better seals and bigger elastomers ... potentially a superb fork'

theres a copy of that test in the scanned docs forum I think.

Shop altered forks

Baretto's (sorry about the spelling) altered these and did a good job as I never had any trouble riding them apart from seals designed to cope with a Californian summer and not a Dartmoor winter! I never saw them in their original state but assume that the smaller piece of elastomer is extra. This piece is 28mm long and the bolt is 130mm. These are apart for the first time in ten years and it's amazing how you remember how they go. I even remembered to use a spoke to get at the lower seal! Iused to have to do it at least a couple of times a month. Happy days!?

i bought some nos tange race blades from the frame buliders supplers ceeway a couple of months ago off ebay but they might still have some left
came with instructions for servicing and the long allen key as well
cheers
tony

Long Allen Key

Sounds right. I have a very long allen key in the tool kit which I haven't had to use for years. The bolts in the picture are long threaded rods with two 10mm nuts tightened against each other. I have a very ordinary socket set and the long extension bar c/w 10mm socket are a perfect length to undo the bolts.