MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Looking to fit steel bikepacking/touring forks (483mm a2c) to a steel frame.
I think headtube is 44mm. Frame is made for 120mm suspension fork, so for rigid forks I'd be looking at 500ish a2c.
There's no (that I can find) steel forks that length with full rack mounts, so I think I'd need one of these wolftooth things in the flavour of EC44/40 LOWER HEADSET EXTENDED 20mm.
https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/products/wolf-tooth-lower-headset-cup-extender-ec-external-cup
Is that right? There are crown race extenders by mtb tools, but don't think they'd look quite as seemless, unless they came in black?
Am I missing anything? And any idea who stocks the above wolftooth piece?
Is the Surly Krampus fork not suitable? I know it’s a little short of 500mm but they also use it on the Karate Monkey which will take 120mm forks. <br /><br /><br />
https://surlybikes.com/parts/krampus_fork
edit: reading your post again it’s probably a Krampus fork your talking about as the a2c listed is identical. I guess my point might still stand, I appreciate it’ll be slightly different geometry but if a Karate Monkey is rideable with the rigid fork and 120mm forks your bike might be too.
Cheers for the reply.
It's a marin pine mountain frame (modern) and a pipedream sirius fork.
Looking at the krampus... Maybe I'm over thinking it and should just shove the fork on!?
Shove forks on and see how you go. Reckon it'll be fine
483mm a2c steel fork with all the mounts: https://www.cotic.co.uk/product/alpaca#compatibility
Oh, I see, you have forks. Yes, shove ‘em on. Just don’t cut the steerer down at first.
Yeah, I'm running 483mm AC forks on a Scandal frame. Fine, no problems at all. Those Cotic forks look like a great deal.
I think headtube is 44mm. Frame is made for 120mm suspension fork, so for rigid forks I’d be looking at 500ish a2c.
Is that the sagged length? If not 20mm shorter is probably about on the money.
Edit: I'm running some pinnacle Ramin forks on an old commencal Supernormal 29 frame that originally came with 100mm travel forks, I ran it with 120mm Rebas for a bit, those pinnacle forks are 470mm (according to the internet) and they seem pretty much perfect for the frame. Fork length isn't as precise a thing as some people seem to think, +/- 1" has noticeable effects, but seldom catastrophic.
Doing a bit of reading, it looks like the suspension forks have an a to c of 537mm. Sagged (20-30%) that would be 513-501mm.
I think I'll just shove them on though, I probably won't notice and with tall steerer/stem and riser Jones bars, the handlebar height can be where I want it to be.
BB height is my only concern... But seeing what I've been riding the last few years, I doubt I'll have an issue.
Also got some selcof carbon forks that are 500 a2c so could stick them on instead. Only cage mounts, no rack or mudguards, but might do the job.
I’m running a Surly ECR 29+ fork which is 468mm a2c in a Cotic BfE 26 frame which works absolutely fine. I’m using it for commuting only but it rides absolutely great.
Not much in it, is there!

