Which suspension for '95 Pine Mountain? Opinions sought...

[JimK404]

I'm creating something like the Marin Pine Mountain I had in ~1995 or so, using a recently acquired frame & fork. Because I'm a broken middle-aged bloke with arthritic wrists (rather than the whippet I was back then) I need some kind of shock absorption at the front.

What should I go for? Budget isn't huge. Back in the day I think I had Manitou 4s; I have some Mag21s and could buy a Flexstem - had one of those on the Specialized Hardrock Sport that got me into mountain bikes around 1992-93-ish.

Opinions?

 

[Tootyred]

Go for something with very low travel. 60 to 80mm max, else you will screw the geometry of the frame up, as they were designed for rigid forks with a 395mm a to c measurement. 80mm travel is nominally 425mm a to c.

Plenty come up on here. What size is the frame, as you will need to know the steerer length........you might also want to change to ahead threadless headset to increase your choice.

Somebody will have something in a cupboard, just put up a wanted advert.

 

[BlackCat]

I had Manitou Mach 5s on my ‘95 Pine bitd. Controversial choice around these parts as a fairly unloved fork - but they were much stiffer than the Man IVs or Judy XCs that I alternately considered at the time.

Somehow Manitous on Marins just feels like the right choice - like Pace on an Orange or Rockshox on a GT.

That said, my Pine recreation runs the original steel forks these days.

 

[JimK404]

Thanks both.
Frame is 17.5" c-c and the head tube is 120mm long. I do have a spare aheadset, and the Mag21s would need that to be fitted. I do quite like the Rockstar fork, though, hence thoughts of Flexstems. Yes, agree that short travel is the way - I only need something to dampen the vibration through my hands, plus I've always felt that long travel on a rigid frame is odd.

That Pine is lovely, mine is in what you might charitably call "survivor" condition. Some parts out of the shed, a few others bought on here. Not finished, waiting for next payday for the last few things.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Any of the late 90s, early 00s forks will be better than the earlier forks.....
Some 60/80mm Judy hydrocoil would be great (or SIDs)
Marzocchi bombers of course, the flylights are air so make it easier as you don't need to search for the right springs.
The Manitous of that time are good too, just not the best looking fork on some bikes.

Looks, you're going to have to search for pictures.

Of course MAG21 will work, run them lightly lower on the oil weight and they'll be great on the road and gravel or the moors etc.
They'll just not be quite as good, stiff as the others. But then we are talking 1995 era (MAGs are generally being replaced with Judys around this time)
BUT MAGS last longer, early JUDY are generally knackered (damper, stanchions etc)

 

[FluffyChicken]

Given your last post.
Fat tyres (modern) so some 2.25's if possible and the MAGS & Flexstem for full out retro fun.

The tyres will do most of the work, the MAGs the harsher bumps. The flexstem might do something....

It's the Modern Gravel Bike way.

 

[BlackCat]

Thanks both.
Frame is 17.5" c-c and the head tube is 120mm long. I do have a spare aheadset, and the Mag21s would need that to be fitted. I do quite like the Rockstar fork, though, hence thoughts of Flexstems. Yes, agree that short travel is the way - I only need something to dampen the vibration through my hands, plus I've always felt that long travel on a rigid frame is odd.

That Pine is lovely, mine is in what you might charitably call "survivor" condition. Some parts out of the shed, a few others bought on here. Not finished, waiting for next payday for the last few things.

Maybe a titanium bar? Not necessarily a budget option but if you keep your eyes peeled, X-Lite and Titec / Bontrager bars surface from time to time here and on eBay. Maybe £40.

I run a set of Syncros Ti bars on my Yo, which do help take some of the trail buzz coming through the notoriously stiff (rigid) BoI forks..

 

[JimK404]

Thanks for the ideas. I'll probably end up trying a few things and seeing which ones hurt least.

I forget how good fat tyres are at absorbing little shock, and I do have some in the parts bin. Can't really justify buying more forks, alas, which I'm trying to stick to after seeing the Manitou 3 for sale here recently...

Good idea on the bar, but as well as the cost I plan to keep the original Marin bar which is in reasonable condition - the stem, blue bar & ends are the only original bits I got with the frameset.

 

[BlackCat]

Keep an eye out because the original cantis do come up on eBay from time to time - even in the Pine cobalt blue. That’s where I picked mine up from. They’re the devil to set up though.

You can also pick up NOS Gripshift x-rays and DC PC11s on ebay pretty frequently, which I what I did, if you want the OEM look.

 

[JimK404]

Keep an eye out because the original cantis do come up on eBay from time to time - even in the Pine cobalt blue. That’s where I picked mine up from. They’re the devil to set up though.

You can also pick up NOS Gripshift x-rays and DC PC11s on ebay pretty frequently, which I what I did, if you want the OEM look.

I saw some of the cantis, but they were eye-wateringly expensive so I bought some M737 ones. They're in good nick and look nice, and when payday comes I'll get some PC11 levers that are on eBay at the moment. I've got some Sachs shifters that work OK so won't go for Gripshift just yet.

Overall, it'll end up looking about right. Not as it came out of the shop, but period stuff and nothing glaringly wrong. I hope!