Orange Clockwork 1998 - Rigid Fork Help

Skinz

Dirt Disciple
I've just come into an Orange Clockwork frame (19"), which I'm planning to build up as a rigid. Having looked at loads of forks on the web, I'm a bit lost as to what length I should go for.

Pace RC31's look really ace and as my birthday is upcoming, I should be able to stretch to a set - it was looking at these, as they come in diff lengths, that my confusion started.

Has anyone got any experience of building up one of these frames as a rigid bike and what worked best for you?

Any help very much appreciated!
 
Orange were quite slow to go over to suspension-adjusted geometry. I haven't got a picture of a rigid 98 Clockwork, but even if you look at this catalogue picture of a 1999 bike, that is a 39cm rigid fork (axle centre to base of steerer)

If you're staying rigid, I wouldn't recommend anything much longer than 39cm. But if you have to, the partial remedy is the longer the fork, the shorter the stem.
 

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Ooooo, did you win the green ebay one? Was in for that myself. Anthony knows his stuff so follow his advice.
I had Pace suspension forks in mind for the green frame and was told it'd take up to 80mm forks.
 
brocklanders023":3nzqkear said:
Ooooo, did you win the green ebay one? Was in for that myself.

Yes indeedy. I had to constatntly keep watching the auction on my phone on Saturday as I don't have internet at home, which really annoyed my g/f, but hey it was worth it!
 
Anthony":3agmtqw9 said:
Orange were quite slow to go over to suspension-adjusted geometry. I haven't got a picture of a rigid 98 Clockwork, but even if you look at this catalogue picture of a 1999 bike, that is a 39cm rigid fork (axle centre to base of steerer)

If you're staying rigid, I wouldn't recommend anything much longer than 39cm. But if you have to, the partial remedy is the longer the fork, the shorter the stem.

Thanks Anthony just the sort of advice I need! :D

I've not managed to find anything on fleabay less than 42mm, although I haven't looked very hard yet. The forks in that pic with the rear mounted brakes look ace....presumably that's an Orange specific fork that's probably rarer than hen's teeth now?
 
The thing about Orange forks is that they had 1" steerers until 1997 I think, so I'm pretty sure you need a 1 1/8 for your 98 frame and most of the rigid Orange forks you see won't fit.

[you may be able to shim to a 1" headset in some way, but I personally have no knowledge of that]

I also have an idea that the reverse brake post fork in the picture was made of aluminium, even though the frame is steel. Again, I have no personal knowledge of whether their aluminium forks were good. But the previous steel forks were brilliant, so if the aluminium ones were better then .....

I think your best bet may be to find a period Pace rigid fork in 40cm length. They had replaceable steerers, so even if you find a 1" RC31, it has a 1" steerer plus shim in a 1 1/8 crown, so you should be able to swap steerers and fit a 1 1/8 steerer to it.
 
Anthony":273yfvte said:
I think your best bet may be to find a period Pace rigid fork in 40cm length. They had replaceable steerers, so even if you find a 1" RC31, it has a 1" steerer plus shim in a 1 1/8 crown, so you should be able to swap steerers and fit a 1 1/8 steerer to it.

OK - I'm officially on the lookout now.

Thanks again for the advice!
 
Think the forks in the pictures are Orange F8's so will be steel? Normal versions come up quite often but the reverse canti ones are pretty rare.
 
Anthony":dhxnaokb said:
I think your best bet may be to find a period Pace rigid fork in 40cm length. They had replaceable steerers, so even if you find a 1" RC31, it has a 1" steerer plus shim in a 1 1/8 crown, so you should be able to swap steerers and fit a 1 1/8 steerer to it.
Just to clarify - RC31's are the carbon leg forks and don't have replaceable steerers. Very few were made in 400mm length - most are 440 or 420.
RC30s are the steel legged forks which do have replaceable steerers and come in 395mm and 420mm versions.
 
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