Mountain Bike to Tourer?

Posted by Neil on 06/08/2009 under mechanics | Be the First to Comment

I have just fitted a pair of Thorn Mt.-Tura rigid forks to my Specialized Rockhopper MTB. They replace the Judy Rock Shox that came with the bike as standard. I did this for a number of reasons.

• I am using the bike as a commuter/tourer and rarely go off road.
• I believe that suspension forks steal some of my energy by absorbing pedal downstrokes (I have little enough to spare as it is).
• Suspension forks are relatively heavy, especially if you don’t need them.
• I had nowhere to attach my mudguards and don’t like drinking the water splashed up from the road.
• In the future I want to fit front carriers (part of the justification to my wife is that I will be able to carry a weeks shopping from the supermarket).
• I wanted to experiment with having a higher handlebar position.
• I didn’t want to have to keep servicing my shocks or, worse still, pay someone else to do it for me.
• I would really like a Thorn trekking/tourer but cannot afford one at the moment

The Mt.-Tura forks have been specially designed by Andy Blance at Thorn to replace 80-100mm travel suspension forks fitted on most MTB’s, They leave the bike at approximately the same height as it would be with an average rider sat on it. They cost £99.00, are made out of Reynolds tubing and have ‘braze-ons’ for fitting mudguards, front carriers, dynamo and headlamp.

I now rate myself as a competent bicycle mechanic because I asked Thorn if I could fit the forks myself. Andy said they could be fitted by a competent bicycle mechanic, so having done it myself perhaps I am some way to being one. Apart from the usual bike tools, the only other tools needed were a junior hacksaw (to trim the incredibly long stem down to the correct size), a file, the Haynes Bike Book (to get my head around how an Aheadset actually worked) and the self discipline to take it easy and not get over excited. I wanted to get the job done quick and get out riding the thing to see if my investment had been worthwhile. I also ordered from Thorn, some additional 1 1/8 spacers so that I could extend and experiment with different handlebar heights before I settled on a permanent position (I am still not trimmed to my final setup). Finally, for my setup, I needed a fresh Aheadset spring washer for the new forks.

Even if I could call myself a mechanic, I wouldn’t feel qualified to give a tutorial on it, so I will omit the fitting instructions. Be warned though, you won’t find any in the box, Thorn don’t supply them, at least they didn’t with mine. I did it the way I thought best, it took me a couple of hours and it seems to have worked out okay.

I have got to say though that these forks are beautifully engineered and finished. I got mine in the Matt Black finish to go some way towards matching in with my bike, the alternative is a military looking Olive Green. If all Thorn bikes are manufactured and finished to this standard I can see where their pricing comes in; the quality is superb. The forks weighed in at around 3lbs before the headset tube was cut down; 1.5 lbs lighter than my suspension forks.

Now fitted to the bike I am very pleased with the result. It handles well and the bike feels more responsive and in touch with the road surface. One fear I had was that the ride would become too harsh as a result of loosing the shocks, but the bike feels great on the road. There is some ‘give’ as you go over bumps but you have that ‘in control’ feeling.

I have read a lot about touring and touring bikes over the last few months with polar opinions about the suitability of MTB’s for touring and longer distance riding. Some would have you believe that contemplating touring on a Mountain Bike was madness. Yet, Richard Legato and his wife Amanda have traveled thousands of miles on MTB’s with full touring kit. I haven’t experienced the feel of a custom touring bike over hundreds of miles of riding, so don’t feel qualified to make a value assessment of the merits of my MTB/Trekker/Tourer over a purpose made machine. However, I found riding my mountain bike before its modification to be a good riding experience on roads. Since the modification, it rides even better. I am looking forward to testing it, and myself, over longer distances in the future.

What is indisputable is that I now have all the advantages of carrier and mudguard mounts and no shock servicing costs. If I look down over the handlebars I could even con myself into thinking I am riding a Thorn Tourer; from the headset onwards it looks the same. I just need to change the rest of the bike now to match. To be realistic though, with its oversize alloy tubes, the bike does have the appearance of an overweight plasterer wearing a pair of stilettos; not entirely pretty. For me though, looks don’t matter. I don’t cycle because of a bikes aesthetic qualities. I do it to get exercise, to get to work, save the planet, make me a better person and to put some adventure back into my life. My bike is certainly different from most. I am happy that the transformation has been worth it and I am getting more enjoyment from my bike.