How do I go about choosing a replacement front suspension fork on Arrow 9?

[Zambam]

My Arrow 9 weighs 75 lbs, has 26 x 1.75" tires. I think the forks are shot and not a very good when new ($140 for new factory replacemnt). How do I tell if it is coil, hydraulic or air? Anyway I want to replace them w/o spending a lot of money since it's an old bike. Just want to improve the ride and handling.

Diameter of the stanchion tubes 32 mm
Center to center width between stanchion tubes 132 mm
Length from bottom of head tube to axle 470 mm
Dropout opening 100 mm

 

[Chalo]

Get a fork about the same overall length that has a compression damping/lockout dial. Avoid ones that have steel crowns or sliders.

 

[Zambam]

Get a fork about the same overall length that has a compression damping/lockout dial. Avoid ones that have steel crowns or sliders.

Is steel crowns too heavy?

Had to look up sliders. Is it a device that go between 2 different rate coil springs?

 

[Chalo]

Is steel crowns too heavy?

Had to look up sliders. Is it a device that go between 2 different rate coil springs?

Sliders are also called "lowers", the bottom section of the fork that moves up and down in relation to the stanchions ("uppers).

Steel crowns and sliders are indicative of suspension forks that are so cheaply made they aren't worth buying.

 

[Zambam]

Anyway to tell if mine are threaded or threadless w/o taking it apart?

 

[2old]

If the stem is inserted in the center of the fork's steerer, it's threaded; if it is centered around the steerer tube, threadless. Look at Sheldon Brown for a better description (show a picture, and it will be easy to ascertain. The Arrow 9 picture I saw online looked like it had a 26" wheel and a threaded (maybe 1") steerer.

 

[Zambam]

If the stem is inserted in the center of the fork's steerer, it's threaded; if it is centered around the steerer tube, threadless. Look at Sheldon Brown for a better description (show a picture, and it will be easy to ascertain. The Arrow 9 picture I saw online looked like it had a 26" wheel and a threaded (maybe 1") steerer.

Thanks for the reply! Checked Sheldon Brown. Per the screenshot, Arrow 9 looks like it's threadless.

 

[Zambam]

I am going by the "no wrench flats" to determine Arrow 9 is threadless. Do you agree?

 

[2old]

To me, it looks like the quill of the stem is in the middle of the fork like the threaded system. This is old school since threadless stems have been around for 30 or more years. If it's threaded, there will be a hex bolt at the top of the stem that secures it by tightening, thereby pressing a wedge against the inner side of the fork steerer. If not, it's an arrangement I haven't seen before. If Chalo answers, it will be definitive.

 

[E-HP]

This is old school since threadless stems have been around for 30 or more years. If it's threaded, there will be a hex bolt at the top of the stem that secures it by tightening, thereby pressing a wedge against the inner side of the fork steerer.

I watched a YouTube video where you can clearly see the hex bolt on top of the stem. There were only a handful of decent forks made before the transition to threadless, but anything made today is pretty junky.

 

[Zambam]

I watched a YouTube video where you can clearly see the hex bolt on top of the stem. There were only a handful of decent forks made before the transition to threadless, but anything made today is pretty junky.

If the video you saw was similar to my Arrow 9 ebike, can you post the link please?

 

[E-HP]

If the video you saw was similar to my Arrow 9 ebike, can you post the link please?

Right around 8:33 into the video

 

[Zambam]

I see the (Allen) hex bolt you are referring to. I am still confused as to what a threaded vs threadless fork looks like. What thread is it referring to? Can you link to a pic which would show the thread?

Is the Sheldon Brown screenshot above correct? Is mine threaded or threadless?

 

[E-HP]

Yours is threaded, because there are threads on the fork steering tube used the secure the fork. Threadless steering tubes are just a straight tube, and the stem clamps to the steering tube, securing the fork.

 

[Chalo]

To me, it looks like the quill of the stem is in the middle of the fork like the threaded system. This is old school since threadless stems have been around for 30 or more years. If it's threaded, there will be a hex bolt at the top of the stem that secures it by tightening, thereby pressing a wedge against the inner side of the fork steerer. If not, it's an arrangement I haven't seen before. If Chalo answers, it will be definitive.

