OT: Need a little help from my friends re. MTBs

[mtflycaster]

OK guys and gals. Pls help by providing yur insights/thoughts re. the following dilemma!

I have too many bikes, but always find some reasons/rationalization to keep them. However, I don't have enough room in my garage, and I don't have enough time to ride them all. I'm not a collector, so what I have needs to be ridden.

I have two hardtail mountain bikes. One is a newish Moots Rigormootis, the other a vintage 1994 Fat Chance Yo Eddy. I'm thinking I only need one of these.

The Fat rocks, is a joy to ride, and is nearly pristine, but could use a new fork and my fork options, given it only has a 1 inch head tube, are limited.

The Moots is fun and comfortable and bulletproof since it benefits from being Ti, but does not seem to have the same desire to get up and go as the Fat.

Assuming keeping both is not an option, any other thoughts, insights or ?, particularly from those of you who may also ride these rigs?

Thanks. :cool:

[Ginger]

Wow...moots or Chance...what a choice.

I only have the Fatrotta...I love my Yo Eddy, I only wish it fit better.

Any new fork with that 1" steerer option will be worlds better than your old fork...really. Keep in mind that if you buy a fork with too much travel, your handling may change as well, but most forks can be adjusted...just something to think about.

You wouldn't happen to have an original rigid fork with that Yo too? :) (Those are better than gold.)

Personally, I'd keep both. Use the Moots as a loaner for buddies who come to ride. :)

[Ken Robb]

What about a full suspension bike? For me going from a hardtail to a fs bike is as big a help in rough stuff as going from full rigid to hard tail.
Occasionally I'll ride easy single track on a road bike too so I cover all the possibilities but, to me, a hardtail is something of a half-way measure for off roading. They make fun urban assault bikes though.

[OldDog]

Rebuild the fork on Eddy? Yours an original Eddy or a Serottized Eddy?

[mtflycaster]

Hey. Thanks for the replies. I have thought about putting a fixed fork on the Yo, but I don't have an original. Maybe a Sibex?

Here is a pic. I bought this new (partly the reason for the attachment), and had the Judy fork painted to match. I rebuilt the Judy once with air cartridges.

[Ken Robb]

Does Marzocchi make good new forks with 1" steerers or a fork that can be converted to 1"? I may have dreamed this.

[davids]

Keep the Fat Chance. It's irreplaceable (and beautiful, too, btw!) I don't know what you're fork options are, but any knowledgeable dealer could point you to the best options.

[DRZRM]

I have a Moots YBB, and when I picked it up I sold my Fat Chance Wicked Fat to an old buddy. I love my Moots, but I miss that bike almost everytime I'm out on fast singletrack. I loved that bike. Take something else out of the garage.

[zank]

Given my New England roots and love of Yo Eddy! and steel hardtails, I say keep the Fat.

How about this as a fork option?

http://www.starbike.com/php/product_info.php?lang=en&pid=1979

I am going to give this fork a try on a SS this year. I have only heard good things.

Also, how about keeping an eye on eBay for a used Big One Inch?

[gdw]

Keep the Fat Chance. Moots is still in business and you can always purchase a new one if you regret your decision.

Forks with one inch steerers are still available from Marzocchi and used Rockshok's and Manitou's turn up quite often on Ebay. Eko Sports in Grand Junction was marketing Englund Total Air cartridges which you could utilize with your existing fork.
http://www.ekosport.com/index.htm (I'm not sure if they're still in business)

Cambria might still have them in stock as well and also lists a number of components to rebuild old Judy's.
http://www.cambriabike.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?page=1

[mtflycaster]

Thanks for all the comments and help, esp. re. fork options.

Keeping the Yo Eddy for now!!!

Pete

[pdonk]

Another fork option is to get a RS SID and cut the stancions out of the crown and slip them into yours.

Here is similar discussion from MTBR's group

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=86466&highlight=SID+Judy
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=125469&highlight=SID+Judy

As for which bike to keep, I'd keep the FAT.

[mtflycaster]

Wow! Checked out the links to the staunchion swap. That's cool and I may just have to try that one! Off to EBay for me.

Keepin' the flame burnin' with the Fat...

You guys (gals) rock!

[davids]

Here's my little Fat City story:

I know this woman - Married, has two boys just a bit younger than my daughter. She's a member of my synagogue. She's another IT person, like myself; she runs a small department at a non-profit legal services group. Just a nice, friendly person, the kind of person it's easy to hang out with for hours at a time. I've known her for years now.

Anyway, she heard I was getting a new bike (the Nove), and started asking me about it. I was little surprised, but assumed she was just being her friendly self. Turns out she's a cyclist, too. She used to ride a lot more, but she still commutes. She rides an old bike, which she loves - I may have heard of it? A Fat Chance? (This was just the beginning.)

Yeah, she had sort of dropped out for a while in the mid-80s, and went to work as a bike mechanic at a small Somerville shop, working so she could afford her dream bike, a Fat Chance, custom-made by Chris. She got the employee discount, and also did some computer work for Fat City. Taught Chris' wife to use the PC. She used to hang out with the whole crew back in the day, go riding with them up in the Fells after work. Her favorite was this tandem they used to take off-road... What was it? An Ibis. Have I ever heard of Ibis? What ever happened to them?

She still commutes on her Fat Chance. The finish is beat to hell, but it's still the best bike she's ever ridden...

It was quite a conversation, and I've never looked at her the same since then. It's amazing what you can learn about a person you thought you knew!

[Ginger]

Oh, and I don't know if James H. is still keeping his site current as he's off writing tech pieces for cycling news. Everything suspension:

www.angryasian.com

Awww...I see he's moved to Boulder. So much for local expert fork rebuilds.