New to retro - some advice please

[mattenock]

Hey all - I have owned an Orange Aluminium O from new (1992) and although it's still in pretty good shape, decided it's time to give it a proper resto! Biggest priority is the forks and stem as the Mag21s gave up a while ago. Can anyone remind me of the steerer tube size? I was hoping for replacement Rock Shox, Manitous or Pace from back then - anyone recommend where to start looking. I'll get some pictures up as soon as

Cheers for any advice given

Matt

 

[GT-Steve]

Steerer will be 1-1/4". Getting hard to find, and the steerer length will be specific to your frame size, if you're sticking with a threaded headset,,

The Mags should be rebuildable...?

 

[mattenock]

Thanks for the response GT-Steve - think I need to go back to basics in my understanding. I'm thinking I get the forks I want and then work around them. The Mags are gone (gutted, what was I thinking???) I remember when I put the current Manitous (cheap and rubbish) on I had to have a new headset and stem as the stem is a quill now (I think) - this making sense? - As I say, starting with getting the right forks and building up the cockpit from there !!!

Am I right in thinking that back in the day, the stems clamped around the top of the fork steerer?

Forgotten everything!!!!

M

 

[PopsTrippin]

No mate back in the day there were only quill stems (allen key in the top)and then along came the devil and said "Right then lets have easier to adjust headsets and clamp on stems" and the world was never the same. T'was a sad day...

Rich

 

[GT-Steve]

Yeah if it's pretty much original, it'll be a threaded steerer at the top, and the headset screws down it. 1-1/4" was the original size and like I say these are getting hard to track down, especially as you'll need a pretty much specific steerer length.

You can get inserts for your head tube that allow an 1-1/8" headset steerer, and this will open up a lot more opportunities for you..

 

[mattenock]

Cheers lads - yeah got that wrong eh? Been out for another look and I can see that the current stem clamps around the steerer. Pretty sure it's a 19" frame but I need to measure from BB to top of seat tube? - that right? the insert for the headset deffo sounds like the way forward - all the forks that I have seen are 1 1/8. The other thing to look out for is being able to use canti breaks right?

Anything else I need to be careful of? Really keen to get this started

Also - where do I get the headset liner from?

 

[KermitGKona88]

Hi Matt

Here are some http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/headset-redu ... prod23588/

 

[RobMac]

Matt your in the Wanted section try in here


http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=1

 

[FluffyChicken]

First get a build thread with your bike as it is and a picture, you can get all the info and collect it in their as you go along.
If you're MAG forks have really gone you could just look for different legs. Or if you don't want them then I'll have them for spares.

Quite a few have built these up including myself, see my signature area.

 

[elPedro666]

I think he means gone to the tip Ben

Sounds like you switched from threaded to ahead when you swapped forks originally.

Ahead (the more modern set up with the stem clamped around the steerer) gives you more flexibility with steerer length. I'd suggest that you measure your current steerer (from the headset crown race to the top) and unless there's a lot spare take that as a minimum length. Then get into the for sale forum and keep watching for forks that tickle your fancy. 1 1/4" come up reasonably often, 1 1/8" more regularly, obviously. Remember if you shim it that means a new headset as well (tenner if you're not too fussy up to fifty odd for a King).

Don't rush it as there's always something new and exciting getting listed

Another option may be to keep your crown and swap just the fork legs if they're clamped in. Get some pics up and don't be surprised to find this thread has been moved from wanted into general chat by our friendly mods!