What's up with the fork?!

[titch__16]

Just spotted this pic and I have to know more

Saw it here.

 

[Midlife]

A few of these bikes appeared on the track scene in the 70's with the bars attached to the top of the forks........they never caught on LOL

Shaun

 

[Old Ned]

Some British time trial bikes had a similar design to allow shorter riders to get lower at the front.

 

[biggs682]

nice looking bike , just not my colour

 

[one-eyed_jim]

If you're struggling with the Cyrillic, the transcription is "Takhion":

http://superbbicycle.com/2010/07/27/bik ... rack-bike/

http://bikecult.com/works/archive/03bic ... nVVVV.html

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=878564

They were built in Karkhov in the Ukraine (then in the Soviet Union) in the eighties, and were raced successfully by the Soviet team.

 

[titch__16]

I'm not too keen on the colour either, but I really like the design.

How does the headset work?

 

[danc]

That looks awesome. Can't see a locknut on the top though - what keeps the forks in?

 

[one-eyed_jim]

How does the headset work?

The lower bearing is conventional. The upper parts are replaced by a cartridge bearing inside the head tube. The steerer necks down abruptly from a conventional diameter at the bottom to about 15mm where it passes through the cartridge bearing, then again to a short threaded section at the top. A castellated nut preloads the bearings and retains the fork in the frame.

I couldn't find a picture of the fork, but here's a view into the top of the head tube. You can see the cartridge bearing and castellated nut:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cronobikes/5055086162/

and here are the components laid out:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48015553@N06/4662758346/

The "grenade pin" stops the nut loosening. The plastic top cap keeps sweat out of the bearing.

Some Takhions used a conventional headset.

 

[titch__16]

That's pretty cool.