How should I modify/improve my STS ?

So, I was happy enough with my STS (build thread in sig - it is a 97, so just scrapes in as retro, though a lot of parts on it aren't), but there has always been something nagging away at me, saying that it could be better:

Since the above pic, I have changed the seat post to a black Ringle Moby, swapped the flite out for a USE carbon pro saddle, and switched the Rock shox Coupe Deluxe with a nos Super Deluxe. Since then I have not ridden it (dodgy knee and hernia), but still, something wasn't sitting right with me.

The Fox forks have bugged me, not because of their function (what's not to like about TALAS RLC?), but their colour, so in come a set of Rebas I have. After buying them, they had issues I wasn't expecting, so I had to learn about modern fork servicing and found it less complicated than I thought, so they are now running sweet and also have a remote lockout that I sourced.

So should I swap out these:

For these:

My next dilemma is what to do with the rear end. As mentioned, it's currently got a nos super deluxe fitted, but it doesn't look right to me:

I have been lucky enough (though all the poorer for it) to get a trunnion Fox shock from a Jekyll, which, with some modification can fit:

I was planning either a home brew mod to make it fit, or getting something made to measure, when this came along, removing the need for any form of modification:

Now I have a couple of dilemmas:

1) Should I fit the newer Fox shock or the new arrival?
2) Sounds crazy, but mixing and matching front and rear shock manufacturers seems strange, is it, or am I?
3) The LTS rear end that the shock is attached to also has a couple of holes that I assume are for some form of disk mount. Does anyone know if they are (pics will be forthcoming, forgot to take some last night), and if so, are the mounts available? I might swap the full stays out (again, are they the same on an LTS and an STS, they certainly look it but as I only recently acquired the LTS, not had a chance to inspect and compare in much detail) as having the option to go disc might be nice, though I will make sure I actually use the build in it's final format for a while first before contemplating anything like that.

Anyone swapped out their rear end/shock and have any comments on the ride, change, process they would like to share?

Oh, the bar ends are coming off, they just don't sit right, look right or feel right.

Cheers

Has the rear end been drilled to accept one of those adapters that can be had on ebay?

If you're a little OCD like me, the colour of the Fox fork would grate little as would having a different make of suspension front & rear. The nicest looking fork I've seen on one of the thermoplastic GT's is a carbon Judy closely followed by one of the carbon legged Pace forks.

If you plan to use it though, it would be nice to have something that worked as well as looked right. How about getting the fox refinished in black or, this would look cool, polish the crown and legs and then get some carbon wrap……...

I'm saying this for your own good.
STEP AWAY FROM EBAY and leave the bike alone!

It looks great. The rockshox rear was designed for it and rides really well.
IMO both the forks you have are too modern for the frame. A nice pair of Judys would suit as that's what it came with. I'm running Pace forks which look good in matching carbon, or original orange Bombers were a popular choice at the time.
I ran disks back in the day with a specific Hope kit, but went back to v's when I did my resto.
TBH I think if you're not riding then you tend to think more about these things. Take some time and wait until you've spent time riding it before you make any changes.

Great minds. I was typing this when Cherrybomb replied.

Cheers for the response. I'm not fussed about period correctness, I do want something that works and also looks good. I did go through the fork conundrum when I started the build, and have pics of the ones I had in stock at the time, and the ones suggested were tried, but didn't look the part imho (too weedy when compared to the rugged and thick thermoplastic tubes):









I did want to go down the carbon fork route, but the weave is vastly different to frame and didn't really work for me.

I did manage to score a set of new shape fox lowers in matt black (with v mounts of course), and was contemplating spraying the crown and lowers in gloss black, then fitting, but it seems a shame to do this to a currently perfect set of forks, just a different colour. I am with you though, that it bugs me that the front and rear manufacturers won't be the same, I was hoping someone might come along and convince me otherwise.

What is this carbon wrap you speak of? Would be nice if there are different weave versions that might be a closer match to the frame.

I recently sold a set of FSX forks, so I can't run them on the STS and the RTS:

ishaw":3b0bd1ak said:

What is this carbon wrap you speak of? Would be nice if there are different weave versions that might be a closer match to the frame.

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I've had a couple of types in the past, both have been from automotive suppliers. One was essentially just a big decal sheet with a carbon weave pattern on it, the other was actually a thin sheet of CF. That was quite thick and I'm doubtful you could wrap it round a radius as tight as the fork leg, but the decals would work and look very convincing.

Alternatively you could maybe get Gil to do you some custom decals for the Fox forks with a carbon weave in the black section?

In that case go with the Rebas. They are a nice fork and the black would suit the frame. I don't think any carbon finish you try will match the STS finish, it's very distinctive. Would also match the rear.
Probably just me but your options for the rear just seem to complicate a problem that doesn't exist.
That RTS is gorgeous BTW.

sid's all day for me!!! strange as i wanted the girvins to look best. i have sids on mine and have been looking for girvins, but my search just stopped!

zetecmk2":1mu0cm9v said:

sid's all day for me!!! strange as i wanted the girvins to look best. i have sids on mine and have been looking for girvins, but my search just stopped!

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Same here. I had been saving the nos set for the day I got an STS (a good few years I can tell you), but as the pics show, they just didn't work.

Get black forks on the sts and put the air shock on the rear best thing u can do tbh

Gfs sts is colour matched and works perfect
And my zaskar swapped out forks due to colour issues

Do have pics but on iPhone atm so can't upload

clubby":t7rcn47a said:

In that case go with the Rebas. They are a nice fork and the black would suit the frame. I don't think any carbon finish you try will match the STS finish, it's very distinctive. Would also match the rear.
Probably just me but your options for the rear just seem to complicate a problem that doesn't exist.
That RTS is gorgeous BTW.

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Cheers for the nice words about my RTS. That's a bike that will stay with me for as long as I can ride, though I think it will stay pretty much as is for the foreseeable (though I do keep toying with adding some 80mm fox forks - pictured as a trial on the STS).

When you say complicating a problem that doesn't exist, could you elaborate? I've not ridden the bike since the nos super deluxe was added, but having read a few threads on here, converting to an air shock seems to have improved things at the rear, so wanted to try and get the best build I could.

The weave on the STS frame is distinctive and unlikely to be easily matched, though the bars I have are an exact match strangely, some profile bars. Almost look as though they were made for the STS.

I do have a nice set of F100x forks that are functionally perfect, but a little tatty paint wise, so perhaps these could be candidates for a crown respray and the new lowers I have fitted? That's not something I will get time to do for a good while though.

Do you have any pics of your build I could check out btw? Always nice to see what others have done with theirs.