# Noleen Crosslink Help/Questions



## TREK 4 Life (Feb 20, 2006)

Hey all, there is one fork that I have been thinking about alot lately. The Noleen(Proflex/Girvin) Crosslink. I remember I used to think it was the darn nearest thing to AMAZING that I had ever seen (I was 15 at the time).

Was wondering if anyone uses them, and had pics of them on their bikes. I have a 05 Trek 4300, and I think a Carbon Crosslink would look kick a$$ on it (or on the SS I am thinkin of making). I may be crazy, but it would be cool.

Also, any info on them, such as weight/Travel, etc, and where to find them would be greatly appretiated.

And as I said, if anyone has pics of them on your bike, I would love to see them.

Thanks


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## Bigwheel (Jan 12, 2004)

You can sometimes find them on eBay. I personally prefer the Look/Fournales forks (lighter and pivot bearings instead of bushings) which can also be found on the bay but there are 3 different sizes that you need to match to your headtube length.


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## Eastcoaster (Feb 13, 2004)

*Give a call to this shop....*

Yeah. I said Call them. You may have seen the one page story on them in BIKE. Shirk's Bike Shop in East Earl, PA. (southeastern/southcentral PA) They used to do a TON of Pro-Flex business!
I actually own one from them. And...just tonight as a matter of fact, stopped in and asked them if they had a lot of old parts, etc. around as I frequently come across this exact type of thing on here, at the now defunct Mountain Bike Weekend at Jim Thorpe, PA every year, etc. 
They said to bring on the calls.
That said, I don't know if they'll have what you're looking for, but it's worth a $ call.
717-445-5731 and ask for Luke. If he's unavail. one of his sons could probably answer just as well. They're Mennonite. We're in Lancaster County, PA. Amish tourist land. They're seriously a great shop. People travel out here from Philly on the weekends to go there.
So, like I said, it's a start.

From what I remember, from riding mine... it was 4" (huge travel for the time) of cross country/trail bliss. Hugely sensitive to the small stuff and the travel to soak up the big hits. 
TWO problems with it. The high stack height of the fork above the top tube due to the bracket and THEN your stem on top of that. AND, it was a little un-nerving when dropping in/rolling down steep chutes (not hucking), etc. as the back and up "J" shaped axle path as the fork compressed. Great on the regular hits, soaking up the bumps, etc. but a really weird feeling as it compressed and made you wonder if you were going to roll out of it and not go over the bars as your wheelbase would actually shrink.

Enough from me!


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## TREK 4 Life (Feb 20, 2006)

Thanks for the contact info, but seeing as I am in Ontario Canada, thats abit of a drive for me.  

I had thought the travel path would be abit weird, but I am guessing you get used to it. I have decided that it is exactly what I want for a SS build up. I was thinking of using a late 90's Klein (Please Klein Lovers, don't shoot me). 

Still, any pics of people with them on their bikes, and anymore info people might be able to add to the table would be greatly appretiated.

Thanks again.


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## mello211 (Dec 25, 2005)

shop that i worked at was a proflex/k2 dealer back in the day and all the employees rode those and loved them. true about the travel and "J" directional axle path. super stiff fork but make sure you check the hardware and rebuild as needed if you can get spare parts. also, the forks actually didn't break much unlike the proflex rear ends.


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## JmZ (Jan 10, 2004)

TREK 4 Life said:


> Thanks for the contact info, but seeing as I am in Ontario Canada, thats abit of a drive for me.
> 
> I had thought the travel path would be abit weird, but I am guessing you get used to it. I have decided that it is exactly what I want for a SS build up. I was thinking of using a late 90's Klein (Please Klein Lovers, don't shoot me).
> 
> ...


I rode one of the forks for a while. It didn't work with the Specialized that I had put the fork on.

It was a pretty decent fork - 3" travel at about 3 1/2 - 4 pounds of weight. Not really worse than the Judy or Marz at the time. It just didn't fit the geometry of the bike I was on.

I tried it on a Pro-Flex and on one of those it was not the same dead feeling floppy fork that I had thought it was.

I put that fork on my brother's bike and he raves about it.

