Indy Fabulous

[Zamfir]

Just picked up a new frame/seatpost and i'm thrilled!

Frame is a 2001 IF Deluxe single speed, in chartreuse with baby blue stars. I really like the paint, reminds me of the cool dayglo Chance schemes that I love so much. Seat post is a very posh Syncros Ti.

Looking past the paint I can see many build details that others have mentioned, gusset at the dt, seat tube ring, constant dia chain stays.

Anyway it's in good shape overall but has some paint chips here and there, plus a small dent in the seat tube, no big deal, not even considering a repaint, nope.

So my plans are to build it to early 90's spec. First find a rigid fork or, gasp....have one made. Segmented of course and hopefully with a threaded steerer so I could run a Salsa or Syncros stem with a guide. I'll be running catis front and back and Mavic 231 rims, in fact those are the only parts I have at the moment so this could take a while......

Any suggestions on a fork?

Thanks again for the encouragement.

[Syborg]

Hi Zamfir!

A very nice Independent that you've found. Congratulations. As a rigid fork I would recommend an Igleheart fork. Have fun building the bike and and please show us some pictures of the finished bike.
But first of all please polish the head tube badge to a high gloss

Greetings Helmut

[sneb]

hey, you did it! the seatstays seems to be s-bended. this would mean it's 2000+. so something suspended should be possible too.

cheers
:sneb

[Zamfir]

I would absolutely go for a Igleheart if possible Helmut. The one Chris made for my Wicked is just so nice and plush on the trail, plus it looks so damn cool! A similar fork would be perfect for this ss build.

Polish the head tube badge? Is it aluminum? Seems to have a brass look to it.

[sneb]

if say the headbadge is made of silver. a working way to clean it: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-...-with-b-131048

[Syborg]

a little patina looks quite good

[colker]

sweet bike.

[Zamfir]

Very cool! Are the IF head badges made of silver?

Checked my bin last night and turned up a 1 1/8" no logo CK threaded headset in silver so i'm one baby step closer to build nirvana.

Few more pictures attached. 4lbs 2.6oz frame isn't too shabby, guessing I can get the build in the low 20's going full rigid and with reasonably light parts.

[colker]

I would build w/ threadless and probably a marzochi bomber Z2. Threadless makes easier to swap forks.
if it was 1inch i would go threaded. so easy to find forks w/ threadless steerers in 1 1/8.

sweet singlespeed you've got there.

[tvcreative]

I think IF made brass and silver HT badges....

I have a PHIL pissoff, that is IF made and the HT badge was made in silver by Jen Green

here are a couple of pix with goofy fast tires...

This is the only geared 26" PO in existence.

BTW - IF makes a damn nice fork for your IF SS. The one on this bike is fantastic.

[colker]

hmmm TV creative... you know.. you could have a 29er wheel up front. You would need another fork.. but it would be a killer ride in the woods.

[tvcreative]

yes I could, 450mm AC

the bike was built around a 100mm travel suspension, that's what about 445 or 450?

and 29er rigid forks are anywhere from 445 to 475?

It was Portland area "Racer" Perry Roper's to start out with and was originally built to his spec

believe it or not the BB height is 11 7/8s as this is set up...

I have tried shorter forks 425 and 438 and this needs an IF offset

[colker]

Originally Posted by tvcreative

yes I could, 450mm AC

the bike was built around a 100mm travel suspension, that's what about 445 or 450?

It was Perry Roper's and was originally his spec

believe it or not the BB height is 11 7/8s as this is set up...

You want a shorter fork than this one. Don't know which rake would work best.. you would probably steepen the head angle a bit. Maybe have even less BB height and all that make the bike magical at technical sections.
JOnes sells unicrown forks w/ no travel but the rake is made for slack head angles. Hunter maybe.

hmmm.. i just opened IF's website and they have a 29er w/ short AC. no travel.

[tvcreative]

thanks...i have tinkered this to death. I have an Igleheart 425 and it rides very squirrelly when it was mounted

I have also tried a vicious 438 with 38 offset - which is so so. I have that on it right now...

The IF deluxe's I have owned worked great with the Igleheart 420mm...

I now have that fork - on a YO i just picked up (a working steed not so perfect)

I will post when completed

[colker]

Originally Posted by tvcreative

thanks...i have tinkered this to death. I have an Igleheart 425 and it rides very squirrelly when it was mounted

I have also tried a vicious 438 with 38 offset - which is so so. I have that on it right now...

The IF deluxe's I have owned worked great with the Igleheart 420mm...

I now have that fork - on a YO i just picked up (a working steed not so perfect)

I will post when completed

but when you mount a 29 wheel on that w/ 420 fork.. it won't be squirrely. Maybe the right number is not 420. It needs a fork made for a 29er wheel and rake appropriate for your head angle.

[sneb]

i found this at ifrider. the frame was made for 100mm sus. this forks mounted should be around 420mm a-c. keep in mind, that the bigger wheel increases trail, if you don't takes forks with bigger rake.

cheers
:sneb

[Zamfir]

Damn TV, that is one nice looking bike. Lovely.

Just got off the phone from IF and had a nice discussion about my frame, forks, and wheel options.

I was told that my frame was designed around a 80mm travel fork and that they can build one and color match. Expensive but a great option.

I also asked if he had any idea if it would be possible to run 650b wheels on this frame, not that i'm seriously thinking about it, just curious about option... He said he had heard of it being done. The main concern is the brake boss' lining up with the rims.

So i'm still searching for options. Starting with a fork and working from there.

[colker]

Originally Posted by Zamfir

Damn TV, that is one nice looking bike. Lovely.

Just got off the phone from IF and had a nice discussion about my frame, forks, and wheel options.

