Tange Switchblade going price - anyone know?

[slackboy]

Prices have gone up the last few years. I bought some switchblades that were pretty mint for about £140 back in 2021 and then some bontrager forks that end up being north of £300 after import duties.

Certainly in the UK, bonty forks are so scarse and change hands so infrequently that you could pretty much name any price.

My experience of tange v bonty is the opposite of @benjabbi , (which is odd because we were almost certainly riding the exact same tange switchblades), I though they were more flexy than my bontrager forks.

But in the end, the problem I have with them is the a-c is too short to make for a comfortable ride - partly because of ages, but mostly because I'm used to monster truck 29er suspension and handlebars that are up near my ears

 

[benjabbi]

@slackboy they're both flexy compared to a P2 is what I was getting at I agree that the Bontrager is stiffer than the Tange.
Edit: The second paragraph in that post was a quote from mynchiboy not sure where the quote box went?

 

[benjabbi]

@slackboy I saw a suspension corrected Composite fork on a Ti-Lite on Facebook, didn't know such a thing existed, judging by the gap between tyre and crown they were at least 20-25mm taller than standard. I imagine they're like diamond encrusted unicorn poo!

 

[Prodigal Son]

There are better rigid 26in forks out there and I won´t give names. The last thing i want is this non sense $$ hype. Not only better function but hystorical importance in mtb evolution.

 

[Spankyfart]

There are better rigid 26in forks out there and I won´t give names. The last thing i want is this non sense $$ hype. Not only better function but hystorical importance in mtb evolution.

lolwhut?

 

[benjabbi]

There are better rigid 26in forks out there and I won´t give names. The last thing i want is this non sense $$ hype. Not only better function but hystorical importance in mtb evolution.

I'm not going to disagree that there are better rigid forks out there or that the prices have gone a bit mental. I do however think that Keiths design was important in the history of forks, just look at the top end of a Rockshox RS-1, the first commercially available suspension fork, what do you see? That's right a Bontrager crown. The fact that every telescopic fork made since has used a variation/evolution of that design, I'd say that's pretty significant.

 

[Prodigal Son]

lolwhut?

I lol at tange switchblades.

 

[Prodigal Son]

I'm not going to disagree that there are better rigid forks out there or that the prices have gone a bit mental. I do however think that Keiths design was important in the history of forks, just look at the top end of a Rockshox RS-1, the first commercially available suspension fork, what do you see? That's right a Bontrager crown. The fact that every telescopic fork made since has used a variation/evolution of that design, I'd say that's pretty significant.

Won´t dispute any of that but there are so many variations of the Bonty fork.. how do you know which rake or stifness you are buying? I bet the Bonty forks w/ the stiffer heavier legs won´t shimmy. Otoh an Accutrax or Koski...

 

[Spankyfart]

That was in reference to what you said that I couldn't make any common sense out of.
But you do you m8.

 

[Prodigal Son]

That was in reference to what you said that I couldn't make any common sense out of.
But you do you m8.

I suspect the ridiculous prices on vintage mtb result from social media circle jerks. I have been into vintage 26in mtb it´s been a loong time and never witnessed anything like the actual state of things. I feel guilty from everytime i praised on line this or that part and see it becoming a vanity luxury item next.