Vector Fork leg extension anyone?

[PANZR]

Hi all
I was out on the weekend with my Beast in the forest (bought my son a new Trek so I can keep the Beast all for myself) and she went great
However near the end of the ride my back was getting pains from leaning forward too far...by looking at how low the front end is and how little clearance there is between the top of the tire and the steerer tube, I knew this would happen

I could and probably will in the short term, swap the Girvins for an old Judy SL I have for a bit more ground clearance and some lift for the handle bars to ease my back but, I really like the old-school look of the Girvins and want to know if anyone has ever extended the fork legs on a Vector by welding in a section from a donor set of Vector legs?
Perhaps 2-3 inches

The Girvin forks are, to me, pure works of mechanical art and I would love to keep them but they're just not practical as they are now

I also find the appearance of the Pro Flex frame awkward simply because it sits too low at the front and from looking at other Pro Flex bikes with telescopic forks it looks much better lifted up a little

Of course I'd still have the challenge of actually finding a pair of legs to cut

Thanks

Damon

[w2zero]

The attitude in the front has troubled me as well.  My back just doesn't bend that easily any more.  I changed to the later forks with the separate stem (like youre) and changed the stem to one with less reach and a lot more rise.  Much more comfy than the original road racer position.  I don't go as fast as I used to except for going down hills and then the higher position farther back is better too.  You might keep an eye out for a crosslink for a bit better attitude as well.

[shovelon]

I feel your pain.

Really. I took my brother-in-law out for a ride yesterday. Justifiably he was slower and I could not get any rhythm going so my back is killing me today.

I tried crosslinks and vector forks and just could not get along with them either. It was the j-path dive that got me. The vectors were really smooth rolling tho.

I don't think the vectors are going to take the extra leverage that the extension would impose on them. Especially loaded thru the welds.

I ended up going to sliders myself.

Terry

[PANZR]

I don't think the vectors are going to take the extra leverage that the extension would impose on them. Especially loaded thru the welds.

Hmm, yeah I figured that too but, just thought I'd ask anyhow in case it had been done by someone
Adding a couple of inches would substantially alter the balance/geometry of the forks in a potentially dangerous way I think

Incidentally I've been reading through mountains of old threads on this forum and have found some of the topics very interesting...I only just last night, I found out about the two cams for adjusting the 'angle-of-attack' of the forks...wicked!

Although oddly, the lower cam on my rig doesn't seem to change anything...perhaps I did something wrong when I reassembled it a little while back

It's a shame I've come to the Pro-Flex party rather late as I would've loved to have grabbed one of those Hammerhead adapters while they were still on the market

While you're here...I understand there were two lengths of the Vector fork legs released, can anyone tell me what the lengths were? I found a couple of old threads were this question was posed but there was no answer given
I ask because while it's been established that my frame is a 'way-big' the forks just seem to be rather small (back to my original post) in comparison so I'm wondering whether they're just 'normal' sized forks, if so then perhaps finding some long forks might give me some hope...btw my forks are just under 21" long

Thanks again

Damon

[Tel]

I may be wrong but I think this is just to do with the legnth of the steerer tube not the leg. The way big frames had a longer head tube than the small medium and large.
 Cheers, Tel.

[orange]

are you sure - I thought the head tube looked about the same at least on the world cup design bikes and all steerers were the same on Vectors except where they were about 30mm longer on the oil-damped ones as they had to incorporate the ULM. Only the seat tube 'mast' was longer on the way big frames. The Way Big 857 certainly had a longer head tube conversely. I could be talking out of my hat of course  

Crosslinks came in different sizes to allow for different head tubes.

[kiwi]

i think the "long" vectors were actually for after market purposes.I think the x55 and x56 all had the same length steerers.I also have a feeling someone has pointed out the error of my ways here befoe on this subject,so buyer beware so to speak!

[Colin]

"how little clearance there is between the top of the tire and the steerer tube............"
Sounds like the front end is a bit low!
Is the shock fully extended? i.e. if MCU's are fitted are they permanantly compressed? Or if it's a spring then is it the right weight for you?

see picture of an XP-X (x56) in "as new" state, the tyre clearance looks good.....?


and see mine with "skinnies" on it




Plenty of clearance!