Generally speaking, suspension forks transitioned to threadless headsets a long time ago. But some bikes designed for adjustable fit (comfort bikes, flat foot bikes, hybrids) still use a threaded headset to allow easy height changes to the stem. The stem in those cases is usually an angle adjustable one, like the one on the Arrow 9 in the photo.
If you know where you want your handlebars, it's by far better to use a non-adjustable stem (lighter, stiffer, stronger, more durable) to put them there. Most of the same advantages also apply to threadless headsets and forks.

For what it's worth, the bolt holding a threadless stem top cap can closely resemble the quill wedge bolt of a quill stem. It's the stem itself that looks different.

 

[99t4]

IIRC you are in NYC or adjacent? Aren't there like dozens of Arrow shops in the area that cater to the ebike takeout delivery folks? Can you inquire there for their suggestions for Arrow suspension fork upgrades?

 

[Zambam]

IIRC you are in NYC or adjacent? Aren't there like dozens of Arrow shops in the area that cater to the ebike takeout delivery folks? Can you inquire there for their suggestions for Arrow suspension fork upgrades?

There are a few Arrow specific shops in the Tri-state area but there's a much larger franchise of around 15 or more Fly-Ebike shops who sell almost the exact bike as the Arrow where just about all the parts are interchangeable. These shops wouldn't want to know anything about upgraded parts. All they want or need is sell their own parts. They are well stocked and always busy doing repairs for the delivery guys.

I went into an Arrow shop yesterday, they checked out my suspension forks & said it's working fine. But if I wanted to replace it, it's $140 parts & labor. They were ready to do the job if I wanted to.

 

[99t4]

I went into an Arrow shop yesterday, they checked out my suspension forks & said it's working fine. But if I wanted to replace it, it's $140 parts & labor. They were ready to do the job if I wanted to.

So clean bill of health? At least they didn't try to victimize you by upselling unnecessary work. Actually that's a very good price. Are you still unsatisfied with the forks performance?

 

[Zambam]

Yes, I'd like it to provide better damping/ shock absorption to my hands when hitting pot holes. How do I tell what type shocks they are (coil, hydraulic, air or combo? Which is better?

Found this EP Cycling Suspension Fork 80mm Stroke Preloadable Lockoutable ARROW 10 eBIKE | eBay which looks just like mine. It's threaded. Unfortunately no technical info as to type.

 

[scianiac]

It's a coil fork but air or coil doesn't really matter in this case unless it's way too stiff or too soft. It looks like it has adjustable pre-load, what is the preload set to and how is the sag currently? If the sag is low, like less than 10% reducing the preload to something more like 20% will help. How smooth does it feel, hard to tell I guess without a comparison but if it's worn out it may have a lot of static friction or bind easily. A better quality fork will be smoother and more adjustments could help but if that one is in good shape the difference will not be massive, similarly a slightly longer travel fork would improve it but again only a slight improvement and you can really only go very slightly longer so you only slightly effect the bike's geometry.

 

[neptronix]

Looks like a coil fork from here. Factory coil forks tend to be crap. Swapping it for an entry level air fork from suntour ( $200-$300 ) would provide a big improvement to that bike's suspension.

 

[Zambam]

I am going by the "no wrench flats" to determine Arrow 9 is threadless. Do you agree?

View attachment 352853

I didn't know that's a cap, under it there is a nut. So it's threaded!

 

[Zambam]

Looks like a coil fork from here. Factory coil forks tend to be crap. Swapping it for an entry level air fork from suntour ( $200-$300 ) would provide a big improvement to that bike's suspension.

I looked in the Suntour site Suspension Forks which is difficult to navigate if you don't know what to look for. I searched for "threaded" and didn't come up with anything.

 

[neptronix]

That's why i recommend converting it from threaded ( only used on bargian basement OEM forks today ) to threadless.
A bike shop can do the headset changeout and installation for you, you just need to pick the fork.

 

[Zambam]

That's why i recommend converting it from threaded ( only used on bargian basement OEM forks today ) to threadless.
A bike shop can do the headset changeout and installation for you, you just need to pick the fork.

Do I need special tools that only a bike shop possess to convert to threadless ? Can I DIY? I rather not use a bike shop if I can avoid it.