FRONT FORK SPECS

[Inertia]

I continue with my inability to fully grasp where
bike use has gone especially after viewing the Red Bull video: WOW!

The reality of embedding a carbon concept is in the works; and
often being to technical my undertakings take longer than most.

So I'm here to ask a fundamental question: with ref. to the head tube (hopefully this is what it is called); and
in this wondering are there dimensional standards for the individual parts making up
the over all notion AKA bicycle? The Fork...is the upper portion of the fork that inserts into/through
the 'head' made to a standard of measure? Don't freak but will any dampened front fork fit into
a very old HUFFY frame...and yes I know some of ya may be thinking: why do that?
While I build mine on paper I should keep riding...currently gravity is not my friend save going down
the terrain.
lol
 

[brmeyer135]

yes, the forks usually come with a steerer tube that is 1 1/8" top to bottom(goes through the headset of the bike...and the handlebars attach there)...the other current standard is a steerer tube that is 1 1/2" by the fork and slims to 1 1/8" as it is going through the headtube.   Not sure how old your Huffy is, but I am thinking it 1" or 1 1/4" through the headtube.
Best is for you to measure your headtube for its width - rough measurement where the Huffy badge is located.
Or, post the model and maybe it can be figured out.
Let me know if I am not understanding your question.

[Inertia]

        
Thanks!
The Ol'Mower deck of a friend was in need of R&R; and
got caught up in that along with the rest of everything so
when I finally got back and saw a response I just had to stop
to see your reply. When ever I bought this Huffy I of course bought
4 of em (Age) so I'm going to take down the fork to measure it all.
I've been on ebay looking...wowow WOW! You think I was looking at
off road $tuff for trucks etc. The knowledge will be forever and I think
I'll slip my calipers into my pocket just to see whats around at some of our
recycle shops of sorts.

Also somewhere with in /among the posts ref. Carbon frames/parts in general
was a comment about a crack in maybe the clear/gel-coat?
When I saw a checking procedure for the covers of jet motors...it appeared that a tech would use
something akin to a reflex hammer (the kind a doc would use on the knee to get your leg to flexout)
a grid would be laid out in grease pencil then repeated tapping with in each grid square
would be undertaken: solid layers of build up cloth would of course have it's own healthy
sound however where de-lamination was happening things reflected differently. All this sad to caution
that with any lay up of fiberglass or even carbon the early sign of fatigue
may show by telegraphing into the finish first before complete failure. There are some interesting pics
of carbon tube failures around. Now if these are in line with the nature of builds you all are involved with
I'm looking to you since you obviously are deeper via use at this point.

Buzzing off

[brmeyer135]

carbon failures can happen and do for ALL the manufactures
chinese carbon, that I know of, hasn't failed anymore than any other brands.
actually, the cheaper chinese has had more manufacturing 'defects' that aren't failures
there are also failures for metal bikes...meaning, sounds like you are still using an older Huffy....as long as you aren't riding it hard it is probably safe...but if you had been riding it on hard trails and such...could be in the same boat
The Huffy's of the world weren't made for much more than trail use and, again, if used for more than that....things will break.
Overall, the beauty of chinese carbon is that it is cheap enough to let it go when it's useful life is done, whatever that may be.