Biking Hiking with Kids

Received the Manitou Bulge FS Ti fork yesterday and I started working on the Marin palisades Trail project again. The fork weighs 3.55 pounds. The fork came with a fork crown race and a star nut. The steer tube was a bit to long so I hack sawed a bit over an inch from it. I didn’t have the alignment jig to make the cut perfectly straight so I did the cut slowly to make sure that it came out straight. I did a good job and didn’t have to do too much filing except to deburr the rough edges.

Manitou FS Ti Fork

After cutting the steer tube to the desired length, I took off the fork crown race that was on the tube and installed the race that came with the headset that I am using on the Marin frame. Taking off the old and installing the crown I am using went smoothly and I didn’t damage the fork.

The cut was below the star nut that was already installed in the steer tube. I tried to take it out to reuse it because I didn’t have a spare star nut. But the nut broke when I was trying to hammer it out of the tube. So I had to order one from eBay. I should have driven the star nut further down the tube before cutting the tube to length. That may have saved the star nut.

Manitou Answer FS Ti Shock

I was able to install the headset and the fork as you can see. But without the star nut, the fork is not secure and is not safe to use.

Next, I’m installing the bottom bracket.

Check out the Manitou Bulge FS Ti fork installation on a Marin Palisades Trail Frame.

Check out the star nut installation on the Manitou Bulge FS Ti fork.

Here is a picture of the built up 2001 Marin Palisades Trail mountain bike.