another 300#'er looking for help and wisdom

i currently have 2005-6 specialized hardrock disc. i cant stand the
front rockshox, cant get them adjusted enough for my weight, im
seriously thinking about a rigid fork(suggestion) and im also thinking
about converting it to a SS bike....
Also i would like to raise up the stem/bar..(long torso/short inseam
at 5'11"). Im mechanically inclined, but i havnt worked on bikes since
the early 90's and there didnt seem to be this many choices, also a
lot lighter then..lol...if you know of anyone or good dealers in S.E.
MI let me know/

On Jan 26, 10:19*am, mestude wrote:
i currently have 2005-6 specialized hardrock disc. i cant stand the
front rockshox, cant get them adjusted enough for my weight, im
seriously thinking about a rigid fork(suggestion) and im also thinking
about converting it to a SS bike....
*Also i would like to raise up the stem/bar..(long torso/short inseam
at 5'11"). Im mechanically inclined, but i havnt worked on bikes since
the early 90's and there didnt seem to be this many choices, also a
lot lighter then..lol...if you know of anyone or good dealers in S.E.
MI let me know/


New rigid fork, like a cheep n cheerful P2 + some additional spacers
and you solve a couple problems. You'll probably want your shop to
seat the crown race for the headset and even cut the steerer
eventually. Available in a couple axle to crown sizes (410 and 440mm),
so take that into account.

At 300# gears are good. If you want to simplify your drivetrain,
dispense with the front mech, ditch the granny ring, and replace your
big ring with a bash ring. 1X8 is reliable and good.

mestude wrote:

i currently have 2005-6 specialized hardrock disc. i cant stand the
front rockshox, cant get them adjusted enough for my weight, im
seriously thinking about a rigid fork(suggestion)

The heavy-duty rigid fork that's easiest to come by is the Surly
Instigator fork. It's suspension-corrected (meaning it's the same
length as a suspension fork even though it's rigid) although it may be
the rigid version of a longer fork than the one on your bike. The
Surly 1x1 fork is not terrible, but I bent one by braking hard when I
weighed over 350 pounds.

http://www.treefortbikes.com/82_3332...ti-Pivots.html

and im also thinking about converting it to a SS bike....

Don't do that unless it's what you want. If your bike is already
equipped for multi-speed gearing, why not make that work for you? If
your rear wheel is already wrecked and you have to replace it, theen
it might be a time to consider getting a dishless, single-speed
specific replacement wheel. You could even keep the three up front
(using your rear derailleur as a tensioner) while reaping the
structural benefit of a symmetrical rear wheel with wide spoke bracing
angle and even spoke tension.

*Also i would like to raise up the stem/bar..(long torso/short inseam
at 5'11").

Well, the first thing to do is not cut any of the extra steer tube off
your new fork. See if you can have a local machinist cut a tubular
spacer from 1-1/4" x .058" wall (or 1-3/8" x .120" wall) tubing that
will fill the whole gap between your headset and your stem. You could
use a big stack of 10mm headset spacers, but that would look goofy and
won't contribute strength and stiffness to the front end like a single
tube spacer.

Chalo