I was told that my frame was designed around a 80mm travel fork and that they can build one and color match. Expensive but a great option.

I also asked if he had any idea if it would be possible to run 650b wheels on this frame, not that i'm seriously thinking about it, just curious about option... He said he had heard of it being done. The main concern is the brake boss' lining up with the rims.

So i'm still searching for options. Starting with a fork and working from there.

Get a Surly 1x1 fork.

[Retro Dude]

Paul Motolite's have "a ton of vertical adjustment" for the pads:

http://www.paulcomp.com/motolite.html

[mainlyfats]

Originally Posted by Retro Dude

Paul Motolite's have "a ton of vertical adjustment" for the pads:

http://www.paulcomp.com/motolite.html

+1. I've had no problem going from 26 to 700c, so you'll be fine with Motolite BMX.

I had an IF Unicrown fork as well and it was really nice. Lovely leg taper and a very, very nice ride.

[tvcreative]

A Salsa Cromato is a good fork for short cash

I think they are 420 to 425 AtoC and less than 125 bucks

It would work well with that rig

www.treefortbikes.com/product/333222377555/82/Salsa-CroMoto-26-Disc.html?gclid=CNmwo7S46bQCFY1DMgodp0oAow[/url]

[sneb]

good to know about these paul brakes!
i come back to what i said before. if you put a 700c wheel into a fork made for a 26er wheel, trail will increase depending on headtube° and rake due to the bigger diameter of the wheel. to get a bike which is as fast around the edges as the original setup, a fork with bigger rake will help.

cheers
:sneb

[Zamfir]

Thanks to everybody for the great advice.

Still in the dreaming mode about parts and build. Definitely going to stay full rigid and cantis on the front/rear.

For the past couple of days i've researched some of the fork experts like Igleheart, IF, Waltworks, Steve Potts, Geekhouse, Black Cat, and Hunter. Also surfed the 'bay. Any of these would be completely awesome but i've only dealt with Igleheart, his work is top notch and is currently on the top on my list, but i'm not ready to jump just yet.....

I do have my eyes open for parts though. This is what i'm thinking:

Igleheart segmented fork.
Syncros stem with cable guide.
CK lo no logo threaded hs
Campy brake levers/cantis
Phil Wood white ss hubs
Either Mavic 231 or Weimann (late 80's) super wide rims. The W's look so cool!
XTR cranks with Isis bb. Not sure which model #, but I have a grubby set waiting for a polishing and install.

So I guess you can see i'm going for a "retro" look ss.

[Zamfir]

.....of the neat frame details.

I also think these show the color better.

[colker]

surly 1x1 fork costs 80 bucks. It's butted. Looks good. you buy and ride it. why not?? even if it's just to taste de bike. You can convert your king from threadless to threaded, later if you must have a quill stem.

[Zamfir]

Surly fork looks pretty nice, price is decent as well. Guess I wouldn't feel bad about hacking off the disk mount as well.

As I mentioned earlier i'm just in the dream mode right now, build list was half pipe dream and half parts I have already.

My reasoning behind this build are all personal. I was huge into mt biking in the early 90's and lost interest when V-brakes and suspension broke big. Fast forward to about 5 years ago when I got back into riding. I gave in and picked up a 26" wheeled full sus ride, it was nice, fast, and comfortable. I really enjoyed it until I tried a friends single speed and realized how soft and lazy I have become. I currently ride a full rigid Niner SIR singlespeed and just love the ride, so much i'm planning on riding it solo in our local 24 hour race this spring. I do keep the geared marshmallow for big mountain rides but prefer the SS for everything else.

So I guess the point i'm trying to make is that I would like to build this bike with parts that would complement the frame and still put a big smile on my face. Nothing makes me happier than a top notch frame, segmented forks, and canti brakes.

[tvcreative]

Quill stem?

threaded fork?

what?

cantilever brakes?

this is a 2001 bike right?

[Zamfir]

I know, maybe i'm crazy or just have my head stuck in the past (or somewhere else less appealing).........

[colker]

Originally Posted by Zamfir

I know, maybe i'm crazy or just have my head stuck in the past (or somewhere else less appealing).........

it doens't have canti brake bridge. If it was a 1in headset i would be the first to shout threaded.
you have a frame for a quick modern build around 00 parts. easy to find rigid or susp forks. just build it w/ v brakes. it's still vintage rim braking...

[Zamfir]

Yeah I might end up with V's. I have a number of sets that I have removed from various bikes, including my Wicked. I just don't like how they look and that you have to use V-compatible brake levers.

I work in the patent industry and do many Shimano patents so I guess i'm just jaded with technology.

[mainlyfats]

On One fork will look the part if you're short on cash. You'll have to go threadless though.

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FOOOCR26..._v_brake__disc

[Zamfir]

I like the look of that On-One fork, very nice indeed.

[mainlyfats]

Originally Posted by Zamfir

I like the look of that On-One fork, very nice indeed.

One going cheap on eBay right now if you're really going to hack off the disc tab (and repaint, I assume).

[colker]

surly fork is lighter..

[tvcreative]

I think the top of the "on one" fork looks good

I think the dropouts look like clubby pot metal

[mainlyfats]

Originally Posted by colker

surly fork is lighter..

Holy crap it is...

Originally Posted by tvcreative

I think the top of the "on one" fork looks good

I think the dropouts look like clubby pot metal

Agreed - those fork ends are fugly.


Save up for a pretty IF fork!

[Syborg]

My "new" 98er IF with Igleheart fork

[Zamfir]

Now you're talking!

That's a beautiful combination Sybrog.

[Zamfir]

Might end up running a Judy

[Syborg]

why not with a Judy! The main thing you ride the bike when it is finished.