# Fork options



## mrfixit (Sep 10, 2004)

As you may have read in my "why triple" thread. I am going to be a first time tandem owner, tomorrow. The used tandem I found is an early 90's crack'n'fail, which has a 1" diameter, threaded steer tube. I was thinking that a nice upgrade would be a a threadless fork with disc mounts. Does such a 1" tandem fork exist? or should I start looking at have one custom built? or maybe I should just scratch the idea all together? Then again, I have a hard time leaving things the way they are....:idea: 
I have also heard a tale of a headset that will allow you to use a 1-1/8" fork in a 1" headtube.  I don't think that is possible, correct?


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## kiwisimon (Oct 30, 2002)

headset adapter ...no way possible. Square(big) peg into a round(small) hole. brake upgrade, very possible. Wound up make 1 inch disc forks but why think about upgrade before you have the experience of riding it? Ride the thing a lot , see if the brakes on it don't do the job, (properly adjusted canti brakes will do the job) before thinking of upgrades. Watch that you don't screw up the handling by putting on a radically different raked/ trailed fork on the bike. have fun and ride safe.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

My advice (that I usually have a hard time following) is not to dump a lot of money into it. It sounds to me as though you`re talking about some big price tags and your money would probably be better spent on a whole new bike when you`ve outgrown the one you have. Of course, I could be wrong...


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## nony (Oct 26, 2008)

1" diameter is not large enough for a modern tandem, IMHO. I remember mtn. biking in the early 90s on 1" headsets with common failures, so I can only imagine the stress a 1" tandem. I recall most headset issues went away when mtn. bikes adopted 1 1/8" and threadless.

I'm amazed tandems haven't adopted the 1.5" headsets or tapered headtube designs. 

No matter what fork you chose, please make sure it is engineered for tandem, and not a single fork to be used on tandem.


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## mrfixit (Sep 10, 2004)

Don't worry, I'm not stupid enough to put a standard fork on a tandem. 
I don't want to dump a ton of money into it. It already has a bunch of modern upgrades, and I have some parts kicking around my shop that I can put on it. The tandem itself is only $600 and my shop parts will cost nothing. The main part that will make this tandem seem dated, will be the 1" threaded headset and fork. I was thinking of installing a heavy duty bmx threadless headset and a new fork. If I'm going to buy a new fork, I might as well buy one that will handle a disc...at least that's my thinking.


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## kiwisimon (Oct 30, 2002)

Tandems were being ridden for upwards of 70 years before 11/8th headsets. There is no problem using an inch head tube on a tandem indeed i can't see why you wounld think a road tandem would need heavy duty BMX components. Just properly maintain the thing and you'll be good to go. If I were going to do an apgrade on the front end it would be a CK headset( that would cost about a quater of your bikes value). This need of yours to upgrade is like an itch. Just scratch it.


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## android (Nov 20, 2007)

kiwisimon said:


> Tandems were being ridden for upwards of 70 years before 11/8th headsets. There is no problem using an inch head tube on a tandem indeed i can't see why you wounld think a road tandem would need heavy duty BMX components.


My wife and I have ridden one of those older tandems. A 70's Paramount. Compared to our Sanatana, the Paramount is like riding al dente spaghetti. So even though they had 1" headsets and used the same tubing as singles back then, it doesn't mean they were all that great.


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## nony (Oct 26, 2008)

kiwisimon said:


> Tandems were being ridden for upwards of 70 years before 11/8th headsets. There is no problem using an inch head tube on a tandem indeed i can't see why you wounld think a road tandem would need heavy duty BMX components. Just properly maintain the thing and you'll be good to go. If I were going to do an apgrade on the front end it would be a CK headset( that would cost about a quater of your bikes value). This need of yours to upgrade is like an itch. Just scratch it.



That's why I wrote, "modern" tandems. You can ride 1" HS tandems as they were intended 70 years ago, less than 10mph casual rides around the block, with some exceptions. 

"Modern" tandems reach significantly higher speeds and demand more steering precision than 1" HS offering. 1" isn't a bad thing for tandem, we just don't ride like we did 70 years ago or even 30 years ago.


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## mrfixit (Sep 10, 2004)

I've come to the conclusion that no one makes a 1" threadless tandem fork. I guess I'm going to send mine out to have it converted.


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## kiwisimon (Oct 30, 2002)

mrfixit said:


> I've come to the conclusion that no one makes a 1" threadless tandem fork. I guess I'm going to send mine out to have it converted.


or one of these
http://www.profile-design.com/products/accessories/threadless-converter/


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## powhatan (Feb 16, 2003)

nony said:


> That's why I wrote, "modern" tandems. You can ride 1" HS tandems as they were intended 70 years ago, less than 10mph casual rides around the block, with some exceptions.
> 
> "Modern" tandems reach significantly higher speeds and demand more steering precision than 1" HS offering. 1" isn't a bad thing for tandem, we just don't ride like we did 70 years ago or even 30 years ago.



Yeah, 30 years ago we weren't on the juice!


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## mrfixit (Sep 10, 2004)

and how does that help? btw, there is one installed already....


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