New project, 1998 Orange Clockwork Anniversary Edition

[Anthony]

Thank you ^^ . Well, I have seen another thread (I forget when, i'm a lurker) where the chap had installed a stubby Kore stem on the same bike, maybe 3 3/4 inches, and he said it helped the handling ten fold. These do handle badly. Steering is way to sharp for my liking

I don't understand what you mean. Previously you said it handled like a barge, which is the opposite of way too sharp. A shorter stem may well be a good thing, but it will make the steering sharper than it is now.

The RST 461 isn't a good enough fork to match up to the rest of the design. If you want the bike to cut it cross country, the obvious thing is to find a Pace RC36 in 70mm setting. A modern Reba is quite long and, although it is a hugely more capable fork than the RST, would make the handling more like a barge.

 

[Andy B]

I have a 17" '98/99 anniversary Clockwork, it did have slowish steering with the original stem & forks on it.

I replaced the original 110mm 10° stem with a 90mm 10° Hope stem & the forks with RS Reba's set @ 85mm, for me it now handles perfectly, the shorter stem balances out the extra A2C length of the modern forks

Full build thread here: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... nniversary

 

[Faren]

These do handle badly. Steering is way to sharp for my liking

I don't understand what you mean. Previously you said it handled like a barge, which is the opposite of way too sharp. A shorter stem may well be a good thing, but it will make the steering sharper than it is now.

The RST 461 isn't a good enough fork to match up to the rest of the design. If you want the bike to cut it cross country, the obvious thing is to find a Pace RC36 in 70mm setting. A modern Reba is quite long and, although it is a hugely more capable fork than the RST, would make the handling more like a barge.

Sarcasm anyone? :roll: A perfect description for how the thing steers would be sluggish when sat down however, the handling charachteristics completely change when stood with your weight on the forks. It becomes way too sharp/snappy with the play from those cheapo forks, and in a lot of respects, almost dangerous. You would have to ride the thing to understand, those forks are literally shot to shit and they werent exactly good brand new.

Should be sweet handling, if a bit race ready.

Could stick some risers on her and a shorter stem.

lol, not gonna chop this thing, the engine is way too quiet.

I have a 17" '98/99 anniversary Clockwork, it did have slowish steering with the original stem & forks on it.

I replaced the original 110mm 10° stem with a 90mm 10° Hope stem & the forks with RS Reba's set @ 85mm, for me it now handles perfectly, the shorter stem balances out the extra A2C length of the modern forks

Full build thread here: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... nniversary

That is a sweet setup, seen something very similar on another forum. Did you ever replace the origional decals? Mine are looking a bit tatty in places but the painwork is still 100% so don't really want to spend £150 on a respray from orange.

 

[Anthony]

These do handle badly. Steering is way to sharp for my liking

I don't understand what you mean. Previously you said it handled like a barge, which is the opposite of way too sharp. A shorter stem may well be a good thing, but it will make the steering sharper than it is now.

The RST 461 isn't a good enough fork to match up to the rest of the design. If you want the bike to cut it cross country, the obvious thing is to find a Pace RC36 in 70mm setting. A modern Reba is quite long and, although it is a hugely more capable fork than the RST, would make the handling more like a barge.

Sarcasm anyone? :roll: A perfect description for how the thing steers would be sluggish when sat down however, the handling charachteristics completely change when stood with your weight on the forks. It becomes way too sharp/snappy with the play from those cheapo forks, and in a lot of respects, almost dangerous. You would have to ride the thing to understand, those forks are literally shot to shit and they werent exactly good brand new.

I am never sarcastic. People say a frame handles like a barge if it is very reluctant to turn corners. A barge is never snappy, a barge is always slow to turn so I didn't infer from your first remark anything like what you are now saying.

I advise you to get a suitable fork for it and don't rush to judgment about the frame until you see what it is like then. It's a very good frame if you give it the right fork.

 

[Andy B]

That is a sweet setup, seen something very similar on another forum. Did you ever replace the origional decals? Mine are looking a bit tatty in places but the painwork is still 100% so don't really want to spend £150 on a respray from orange.

I frequent several forums (Bikeradar, STW, SingletrAction, UKMB & LAMB as well as the link in my sig to uk-mtb.com) so you may have seen it on one of those if it's the same bike.

I haven't replaced the decals yet, I did ask our resident decal guru Gil_m, but he was way too busy to redraw them when I asked.

There is another user on here with 2 of the green anniversary Clockworks, he was interested in some decals too. I will get in touch with Gil again, when he's back from the SSWC in New Zealand & see if he has time to redraw them.