Re: [CR] "Frame saver" forks

(Example: Framebuilding:Paint)

Content-class: urn:content-classes:message
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:19:53 -0700
In-Reply-To: <4B9D8576.4070706@os2.dhs.org>
Thread-Topic: [CR] "Frame saver" forks
thread-index: AcrD2jY1JiCYAva1SBu7MZXWE1AIVgALCE5A
References: <8CC8E332EDAEB1F-2564-A331@webmail-m095.sysops.aol.com> <208865.44298.qm@web82306.mail.mud.yahoo.com> <9327C3B25BD3C34A8DBC26145D88A90717317B@hippy.home.here>
From: "Mark Bulgier" <Mark@bulgier.net>
To: <john@os2.dhs.org>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: Re: [CR] "Frame saver" forks


John Thompson wrote:
> The first couple runs of 753 frames we did at Trek used what we
> called the "frame saver" crown -- an Ishiwata SCM crown with
> material milled out between the steer tube and blades. Before
> modification, the SCM looked sort of like the Cinelli MC
>
> After modification it looked like this:
>
> http://www.os2.dhs.org/~john/ishiwata-1.jpg
>
> It was much easier and cheaper to replace a customer's 753 fork
> than to replace the frame.
>
> Later runs were changed to a Tange crown that wasn't as
> malleable:
> http://www.vintage-trek.com/images/trek/JohnSatory/Satory12_320.jpg
>
> I'm not sure why the change was made.

I'll speculate the change was made for stylistic, aesthetic reasons mainly. That later crown looks like a T.S. Isaac design to me. The Ishi crown looks a bit awkward to my eye, though I don't doubt it did its job of bending in a crash.

Mark Bulgier
Seattle WA USA