1997 Nuke Proof Reactor hardtail

[gis_guru]

I don't know about in the UK but a guy named Bas out of Amsterdam http://old-metal.blogspot.com/ has a Nuke or 2 and was a ton of help. As far as changing the linkage it was all I could do to get the original pieces back together with no extra parts left over! syncrosfan bought a frame with out the fork and I have given him all of the original measurements from my fork when I had it apart for the rebuild. His plan is to custom build a fork for his using some modern material and possibly working in some newer items such as disc brakes. I cant wait to see what he does. Cheers

 

[jonnyboy666]

yeah i remember Bas, i met him at the Old World Champs in 2009, think he was riding his Serotta when we all met up in Amsterdam, he posts here sometimes, not so much these days though, his username is "Defiant" if memory serves.

 

[drcarlos]

I don't know about in the UK but a guy named Bas out of Amsterdam http://old-metal.blogspot.com/ has a Nuke or 2 and was a ton of help. As far as changing the linkage it was all I could do to get the original pieces back together with no extra parts left over! syncrosfan bought a frame with out the fork and I have given him all of the original measurements from my fork when I had it apart for the rebuild. His plan is to custom build a fork for his using some modern material and possibly working in some newer items such as disc brakes. I cant wait to see what he does. Cheers

If he could extend the bottom links about 10mm after the shock he could relax that head angle a bit and it might steer a bit better. As he has to have the links made what's he got to lose?

Carl.

 

[gis_guru]

I will let him know. Thanks for the input. Cheers

 

[syncrosfan]

So I've been looking at the measurements of the linkages you sent me, and it looks like the upper and lower link are exactly the same length at 80mm distance between the axles. Now compared to other linkage forks out there, that's quite unusual. On the Look Fournales fork that I have the upper link is 100mm and the lower is 115mm (size L), on the Girvin fork that I have, there is an even bigger difference between the upper and the lower linkages (didn't measure it though). Also the attachment points of the pivots in comparison to the center of the steering tube is different: the upper link is attached in front of the steering tube while the lower is attached behind the steering tube axis. On the Reactor frame the linkage is attached behind the steering tube for upper and lower, which leads me to believe that the Nuke Proof fork is maybe supposed to emulate the straight path of a conventional telescopic fork, whereas the other designs have a J shaped path of travel. Also the wheel base of the bike seems a little short (could you measure the wheelbase? just to see if it would want to be a little longer). In that case I might be thinking about keeping the upper link at 80mm but move its pivot forward of the steering tube, and then make the lower pivot 95mm while keeping its position. I'm also wondering whether the pronounced J path on the Girvins might be a little too much and maybe a slightly more linear path with just a little of rear-ward deflection might be a little better? The Look Fournales travel path seems a little more like that. I have a second Look Fournales fork with a busted upper linkage and I was thinking about using its fork legs for the Reactor build, just make new linkages for it. I do have the CAD knowledge to build them myself (plus I do have access to a rapid prototyper in order to test fit those to the frame). I'll just need to outsource the CAD data to a machine shop to get them milled in 7075 aluminum. Does anybody here think that copying the linkage arrangement of the Look Fournales fork might be the best course of action? I know it won't be any sort of a era correct restoration (more of a franken-fork setup) then again it's not supposed to be a bike of the month kind of build.

 

[gis_guru]

I will try to get to the shop and get a wheelbase measurement some time this week. I personally believe the more you could use from existing forks the better fast and cheaper than all custom in the long-run. Cheers

 

[syncrosfan]

What size is your frame anyway? Do you have the feel that the wheelbase is too short while riding?

 

[gis_guru]

I haven't ridden it enough to get a feel for it yet, it was advertised as large but I have yet to do all of the measurements.

 

[-Niellesie-]

some fork tubes for sale in the us, maybe interesting

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nukeproof-React ... 233458e8ed

 

[gis_guru]

Same guy just sold a frame with just the upper headset cup installed. I think he said he got them from the factory when they were shutting down.