[Matthew Dyer]

I love my 1992 AM14, and would like to keep it indefinitely, which has got me thinking about how to bring the front forks into the modern era. Riding basically any half decent mountain bike really highlights the flaws of the friction damping.
This might be heresy, but I’ve been steadily removing all the Moulton bits over the years, so one more might make it the perfect bike! Has anyone found a way to get oil damping?

[Keith Hales]

The specs of the friction damping washers were changed about 20 years ago, and provide a more consistent and progressive damping force depending on how tight the bolts are. The plastic plunger inside the steering tube was also modified about 25 years ago, to resist seizing up.

Keith Hales

[Matthew Dyer]

Thanks Keith,
I replaced the plunger about five years ago, which I noticed was a different shape. I’ve still got the original light grey/blue washers though. I notice the current ones are bright green, which is presumably the improved material.

Did you find it made a big difference? Friction damping just seems like a bad idea to me. My AM does ride better than my mk1, but by modern standards it’s not great. Those friction washers could be replaced with bearings if I could figure out a way to get some proper damping in the steerer tube. It’d be a tight fit diameter-wise, but it’s vaguely comparible to the stanchions on older MTB forks. I remember having a Gary Fisher with forks so skinny it put the brakes on if you got out the saddle.

Maybe it’s just not doable, but I’m very curious to know if anyone else has tried?

[Keith Hales]

I found the newer damping washers quite effective. The Moulton suspension is not to be compared with a mountain bike, it’s to absorb road vibration. I once had a Brompton, which has no front suspension. It was convenient for mixed mode transport, but I didn’t enjoy riding it because I had to watch the road surface just ahead continuously.

Keith

[Matthew Dyer]

Agreed, and that’s why I don’t rate friction damping – with the high frequency of road buzz, it can’t keep up.

I’ve ridden Lands End to John O’ Groats three times on my AM, so I know it’s much less fatiguing than a Starley, but can’t help pondering if there’s room for improvement!

Anyone else wondered about this too? Realistically this would probably involve finding the right donor machine plus probably some fabrication, which for me is part of the fun of quirky machines.

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