K2 / Proflex Riders Group
General => Tech Forum => Topic started by: shovelon on March 31, 2008, 04:04:45 pm
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I am kind of interested in this fork. But how smart IS it? http://cgi.ebay.com/K2-SMART-FORK-for-mountain-bike_W0QQitemZ200212546457QQihZ010QQcategoryZ36135QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
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hmmmmm...............about as smart as an earthworm?
sorry, must not diss the almighty Girvin........................
I have NR-5 Smartshocks on my Crosslinks and to be honest I can't tell when they're switched on or not...................
Go for it at a good price and it'll be interesting..............!
Col.
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Not a bad fork according to the reviews back in the day, but there are lots better things available these days. The electronic component of those forks was notoriously short-lived, at which point it just becomes a "regular" fork with dead weight inside and only so-so damping. I wouldn't waste my time with any suspension from Girvin or Noleen (gasp!).
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Stone the heretic!.......................
Yes, I'm coming around to this POV.
(Maverick fork and Manitou Swinger shock waiting to be installed)
Col.
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I am going to have to pass on it then. The valving is indeed bass-ackwards.
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The only reason to buy one of these is if you wanted to keep an older K2 orginal. Something to think about if you want a true retro bike. Personally, I like mixing the old with the new. That's why my next project is to put a swinger air shock on my 856's crosslink. I just have to design and machine an adaptor to compensate for the difference in eye to eye length and to provide a little clearance for the air valves.
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The only reason to buy one of these is if you wanted to keep an older K2 orginal. Something to think about if you want a true retro bike. Personally, I like mixing the old with the new. That's why my next project is to put a swinger air shock on my 856's crosslink. I just have to design and machine an adaptor to compensate for the difference in eye to eye length and to provide a little clearance for the air valves.
You may get a little more travel too.
Andrew(Frankd3000) adapted a cane creek to his crosslink. Although better, not sure if he was happy with it.
I am really into the Mega-air VTO forks. Thought the smartfork would be similar, but I reckon not, because the valving is all wrong, and is coil sprung I think.
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Right now I'm more worried about too much travel. I have a 200 mm shock in the drawer right now and am planning on using it. I've looked at Andrews (FrankD3000) setup and he used a much shorter shock with a long adaptor. I think you are correct about him not liking the fork. If you look at his gallery (the old one), he switched to a Manitou fork three months later. I am looking at making adapters similar to jazclrints design where he installed a Fox Talas 200mm shock on the front of his crosslink. http://www.flickr.com/gp/16675643@N08/5HG0QK He had a short discussion thread about this back in October last year. Unlike Andrew, I think he has been riding this Fox shock set up for a while. Great minds must think alike. I have two Noleen Mega Airs. One on my Haro FS and one on my son's bike. Great performing fork with a stupid simple design and easy maintenance. It'll be a sad day when they finally wear out.
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That is my old fork!! Crazy, I sold to him in Nov. and he's already parting with it.
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That is my old fork!! Crazy, I sold to him in Nov. and he's already parting with it.
So how did you like it?
Terry
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works fine, plush for sure, a little heavy, but in great shape when it left my hands...but I've always been partial to the Girvin / Noleen linkage so my opinion is probably biased
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Right now I'm more worried about too much travel. I have a 200 mm shock in the drawer right now and am planning on using it. I've looked at Andrews (FrankD3000) setup and he used a much shorter shock with a long adaptor. I think you are correct about him not liking the fork. If you look at his gallery (the old one), he switched to a Manitou fork three months later. I am looking at making adapters similar to jazclrints design where he installed a Fox Talas 200mm shock on the front of his crosslink. [url]http://www.flickr.com/gp/16675643@N08/5HG0QK [/url] He had a short discussion thread about this back in October last year. Unlike Andrew, I think he has been riding this Fox shock set up for a while. Great minds must think alike. I have two Noleen Mega Airs. One on my Haro FS and one on my son's bike. Great performing fork with a stupid simple design and easy maintenance. It'll be a sad day when they finally wear out.
Actually It's not a Talas, It's a Float RL, but I don't know if there's a difference. I talked extencively about it a few years back. All the stuff is in the archives. I have lost the drawings I made and with school I have not had the time to recreate them. My machinist is willing to make a new set for anyone that wants one. I am still refining the design, but I love it. The only issue is not the length, but the dampening is a little too much.
Great minds, definately.