Thread on front forks on a Raleigh bike

[mike barrett 1Participant @mikebarrett1]

I have a 1990's Raleigh bike which has RST suspension fronts forks. The forks have fallen apart (inside springs rusted away) and I dont think I can repair them,
I want to replace then but cant anything similar. The steering shaft from the forks is140mm long and have a threaded end to retain the top bearing and are 38.6mm (1 1/8&quot diameter. The handle bars use a quill fitting inside the shaft.

Most forks are now plain with a clamp to hold the bearing. I cant find a threaded shaft version that is only 140mm long so was wondering if I could buy a plain version and then cut the shaft down to size and cut a thread on it.

The question is what thread is used on the shaft and where can I buy a die for it?
Any suggestions welcome. I am trying to keep as much of bike original if possible.

Thanks Mike

[mike barrett 1Participant @mikebarrett1]

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

It is my belief that 1990s bikes are a lottery for thread due to so many parts being made in the east. I have made a new stem for one of my old motorcycles, screwcut at 26 tpi and brazed into the lower yoke.

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

Good morning Mike,

Before you get too involved, check that your selected plain steerer will accept the quill.

[mike barrettParticipant @mikebarrett73459]

Posted by Bo'sun on 24/05/2021 09:03:23:

Good morning Mike,

Before you get too involved, check that your selected plain steerer will accept the quill.

Good point! One of the problems is finding any technical (sizes) details of what being sold on line.
I think I need to find an old school bike shop to visit.
Also thinking of going back to see if I could rebuild the original forks. The springs have rusted badly but I should be able to replace them. There are a couple of plastic bushes that are worn but i could make new ones.
the part I dont understand is what stopped the forks coming apart, They now fall apart. There was no bottom fixing as far as I could see unless it has rusted away. I cant find a manual for the original forks, The company used to publish manual but was taken over and the manual doesnt seem to be available any more.

regards Mike

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Quite common to have to cut down the steerer on a pair of forks be they old style or new, most likely 1 1/8 x 26tpi see here

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

Sheldon Brown. Always a good source of reference.

[mike barrettParticipant @mikebarrett73459]

Posted by JasonB on 24/05/2021 10:03:12:

Quite common to have to cut down the steerer on a pair of forks be they old style or new, most likely 1 1/8 x 26tpi see here

thanks excellent site!

mike

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

Hi Mike,

I'm sure there will be other suppliers of steerer tube dies. This one from "Park Tools" is unlikely to be cheap, but at least they're out there.

https://www.parktool.com/product/1-1-8-cutting-die-607?category=Frame%20%26%20Fork

It might even be worth seeing if a local bike shop has one you could borrow.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

You might as well forget the threaded stem and just get a plain one with a clamp on top. You can get spacers to raise the handlebar clamp, if you do, then don't cut the fork tube to length first.

First, try googling "installing bicycle forks", there are many helpful answers.

Edited By old mart on 24/05/2021 14:47:00

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

If it were me I would replace the headset as well (they don't need to be expensive). You will then have freedom to mix and match to suit your head tube diameter, head set and steerer tube.

Rod

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

It used to be that all threads on cycles were 60 degree form and 26 tpi, but with the march of progress, and imported machines and parts that may longer be then case. So you might well be finding replacements that are metric in size and pitch.

You might find yourself making Imperial to metric adaptor collars!

Howard

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

The headset is going to have to change anyway, along with the stem, if Mike decides to go down the threadless steerer route. I would also suspect the choice of fork (depending on the quality required) to be somewhat limited, as many are now using tapered steerer tubes.

[Robin DuftonParticipant @robindufton85682]

Posted by Bo'sun on 24/05/2021 15:35:48:

The headset is going to have to change anyway, along with the stem, if Mike decides to go down the threadless steerer route.

Many combos of modern parts aren't guaranteed to work on old Raleighs. I had a headache when trying to sort out a 70s bike and had to make a bush for BMX bars to fit. No stems would fit the fork so it had to be the Raleigh specific stem. Changing the forks would have meant making new bearing cups.

[mike barrettParticipant @mikebarrett73459]

Thanks for all the helpful answers. I am/was trying to keep the bike standard but its begining to be a bit like Trigger's Broom … it would have been easier to buy a new bike but I do like repairing stuff!

But.

I can get a 1 1/8" 25 TPI die from one of the online suppliers in stock, buts it £45.
I have managed to find a set of forks with a threaded steering tube (1 1/8" that seems to be the correct length.
I am hopeful it will fit as the original forks were made by RST and seem to be standard set.
Will know when the new forks arrive. if I need to lengthen the thread then I will buy the die.

Regards Mike

Edited By mike barrett on 24/05/2021 18:35:23

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I share your pain, I have an early 90s MBK Triathlete IU'm trying to keep as original as possible, and the hardest thing to source was old style brake blocks to fit the Weinmann side-pull brakes!