Pros:
Stiff & Tracks True
Can put a 'real' shock in there
J Axle path

Cons
J Axle path
Limited shock choices
Hard to fit disc brakes
Weight for shock is up high (and it can be noticible)

Hope that helps some,

JmZ


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## XR4TI (Sep 6, 2005)

I'm using the Noleen Crosslink ELT. It has both rebound and compression damping. You can get 3 diifferent spring rates, 175, 200, 225, 250. It's not as heavy as people think, 1600 grams, 3.5 pounds. It's as light or lighter than alot of forks out there. As far as the J travel people are talking about. I don't see it or feel it. It moves straight up and down like any other fork. I think it's an optical illusion because your wheel is mounted on the opposite side of the fork legs. From Noleen; No brake scrub. No pedal pogo. No independent leg movement. Just 3 inches if widely adjustable, plush travel. Which is true. It works better than (in my opinion) than most xc forks out there. I like it.


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## TREK 4 Life (Feb 20, 2006)

XR4TI said:


> I'm using the Noleen Crosslink ELT. It has both rebound and compression damping. You can get 3 diifferent spring rates, 175, 200, 225, 250. It's not as heavy as people think, 1600 grams, 3.5 pounds. It's as light or lighter than alot of forks out there. As far as the J travel people are talking about. I don't see it or feel it. It moves straight up and down like any other fork. I think it's an optical illusion because your wheel is mounted on the opposite side of the fork legs. From Noleen; No brake scrub. No pedal pogo. No independent leg movement. Just 3 inches if widely adjustable, plush travel. Which is true. It works better than (in my opinion) than most xc forks out there. I like it.


That there bike is gorgeous. I must say I am very jealous. :thumbsup:

I love the fork, and it sounds like it will fit my riding style, and terrain perfectly.

Thanks for the help. Now to find me a Noleen Carbon Crosslink.


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## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

I got one of the Crosslink Elites from ediscountbike off ebay also, put it on my catamount (which I also got from them on ebay) frame and voila... singlespeed full suspension.


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## TREK 4 Life (Feb 20, 2006)

I had once looked at the same frame. But changed my mind when my employment "went south". And now that I am happily employed....well that frame just won't cut it . But it sure is nice, and turned out great once built. I love the fork on that frame. Makes me wonder what it would look like on a Trek Y-22......


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## BikeSATORI (Mar 20, 2004)

great looking bike DeeEight, I had something similar in mind with another sweet spot frame, a szazbo, and a crosslink fork!


well, sorry to dig so deep on a thread, but just looking for some more crosslink fork info from those here that may know. 
Is it true they were made in multiple sizes??? Just two sizes, long and short, or what?

I beleive I just made a mistake... I just picked up a nice girvin crosslink to put on one of my 17" frames, but as soon as I went to slide in the steerer I knew something was wrong... It appears I'd need like a good ~2-2.5" or more of spacers UNDER the top link and above the top headset bearing just to get it to fit!?? 
hmmmm, I knew there was a lot more stack height involved with these forks, but dayum, this is ridiculous.
Is there ANY possible way to convert a “long“ fork into a short?? Maybe a shorter eye-to-eye shock? I know, slim chance...

if not, any chance anyone here would be interested in trading a good short crosslink fork for a long??

Thanks, any and all tips and info are much appreciated!


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## Eastcoaster (Feb 13, 2004)

Proflex / K2 Riders Group News

Wishing that I hadn't, but I sold my 857... mint, size small to a guy on this site. Answers may lie there.


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## GMF (Jan 10, 2004)

BikeSATORI said:


> well, sorry to dig so deep on a thread, but just looking for some more crosslink fork info from those here that may know.
> Is it true they were made in multiple sizes??? Just two sizes, long and short, or


If memory serves, there were just 2 lengths - the standard and the tall (of whatever they called it) "ULM" or "upper link mount". It is just the top piece that slides onto their funky steerer tube. The rest of the fork is the same. Do not put a different length shock in there as you'll mess up the fork linkage geometry. Also, make sure you have the ULM in the right place relative to the lower link mount - again, this is important for linkage geometry. Google is your friend here.

I hope you get it figured out - I really liked that fork.


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## uphiller (Jan 13, 2004)

About the J-path: the Girvin forks had a more pronounced J-path, and you can definitely feel it. It's different. Supposedly that feature got toned down on the Noleen-branded forks.
Risse Racing still builds lightweight air shocks (not adjustable by hand, I think), which save some weight, not sure how much.


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