Only the upper Pivot rod affects the "J-Path" of the Vector, this is the path that the wheel axle moves in as the fork compresses.
see my earlier post:
http://idriders.com/proflex/smf/index.php?topic=2438.msg16034#msg16034

There were 3 lengths & 2 diameters of steerer on the Vector:
28 15003-3 1 Steerer, Vector II Standard 1 1/8" (197mm)*
28 15003-5 1 Steerer, Girvin AL Standard 1" (222mm)*
28 15003-6 1 Steerer, Girvin AL Long 1" (259mm)*
28 15003-7 1 Steerer, Girvin AL Standard 1 1/8" (222mm)*

But I also think all of the frames had the same length Head Tube, even the Way-Bigs............

and there were two lengths of leg:
ITEM# PART# KIT# QTY. DESCRIPTION
29 14501-1 1 Leg, Right Standard Polished
29 14505-1-BLK 1 Leg, Right Standard Black
29 14501-1-YEL 1 Leg, Right Standard Yellow
29 14629-1P 1 Leg, Right Standard Easton Polished
29 14629-2P 1 Leg, Right Long Easton Polished
29 14942-1 1 Leg, Right Standard Yellow
29 14975-1 1 Leg, Right Standard Carbon
30 14511-1 1 Leg, Left Standard Polished
30 14511-1-BLK 1 Leg, Left Standard Black
30 14511-1-YEL 1 Leg, Left Standard Yellow
30 14630-1P 1 Leg, Left Standard Easton Polished
30 14630-2P 1 Leg, Left Long Easton Polished
30 14941-1 1 Leg, Left Standard Yellow
30 14984-1 1 Leg, Left Standard Carbon

Measure the distance between the upper and lower pivot bolts and to the wheel axle centre on your Vectors and compare to my "standard" ones that were on my XP-X (856)  
Upper to Lower pivot = 132mm.
Lower pivot to wheel axle centre = 372mm
steerer length = 222mm & diameter 1"

Col.
(OzX rebuild delayed due to bloody freezing conditions in garage !) <GRIN>

[Tel]

Like a man in an orthopedic shoe shop I stand corrected. Bugger 4 years I`ve waited to answer a problem and then I make a pigs ear of it!!
 Sorry I`ll go back to my corner now see you in 2014, and next time make the question easier for me, perhaps a nice picture you need help colouring in or something
 Cheers, Tel.

[w2zero]

My small medium and large frames all have the same length head tube.  The Vectors I have all are the same leg length.  The steer tubes are differing lengths to accomodate the different stack heights of the early forks with the integral upper pivot/stem and the later forks with the separate upper pivot.

The fork leg lengths are different between the Vector and the crosslink.  However, the distance from the lower pivot on the fork and the wheel axle is the same on both.  The extra length of the crosslink is between the lower and upper pivots. 

If you want more height  in front on your bike, get a crosslink.  It uses a longer spring shock arrangement and also has longer suspension links so you'll get the height and more travel too.

[Colin]

Like a man in an orthopedic shoe shop I stand corrected. Bugger 4 years I`ve waited to answer a problem and then I make a pigs ear of it!!
 Sorry I`ll go back to my corner now see you in 2014, and next time make the question easier for me, perhaps a nice picture you need help colouring in or something
 Cheers, Tel.

I feel really rotten now!  

I was definitely in "know-it-all" mode there wasn't I?  

I "think" Way-Big's had the same head tube length as the other frames based upon various photos I have of them, but you never know! (e.g. who can tell the difference between Medium and Large Oz's from a Photo?)

This is a great forum where everyone can have a punt at helping people and corrections are politely presented, is this a sign of our maturity? but then again we can't be that mature if we're all big kids "playing on our bikes" which is what I was doing yesterday in the Northamptonshire snow and sunshine, a nice 6 mile ride across frozen bridleways and footpaths (whoops!) to "The Sun Inn" in Kislingbury for a pint of Thwaites Wainwright Ale and then 6 miles back beside the frozen canal to home!

I might even convince the Missus to get out at the weekend if they do a decent Cider!

Col.

[orange]

I singlespeeded 13 miles to work on my Karate Monkey because I thought the snow was bad everywhere and no gears would mean no iced up blocks etc. - turned out it was just bad for the first mile. Was then committed to 12 miles in 36:16 ratio (and back)

[Tel]

No worries Colin I generaly get something ar*e about face, my bloody time will come and i`ll be on it like a hawk (well a hawk with crayons) 
Cheers, Tel.
I only have to be lucky once!

[fyrstormer]

Just get a slider fork. They're so much better than they used to be, the low stiction and the rigidity of the Crosslink forks just isn't worth the hassle anymore.

[PANZR]

I will (reluctantly) fit my old Judy's for my ride this weekend but, I don't know what shape they're in so we'll see how that goes
I guess I'll buy some more if they're no good

I'm sure the spring and shock are fine, it's just the forks in general that are too low for me
That's a shame because they're so funky looking...maybe I'll mount them on a plinth and display them in my lounge next to my BetaMax VCR