Is it a mountain bike or a road bike?

Personally I wouldn't like to use a bike with a quill stem on anything more than pretty level ground.

Neil

[mike barrettParticipant @mikebarrett73459]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 25/05/2021 12:53:13:

I share your pain, I have an early 90s MBK Triathlete IU'm trying to keep as original as possible, and the hardest thing to source was old style brake blocks to fit the Weinmann side-pull brakes!

Is it a mountain bike or a road bike?

Personally I wouldn't like to use a bike with a quill stem on anything more than pretty level ground.

Neil

Its a road bike so I am happy with the quill stem, I have never had any problems with it.
Old bikes seem so difficult to maintain, there are no manuals and no standards for parts!
I have had triumph classic cars for over 30 years (Herald, Vitesse, Dolly, Stag, GT6, TR6 and now have a 13/60 herald with EFI) and they are easy to run and maintain mainly because there is so much good information and data about the cars.

cheers

mike

Mike

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

Hi Mike,

Unusual, a road bike with boingy forks. Surely that wold lift the front up a bit high for a road bike and change the head angle and steering geometry?

It's not going to go down well with the hardened roadies out there.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

It used to be so simple, road bikes had 27" ( or 700C) tyres and mountain bikes had 26". Then hybrids came along with 700C tyres and may or may not have had suspension forks. Back in the day I remember that some pro teams tried suspension forks for the cobbles on Paris/Roubaix. I put my bike together from a cyclo cross frame with carbon forks and cantilever brakes. That was 12 years ago – nowadays you would call it a gravel bike. Definitions and styles constantly change, mostly to do with marketing. Mix and match any combination of bits and you will end up with something that a marketing focus group has already coined a name for.

Modern life eh!

Rod

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

Hi Rod, Gravel Bikes. Another fad maybe? or just road bike lovers not liking to admit that off-road biking isn't that bad after all.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Well you could also fit 650B rims to your gravel bike Rod so it can take some wider tyres or even slip a 26" MTB tyre on though 29ers seem to be the way to go on MTBs these days.

Never had a problem with old style quill stems on my MTBs both solid fork and Rockshock equipped but then again did not have those big wide 750mm bars they ride now, think my Ritchey's were 500mm

Anyone who likes their MTB racing should keep a look out on Redbull TV as they cover all the world cup rounds with both Short course XC on the Friday and Olympic XC on the Sunday. Replays of the first two round of this years worldcup available here and here

And for a Small yearly Sub GCN is worth having as they do the full Cyclocross season in the winter and a lot of road stuff the rest of the year, just off to watch the Lotto Ladies tour now, ladies racing seems to be a lot more exciting than the mens as it is attack from the off not a Sunday club run to the last 20k as a lot of the mens stage races seem to be

Edited By JasonB on 25/05/2021 18:56:50

[NimbleParticipant @nimble]

Hi Mike,

I also own a 13/60 Herald and would be interested in your EFI. any information you could give me would be of interest PM me if you wish.

Nimble Neil.

[mike barrettParticipant @mikebarrett73459]

Posted by Bo'sun on 25/05/2021 15:22:41:

Hi Mike,

Unusual, a road bike with boingy forks. Surely that wold lift the front up a bit high for a road bike and change the head angle and steering geometry?

It's not going to go down well with the hardened roadies out there.

I suppose its really called a hybrid not really a road bike or a mountain bike but perfect for the pot holed roads in Cambridge! Suspension forks and sprung seat pillar.

Mike

[mike barrettParticipant @mikebarrett73459]

Posted by Nimble on 25/05/2021 21:57:21:

Hi Mike,

I also own a 13/60 Herald and would be interested in your EFI. any information you could give me would be of interest PM me if you wish.

Nimble Neil.

Its got a rebuilt 1500 triumph engine, Newman cam, stage 2 head, Jenvey individual throttle bodies and wasted spark ignition.
All run by a upgraded Megasquirt MS2 controller. This means you can map the ignition and fueling based on input vacuum and throttle position. There is a high pressure fuel pump in the boot and pressure regulator on the fuel rail. It has broad band AFR sensor so can be run in closed loop to control the mixture. The Megasquirt software is excellent and allows you to tune and log data from the engine. It hasnt been on a rolling road but is still as fast as a 2L Vitesse but much more economical. Not cheap but a fun project that involves a lot of engineering, electronics and software.
The car also has an overdrive gearbox with close ratio GT6 ratios and a 3.89 diff. Its been around Scotland twice and down to Italy and up and down the alps!

PM if you more details.

regards

Mike

regards mike

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

What is all this B****cks? BIkes are brazed up from reynolds 531 tube, have 26tpi threads, have springs in the saddle for fragile sorts and the more modern ones have caliper brakes rather than the conventional rod brakes.

Bah! Humbug! I'm off to re-charge the carbide pot for the lights.

[Author]

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